Amidst the break from cricketing events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, legendary Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf picked his favourite Indian batsman of the current era.

During a recent Question and Answer session on social media with fans, Yousuf was asked to name his favourite Men In Blue cricketer.

The legendary middle-order batsman then picked Indian skipper Virat Kohli and swashbuckling batsman, Rohit Sharma, as his favorite cricketer.

Rohit, who is now the vice-captain of the ODI team, has played 224 ODIs, 108 T20Is, and 32 Tests so far. The limited-overs vice-captain has so far scored 14,029 runs across all formats.

In the longest format, he has also reinvented himself as the batsman started opening the batting in Test cricket last year. Rohit is the only player in the world to have three double tons to his name in ODI cricket.

He also holds the record for the highest individual score in the 50-over format as he played a knock of 264 runs against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens.

On the other hand, Kohli is widely hailed as the run-machine and has many records under his belt.

In 86 Test matches, he had 7,240 runs studded with 27 centuries and 22 half-centuries. In 248 ODIs, he has amassed 11,867 runs with an average of 59.33.

In the shortest format of the game, he has played 82 games in which he slammed 2,794 runs at an average of 50.80 with the help of 24 fifties.

Both Rohit and Kohli would have been in action for their respective franchise had the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced from March 29.

However, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Help continues to flow for virtually out-of-work cricket groundsmen in the city knocked down by the Coronavirus-caused lockdown.

Former Mumbai left-arm spinner and current Mumbai under-19 coach Rajesh Pawar, a product of maidan cricket, was at Shivaji Park on Thursday, distributing grocery packets to 16 groundsmen. "I spoke to a few of them over the phone, learnt about their situation and decided to do something about it. It's a small help from my side," Pawar told mid-day.

"I got a lot of calls after my friend Mandar Phadke [ex-Mumbai batsman] posted a picture of me distributing the packets on social media. Some said they are willing to help and I think we should all come forward to help the groundsmen and needy persons in this crisis," remarked Pawar. Each groundsman got four kilos of rice, a kilo of tur dal, two kilos of sugar, one litre of cooking oil and 250 gms of tea powder.

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Apex Council member Nadim Memon also distributed groceries to groundsmen at Dadkar Maidan in Matunga, Azad Maidan, Cross Maidan and Oval Maidan. He also provided them financial assistance. Memon handed out cooking oil, wheat and other essentials that will last the groundsmen a month.

Meanwhile, a group of match officials headed by former Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) managing committee member and BCCI umpire, Ganesh Iyer, who has been providing financial assistance to umpires and scorers ever since the lockdown began, helped a further 32 officials with Rs 1,500 each. Last month, 62 needy individuals (47 umpires and 15 scorers) were given Rs 3,000 each. Financial help in two more installments were granted to needy umpires and scorers apart from groceries. According to Iyer, the total expenditure towards this cause is around R4,78,000. "We thank all our contributors. Without their benevolence and support, we could not have done our bit," said Iyer.

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A UK court on Monday dismissed fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya's appeal against extradition to India.

"We consider that while the scope of the prima facie case found by the Senior District Judge (SDJ) is in some respects wider than that alleged by the respondent in India. There is a prima facie case which, in seven important respects, coincides with the allegations in India," a part of the order by the UK court read.

A CBI spokesperson confirmed to ANI that the "UK high court dismissed Mallya's appeal against his extradition to India." The 64-year-old businessman had begun the lengthy appeals process in the UK court in February this year against an order to extradite him to India to face multiple charges relating to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

It followed a ruling by a lower court -- the Westminster Magistrate's Court -- in December 2018 - that Mallya should be sent to India to face the charges, including one of money laundering to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore. The businessman fled India in March 2016 and has been living in the UK since then.

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Washington: Girls her age play Candy Crush or like watching cartoons, but 15-year-old Hita Gupta peps up hundreds of lonely Americans, including the elderly and children, marooned in nursing homes due to the COVID-19 lockdown by sending them gift packs and spirit-lifting notes.

The 10th-grade Indian-American student from Pennsylvania's Conestoga High School has an NGO 'Brightening A Day' and is using it to spread love, hope and joy among America's nursing homes' residents, especially senior citizens, to help them keep at bay their boredom arising from the COVID-19 restrictions.

Gupta brightens up their lives by sending them handwritten notes and gift packs containing puzzle and colouring books and a packet colour pencils.

"It saddens me to think of how lonely or depressed many nursing home residents feel because they cannot see their loved ones. Our seniors are already one of the most isolated groups. A research has shown that more than 40 per cent of seniors regularly feel lonely," Gupta told PTI in an email interaction.

"During this uncertain time, which is causing panic among many seniors, it's our responsibility to let them know that they are not alone. I initially started sending gift packs to nursing homes using self-funding. Now, I have sent them to residents of 16 local nursing homes," she said.

Each gift pack contains one puzzle book, one colouring book, and a pack of colour pencils/crayons, Gupta said. "It also contains an uplifting note written by my 9-year-old brother Divit Gupta," she said.

Her NGO has reached more than 2,700 kids and seniors in 50 hospitals and nursing homes in seven different States in the US with hand-made cards on holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day. "We have also sent school supplies and cards to orphanages in India," Gupta said.

Gupta's initiative has won her praise from one and all.

"Need some inspiration? 15-year-old Hita Gupta, from Pennsylvania, USA, is brightening the lives of nursing home residents with gift packs through her NGO, Brighten A Day," the US Embassy in New Delhi wrote on its Facebook page.

"She aims to lift the spirits of those who are in need of some cheer by sending them love, hope, and joy through cards and gifts. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, she is sending handwritten notes and gift packs to cheer the residents and help them overcome loneliness and isolation. More power to you Hita!" the embassy said.

Nursing homes throughout the US are limiting the interaction of senior citizens who remain mostly confined to their rooms. Outsiders are also prohibited form visiting them, resulting in feelings of loneliness and isolation in many of them.

The US is the worst affected country from the coronavirus, with 842,000 infections and over 46,000 deaths reported so far. According to Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, eight in every 10 deaths due to the coronavirus reported in the US are adults, and people who are 65 years old or above.

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 185,000 lives and infected more than 2.6 million people, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has fired his special aide on I&B and replaced her with a powerful former military spokesman as he revamped his media team for the second time since coming to power amid mounting criticism for failing to address key issues including the COVID-19 outbreak.

Former Army spokesman Lt Gen (retied) Asim Saleem Bajwa, who is also the chairman of the newly created China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, has replaced Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the Special Assistant to the PM for information and broadcasting (I&B).

PM Khan also appointed Senator Shibli Faraz as the new information minister. Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry announced the new appointments. The changes were made to blunt the perception that the government's media handling was not good and its work was not being properly highlighted amid the health crisis.

"The way these changes have been made will not give a good impression and help the cause of the government," analyst Ayaz Amir told Dunya TV. Pakistan has 14,079 COVID-19 cases so far.

301
No. of COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan

Now, Beijing to shut COVID-19 hospital

Authorities in Beijing are set to close a COVID-19 special hospital, Xiaotangshan Hospital, after clearing all the cases even as China reported six new infections and 40 fresh asymptomatic cases on Tuesday. The move comes days after Wuhan closed 16 temporary hospitals and discharged its last patient on Sunday.

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