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Destiny is in our hands, says KKR coach Kallis
Kolkata, May 14 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach and legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis on Monday said they have their destiny in their hands going into the last two matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
KKR, placed fourth in the points table, take on a resurgent Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday in a crunch clash which will go a long way in deciding the fate of both the teams.
Both KKR and the Royals, placed fifth, are on 12 points from the same number of the matches. KKR have a slightly better net run rate.
“Destiny is still in our hands. If we play two good games of cricket, we are through to the playoffs and that’s what we are interested in… It’s about taking one game at a time and play well tomorrow. We are not really worried about what the rest of the teams are doing,” Kallis told reporters a day ahead of the crunch game.
Along with KKR, five other teams are in fray for a playoff berth. Wooden spooners Delhi Daredevils are out of contention.
Asked if net run rate is a concern, Kallis said: “Hopefully we won’t worry about run-rate and we get through with two wins… Yes it will be in back of our minds but certainly it won’t be our focus as we go into the game. Winning will be the priority.”
KKR’s NRR is -0.189 but other teams are snapping at their heels.
Coming to the Royals, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side is on a three-game winning run. England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has been in sublime form, racking up five consecutive half centuries.
Kallis was asked how diffcult is it to play against teams who are peaking at the right time.
“I think that’s the strength of the IPL. Any team can beat any team, that’s what makes it so exciting. There are our few sides who have gained form towards the back end of the tournament which is how you want it. So hopefully we can do the same and continue with our winning streak. Like I said, if we play two good games of cricket, destiny is in our hands.”
Plans to stop Buttler? “Wickets have been pretty good, it has given the batters an opportunity to score a lot of runs.
“He (Buttler) certainly has been consistent and in good form. So we obviously have to make sure we have some good plans against him and the rest of the batters tomorrow. But the rest of the batters as well. We have some plans for all their batters and hopefully they will work for us to win the game,” Kallis said.
Kallis also lavished praise on new skipper Dinesh Karthik who has been among runs on a consistent basis.
“He likes leading from the front, he leads with a lot of energy. He obviously has got a lot of experience and understands the game pretty well. It’s been a fairly smooth transition. Hopefully we can come up with good gameplan tomorrow so that he leads us to victory,” he said.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.