28/03/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAR 28, 2026

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T HE 19th edition of the Indian Premier League gets under way in Bengaluru today, a touch lighter on overseas fire power but buoyed by a confirmation of its robust financial health this week. A high-profile consortium has acquired Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals – reminders of the enduring pull of the world’s rich est T20 league. That financial muscle, coupled with the league’s administrative clout, ensures the 10-team competition pro ceeds with its usual pomp even as the Pakistan Super League across the bor der opens behind closed doors, citing a fuel shortage linked to the conflict in the Middle East. On the field, the season begins with a notable first: 10 homegrown cap tains will lead their sides at the toss. Sunrisers Hyderabad are the out liers, with Ishan Kishan set to hand the reins to Pat Cummins once the Australia captain is fit later in the tour nament. Cummins’ compatriots Josh

Vintage Kohli headline new IPL season IPL is back

SATURDAY | MAR 28, 2026

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been ruled out entirely. Bengaluru, having finally shed their “nearly men” tag last year, open their title defence against Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the mood is likely to be sub dued. The joy of last season’s break through turned to tragedy when 11 people were killed in a stampede out side the ground, and uncertainty lin gered before RCB received clearance to host home fixtures at the venue. Virat Kohli’s presence, however, should lift the mood. No longer captain but still the beating heart of Bengaluru at 37, the India great remains box office beyond franchise lines. Now based in London and active

watch him in the twilight of his career. Eyes will also be on a new star in Indian cricket. Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turns 15 this week, lit up his debut season with a 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans last year. The left-hander was also the architect of India’s successful cam paign at the Under-19 World Cup this year. Expectations will natu rally follow as he walks out along side fellow Rajasthan opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Conditions are expected to be unforgiving for bowlers once more. Pundits predict 200-plus totals could become the rule on batting friendly pitches, especially with the Impact Rule - allowing teams to swap a bowler with a batter – in play. Mumbai Indians will be gun ning for a record sixth title, while Gujarat Titans, led by India’s test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, will be eyeing a second crown. – Reuters Bihar in the Ranji Trophy in January 2024, then was selected for India’s under-19 squad against a touring Australia team. Ojha praised Suryavanshi’s ability to replicate what he learned in the nets, including the one his parents had put together, in the heat of competition. “What makes him special is the ability to execute plans on match days,” said Ojha. Suryavanshi’s blistering march to teenage superstardom from India’s poorest state has involved significant sacrifice from his middle-class parents. For years his father accompa nied him every other day from their home in the village of Motipur to Ojha’s cricket acad emy in Bihar’s capital city, Patna, a one-way journey of roughly two and-a-half hours. For his mother it involved get ting up before everyone. The sacrifices paid off when a 13-year-old Suryavanshi in 2024 became the youngest-ever player to be sold in an IPL auc tion. In a Rajasthan Royals media interaction earlier this month, Suryavanshi cheekily said he hoped to score “two-three thou sand runs” in this year’s tourna ment, before playing down “per sonal goals”. “The idea is to follow the proc ess and help the team win,” said Suryavanshi, whose media duties are limited by the team to protect him. Back home in Motipur, father Sanjeev said the family is now eagerly waiting for Suryavanshi to don senior India colours. – AFP

Hazlewood (Bengaluru) and Mitchell Starc (Delhi) will also miss early matches as they work back to full fitness, while Rajasthan’s England all

internation ally only in 50 over cricket, Kohli is a rarer sight for home fans, who will again throng the stands to

rounder Sam Curran has

Village dream fuels ‘fearless’ teen phenom

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VAI B HAV S U R YAVA NS HI’ S par ents told AFP how they made a practice pitch in their village in India’s poorest state to spark the teenage cricket prodigy’s stun ning rise and now his younger brother hones his skills on it. Suryavanshi was the talk of world cricket after making his tory in the Indian Premier League last year aged just 14 in a daz zling debut season. The supremely talented left handed batsman, who turned 15 yesterday, belted a six on the first ball he faced for Rajasthan Royals. Days later the school boy smacked a 35-ball century, the second fastest in the T20 compe tition’s history after Chris Gayle (30 balls). “He is fearless,” Manish Ojha, one of Suryavanshi’s first coaches, told AFP ahead of the new IPL season starting today. “That is his nature.” Suryavanshi’s stunning intro duction to elite cricket was no flash in the pan. He then hammered 175 off just 80 balls – an innings laced with a staggering 30 boundaries – in February, helping India thump England by 100 runs in the Under-19 ODI World Cup final in Harare. He was named player of the match and player of the tourna ment, having finished with 439 runs in seven innings at an aver age of 62.71. The teenager’s rise has been swift since first picking up a bat when he was barely five. He made his domestic debut aged 12 for his home state of

Suryavanshi in action for Royals in the 2025 IPL season. – REUTERS P I C

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FOCAL PARK SDN BHD (358698-H) NOTIS LELONG AWAM KENDERAAN UNTUK DILELONG SEPERTI SEDIA ADA TEMPAT & TARIKH LELONG : Northern Region (Alor Setar, Butterworth & Ipoh) 02-04-2026 (Khamis) Pukul 11:00pagi TARIKH MELIHAT : SEBELUM TIGA HARI LELONG (Pukul 9:00pagi - 4:00petang) PERTANYAAN (Tel): Butterworth 04-3567972, Alor Seter 04-787 7972, Ipoh 05-5293971 FPAC - PELELONG BERLESEN : a) Mr. Chew Wooi Kok , b) Mr. Steven Lim Peng Seng (02241), c) Pn Hasniza Binti Abu Samah (01105) Alamat : 352, Permatang Tok Jaya Maklom Sg Dua 13800 Butterworth. : Lot 138-A, Batu 5 Jalan Langgar 05460 Alor Setar : PT51683, Jalan Jelapang, Kws Perindustrian Tmn Meru 30020 Ipoh SILA LAYARI LAMAN WEB KAMI : http://www.focalpark.com.my

Item Reg No

Jenis & Model

Tahun

Petaling Jaya (Five-day week)

AM1

AHN382

NISSAN LATIO 1.6 H/B

2011

AM2

BNG5753 NISSAN ALMERA 1.5VL AT

2015

MEDIA SALES - Representative/Agent (Freelance)

AM3

JSN7818

NISSAN ALMERA 1.5VL AT

2017

AM4

VAE2313

PERODUA BEZZA 1300

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AM5

APB4417

PROTON PERSONA 1.6

2025

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ALS3332

PROTON PERSONA 1.6

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ALY1307

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2021

AM8

WA3521V

MITSUBISHI ATTRAGE 1.2

2014

AM9

RAC5653 PERODUA MYVI 1.5

2019

AM10

ALM7418 PRODUA ARUZ 1.5 X

2019

AM11

VHM5826 PROTON SAGA 1.3

2022

AM12

PJP4519

PROTON EXORA 1.6

2009

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