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‘Doubt to determination’: Priyansh’s journey from IPL rejection to maiden ton

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New Delhi, April 10: Growing up in New Delhi’s Ashok Vihar, left-handed opener Priyansh Arya had told IANS before the start of IPL 2025 that watching Brendon McCullum’s unbeaten 158 in the competition’s inaugural match as a young kid had fuelled his desire to perform well in the ten-team tournament.

Arya’s performance earlier this week evoked the same sense of wonder as McCullum’s remarkable innings from IPL 2008 when he smashed a 42-ball 103, laced with seven fours and nine sixes against Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur, and give Punjab Kings a memorable home win.

His century, coming off just 39 balls, is now the joint fourth-fastest in IPL’s history. “The feeling has obviously been very great that I hit a hundred, as runs are made by a lot of people. But hitting a hundred, as per my view, is difficult. On hitting the hundred, I felt very proud of myself,” said a smiling Arya to IANS in a virtual round-table chat organised by the franchise on Thursday.

Life since hitting six sixes in the inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL), where he also ended up as the tournament’s leading run-getter, has flipped big time for Arya, as he got worldwide recognition.

Calls for attending IPL trials soon made way for a contract worth Rs 3.8 crore. In the side’s pre-season camps, Arya impressed onlookers and was given the backing to open the batting in IPL 2025. Even after his stunning IPL century, Arya has kept a level head.

A big part of that, as per the left-handed opener, has come down to him seeing how calmness has brought consistent on-field performances from players in IPL. “The preparation is just the same for everyone. From whatever I have seen, the mindset is key, as controlling the mind is the most difficult thing for any human being. But the more you are able to keep yourself calm, the better it works in terms of performances,” he added.

Before that century against CSK, Arya came into the game on the back of being castled by Jofra Archer’s scorching pace on the first ball of PBKS’ chase, as they eventually fell short by 50 runs to Rajasthan Royals. He revealed continuous talking with head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer gave him positive vibes before stepping out to attack CSK bowlers.

“My mindset was positive, because when I got out on the first ball (against RR), I didn’t think of anything much. I thought that I will play with a positive attitude as much as possible. If I get the ball, I will hit it. Whenever I talk to Ricky sir, he is always positive. He said that there is no problem, it was the first ball and anyone can get out.”

“He told me that if I get the same ball in the next match (against CSK), I should hit it out of the ground, and I was very confident after hearing that. I was thinking that if I get the first ball, I will hit it, as per my instinct and not defend. Shreyas bhaiya told me to play on my instinct, as it would be better for me, and that helped me a lot.

“Plus, when I was going out to bat in the nets (before the game against CSK), he (Shreyas) asked me what was going on in my mind. I said a few things and he replied back by saying, ‘Keep a clear mind. Don’t think about anything and just back your game. The way you play your game, continue in that way’,” he elaborated.

Before DPL 2024, Arya had been a largely unknown player and hadn’t established himself in the Delhi team, despite making his senior debut in 2021, which came after his Delhi U19 team selection in 2019, thanks to former India player Amit Bhandari, who was the selector at that time.

Arya also disclosed that the current boldness in his batting has come gradually, as time and maturity taught him to be more consistent with his run-scoring in T20s. “With time and maturity, you have to make changes in yourself. You can’t keep playing like you used to. Moreover, all the mature players know everything about you.”

“When I went to the (IPL) trials before, and I didn’t get selected, I thought that if I didn’t make a run, I wouldn’t get selected, because I wasn’t as consistent as I thought I would be. So when I made runs in the DPL, everything became different.”

“My sir (Sanjay Bhardwaj) used to tell me that if you stay on the wicket as much as possible, you will get a chance to move forward. That’s what I used to think while playing, and has helped me,” he concluded.

Crime

Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

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Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.

Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.

The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.

The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.

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National

India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

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India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.

Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.

In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.

According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.

Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.

The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.

According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.

“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.

Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.

About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.

“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.

Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.

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Maharashtra

MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

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The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.

At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.

The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.

The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.

“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.

The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.

“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.

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