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IPL 2025: Back injury limits Marsh to batting role for LSG

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New Delhi, March 13: Australia’s T20I captain Mitchell Marsh has been cleared to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for his new team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), as a batter-only. Despite missing the Champions Trophy due to a back injury, he is set to travel early next week.

Marsh was ruled out of the ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy on January 31 due to “lower back pain and dysfunction”, ending his domestic season. The issue, linked to a disc problem he had managed since Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK in September 2024, saw him undergo rest and specialist treatment in early February.

Having returned to batting in recent weeks, Marsh has now been cleared for the IPL, where he is expected to be an impact player at the top of the order for LSG. He was signed for Rs 3.40 crore at IPL auction last November and will join the squad on March 18, reuniting with former Australia coach Justin Langer, who is in his second season as LSG’s head coach.

Marsh has not played since January 7, when he featured in a BBL match for the Perth Scorchers before sitting out the rest of the season. His last white-ball games came during Australia’s T20I and ODI tour of the UK in September.

Over the past three IPL seasons, he played for Delhi Capitals but struggled with injuries, including a hamstring issue last year that sidelined him after just four matches. He has previously represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Pune Warriors, and Deccan Chargers.

Meanwhile, Marsh’s Australia teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood – who also missed the Champions Trophy due to injuries – are expected to be fit for the IPL.

Cummins, who experienced an ankle flare-up after the Border-Gavaskar series, is set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad again. Starc, who suffered an ankle niggle during the Sri Lanka Test series, will join Delhi Capitals this season after being bought for Rs 11.75 crore at the auction. Hazlewood, who attracted the highest price of any Australian at Rs 13.50 crore, will play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after missing last season due to side and calf injuries.

All of Australia’s other IPL-bound players have prioritised the tournament over the Sheffield Shield, despite five states still vying for a spot in the final. Unlike last year, when Matthew Wade chose to play for Tasmania in the Shield final and missed the start of Gujarat Titans’ IPL campaign, South Australian players Travis Head (Sunrisers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Capitals), and Spencer Johnson (KKR) will head to India despite SA already qualifying for the Shield final, which begins on March 26.

Additionally, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis and Aaron Hardie will join Punjab Kings under head coach Ricky Ponting, skipping the final Shield round and the potential final for their respective states.

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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