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Rohit’s captaincy demonstrates how the skipper leads the team: Kaneria on India’s CT triumph

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New Delhi, March 10: After India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final in Dubai, beating New Zealand in the summit clash, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria lauded Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in the tournament, highlighting how he utilised the four spinners and Men In Blue maintained confidence with their deep batting lineup despite losing wickets in the final.

India’s spinners called the shots majorly to pick five wickets collectively on a sluggish pitch, while captain Rohit top-scored with 76 and KL Rahul stayed calm to hit an unbeaten 34 to give the Men in Blue their third Champions Trophy triumph with a four-wicket win over New Zealand. It’s also India’s second ICC trophy win in 12 months after the T20 World Cup triumph in June last year.

“I had already mentioned that India and New Zealand would play the final. Rohit’s captaincy and his innings throughout the tournament have been remarkable, and his performance in the final was exceptional. This demonstrates the way the Indian captain leads the team. Not only with his batting but also by rotating four spinners and having different plans for each batter, which is truly unbelievable,” Kaneria told media.

After spinners restricted New Zealand to 251/7 in their 50 overs. A chase of 252 looked an easy task for India on a pitch that didn’t offer much turn. Rohit, who hit seven fours and three sixes in his 83-ball 76, and Shubman Gill had a 105-run opening stand. But fighting New Zealand bowlers striking regular blows meant there was a sudden nervous energy in India’s chase.

With depth in its batting, despite New Zealand’s spinners fighting hard, India got over the line with an over to spare. While Iyer made 48 off 62 balls, Rahul kept his calm to stay till the end and be 34 not out off 33 balls to ensure India earned their third Champions Trophy title after 2002 and 2013.

“Rohit and Shubman’s partnership was crucial, and even though a wicket fell, India maintained confidence with their deep batting lineup,” Kaneria added.

The Black Caps have shown fine form during the tournament, with great displays with bat and ball. But they suffered a massive blow in the final as they were without the injured Matt Henry, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker and were missing Kane Williamson in the field, who sustained a quad injury while batting.

Reflecting on New Zealand’s performance in the tournament, Kaneria lavished praise on skipper Micthell Santer, who was playing his first ICC tournament as the captain. “New Zealand played excellent cricket, but unfortunately, their leading wicket-taker, Matt Henry, was unavailable for the final due to a shoulder injury. Santner made good use of the resources available to him.

“Santner displayed excellent captaincy throughout the tournament, and his individual performance was also quite impressive. In the final, Glenn Phillips should have been used more. Kyle Jamieson did not have the same experience as Matt Henry,” he said.

With 69 runs needed off 68 balls, Axar nailed a slog-sweep off Santner for six, but was dismissed when he Axar holed out to long-off for 29 in Bracewell’s final over.

The former cricketer noted Axar’s dismissal and opined that his shot was not necessary at that moment. Had he not played that shot, the chase would not have gone as deep.

“India’s chase wouldn’t have gone as deep if Axar Patel hadn’t played that shot; it was an unnecessary shot. Even in the commentary, Sunil Gavaskar mentioned that it was not the right way to play,” said Kaneria.

Despite their loss against India in the group stage, New Zealand have also been impressive in all departments and arrived in the final on the back of a comprehensive win over South Africa in the semifinal.

“However, New Zealand played excellent cricket. They were in Pakistan for several weeks, played a tri-series, participated in Champions Trophy matches, and then moved to Dubai for the final. Despite everything, they ensured they were competitive, and the final itself was indeed competitive,” 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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