On Saturday, Abhishek Sharma of Punjab Kings made history by hitting the highest individual score by an Indian player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. His unbeaten knock of 141 runs off just 55 balls was dedicated to the fans of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), as he took out a note for the 'Orange Army' from his pocket after completing his hundred. SRH skipper Shreyas Iyer's curiosity to see what was written on the note left everyone in splits. Abhishek also broke several records, including hitting 116 runs in boundaries, the most by an SRH player in an innings.
Former Australian cricketer, David Warner, took to social media to express his frustration with Air India when he and his fellow passengers were boarded onto a flight without any pilots assigned. Air India responded, citing challenging weather in Bengaluru as the reason for the delays. Warner, who is now focusing on playing in The Hundred and the Pakistan Super League after not getting bids in the IPL auction, will also be making his debut in the movie industry.
India's star cricket batter, Virat Kohli, silenced critics with a memorable performance against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. After not scoring an ODI hundred since November 2023, Kohli's unbeaten 100 not only secured a crucial win for India, but also made him the fastest to reach 14,000 ODI runs, behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. His formative coach, Rajkumar Sharma, expressed pride in his achievements and praised his ability to perform in high-pressure matches. With Kohli's continued success, India's chances of winning the Champions Trophy are looking strong.
K-Pop group EXO's member Xiumin's solo comeback is being hindered by KBS, one of Korea's major broadcasting stations. His agency, ONE HUNDRED Label, has claimed that the artist is being prevented from appearing on the music show "Music Bank" due to KBS's dealings with SM Entertainment. Despite repeated attempts to communicate, KBS has remained unresponsive, causing frustration and disappointment for both the artist and his fans. This issue raises concerns about the influence of larger entertainment companies on smaller agencies and their artists.
Indian Premier League franchises that acquired stakes in The Hundred teams announced new signings for the upcoming edition of the tournament. Notable signings include Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson and Sunrisers Hyderabad's Rashid Khan joining Mumbai Indians' Oval Invincibles and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson joining London Spirit. Additionally, international stars such as Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, and Amelia Kerr have also been signed by various teams owned by IPL franchises.
Will Young, who came in as a replacement for injured Rachin Ravindra, scored a thrilling hundred in his very first game of the tournament, partnering with Tom Latham to add over 100 runs for the 4th wicket. Young's dominant performance, especially against anything bowled at his pads, helped New Zealand secure a comfortable victory in their first match of the Champions Trophy against Pakistan. Latham, who was going through a rough patch of form, also picked up his game at the right time with two back-to-back fifties.
India dominated England in the fifth and final T20I, with Abhishek Sharma's blistering 135-run knock from just 34 balls propelling the hosts to a huge 150-run victory. Abhishek's innings was filled with records, as he hit the second-fastest fifty and hundred by an Indian in T20Is and broke the record for most sixes in an innings by an Indian. This series win solidifies India's dominance in the format, as they only dropped one game in the five-match series.
Trisha Gongadi's exceptional performance in the U19 World Cup, both as a bowler and a batter, has made her the brightest star in Indian cricket. Her father's dedication and vision to train her from the age of 2 has led her to become the first U-19 Indian woman cricketer to score an international hundred and the leading run-scorer in the tournament. He joins the league of other sports fathers, such as Richard Williams and László Polgár, who started their children's training at a young age to prove their talent in the sport. Follow the link to see Trisha leading the charge with the bat in the chase!
Star batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were in top form as they batted for their respective teams in the Ranji Trophy final group-stage matches. Pujara came close to hitting his 67th first-class hundred, but was unfortunately dismissed for 99 against Assam. Meanwhile, Rahane also put up an impressive performance, scoring 95 runs before being dismissed.
Mumbai's Shardul Thakur once again came to the rescue of his struggling team in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir. After saving Mumbai's first innings with a century, Thakur stepped up in the second innings, scoring another hundred with support from Tanush Kotian. Meanwhile, other Indian internationals like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Shubman Gill struggled in their respective matches.