Sports
Rohit, Pandya, Bumrah, Arshdeep headline ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year

Dubai, Jan 25: Rohit Sharma has been named captain of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year while Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh also joined their skipper in the star-studded side.
Under Rohit’s leadership, India lifted the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last year after which he announced his retirement from the format. The Indian pace trio was also part of the winning squad.
The experienced opener showcased his batting mastery, amassing 378 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 42.00, and vitally at a strike rate of over 160. Rohit had a standout T20 World Cup, making three half-centuries, including an explosive 92 against Australia in the Super Eight stage.
Beyond his batting exploits, Rohit’s astute leadership played a critical role in guiding a young Indian side through pressure-filled moments and his leadership ensured that year would be a memorable one for his country.
Pandya reaffirmed his status as the best all-rounder in the shortest format with a stellar 2024, putting him back atop the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings.
Scoring 352 runs and picking up 16 wickets in 17 matches, Pandya’s contributions were crucial in a successful year for India that saw them crowned champions of the world in the 20-over format.
The 31-year-old had an impeccable campaign in the USA and West Indies, where he notched up 144 runs with the bat, in addition to grabbing 11 wickets, including bowling India to victory by defending 16 off the final over against the Proteas in the final. The game also saw him shine with his best figures of 3/20 in 2024.
The all-rounder’s best with the bat came against Bangladesh in their group-stage fixture, against whom he scored an unbeaten 50.
India’s pace spearhead Bumrah’s return to T20I cricket in 2024 was nothing short of spectacular, as the right-arm speedster’s precise yorkers and death-over mastery were pivotal in India’s title-winning campaign. He took 15 wickets in eight matches at a jaw-dropping average of 8.26, which made him almost unplayable.
Beyond the World Cup, Bumrah’s consistency across formats reaffirmed his position as one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket.
Bumrah’s work also means he is in the running as a nominee for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
On the other hand, Arshdeep was India’s most prolific bowler in 2024, finishing the year with 36 wickets in 18 matches at an impressive average of 13.50, and ranking him as the eighth-best T20I bowler in the world.
His standout performance came in the T20 World Cup, finishing with the second-most wickets in the tournament with 17 scalps from eight games.
Known for his accuracy and composure, Arshdeep excelled in the death overs, often turning games in India’s favor, and his ability to swing the ball early and execute pin-point yorkers at the end made him a complete package in T20 cricket.
His best with the ball came against co-hosts USA in the T20 World Cup, where he dismantled them with a fiery 4/9 spell.
Arshdeep’s rise in 2024 earned him widespread recognition, including a nomination for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.
The other members of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year include Australia’s Travis Head (539 runs), England’s Phil Salt (467 runs), Pakistan’s Babar Azam (738 runs), West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (464 runs), Zimbawe’s Sikandar Raza (573 runs and 24 wickets), Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (31 wickets) and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (179 runs and 38 wickets).
National
Ahmedabad plane crash: Gujarat govt intensifies relief, insurance, identification efforts

Ahmedabad, June 16: In the wake of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, which claimed 270 lives near Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has swiftly ramped up rescue, relief, and administrative support measures to assist grieving families and ensure a streamlined response to the crisis.
District Collectors have personally reached out to the families of victims, while nodal officers have been appointed across districts to oversee the disbursement of insurance and compensation to legal heirs. These officers, drawn from district-level accounting departments and relevant government bodies, are tasked with ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and empathetically.
To facilitate insurance processes, a joint coordination cell has been set up at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, in line with IRDAI guidelines. New India Assurance has taken the lead for general insurance claims on behalf of the General Insurance Council, and HDFC Life has been designated to handle life insurance claims. Alongside LIC, both companies have established help desks at the hospital to assist families with documentation, claims guidance, and other support.
Meanwhile, district authorities are actively aiding insurance teams by providing key documents, including the passenger manifest, to accelerate claim verifications. Twelve dedicated teams are working in rotational shifts to conduct DNA sample collection and matching. As of now, 250 blood samples have been collected from relatives and local residents.
So far, 62 DNA matches have been confirmed, and 35 mortal remains have been handed over to the respective families — 27 after DNA verification and eight through other forms of identification. Only three passenger identifications remain pending, with relatives currently en route from the United Kingdom to submit samples.
To ensure the dignified and smooth transfer of mortal remains, more than 250 nodal and assistant nodal officers have been deployed. These officers remain in touch with families throughout the process — from initial contact and DNA collection to the final rites — ensuring transportation of remains under police escort, handing over personal belongings, and staying present until funerals are complete.
More than 850 medical personnel, including 100 staff members at the trauma centre, have been deployed as part of the emergency medical response. This includes both permanent hospital staff and additional manpower mobilised specifically for this crisis. Counselling services are also being offered to families coping with trauma.
For families arriving from other states, the Gujarat government is coordinating with State Emergency Operation Centres across the country. Regular contact has been established with nodal officers in other regions to provide logistical and emotional support to affected relatives. A team from Air India remains stationed at the Civil Hospital round-the-clock to assist families. Free air travel arrangements are being provided to relatives based on individual needs.
The Roads and Buildings Department has arranged for accommodation and ground transportation to ensure that visiting families face minimal inconvenience. To manage inquiries and streamline support, state-run helplines and control rooms have been receiving and acting on calls from across the country. Over 1,700 calls have been registered as of Sunday evening, with authorities maintaining active coordination across all departments involved.
General
New Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules 2025: Indian Railways Announces Compulsory Aadhaar Authentication From July 1; What It Means For Passengers

New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims “to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users.”
The official communication specified that “With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”
Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings.
New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained:
- From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways’ Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process.
- Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations.
- The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways’ authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings.
- These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division.
National
PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir

Jammu, June 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra town to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as hundreds of enthusiastic people greeted him.
The PM flagged off the Vande Bharat train and interacted with the children on board the train at the Katra railway station.
PM Modi keenly heard the views of the children about the Vande Bharat train service before waving a green flag to inaugurate the service.
As the train chugged from Katra railway station, the air was filled with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Vande Bharat train has state-of-the-art facilities to suit the extremes of weather in the union territory.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, after which he visited the photo exhibition highlighting technical hardships faced during the construction of the Bridge.
PM Modi interacted with the engineers and the skilled workers who braved all odds of weather and topography to complete the World’s tallest Bridge at 359 metres, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower of Paris.
The PM congratulated the engineers and workers for braving all odds to complete the construction of the Bridge in a record time, which is a marvel of engineering excellence.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, MoS (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accompanied the Prime Minister when he visited the photo exhibition.
PM Modi showed keen interest in understanding the technical problems faced during the construction of the Bridge.
The CEO Railway Board, Satish Kumar, briefed the PM during the photo exhibition. Satish Kumar accompanied the PM when he inaugurated the Chenab Bridge while he went round the inaugural track.
PM Modi was informed that the maintenance of the Katra-Srinagar railway track is totally mechanised, making it the first such railway track in the country. This makes the track the safest in the country.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Anji Khad cable-stayed Railway Bridge, which is the first of its kind railway bridge in the country.
The PM walked across the bridge holding the national flag, and also went across the bridge in a railway coach. L-G Manoj Sinha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and CM Omar Abdullah were with PM Modi.
While the PM physically flagged off the Katra-Srinagar train, he will flag off the Srinagar-Katra train through virtual mode.
The PM will also lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth Rs 46,000 crore.
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