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Stepping through the gates of India’s Mayo College is like journeying back 150 years. Yet, the school that was once reserved for princes now educates a new elite.Its history echoes with grandeur. The first student, the son of the Maharajah of Alwar, arrived in 1875 with pomp, seated in a palanquin and accompanied by 300 servants.”We try to preserve a certain tradition of the past,” said Saurav Sinha, principal of the school in Rajasthan’s Ajmer.”But only to the extent it enriches our culture, and lets our students remember who they are, and where they come from.”Nicknamed the “Eton of the East” and modelled after England’s elite boarding schools, Mayo was founded by the British viceroy, the Earl of Mayo, with the aim of fostering relations between Indian royalty and London.Today, among its 850 students aged nine to 18, only a few are descendants of royalty.They have been succeeded by the scions of ministers, business magnates, diplomats and senior army officers.Tuition fees run to around $11,500 a year — a fortune in a country where annual per capita income is about $2,300.This places Mayo among a rarefied dozen elite boarding schools in India — a stark contrast to the nearly 1.5 million other educational institutions in the world’s most populous nation, where more than two-fifths lack computers.For many families, the cost is justified.”It was clear to me to send my two sons here, because it prepares you for anything,” said Abhishek Singh Tak, who runs an events company in Jodhpur and is himself a Mayo alumnus.Standing before the school’s majestic main building, built of marble reminiscent of the Taj Mahal, he stated: “Everything I am today started from here.”- Military discipline -His sons Nirbhay, 10, and Viren, 17, now live in this luxurious cocoon for nine months a year.The younger dreams of Oxford; the elder aims for the University of Delhi or Sciences Po in France, hoping to become a diplomat.Although the strict military discipline that built Mayo’s reputation still prevails, recent years have seen greater emphasis on student well-being and self-confidence.Headmaster Sinha balances “immense respect for the heritage” with a resolve to keep the school “resolutely forward-looking and adapted to a rapidly changing world.”The 76-hectare campus is an oasis of ancient trees and lush lawns — a striking sight in Rajasthan’s desert.But students have little respite between rising at dawn and lights out at 9:30 pm.”We’re so busy that I don’t have time to think about my family,” joked Arrin, provoking laughter from his classmates.A year after leaving Mumbai, the 11-year-old seems content and at ease.”What I miss most is home-cooked food,” he said, standing straight with hands behind his back, as required.Rajesh Soni, head of the junior school, admitted the first months can be challenging. Mayo has therefore recruited psychologists and increased the number of female teachers and support staff.”The priority is to make it a place where happiness reigns, so they can explore and achieve their goals,” he said, adding that “everything is done to awaken their intellectual curiosity”.- Launchpad for ambition -Parents say the results speak for themselves.”My son has gained enormous self-confidence; he has become very independent,” said Daakshi Bhide, 38, a Mayo English teacher whose 10-year-old son boards at the school.Before classes begin, students wearing white shirts and navy blazers gather for morning assembly, where they say prayers and discuss current events.The curriculum, taught in English, is broad: science, foreign languages, literature, international relations, art and music.Afternoons are reserved for sports.Mayo offers around 20 disciplines — from polo and golf to swimming, shooting and tennis.Football has recently overtaken cricket as the campus favourite.The facilities are exceptional: an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a nine-hole golf course, and stables housing 60 horses.Arrin, whose parents are a doctor and a businessman, hopes to become a professional footballer.A die-hard Ronaldo fan, he sees Mayo as the first step.A third of students plan to study abroad — in Britain, Australia or the United States.Many want to contribute to India’s prosperity. Advaya Sidharth Bhatia, 17, hopes to launch a business at home and “help his country.”Sinha reiterated: “I have immense respect for this heritage, but Mayo must always look to the future.”For many, that future is exactly why they are here.

An elderly British couple released by the Taliban authorities after almost eight months in detention in Afghanistan arrived back in the UK on Saturday, telling the press that they feared “we would never be released”.Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, arrived on a flight from the Qatari capital Doha, where they had stayed for medical checks following their release on Friday.Barbie Reynolds smiled broadly as the couple walked out of the arrivals area at London’s Heathrow airport, accompanied by their daughter and British special representative to Afghanistan Richard Lindsay.After their return, Peter Reynolds told The Times that the couple had “begun to think that we would never be released, or that we were even being held until we were executed”.”We are bewildered as to why any of this happened and are very happy that this ordeal is over,” he said.For her part, Barbie said the toughest thing about the affair was “seeing my 80-year-old husband struggling to get into the back of a police truck with his hands and ankles chained”.Their family has spoken of their “immense joy” on hearing that the Reynolds were released, and there were emotional scenes when they arrived in Doha on a flight from Kabul to be met by their daughter.”This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation,” their four children said in a joint statement on Friday.”While the road to recovery will be long as our parents regain their health and spend time with their family, today is a day of tremendous joy and relief.”Qatar played a key role in helping to free the couple after mounting fears about their health.The couple were arrested in February as they were returning to their home in Bamiyan province, central Afghanistan.They were first held in a maximum security facility, “then in underground cells, without daylight, before being transferred” to the intelligence services in Kabul, UN experts have said.The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan, running educational programmes for women and children. They also became Afghan citizens.When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the couple remained in Afghanistan against the advice of the British embassy.- ‘Afghan citizens’ -The Taliban authorities have not explained why the pair were detained.Speaking at Kabul airport on Friday before they left, Barbie Reynolds said the couple had been treated well.”We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” she added.Their son, Jonathan, echoed to the BBC that his parents were hoping to return to the country they love.”They have not just a heart for the people of Afghanistan, but they have strategy as well, and the work they’ve been doing has been very fruitful and has a massively positive impact,” he said.In July, independent UN human rights experts called on the Taliban government to free the couple, warning that they risked “irreparable harm or even death” as their health deteriorated.Their family had made repeated pleas for their release, citing their failing health.Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Friday the couple “had violated the laws of Afghanistan” and were released from custody “following the judicial process”.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “long-awaited news will come as a huge relief” to the family.The British government advises against travelling to Afghanistan, warning that its ability to offer consular assistance is “extremely limited”.Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban government, which has imposed a strict version of Islamic law and been accused of sweeping rights violations.Dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces.

The White House issued a major clarification Saturday to its new H-1B visa policy that had rattled the tech industry, saying a $100,000 fee will be a “one-time” payment imposed only on new applicants.US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in announcing the major fee increase on Friday, said it would be paid annually, and would apply to people seeking a new visa as well as renewals.But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a clarification on Saturday, hours before the new policy was to go into effect.”This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies… only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders,” she said in a social media post. The executive order, which is likely to face legal challenges, comes into force Sunday at 12:01 am US Eastern time (0401 GMT), or 9:01 pm Saturday on the Pacific Coast.Prior to the White House’s clarification, US companies were scrambling to figure out the implications for their foreign workers, with several reportedly warning their employees not to leave the country.Some people who were already on planes preparing to leave the country on Friday de-boarded over fears they may not be allowed to re-enter the United States, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.”Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter,” Leavitt said.”H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would,” she added.H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the United States, initially for three years but extendable to six.Such visas are widely used by the tech industry. Indian nationals account for nearly three-quarters of the permits allotted via lottery system each year.The United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.- India, US business concerns -US President Donald Trump announced the change in Washington on Friday, arguing it would support American workers.The H-1B program “has been deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labor,” the executive order said.Trump also introduced a $1 million “gold card” residency program he had previewed months earlier.”The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying,” Trump told reporters as he signed the orders in the Oval Office.Lutnick, who joined Trump in the Oval Office, said multiple times that the fee would be applied annually.”The company needs to decide… is the person valuable enough to have $100,000 a year payment to the government? Or they should head home and they should go hire an American,” he told reporters.Though he claimed that “all the big companies are on board,” many businesses were left confused about the details of the H-1B order.US bank JPMorgan confirmed that a memo had been sent to its employees with H-1B visas advising them to remain in the United States and avoid international travel until further guidance was issued.Tech entrepreneurs — including Trump’s former ally Elon Musk — have warned against targeting H-1B visas, saying that the United States does not have enough homegrown talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.India’s foreign ministry said the mobility of skilled talent had contributed to “innovation” and “wealth creation” in both countries and that it would assess the changes.It said in a statement the new measure would likely have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families,” which it hoped would be addressed by US authorities.

Sri Lanka urged people on Saturday to catch and cook invasive fish species, including the giant snakehead and piranhas, that threaten fragile freshwater ecosystems and are now banned.The Fisheries Ministry launched a nationwide campaign by hosting a fishing competition at a reservoir in central Kurunegala district, where more than 1,000 anglers were instructed to reel in only the introduced predators.Ministry secretary Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa said the import, sale and transportation of live redline giant snakehead, knife fish, alligator gar and piranha was banned from Saturday.People who already keep the scarily named breeds in their homes or in private aquariums will also be given three months to register them with authorities.”It is not easy to catch them with a net, because they are very aggressive and their teeth are very sharp,” Jinadasa told hundreds of anglers during the competition targeting snakeheads at Deduru Oya reservoir.”In one day, we can remove a large number of fish from the natural environment, and then we can control their population,” he said. Jinadasa labelled the day a success, although only 22 snakeheads of between two and four kilograms (4.5 to nine pounds) were weighed in the best angler competition.Recreational fisherman N. A. V. Sandaruwan, 37, won the top prize of 20,000 rupees ($66) and a rod and reel.”I nearly had another big snakehead, but it managed to get away,” he said.Officials also encouraged competitors to take their catch home and cook them, although it is not usually a species consumed by locals.Two anglers from India, Dinesh Kumar and Raj Thilak, joined the competition but neither was able to bag a snakehead.”Some days you get one, some days you don’t, but that’s fishing,” Kumar told AFP.Jinadasa hoped there might even be a tourism spinoff in the campaign to rid Sri Lankan waters of the invasive species.He said snakeheads, which can grow to more than a metre (3.3 feet), were multiplying rapidly in the Deduru Oya reservoir, threatening smaller native species.

India’s leading IT trade body said on Saturday it was concerned by a new annual $100,000 fee that US President Donald Trump ordered for H-1B skilled worker visas, an addition that could have major repercussions for the tech industry where such permits are widespread.The foreign ministry in New Delhi also said the new measure, which will likely face legal challenges, would cause “disruption” for the families of H-1B visa holders.Such visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialised skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the United States, initially for three years but extendable to six.The United States awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.India’s top IT industry body Nasscom said the new measure would hit “business continuity” and was also concerned by the short timeline, with the new fee coming into effect on Sunday.”A one-day deadline creates considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world,” Nasscom said in a statement.”Policy changes of this scale are best introduced with adequate transition periods, allowing organisations and individuals to plan effectively and minimise disruption,” it said.Trump announced the change in Washington on Friday, along with the introduction of a $1 million “gold card” residency programme he had previewed months earlier.”The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying,” Trump told reporters as he signed the orders in the Oval Office.India’s foreign ministry said the mobility of skilled talent had contributed to “technology development, innovation, economic growth, competitiveness and wealth creation” in both countries and that it would assess the changes.It said in a statement the new measure would likely have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families”, which it hoped would be addressed by US authorities.- Not enough homegrown talent -Large technology firms rely on Indian workers who either relocate to the United States or come and go between the two countries.US bank JPMorgan confirmed that a memo had been sent to its employees with H-1B visas advising them to remain in the United States and avoid international travel until further guidance was issued.Tech entrepreneurs — including Trump’s former ally Elon Musk — have warned against targeting H-1B visas, saying that the United States does not have enough homegrown talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.However, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who joined Trump in the Oval Office, said: “All the big companies are on board.”Trump has had the H-1B program in his sights since his first term in office, but faced court challenges to his earlier approach, which targeted the types of jobs that qualify.The current iteration has become the latest move in the major immigration crackdown of his second term.The number of H-1B visa applications has risen sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under Democratic president Joe Biden.In contrast, the peak in rejections was recorded in 2018, during Trump’s first term in the White House.The United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.Trump also signed an order on Friday creating a new expedited pathway to US residency for people who pay $1 million, or for corporate sponsors to pay $2 million.”I think it’s going to be tremendously successful,” he said.South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday officials would “comprehensively assess the impact of these measures on the advancement of (South Korean) companies and professional talents into the US market and engage in necessary communication with the US”.Hundreds of South Koreans were detained during a US immigration raid on a Hyundai-LG battery factory site in the state of Georgia this month.

An elderly British couple released by the Taliban authorities after almost eight months in detention in Afghanistan arrived back in the UK on Saturday.Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, arrived on a flight from the Qatari capital Doha, where they had stayed  for medical checks following their release on Friday.Qatar played a key role in helping to free the couple after mounting fears about their health.Barbie Reynolds smiled broadly as the couple walked out of the arrivals area at London’s Heathrow airport, but did not stop to talk to reporters. They were accompanied by their daughter, Sarah Entwhistle, and British special representative to Afghanistan Richard Lindsay.The family has spoken of their “immense joy” on hearing that the Reynolds were released, and there were emotional scenes when they arrived in Doha on a flight from Kabul to be met by Entwhistle.”This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation,” their four children said in a joint statement on Friday.”While the road to recovery will be long as our parents regain their health and spend time with their family, today is a day of tremendous joy and relief.”The couple were arrested in February as they were returning to their home in Bamiyan province, central Afghanistan.They were first held in a maximum security facility, “then in underground cells, without daylight, before being transferred” to the intelligence services in Kabul, UN experts have said.The couple married in Kabul in 1970 and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan, running educational programmes for women and children. They also became Afghan citizens.When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, they remained in Afghanistan against the advice of the British embassy.- ‘Afghan citizens’ -The Taliban authorities have not explained why the pair were detained.Speaking at Kabul airport on Friday before they left, Barbie Reynolds said the couple had been treated well and were “looking forward to seeing our children”.”We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” she added.Their son, Jonathan, echoed to the BBC that his parents were hoping to return to the country they love.”They have not just a heart for the people of Afghanistan, but they have strategy as well, and the work they’ve been doing has been very fruitful and has a massively positive impact,” he said.In July, independent UN human rights experts called on the Taliban government to free the couple, warning that they risked “irreparable harm or even death” as their health deteriorated.Their family had made repeated pleas for their release, citing their failing health.Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Friday the couple “had violated the laws of Afghanistan” and were released from custody “following the judicial process”.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “long-awaited news will come as a huge relief” to the family.The British government advises against travelling to Afghanistan, warning that its ability to offer consular assistance is “extremely limited”.Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban government, which has imposed a strict version of Islamic law and been accused of sweeping human rights violations.Dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces.

An elderly British couple released after almost eight months in detention in Afghanistan are expected to fly back to the UK on Saturday.Taliban authorities arrested Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, in February as they were returning to their home in Bamiyan province, central Afghanistan.Following concerns for their health, the pair were freed on Friday and flown to the Qatari capital Doha.They are expected to leave for London on a commercial flight on Saturday after completing medical checks.The Reynoldses married in Kabul in 1970 and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan, running educational programmes for women and children. They also became Afghan citizens.When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, they remained in Afghanistan against the advice of the British embassy.The Taliban have not explained why the pair were detained, and Qatar brokered the negotiations for their release.Speaking on the tarmac at Kabul airport on Friday, Barbie Reynolds said the couple had been treated well and were “looking forward to seeing our children”.”We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” she added.They were embraced by family members on arriving in Doha, with their daughter Sarah Entwistle telling AFPTV she was “overwhelmed with gratitude and relief”.The couple were first held in a maximum security facility, “then in underground cells, without daylight, before being transferred” to the intelligence services in Kabul, UN experts have said.In July, independent UN human rights experts called on the Taliban government to free them, warning that they risked “irreparable harm or even death” as their health deteriorated.The couple’s family had made repeated pleas for their release, citing their failing health.Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Friday that the couple “had violated the laws of Afghanistan” and were released from custody “following the judicial process”.The Reynolds’ four children hailed their parents’ release but said they face a “long” recovery.Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the “long-awaited news will come as a huge relief” to the family.The British government advises citizens against travelling to Afghanistan, warning that its ability to offer consular assistance is “extremely limited”.Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban government, which has imposed a strict version of Islamic law and been accused of sweeping human rights violations.Dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the NATO pullout.

An elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan for almost eight months arrived in Qatar after their release by Taliban authorities on Friday amid concerns for their health, an AFP journalist reported.Taliban officials have declined to say why they arrested Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, in February as they were returning to their home.”We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children,” said Barbie, in a red headscarf, standing next to her bearded husband, near a plane on the tarmac at Kabul airport.”We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” she added, after Qatar-brokered negotiations for their release.Later on Friday, they arrived in the Qatari capital Doha, where they were embraced by their daughter Sarah Entwistle and other family members, television images showed. Entwistle told AFPTV she was “overwhelmed with gratitude and relief”.”This is a moment of immense joy for our family. We are deeply thankful to everyone who played a role in securing their release.”A Qatari diplomat said the British couple would receive medical checks in Doha before leaving for London on Saturday on a commercial flight. The couple were married in Kabul in 1970, and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan running educational programmes for women and children. They also became Afghan citizens.When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the couple remained in Afghanistan against the advice of the British embassy.- ‘Recovery’ -Foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said the couple were handed over to British special representative to Afghanistan Richard Lindsay.”Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process,” Balkhi said.The copule’s family welcomed their release. “This experience has reminded us of the power of diplomacy, empathy and international cooperation,” their four children said in a joint statement.”While the road to recovery will be long as our parents regain their health and spend time with their family, today is a day of tremendous joy and relief.”The couple were first held in a maximum security facility, “then in underground cells, without daylight, before being transferred” to the intelligence services in Kabul, UN experts have said.In late July, independent UN human rights experts called on the Taliban government to free the couple, warning that they risked “irreparable harm or even death” as a result of the “rapid deterioration” of their physical and mental health.The couple’s family had made repeated pleas for their release citing their failing health.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed their release, saying the “long-awaited news will come as a huge relief to them and their family”.”I want to pay tribute to the vital role played by Qatar,” including the emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, “in securing their freedom”, Starmer said in a statement.- Travel advice -The British government advises citizens against travelling to Afghanistan, warning that its ability to offer consular assistance “is extremely limited”.Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban government, which has imposed a strict version of Islamic law and been accused of sweeping human rights violations. Only a handful of embassies have reopened in the capital after it was overrun by the Taliban as NATO forces withdrew.Foreign ministry spokesman Balkhi said the government “does not view the matters of citizens from a political or transactional angle”, adding that “Afghans, wherever they may be, should also receive consular services”.It comes after US special envoy on hostages, Adam Boehler, made a rare visit to Kabul on Saturday to discuss the possibility of a prisoner exchange.   At least one US citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is held in Afghanistan.Dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the NATO pullout.

An elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan for almost eight months were released on Friday, the Taliban authorities said, after pressure built to free the pair due to fears over their health.Taliban officials have refused to detail why Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, were arrested in February as they were returning to their home.”We’ve been treated very well. We’re looking forward to seeing our children,” said Barbara, in a red headscarf, standing next to her bearded husband, near a plane on the tarmac of Kabul airport.”We are looking forward to returning to Afghanistan if we can. We are Afghan citizens,” she added, after Qatar-facilitated negotiations for their release.The couple were married in Kabul in 1970, and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan running educational programmes for women and children. They also became official Afghan citizens.When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the couple remained in Afghanistan against the advice of the British embassy.Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi in a statement posted on social media said the couple were handed over to the UK’s special representative to the country Richard Lindsay.”Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process,” Balkhi added.Images of the couple standing together with Lindsay at Kabul airport before their departure to the Qatari capital Doha were broadcast on Sky News. “They are very relieved to be to be going home,” Lindsay told the broadcaster. The couple were first held in a maximum security facility, “then in underground cells, without daylight, before being transferred” to the intelligence services in Kabul, according to UN experts.In late July, the independent UN human rights experts called for the Taliban government to free the pair warning of the “rapid deterioration” of their physical and mental health, stating that they “risk irreparable harm or even death”.Their family had made repeated pleas about their ailing health after their arrest.Hamish Falconer, the UK’s minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in a statement that he was “relieved… their ordeal has come to an end”.He added that it was against travel advice for British citizens to visit Afghanistan, warning that the government’s ability to offer consular assistance “is extremely limited”.Russia is the only country to have officially recognised the Taliban government, which has imposed a strict version of Islamic law and been accused of sweeping human rights violations. Only a handful of embassies have reopened in the capital after most evacuated at the end of the NATO-led war against Taliban militants.Foreign ministry spokesman Balkhi in his statement said that the government “does not view the matters of citizens from a political or transactional angle”, adding that “Afghans, wherever they may be, should also receive consular services”.It comes after Washington’s special envoy on hostages, Adam Boehler, made a rare visit on Saturday to Kabul to discuss the possibility of a prisoner exchange.   At least one US citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is held in Afghanistan.Dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of the US military.A Qatari official, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told AFP that the couple were “safely released from detention in Afghanistan following mediation led by Qatar”.”The Qataris had been engaged with the Afghan authorities for many months, working in close coordination with the British government,” he added.

India and Pakistan clash again in the Asia Cup on Sunday, renewing one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries a week after their last match was overshadowed by a handshake row.India won the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake hands with their opponents, angering Pakistan.It was the first meeting between the neighbours since a four-day cross-border conflict in May left more than 70 people dead.The Pakistan Cricket Board lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council alleging that match referee Andy Pycroft had told skipper Salman Agha not to approach Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake at the toss. The PCB demanded Pycroft be removed from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team Twenty20 competition. Their last group game was held up for an hour before the PCB said Pycroft had apologised and the match, with the Zimbabwean in charge, eventually went ahead.Pakistan beat hosts the United Arab Emirates to qualify for the next stage, the Super Fours, and set up another meeting with India in Dubai.Indian media has reported that the team plans to stick to its no-handshake policy for Sunday’s clash.India spinner Kuldeep Yadav sought to defuse the controversy. “When you step onto the field it’s just a batter in front of you. I have always approached it this way against Pakistan,” he said ahead of India’s last group game, against Oman on Friday.Agha also stuck to sport. “If we play good cricket like we have played in the last few months I think we’ll be good against any side,” the Pakistan captain told reporters.- Simmering tensions -Because of fraught political ties, nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan only meet at neutral venues during multi-team tournaments.Tensions soared ahead of the Asia Cup after the two countries engaged in their worst conflict since 1999.The hostilities in May left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire.The conflict was triggered by an April attack on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing, a charge Islamabad denies.India resisted calls to boycott the first Pakistan match.A potential third India-Pakistan showdown looms if both sides qualify for the final on September 28 in Dubai.India lifted the Asia Cup in its last, 50-over edition and are favourites to retain the crown.India and Pakistan advanced to the next stage from Group A while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh qualified from Group B. Sri Lanka face Bangladesh on Saturday in the first Super Fours fixture.Sri Lanka, unbeaten so far, look dangerous while Bangladesh carry the underdog tag under skipper Litton Das.Along with regional bragging rights, the Asia Cup serves as build-up towards the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.