Canberra, Oct 28: Australia skipper Mitch Marsh spoke about the team’s newly adopted aggressive approach ahead of their first T20I against reigning World Champions India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, and said the bold new style had developed organically, driven by the team’s personnel.

Australia’s new strategy in the shortest format will be put to the test by the visitors as the two sides gear up for a five-match T20I series down under. When the teams start their series here on Wednesday, the venue will be a hostile ground for the hosts, as passionate India supporters are expected to turn a sold-out Manuka Oval into a sea of blue, like they did during the recently concluded final ODI of the three-match series.

Since their dismal second consecutive T20 World Cup exit in 2024, Australia have adopted a more aggressive, quick-scoring approach, leading to 12 wins in their last 13 matches. Marsh has played a crucial role in that success, as his aggressive approach during powerplays at the top of the order has helped lay the groundwork for Australia’s winning streak.

“I think that’s happened quite organically, to be honest, just with the personnel we’ve got in the team. We had two World Cups where we didn’t quite go all the way, and I guess we spoke about wanting to change ourselves as a team to what we think can win us a World Cup. And as a batting unit, we have played a lot more aggressively.

“I think that’s been the nature of T20 cricket for a lot of teams over the last few years. We’re not gonna get it right every time. We will fail. But if we’re clear on how we wanna go about it, that gives us the best chance for success,” Marsh told reporters ahead of the T20I series opener.

However, India presents a more formidable challenge than Australia has encountered since their style change. The visitors have secured 17 wins in their last 19 T20 matches and are heavily favoured to win the forthcoming series and to defend the World Cup title when they hosts it in 2026.

“I know that we’ve got eight games to go for us, and we’re really building nicely with the way we want to play and go about it. We feel great at the moment, but we know there’s going to be a big series coming up,” he added.

Thane: A tragic incident has shaken the city of Thane after a 17-year-old girl, who was set on fire by her friend four days ago, succumbed to her burn injuries on Sunday morning. The victim, who had sustained nearly 80 per cent burns, was undergoing treatment at KEM Hospital in Mumbai but could not survive despite doctors’ efforts.

According to the police, the accused, also 17, worked as a delivery boy, while the victim was employed as a compounder at a local dispensary. The two had known each other for several years and had lived in Chembur before both families moved to Balkum about a year ago. Police said the two were believed to have been close and were in frequent contact.

The incident took place when the girl was alone at home on Friday. The boy allegedly entered the house and, after an argument over a personal issue, poured an inflammable liquid on her and set her ablaze. Hearing her cries, neighbours rushed to help, and the accused himself took her to Thane Civil Hospital. She was later shifted to KEM Hospital in Mumbai for advanced care, where under treatment she lost her life on Tueday morning.

Senior Police Inspector Pravin Mane of Kapurbawdi police station confirmed that the accused was detained under charges of attempt to murder, which will now be converted to murder following the girl’s death. He was produced before the Juvenile Court in Thane and sent to a remand home.

Police sources revealed that the girl had earlier told relatives the boy had threatened her during a visit to Chembur for the Bhaubij festival. Authorities are now verifying this claim. Forensic experts are examining the flammable substance used in the attack, and officers are continuing their probe to determine the exact motive behind the crime.

Mumbai: Three days after Mumbai Police uncovered a massive mephedrone manufacturing unit in Nalasopara’s Pelhar area, the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police Commissioner on Monday suspended the senior inspector of Pelhar police station for failing to detect the illegal operation running almost under his nose.

Police Commissioner Niket Kaushik issued the suspension order against Senior Inspector Jitendra Vankoti, citing ‘inexcusable negligence’ in monitoring his jurisdiction. The order noted that the illegal factory was located barely 200–300 metres from the Pelhar police station. Despite its proximity, Vankoti claimed he was unaware of the activity, a response the department found unacceptable.

“The site of the above incident was 200 to 300 meters away from Pelhar police station, but during the interrogation, Senior Police Inspector Jitendra Vankoti has stated that he was unaware of the incident,” the order stated. It further mentioned that despite his subordinates being engaged in related intelligence and patrol duties, the inspector failed to ensure effective monitoring, obtain confidential information, or initiate timely action against illegal businesses.

The disciplinary action follows a major operation conducted by Mumbai Police’s Zone-6 Narcotics Cell in coordination with Tilak Nagar police, which raided the factory in the Rashid Compound area of Pelhar, Nalasopara (East) on October 25. During the raid, officers seized over 7 kilograms of mephedrone (MD) and precursor chemicals valued at around Rs 13.5 crore, along with raw materials worth another Rs 1 crore.

Five individuals, including the key manufacturer of the synthetic drug, were arrested. Among them is Sohail Abdul Saif Ali Khan, a former hawker from Mumbra who allegedly transitioned into large-scale drug production. Police said Khan operated multiple luxury vehicles, including a BMW, and had been running the illegal unit for nearly 10 months, producing around 50 kilograms of contraband every month.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-6, Chembur) Sameer Sheikh supervised the operation, which exposed an intricate network of distribution linked to Mumbai’s narcotics supply chain.