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NEW DELHI: The trophy for the ‘Operation Sindoor Cup’, a symbolic cricket match between Army XI and Parliament XI, was unveiled on Saturday in Kanpur. The match is scheduled to be played on June 29 at the historic Green Park Stadium to honour the success of Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces’ targeted offensive against Pakistan-backed terror groups.The match aims to celebrate national unity and the Armed Forces’ resolve following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, led to a series of precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 operatives from outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.The specially designed trophy features a cricket bat, a BrahMos missile, and a Rafale fighter jet — each symbolising the spirit of sport, strategy, and national strength.Brigadier Samrul Hassan will lead the Army XI, which will include army officers, police personnel, and members of the district administration. Parliament XI, composed of Members of Parliament and state legislators, will be captained by MP Manoj Tiwari.Kanpur BJP MP Ramesh Awasthi told ANI, “At Kanpur’s historic Green Park, the Operation Sindoor Cup will be held. All preparations have been made and the trophy has been unveiled, which features a BrahMos missile, Rafale and a cricket bat. We want to congratulate the Armed Forces for their efforts and give the world a message that when it comes to unity and integrity of this country, everyone will be together and a befitting reply will be given.”Kanpur Police Commissioner Akhil Kumar also urged public participation, saying, “This match is for a noble cause. Our army showed its courage, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and brought Pakistan to its knees. We urge people to join this celebration through this match. There are proper arrangements being made.”The event serves not only as a tribute to the military operation but also as a public celebration of India’s united front against terrorism.

Smriti Mandhana (Getty Images)

Team India batter Smriti Mandhana etched her name in the annals of cricket history on Saturday by becoming the first Indian woman cricketer to score centuries in all three international formats — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The landmark moment came during the first T20I between India Women and England Women at the Trent Bridge, where Mandhana delivered a scintillating knock of 112 runs off just 62 balls.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Coming in as captain, Mandhana led from the front with a dominant performance that featured 15 fours and three towering sixes. Her aggressive yet composed innings powered India to a formidable total of 210/5 in 20 overs — their highest-ever T20I score against England. Mandhana’s milestone knock was also her maiden T20I century, completing the rare feat that had eluded every other Indian woman batter until now.Her century set the tone early, combining elegance with power, especially as she neutralised England’s top spinners like Sophie Ecclestone with fearless strokeplay.

The innings also saw valuable contributions from Harleen Deol (43 off 23) and Deepti Sharma (7 not out off 3), while India maintained a strong run rate throughout. Lauren Bell was the pick of England’s bowlers with three wickets, but the damage had been done.Mandhana’s achievement places her in elite company globally, as only a handful of cricketers — male or female — have notched centuries across all three formats. Her milestone is a defining moment not just for her career but for Indian women’s cricket, inspiring a new generation of cricketers to dream big and break barriers.With this commanding performance, Mandhana has once again proven why she’s the face of Indian women’s cricket — consistent, fearless, and record-breaking.

NEW DELHI: TMC leader Madan Mitra on Saturday, while defending his party, appeared to blame the victim in the Kolkata law college gang-rape case, saying, “If someone calls you when the college is closed, then don’t go.“Addressing reporters in North 24 Parganas, the former West Bengal minister said the incident sent a message to girls about caution.

“If that girl had not gone there, this wouldn’t have happened. If she had informed someone before going or had taken a couple of friends with her, then this wouldn’t have happened,” he said. He further added, “The one who committed this dirty deed took advantage of the situation.”Mitra also attempted to distance the party from the accused, saying, “TMC is a big party. Someone or the other is associated with Trinamool everywhere… We get our photos taken with everyone, but what’s inside a person, only a psychologist can tell.”His remarks came even as the alleged gang-rape of the 24-year-old law student continues to trigger public outrage and political backlash in West Bengal. The incident, which took place inside the premises of South Calcutta Law College, has drawn comparisons to the earlier RG Kar case, reviving grim memories of systemic lapses.According to the student’s police complaint, she was raped by three men — Manojit Mishra, a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad office-bearer now working on an ad hoc teaching assignment, and two junior students, Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed. She alleged that the trio forced her into the college guard room, undressed and gang-raped her, filmed the assault, and threatened to leak the footage if she approached police.“When I resisted, one of them hit me with a hockey stick,” she said. “I touched his feet, but he did not let me go.” She also reported that she was confined for over three hours and suffered a panic attack. The assailants only allowed her to use an inhaler, denying her further help.All three accused were arrested within 24 hours. Later, the college security guard, Pinaki Banerjee, was also held. A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by Kolkata Police to probe the case. The accused have been remanded to police custody till July 1.The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and has demanded a time-bound investigation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. BJP national president JP Nadda has also constituted a four-member inquiry team comprising Satpal Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi, Biplab Deb and Manan Mishra to visit the college and submit a detailed report.Meanwhile, BJP leaders across Bengal have mounted pressure on chief minister Mamata Banerjee. “This incident reveals the character of TMC and their thoughts towards women. I demand Mamata Banerjee’s immediate resignation,” said BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh.Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar was detained by police while protesting the incident. “This is the face of democracy in West Bengal… Mamata Banerjee has ruined it,” he said.BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also hit out at the chief minister, saying, “There is an air of disbelief about where Bengal is heading. Where there is a female chief minister, there ought to be sensitivity towards women, so why is there such cruelty?”The centring of blame on the victim by a senior TMC leader has deepened political tensions and drawn strong condemnation from opposition parties and civil society groups, who have demanded accountability, justice for the survivor, and an end to institutional negligence.