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Winning U19 Women’s T20 WC is the happiest moment I’ve ever felt, says Parunika Sisodia

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New Delhi, Feb 7: In the cricketing world, moments of pure euphoria are rare. But for Parunika Sisodia, the pure thrill and ecstasy of winning the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup for India, turned out to be the happiest moment she’s ever felt in her lifetime.

When Sanika Chalke hit a boundary off Monalisa Legodi at Kuala Lumpur’s Bayuemas Oval on February 2, it meant that India clinched the 2025 U19 Women’s T20 World Cup trophy and successfully defended the title they won in South Africa two years ago.

“Oh, I think I’ve never felt so well (when that winning shot was hit). I mean, what I felt after winning that World Cup, it was a dream for me because as I’ve told you earlier, I was not there in the first inaugural World Cup win, as I just missed the cut for it.

“Since then, to be actually going there and winning that World Cup for India, that moment was giving me goosebumps. Even talking about it is literally giving me goosebumps now, and that was like the happiest moment I’ve ever felt.”

Talking about celebrations in the Indian camp after winning the World Cup, Parunika said it was nothing short of epic. “I think we had no idea what we were doing. We were so happy that we were just raising our hands. We were just laughing and just soaking in that moment that we have finally won the World Cup.

“Everyone went crazy – someone was dancing on the ground; someone was lying on the ground. We had like quite an interesting photo shoot over there, which you must have seen now on all of our posts – the pookie one and then Bhavika (Ahire) did this Hardik Pandya-styled celebration. I guess there’s more of it, which is going to come now on social media.”

Parunika’s journey from missing out on triumph in 2023 to claiming ten wickets in the winning 2025 campaign highlights her consistent self-improvement and focus on being one of the main contributors to the team’s success in Malaysia.

“All I have ever worked on from the last two years, like how to make myself useful for the team and how to do things in ways where I can make sure that the team will win from here. When the World Cup came, I saw that I was doing it. So I was very excited to come back home and see my videos on how I have done it, because I know somewhere that I have achieved a little part of it,” she said.

One of her defining performances in the tournament came in the semi-final against England, where India were struggling to break the opening partnership. But Parunika came in and got the first two wickets before taking another one late in the innings to pick 3-21 and the Player-of-the-Match award.

While everyone may have felt the pressure of bouncing back in a crucial semi-final game, Parunika remarked that inside the Indian camp, the atmosphere was strikingly calm. “To be honest, inside the team, we didn’t have that much of pressure, which people could feel outside.

“But inside it was quite calm, and we just knew that there’s going to be one good ball and we’re going to get back in the game. That ball came with me because I think at that point of time, I had made that much trust in my team that if I am there, you’re going to be okay. Not just me, I think whenever the left arm spinners come, that gives a lot of pressure to the other teams.”

A big factor in India’s second consecutive U19 World Cup triumph was the left-arm spin—bowling group functioning like a well-oiled machine. Vaishnavi Sharma topped the wicket-taking charts with 17 scalps, while Aayushi Shukla took 14 wickets, as the duo along with Parunika became three of the four highest wicket-takers in the competition.

“We have been playing together for so long that all of us are family only. When any one of us was getting wickets, it literally felt like, ‘it’s our wicket’. There was this thing which we created is, whenever we were in the World Cup, when any of us was bowling, we were just looking in the eyes and we just knew what other person was saying to us.

“I think that has been the best part in this spinners group that you just know what the other person is doing and what I have to do next. Like, how the batters in our team have showed partnerships, I think the bowlers have done the same as a bowling side too,” added Parunika.

VVS Laxman, head of cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, joined the Indian team in the dugout before the knockout matches and Parunika said he motivated the team by saying a lot of good things.

“But it concluded on one thing – just be calm at any given moment and always keep things simple and not overthink much and overdo things. I think it was something which helped all of us there in the finals and the semis as well.”

It also helped India that they had a calm captain in Niki Prasad, who just like Parunika put behind the disappointment of not making the squad for the previous U19 World Cup which India won under Shafali Verma’s captaincy.

But since December, Niki stepped up to lead India to winning the inaugural U19 Asia Cup and retaining the U19 World Cup silverware. A ruthless and dominant playing style, as laid down by Niki, led to both trophy wins, which in turn has set the foundation for creating a lasting legacy in women’s cricket in India.

“I think she (Niki) is one of the calmest persons I have ever met. So, even if, a lot of times it has happened that I or, one of the girls from the left-armers group did something which can piss anyone off.

“But she was calm and gave a very calm response that ‘don’t do that, do it like this’. She has always given a positive response to us. I think that was something which also helped us to be there and be ourselves.

“It’s been very special because getting 2 trophies, one with ICC and one with ACC, we are creating that legacy in women’s cricket now to keep winning those trophies.

“As Niki has mentioned a lot of times that we are here to dominate, and that was the goal – to be out there, be ruthless and just go for it no matter what. It is something which has given us a very good result. So, we feel quite satisfied with that. But definitely, we are focused on the coming up things now,” elaborated Parunika.

Prior to every game, Parunika always seek guidance from her father Sudhir Singh Sisodia, who is a cricket coach and was the one who encouraged her to switch from tennis to cricket in 2018.

“My dad didn’t talk much about how everyone is feeling at home. The only conversations we had were he always just told me ‘all the best, do well, enjoy the game and be yourself out there’.”

“The conversation has always been this for every single day since the time I was there from Asia Cup to the World Cup. He has told me to just go ahead, do well and let the results be results, and even if we were winning, he just told whatever is done is done.”

Although Parunika had two big months with trophy wins, her ambitions extend beyond that. Her sights are set on bigger goals, such as playing for India’s senior women’s team. She also knows that steady progress is essential to accomplishing her main goal.

“Obviously, stepping into the senior team is the main goal. But for now, I think I have my domestic cricket coming up, the under-23 one-dayers and the multi-days. So, I’ll be focusing on that for now. Then we have this Emerging Asia Cup, so, I’m eyeing that too,” she signed off.

health

Tobacco is not just addiction but poison: Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta leads walkathon on World No-Tobacco Day in Rohini

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New Delhi, May 31: On the occasion of World No-Tobacco Day, Delhi’s Rohini area witnessed a strong show of public awareness and health advocacy through a walkathon organised to spread the message against tobacco consumption.

The event, themed ‘Walk for Life’, brought together medical professionals, civic leaders, and local residents in a collective stand against the harmful effects of tobacco.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, who flagged off the walkathon, delivered a powerful message on the dangers of tobacco. “Tobacco is not just an addiction; it’s a poison,” he said, addressing the gathering. “It is a dangerous habit that ruins lives, and the only effective way to combat it is through sustained awareness and education,” he added.

Organised by the Indian Medical Association in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, the event saw enthusiastic participation from doctors, healthcare workers, and members of the public.

The walkathon aimed to raise awareness, especially among the youth, about the health risks associated with tobacco, including its direct link to life-threatening diseases like cancer.

“The younger generation often views smoking and tobacco use as fashionable, but we must help them understand the long-term consequences,” Gupta added, urging collective efforts to curb the rising trend of tobacco use among the youth.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Sudhir Rawal, Medical Director at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, emphasised the medical impact: “Tobacco is one of the main avoidable causes of cancer. If you don’t use tobacco, you significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer, especially lung and mouth cancer.”

The event also featured health-themed activities, including group exercises and educational talks, to create a more engaging and impactful experience for participants.

As part of a broader initiative across the country, the Rohini walkathon served as a crucial reminder of the importance of quitting tobacco and promoting healthier, smoke-free lives.

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Sports

IPL 2025: This will be the year for RCB, AB de Villiers backs his former franchise to end title drought

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Mumbai, May 31: Former South Africa batter AB de Villiers backed his former IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to lift their maiden title this year after securing their berth for the summit clash with a commanding win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on Thursday.

This year, RCB have been in stellar form and have not lost a single away game so far in the season. They finished the league stage with 19 points to seal the second spot in the points table.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt have been leading the run-scoring for the franchise with 614 and 387 runs respectively. The duo has been supported by middle-order batters including captain Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya.

On the bowling front, Josh Hazlewood is the leading wicket-taker for the side with 21 scalps in 11 games while Krunal Pandya (15 wickets), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (15 wickets) and Yash Dayal (12 wickets) are also contributing in tandem to make them a balanced unit.

“I’m very happy that RCB is in the final. We saw MI winning last night, so it’ll be a very good qualifier too, knockout match between Punjab and MI. Looking forward to that one, and whoever deserves it will play RCB in the final, so I’m very much looking forward to the final and hopefully, this will be the year for RCB,” De Villiers told Media in Mumbai.

The legendary batter backed Punjab Kings to play the final against RCB but remains sceptical after watching Mumbai Indians’ dominance against Gujarat Titans to knock them out of the tournament on Friday.

“I said quite a while ago, about a month ago, that Punjab and RCB will be in the final. MI looked very strong right now, so it looks like the odds are against my call, but it is still cricket. You never know. It is a knockout match. It takes one or two great performances to turn the pressure onto your opposition. So I think it’s still going to be Punjab, but I’ve got a little bit of doubt now in my mind after watching last night’s game,” he said.

Punjab Kings will now take on Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday to seal a place for the IPL 2025 final against RCB on June 3 at the same venue.

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National

SpaceX’s Starship fails 3rd time, Musk blames fuel leak as megarocket explodes

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New Delhi, May 28: Even as SpaceX’s Starship flight exploded during splashdown on its ninth test on Wednesday, the company’s founder Elon Musk blamed it on fuel leaks.

This is the third time in a row that Starship flight has faced issues during the test flight. The company’s last two test flights — the seventh (January) and eighth (March) test flight — also ended prematurely with the destruction of the aircraft.

The ninth test flight of Starship — which blasted off at about 7:36 p.m. EDT (5:06 am IST) from the company’s Starbase launch site in Texas — successfully reached orbit, flying farther than on its two previous attempts.

However, the spacecraft’s payload bay door failed to open, preventing the planned release of simulated Starlink satellites. Around 30 minutes into the mission, SpaceX confirmed a fuel tank leak aboard the vehicle.

The first-stage Super Heavy booster exploded shortly before its expected splashdown, and live video showed the upper-stage vehicle spinning uncontrollably before its planned re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, due to fuel leaks.

“Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase,” Musk shared in a post on his social media platform X.

“Contact with the booster was lost shortly after the start of the landing burn when it experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly approximately 6 minutes after launch, bringing an end to the first reflight of a Super Heavy booster,” SpaceX said in a statement.

However, Musk called the flight an achievement and noted that there had been no loss to the heat shield tiles.

“Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over the last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent. Lot of good data to review,” Musk said.

SpaceX noted that the company “will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test”.

Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, Starship and heavy booster — the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket system. It will launch the moon lander for NASA’s Artemis 3 mission that aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2026.

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