After Mumbai Indians advanced to their second WPL 2025 final with a 47-run victory over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator, captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her satisfaction with her team’s performance in Thursday’s match at Brabourne Stadium.

On a new surface, Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt scored 77 each, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur hit an incredible 36. MI finished with a total of 213/4. Hayley shone in defence of the big total, taking 3-31 as GG were bowled out for 166 in 19.2 overs.

“Feeling wonderful, it was a great team effort, and I’m extremely thrilled with how we performed today. Before the game, I wanted to bat first. But then we decided to chase – whatever score is on the board, if you demonstrate trust, you can chase.”

“Whatever occurred, it was for the best, and Hayley and Nat did an excellent job putting everything up for us. They are superb players that understand how to play these kind of games. We do not need to instruct them what to do. I’m really pleased with how they accepted responsibility and batted for the team.”

“We bowled well today. All of the bowlers performed admirably, and this is what we hoped to accomplish. The next game is critical, and we need to sit down again and reflect on what went well for us,” Harmanpreet stated during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Hayley, who was named Player of the Match, said she was prepared to give her all with both bat and ball. “I think it was a great game. You received a lot of value for your shots as a hitter. Nat and I worked hard to relieve the load on ourselves. With the ball, I had my plans and attempted to carry them out as best I could.”

When asked about her plans for MI’s second WPL final, Hayley replied, “Come back, do our homework on DC – they are a fantastic team and have gotten the better of us in the last two games. Come back, finish your studies, and then perform on the field.”

Nat, who is now the tournament’s leading run-getter, believes adhering to her abilities has been the key to her success with the bat. “I’m not sure what I did differently, to be honest. We have played a lot of cricket up until now (aside from this competition). Wickets are good, outfields are speedy, which helps the batters, I guess.

She also praised head coach Charlotte Edwards’ assistance. “She has got great experience obviously, but the best thing is that she tries to make everyone feel comfortable – that has contributed to a great vibe around the group.”

Even though the Gujarat Giants lost and were eliminated from the final, skipper Ashleigh Gardner chose to focus on the season’s positives. “This group has a lot to be proud of – so many wonderful tales, and various people have spoken up at different periods. It’s been an absolute pleasure to lead this side. Young players placing their names in lights is what events like these are all about.

She concluded by thanking fans for their support of the squad in WPL 2025. “Hopefully, we’re moving in the right path. It was great to gain some wins and play in front of our home crowd, who has supported us all season. Hopefully, we can build on it. It’s been incredible to be a part of this franchise for three years and witness its exponential growth.”

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 213/4 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 77, Hayley Matthews 77; Danielle Gibson 2-40, Kashvee Gautam 1-30) beat Gujarat Giants 166 in 19.2 overs (Danielle Gibson 34, Phoebe Litchfield 31; Hayley Matthews 3-31, Amelia Kerr 2-28) by 47 runs(Agency)

The Central government has introduced the Immigration and Foreigners Bill of 2025 with two goals in mind: to highlight India as a more welcoming location for global travelers and to address contemporary security problems.

The Bill, a seminal piece of legislation, aims to overhaul and streamline the country’s immigration system. This forward-thinking measure by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Central government aims to strengthen national security while fostering economic prosperity and ensuring easy access for legitimate foreign visitors, whether they are professionals, scholars, business magnates, tourists, or those in need of medical care.

This legislation undertakes the consolidation of provisions from four distinct statutes — namely, the Passport (Entry into India) Act of 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act of 1939, the Foreigners Act of 1946, and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act of 2000.

These antiquated laws, relics of bygone era, are now set to be replaced by a singular, harmonised legal framework, emblematic of India’s broader endeavours to simplify governance. Also, the Bill seeks to improve the ease of conducting business, and reduce compliance burdens. Among the salient features of this Bill are its provisions for a reformed visa regime, wherein streamlined processes for various visa categories — such as tourist, business, and medical visas — are poised to render the entry, sojourn, and departure of bona-fide travellers a seamless experience.

The act also intends to boost the nation’s economy by making travel processes more efficient, consequently improving tourism — particularly the booming field of medical tourism — and creating commercial prospects. This initiative requires the construction of a Bureau of Immigration, an organization with the capacity to administer immigration problems more effectively.

With an unwavering focus on national security, the Bill requires the possession of legal travel documents for entry and exit into and out of India. The new Bill empowers immigration officials to request crucial information from travelers, while transportation operators are required to provide passenger information in accordance with current international norms.

Furthermore, methods to monitor overstaying foreign nationals are strengthened, with hotels, universities, hospitals, and other organizations being required to disclose the presence of foreign visitors under their care. Furthermore, the Bill reduces the compliance burden on legitimate stakeholders by allowing the compounding of certain breaches.

More crucially, this legislation is completely unrelated to citizenship issues, focusing entirely on the regulation of foreign entrants. This Bill is a watershed moment in India’s immigration policy because it strikes a balance between national security and economic prosperity.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has lowered the time frame for completing rights offerings from 126 to 23 days. This will enable corporations to raise cash more quickly through rights issues, as opposed to preferential offers, which require 40 days. The new rule would go into force on April 7, 2025.

In addition, the regulator has allowed specific investors in the rights offering to be allocated differently.

Sebi issued a circular on Tuesday outlining new timetables for completing the different actions involved in the rights issue process, from the date the issuer’s board of directors approves it until the date the issue is closed.

Sebi stated that rights issues will be open for subscription for a minimum of seven days and a maximum of 30 days.
In a second notification, Sebi stated that “the issuer shall file the draft letter of offer with the stock exchange(s)”.

The exchanges and depositories have been required to build a system for automated application assessment within six months. Furthermore, Sebi has rationalized the language of the Letter of Offer to provide just the important additional information regarding the rights issue — object of issue, price, record date, entitlement ratio, among others. It removed the requirement that an issuer appoint a merchant banker and making it optional subject to completion of rights issue within the timeline of 23 working days.

Currently, an issuer offering securities worth less than Rs 50 crore through a rights issue does not need to hire a monitoring agency.

It further stated that the stock exchanges and depositories, in collaboration with the issue’s registrar, will validate application bids received for subscribing to shares in the rights issue and finalize the basis of allotment.

This process would be even faster than the preferential allotment procedure, which requires 40 working days.

On Monday, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) announced the launch of the Bharat Gaurav Train, which would promote rail tourism. These trains travel on a variety of circuits that are offered in the form of tour packages that include off-board travel and excursions by bus, hotel stays, tour guides, meals, travel insurance, and other amenities in addition to a comfortable train journey and allied onboard services.

The project will provide passengers with a unique 33% discount on travel prices. The journey will begin on March 27, 2025, with the train departing from Bettiah station in the Samastipur Railway Division.

The primary boarding stations for this train will be Sugauli, Raxaul, Bairginia, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Pataliputra, Ara, Buxar, and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction.

This affordable train will transport pilgrims to key religious sites at a cheap cost. The ‘Dekho Apna Desh‘ project aims to give pilgrims with a high-quality experience while also boosting rail tourism. Railway officials have approved well-planned routes and services for devotees.

“It is an excellent opportunity for travelers to discover India’s rich spiritual legacy. “It is a divine journey at an affordable price,” remarked Rajesh Kumar, IRCTC’s Joint General Manager.

The Bharat Gaurav Train, introduced under IRCTC’s ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ plan, would carry passengers on a spiritual journey to key holy sites in South India.

According to the itinerary, pilgrims will visit Tirupati for Shri Balaji Darshan, Rameswaram for Shri Ramanathaswamy Temple, Madurai for Meenakshi Amman Temple, Kanyakumari for Kanyakumari Temple and Vivekananda Rock, and Srisailam for Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga.

The journey will begin on March 27, 2025, and terminate on April 7, 2025, at the Samastipur railway station. The Indian railway has a fixed economy class (Sleeper) fare of Rs 22,520 per person and a Comfort Class (3 AC) fare of Rs 38,310.

Passengers will stay in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned hotels based on their category, with vegetarian meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and morning and evening tea) and bottled water provided. They will also receive AC and non-AC buses for touring.

“Bharat Gaurav Train will provide an economical and pleasant experiencbie to pilgrims while giving a new dimension to rail tourism. Security guards, cleaning staff and tour escort will provide a unique and comfortable journey for the passengers,” Kumar reported.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma responded to any criticism thrown at him in recent days with a Player of the Match performance in India’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Rohit, watching from the balcony, was overjoyed when Ravindra Jadeja clipped Will O’Rourke past fine leg on the last delivery of the 49th over, propelling India past New Zealand’s 251 runs. Virat Kohli hugged Gautam Gambhir, who smiled with joy after his first important win as head coach. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh were the first to reach the middle, and they, together with Jadeja, performed Gangnam steps.

Soon, Rohit and Kohli would be doing some dandiya movements. Sportspeople live for times like these. India will be ecstatic to have won two titles in a row following last year’s T20 World Cup victory.

India scored 64/0 in the first ten overs. New Zealand was 69/1 at the time. The majority of the runs came from Rohit’s blade, who scored fifty off forty balls in the eleventh over.

On the evidence of India’s bowling, batting against spin wasn’t going to be easy. But the lingering question was whether New Zealand had spinners of the same quality to do what India did to them in the group stage win? Skipper Mitchell Santner created an opening by dismissing Shubman Gill on 31 with a flighted delivery, but a lot of the credit, like is often the case with catches by Glenn Phillips, went to the flying Kiwi, who leapt at short cover and returned with a stunning one-handed grab. Michael Bracewell followed up by trapping Kohli leg before and India had lost two wickets for one runs to be 106/2.

With the pitch turning, it was up to Rohit to shift gears and bat like he used to do to get India into safe waters. Rohit did buckle down for a time, but he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to put pressure when Ravindra’s looping delivery was cut short. However, Rohit (76-83b, 7×4, 3×6) was defeated in the struggle to be stumped.

Shreyas Iyer has freed up Kohli throughout the tournament by getting off to a quick start. He began rebuilding with Axar Patel by taking cautious risks. He fell to Santner, scooping straight to short-fine leg, as he had done throughout the tournament.

But KL Rahul (34*-33b) anchored the chase in the final seconds.

New Zealand batters came out with the idea of not letting the Indian spinners settle. Many of them were determined to bring out the broom. But there was just so much skill among India’s spin quartet that once the surface began to grip, batters found them difficult to negotiate. If Kuldeep bowled slower in the air, Jadeja bowled faster and got the ball to skid off the surface.

Rohit saw an opportunity after Kuldeep’s twin breakthroughs – he removed Ravindra and Kane Williamson in his successive overs – early in the middle overs. He kept one of Kuldeep or Chakravarthy on from one end for most of the middle overs. India’s spin stranglehold meant there was no boundary for 14 overs, between overs 14-27. One man, Mitchell, stood between India rolling New Zealand over and them staying in the contest. Every now and then he would bring out the sweep, not necessarily to find elevation and boundary. Mitchell’s fifty came off 91 balls, slowest of his career, and in the tournament.

New Zealand scored 103/4 in the middle overs, which was a low total. It could’ve been worse. That’s how Mitchell managed his innings, allowing Glenn Philips to take a few more chances during their 57-run stand for fifth wicket.

They managed to post a decent total thanks to Michael Bracewell’s (53*-40b) cameo. NZ scored 51 runs in the final five overs. The scoreboard indicates that New Zealand ran India close. But given the depth of the Indian batting lineup, they were always on track.

“We needed to understand the characteristics of the surfaces, and I had a clear plan for the first five-six overs. I could have gotten out earlier, but execution is important. The depth provides me freedom and helps. With Jadeja at 8, you have the confidence to go hard up front. “As long as I am clear in my mind, it is great,” Rohit Sharma  said in the post-match presentation.

“It’s been amazing, we wanted to bounce back after a tough Australian tour, and wanted to win a big tournament, so to win the Champions Trophy is amazing. So much talent in the dressing room, they’re trying to take their game further and we’re just happy to be of help (role of the seniors), sharing our experience and that’s what makes this Indian team so strong,” Virat Kohli said after the match.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and others congratulated Team India on their victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final, where the Men in Blue, led by Rohit Sharma, defeated New Zealand by four wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

In a post on X, President Murmu wrote: “Heartiest congratulations to Team India for winning the ICC Champions Trophy, 2025. India becomes the only team to win the Trophy thrice. The players, the management and the support staff deserve highest accolades for creating cricketing history. I wish Indian cricket a very bright future.”

Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “An exceptional game and an exceptional result! Proud of our cricket team for bringing home the ICC Champions Trophy. They’ve played wonderfully through the tournament. Congratulations to our team for the splendid all around display.”

Amitabh Bachchan wrote on X, “And the wellwishers .. in somewhat limited numbers and enthu, because of the IND v NZ .. but still a joy as ever. Sat in one spot .. sat in the style of the required tashan … and the VICTORY !!”

“No more the insinuated ‘3rd World’ tag .. no more the ‘other’ World in superiority .. we are the pride , we are the promise , we are the ‘go to’ nation .. we are the prime .. Ravaged looted and ruled by invaders over hundreds of years .. BUT in 78 yrs , of our fighting INDEPENDENCE .. teaching a lesson to the rest.”

We rank high .. very high ..Good night .. And many congratulations to Team India for their Victory today”

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor also took to his Instagram stories and shared, “What a match, what a win! Congratulations, Team India! What a phenomenal match – unbreakable spirit and a well-deserved victory! #Champions.”

Abhishek Bachchan also penned on X, “The trophy is coming home! A masterclass of skill, grit, and passion by Team India. On top of the world!”

Jr NTR’s post read, “Congratulations to Team India on a well-deserved and dominant Champions Trophy victory! Going undefeated all the way is no small feat.”

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is launching ‘EPFO 3.0’, a major update. This will make PF withdrawals easier; subscribers will soon be able to withdraw their provident fund directly from ATMs, just like any other bank transaction.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the new system will include various digital features to improve convenience and simplify transactions for EPFO members.

He also mentioned that EPFO plans to develop ‘EPFO 3.0’, which will provide its users with banking-like convenience. “The EPFO 3.0 version will be released soon. This indicates that the EPFO will become similar to a bank. As with bank transactions, you (EPFO customers) will have your Universal Account Number (UAN) and will be able to complete all of your job,” Mandaviya stated.

EPFO 3.0 is an enhanced version of the present system that aims to make withdrawals faster and more user-friendly. With this change, EPFO members will no longer need to visit government offices or obtain consent from their employers to access their PF funds. Instead, users will be able to withdraw their funds from ATMs, just as they would from a bank account.

Subscribers will be able to control their accounts using their Universal Account Number (UAN). It is unclear what the cap will be for PF withdrawals from ATMs. Withdrawing PF funds is now complicated and time-consuming. EPFO 3.0 attempts to address this by making fund withdrawals, claim settlements, and pension transfers significantly easier and faster.

The EPFO has implemented various modifications to improve the user experience. Complaints regarding EPFO services have diminished, and new features such as speedier claim processing, name corrections, and pension withdrawals from any bank have already been implemented.

The government intends to introduce the EPFO 3.0 app in May or June of this year. This software allows users to effortlessly check their PF balance, follow transactions, and make withdrawals. The minister emphasized that because the money in these accounts belongs to the employees, they should be able to access it at any time and from any location without incurring excessive delays.

A staggering 90% of rural women entrepreneurs in India save a percentage of their monthly income, according to a new survey released on Thursday, ahead of International Women’s Day.

DBS Bank India, in cooperation with Haqdarshak, conducted a survey of 411 women entrepreneurs from rural districts in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, 402 of them were members of Self-Help Groups (SHG).

According to the research, of the 90%, 57% save less than 20% of their monthly income, while 33% save between 20% and 50%. Approximately 5% save more than 50% of their income, while the remainder respondents are unaware of the percentage of their income saved, indicating a need for increased financial knowledge and planning.

According to the survey, 56% of rural women entrepreneurs use bank deposits, 39% participate in SHG savings programs, and 18% save cash without investing it in any instruments.

Fixed deposits (FDs), recurring deposits (RDs), and gold investments were found to be less frequent, with only 11% and 5% using these strategies, respectively. Approximately 64% returned their business revenues into their businesses, indicating a high preference for business expansion and growth.

“Our report provides useful insights to inform programs aimed at accelerating women’s entrepreneurship and overcoming growth barriers,” stated Azmat Habibulla, Managing Director and Head of Group Strategic Marketing and Communications at DBS Bank India.

“We aim to drive meaningful dialogue and build actionable solutions that bridge knowledge gaps, ensuring these women have improved access to social protection and financial services, ultimately fostering a more equitable economy,” said Aniket Doegar, CEO and co-founder of Ha

The survey noted a trend toward increased financial autonomy, stating that 18% of rural women entrepreneurs make financial decisions on their own, while 47% make financial decisions with their husbands.

Approximately 24% said their husbands make all financial choices, with the other 11% consulting their close or extended family members. This distribution emphasizes both progress and enduring conventional norms.

The Adani Foundation stated that it has been committed to empowering women for than three decades, beginning in 1996 with a series of focused initiatives designed to meet the unique needs of women at all phases of life.

The event on February 19 brought together important stakeholders to debate strategies and map out pathways to promote women’s empowerment throughout India. The national event also featured the launch of the Foundation’s ‘Butterfly Effect’ framework, a transformative strategy designed to meet the changing needs of women throughout their lifetimes.

According to a statement from the Adani Foundation, this roundtable was an essential venue for engaging stakeholders and gaining strategic perspectives on how to improve the outreach and impact of women-centric activities.

It also aims to identify additional alliances to increase the socioeconomic empowerment of women of all ages throughout India.

The Adani Foundation stated that it has been committed to empowering women for than three decades, beginning in 1996 with a series of focused initiatives designed to meet the unique needs of women at all phases of life.

From infancy and early childhood to adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, and old age, the Foundation works to provide ongoing support for women, ensuring that they have the necessary guidance and opportunity to improve their socioeconomic well-being.

Its dedication to women’s empowerment is holistic and multifaceted. The goal is to enhance outcomes for women throughout generations, from birth to old age.

Rather than charitable distributions, it prioritizes education, nutrition, and health security, skill development, and long-term results through program designs that promote self-reliance, agency, and autonomy.

With a strong emphasis on supporting economic activity, the Foundation is igniting change for women via health, education, sustainable livelihoods, and infrastructure initiatives that enable them to make meaningful decisions for themselves and their families.

The ‘Butterfly Effect’ paradigm exemplifies this holistic approach by putting women at the center of all initiatives. The framework was created to assist women at various phases, fostering their progress, self-reliance, and overall well-being.

During the event, the Adani Foundation also unveiled its ‘Supporting Her Exponential Empowerment (S.H.E.)’ Report, a meticulously chosen document that showcases the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to empower women at all stages of life.

India won the highest-ever run chase against Australia in ICC knockouts, advancing to their fifth Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Tuesday. The team continued its faultless performance, delivering a triumph that the country could be proud of.

Virat Kohli was once again the star of the show, scoring 84 runs to lead his side to a four-wicket win. With this win, India became the first team to qualify for the Champions Trophy final for the third time in a row.

Despite losing to Australia in the finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad and the World Test Championships in 2022, Indian fans and retired cricketers alike celebrated the triumph and rushed to social media to congratulate the team.

Virat Kohli’s 84, combined with KL Rahul’s unbeaten 42 and Hardik Pandya’s 28-run cameo, enabled India win by four wickets over Australia in the first semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy on Tuesday at the Dubai International Stadium.

“I do not know. That is up to you to break down. I’ve never focused on such things. When you don’t think about these milestones, they happen. If I reach the three-figure mark, that’s terrific, but the win is what matters. “Those things don’t matter to me anymore,” Virat Kohli remarked in the post-match interview.

India captain Rohit Sharma stated that his team was cool and composed in their chase of 265 points, which they handily achieved against Australia to go to the Champions Trophy final for the third time in a row.Rohit is pleased with his squad’ current form and is unconcerned about his opponents in the summit clash.

“I thought the bowlers did an excellent job; they worked hard throughout, and the spinners squeezed and took the game deep.””If we had scored 280, things would have been different,” Smith stated in the post-match presentation.

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar praised India’s ‘clinical’ performance and wished the team success in the forthcoming final on March 9. “Clinical performance by Team India. @MdShami11 set the tone early, and our batters chased with patience. @imVkohli’s knock stood out. All the very best for the final,” posted Tendulkar.

“Finals, here we come! Bowlers did the job with @MdShami11 leading from the front & keeping the Aussies in check. Great partnership between @imVkohli and @ShreyasIyer15 handling the pressure and then @klrahul and @hardikpandya7 taking the game away in the end! One step away from glory – let’s get it, boys! #INDvsAUS #ChampionsTrophy # CT2025. Best wishes for the final,” said Yuvraj Singh.

“VIRAT win for #TeamIndia! Indian players consistently displayed talent and perseverance throughout the match. @imVkohli played another fabulous inning. @MdShami11 delivered the crucial wickets. And what a powerful innings by @klrahul and @hardikpandya7! Above all, a well-deserved victory in the semifinal against the mighty Australia,” read the post by former India spinner Harbhajan Singh.

“Well done to India on qualifying for the #ChampionsTrophy Final to be played on March 9 in Dubai. A great team performance against a quality opponent,” posted ICC Chairman Jay Shah.

“Sukoon. Thank you, Team India #IndvAus,” read the post by former India opener Aakash Chopra.

Brief scores:

Australia 264 all out in 49.3 overs (Steve Smith 73, Alex Carey 61; Ravindra Jadeja 2-40, Mohammed Shami 3-48, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-49) lost to India 267/6 in 48.1 overs (Virat Kohli 84, Shreyas Iyer 45; Nathan Ellis 2-49, Adam Zampa 2-60) by four wickets.