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IPL 2022: Two big hits in the middle overs could have got Lucknow over the line, says KL Rahul

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Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul conceded that the result of the IPL 2022 Eliminator match against Royal Challengers Bangalore could have been in their favour if they had ‘”two big hits’ in the middle overs. Chasing 208, Lucknow had Rahul (79 off 58 balls) and Deepak Hooda (45 off 26 balls) partnering for a 96-run stand for the second wicket.

But Bangalore came back hard, on the back of excellent bowling in the backend from Josh Hazlewood and Harshal Patel, to win the match by 14 runs and set up a Qualifier 2 clash with Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad on Friday. Though Lucknow had 81/1 in their middle overs, many felt that the acceleration coming with the last seven overs in the match was too late.

“This season has been like every other season – a good learning. As a team, it has been a challenging season, a good season. We learnt a lot. Now looking back, yes, it is just about two big hits in the middle overs and that could have gotten us over the line,” said Rahul in the post-match virtual press conference.

“It’s not that we didn’t try to hit those fours or sixes, we were trying but I think in the middle they bowled really well. Harshal Patel’s two overs pushed us back a little. He gave away just seven or eight runs, he really changed his pace well. He bowled to the field and that pushed us back a little bit,” added Rahul.

Dropping three catches in four overs, of Dinesh Karthik on four, and of Rajat Patidar on 72 and 93 proved to be fatal for Lucknow as Bangalore smacked a whopping 84 runs off the last five overs, with Patidar racing to a sensational 49-ball century. Rahul admitted that the dropped chances by Lucknow in a match of fine margins came back to hit them hard.

“It is hard to pinpoint one thing. Skills-wise, you can have a bad day and can go wrong with your execution with bat and ball. Something that has let us down badly in this game is our fielding. We dropped some easy catches. I dropped DK (Dinesh Karthik) when he was batting, probably in single digits”

“(Rajat) Patidar was dropped when he was batting on 60 or 70. Dropping them cost us that extra 30-40 runs. We fought really hard and tried our best to chase down the target. But we were just two hits away and had we gotten those in the middle overs, probably we would have won this game.”

In IPL 2022, Rahul’s average while batting first was 85 while his average while batting second was just 27.28 (pushed after 79 in Eliminator). Rahul acknowledged that doing better in the second innings with the bat will be a point of improvement for Lucknow in the 2023 IPL.

“I did focus on my stats that this season I didn’t score many runs in the second innings. But this was a big game and when you come to a big game, you forget whatever you did in the last 14 games. You try to play this game as a fresh game and you try to give your best. I tried the same even today.”

“I didn’t score too many runs in the second innings this season but in other seasons I have really done well, and I enjoy chasing. Sometimes you are not as successful. But it’s a team game and the team has really stepped up even when we were chasing. We won a few games but generally overall in this season, we didn’t do well while chasing, so it’s something we need to learn.”

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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