
India: PM Modi meets 14-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi at Patna Airport
Patna: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a heartwarming encounter at Patna airport as he met 14-year-old cricketing prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. The young sensation has captured the nation's attention with his extraordinary performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Taking to the social media platform X, the Prime Minister shared a few photos and lauded the teenager's talent.
"At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours," PM Modi posted.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1928365755839476062
Suryavanshi, who turned out for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) this season, has been one of the breakthrough stars of the tournament. In just seven matches, the teenager accumulated 252 runs, but it was his explosive century against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Jaipur that truly sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.
Batting with a maturity well beyond his years, Suryavanshi hammered 101 off just 38 deliveries, becoming the youngest ever centurion in men's T20 cricket. His hundred, which came off just 35 balls, now stands as the second-fastest century in IPL history, a staggering feat for a player just 14 years old.
The biggest night of Suryavanshi's career so far witnessed him break several other records:
-This is also the seventh-fastest century in T20 cricket, with the fastest one belonging to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia against Cyprus in 2024, coming in just 27 balls.
-Suryavanshi also reached his fifty in just 17 balls, the fifth-fastest in league history, making him the youngest ever to score an IPL fifty.
-94 of Suryavanshi's runs came through boundaries, with seven fours and 11 sixes included. 93% boundary percentage is the highest in any century in IPL's history.
-Also, Vaibhav tied with former Indian batter Murali Vijay for most sixes by an Indian in an IPL innings, 11 each, with most sixes overall being hit by Gayle during his iconic 175* against Pune Warriors India, which included 17 maximums.
-Also, the 166-run stand between Vaibhav and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the highest partnership for any wicket for Rajasthan Royals, surpassing 155 by Jos Buttler & Devdutt Padikkal against DC at the Wankhede in 2022.
-Suryavanshi also took just three innings to reach his maiden IPL ton, outdoing Punjab Kings (PBKS) batters Priyansh Arya and Paul Valthaty, who took four innings, as per Wisden.com.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
India's First Dual-Coast Submarine Manufacturing: Mazagon Dock, Hindustan Shipyard to sign historic pact
New Delhi: In a landmark development for the domestic defence sector, state-run shipbuilders Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) are poised to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly build submarines—establishing the country's first-ever dual-coast submarine production capability. The collaboration marks a strategic push under the Narendra Modi government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative to ramp up indigenous defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. It will significantly enhance the country's capacity to produce advanced submarines for the Indian Navy. Mumbai-based MDL has a proven track record of building both Shishumar-class and the more recent Scorpene-class submarines under technology partnerships. It is currently in the fray for the Rs 45,000-crore Project 75(I) submarine tender, in collaboration with German submarine maker TKMS. HSL, headquartered in Visakhapatnam on the east coast, has the unique distinction of being the only Indian shipyard to have completed a full-scale submarine modernisation—the complex refit of INS Sindhukirti. It continues to handle major refits and overhauls for the Navy's underwater fleet. This dual-yard initiative fulfills a long-standing strategic vision dating back to 1999, which called for establishing a submarine-building facility on the east coast to complement the west coast's capabilities. The Indian Navy has projected a requirement for at least 24 submarines to counter increasing maritime threats and assert dominance in the Indo-Pacific. Given the complexity and long timelines associated with submarine construction, the MDL-HSL partnership will be crucial in accelerating delivery schedules, ensuring production continuity, and mitigating risks associated with single-yard dependence. Operation Sindoor—an extensive underwater surveillance and deterrence exercise conducted by the Navy—has highlighted the critical role of submarines in safeguarding India's maritime interests. The dual-coast manufacturing strategy is expected to significantly enhance India's underwater combat readiness and aligns with its broader ambition to emerge as a dominant Blue Water Navy with reach across the Indo-Pacific region. With this move, India takes a decisive step toward creating a robust, self-reliant ecosystem in underwater warfare platforms, securing not just its coastlines but also its strategic maritime interests far beyond.


Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
ADB President announces $10 billion for India's urban infrastructure
New Delhi: Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has committed up to $10 billion, including third-party capital, for India's urban transformation, including metro extensions, new regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridors, and urban infrastructure and services. This is a five-year initiative, ADB said in a statement on Sunday. "Cities are engines of growth," ADB President Kanda said after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi here in the national capital. "ADB will mobilize capital, accelerate delivery, and scale solutions that keep India's urban economy moving and people thriving on the road to Viksit Bharat @ 2047," the ADB President added. The five-year plan includes sovereign loans, private sector financing, and third-party capital. "Had a wonderful meeting with Mr. Masato Kanda, in which we shared perspectives on a wide range of issues. India's rapid transformation over the last decade has empowered countless people and we are working to add further momentum in this journey!" PM Modi wrote in a post on X after meeting the ADB President. The initiative is anchored by India's flagship Urban Challenge Fund (UCF), which ADB is supporting to attract private investment for urban infrastructure. Completed analytical work on growth hubs, creative city redevelopment, and water and sanitation upgrades in 100 cities across India is laying the groundwork for the UCF. ADB is also committing USD 3 million in technical assistance to design bankable projects and strengthen the capacity of states and urban local bodies. India's towns and cities are projected to house more than 40 per cent of the population by 2030. ADB has already worked with more than 110 cities across 22 states on water supply, sanitation, housing, and solid-waste management projects, and the active urban portfolio totals 27 loans worth USD 5.15 billion. On urban transport, over the past decade, ADB has committed USD 4 billion for metro projects and RRTS covering 300 kilometers in eight cities, including the Delhi-Meerut RRTS, Mumbai Metro, Nagpur Metro, Chennai Metro, and Bengaluru Metro. During his India visit, Kanda also met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss expanding metro networks including transit-oriented development (TOD), supporting rural prosperity, scaling rooftop-solar capacities, and operationalizing the UCF. In addition, he met Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal to map next steps for channelling private capital into urban projects, replicating ADB-backed urban transport successes on new corridors, and creating TOD opportunities. Kanda visited the ADB-supported Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, India's first RRTS, and spoke with women whose livelihoods have improved through project-linked training. In Gurugram, he visited the renewable-energy company ReNew to discuss stronger collaboration in renewable energy, followed by a roundtable with chief executives from infrastructure, finance, agriculture, and social sector firms. In that meeting, he emphasized that India's private sector can provide the scale and dynamism needed to drive India's growth. Under ADB's country partnership strategy for India, 2023-2027, it stands ready to provide more than USD 5 billion in financing each year, including about USD 1 billion in non-sovereign operations to catalyse additional private investment. ADB began operations in India in 1986. As of April 2025, it had committed USD 59.5 billion in sovereign lending and $9.1 billion in nonsovereign investments. The active sovereign portfolio comprises 81 loans totaling USD 16.5 billion as of April 2025. Founded in 1966, the multilateral development bank ADB is owned by 69 members--50 from the region.


Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Shreyas Iyer steers Punjab Kings to second IPL final with commanding win over Mumbai Indians
Ahmedabad: Shreyas Iyer rose to the occasion with a captain's knock that will be etched in Punjab Kings' (PBKS) history, as his unbeaten 87 off 41 deliveries powered the franchise into their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final, and first in eleven years, with a five-wicket win over the five time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in the second qualifier in Ahmedabad on Monday. Chasing a stiff target of 204, Punjab showed both aggression and composure to overhaul the total with an over to spare, thanks largely to Iyer's clean striking and calculated leadership in the middle. Punjab's chase began on a shaky note as Prabhsimran Singh fell early to Trent Boult for just 6, leaving PBKS at 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Priyansh Arya provided a quick spark with a brisk 20 off 10 balls before being dismissed by Ashwani Kumar, with the score at 55/2 in 5.1 overs. Australian Josh Inglis then took charge alongside Iyer, stroking a confident 38 off 21 deliveries, including five boundaries and two sixes. However, MI skipper Hardik Pandya removed him at a crucial juncture, momentarily halting Punjab's momentum. With pressure building, Nehal Wadhera partnered with Iyer to put together a critical 84-run stand, maintaining the required rate and keeping Punjab in the hunt. Wadhera missed out on a half-century, falling for 48 to Ashwani Kumar, but by then, the platform had been set. Even as wickets fell around him, including a run-out of Shashank Singh for 2, Iyer remained unflustered. Punjab crossed 100 in 10.3 overs and brought up 150 in 15.1, keeping the scoreboard ticking efficiently. The chase was sealed in 19 overs, with Iyer finishing things off in emphatic style, taking his team to the final with a towering six. This win not only marked Punjab Kings' first IPL final appearance since 2014 but also added a new chapter to Iyer's captaincy legacy. Having already led Delhi Capitals (DC) (2020) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) (2024) to the summit clash, lifting the title with KKR, Iyer now becomes the first captain to reach three IPL finals with three different franchises. With this, he also has a shot at becoming a two-time IPL-winning captain, a feat very few have achieved. This was Punjab's first playoffs after eleven years. With momentum on their side and Iyer in sublime form, Punjab Kings will now set their sights on a historic first IPL trophy. For a franchise that has long lived in the shadows of more successful teams, 2025 might just be their year, and with Shreyas Iyer at the helm, they'll believe anything is possible. Mumbai's bowlers were not up to the mark, and Jasprit Bumrah was off-colour, as he gave away 40 runs in his four overs. Ashwani Kumar picked up 2/55, and Boult and Pandya picked up one wicket each. Earlier, an Exceptional batting performance from the Mumbai Indians powered them to a solid total of 203/6 in their 20 overs during Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Right-hand batters Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow came out to open the innings for the Mumbai-based franchise in the game. The side didn't have the start that they wanted, as the Hardik Pandya-led side lost the wicket of Rohit Sharma at the score of 19. The right-hand batter went back to the pavilion after scoring just eight runs. Following Rohit's dismissal, left-hand batter Tilak Varma was promoted up the order. The Mumbai side touched the 50-run mark in the fifth over of the innings. On the last ball of the seventh over, the Mumbai team lost their second wicket as Bairstow was dismissed by right-arm seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak. The right-hand batter went back to the dressing room after scoring 38 runs off 24 balls, which came with the help of three fours and two sixes in his innings. After Bairstow's departure, right-hand batter Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat. In the 10th over of the innings, the MI side completed their 100-run mark. The Mumbai Indians team lost their third and fourth wicket at the score of 142. The batters to get dismissed at 142 were Suryakumar Yadav (44 runs off 26 balls) and Tilak Varma (44 runs from 29 balls).In the end, right-hand batter Naman Dhir came out to bat and scored a crucial 37 runs in just 18 balls, which was laced by seven boundaries at a strike rate of 205.56. For the Shreyas Iyer-led side, two wickets were snapped by Azmatullah Omarzai (2/43 in 4 overs) and one wicket each was grabbed by Kyle Jamieson (1/30 in 4 overs), Marcus Stoinis (1/14 in 1 over), Vijaykumar Vyshak (1/30 in 3 overs), and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/39 in 4 overs) in their respective spells. Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 203/6 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 44, Tilak Varma 44; Azmatullah Omarzai 2/43) vs Punjab Kings 207/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 87, Nehal Wadhera 48; Ashwani Kumar 2/55).