India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Sunday achieved a historic first in international cricket during the ongoing third T20I against South Africa at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The 31-year-old is now the first pace-bowling all-rounder to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20I Internationals. Hardik dismissed Tristan Stubbs in the seventh over of South Africa's innings to achieve the feat. By doing so, he also became the third Indian to take 100 or more wickets in the format, joining Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah in the elite list. Arshdeep Singh has taken 107 wickets in 70 T20I matches at an economy of 8.35, with best figures of 4 for 9, while Jasprit Bumrah has picked up 101 wickets from 82 matches, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 6.35, with best figures of 3 for 7. Before Hardik, only four cricketers worldwide - Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, and Malaysia's Virandeep Singh...
Several parts of India grappled with unusually high temperatures this week, forcing schools to close and hospitals to create special units to treat heat-related illnesses, while workers on construction sites were given a "paid holiday" in the afternoon. Here is a look at what caused the unprecedented heat in the country. HOW UNUSUAL HAS THE SITUATION BEEN THIS YEAR? While every year temperatures in India tend to peak in the months of May and June, the number of heatwave days recorded over northwestern and eastern parts of the country this season have been more than double the normal, with eastern India also experiencing its hottest April on record. India declares a heatwave day when the maximum temperature in any given region is 4.5 -6.4 degrees Celsius higher than normal. Parts of the country have touched new highs in terms of the maximum temperature, including Delhi, which recorded the country's highest ever temperature at 52.9 C (127.22 degree F) on Wednesday. Wh...