Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Dhoni praises Chennai 'Dads Army' after IPL win over Mumbai

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has heaped praise on the experienced players in his side after they toppled defending champions Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Indian Premier League.

South African veteran Faf du Plessis smashed an unbeaten 58 to guide Chennai to a five-wicket win, chasing Mumbai's 162 in Abu Dhabi as glitzy Twenty20 tournament started months late because of the coronavirus pandemic.


Once labelled "The Dads Army" by the media, Chennai have a number of players over the age of 35, including Dhoni, Australia's Shane Watson, du Plessis and South African Imran Tahir.

But Dhoni said that kind of experience would always be an asset to any team, with the perfect side needing the "right mix of youngsters and the experienced players".

"What really helps youngsters in (the) IPL is the fact senior cricketers (come) from... different countries and they have their own experience," said Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last month.

"So that way we are blessed to have the senior cricketers who are part of the team."

Dhoni added that players with more than 300 one-day internationals under their belt have built up the kind of experience that is difficult to accumulate.

"You need a number of years to play those," said the Indian star.

"And now with three ODIs a series, 300 ODIs is a dream for anybody to play."

Du Plessis smashed six boundaries in his 44-ball stay including a 115-run partnership with 34-year-old Ambati Rayudu, who hit 71, to help the three-time IPL winners chase the target with four balls to spare.

England's Sam Curran smashed 18 off six balls after the 22-year-old all-rounder was sent ahead of Dhoni in a move that surprised many.

But Curran's hitting affirmed Dhoni's faith in him.

"That's one thing we haven't done," Dhoni said, referring to experimenting with the batting order.

"At some point... we need to give (Ravindra) Jadeja and somebody like Sam to express themselves."

The 53-day IPL is being held in the United Arab Emirates this year because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in India, which has the second-highest number of known infections in the world.

More For You

MIT-Anantha_Chandrakasan

Chandrakasan was selected from a group of internal candidates, MIT president Sally Kornbluth said in a statement announcing the appointment. (Photo credit: MIT)

MIT

Prof Chandrakasan becomes MIT's first Indian-American provost

PROF ANANTHA CHANDRAKASAN has been appointed as the new provost of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), becoming the first Indian-American to take on the role. Currently serving as MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer and dean of engineering, Chandrakasan will assume his new position on July 1.

Chandrakasan was selected from a group of internal candidates, MIT president Sally Kornbluth said in a statement announcing the appointment. She said he brings an exceptional record of innovation and leadership to the position.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India cancels London flight over aircraft unavailability

The flight was scheduled to depart on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo: Air India)

Air India cancels London flight over aircraft unavailability

AIR INDIA’s flight from Ahmedabad to London, operating under a new code following the June 12 crash, was cancelled on Tuesday (17) due to the unavailability of an aircraft. The airline cited airspace restrictions and precautionary checks as the cause.

The service, now listed as flight AI-159, replaced the earlier AI-171 flight which crashed shortly after take-off last Thursday (12), killing 270 people, including 29 on the ground. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had 242 passengers and crew on board, with only one survivor.

Keep ReadingShow less
Conference highlights religious persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan

Conference at Westminster Highlights Religious Persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan

Conference highlights religious persecution in Bangladesh and Baluchistan

A high-profile conference on religious freedom in Bangladesh and Baluchistan was held at Portcullis House, Westminster, organised by the Dharmic Ideas & Policy Foundation (DIPF), hosted by Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East), and supported by APPG leaders on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), including Richard James Shannon MP and Julie Jones on 9 June 2025.

Chairing the conference, Mr Blackman condemned the ongoing persecution of minorities in both regions, describing the situation as dire and deteriorating.

Keep ReadingShow less
abortion protests

Protesters hold up placards during a march through central London on June 17, 2023, to call for decriminalisation of abortion. (Photo: Getty Images)

Parliament to vote on abortion law reform for Women

MPs are expected to vote on Tuesday on a proposed change to abortion laws in England and Wales that would prevent women from being prosecuted for ending their own pregnancies.

Under current law, women can face criminal charges for terminating a pregnancy beyond 24 weeks or without the approval of two doctors. The law still carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave

The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK

iStock

UK weather forecast says heatwave is coming and it could last for days

Britons are set to enjoy a burst of summer sunshine as forecasters predict a heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures expected to rise higher than those in parts of southern Europe. The Met Office anticipates that the UK could experience its hottest days of the year so far, with the south-east likely to be the warmest region.

Temperatures to reach 32°C in parts of the UK

According to the latest weather forecast heatwave predictions, temperatures could peak at 32°C on Saturday, 21 June, and Sunday, 22 June in areas including London and Kent. These highs would surpass conditions in traditional holiday destinations such as Portugal and southern France.

Keep ReadingShow less