logo
'Boss Baby' Suryavanshi falls to second-ball duck in IPL

'Boss Baby' Suryavanshi falls to second-ball duck in IPL

France 2401-05-2025

Left-handed opener Suryavanshi, who is just 14 years old, made waves after he struck a record 35-ball century in a match earlier this week.
The teenager has played just four games in the IPL, but has wowed viewers with his fearless approach and bat strength.
Nicknamed "Boss Baby", Suryavanshi has drawn instant comparisons with West Indies great Chris Gayle, who styled himself as the "Universe Boss".
But on Thursday, millions of fans who eagerly awaited Suryavanshi's turn at the crease saw the teenager fall swiftly without having troubled the scorer in a match against IPL heavyweights Mumbai Indians.
The money-spinning IPL has been a breeding ground for up-and-coming talent with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah making a name for themselves through the league.
But never has a 14-year-old garnered so much attention.
Cricketing veterans, however, have warned him of life in the spotlight.
"Nobody is saying he's a finished article," Dravid said.
"No one should be in any rush to proclaim him as something that he's not. He's an exceptionally talented young player. He's working really hard -- but he's going to have to keep improving."
© 2025 AFP

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Maria climbs 43 places in WTA rankings after Queen's win
Maria climbs 43 places in WTA rankings after Queen's win

France 24

time16 hours ago

  • France 24

Maria climbs 43 places in WTA rankings after Queen's win

The 37-year-old mother of two, who had to come through two rounds of qualifying before reaching the main draw at Queen's, became the oldest winner of a WTA 500 event when she beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday's final. Maria, who was the first female Queen's champion since Olga Morozova 52 years ago, climbed one place short of her career high-ranking of 42, which she attained last year. The top three remained unchanged with Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. Zheng Qinwen climbed one place to fourth, her highest ranking after reaching the semi-finals at Queen's. Jasmine Paolini dropped one place to fifth while Iga Swiatek who has yet to set foot on grass after an unsuccessful season on clay, slipped one place to eighth. WTA rankings: 1. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 11,553 pts, 2. Coco Gauff (USA) 8.083, 3. Jessica Pegula (USA) 6,483, 4. Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 4,853 (+1), 5. Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 4,805 (-1), 6. Madison Keys (USA) 4,669 (+2), 7. Mirra Andreeva (RUS) 4,636 (-1), 8. Iga Swiatek (POL) 4,618 (-1), 9. Emma Navarro (USA) 3,697 (+1), 10. Paula Badosa (ESP) 3,684 (-1), 11. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 3,456, 12. Diana Shnaider (RUS) 3,216, 13. Amanda Anisimova (USA) 3,119 (+2), 14. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 3,035 (-1), 15. Karolina Muchova (CZE) 2,929 (-1), 16. Daria Kasatkina (AUS) 2,801, 17. Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 2,725, 18. Ekaterina Alexandrova 2,378 (+1), 19. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 2,200 (+1), 20. Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 2,141 (-2) Selected: 43. Tatjana Maria (GER) 1,259 © 2025 AFP

Olympic champ Ingebrigtsen's father set for abuse trial verdict
Olympic champ Ingebrigtsen's father set for abuse trial verdict

France 24

timea day ago

  • France 24

Olympic champ Ingebrigtsen's father set for abuse trial verdict

Prosecutors have called for him to be jailed for two and a half years while the defence wants an acquittal, following a trial at Sandnes district court in southwestern Norway. Gjert Ingebrigtsen, 59, acted as trainer until 2022 to Jakob, 24, who won Olympic golds in the 5,000m in Paris in 2024 and the 1,500m in Tokyo in 2021. He is accused of physical and psychological violence against Jakob and his sister Ingrid, 18, from 2008 to 2022. "My upbringing was very much characterised by fear," Jakob told the court during the trial. He referred to his father throughout the trial as "the accused" and told the court he stopped calling him "dad" at the age of 11 or 12. "I felt like I had no free choice and I wasn't allowed to speak my mind. Everything was controlled and decided for me. An enormous amount of manipulation," he said. He recounted several episodes of physical violence, including slaps and kicks to the stomach, some of which occurred when he was seven years old. Ingebrigtsen Sr has called the trial a "textbook case of character assassination". He told the court he had been an "overly protective" father who had given his seven children a "traditional and patriarchal" upbringing. He was keen to contribute to their success but received only ingratitude in return, he said. 'Heartbreaking consequences' Jakob and two of his brothers, Henrik and Filip, who are also athletes, shocked Norway in October 2023 when they used a newspaper article to accuse their father of using physical violence during their upbringing. The police investigated claims about all seven Ingebrigtsen siblings but retained only those relating to Jakob and Ingrid. Jakob -- who claimed the 1,500m and 3,000m world indoor titles right before the opening of the trial in March -- along with Henrik and Filip cut ties with their father in 2022. In her testimony, Ingrid told the court her father hit her in the face with a wet towel in January 2022. He said he was aiming for her finger, which she was pointing at him during a row. On the final day of the trial, Jakob told the court the proceedings had "profound and heartbreaking consequences" for the siblings regardless of the verdict. "We have known that from the beginning, but it was nonetheless important to tell our story," he said. © 2025 AFP

Royal Ascot battling 'headwinds' to secure foreign aces: racing director
Royal Ascot battling 'headwinds' to secure foreign aces: racing director

France 24

timea day ago

  • France 24

Royal Ascot battling 'headwinds' to secure foreign aces: racing director

The five-day meeting -- described by Hong Kong-based Australian trainer David Hayes as "Melbourne Cup week on steroids" -- which starts on Tuesday is commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession. Thankfully for the members of the Royal Family and their guests the carriages are led by horses considerably slower than the splendid thoroughbreds that provide the day's entertainment. Mixing it with the best of mainstream European talent there will be runners from Japan, Australia, the United States and "quirky" runners like from Norway. Despite famous victories for Australian horses in years gone by from Choisir's remarkable double to superstar Black Caviar and American star Tepin it takes both a lot of hard graft and Smith's powers of persuasion to coax their successors back. Smith concedes that unable to compete in terms of prizemoney -- Royal Ascot this year will boast at least £10 million ($13.5 million) -- and festivals such as Dubai and Saudi Arabia make his task that much tougher. "The headwinds are more concerning and more widespread than last year," he told AFP by Zoom on Friday. "None of those problems have gone away and they have even been exacerbated. "It is getting harder and harder every year. "Over 50 Japanese horses went to Saudi and Dubai and those sort of numbers are not replicated in Europe. "We are doing our best in difficult circumstances. "So overall I am satisfied with the situation." Smith, who has been at Ascot since 2000, says that he along with his colleagues at Goodwood and York, who also have their festivals in late July and August, work closely together. "Every horse's connections are different, every owner and trainer has different priorities," he said. "It is a very tailored approach. Some trainers just do not have travelling in their psyche and that is fine, that is their policy. "It is a bespoke programme. It is a very different sell in Europe and we work as best as we can. "We do get more quality runners "Top quality is what counts and we hope for the connections, the public and world wide audiences the horses run well." 'Always wanting more' Smith says subsidies are offered to runners that are three-years and older as "you have to do that, you would get nowhere if you did not". Two-year-old's are excluded as "they could be anything and if we did there would be planeloads of them". Satono Reve, who bids to become Japan's first winner at the meeting after 10 previous challengers fell short, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as well as America's top-rated US turf horse Carl Spackler, who is Australia-bound, in the Queen Anne Stakes are perhaps the most eye-catching. "It would not be the strongest year nor the weakest," said Smith. "The numbers are not so relevant, more important is they are genuinely competitive. "Wesley Ward's two-year-old's are very strong. "There are also a few quirky horses, including a Norwegian runner later in the week. "The Australian Asfoora coming back (after winning the King Charles III Stakes last year) is great though the Aussie sprinters this year have been up and down truth be known. "Overall, though, pretty positive." Smith says of course there are names missing that would have enriched the meeting even more. "One is always wanting more," he said. "I would have liked Hong Kong stars Romantic Warrior and Ka Ying Rising but one has to accept that talent seems to spread itself around." There is though much for Smith to enthuse about, attendance will be up from last year, and the Saturday of Royal Ascot remains the only race meeting outside of the US that NBC broadcasts on its main channel. "As ever it is a big week, a chance to be positive, show the best of British racing, advertise what Britain does best," he said. © 2025 AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store