Hind Himalaya Staff, Author at Hind Himalaya

Pat Cummins Set to Make Major League Cricket Debut with San Fransisco Unicorns

by Hind Himalaya Staff | Jun 3, 2024 | Sports

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Australian pacer Pat Cummins will captain the San Francisco Unicorns in the second season of Major League Cricket, joining other Australian players in the US-based league.

Australian pacer Pat Cummins is all set to feature in the second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) for San Fransisco Unicorns. It’s a massive signing for the US-based league, which is making quick headways into the cricketing ecosystem.

According to Cricbuzz, Cummins will replace Aaron Finch as the Unicorns’ captain. His captaincy credentials are over the roof after leading Australia to the ODI World Cup, the World Test Championship, and most recently, SunRisers Hyderabad to the final of IPL 2024. He has also evolved brilliantly as a T20 bowler.

Several Australian players are already part of the MLC, including Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Spencer Johnson, Steve Smith, and Jake Fraser Mcgurk. A few more, like T20I captain Mitchell Marsh, are expected to join them soon. Former captain Ricky Ponting will also join Washington Freedom as head coach.

The Aussie interest in the competition seems to be hinging on the lighter workload. The second season will begin just five days after the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies but will last only three weeks.

This provides a perfect opportunity for cricketers to participate in a tournament without the long-term commitments of other leagues. With Cummins at the helm, the San Fransisco Unicorns are poised for an exciting season ahead in the MLC.

USA Triumphs Over Canada in T20 World Cup Debut !!

by Hind Himalaya Staff | Jun 2, 2024 | Editors Choice, Sports

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In a thrilling start to the T20 World Cup 2024, the United States cricket team celebrated their debut in style with a stirring victory over Canada.

The match took place in Dallas, Texas, where USA emerged victorious by seven wickets, chasing down Canada’s total of 194 with ease.

Half-centuries from Navneet Dhaliwal and Nicholas Kirton helped Canada set the hosts a target of 195 for victory at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday.

Aaron Jones played a pivotal role in the win, smashing an unbeaten 94 off just 40 balls, including 10 sixes that left the crowd in awe. Co-hosts USA, led by Jones and Andries Gous, put on a spectacular performance with a 131-run partnership that sealed the win. Despite facing initial challenges from Canada’s strong start, USA’s determination and skill shone through, showcasing their potential in the tournament.

The match marked a historic moment for American cricket, drawing in a crowd of around 5,000 spectators who witnessed an unforgettable display of talent and sportsmanship.

With this impressive victory, USA has set a strong foundation for their journey in the T20 World Cup, leaving fans and critics alike excited for what’s to come in the tournament.

MLC Receives Official List A Status from ICC

by Hind Himalaya Staff | May 30, 2024 | Editors Choice, Sports

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The Major League Cricket (MLC) has been granted official List A status by the ICC, making it an officially recognized T20 league. The league, which is based in the USA, is planning to expand from six teams to 10 in the coming seasons. The 2024 season will start on July 5, a week after the T20 World Cup ends.

Major League Cricket (MLC), the season-old T20 tournament in the USA, has become the second Associate-run franchise competition to acquire List A status from the ICC, following on from the UAE’s ILT20 earlier this year.

The status means that MLC will now be recognised as an official T20 league, with tournament playing records now counted as official format statistics. The league is also planning to expand from the current six teams to 10 in the coming seasons.

The 2024 edition of MLC will start on July 5, a week after the T20 World Cup ends on June 29 in Bridgetown. The T20 World Cup begins, however, in Dallas, USA on June 1, in what is an important season in the game’s continuing efforts to crack the US market.

The Guardian, which reported on the awarding of List A status on Monday, also revealed MLC’s plans to expand from the current six teams to 10 over the next few years, jumping from 19 games in 2023 to 34 by 2025. Twenty-five games have already been scheduled for this season.

MLC’s chief executive, Vijay Srinivasan, stated that the league wants to start in early June in 2025, avoiding a clash with the Hundred’s July-August window. The first season ran from July 13 to 31 with 15 group-stage games followed by four playoff matches, and ended with MI New York lifting the trophy under the captaincy of Nicholas Pooran. The second season will be played across the same two grounds which hosted the first season – the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and the Church Street Park Stadium in Morrisville.

Vice President Harris Calls for More Indian Americans in Politics

by Hind Himalaya Staff | May 24, 2024 | Community, Editors Choice, Indian-American

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Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a crowd of Indian Americans this week, emphasizing the importance of South Asians running for office in the United States.

Despite Indian Americans becoming the most populous ‘Asian-alone’ group in the country, with 4.4 million people identifying as ‘Indian-alone’ on the 2020 U.S. Census, there are only five Indian American members of Congress out of 535. Harris made these remarks at the Indian American Impact’s annual summit ‘Desis Decide’ in Washington, D.C., calling for a change in the representation of Indian Americans in politics.

She encouraged the community to participate in the electoral process and highlighted the upcoming election as crucial to their lives. With 68% of Indian Americans leaning towards the Democratic Party, they are considered one of the most progressive Asian American groups. However, there is a growing sense of skepticism towards the Biden administration among Indian American voters, with President Biden’s approval rating at 43% and Vice President Harris’ at 56%.

The progressive organization Hindus for Human Rights staged a walkout during Harris’ speech at the summit to protest the administration’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza. This issue has resonated with young South Asian voters who are reevaluating their political affiliations.

Despite the challenges, Harris emphasized the importance of participating in elections to bring about change. She assured Indian Americans that progress is on the horizon and urged them to continue striving for a more inclusive and representative government.

Harris highlighted her own journey as a testament to the promise of America and encouraged the community to persevere in their pursuit of political engagement.

Global Impact: Microsoft and Khan Academy’s AI Initiative in K-12 Education

by Hind Himalaya Staff | May 24, 2024 | @HH Bright Zone, Editors Choice

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In an announcement on May 21 at Microsoft Build, tech giant Microsoft and educational powerhouse Khan Academy unveiled plans to revolutionize K-12 education with AI-driven tools.

Leveraging Microsoft’s Azure AI-optimized infrastructure, Khan Academy’s pioneering ‘Khanmigo for Teachers’ program is set to become freely accessible to educators across the United States.

This partnership marks a significant stride towards democratizing education, as the innovative AI-powered teaching assistant, Khanmigo, promises to redefine classroom dynamics.

The companies are looking into how small language models (SLMs) like Microsoft’s new Phi-3 models can enhance and scale AI tutoring tools. These SLMs are more cost-effective and user-friendly than larger models, making them suitable for simpler AI tasks. By integrating everyday items into physics lessons and employing a conversational Socratic method, Khanmigo fosters engagement and critical thinking among students, as testified by educators and students alike. Moreover, the collaboration aims to alleviate the burdens weighing heavily on teachers, offering them invaluable time-saving features. With just a click, teachers can effortlessly generate personalized lesson plans, suggest student groupings, and adapt content to cater to diverse learning needs, potentially saving an average of five working hours per week.

Looking ahead, the partnership seeks to expand accessibility beyond U.S. borders, envisioning localized AI solutions for resource-constrained schools worldwide. As the CEO of Khan Academy Sal Khan envisions, this alliance between technology and education heralds a return to the roots of personalized learning, where every student is empowered to reach their full potential.

With AI as their guide, educators embark on a journey to nurture the next generation of leaders, innovators, and problem solvers, reaffirming Khan’s vision to treat every child as a future emperor.