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His 38-ball-101 put Rajasthan Royals in the driving seat in their chase of 210 against Gujarat Titans

Abhimanyu Bose28-Apr-20255:27

‘Otherworldly’ Suryavanshi wows Bishop, Aaron

Chris Gayle – 30 balls

175* vs Pune Warriors, Bengaluru, 2013
It was the day on which Gayle rewrote T20 record books at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. His unbeaten 175 remains the highest individual score in the format, and his 30-ball century is the fastest in IPL history even after 12 years. After a watchful first over, Gayle took 21 off Ishwar Pandey and 28 off Mitchell Marsh to bring up a 17-ball fifty. Aaron Finch’s 29-run over only added to the charge and Gayle brought up his century in the ninth over. Of his first 103 runs, 98 came in boundaries. He finished unbeaten on 175 and later returned to pick up two wickets, capping off a surreal day.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi – 35 balls
101 vs Gujarat Titans, Jaipur, 2025Walking out to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) chase of 210, Suryavanshi made history as he hammered a bowling attack comprising Rashid Khan, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to bring up the second-fastest century in the IPL. By the time Prasidh dislodged him with a yorker, he had hit 11 sixes and seven fours and left RR needing 44 off 49 deliveries. In a phenomenal display of hitting, Suryavanshi took 26 off an Ishant over on the way to a 17-ball half-century, and then hit three sixes and three fours off Karim Janat’s first over in the IPL. He reached his century with a six off Rashid, no less.

Yusuf Pathan – 37 balls

100 vs Mumbai Indians (MI), Brabourne, 2010
Pathan teed off when Rajasthan Royals (RR) needed 143 off 57 balls to chase down MI’s 212. He hit 54 off his next 11 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Ali Murtaza and 24 in the following over from R Sathish. The carnage continued as he brought up what was then the fastest century in the IPL with a towering six. He was run out the very next ball, leaving RR with 40 to get from 17 balls – a bridge too far in the end. However, his captain, Shane Warne, described it as the best innings he had ever seen.

David Miller – 38 balls

101* vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mohali, 2013Miller’s 38-ball century rescued Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS) from 64 for 4 and powered them in a jaw-dropping chase of 191, with 99 runs coming in the last five overs. It began with a flurry of boundaries off Vinay Kumar before he tore into RP Singh for 26 in a single over. With three runs needed and Miller on 95, he launched a length ball straight over the sightscreen to bring up his century in style. After the match, Miller shared his father’s advice: “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree. If it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park.”

Travis Head – 39 balls

102 vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2024Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Head had already signaled their intent with a 277-run blitz earlier in the season. In Bengaluru, they went one better. Head had set the tone with a powerplay assault that saw SRH race to 76 for 0, bringing up his fifty along the way. By the time he was dismissed in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102, SRH had rocketed to 165. They eventually finished on 287 – the highest total in IPL history.

Priyansh Arya – 39 balls

103 vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mullanpur, 2025PBKS picked 24-year-old Delhi opener Arya for INR 3.8 crore after a bidding war at the auction and he’s already showing why. After a 23-ball 47 on debut, Arya delivered on his potential against CSK. He began the innings with a first-ball six and didn’t let the fall of wickets at the other end disrupt his intent. He later smacked Matheesha Pathirana for three consecutive sixes and a four to bring up a stunning maiden IPL century in just the 13th over of the innings.Watch – Highlights of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record-breaking hundred on JioHotstar (only in India)

U.S. Soccer has appointed Dan Helfrich, former Chair and CEO of Deloitte Consulting LLP, as its next Chief Operating Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Helfrich will report to CEO and Secretary General JT Batson and oversee the federation’s day-to-day operations. His hiring comes shortly after his retirement from Deloitte in December 2025.

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  Experienced leader

  In announcing the hire, U.S. Soccer said Helfrich will oversee implementation of the federation’s strategic plan, known as In Service to Soccer, using the sort of operational rigor he applied at Deloitte. Helfrich arrives with nearly three decades of leadership experience guiding large, complex organizations – most recently leading a consulting practice of roughly 85,000 people and $20 billion in revenue – and will bring that scale to the federation’s commercial, competition and development operations.

   “U.S. Soccer has more than doubled in the last few years – and we know there is more work to do to reach our ambitious goals,” Batson said in a press release. “Dan brings a rare combination of deep operational expertise, curiosity, and a lifelong passion for the game. His leadership and commitment to excellence will help us move faster, work smarter, and continue building the foundation for soccer’s next chapter in the U.S.” 

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• Helfrich outlines vision for growth

  Following his appointment as U.S. Soccer’s new Chief Operating Officer, Helfrich spoke about embracing the opportunity to help guide the federation during a transformative era for the sport in the United States. Emphasizing his lifelong connection to soccer, Helfrich described the moment as the right time to commit fully to the game’s nationwide development, outlining a mission centered on strengthening all 27 national teams.

   “Soccer has been a defining part of my life for more than 40 years, as a player, fan, broadcaster, volunteer, and parent,” Helfrich said in a press release. “And now is the right time for me to focus my career here during this pivotal time for the sport in our country. I’m inspired by U.S. Soccer’s mission and excited to partner with JT, our staff, and our members to strengthen the game and ensure soccer is accessible to everyone, everywhere, for generations to come.

  “This means delivering results on the field through our 27 national teams while also making sure every player, coach, referee, and fan feels a deep connection to U.S. Soccer and their role in achieving our shared mission.” 

• Deep roots in soccer

  Prior to becoming Deloitte Consulting Chair and CEO, Helfrich held key executive roles, including Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer and leader of Deloitte’s Government and Public Services practice.

  Beyond his corporate career, he actively supports youth development through board and advisory roles with organizations such as Grassroots Soccer, Street Soccer USA, and the Positive Coaching Alliance. He has also captained Georgetown’s men’s soccer team and earned Academic All-American honors. Since 2005, Helfrich has also contributed as a play-by-play broadcaster for Georgetown Soccer, calling over 250 matches.

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• What comes next for Helfrich and U.S. Soccer

  Helfrich will relocate to Atlanta and begin integrating with U.S. Soccer’s executive team in January, charged with converting strategic plans into measurable programs and outcomes. Early priorities are likely to include operational readiness for post-World Cup growth, rolling out Next Gen Committee recommendations where applicable, and strengthening systems that support player pathways and competition delivery.

After the seamers made early inroads, legspinner Rishad kept Hong Kong quiet

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-20251:36

Jaffer: Bangladesh need to show consistency in selection

Hong Kong mustered a total of 143 for 7 in 20 overs against Bangladesh, after being inserted by Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi. They started shakily, with early wickets and a sluggish start for Zeeshan Ali (30) and Nizakat Khan (42) keeping Bangladesh in control.But as the Zeeshan-Nizakat partnership grew, so did their range of strokes. Their 41-run stand for the third wicket ensured their batting didn’t collapse like it did in the game against Afghanistan. Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza blazed away to a 19-ball 28, but a flurry of late wickets denied Hong Kong a late flourish.As Bangladesh’s players walked off the field, they exchanged high-fives for their effort in the first innings. Tanzim Hasan Sakib (2 for 21) bowled in the early 140kph range in his first spell, and accounted for Babar Hayat (14) and Zeeshan. Hayat was cleaned up by a swinging ball that started on middle and ended up going past his outside edge, while Zeeshan fell to a sharp delivery that hit the splice of the bat and popped up to cover.Taskin Ahmed was expensive but got the early breakthrough by dismissing Anshy Rath. He then removed Aizaz Khan in the final over.Rishad Hossain, the legspinner, was introduced after the powerplay, but Hong Kong countered him with sweeps and reverse sweeps. He finally got among the wickets in 19th over, his last over of the evening, when he had Nizakat caught at long-on. Next ball, he trapped Kinchit Shah lbw.Hong Kong scored 54 runs off the last six overs to get to a respectable total.

Celtic have now been told how long they’ll have to wait to appoint Kjetil Knutsen with their search for a new manager taking another frustrating blow.

The Bhoys have been in no rush. After Brendan Rodgers’ shock exit, they know that they can’t afford to get their next appointment wrong and have handed Martin O’Neill the position on an interim basis to buy themselves some time.

Pumas now happy for Juarez to join Celtic as Hoops eye secret release clause

A boost for the Bhoys…

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 8, 2025

To the 73-year-old’s credit, he has so far rolled back the years in the dugout. A Champions League defeat at the hands of Midtjylland aside and victories over Old Firm rivals Rangers and Falkirk have represented a step in the right direction.

Even after those three games, however, O’Neill has continued to distance himself from the permanent job. In midweek, he told reporters that he’ll be at Celtic until they no longer need him, before revealing that he’d be “absolutely fine” if Sunday’s Kilmarnock clash is his final game.

Alas, as the search for the next Celtic manager has continued, so have the rumours that they could yet turn to O’Neill until at least the end of the season. And it’s easy to see why. The Northern Irishman is about as experienced as it gets, representing a safe option until the right candidate emerges.

A decision to keep their interim boss until at least next year would also allow Parkhead chiefs to play the long game and perhaps land a frontrunner for the job in the long-term.

Celtic handed fresh Knutsen problem

As Graeme Bailey told 67 Hail Hail, Knutsen wants to finish his Champions League campaign with Bodo/Glimt before taking any job with Celtic. This means that the Bhoys could be forced to wait until next year with the Norwegian side’s last group game coming in 2026.

As things stand, they sit 29th and unlikely to qualify for the next stage. This means that their final Champions League game may well be against Atletico Madrid in January before Bodo take a break from football altogether until March. It’s then that it would make perfect sense for Knutsen to take the job.

What also helps Celtic’s pursuit is that the 57-year-old is reportedly keen to take the job if he gets his Champions League wish. So, the big question for Celtic will be whether he’s worth the wait.

A deeper dive into his history suggests that the Bodo/Glimt boss is certainly an interesting option. Having managed the club since 2018, Knutsen can boast four Norwegian league titles and showed his managerial expertise in full with a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on the European stage this season.

Andy Robertson makes Celtic return decision

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been handed a fresh boost over Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, with the player now ready to take one drastic action to leave Turin.

While summer signing Liam Delap is now ready and available once again after weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, the Englishman’s absence somewhat exposed Chelsea’s lack of striker options.

BlueCo were forced to cut short Marc Guiu’s loan spell at Sunderland and bring the Spaniard back to Stamford Bridge as cover for Delap, with Joao Pedro, an arguably more natural number 10, also handed the task of playing up front by Maresca.

Guiu was handed his first Premier League start of the season for Chelsea in their 2-1 loss to the Black Cats last weekend, but failed to make the desired impact, despite scoring against Ajax a few days prior.

While Chelsea forked out nearly £300 million in the summer transfer window, placing them among England’s most lavish spenders, Maresca still finds himself short in key areas.

This is particularly the case at centre-back, and reports suggest that Chelsea are set to prioritise a new defender in January as a result.

The likes of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, who could reportedly re-join his former club on a cut-price deal in the winter, and Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano have both been discussed as options by Chelsea in that regard (Graeme Bailey).

Further forward, Chelsea are believed to be considering a new striker as well, as journalist Simon Phillips has reported, but any deal would be in the ‘cheaper’ bracket.

Phillips mentions Vlahovic as one option, and this is backed up by other media sources.

It is believed that Chelsea have already held talks with the Serbia international’s agents given his contract expires at the end of this season, and there’s now been another update.

Chelsea given fresh Dusan Vlahovic boost amid fresh stance

Speaking to The Chelsea Chronicle, reporter Graeme Bailey says that Maresca’s side have been offered the chance to do a deal in January.

Vlahovic, who apparently earns a staggering £370,000-per-week at Juve, is also ready to take a pay cut after renewing his stance in that regard — coming as a boost for Chelsea.

Ever since his breakout campaign in 2020/2021, Vlahovic has managed at least 14 goals per season, often far more.

The ex-Fiorentina “superstar” has also scored in big Champions League games against the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Man City in the last two campaigns, so the prospect of signing him for below £20 million is a pretty enticing one.

If Chelsea do make a move, Vlahovic’s potential wage cut will be key, as Chelsea’s current highest earning first-team player is Reece James on £250,000-per-week.

This doesn’t include ‘bomb squad’ member Raheem Sterling, who takes home roughly £325,000-per-week.

Sterling is among Chelsea's highest earners

Weekly wages: Chelsea FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Here’s how much Todd Boehly is playing his players at Stamford Bridge…

By
Charlie Smith

Sep 23, 2025

Pant was the main attraction on Tuesday before Kohli hit the nets on Wednesday afternoon

Tristan Lavalette13-Nov-20242:06

Straight Talk: Will the lack of warm-up matches cost India?

While the shiny 60,000-seat Optus Stadium, the site of the series-opener in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, takes centre stage in Perth these days, the WACA ground – that old warhorse located on the opposite bank of the Swan River – remains the spiritual home of Western Australian cricket.Walk along Braithwaite Street in East Perth and you pass the famed WACA nets where there is the familiar sight of cricketers – ranging from state to junior players – going through the paces.But on Tuesday it was rather an eyesore, with the nets completely covered by black shade cloth that snaked around near a construction site amid the ground’s major redevelopment, which is expected to be completed before next season.Related

• Fast and furious: A spicy pitch awaits India in Perth

• India shelve intra-squad match in favour of training, centre-wicket

It was day one of India’s tour of Australia and the secrecy was reminiscent of their last visit to Perth during the 2022 T20 World Cup when a similar effort to thwart prying eyes took place. On that occasion, however, India did play two matches against a WA XI side that attracted near capacity crowds with the entry fee donated to the WA Cricket Foundation.This time around India have opted for total privacy, though the BCCI clarified* that no instruction was given by the team to the WACA stadium authorities or the media that Wednesday’s training would be behind closed doors.As ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier in the month, India opted to scrap a three-day intra-squad game – which would have been played behind closed doors – at the WACA from November 15 to 17 and instead the squad will train during those three days.It was unclear exactly what their training plans are this week, but India decided to get to work quickly having had staggered arrivals into Perth at the weekend. After the WACA ground staff spent Tuesday morning getting the nets into shape, India arrived in the early afternoon to a quiet reception with only a sprinkling of fans greeting them off the team bus.The WACA was in a state of “lockdown”, as splashed around the media, although perhaps slightly alarmist as its front gates were open and staff strolled in and out. But staff – with the ground doubling as WA Cricket’s headquarters – and construction workers have been told not to film or take photos of the training sessions.India have been training behind a black cloth at the WACA in Perth•Tristan LavaletteWhile the massive tarp obscured most of the public view, there were several vantage points along Nelson Crescent – right behind the batters in the nets. The secret training session suddenly became a free for all although onlookers had to take turns standing along a retaining wall with limited space.India’s net session lasted a few hours on Tuesday, but experienced players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin were not present. Among those in the nets were Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. They faced around six deliveries at a time and spent about an hour in total in the nets.With fast and bouncy conditions expected at Optus Stadium, the WACA nets are hoped to acclimatise India’s batters. Several local Perth club quicks, undoubtedly selected for their pace, unleashed hostile bowling with a back of a length seemingly encouraged. But bouncers were rare.Jaiswal was intent on aggression and one of his mighty blows cleared the nets and sailed onto Braithwaite Street which at that time of day is usually teeming with cars and students around the nearby school. Fortunately, the street was momentarily quiet as a keen fan scurried to pocket a memento. Pant was in fluent touch but did cop a blow to his body, while another fierce delivery also hit his bat flush and flew out of his hands. He glanced at the onlookers, some of whom giggled, and sported a wry smile.With Kohli not around on Tuesday, Pant became the main attraction although perhaps in an indication of cricket’s standing in an Australian-rules-football-obsessed city, many locals didn’t seem to know who he was.”Do you know which one is Pant?” an exasperated photographer asked me. “I thought I’ve been shooting him, but it’s actually Jaiswal!”

Virat Kohli has started his Test preparations. He’s in the nets along with India’s other senior players.

Kohli is looking sharp against some short of a length quick bowling pic.twitter.com/JcTTpza7Ga

— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) November 13, 2024

USMNT star Haji Wright has been advised to shun any interest shown in him during the January transfer window, with Coventry looking for him to “be the man” that fires them back into the Premier League. Ex-Sky Blues striker Clinton Morrison has explained, during an exclusive interview with GOAL, why Wright is on course to hit his top-flight target in England.

• Wright's record: Goals scored for Coventry

  Los Angeles native Wright joined Coventry in the summer of 2023 for a club-record £7.7 million ($10m) fee. They would be able to get much more than that for the 27-year-old frontman were they to open themselves up to a sale.

  That is because the versatile forward has netted 40 goals for the Sky Blues through 97 appearances. Said return is made all the more impressive when taking into account that he was regularly deployed on the left wing by former manager Mark Robins.

  Wright has been moved down the middle by current club boss Frank Lampard, leading to him sitting third in the 2025-26 Championship Golden Boot race. His eye for goal, alongside notable physical qualities, have brought him to the attention of clubs across Europe.

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  Bit of everything: What makes Wright special?

  Ex-Coventry star Morrison admits that Wright has got a bit of everything – telling GOAL while speaking in association with Freebets.com, the home of best casino sites: “He’s good. This is what I’m saying about Frank Lampard. Mark Robins was playing Haji Wright off the left, now Frank is playing him through the middle. That is where he looks better.

  “He can cause problems – he can run in behind, score all kinds of goals. He’s a big target man, wins his headers, so I think he’s a problem. He wasn’t fit last year, they did miss him for a few months and that hindered Coventry. The way that he’s playing at the moment, he’s a handful. That’s credit to Frank Lampard. I do rate Haji Wright. He wants to have a good season because it’s a World Cup year and he wants to get into that America squad.”

• January transfer: Wright urged to shun interest

  A home World Cup in 2026 is providing added incentive for Wright. He will be determined to form part of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans at that tournament. Regular game time will be required in order to catch the eye.

  With that in mind, as Coventry top the second-tier table in England, Wright has been urged to shun any advances that may be made in January. Instead, he has been told to stay put and fire the Sky Blues back into the big time after a 25-year absence.

  Morrison added on Wright being destined to grace the Premier League at some point: “I think he can get there. There will be interest but I think he will stay at Coventry City. If he is going to play in the Premier League, it will be with Coventry.

  “There will be interest from other clubs due to his record in the Championship, but at the moment it is a difficult one because if you go to the Premier League, he might not get the game time he wants. If he stays with Coventry City, he has got a good chance of getting promoted. If you get that on your CV and you are the man to get them to the Premier League, you will be playing at that level next season anyway.”

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  Promotion push: Coventry on course to reach the Premier League

  Morrison is not the first to suggest that Wright’s career path will pass through the Premier League. Another ex-Coventry forward, Matt Jansen, told GOAL recently when asked if the United States international is ready to compete at that level: “He has eight [Championship] goals this season, USA international, good player. You can never say you are going to succeed in the Premier League until you get there.

  “We will get a glimpse of that in the World Cup when he is up against world-class defenders, whether he can handle that. He is certainly doing a fantastic job for Coventry at the minute. Time will tell, if they go up, whether he can produce the same in the Premier League. If I was a betting man, I would bet that he would.”

  Coventry sit five points clear at the top of the Championship table through 15 games this season. They have suffered just one defeat – to the Wrexham side backed by Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac – and will return to action on November 22 when playing host to West Midlands rivals West Brom.