The single greatest moment in the history of the IPL.
That’s what Shaun Pollock, the former South Africa captain-turned-commentator called it, and it is difficult to argue.
A 35-ball-century, the fastest ever by an Indian batter. Against a bowling attack including Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and the great – if out of sync – Rashid Khan.
All aged 14. He’s a child, and will be for some while yet.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s scarcely believable ton for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans on Monday night was utterly sensational.
The only moment from the storied past of the league which could possibly rival it came on its very first night back in 2008. That was three years before Suryavanshi was born.
Back then, Brendon McCullum made the century which announced the league.
It is not an exaggeration to say the New Zealander’s 158 not out back then altered the face of cricket. Immediately, it gave legitimacy to a league which – although everything was heavily loaded in its favour – was not always a guaranteed winner.
The IPL has become one of the most lucrative properties in world sport since then, and McCullum started it.
It was life-changing for the player himself, too. McCullum became a very rich man all at once, and essentially has had jobs for life in the years since.
But for years McCullum regarded it as a millstone. It was the standard to which he was held, when he had other things he wanted to achieve and be recognised for.
He was 26 at the time, so at least had a little bit of experience to draw on in terms of how to handle his sudden change in circumstances.
McCullum’s knock is instructive in many ways. It seems curmudgeonly to point it out, but Suryavanshi is now in precisely that situation.
Carlos Brathwaite is another cautionary tale. The amiable Barbadian gets repulsed by being introduced as “Remember The Name: Carlos Brathwaite” everywhere he goes, solely on the basis of the commentary that accompanied four balls that won the T20 World Cup in 2016.
Within two years of the heroics which inspired West Indies to beat England in that final at Eden Gardens, he had fallen out of love with the game to the point he couldn’t even look at a bat anymore.
“A lot of people play sport in pursuit of making that one amazing thing happen,” Brathwaite later said in an interview with The Guardian.
“Mine came closer to the beginning of my career than the end. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was never going to do anything on the same scale, on that same global stage.”
So extraordinary was Suryavanshi’s feat on Tuesday, it reverberated beyond cricket’s boundaries, and all through wider sport.
The big-hitting was one thing. His age, though, made it a major news story that transcended the game.
Really, we should all enjoy it in isolation, and not allow it to become a millstone. It’s very difficult to believe that is going to happen, though.
Suryavanshi has forever to live up to what he did against Gujarat. He has plenty more dreams to achieve: playing for India, winning major tournaments with them, things like that, you would assume.
After all, he was playing – fairly anonymously, too, even if he had already been signed by Rajasthan by that point – for India’s age group side in the Under 19 Asia Cup in Dubai back in December.
He did not stand out in that, as Bangladesh trampled India in the final, but that is fair enough. He was only 13 at the time, so giving away five years or so to most of his competitors.
He has only played nine matches in the time since, and yet his life has altered completely.
He has had five minutes of fame already, when he probably hopes for a career that will last 20 years or more.
Let’s hope there are many more moments of success to go along with this one.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali
Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”
Favourite TV programme: the news
Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”
Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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