Australian cricketers narrowly escape missile strike in Pakistan: Report
Australian and other international cricketers narrowly avoided a missile strike in Pakistan while fleeing on a charter flight to Dubai. The cricketers, who were being evacuated after the postponement of the Pakistan Super League, left Rawalpindi's Nur Khan base just hours before India's retaliatory fire on the military bases of Pakistan.If the reports coming out of the Australian media are to be believed, then Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner, and Mitch Owen were almost caught up in a potentially devastating incident. On Saturday morning, May 10, just hours after the overseas players left on their charter flight, India launched missile strikes targeting three Pakistani airbases, including the facility at Nur Khan – the airbase from which players, officials, and broadcasters had flown out to the UAE around three hours earlier.advertisementThe strike on Nur Khan, located near Pakistan's military headquarters and about 10 kilometres from Islamabad, caused multiple explosions and fires, according to local media reports. Witnesses described smoke and flames, with panic spreading in surrounding areas.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the postponement of the remaining eight matches of the Pakistan Super League on Friday, hours after promising that they would play out the rest of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates.The announcement came amidst rising tensions at the India-Pakistan border, where India thwarted Pakistan's drone and missile attacks on May 8 and 9. The PCB stated in its release that they had to shut down the event amidst "worsening conditions at the LOC (Line of Control)".The escalation of events between the two countries came after Pakistan decided to shell heavy artillery in the Kashmir region following India's precision strikes on terror facilities. India was forced to strike nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after terrorists killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam last month.Must Watch
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NDTV
33 minutes ago
- NDTV
All Bases Covered: How RCB's Maiden IPL Triumph Is A Complete Teamwork Shutting Down Past Mistakes, Criticism
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally sealed their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL), with their much-scrutinised bowling joining the party not only during the title clash, but throughout the entire season while their batters, particularly Virat Kohli continued providing returns expected of them. RCB's historic title win was a team effort like no other, as everyone stepped in, even if it was for a match. There was not even a single player who could be villianised for any negative contributions, as even the underperformers had their moments. The pace trio of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal, the opening pair of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli and spinner Krunal Pandya, though, stood out tall amongst all. Different matches, different match-winners During this entire season, it was as if every player was out there to prove a point. The 'Player of the Match' honours were won by nine different players, the most by a team during a single edition of the IPL. Krunal won the first POTM award for his 3/29 against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the tournament opener, which restricted them to 174/8. In the finals, he returned to produce an all-time great spell of 2/17 in four overs, putting humungous pressure on PBKS and becoming the first player with two POTMs in the finals. In between this, he also produced a brilliant half-century in a modest chase against Delhi Capitals (DC), earning him POTM for his batting. Skipper Rajat Patidar also bagged the award twice for his match-winning fifties against struggling heavyweights Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). A blistering 65 in 33 to chase down 174 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) got Salt his individual glory too, while Tim David's valiant half-century that pushed RCB to 95/9 in a rain-hit match against PBKS at home earned him a rare losing effort POTM. A half-century against RR earned Virat his first POTM, while a clutch 4/33 from Hazlewood to leave RR 11 runs short of 206 runs earned the Australian his moment of glory too. Romario Shepherd's explosive 53* in just 14 balls during the last two overs against CSK gave Caribbean some POTM representation too, as his effort lifted RCB to 213/5 when such a total looked out of reach. Jitesh Sharma's De Villiers-esque 85* against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to chase down RCB's highest total of 228 also gave him the award too. During the Qualifier one against PBKS, when Suyash Sharma's 3/17 ran through the hosts in the middle overs and skittled them out for 101, the Delhi spinner also got the POTM honours. Half-centuries galore for RCB A total of 10 half-centurions emerged for RCB this season, with Virat, Salt, England's young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh, Krunal, David, Shepherd and Liam Livingstone reaching the milestone. For the first time, a team had 10 different half-centurions in a single IPL season. This was a sign of an extremely functional top and middle-order. While Virat (657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 with eight fifties) and Salt (403 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.58, with four fifties) mostly provided the team with explosive starts, that tempo and consistency was maintained well by the rest of the batters consisting of Padikkal (247 runs in 10 matches at an average of 27.44, with two fifties), Patidar (312 runs in 14 innings at average of 24.00 with two fifties), Jitesh (261 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.28 with a fifty), David (187 in nine innings at an average of 62.33 with a fifty) and Romario Shepherd (70 in three innings at an average of 35.00 with a fifty). Mayank Agarwal, who stepped in as an injury replacement for Padikkal, also hit 99 runs in four innings, including a crucial 41* against LSG and vital 24 in the finals. 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He squeezed top-class batters under pressure and his big match temperament was on full display in the final. Suyash served as a great support act, taking eight wickets in 14 matches at an average of 55.25 with an economy rate of 8.84. A world-class coach in Andy Flower and a brilliant support staff Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe cricketer who is now a top-rated name in the coaching circuit, along with batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik, headed the coaching staff. Flower brought to a team, a belief of winning a big one, having won the T20 World Cup 2022 and three Ashes Test series with England, the World Test Championship (WTC), retained the Ashes, won WTC with Australia and secured numerous other franchise cricket league titles as a coach. Having powered RCB to the playoffs from a pathetic one win in eight matches in the first half last season, the self-belief instilled from a magical second half of the last season stayed intact. Karthik as well was a fine mentor to all the players, particularly Jitesh, who even called him his "Guru". The spin bowling coach Malolan Rangarajan also put in plenty of work on Krunal and the backing of Suyash despite some expensive outings finally paid off with his outrageous effort in Qualifier one. Coming to the match, PBKS won the toss and elected to bowl first. Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48) applied timely breaks with the ball, while Yuzi Chahal (1/37) also prevented batters from attacking. While Virat Kohli (43 in 35 balls, with three fours) tried to keep the innings together, skipper Rajat Patidar (26 in 16 balls, with a four and two sixes), Jitesh Sharma (24 in 10 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Liam Livingstone (25 in 15 balls, with two fours) upped the attack enough to help RCB post 190/9 in 20 overs. In the run-chase, PBKS started well with Priyansh Arya (24 in 19 balls, with four boundaries) and Prabhsimran (26 in 22 balls, with two sixes) stitching a 43-run stand. Josh Inglis (39 in 23 balls, with a four and four sixes) and Shashank Singh (61* in 30 balls, three wins and six sixes) tried their level best to keep up with the rising run rate, but Krunal Panddya (2/17), Yash Dayal (1/18) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38) put a fine show with the ball to restrict PBKS to 184/7, despite a sensational 22 runs smashed by Shashank in the final over while needing 29. RCB's win marks the end of a long wait, while PBKS, in their second-ever final and first in 11 years--will have to continue their search for a maiden title.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chinese support to Pakistan during Op Sindoor
S D Pradhan has served as chairman of India's Joint Intelligence Committee. He has also been the country's deputy national security adviser. He was chairman of the Task Force on Intelligence Mechanism (2008-2010), which was constituted to review the functioning of the intelligence agencies. He has taught at the departments of defence studies and history at the Punjabi University, Patiala. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Illinois, US, in the department of arms control and disarmament studies. The ministry of defence had utilized his services for the preparation of official accounts of the 1971 war and the counterinsurgency operations in the northeast. In the JIC/National Security Council secretariat, he was closely involved with the preparation of the reports of the Kargil Review Committee and the Group of Ministers on national security as also with the implementation of their recommendations. His publications include two books and several articles. LESS ... MORE With more information now available, it can be concluded that China provided critical military and strategic support to Pakistan during the four-day India-Pakistan conflict from May 7 to May 10, 2025 (Operation Sindoor). This assistance encompassed advanced weaponry, intelligence sharing, and influence operations for narrative building, favouring Pakistan. John Spencer has rightly stated that Pakistan fought as a proxy force, using Chinese weapons and systems, which failed, exposing the strategic hollowness of Islamabad. There are several credible inputs on the Chinese support to Pakistan. First, a Pakistani ex-army officer, Adil Raja, revealed that Munir ordered the Pahalgam attack after receiving the nod from China. Second, China's arms/systems were used in the operations. China is the largest source of Pakistani weapons (about 81%). The PL-15E missile landed in a village in Hoshiarpur without hitting its target, reflecting that they did not perform well. JF-17 fired Chinese CM-401 hypersonic missiles, which were used to strike Indian logistical depots and mechanised brigades near Pathankot and Gurdaspur. These were also neutralised by the Indian air defence system. Pakistan employed Chinese-made CH-4 drones for reconnaissance and precision strikes. Despite their capabilities, these drones were largely neutralised by India's advanced air defence systems, including the S-400. Third, China placed five satellites for exclusive use in observing Indian military assets. Reports suggest that China provided real-time battlefield surveillance support and advice to Pakistan and coordinates ground and air-level military operations. An Indian research group found out that China assisted Pakistan in optimising its defence systems to better detect the Indian Army's troop movements and deployments during the four-day conflict. It included reorganising Pakistan's radars and air defence systems and adjusting satellite coverage over India. Fourth, the detection of a banned Huawei satellite phone, with messaging services connected to China's Beidou satellite navigation system in Pahalgam after the terror attacks, revealed a close nexus between the Pak Army/terrorists and the Chinese armed forces. The above inputs indicated that Beijing's involvement was far more extensive than originally assessed. Fifth, China actively engaged in information warfare to support Pakistan's narrative. Chinese state media outlets echoed Pakistan's denials of involvement in the Pahalgam attack and suggested alternative narratives, including labelling the attack as a potential 'false flag' operation by India. Chinese-controlled social media platforms disseminated unverified claims of Pakistani military successes, such as the downing of Indian Rafale jets, aiming to undermine India's military reputation and promote Chinese weaponry. Chinese bloggers and wumao soldiers (5 cents) provided massive support to Pakistan in spreading disinformation and psychological warfare. They were receiving inputs directly from Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations. They exaggerated Indian losses, thereby helping to bolster the Pakistani narrative. They portrayed India as an aggressor. Sixth, China provided comprehensive diplomatic support to Pakistan at the UN Security Council, coordinating with Turkey and Bangladesh. At the UN Security Council committee 1267 on counter-terrorism, China blocked any mention of The Resistance Force (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, that initially took responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attacks. In sum, despite China's extensive support, Pakistan's military efforts during Operation Sindoor were largely unsuccessful. Indian forces effectively countered Pakistani offensives, dominating the escalation ladder, and India's indigenous defence technologies outperformed Chinese-supplied systems. India achieved its stated objective of destroying terrorist camps at nine places. Now, some details are available on the losses of aircraft by Pakistan during the operations. In the operation, the IAF destroyed at least six Pakistani fighter jets, two high-value surveillance aircraft, and one C-130 military transport aircraft. More than ten armed drones (UCAVs), several cruise missiles, and radar sites were also taken out during India's operation. Chinese HQ 9 and HQ 16 systems were destroyed by India's missiles. Interestingly, while India claimed to have hit 11 places in Pakistan, the latter now says India attacked at 19 places. Perhaps to project itself as a victim of India's action aimed at the civilian population. The Chinese platforms and defence systems were for the first time put to a real combat test. Their underperformance must be unsettling to China. Pakistan's losses of China's aircraft and air defence systems raise questions about the reliability of its defence equipment in real-world combat scenarios. This will have an impact on the Chinese export of weapons and systems. China is using Pakistan as a tool for its hegemonic and expansionist designs. Pakistan occupies the central position in the Chinese geopolitical calculus for two reasons. First, Pakistan's antipathy towards India allows China to use it as its proxy to keep pressure on India, which it considers an obstacle to achieving its regional ambitions. Second, Pakistan constitutes an important country in the Chinese string of pearls around India. Pakistan's geographical position allows it to have access to the Indian Ocean and thereby overcome its Malacca choke point problem. Besides, China may have viewed India's economic growth as a threat to its dwindling economy. The plan of some manufacturing units moving from China to India must have been unnerving. Hence, China may have asked Pakistan to escalate terror attacks in India to project that this country is not safe for investments. Given the above, China is likely to continue to provide support to Pakistan, which will encourage Pakistan to continue with its policy of bleeding India through a thousand cuts. India has done well by announcing its policy that it will react strongly in case of any terrorist attack, and would not differentiate between the state sponsors and terrorists and would not accept the nuclear bluff. India must maintain its firm retaliatory policy and continue to enhance global narrative building efforts. India needs to pay urgent attention to the dimension of cognitive warfare. This is a process to weaponise public opinion of targets and drive them to act in the initiator's interest. The victims of this process start supporting the adversary's narrative after their minds are manipulated. This can undermine national resilience. A comprehensive study should be made to develop a robust strategy to counter this menace. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Nothing less than treason, says BJP on Rahul Gandhi's ‘surrender' remark
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) accused Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of insulting the armed forces and the country with his remarks aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party described the remarks as 'nothing less than treason'. On Tuesday (June 3, 2025), Mr. Gandhi had alleged that Mr. Modi 'immediately surrendered' after receiving a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump, referring to the decision to suspend Operation Sindoor on May 10. 'Rahul Gandhi's terming the unmatched valour and courage of the Indian armed forces a 'surrender' is not only unfortunate but also a grave insult to them, the nation, and 140 crore Indians. If any Pakistani had said this, we would have laughed at him. However, after the manner in which Operation Sindoor wreaked havoc in Pakistan, no one from Pakistan -- from its army to even its Prime Minister -- dared to say this, but Rahul Gandhi has said this! This is nothing less than treason,' said BJP chief J.P. Nadda through a post on X. Mr. Nadda said: 'The Indian armed forces penetrated 300 km into Pakistan, destroyed 11 of its airbases, demolished nine terrorist bases, and killed more than 150 terrorists. A wailing Pakistan has been telling the world that the Indian armed forces destroyed everything at the 18 places they attacked, and Rahul Gandhi talks about the 'surrender' of the country!' 'Rahul Gandhi should know that the success of Operation Sindoor was not announced by the government or any BJP spokesperson, but by senior officers of the Indian armed forces,' he said, adding that the operation was a declaration of their bravery and valour. 'In reality, those whose policies have been of surrender cannot think of anything beyond this -- Isn't it so, Rahul Gandhi?,' asked the Union Minister. 'Rahul Gandhi, you may have surrendered, your party may have surrendered, your leaders may have surrendered -- your history has been like this -- but India never surrenders. 'Surrender' is in the dictionary of your party Congress, it is in your DNA... you should remember the tenure of your party's governments and how you 'surrendered' in history,' he said. Mr. Nadda said: 'You surrendered to terrorism, surrendered in 'Sharm el-Sheikh'; surrendered at the table in Shimla after winning the 1971 war; surrendered in the Indus Water Treaty; surrendered Haji Pir Pass; surrendered 160-km area of Chhamb sector; surrendered in the 1962 war; surrendered in 1948; and even surrendered to the Muslim League at the time of Independence of the country.' Earlier, at a press conference, BJP MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Mr. Gandhi's comments reflected a 'sick and dangerous' mindset and accused the Congress leader of speaking in support of Pakistan. Responding to a query, he said: 'On the issue of the U.S. President's statement, the Government of India has clarified a number of times that there was no-third party mediation.'
