Top News
Don’t get hung up on de Villiers, Muralidaran to Lankans
Sydney: Ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against South Africa on Wednesday, legendary Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralidaran on Tuesday said the islanders should not get too hung up thinking about Proteas captain AB de Villiers.
Muralidaran added the toss would play a crucial role in deciding the course of the game to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here.
“The toss will play a vital part in the outcome of the match. The side batting first in One-Day Internationals (ODI) at SCG wins 58 percent of the time, according to statistics,” Muralidaran wrote in a column for the International Cricket Council (ICC) website.
“But in the pressure of a knockout match as this one, I reckon the advantage of runs on the board counts for even more than that figure suggests. As for de Villiers, I just hope Sri Lanka does not put itself under undue pressure by focusing too much on the importance of his wicket.”
The 42-year-old expects Lankan bowlers to do some homework ahead of the clash on how to keep a check on de Villiers’ scoring.
“I know first-hand how tough he is to bowl at and in recent years, when we were together in the Indian Premier League (IPL), I marvelled at the range of shots he possessed. He is quick on his feet, inventive and his no-fear approach puts bowlers under pressure from the word go,” Muralidaran said.
“Of course, you would expect Sri Lanka’s bowlers to have studied videos of his recent batting and have plans of how to contain him and to dismiss him. But putting him on a pedestal beyond that level of basic planning would do them no good at all.”
The right-arm spinner, who has a whopping 1,334 wickets (800 in Tests and 534 in ODIs) in international cricket, said he knows how the SCG wicket behaves and a 300-plus score is a good one unless one bowls badly.
“It is a ground I know very well. I played eight ODIs there and if you can get past 300, especially in a one-off clash with so much at stake, then, unless you bowl very badly, you are very much in the driving seat,” the legend said.
Top News
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.