Sooryavanshi Achieves Huge Feat, Beats Abhishek, Kishan And Raina In Elite List

Built on incisive new-ball spells from Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger, a double-strike from Ravindra Jadeja, and a blistering 52 from teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rajasthan Royals launched their IPL 2026 campaign with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the ACA Stadium on Monday. Sooryavanshi slammed his half-century in just 15 balls, going past the fastest fifties of IPL stalwarts like Suresh Raina, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head, whose best is off 16 deliveries. His knock ensured RR chased down the target of 128 in just 12.1 overs.

CSK, missing MS Dhoni and Dewald Brevis, were bundled out for just 127 after being rocked early on a red-soil pitch offering swing and seam to Archer and Burger. Jadeja struck twice in his first over and marked a successful return to RR after 17 years, while debutant Brijesh Sharma chipped in with a breakthrough.

Only Jamie Overton showed resistance, counterattacking at number eight to hit 43 off 36 balls to drag CSK past 120 from 84/8 and save them from the ignominy of being bowled out for below 100, though the end total was still below-par. In reply, Sooryavanshi turned the chase into a one-man exhibition.

Dropped for nought, he raced to a 15-ball fifty - the third fastest in IPL history - with four fours and five sixes, powering RR to 74 without loss in the Powerplay. Though he fell soon after for 52, the damage was done. Yashasvi Jaiswal (38 not out) and skipper Riyan Parag (14 not out) calmly finished the chase with 47 balls to spare.

Archer began by swinging the ball both ways to trouble Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the opening over. Nandre Burger then made the first breakthrough by knocking over Samson for 6 with a delivery that shaped away and crashed into the off-stump.

Archer returned to remove Gaikwad in his second over - the CSK skipper backed away to access the off-side but missed a straight ball and was bowled for six. Burger intensified the collapse in the third over as Ayush Mhatre fell for a golden duck - gloving a bouncer to keeper Dhruv Jurel, as RR got the decision in their favour on review.

Sarfaraz Khan came in as the impact substitute and began his resistance by pulling Burger for four and six in successive balls. After debutant Brijesh Sharma impressed by conceding only six runs in the fourth over, Sarfaraz kept counterattacking to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Sandeep Sharma struck immediately in the final over of power-play as Matthew Short, who struggled to get going, chipped a slower ball straight to mid-wicket for two, as CSK closed the power-play at 41/4. Post that, CSK suffered two major blows - Sarfaraz attempted a sweep off ex-CSK stalwart Ravindra Jadeja, but missed it and was trapped lbw for 17, while Shivam Dube holed out to long-off.

CSK's slide continued as Brijesh Sharma beat Kartik's inside edge, and trapped him plumb lbw for 18, while Noor Ahmed edged behind to Jurel off Archer and Ravi Bishnoi took a sharp caught and bowled chance after foxing Matt Henry with a googly. But thanks to Jamie Overton nailing boundaries alongside Anshul Kamboj, CSK were able to cross the 120-mark, before a complete confusion resulted in the former being run-out.

RR had a flying start as Matt Henry's opening over went for 18 runs, with Sooryavanshi pulling and driving for boundaries (including Kartik Sharma dropping him for zero) while Jaiswal glanced him fine for four.

Khaleel Ahmed thought he had Sooryavanshi lbw on the first ball of his spell, but review showed the ball going over leg stump. Jaiswal played watchfully even as Sooryavanshi continued to attack to keep the runs flowing.

Henry's second over was taken apart by Sooryavanshi - slashing a slower ball over backward point for six, while Jaiswal muscled Khaleel straight over mid-off for four. Anshul Kamboj was greeted with three boundaries as Sooryavanshi ramped and tickled him over third man and fine leg before smashing a six over long-on, as RR crossed the fifty-run mark.

Noor Ahmad's introduction did little to stem the flow as Sooryavanshi launched consecutive sixes over long-on to bring up a blistering fifty off just 15 balls, as 19 runs came off the sixth over to take RR to 74/0 at the end of the power-play.

But just after that, Sooryavanshi attempted to flay a length ball over cover but Sarfaraz Khan ran in from the deep and completed a diving catch at deep extra cover to dismiss him for 52.

Dhruv Jurel kept the tempo going with four quick boundaries, before dragging one back onto his stumps off Anshul Kamboj while trying to scoop him off. Parag lofted and reverse-swept to get his four and six, while Jaiswal thumped one over long-off for six before getting the winning single to launch RR's campaign with a thumping win.

Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 127 in 19.4 overs (Jamie Overton 43, Kartik Sharma 18; Ravindra Jadeja 2-18, Jofra Archer 2-19) lost to Rajasthan Royals 128/2 in 12.1 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 52, Yashasvi Jaiswal 38 not out; Anshul Kamboj 2-27) by eight wickets

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Oil Terminal, 90% Crude Exports: What Trump Could Get From Kharg Island

A scrubby island in the Gulf that is roughly one third the size of Manhattan, Kharg Island is the nerve centre of the Iranian oil industry -- and at the heart of US President Donald Trump's latest efforts to pressure Tehran.

On Monday Trump vowed that a failure by Iran to agree a deal to end the war could see the United States "completely obliterating" the export hub. 

A day earlier, he had said the United States could take the island, eyed by the Pentagon for ground operations, "very easily".

So what are Trump's options, and how might Iran react if he presses on this pressure point?

What Is Kharg Island? 

It may be a mere scrap of land, but Kharg  handles around 90 per cent of Iran's crude exports, according to a report by US bank JP Morgan.

Located in the north of the Gulf, around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Iranian coast and more than 500 kilometres from the Strait of Hormuz, it has no oil wells.

But it has Iran's largest oil terminal, oil pipelines, storage tanks and related infrastructure.

It also has military facilities, some of which have already been hit by Israeli-US strikes.

On March 13, "US forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island", Centcom, the US military command for the region, said.

"The strike destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers and multiple other military sites. US forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, while preserving the oil infrastructure."

Sources close to US intelligence services told US broadcaster CNN Iran had deployed additional troops and defence systems to the area in recent weeks, including MANPAD-type surface-to-air missiles and mines.

Trump's Options? 

There appear to be three routes for US forces wishing to seize the island -- an airborne attack; an amphibious operation; or a combination of the two.

The Pentagon is currently moving US paratroopers and Marines into the area.

"(The) US combat force build-up sets the stage for (a) potential ground offensive in Iran," said US think tank Soufan.

Centcom former commander General Joseph Votel told The War Zone website this month it would not take that many soldiers to seize Kharg.

"On a small island like Kharg, I imagine you'd need a battalion of Marines. We are therefore talking about a force of 800 to 1,000 men, perhaps a little fewer, certainly not much more," he said.

But taking Kharg and holding onto it "are two different things", stressed Professor Phillips O'Brien of the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

He said the US military would struggle to retain the island within range of Iranian missiles and drones.

Just 60 kilometres away is the city of Bushehr, an important military centre "from which the Iranians defend the entire northern part of the Gulf, including Kharg", noted Pierre Razoux of French research centre FMES.

Why Do It?

Trump's war goals remain hazy. It is unclear whether he primarily wants to force Iran to reopen shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz; force regime change in Tehran; coerce the Iranians into concessions on their nuclear or ballistic missile programmes.

In the short term, capturing Kharg could give Washington leverage to force Iran to negotiate -- presumably on Trump's terms, given the country's dependence on oil revenue, the Soufan Center said.

It might not have much effect in reopening the Gulf to shipping, however, because Iran controls a string of other islands in the Strait of Hormuz.

And if the Iranians choose not to cede to Trump's demands, "What does the US do?", O'Brien wondered.

"Does the US then, out of spite, level all the economic facilities on Kharg?

"That could easily boomerang back in American faces. It means oil prices skyrocket even more and stay high for much longer," he said.

"It also means Iran will be incentivised to shut down the traffic in the Straits for even longer. If they cannot get their own oil out, why let anyone else's?"

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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RGV Calls Out Film Industry Over Its Silence On Dhurandhar 2 Success

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has once again stirred conversation in the film industry, this time questioning the silence surrounding the massive success of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. 

Ever since the film's release, RGV has been vocal about his admiration for director Aditya Dhar's work, but his latest remarks focus on what he finds more surprising than the film's impact - the lack of public response from industry insiders.

Taking to X, RGV wrote, "Now that @AdityaDharFilms has EXPLODED a ATOMIC BOMB right under the  film industry, what is shocking is the loud silence from the rest of the film industry." 

He went on to speculate on the possible reasons behind this reaction, adding, "I don't know whether this is because the #Dhurandhar2 's devastating explosion has hurled everyone else in the film industry so far into OUTER SPACE that their applause cannot reach here due to the long distances, OR whether they're huddled in denial, whispering to each other, 'It's just propaganda... it will go away soon,' so that they can crawl back and resume making their same old repetitive films. OR are they just paralysed by the film's sheer brilliance, realising that whatever they've been making or planning to make, now simply cannot measure up?"

RGV did not hold back in stressing the importance of acknowledging the film's success. 

He further wrote, "But isn't it extremely unwise to ignore a DINOSAUR like #Dhurandhar2 staring you in the face and BREATHING FIRE into your eyes with its BOX OFFICE ROAR shaking the very ground beneath their feet, how can anyone be so foolish enough to look away? My sincere advice to all my colleagues in the film industry is to please take  #Dhurandhar2 deadly seriously and study it like an ultra-fresh course in filmmaking and educate yourselves, or risk being buried forever in the graveyard of pre March 19th 2026 cinema."

Now that @AdityaDharFilms has EXPLODED a ATOMIC BOMB right under the film industry, what is shocking is the loud silence from the rest of the film industry .

I don't know whether this is because the #Dhurandhar2 ‘s devastating explosion has hurled everyone else in the film…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) March 29, 2026

RGV Calls Dhurandhar 2 A Filmmaking Textbook

Alongside his strong comments on the industry, RGV also shared a detailed review of the film, praising it as a game-changing cinematic experience. 

He even advised aspiring filmmakers to prioritise watching the film over formal education, writing, "My one line advise to all film students is 'Leave  your institutes and spend that money and time in #Dhurandhar2 theatres'."

In his review, RGV described Aditya Dhar's approach as something beyond conventional direction. According to him, the filmmaker "did not direct, but weaponised cinema itself," blending intense action with emotional depth. 

He also praised the film's technical aspects, from its structured chapter-based storytelling to its use of practical effects, sound design, and editing. The nearly four-hour runtime, he said, never feels excessive due to its gripping pace and constant narrative progression. RGV particularly admired the performances, calling Ranveer Singh's portrayal layered and powerful, while appreciating R Madhavan's restrained and controlled presence.

My Review of the #Dhurandhars

My one line advise to all film students is “Leave your institutes and spend that money and time in #Dhurandhar2 theatres”

For all film students out there , here is what I studied of how , Aditya Dhar did not direct , but weaponized cinema…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) March 29, 2026

CONTINUING FROM PREVIOUS TWEET

Production design shifts from hyper detailed, noisy, lived in realism showcasing multiple storylines unfolding in cluttered frames that mirror the chaos of happenings . Production Designer Saini Johray made me believe that I was in pakistan
Editor… https://t.co/0zG74DCQJl

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) March 29, 2026

RGV concluded his review by calling the film a benchmark for the future of cinema, stating that it should be studied like a textbook rather than simply watched.

ALSO READ: Amid Dhurandhar 2 Success, Ranveer Singh Poses With Shah Rukh Khan At Mumbai Party

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"Kissing My A**": Trump Takes A Jibe, Then Praises Saudi Crown Prince

US President Donald Trump said that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was effectively "kissing my ass" while working together in the ongoing Middle East war against Iran.

Speaking at a Saudi-backed investment forum in Florida, Trump said that the Saudi leader did not expect the US to make a strong comeback under his presidency. 

"He said, you know, it's amazing ... a year ago, you were a dead country. Now, you're literally the hottest country anywhere in the world," Trump said.

President Trump mocks Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Bin Salman: “He didn't think he would be kissing my ass, he really didn't and now he has to be nice to me he better be nice to me, he's gotta be..” pic.twitter.com/44rIkBVK8C

— Yemen in English (@YemenEnglish_ye) March 28, 2026

The Republican leader then suggested that the Crown Prince had misjudged him. 

"He didn't think this was going to happen ... he didn't think he'd be kissing my ass ... he thought it'd be just another American president that was a loser ... but now he has to be nice to me," he said.

Then quickly shifting his tone, he praised the Saudi prince and called him a "fantastic man" and a "warrior" and said that the kingdom "can be very proud" of his leadership.

He commended Saudi Arabia and said that it supported the US in its war against Iran along with other Gulf countries. "Saudi Arabia fought, Qatar fought, UAE fought, Bahrain fought and Kuwait fought," he said and noted that they "were with us ... they were with us".

Trump's comments come as the US war with Iran reaches the one-month mark.

According to a Reuters report, Gulf countries are telling the US that any deal with Tehran should do more than end the war and must permanently curb Iran's missile and drone capabilities and ensure global energy supplies are never again "weaponised".

Gulf officials, whose countries have been repeatedly fired on by Tehran during the US-Israeli war on Iran, have told Washington in private meetings that the Islamic Republic has left them no diplomatic "off-ramp", the sources said.

The officials want any deal to lock in enforceable restraints on missile and drone attacks on energy and civilian assets, threats to oil and shipping routes, and proxy warfare, the sources added, according to the report.

Over 4,500 people, including 1,900 in Iran, have been killed across more than a dozen countries involved since February 28, The Independent reported.

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Virat Kohli Drops Rare Catch For RCB vs SRH, Anushka Sharma Reacts. Watch

Virat Kohli, apart from being a great batter, is also a terrific fielder. However, in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL 2026 opener, Kohli dropped an easy catch. The incident occurred in the 18th over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. SRH's Aniket Verma miscued a shot on the third ball as Kohli came running in from long-on. The ball brushed his palms before landing on his thigh. Kohli looked surprised by the miss. In the stands, actor Anushka Sharma, Kohli's wife, could not help but laugh.

Virat Kohli drops a catch and Anushka was literally laughing pic.twitter.com/OzfMPFydTQ

— TAUKIR (@iitaukir) March 28, 2026

Kohli dropping catch and his wife is laughing
Peak cinema#rcbvssrh #rcbvsrh #klassen royal challengers bengaluru virat kohli anushka sharma ishan kishan fixers abhishek sharma jacob duffey travis headpic.twitter.com/JSrHb5kRzr

— Vikas Agarwal (@VikasAg55263788) March 28, 2026

Anushka Sharma's Reaction when Virat dropped it. pic.twitter.com/6jGh8d0yTB

— BC 18 (@StumpAndScreen) March 28, 2026

Later on, however, Kohli took Aniket's catch.

aniket wicket virat kohli takes the catch anushka sharma reaction#rcbvssrh #viratkohli #RCBRuns #ipl2026 pic.twitter.com/wQ7jzxBsZE

— (@ThecoolMahi) March 28, 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday honoured fans who lost their lives in the 2025 stampede by reserving 11 seats at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru ahead of their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Notably, these seats will remain permanently unoccupied during all IPL and international matches.

Ahead of the IPL 2026 opener, players from both RCB and SRH also observed a one-minute silence to pay tribute to the fans who lost their lives in 2025.

For the unversed, 11 fans died and several others were injured in a stampede that occurred outside the stadium during the victory celebrations following RCB's first IPL title win. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium had been suspended since June 2025.

During the season opener against the Hyderabad-based franchise, the defending champions RCB also wore black armbands as a mark of respect.

A statement from RCB read: "Royal Challengers Bengaluru will pay tribute to the eleven members of the RCB family who tragically lost their lives in the unfortunate incident on June 4.

"As a mark of respect, players will wear practice jerseys bearing the number 11 during the warm-up, followed by black armbands during the match.

"In a lasting gesture of remembrance, eleven seats at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain unoccupied, serving as a permanent tribute to the fans whose unwavering support will always be a part of the RCB family," the statement concluded.

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US Couple Saves $12,000 Annually By Living In Hotel Instead Of Renting

By moving from a rented house into a hotel, a US couple claims they are now saving $12,000 (approximately Rs 10 lakh) every year. Maranda Bowers, 47, and her husband John, 40, were previously paying $2,300 a month for a three-bedroom home in Pensacola, Florida, but after a serious workplace incident in 2023 left John unable to work, the couple was forced to rethink their financial decisions.

With Bowers struggling to pay the rent as the sole provider, the couple decided to move out of their home and stay with family for two weeks before moving into a hotel.

“It was too hard with what I was making to pay the rent on my own," Bowers was quoted as saying by the New York Post. “By the time John's compensation kicked in, we could not afford the inconsistency to see whether or not we have money to pay the rent."

The couple finally moved into a hotel in November 2023, where they pay $307 a week for a one-bedroom accommodation. Bowers said she books a hotel room for up to six months in advance, adding that the total savings amount to $12,000 a year.

“The biggest positive about hotel life is you don't have to spend thousands of dollars on rent. You don't need to put together a security deposit or pay a month's rent in advance,” she said.

Bowers explained that she liked the convenience of staying in a hotel as she did not have to worry about running the water or turning on the air conditioning, in addition to making weekly payments.

“A lot of people also think living in a hotel room means we have to spend lots of money eating out, but that is not the case. I cook all the time. I cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas for half the hotel.”

Also Read | 'Exhausted And Ready To Come Home': Student Wants To Return To India Amid Visa Concerns

The couple said they were hoping to save the money and eventually buy a plot of land and a tiny home to own. Bowers said since the 'kids were grown', they didn't need a big place to stay. The small house would allow them to go on vacations rather than be forced into a mortgage.

“We want to live simply, go on vacations and live our life rather than put all our money into a huge home. I would love a tiny home. We no longer want a big house; we like the simplicity of living simply.”

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Tiger Woods Involved In Car Crash In Florida: Report

Golf superstar Tiger Woods was involved in a car crash in Florida on Friday, US media reports citing local law enforcement said.

There was no immediate word on Woods' condition following the incident in Jupiter Island, ABC television reported.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A press conference has been scheduled at 5pm local time (2100 GMT).

NBC local news affiliate WPTV showed a picture of the crash scene showing a sports utility vehicle flipped onto its side.

News of the incident comes five years after Woods was involved in a serious rollover car crash in California that left him with severe right leg injuries. 

The 15-time major winner needed pins inserted in his foot and ankle and a rod in his tibia as well as a follow-up surgery in 2023.

Woods returned from the 2021 crash at the 2022 Masters, where he finished 47th despite struggling to walk Augusta National for all four rounds.

Woods, who turned 50 last December, has been working to return from an Achilles tendon rupture last March and back surgery last October.

He competed earlier this week in the TGL simulator indoor golf league finals and had not ruled out playing in next month's Masters. 

He has won five times at Augusta, including his first major title in 1997 and his most recent in 2019.

Woods, whose 82 PGA Tour career victories is level with Sam Snead for the all-time record, has not competed at the PGA Tour level since missing the cut at the British Open at Royal Troon in July 2024.

He last made the cut at the 2024 Masters, where he finished 60th.

Woods was also involved in a traffic incident in 2017, when he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, paid a $250 fine and attended DUI school.

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