India

In the final innings of her international career, Tammy Beaumont is bowled first ball by India’s Kranti Gaud at Lord’s on day three of the one-off Test, with England needing 457 to win.

FOLLOW LIVE: England v India – Day three

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Lauren Bell bowls Jemimah Rodrigues with a brilliant delivery to give England a small glimmer of hope on the morning of day three against India, with the tourists falling to 177-3, their lead just short of 300 in the off-one Test at Lord’s.

FOLLOW LIVE: England v India – Day three

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Kranti Gaud takes five wickets and makes history, before Smriti Mandhana frustrates England with an unbeaten 69 as India close on 154-1, giving them a lead of 269, with the tourists in complete control of the one-off Test at stumps on day two at Lord’s.

DAY REPORT: England toil as India take control on day two

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India slumped to a nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20 against England, following a 2-0 series whitewash in Ireland.

India’s cricket board will review the T20 team’s performance after a dismal run that saw the world champions lose successive series in Ireland and England, a top official said.

India slumped to a nine-wicket defeat in the fourth T20 against England on Thursday, handing the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead with one match remaining after the opener was washed out.

The loss was India’s fifth straight defeat, following a 2-0 series whitewash in Ireland last month.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will meet to discuss the reasons for the team’s performance after the England tour ends on July 19, secretary Devajit Saikia said on Friday.

“The BCCI is currently observing the performance of the Indian T20 team which has not been up to the mark in the ongoing series against England,” Saikia, who is in Edinburgh for the annual conference of the International Cricket Council, told the news agency AFP in a phone interview.

“We will have a review meeting with the core members of the team to discuss what went wrong in England.”

India, who lifted the T20 World Cup in March, have endured a dramatic dip in form. On Thursday, they managed 158-7 in Bristol, a target England chased down with nine wickets and more than six overs to spare.

The defeat came days after India were dismissed for just 76 in Nottingham, suffering their heaviest T20 loss by a margin of 125 runs.

Saikia described the slump as a temporary setback.

“This is not something abnormal and can happen in international cricket. We consider it as a purely bad phase,” he said.

India, coached by Gautam Gambhir, has been without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya because of workload and injury-management concerns.

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, handed his long-awaited debut aged 15, has struggled to make an impact, with scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his three innings.

The teams meet in the fifth and final T20 in Southampton on Saturday before a three-match ODI series.

England host India in a women’s Test at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground – the first of such a kind at the venue.

Lord’s will finally host a women’s Test, 142 years since staging its first such men’s match, when England face India in a four-day game at the “Home of Cricket” starting on Friday.

“It just boggles my mind that it is just the first (women’s) Test match here at Lord’s,” said India coach Amol Muzumdar.

“It is a great occasion, and we are looking forward to it.”

The match takes place just more than 50 years since the first women’s match of any kind at the renowned London venue, with England beating Australia by eight wickets in a one-day international on August 4, 1976.

England’s captain at Lord’s that day was the late Rachael Heyhoe Flint, a pioneering figure in a women’s game where players were still wearing skirts rather than white or coloured trousers, as they do now.

Heyhoe Flint, who died in 2017, now has a gate named after her at Lord’s.

But in 1976, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord’s, were still decades away from admitting women as members, with the thought of females walking directly through the Long Room of the pavilion before taking the field a distant dream.

England’s No 5 that day, Megan Lear, compared the experience to the moon landing, telling The Guardian: “On that day in 1976, to walk on to the hallowed turf at Lord’s, it was like one small step for us women cricketers, but one giant leap towards the future of women’s cricket.”

It is a sign of how things have changed from those amateur days that a Test between two professional sides will also be England’s second fixture at Lord’s in less than a week, following Sunday’s defeat by Australia in the women’s T20 World Cup final – a match that attracted a capacity crowd.

Nine of England’s World Cup squad are included for the Test, including captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who is “hoping to play” despite a nagging calf injury.

‘History in the making’

“We’ve always known this has been on the calendar,” said England coach Charlotte Edwards.

“A lot of our players have been doing Test match prep throughout the T20s, so we’re really looking forward to it,” added Edwards, England’s captain when they won the 2009 Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s.

“It’s a historic Test match for us as a group and for the Indian team, and we can’t wait to play in front of a lot of people again over the next four days.”

Teenage England spinner Tilly Corteen-Colman is well aware of the importance of the occasion.

“I remember speaking to Lottie (Edwards) about when she used to play here and they weren’t allowed in the Long Room,” said the 18-year-old.

“The first women’s Test at Lord’s is history in the making, so to be involved would be incredible. It would mean the absolute world.”

As well as a breakthrough, the game will also mark England batter Tammy Beaumont’s farewell to international cricket.

Beaumont has made 260 appearances for England since her debut 17 years ago, and she was the first English woman to score a double century in a Test – 208 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2023.

“When I fell in love with playing cricket as a young girl, I barely knew that playing cricket for England was an option,” said Beaumont.

The 35-year-old, who will continue to play domestic cricket, added: “Our first ever women’s Test at Lord’s feels like the perfect occasion to sign off on a career that I could never have dreamt would be as special as it has been.”

Netflix has released its highly anticipated reboot of Little House on the Prairie – and fans of the original series have been left wondering what happened to the beloved cast

It’s one of the most beloved TV shows of the 1970s – and now it’s getting a modern makeover. Netflix has finally released its highly anticipated reboot of Little House on the Prairie today (July 9), with fans eager to see whether it can live up to the original.

Based on the iconic books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the new series promises to retell the family’s story for a new generation while staying true to its roots. Netflix’s official synopsis reads: “Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical Little House books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.”

Set in 1869, the reboot followed the Ingalls family as they left their cabin in Wisconsin’s Big Woods and headed to Kansas in search of a better life.

Along the way, they built new friendships, overcame hardships and worked to create a home in the town of Independence.

While the new cast steps into some of TV’s most iconic roles, many viewers have been left wondering what happened to the original stars who made the 1970s series such a success.

Here’s what became of the Little House on the Prairie cast:

Michael Landon (Charles Ingalls)

While Little House on the Prairie was based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Michael Landon quickly became the driving force behind the hit TV series.

As well as starring as Charles ‘Pa’ Ingalls, the devoted husband, father and hardworking farmer, Landon also worked behind the scenes as a producer, writer and director, helping shape the show throughout its nine-season run.

However, fans were surprised when he stepped away as a main cast member ahead of the final season, despite continuing to work behind the scenes.

Before finding fame, Landon shot to stardom as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza after landing the role at just 22 years old.

His acting career had started a few years earlier with I Was a Teenage Werewolf and several guest appearances on TV.

After Little House came to an end, Landon went on to star in the popular TV series Highway to Heaven. He was also due to write, direct and star in a new CBS drama called Us, but sadly never got the chance.

In 1991, Landon died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 57, before the show’s two-hour pilot had aired.

Away from acting, Landon was married three times. His third wife was Little House makeup artist Cindy Clerico, who he met on set.

He was also a father to nine children, including filmmaker Christopher Landon and Jennifer Landon, who is best known for playing Teeter in Yellowstone.

Karen Grassle (Caroline Ingalls)

Karen Grassle became a household name playing Caroline ‘Ma’ Ingalls, the loving matriarch of the Ingalls family and Charles’ devoted wife.

While Little House on the Prairie remains by far her best-known role, Grassle was already an experienced theatre actress before landing the part and returned to the stage after the series ended.

She later stepped away from mainstream Hollywood, moving out of Los Angeles to focus on theatre work around the US.

Although she appeared in a handful of films over the years, including Wyatt Earp alongside Kevin Costner, as well as Lasso and Not to Forget, she largely stayed out of the spotlight after Little House ended.

Away from acting, Grassle has been married three times and is mum to two children – a son and a daughter.

In 2021, she released her memoir, Bright Lights, Prairie Dust: Reflections on Life, Loss, and Love from Little House’s Ma, which revealed she and Michael Landon had a difficult working relationship during parts of the show’s run.

However, she has since said the pair reconciled before his death in 1991.

Melissa Gilbert (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Melissa Gilbert was just 10 years old when she was cast as Laura Ingalls Wilder, the adventurous, animal-loving daughter at the heart of Little House on the Prairie.

She remained on the show until it ended nine years later, by which point she was 19. Her performance made her one of the series’ biggest breakout stars, earning her a Golden Globe Awards nomination in 1981.

While starring in Little House, Gilbert also built an impressive career away from the show. She appeared in TV adaptations of The Diary of Anne Frank and Splendor in the Grass, while her portrayal of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker earned her an Primetime Emmy Awards nomination.

After Little House came to an end, Gilbert remained a familiar face on television for decades, starring in numerous TV films and series. She also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 2001 to 2005 and even launched an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2016.

She later returned to her Little House roots by taking on the role of Ma Ingalls in the touring production of Little House on the Prairie, The Musical, before appearing on Dancing with the Stars.

More recently, Gilbert made headlines in 2025 after responding to comments from Megyn Kelly about Netflix’s upcoming Little House reboot, after Kelly said she hoped the streaming giant wouldn’t “wokeify” the beloved series.

Gilbert replied: “Ummm… watch the original again,” arguing the show had always tackled difficult subjects including racism, addiction, misogyny and domestic abuse.

Away from acting, Gilbert has two sons – one with her first husband, Bo Brinkman, and another with her second husband, Bruce Boxleitner.

She has been married to Timothy Busfield since 2013 and is also stepmother to his five children.

Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary Ingalls Kendall)

Melissa Sue Anderson played Mary Ingalls, Laura’s intelligent older sister whose life changed forever after losing her sight following a bout of scarlet fever.

The emotional storyline earned Anderson an Primetime Emmy Awards nomination and remains one of the most memorable moments from the series.

Mary endured some of the show’s toughest storylines, including blindness, being held hostage, suffering a miscarriage and tragically losing her baby in a fire.

Away from Little House, Anderson starred in Midnight Offerings and Happy Birthday to Me, while also appearing in TV favourites including Murder, She Wrote, The Equalizer and X-Men: The Animated Series.

In more recent years, the actress has largely stepped away from the spotlight, making only the occasional on-screen appearance.

She married TV writer and producer Michael Sloan in 1990 and the couple had two children before becoming Canadian citizens. Sloan sadly died in 2025.

Rachel Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls)

Identical twins Rachel Lindsay Greenbush and Sidney Greenbush shared the role of Carrie Ingalls, the youngest member of the Ingalls family until baby Grace arrived in season four.

The sisters were just three years old when they joined the show. Before landing their breakthrough role on Little House on the Prairie, the twins appeared in the TV film Sunshine.

After Little House came to an end, the pair stepped away from acting to focus on school and have largely stayed out of the spotlight ever since.

Away from Hollywood, Sidney married veterinarian and horse breeder William “Rocky” Foster in 2000 before he sadly died in 2009.

Rachel later reconnected with childhood friend Danny Sanchez – who she first met on the Little House set – and the pair married in 2014, more than 30 years later.

Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder)

Dean Butler joined Little House in season six as Almanzo Wilder, the farmer who eventually won Laura Ingalls’ heart.

Butler landed his first major role in the 1978 adaptation of Forever by Judy Blume.

After Little House ended, he went on to star in The New Gidget, performed on Broadway in Into the Woods and later appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s father, Hank Summers.

Away from acting, Butler has been married to actress Katherine Cannon since 2001. The couple first met while auditioning for Michael Landon’s TV series Father Murphy.

Katherine MacGregor (Harriet Oleson)

Katherine MacGregor became one of Little House’s most memorable stars thanks to her portrayal of Harriet Oleson, the shopkeeper who quickly became one of TV’s most love-to-hate villains.

Harriet was originally only meant to appear as a guest character, but proved so popular with viewers that she was promoted to a series regular.

Prior to Little House, MacGregor performed on and off Broadway and she appeared in a handful of TV movies and guest starred on All in the Family and the original Ironside.

She was a convert to Hinduism and very devoted to her faith. She was unable to appear in the Little House finale because she was on a pilgrimage to India at the time.

She died in 2018 at the age of 93.

Victor French (Isaiah Edwards)

Victor French played Isaiah Edwards, the ‘rugged mountain man’ and one of Charles Ingalls’ closest friends.

Although fiercely loyal and kind-hearted, the character also battled depression and alcoholism, giving viewers some of the show’s most emotional storylines.

After Little House ended, French reunited with Michael Landon to co-star in Highway to Heaven.

He enjoyed a long television career, with roles in popular series including Gunsmoke, Carter Country and Get Smart.

French also appeared on the big screen alongside Elvis Presley in Charro! and starred opposite John Wayne in Rio Lobo.

Away from Hollywood, French was married twice and had three children. He died from lung cancer in 1989 at the age of 54.

Richard Bull (Nels Oleson)

Richard Bull played Nels Oleson, the long-suffering husband of Harriet Oleson and the patient co-owner of Oleson’s Mercantile.

While the pair constantly clashed on screen, Bull and Katherine MacGregor were said to be close friends in real life.

Little House on the Prairie was one of Bull’s longest-running television roles, alongside his stint as Doc on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

Across a career spanning more than four decades, Bull appeared in countless hit TV shows, including The Fugitive, The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, Mission: Impossible and Hill Street Blues.

He also appeared in films including The Thomas Crown Affair, The Andromeda Strain, High Plains Drifter and The Parallax View.

Away from acting, Bull was married to actress Barbara Collentine for more than 65 years, from 1948 until his death.

He died from pneumonia in 2014 at the age of 89.

July 8 (UPI) — A Nicaragua-flagged oil tanker under investigation for allegedly transporting fuel subject to U.S. sanctions ran aground off India’s western coast after breaking free from its anchor during severe weather.

India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said the vessel was unmanned when it ran aground, according to Nicaraguan news outlet 100% Noticias.

Indian authorities have identified the 597-foot MT Al Jafzia as part of a suspected “shadow fleet” used for clandestine maritime operations.

According to the investigation, the tanker allegedly switched off its tracking system to conduct ship-to-ship fuel transfers at sea, a practice commonly used to conceal the origin of oil cargoes.

The vessel ran aground near Manori Beach, north of Mumbai, drawing renewed attention to the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

Nicaraguan economist and opposition figure Juan Sebastián Chamorro wrote on X that the Al Jafzia’s use of the Nicaraguan flag showed Ortega’s government had joined what he described as a “shadow fleet” transporting Russian and Iranian oil to evade sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries.

“Ortega is now selling the Nicaraguan flag and joining the shadow oil fleet,” Chamorro wrote. He added that the case “demonstrates Ortega’s ties with Putin to evade sanctions.”

Press reports said the MT Al Jafzia was one of three vessels detained by Indian authorities after investigators detected suspected fuel smuggling, fuel theft and illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea.

Such operations are commonly associated with networks that help sanctioned countries, including Iran and Russia, sell energy exports through illicit channels by using flags of convenience to avoid international scrutiny.

The incident prompted criticism from Nicaraguan opposition leaders and political analysts in exile, who said the case exposed what they described as the Nicaraguan government’s involvement in illicit international activities.

Political scientist José Antonio Peraza told 100% Noticias that the operation appeared to be an illegal transaction intended to evade sanctions or obtain favorable transport terms for the fuel.

“Nicaragua does not have a long tradition of merchant ships sailing under its flag around the world. Therefore, it is very difficult to believe this could happen without the involvement of the Nicaraguan authorities or the Ortega dictatorship,” Peraza said.

Economic analysts warned that the incident could increase the risk of additional international financial and commercial sanctions against Nicaragua if foreign governments conclude the country’s flag is being used to facilitate shipments of sanctioned Iranian oil.

Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa reported that Ortega’s government had not commented publicly on the incident.

Nicaragua maintains close ties with Russia and Iran. Nicaraguan Vice Foreign Minister Valdrack Jaentschke was in Iran this week to attend the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ortega has previously described Nicaragua’s revolution as the “twin” of Iran’s revolution.

Analysis by BBC Cricket Correspondent Stephan Shemilt

In 2013, the Women’s World Cup was barely an afterthought. Played only in Mumbai, often on tiny grounds.

At one England game, in a group of travelling supporters, a lady explained that she was Tammy Beaumont’s mum. Beaumont, then only 21, did not play a game in a disappointing England campaign.

Her international career was at risk of tailing off.

Four years later, women’s cricket hit the big time and Beaumont was at the vanguard.

After having life breathed into her batting by the arrival of Mark Robinson as England coach, Beaumont was a star of the 2017 World Cup. What bigger honour can there be than being named player of the tournament in a home World Cup triumph?

Beaumont will go down as a great of English women’s cricket, not only for her runs, but for her longevity as the game moved into the professional era.

One of a handful of players, man or woman, to make centuries in all three formats for England, another career high would come with a double hundred in a home Ashes Test in 2023.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall when Beaumont was left out of the one-day squad earlier this summer, but she will get a fitting farewell in the first women’s Test at Lord’s. Don’t rule out one more big score.

Jos Buttler stumps India’s Tilak Varma but only just, after managing to hang onto the ball for just enough time to hit the stumps, before dropping it, much to the delight of the home crowd at Trent Bridge.

FOLLOW LIVE: Third T20 – England vs India

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At least five people were killed after a massive landslide buried a tunnel construction site in Kerala during heavy monsoon rain. CCTV footage captured the dramatic collapse as rescuers search for several people feared trapped beneath the debris.

One solo traveller who often shares tips and clips from his overseas adventures with his online followers has named the five cities he’d ‘never go back to if his life depended on it’

Many people are often looking for new places to explore if they’re planning to go travelling, whether that be alone or in a group. However, one solo traveller who says he’s been to 60 countries has advised against the places you definitely shouldn’t go – according to him.

Lucas Brancatisano, who is known as @alocalguide_ on Instagram, often shares travel tips, experiences and clips from his overseas adventures with his 6,300 followers on the site. In one of his latest reels, he named the five cities he’s visited during his travels that he’d ‘never go back to if his life depended on it’.

1. New Delhi, India

Lucas described the Indian capital as a ‘whole new level of overstimulation’, saying that there’s pollution, noise, busses, horns and cows on the road, and claims that the sky is ‘filled with smog’.

He exclaimed: “It’s not for me, I don’t think I’ll ever go back.

“The rest of India in parts is absolutely lovely, but New Delhi… not for me.”

2. León, Nicaragua

The solo traveller described León as “sweaty and dangerous at night”. Lucas said Nicaragua itself is fantastic and he had a “great time” there in 2024, but that he just didn’t enjoy going to León. “I’ll never go back,” he said.

3. Oia, Santorini

Lucas exclaimed: “This place is my definition of hell,” as he describe the holiday spot.

He added: “In summer, getting sunburnt, 1,000 selfie sticks with everyone getting the same sunset photo.

“You can just look at it online, you don’t have to go and get a photo of it.

“Don’t go there, you’ll have a really bad time.”

4. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Lucas said he went to Phnom Penh in Cambodia “a long time ago”, but said that when he went there, all he remembers is a very built up city with lots of tyre shops and “not much going on”.

He added: “I could be wrong, and please let me know in the comment if I am wrong, because Phnom Penh maybe I would go back to.

5. Benidorm, Spain

The traveller descried Benidorm as “hell”, adding: “If you find yourself there and you’re not British, you’re in hell.

Lucas said there’s English breakfasts on every single menu there and loads of British people “rolling around”, as well as “pasty skin everywhere”, saying that it’s just “not a very nice place”.

He added: “If you’re in Spain and you’re going to Benidorm, you need tor rethink all the life choices you’ve made up to that point, because your’e in the wrong spot.”

Concluding his reel, Lucas exclaimed: “That’s my list, there’s not many I wouldn’t go back to, but they are five of them.”

Despite the post racking up more than 6,000 likes, some people had differing views.

One person wrote: “Will definitely go back to León in Nicaragua.”

While another added: “I was in Phnom Penh last year. It was very cool. Great riverside markets, river cruise, pubs and restaurants, temples. Beauty everywhere.”

A third chimed in: “I loved Oia!”

While a fourth added: “Benidorm to Brits is Cancun to Americans.”

A fifth chimed in: “Went to India, New Delhi, 10 years ago; the taxi just dropped me off in the city centre and left. I was so overwhelmed with everything going on that I sat down on the footpath and started to cry, a cow came out of nowhere and started to eat a cardboard box beside me.

“Locals stopped and started pointing at me and taking photos. Weirdest and best travel story I think I have, would I do it again? Hell ya haha.”

England have named an unchanged side for the third T20 against India at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

England lead the five-match series 1-0 after the first T20 at Chester-le-Street was abandoned before they earned a thrilling four-wicket win at Old Trafford.

Jacob Bethell top scored in that game with an unbeaten 76 off 46 balls as the hosts chased own 191 to win with an over to spare.

Harry Brook is captaining England in the five T20 matches despite being overlooked to lead the Test side against New Zealand.

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opened for India in Manchester as he became the youngest man to play for his country but managed just 14 runs from 10 balls.

England XI to face India in third T20: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt), Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue

Fixtures:

Wednesday, 1 July – Banks Homes Riverside, Chester-le-Street – Match abandoned

Saturday, 4 July – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester – England win

Tuesday, 7 July – Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Thursday, 9 July – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol

Saturday, 11 July – Utilita Bowl, Southampton

Jacob Bethell hits an unbeaten 76 as England recover from 1-2 to chase down 191 to beat India by four wickets in the second T20 at Old Trafford and take a 1-0 lead in the five match series.

MATCH REPORT: Sooryavanshi, 15, debuts in India loss to England

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England’s run chase gets off to a dreadful start, as they lose openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler in the opening over from Arshdeep Singh, as England fall to 1-2, chasing 191 to win the second T20 international at Old Trafford.

LIVE NOW: England v India, Second T20 – Old Trafford

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India’s 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wastes no time in his ODI debut against England as he smashes Hofra Archer and Josh Tongue for two sixes early on in India’s innings at Old Trafford.

LIVE NOW: England v India, Second T20 – Old Trafford

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England and India are both left frustrated as the first T20 in their five match series is abandoned because of rain during the innings break, after India had set England 190 to win at Chester-le-Street.

MATCH REPORT: First England-India T20 abandoned because of rain

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For years, India’s Muslim women have been subject to online abuse.
Now researchers warn that generative AI is taking that harassment to a new level, making it easier to create fake sexualised imagery and propaganda targeting Muslim women.

Heinrich Malan has stood down as head coach of Ireland’s men’s cricket team, less than 24 hours after the historic Twenty20 series win over world champions India.

The South African will leave as part of what Cricket Ireland says as a “planned transition”, and a new head coach is set to be in place for a five-game one-day international series with Afghanistan in August.

The 45-year-old has been in charge of Ireland since 2022 and his final game was a dramatic one-run victory over India to clinch the T20 series on Sunday in Belfast, which followed a first-ever victory over the world champions in any format on Friday.

More to follow.

New Delhi, India – Brajesh Kumar climbs three floors every evening to sit in solitude on the rooftop terrace of his house overlooking the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh.

Over decades, the 65-year-old has seen the once-sleepy town metamorphose into the biggest flashpoint of the Hindu majoritarian movement, championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Where the temple stands used to be the site of the 16th-century Babri Mosque, but in 1992 a Hindu mob tore it down, sparking religious riots that killed nearly 2,000 people across the country, mostly Muslims.

Two and a half years ago, Modi presided over the consecration ceremony of the new temple, devoted to the Hindu god Ram. Many Hindus believe Ram, the god worshipped as an epitome of righteousness, was born there.

To Hindu devotees like Kumar, the temple – despite the controversy and deaths that defined its birth – brought a sense of serenity.

Until recently.

For the past month, the temple has been embroiled in allegations that those entrusted with its management have instead embezzled donations worth potentially millions of dollars that the site attracted from devotees.

“We have been betrayed [by the management], who have looted our faith, nothing less,” Kumar told Al Jazeera. “Left to them, they will sell us all one day in the name of religion and stuff their own pockets.”

The allegations have led to police investigations, arrests and political fallout that could shape elections in India’s most populous state that are only months away.

Ayodhya’s can of worms

Since its inauguration, the Ram Temple has been among the top religious sites in India, attracting millions of Hindu devotees.

An independent trust, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, manages the shrine. Although it is outside the purview of the government, its executive members wield political influence, and some of them come from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological wellspring of the BJP.

The corruption allegations first surfaced this month after Mahipal Singh, a former supervisor of the trust’s accounting team, publicly called out irregularities. Al Jazeera could not reach him for comment.

After a public uproar, Akhilesh Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from the opposition Samajwadi Party, picked up the issue, alleging that millions of rupees in donations had gone missing.

The mounting pressure pushed the state government, ruled by the BJP, to form a three-member investigation team, which has submitted a report on the alleged misappropriation of donations.

Although the content of the report has not been made public, the state police registered a criminal case and have arrested at least eight people, including those involved in counting cash and valuable offerings at the temple.

More devotees have come forward since, seeking the whereabouts of their valuables, including silver bricks and gold jewellery and artefacts, that they had handed over to the trust’s executives.

On Friday, the trust’s longstanding general secretary, Champat Rai, stepped down with other high-profile trustees. The allegations have been particularly damning for Rai, who has been a central figure in the movement for the Ram Temple.

But it has done little to cool down the tensions in the state, where thousands of devotees, including some BJP supporters, feel cheated.

‘Cunning thieves running Ram Temple’

Santosh Dubey was among those tried for tearing down the Babri Mosque in 1992. He has never shied away from his role and instead has flaunted it.

After the mosque’s demolition, Dubey waited for a final verdict about what was to happen to the site from the courts, where both sides fought bitterly for decades. In 2019, the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus – even though it deemed the destruction of the mosque illegal. The top court gave a piece of land to Muslims outside Ayodhya to build a new mosque. In 2020, Dubey and others accused of roles in demolishing the mosque were acquitted — the court cited a lack of adequate evidence.

If those verdicts felt like vindication to Dubey, the alleged embezzlement at the temple has enraged him.

“This corruption causes me deep anguish, a pain that words cannot express,” Dubey told Al Jazeera, speaking from Ayodhya. “All I can say is that nothing less than the death penalty would suffice for them.”

“Cunning, dishonest and ruthless thieves are running the Ram Temple, and they have created such an atmosphere of fear that no one is willing to speak out against them,” he said.

Dubey said the government will struggle to ignore the anger among devotees because the episode batters the BJP’s narrative that it is a saviour of the Hindu faith.

This is not the first time that the temple trust has been the subject of controversy. In 2021, the trust allegedly bought land at highly inflated prices using public donations.

BJP spokespeople refused to comment on the recent allegations when Al Jazeera reached them.

‘Impact on upcoming election’

Devotees of the temple and critics of the government are accusing authorities of attempting a cover-up.

Opposition leader Yadav described the state government’s initial handling of the case as “suspicious”. “The government is arresting the counting staff while shielding the big fish who orchestrated the structural rot,” Yadav said while demanding transparency in the investigation.

Karpatri Maharaj, a prominent Hindu seer associated with the Ram Temple movement, told Al Jazeera that the government is using junior employees as scapegoats and arresting them.

Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, is led by the firebrand Hindu monk-turned-politician Yogi Adityanath, who is often seen as a potential successor to Modi within the RSS-led Hindu majoritarian movement known as Hindutva.

Modi’s party lost a significant base in the state in the 2024 national elections when the BJP fell short of a majority, forcing it to rely on allies’ support to stay in power.

For the BJP, which has long used the campaign for the Ram Temple as a central political plank, the new controversy could prove a challenge before elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for early next year, political analyst Rasheed Kidwai said.

“It would have a massive negative impact on the BJP if more religious leaders came forward to speak on this,” Kidwai told Al Jazeera. “This is not something that would be forgotten because it is a matter of faith, and the state chief comes from a religious order himself.”

The episode carries broader lessons, he said: Pandering to religious emotions and fanning divisions can bite back. “What has been benefitting the BJP in these years can also cause immense damage,” Kidwai said.

Ireland won the second T20 by one run over India, who did not hand a debut to teen sensation Sooryavanshi.

Ireland have secured a landmark series win over T20 world champions India in Belfast with a tense one-run victory after India again denied teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a debut.

Harry Tector marked his 100th T20 international appearance with a fine 50, as Ireland recovered from a slow start to post 154-8 at Stormont.

India-born Jai Moondra, who struck with his first ball in international cricket on Friday, had Sanju Samson lbw off the first ball of India’s chase.

He also dismissed Abhishek Sharma in the same over, before soon removing India captain Shreyas Iyer.

India regrouped after a rain delay, with Tilak Varma making 55 and Harshit Rana 21 late on, but that was not enough, as they finished on 153-9.

India’s 15-year-old batting prodigy Sooryavanshi forced his way into the squad for the white-ball tours of Ireland and England following several stunning displays in the 20-overs-per-side Indian Premier League.

Sooryavanshi emerged as the leading run-scorer in this season’s edition after amassing 776 runs for the Rajasthan Royals, a tally that included one century and five fifties.

But as had been the case in the first of the two-match series on Friday, when Ireland won by 34 runs for their first international men’s win over India in any format, the rising star was left out.

Sooryavanshi’s next chance to make an international debut will come in Wednesday’s first T20 against England at Chester-le-Street, the headquarters of county side Durham.

T20 World Cup, Group 1, Lord’s

Bangladesh 117-5 (20 overs): Mostary 42 (48); Mlaba 2-22

South Africa 118-6 (19.2 overs): Dercksen 45 (45); Nahida 2-24

South Africa won by four wickets

Scorecard. Tables

South Africa stuttered but ultimately applied the pressure to India in the race for the T20 World Cup semi-finals by beating Bangladesh by four wickets in their final group match at Lord’s.

After coming through an edgy chase of 118, the Proteas will progress to play England, who they beat in last year’s 50-over World Cup semi-final, on Thursday unless India beat unbeaten Australia later on Sunday (14:30 BST).

South Africa still fail to convince at this tournament, however.

Having beaten India and piled up 208-1 against Netherlands in their previous two games, they put in an indifferent batting performance reminiscent of their opening two games.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt fell to the first ball of the chase, her off stump knocked back by a Marufa Aktar inswinger, and when Dane van Niekerk was trapped lbw for three the Proteas were 59-3 at the halfway stage.

Annerie Dercksen threatened to take them home but she edged behind for 45 in the 15th over after which the boundaries dried up and the tension rose.

Marizanne Kapp was run out for 16 and Nadine de Klerk was caught at deep mid-wicket with five runs still needed before Chloe Tryon edged a four and cleared the off side to secure victory with four balls to spare.

South Africa were at least better with the ball.

Kapp bowled Juairiya Ferdous with the first ball of the match and, despite some middle-order resistance through a careful 42 by Sobhana Mostary and the late flurry of captain Nigar Sultana’s 32 not out, Bangladesh still only made 117-5.

But, after an affair far more tense than it should have been, they face a nervy wait to see if Australia can beat India to send them through.

Shafali Verma’s half-century helps the 50-over world champions reach the target inside 17 overs at Old Trafford.

India beat Bangladesh by five wickets in Manchester to bolster their hopes of a semifinal place at the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Chasing a modest target of 137 at Old Trafford, opener Shafali Verma struck 53 from 34 balls as India reached their target inside 17 overs on Thursday.

South Africa, meanwhile, capitalised on a maiden T20 international century from Tazmin Brits to overwhelm the Netherlands by 88 runs.

That means India and South Africa are now effectively involved in a shootout for the second semifinal spot behind unbeaten Group A leaders Australia.

They both have six points, two behind the Australians and two ahead of Bangladesh, who still have a slim mathematical chance of qualifying for the knockout stages, with their last pool match against South Africa at Lord’s on Sunday.

India have the better run rate but face the daunting task of toppling Australia in their game on Sunday, which is also at Lord’s.

The Indians will likely need to improve their fielding against six-time champions Australia after dropping four catches on Thursday, although Bangladesh were too weak to capitalise as they slumped to 136-8.

Spin again provided the bulk of India’s wickets, with Radha Yadav taking 3-28 and Shree Charani 2-21.

South Africa were never in danger once Brits and Laura Wolvaardt put on 121 for the first wicket.

When Wolvaardt departed for 45, Brits continued to cane the Dutch bowlers with Annerie Dercksen, who made 37 not out off 16 balls.

Brits finished with 114 not out from 69 balls with 15 fours and three sixes as South Africa finished on 208-1.

The Dutch also made a good start with openers Phebe Molkenboer (41) and Sanya Khurana (36) adding 58 for the first wicket. Sterre Kalis kept the momentum going with a 28-ball 26, but once those three were gone, the innings folded.

Medium-pacer Ayabonga Khaka was the most successful of the bowlers with 3-19 while slow left-armer Chloe Tryon took 2-16 from her four overs.