Kohli does it at last, teenage star wows: five IPL storylines

France 24

3 days ago

AFP Sport highlights five talking points from the 18th edition of the tournament:
Kohli finally champion
Two-time World Cup winner Kohli had done it all in an incredible career but an IPL crown eluded the batting great until Tuesday.
He cried, laughed and then lifted the glittering gold trophy for his first IPL title -- in his 18th year in the league and with the number 18 on his back.
Kohli top-scored with 43 in his team's 190-9 and the crowd of 91,000 erupted when victory was secured.
Affectionately called "King Kohli", he was again a key player for Bengaluru this season with 657 runs, including eight half-centuries, in 15 innings.
An emotional Kohli, 36, said he gave his "youth and prime" for this moment.
Iyer leads by example
Shreyas Iyer led from the front to help Punjab Kings end the league stage top of the 10-team table and then played a major role in getting them to their second IPL final.
The top-order batsman fully justified the faith of his team and head coach Ricky Ponting, who broke the bank for him at auction with a bid of $3.17 million.
Iyer amassed 604 runs, playing key knocks including a sensational 87 not out in the win over Mumbai Indians to make the final.
Iyer missed out on a Test spot for India's tour of England but Ponting was all praise for his captain.
"He has grown as a person, as a player and a leader," said the Australian.
Teen makes world headlines
Rajasthan Royals' 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi catapulted himself into the world cricket spotlight by belting his first ball fearlessly for six on his IPL debut.
The youngest player ever to grace the IPL made headlines with 34 off 20 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, but it was just a taste of what was to come.
Nine days later, Suryavanshi smashed the Gujarat Titans bowlers to all parts as he scored the second fastest hundred in tournament history.
The teenager brought up his century off 35 balls with 11 sixes and seven fours to stand behind only West Indies great Chris Gayle, who took 30 balls to make a ton in 2013.
The staggering power-hitting of left-hander Suryavanshi, who cost $130,500 as a 13-year-old at November's auction, enabled Rajasthan to chase down their 210 target with more than four overs to spare.
He rounded off a remarkable debut season with 57 against Chennai Super Kings in his final outing.
Record buy Pant flops
Lucknow splashed a record $3.21 million to secure Rishabh Pant as captain, but the India wicketkeeper-batsman appeared to buckle under the weight of his price tag.
The usually swashbuckling ball striker failed to fire or inspire as Lucknow were eliminated from the playoff race with two matches to play.
He belatedly found his touch in Lucknow's final match, scoring 118 off 61 balls in another losing cause against Bengaluru.
The knock raised his season average to an ordinary 24.45 from an abject 13.72 going into the match, and barely disguised his poor value for money after a return of 269 runs from 13 innings.
War stops play
The IPL was suspended on May 9, a day after the Punjab Kings-Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala was abandoned while nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire across their border.
Players left the field and crowds were hurried out of the ground as air raid warnings sounded in the city less than 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Jammu, where explosions had been reported hours earlier.
Players and officials had to board a train to escape to New Delhi because local airspace had been closed.
A ceasefire allowed a resumption on May 17, but Australia and Delhi's Mitchell Starc, who had been caught up in the Dharamsala drama, decided not to return.
© 2025 AFP