Suryavanshi's ton fires Rajasthan Royals to eight-wicket win over Gujarat Titans
Jaipur, Apr 28 (PTI): Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck the fastest hundred for any Indian and the country's youngest ever in the IPL as Rajasthan Royals defeated Gujarat Titans by eight wickets in their contest here on Monday.
Suryavanshi hit 101 off 38 balls with as many as 11 sixes and seven fours as he became the youngest ever in the history of the tournament to complete a century at the age of 14 years and 32 days.
Chasing a stiff target of 210 on a friendly wicket, Rajasthan Royals went past the winning line, making 212 for two in 15.5 overs.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 40-ball 70 not out in the chase.
Earlier, skipper Shubman Gill struck 84 while Jos Buttler hammered unbeaten 50 to take Gujarat Titans to a formidable total of 209 for four.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans: 209/4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 39, Shubman Gill 84, Jos Buttler 50 not out; Maheesh Theekshana 2/35).
Rajasthan Royals: 212/2 in 15.5 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 70 not out, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 101, Riyan Parag 32 not out; Rashid Khan 1/24).
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World Test Championship final-bound South African players likely to miss IPL playoffs
Johannesburg (PTI): South African players who have been picked for the World Test Championship Final against Australia are likely to miss the IPL playoffs as the country's cricket board is standing firm on prioritising national duty over league commitments.
The BCCI confirmed on Monday that the IPL will resume on May 17 with the final slated for June 3.
However, the revised schedule has left players from WTC finalists Australia and South Africa in a tight spot. The franchises and the BCCI have urged foreign boards to make their players available for the remainder of the tournament.
CSA, however, has reiterated its commitment to WTC Final preparations.
"It is an individual decision, obviously, to return or to play or continue," CSA's director of national teams and high performance Enoch Nkwe said during press conference.
"One thing we've made clear, and we are finalising this with the IPL and the BCCI, is sticking to our original plan when it comes to the WTC preparations."
"May 26 is the latest for the Test guys to come back. The original plans don't change because the No. 1 priority is the WTC final. We've been engaging with them over the last day or two to make sure we're all on the same page," he added.
Eight South African players -- Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Chalengers Bengaluru), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians), Corbin Bosch (MI), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings) and Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad) -- have been named in the Proteas squad for the WTC Final, scheduled to start from June 11 in London.
Currently, GT, RCB, MI, PBKS, DC and LSG are in contention for an IPL playoff spot.
South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad echoed CSA's stance.
"Our initial agreement with IPL-BCCI was, with the final being on the 25th, our players would return on the 26th, so that it allows them ample time before we fly out on the 30th. As it stands, we're not budging on this. We want our players back on the 26th," he said.
"That is the ongoing conversations that are being had between people in a higher pay grade than I am. They're dealing with that. We want our players back on the 26th and hopefully that comes to fruition."
The IPL season was suspended on May 9 due to a military confrontation between India and Pakistan, triggered by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. A ceasefire announced the following day paved the way for the tournament's resumption.
As per the new schedule, the league stage ends on May 27, with playoffs running from May 29 to June 3, dates that clash with CSA's WTC preparations.
While CSA has taken a strong position, Cricket Australia has allowed its players to decide individually, and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is set to review its No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
