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IPL 2022: In the coming time, I hope he plays for India, performs well, says Umran Malik’s father

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In the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), young Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Umran Malik has been one of the standout stars, bowling the fastest deliveries with his raw pace and earning praise from all quarters, with some experts calling for him to be fast-tracked into the India men’s side.

In his second season of featuring in the IPL after making heads turn in the second half of the 2021 edition, Malik has taken 15 wickets in his first eight matches, including an enthralling 5/25 against Gujarat Titans. But in his last three matches, the 22-year-old has gone wicketless.

His father, Abdul Rashid Malik, believes that IPL 2022 is a part of a learning curve for Umran to be a better player, with a hope to turn out for the national side in future.

“Our kid is getting to learn a lot. We want him to work harder in future, learn many more things to play very well. In the coming time, we hope he plays for India and performs well,” said Rashid in a chat with IANS.

Though Hyderabad lost that match to Gujarat, Malik made the world sit up and take notice of his bowling yet again by ratting the stumps of Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill, David Miller and Abhinav Manohar apart from dismissing Hardik Pandya with a short ball.

Watching Umran bowl a searing spell in Jammu, Rashid recalled that the environment around their home looked as if Eid had arrived early.

“Our Eid was celebrated that day. Isse zyada khushi ki baat aur kya ho sakti hai (Couldn’t have been a happier moment for us). Everyone in our neighbourhood was happy, whole of India was rejoicing that our child was doing great. We just hope that he plays for the country in future and makes the nation proud.”

Rashid attributes his son’s pace and stamina to inclination towards the game from childhood, including bowling for long hours in the searing heat of Jammu. “The (sandy) soil here (near his house) has made him reach where he is today. Playing on this soil has made him the bowler he is currently. From childhood, he had interest in playing cricket and bowling fast. He had a lot of stamina. From starting only, he used to say that I will play cricket.

“In Jammu, he used to go to play tournaments from morning till evening. We used to tell him not to play much under the sun, ‘you will fall ill and your face will turn black’. He used to say, ‘Papa, I have to see my life, not my face. I play cricket only, don’t do any other work.’ I thought, let’s support him and people would say that your child plays very well, he delivers balls so well.”

Rashid revealed that he and Umran’s mother have chats with their son whenever he has free time and feels blessed over experienced Indian cricketers as well as Hyderabad’s pace bowling coach Dale Steyn having chats and sharing cricketing knowledge with his son during IPL 2022.

“Our duaa (prayer) right now is that he does well and takes a lot of lessons in IPL alongside big cricketers. Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have praised him a lot and he is getting to learn a lot from them. Dhoni and (Jasprit) Bumrah make him understand a lot of things. He is getting a lot of support from all the big players for India.

“He is getting to learn a lot from one of the proven pacers in the world (Steyn, the former South Africa pacer). If he soaks in all the lessons, he will put in even more hard work and will go far. We just say that he should work harder because one reaches great heights with hard work.”

At his fruit and vegetable stall, Rashid gets noticed by a lot of people sending him congratulatory messages, including young children. “There are little boys who pass along and say ‘Look, that is Umran’s papa.’ For us, it is the proudest moment. People here are so happy and stop their cars to give their congratulatory messages.”

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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