Top News
Need to get rid of de Villiers early: Mathews
Sydney: Wary of the threat his counterpart AB de Villiers is to his side, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews says getting rid of the dashing right-hander early will be the key to his side’s success in the first World Cup quarterfinal to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here on Wednesday.
“AB is such a destructive player. We need to try to get rid of him as early as we can or else we’ll be in trouble. When he gets going, it’s really hard to stop him,” Mathews said at the pre-match press conference here on Tuesday.
Mathews believes both teams will be nervous heading into the encounter and praised the African side for playing some quality cricket.
“Both teams will be nervous for sure. We all know that South Africans are a very hard team to beat, especially in this tournament. They’ve come out really hard and they have a good, balanced team. We have to go out there and perform well to beat the South Africans,” said Mathews.
The young captain also banks on the support from the crowd, saying, “If you play at MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) or SCG it’s like playing at home, most of the Sri Lankans across Australia or across the world, they fly into Sydney and give immense support for us. So we really enjoy playing in Sydney.
“It’s such a wonderful atmosphere and we invite all the Sri Lankans across Australia to come to Sydney and fill up those stands.”
Speaking on the availability of left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who is yet to recover from a finger injury, Mathews said there is a “50-50″ chance of him playing but insisted there were other bowlers who could do a good job filling up his boots.
“Still in our squad we have Sachithra Senanayake and Seekkuge Prasanna. Sachithra is a very experienced bowler, so we can use him anytime. But we will wait on Rangana and give it another day to see if he heals well enough,” said Mathews.
Herath’s absence would open the door ajar for another bowler. On a pitch that is expected to be fast, the Lankans may retain the three-spiked seam attack that played against Scotland which means rookie quick Dushmantha Chameera could get his chance again but has to out-compete Suranga Lakmal in order to feature in the side.
“Suranga and Dushmantha are different sort of bowlers. Suranga swings it while Dushmantha bowls bowls quite fast and he hits that 147 mark which is extraordinary for a Sri Lankan,” said Mathews.
“He’s played only two games but he’s matured. All we want him to do is go out there and bowl fast. We have the confidence that if he plays tomorrow he’ll be up for it.”
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.