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Australia captain Mitchell Marsh guided his side to a comfortable seven-wicket win against India in a rain-affected first one-day international in Perth Sunday.Chasing 131 for victory in a match that was reduced to 26 overs a side, Marsh scored 46 not out as the home side cruised to an easy win to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Matt Renshaw was unbeaten on 21 alongside Marsh as Australia reached 131-3 with 29 balls remaining. Josh Philippe contributed 37, batting at number four.“Obviously the weather played its part today,” Marsh said. “But it’s nice to get a win.“The ball was swinging around for both teams out there so it was a little bit of a challenge to get through. I was proud of the way our young guys came out and got the job done.”Marsh, who was also named player of the match, won the toss and chose to field due to the inclement weather around the Western Australia city.It paid dividends as India’s innings was hampered by rain delays, which frustrated the visitors who struggled to build any momentum.A quickfire 38 off 31 balls from KL Rahul helped India to recover to 136-9, with Australia set 131 to win after the total was adjusted on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.Australia’s opening bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc troubled the Indian batsmen with a good line and movement.Hazlewood had Rohit Sharma caught at second slip for eight before Starc claimed Virat Kohli without scoring, leaving the visitors 21-2. India skipper Shubman Gill was caught by wicketkeeper Philippe off Nathan Ellis for 10 before the first rain delay, with India 23-3 after 8.5 overs.“When you lose three wickets in the powerplay you are always trying to play a catch-up game,” Gill said. “But there are a lot of learnings for us from this game and a lot of positives as well.”Hazlewood grabbed his second victim when Shreyas Iyer gloved a ball to Philippe before another long delay with India at 45-4. When they eventually resumed, the game was reduced to 26 overs.Rahul smashed two huge sixes but fell on the boundary going for a third. Nitish Reddy blasted 19 runs off the last two overs but the reduced total was never enough.The two teams meet again in Adelaide on Thursday before the final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.BRIEF SCORES:Australia 131 for 3 (Marsh 46*) beat India 136 for 9 (Rahul 38) by seven wickets (DLS squad)

All eyes in Perth are on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as the two India stalwarts prepare for the opening one-day international against Australia Sunday, marking the first national team outing for the pair since winning the Champions Trophy in March.India’s new ODI skipper, Shubman Gill, told journalists Saturday that he had had numerous conversations with his predecessors who had retired from the shortest and longest forms of the game, about how to take the team forward.“Definitely very exciting – big shoes for me to fill carrying over the legacy (Virat and Rohit) left for us,” the 26-year-old said.“These are the kind of players when I was a kid, I used to idolise them. The kind of game that they used to play, the kind of hunger that they had is something that inspired me. It’s a big honour to lead such legends of the game and learn from them.”Gill has already captained at T20I and Test level, but the upcoming three-match series will be the first time he has led in ODIs, where he averages nearly 60 with the bat.“I think in front of a difficult situation, I wouldn’t shy away from getting any suggestions or advice from them,” he said.“How they converse and what kind of communication or messaging they had with the players is something that helped me get the best out of myself. That’s the kind of captain I would want to be, where all my players feel very secure in the job they have to do.”Australia captain Mitch Marsh acknowledged that India’s two returning batsmen are partly responsible for an expected bumper crowd at the 60,000-seat Perth Stadium, which is nearing a sell-out despite a forecast of rain.“A lot of people are going to come and watch them. If it is their last time on Australian soil, I hope they enjoy it,” the 33-year-old said, before cheekily adding that he would prefer “not too much good cricket from them”.The Perth local, who struck two hundreds and averaged 70 across white-ball formats against South Africa and New Zealand in recent months, dead-batted any suggestion that continued goodform might prompt a Test recall ahead of the Ashes series this summer.“I’ve got tickets for day one and two, I haven’t asked the wife yet, but that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it.”

Australian cricket fans may have their last chance to see India batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in action when the pair tour in the one day international (ODI) series starting in Perth Sunday.Boasting almost 600 ODIs between them, both 36-year-old Kohli and 38-year-old Rohit are active internationally only in the 50-overs format but their future beyond the three-match series is uncertain. Head coach Gautam Gambhir was tight-lipped when asked this week whether the duo might continue on under new captain Shubman Gill, who leads the ODI squad for the first time in Australia.Rohit and Kohli last played for India in the Champions Trophy final in March in which they beat New Zealand.If Australia is to be their last taste of international cricket, it will be in front of crowds packed with fans from the country’s booming Indian communities in Perth, Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25). A number of Test players in the Australia squad, including batter Travis Head and veteran pacemen, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, will use the series to loosen up for the Ashes.It will Starc’s first start in international cricket in the Australasian summer, having retired from T20s.Marnus Labuschagne, a late call-up to replace injured all-rounder Cameron Green, will hope to convert his hot red-ball form into white-ball runs to continue building his case for an Ashes recall.Labuschagne was dropped from the Test side for the tour of West Indies but has roared back into contention with centuries in his last two Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland.Green’s injury was diagnosed as “low grade” but Australia are not taking any chances with him ahead of the Ashes, which start in six weeks. “Cameron Green has been ruled out of the (India) series having experienced low-grade side soreness at training this week,” Cricket Australia said.“Green will complete a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return to play in round three of the Sheffield Shield to continue his preparation for the Ashes.”Round three of the domestic competition is due to start on October 28. Labuschagne will join the ODI squad once the current Sheffield Shield round finishes this weekend.Cricket Australia said Friday Green had been ruled out of the ODI series after having “low grade side soreness” in training and would likely return to play in Shield cricket.The all-rounder joins Pat Cummins on the sidelines, with the regular skipper struggling to shake off lower back bone stress which has put him in doubt for the start of the Ashes.Australia will also be without regular wicketkeeper Alex Carey for the Perth opener against India along with spinner Adam Zampa.Josh Philippe will be behind the stumps, while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann gets a rare chance in the one-day side in Zampa’s absence.The ODIs precede a five-match T20I series starting in Canberra on October 29 as both nations tune up for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.

Opener KL Rahul hit an unbeaten 58 as India beat the West Indies by seven wickets in the second Test to sweep the series 2-0 Tuesday.Chasing 121 for victory, India resumed on 63-1 and reached their target in the first session after losing two wickets on day five at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.West Indies skipper Roston Chase struck twice with his off-spin to send back overnight batter Sai Sudharsan for 39 and skipper Shubman Gill for 13.Rahul hit the winning four and India celebrated victory over the visitors, who had launched a spirited fightback while following on.India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned a match haul of eight wickets including 5-82 in the first West Indies innings.Kuldeep claimed 12 wickets in the series followed by pace bowler Mohammed Siraj, who took 10 to be India's leading wicket-taker this year with 37 wickets in eight matches.India remain a team in transition under 26-year-old Gill, after the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.Gill's India won the opening Test by an innings and 140 runs, having secured a thrilling 2-2 draw in their five-Test series in England in June-August.With the West Indies missing pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both injured, India's batsmen flourished.Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 175 in India's mammoth first-innings 518-5 declared. Gill made an unbeaten 129.The West Indies have endured years of decline after the team ruled world cricket.This was a second successive Test whitewash, after they went down to Australia 3-0 at home.There were a few promising signs at least in the second Test.Left-handed opener John Campbell and Shai Hope made 115 and 103 as they put on 177 runs for the third wicket to thwart India's attack on a slow pitch that had little for the bowlers.India had enforced the follow-on after they bowled out the West Indies for 248, a deficit of 270 from the hosts' first innings.The visitors sprung into life in their second innings through Campbell and Hope, and then Justin Greaves and number 10 Jayden Seales.Greaves with an unbeaten 50 and Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the final wicket to frustrate India after the West Indies slipped to 311-9 in the second session on day four.That show of defiance forced the Test into the final day and gave the West Indies a glimpse of brighter days ahead.BRIEF SCORES:India 518 for 5 dec (Jaiswal 175, Gill 129, Sai Sudharsan 87, Warrican 3-98) and 124 for 3 (Rahul 58*, Chase 2-36) beat West Indies 248 (Kuldeep 5-82) and 390 (Campbell 115, Hope, 103, Greaves 50*, Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep 3-104) by seven wickets

India closed in on a 2-0 series sweep in the second Test despite some spirited West Indies batting led by centuries from John Campbell and Shai Hope Monday.Needing 121 for victory after bowling out the West Indies for 390, the hosts reached 63-1 at stumps on day four at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.K L Rahul, on 25, and Sai Sudharsan, on 30, were batting in a stand of 54 at close of an absorbing day’s play.Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early for eight after left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had the Indian opener caught at long-on while attempting an ambitious heave.Rahul and the left-handed Sudharsan steadied the ship and the pair kept up the scoring with singles and occasional boundaries against a persistent West Indies spin attack.Earlier, Justin Greaves with an unbeaten 50 and Jayden Seales (32) put on 79 runs for the final wicket to frustrate India after the West Indies slipped to 311-9 in the second session.Greaves and the left-handed number 10 defied the bowlers for 133 deliveries with straight-bat shots before Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Seales in the final session for his third wicket.Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also took three wickets to add to his five-wicket haul in the West Indies’ first innings.Campbell (115) and Hope (103) had steered the West Indies into the lead after the tourists resumed the day on 173-2 while following on.“I think it’s a big positive for us,” Campbell said of their fightback. “Having not gotten the best first innings, we came out second innings and batted over 100 overs, so that’s a big plus for us.”The left-right batting pair of Campbell and Hope put on 177 runs for the third wicket.Kuldeep strikes Opener Campbell reached his first Test ton with a six off Ravindra Jadeja before the left-arm spinner trapped him lbw in the morning session.Hope kept up the charge after lunch and reached his first Test hundred in eight years with a boundary off pace bowler Mohammed Siraj.Siraj had his revenge soon after when the batter dragged his delivery onto his stumps.Kuldeep then took over to send back wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, trapped lbw for two. The left-arm wrist spinner then struck twice in three balls including skipper Roston Chase for 40 before Greaves and Seales put on a defiant partnership.India bowled more than 200 overs on a slow pitch that made life tough for bowlers.The visitors had waged a fightback after being reduced to 35-2 in their second innings on day three, but the batters made sure the game will go the distance to day five.“Good to be bowling long spells and heartening to have taken 20 West Indies wickets,” Indian spinner Washington Sundar told reporters. “We got to be really fit and on top of our game. In Test cricket you honestly expect most of the Test matches to go till the fifth day and challenge you in every way possible,” the off spinner said.India enforced the follow-on after they bowled out the West Indies for 248, a deficit of 270 from the hosts’ first-innings 518-5 declared. The hosts won the first Test, in Ahmedabad, by an innings and 140 runs.BRIEF SCORE: SIndia 518 for 5 dec and 63 for 1 (Sai Sudharsan 30*, Rahul 25*, Warrican 1-15) need a further 58 runs to beat West Indies 248 and 390 (Campbell 115, Hope, 103, Greaves 50*, Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep 3-104)

A freak dismissal, a maiden test hundred, and a rueful shake of the head after a miscalculation - West Indies opener John Campbell went through a whole range of emotions in the space of two innings in the ongoing second test against India.Campbell's 177-run stand with fellow centurion Shai Hope is why West Indies managed to drag the second and final test to its fifth day despite being made to follow on.India need 58 runs on Tuesday to complete a 2-0 series sweep but could have accomplished that a lot earlier, especially after declaring their first innings on 518-5 and then bowling West Indies out for 248.Campbell managed 10 on Saturday before his bizarre dismissal when his full-blooded shot cannoned into the helmet grille of B Sai Sudharsan at forward short leg before neatly dropping into the cupped hands of the fielder trying to evade the ball.Sudharsan immediately left the ground and spent significant time under medical observation.Forced to follow-on, West Indies finally rediscovered their stomach to fight, courtesy of Campbell (115) and Hope (103), and posted 390 before being all out."It's a big positive for us," Campbell told reporters."Having not got the best first innings, we came out in the second innings and batted over 100 overs, so that's a big plus for us."Campbell told the host broadcasters that the joy of registering his test hundred was yet to sink in.The left-handed batter, however, was aghast at playing a reverse sweep against Ravindra Jadeja that led to his lbw dismissal."At that time I just thought a shot was on. Just a little bit of a miscalculation on my part," he said.Campbell successfully reviewed an lbw decision against him and was on the right side of it on two other occasions in his eventful knock.There was enough application in his approach as well.The batter said he intentionally tried to plant his front foot across and outside the off-stump to reduce the risk of lbw dismissals."It's a little bit of luck getting the call on my side on those occasions. But definitely I was trying to get a good enough stride to get myself outside the line," he said.Not being able to convert it into a 'daddy hundred' hurt him though."I never want to get out, but that's the nature of sport," Campbell added before explaining what the thinking was when he and Hope were batting together."We just wanted to bat as long as possible, that was always the plan. We got that start, so we wanted to take it as deep as possible."BRIEF SCORES:India 518 for 5 dec and 63 for 1 (Sai Sudharsan 30*, Rahul 25*, Warrican 1-15) need a further 58 runs to beat West Indies 248 and 390 (Campbell 115, Hope, 103, Greaves 50*, Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep 3-104)

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with bat and ball as India hammered West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days of the first Test Saturday.India declared on their overnight 448-5, a lead of 286, and then bundled the West Indies out for 146 in the second session at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.It was another heavy and demoralising defeat for West Indies, who are a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.Left-handed Jadeja stood out for India with 4-54 from his spin bowling after he hit an unbeaten 104 for his sixth Test century and was named player of the match.“Honestly, I think this was the perfect game for us,” India skipper Shubman Gill said. “Three centuries and we fielded really well, so no complaints.”“When you’ve got quality spinners like them, it’s difficult to be able to rotate, but it’s good to have an option of too many,” he said of his bowlers. “That’s the fun of playing in India.”Alick Athanaze, a left-handed number three, made 38 and offered some belated resistance with Justin Greaves in a partnership of 46, but the rest of the West Indies batting fell apart.Washington Sundar and then pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck regular blows before Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the match as the West Indies innings folded in 45.1 overs.Siraj continued his good form with figures of 4-40 in the first innings after West Indies opted to bat. He then extended his tally of wickets this year to 30, after playing a key role in India’s 2-2 draw in England. India have still not lost a Test to the West Indies at home since 1994.‘Improve skills’West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match - the second-lowest score in Test history. Their batting woes continued after they won the toss and could only manage a meagre first innings total of 162.“Obviously, we had a poor batting display, that’s been something that’s been plaguing us for the past two series,”Chase told reporters. “We’ve not been able to at least bat 80 overs by a day or even get at least 250 or 300 runs on the board.”“I just think that we have to improve our skill levels.”KL Rahul led India’s batting dominance with his 100 before Dhruv Jurel, who made 125, and Jadeja put on 206 for the fifth wicket on Friday. Jadeja took on the West Indies spinners, hitting left-arm orthodox Jomel Warrican for five sixes.Chase claimed two wickets and debutant left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed his first in a Test after wicketkeeper-batsman Jurel registered his maiden Test century. West Indies have struggled in the absence of premier fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, both ruled out with injury.India are strong favourites to win 2-0 against an opposition that is a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.The second Test begins on October 10 in New Delhi.BRIEF SCORES: India 448 for 5 (Jurel 125, Jadeja 104*, Rahul Chase 2-90) beat West Indies 162 (Greaves 32, Siraj 4-40, Bumrah 3-42) and 146 (Athanaze 38, Jadeja 4-54, Siraj 3-31) by an innings and 140 runs.

Shubman Gill’s India will be heavy favourites when they play a home two-Test series starting Thursday against a West Indies side struggling with injuries and a pale shadow of the team that once dominated cricket.The Caribbean team have endured years of decline and their T20 team registered a new low this week with a series defeat to non-Test playing nation Nepal.In the longest format the West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match - the second-lowest score in Test history.The debacle prompted West Indies cricket boss Kishore Shallow to call for an emergency meeting involving past greats.West Indies, led by Roston Chase, have been forced into late changes after injuries ruled out pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph ahead of the first Test in Ahmedabad.They have been replaced by the uncapped pair of seamer Johann Layne and left-arm quick Jediah Blades, who has only played white-ball cricket for the West Indies.Jayden Seales is the only pace bowler in an inexperienced attack who has played more than 10 Tests.In contrast, India are full of confidence after securing a thrilling 2-2 draw in their five-Test series in England which ended in August.The series was Gill’s first as captain and the first without greats Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have all retired.The tour was a personal triumph for the new skipper, who scored 754 runs, the most ever by an Indian batsman in a series in England.Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will make a quick turnaround from playing in the T20 Asia Cup, where he took two wickets in Sunday’s final win in Dubai over Pakistan.Bumrah’s workload is being managed carefully after an injury in Australia earlier this year.He was rested for two of the five Tests in England, where fellow quick Mohammed Siraj was the leading bowler with 23 wickets.For the West Indies, Chase is joined in the spin bowling department by Jomel Warrican and Khary Pierre, who is set for a long-awaited Test debut.“I always want to do more... hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,” said Pierre, 34, after a domestic season where he claimed 41 wickets.“I leave everything on the cricket field - blood, sweat, tears - and that was my trademark this season and it paid off.”The second and final Test will be played in New Delhi from October 10-14.SQUADSIndia (from): Shubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Axar Patel, N. JagadeesanWest Indies (from): Roston Chase (capt), Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Johann Layne, Jediah Blades, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.

India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final to retain the Asia Cup title on Sunday, capping a remarkable unbeaten run with their third victory against their arch-rivals at this year's tournament.Put into bat, Pakistan could not capitalise on an 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) and were bundled out for 146 with five deliveries still left in their innings.Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 33 runs in a spectacular meltdown with India's left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-30) being the wrecker-in-chief.Tilak Varma anchored India's nervy chase with an unbeaten 69 and Shivam Dube (33) provided some support as they overwhelmed the target with two deliveries to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium."Pretty amazing," India vice-captain Shubman Gill summed up their feeling after clinching their ninth Asia Cup title."(Finishing) the whole tournament unbeaten - it's pretty amazing to be in this position."Emotions ran high around the contest between the neighbours who engaged in a military conflict in May and Gill said India's ability to absorb pressure stood the reigning 20-overs world champions in good stead."The conversation was to take it as deep as possible," he said of India's chase."The target was not much but important to soak in the pressure. Losing three wickets early, never easy. The partnership with Sanju and Tilak, and then how Dube hit those big sixes - it was very important."Earlier, Pakistan got off to a strong start with Farhan leading their charge against an Indian attack weakened by the absence of their injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya.Pakistan scored 45 runs in the first six powerplay overs but soon stepped up on the gas.With Farhan in full flow and Fakhar playing the second fiddle to perfection, there was no inkling of the collapse lurking around until spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2-30) dismissed Farhan in the 10th over.Kuldeep then took over, tying the batters in tangles while Axar Patel picked up a couple of wickets to hasten Pakistan's collapse. Jasprit Bumrah also finished with two wickets.India's start was rather wobbly as they lost their in-form opener Abhishek Sharma, also the tournament's leading scorer, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav inside the first 10 deliveries of their innings.They slumped to 20-3 after Gill's exit but Varma and Sanju Samson (24) decided to rebuild the innings.Even that recovery would not have been possible but for the reprieve Samson, then on 12, got when Hussain Talat dropped him in the deep.Abrar Ahmed dismissed Samson to break the 57-run stand but Dube combined with Varma to take India closer to the target before falling in the penultimate over.Needing 10 runs from the last over from Haris Rauf, Varma hit the second ball for a six to effectively seal India's thrilling victory and triggering wild celebration in the Indian camp.

Police in India registered a criminal case against leaders of Tamil actor Vijay's political party after a stampede at his rally killed 39 people, a senior police official said on Sunday.The dead included children and more than 50 people were injured in Saturday's stampede in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where Vijay was campaigning for his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party ahead of state elections early next year."So far, 39 people have died, including 13 men, 17 women, 4 boys, and 5 girls - while 51 people, including 26 men and 25 women, are receiving intensive treatment," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin told reporters in Karur, the district where the incident occurred during a political rally held by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, Vijay's party.Earlier, state lawmaker Senthil Balaji told reporters that 58 people were hospitalised.Tamil Nadu police filed the case, the first step toward potential charges, "against TVK party senior leaders Bussy Anand, Nirmal Kumar and V.P. Mathiyalagan, and the investigation is under way," senior police official V. Selvaraj told Reuters."TVK originally sought permission for a gathering of 10,000 people, but the actual crowd was more than double," he said.Vijay, one of Tamil cinema's most bankable actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds since launching his party last year. He said he was "heartbroken" by the stampede in the Karur district, pledging support for the victims' families.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced compensation of 1 million rupees ($11,300) per family.The state has appointed a commission led by a retired judge to investigate the cause of the stampede.Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that the incident was "deeply saddening".During the rally, footage from local media showed thousands of people surrounding a large campaign vehicle on top of which Vijay was speaking. He was seen throwing water bottles to fainting supporters and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable.Vijay's TVK has targeted the state's ruling party, DMK, and Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

At least 36 people were killed and more than 50 injured on Saturday in a stampede at a rally held by Tamil actor Vijay, who is campaigning for election, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu said.Chief Minister MK Stalin said eight children and 16 women were among the 36 that died in the district of Karur in Tamil Nadu during a political rally by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, Vijay's party.Earlier, state lawmaker Senthil Balaji told reporters that 58 people were hospitalised.Vijay, one of Tamil cinema's most bankable actors for three decades, has drawn massive crowds to his public meetings since launching his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in 2024, which has targeted both the state ruling party DMK and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. He is campaigning ahead of state elections that are to be held in early 2026.Videos from local media show thousands of people surrounding a large campaign vehicle on top of which Vijay is seen standing and speaking.During the rally, visuals showed Vijay throwing water bottles from the top of the vehicle to fainting supporters and calling for police help when the crowd became uncontrollable."The unfortunate incident during a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, is deeply saddening," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.At least 44 doctors from the nearby districts of Tiruchirappalli and Salem were sent to Karur, media reports said.This is not the first time Vijay's rallies have faced safety concerns. At least six deaths were reported by media following the first meeting of his political party when it was launched in October last year.Despite police-imposed restrictions, including limits on convoy size and venue changes, the sheer scale of public turnout has repeatedly overwhelmed local infrastructure.

India secured their place in the Asia Cup final Wednesday as Abhishek Sharma starred with 75 in a comfortable 41-run win over Bangladesh in Dubai.The holders posted 168-6 batting first after stumbling following a quick start, but their spinners helped stifle Bangladesh to 127 all out.The result means Sri Lanka are out of the tournament, with Thursday’s Super Four match between Pakistan and Bangladesh to decide who faces India in Sunday’s final.Abhishek has enjoyed a remarkable start to his T20 international career with 783 runs from 22 matches at a strike-rate of 197.72.The opener set up victory with another brilliant innings, striking six sixes and five fours in his 37-ball blitz, which ended with a run-out caused by a mix-up with captain Suryakumar Yadav.Both Abhishek and fellow opener Shubman Gill, who made 29, started cautiously before the two took on left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, smashing 21 runs off the fourth over.Abhishek reached his fifty off just 25 balls after Gill fell to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.Rishad quickly struck again with the wicket of the promoted Shivam Dube, before the dismissals of Abhishek and Suryakumar, for five off 11 balls, left India on 114-4. Hardik Pandya ensured India reached a competitive total with a 29-ball 38 with four fours and one six.Jasprit Bumrah struck first to send back opener Tanzid Hasan for one in the second over of Bangladesh’s chase, before Saif Hassan and Parvez Hossain Emon, who made 21, put on 42 runs to steady the innings.But Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Parvez and Bangladesh soon lost their way as the Indian spinners took charge. Saif, who survived four dropped catches, played a lone hand to raise Bangladesh hopes. Kuldeep struck twice with successive balls before Nasum played out the hat-trick ball. Saif finally fell in the 18th over for 69 to Bumrah and Bangladesh were bowled out in 19.3 overs.BRIEF SCORE:SIndia 168 for 6 (Abhishek 75, Hardik 38, Rishad 2-27) beat Bangladesh (Saif 69, Kuldeep 3-18, Bumrah 2-18, Varun 2-29) by 41 runs