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RCB face tricky outing against Daredevils
Bengaluru: After a gap of four seasons, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are poised to make the playoffs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but they first have to clear a tricky hurdle in no-hopers Delhi Daredevils whom they host here on Sunday in the concluding league game.
Skipper Virat Kohli’s 19-ball 44 in Hyderabad on Friday gained RCB two vital points from the rain-truncated game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Thus, with 15 points from 13 matches, RCB are within striking distance of a playoff berth and a win against Daredevils will seal their spot in the top four.
The last time RCB made the playoffs was in 2011 when they finished runners-up to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) while last year, the Bengaluru outfit ended up seventh.
The race for the playoffs is so tight going into this weekend, when two double-headers are scheduled, that RCB cannot afford to drop even one point. As such, they will be hoping that the pre-monsoon showers that have been regular visitors to the city in the past fortnight, will stay away to facilitate a full game on Sunday.
In sharp contrast, the proceedings hold little value for JP Duminy’s Daredevils who are out of the competition and are placed a rung above Kings XI with 10 points after suffering four consecutive defeats before strolling to a six-wicket win over CSK in a low-scoring game at Raipur.
Thus, the under-performing Daredevils though out for the count, still have some fire burning in their collective bellies to trip any team and RCB will be wary of their guests, who promised a lot but delivered little despite possessing a strong line-up.
Daredevils’ progress this season has been hampered by inconsistencies in their batting where barring young opener Shreyas Iyer, the rest have failed to fire on a regular basis, though their bowling has improved dramatically in quality after the return of veteran left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan, who along with South African quick Morne Morkel has emerged a potent force.
On the other hand, Kohli’s RCB wears a settled look with the skipper along with fellow opener Chris Gayle and South African star AB de Villiers lending a new dimension to Twenty20 batting while Aussie fast bowler Mitchell Starc has made a huge difference to their attack after missing some early games.
Also, with a wealth of talent in their ranks, RCB will start Sunday’s game as firm favourites, but they need to play as well as they did at the Ferozeshah Kotla last month when they beat Daredevils by 10 wickets after knocking out the hosts for 95 before Kohli and Gayle reached the target with ease.
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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.