New Delhi, Sep 18: Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh shared what keeps him motivated and energised during tense moments, as well as how he manages disappointing situations. He was last seen on the field during the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad, where his team finished runners-up as Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed their first trophy.

Shashank was very vocal about his aspirations and mentioned how his dream to represent India at the biggest stage keeps him motivated to do well. He spoke about his journey and growth over the years, and how his family played a key role in shaping his career as a cricketer.

“While my family has always been supportive, many others have also backed me throughout my career. All my coaches who have taught and trained me so far, as well as my teammates, have also played a part. However, my mum, dad, and sister have been the biggest supporters, and a lot of credit goes to them,” Shashank told IANS in an exclusive interview.

“Looking back on my journey, I started playing for MP, then we moved to Bombay, and later I returned to Chhattisgarh. Eventually, I began gaining recognition in the IPL. It’s been a long journey, and like every other cricketer, I faced many ups and downs. But I believe I have overcome them all, and I am currently in the right zone.

“My dream of representing the Indian national team is something I believe I am very close to achieving. I am working hard because cricket is all about dedication and discipline, and I feel I am on the right path,” he added.

Despite his impressive numbers in domestic cricket, the PBKS batter has not managed to break into the national side. Speaking on what might have went wrong, Shashank stated, “My job is to deliver good performances and assist the team in winning. That has always been my motivation, to lead the team to victory. I cannot concentrate solely on my individual performance and the runs I score in each game, because cricket is a team sport. Ultimately, it matters how many matches I have helped the team win.”

“To be very honest, I don’t know why I’m not a part of the national side yet. I don’t have an answer to that. I think I’m trying to tick all those required boxes at the highest level, at the domestic level, at any level I play cricket, where I learn and improve my game as a player.”

Shashank highlighted the importance of winning trophies in domestic cricket, adding, “If you ask me what’s going wrong or the missing link, I think it might be because my state hasn’t won any championships yet. Players from other states have a championship title to their name, whether it’s the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Ranji Trophy, or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; they win matches. I believe that helps them gain recognition at the highest level.

“My team doesn’t have trophies yet, so there might be a 1% chance that’s the reason. But besides that, I don’t think I lack any attribute needed to represent India at the highest level. I have the qualities that an Indian player must possess, and I hope that dream turns into reality soon.”

Even after impressive performances at the IPL for Punjab Kings over the years, Shashank hasn’t found his name in the Indian squad. When asked if that affects him mentally, he said, “Obviously, I get disappointed. I think about the reasons and details for a few days and then move on. It’s ultimately up to me how I perceive it, and my job is to perform well and help the team win. All you can do is follow the schedule and train properly, hoping to achieve the end goal. I am following the same process instead of banging my head and wondering why things didn’t fall into place. That’s beyond my control.”

When asked how he copes with the pressure and disappointments, the Chattisgarh cricketer added, “It’s essential to stay strong mentally. Firstly, you should be grateful that you’re playing cricket at a high level in a country where the competition is fierce. That’s always a motivating factor. I’m not the first person to be here, nor will I be the last. Many have rightfully had their chance when they deserved it, and many will have in the future. You must always have belief. I’ll never say that I’ve always been talented. I worked hard to get here, and I believe in myself that I can do it. I always think I’m the best when I step onto the ground, and that always motivates me to keep improving every day.

The 33-year-old believes that age doesn’t matter if a cricketer’s statistics show their true ability. He feels that selection depends on a player’s merit, and that age cannot prevent anyone from reaching greatness.

“Sport is one area where there’s no bias or reservation based on caste or age. Selection is solely on merit. If I’m hitting the world’s best bowlers for fours and sixes, running from long on to long off while fielding, being quick between the wickets, and proving to be an asset for the team, then I believe no force can prevent me from playing cricket at the highest level,” he said.

“Age is nothing. People say age is just a number, but for me, it’s irrelevant and doesn’t matter. There are numerous examples of players and athletes continuing to perform beyond a certain age and dominating the sport. If I’m playing fast bowlers who bowl at a pace of 160 and not fearing them and performing well across departments, then I don’t think age will play a role. If you’re putting up stand-out performances and your stats do the talking, then age is literally nothing,” he concluded.

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday issued notices to NIA  and those acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. 

Family members of victims of the blast have filed appeal challenging special court’s verdict acquitting 7 persons, including BJP MLA Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. 

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad has kept the appeal for hearing after six weeks. 

The appeal challenges a special court’s decision last year to acquit seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. Six people were killed and over 100 injured in the blast that struck Malegaon in September 2008.

On September 29, 2008, an explosive strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, killing six people and injuring 101. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) initially arrested 11 persons. A decade later, only seven faced trial, while others were discharged. The NIA took over the probe in 2011.

On July 31, special judge AK Lahoti acquitted all seven accused observing that there was no “reliable and cogent evidence” against the accused that proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The families, however, contended that the trial court wrongly acted as a “post office” and failed to test the prosecution’s case against missing or hostile evidence. 

The appeal claims that faulty investigation or procedural defects should not have resulted in acquittals, especially in a terror case. It also alleges that the NIA deliberately diluted the case. The petition points to former special prosecutor Rohini Salian’s public statement that she was pressured to go slow against the accused. Her replacement, the petition claims, lacked experience in terror trials.

Mumbai: The city wakes up to gloomy skies and water stocls reaching at 224,636 million litres (ML), reaching 99.02% of the total capacity. According to the 6:00 AM report on September 18, 2025, the seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai are holding near-maximum levels, ensuring a secure water supply for the coming months.

Upper Vaitarna recorded a water level of 603.81 meters, showing a slight rise of 0.02 meters, with live storage at 224,636 million litres (ML). Modak Sagar remained steady at 163.15 meters with 128,910 ML storage, while Tansa lake showed no change at 128.54 meters, storing 143,416 ML. Middle Vaitarna stood at 284.44 meters with 191,059 ML, reflecting a minor drop of 0.12 meters.

Together, the Upper Vaitarna group accounts for 688,022 ML. Bhatsa, the largest contributor, recorded 141.79 meters with 709,355 ML, while Vehar and Tulsi stood at 80.28 meters and 139.20 meters respectively, holding 27,698 ML and 8,046 ML. In total, Mumbai’s reservoirs currently hold 1,433,121 ML of water.

Officials highlighted that water release from Upper Vaitarna began on August 21, and several dams have overflowed in recent weeks. At the Bhandup Complex, no fresh rainfall was recorded today, but seasonal totals stand at 2,698 millimeters.

A look back over the past five years shows that 2025 is among the healthiest seasons for reservoir storage. Current levels are at 99.02 percent, surpassing 2020’s 92.38 percent, 2021’s 86.86 percent, 2022’s exceptional 96.91 per cent, 2023’s 83.01 per cent, and 2024’s late August surge to 94.87 per cent. The most recent time Mumbai’s seven major lakes supplying drinking water reached 99% full before today was around 1 October 2024, when the water stock was reported at 99.37% capacity.

Mumbai woke up to calmer weather on Thursday after days of intense downpours that caused traffic snarls and waterlogging across the city. Weather conditions across Mumbai and its surrounding areas are forecast to remain manageable today. The India Meteorological Department predicts mostly cloudy skies with light to moderate rain in Mumbai, with daytime temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius and minimums near 25 degrees. Thane and Navi Mumbai will see similar patterns, while Palghar expects light to moderate showers.

The Konkan belt, including Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg, remains under a yellow alert for isolated heavy showers and gusty winds. With reservoirs nearly full and subdued rainfall expected, Mumbaikars can look forward to stable water supply and fewer disruptions compared to the chaotic scenes earlier this week.