Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis rewrote the history of the fastest century in ICC Champions Trophy history, as his heroic batting performance played a major role in Australia's stunning win against England by recording the highest total in tournament history. 

It was the first match for both Australia and England in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore hosted the fourth match of the tournament, where England scored the record tournament total of 351/8 in 50 overs, majorly thanks to opener Ben Duckett's tournament record-breaking score of 165 off 143 balls (17 fours and three sixes). 

Although Australia lost their first two wickets cheaply, Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschgane first handled the early situation, and later, the wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis dominated with the support of Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell. 

Inglis had a 146-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Carey, and then he set another flying 74-run partnership with Maxwell for the unbroken sixth wicket, which lasted for 35 legitimated balls to secure an unforgettable victory in tournament history. 

See Also: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Pakistan - Check long list of prohibited for spectators

Josh Inglis recorded joint-fastest century in ICC Champions Trophy history

After completing his half-century in 41 balls, Inglis rushed to his maiden ODI century in just 77 balls. By completing his century, Inglis equaled the record for the fastest century in ICC Champions Trophy history. Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag previously held the record for lonely after scoring a 77-ball century against England in the ICC Champions Trophy 2002. 

Wicketkeeper-batter Inglis scored 120 not out off only 86 balls with the help of eight fours and six sixes. It was the third-highest score by a wicketkeeper-batter in the ICC Champions Trophy. While it was the fifth time that a wicketkeeper-batter recorded a Champions Trophy century, three of these have recorded this edition. 

ICC Champions Trophy: Wicketkeeper-batters with centuries

Sehwag, who is a legends of the game himself, called Kohli his favourite batter due to his knack to chase targets. "Kohli is a master of chases “, Sehwag said. He is very good in chases and he seems to get the job done every time."

Why Kohli Pipped the Master Blaster?

Sehwag has a lot of respect for Tendulkar but he has ranked Kohli as No. 1 for his consistency and match-winning ability along with the phenomenal record Kohli has in ODIs.

The Indian trails No. 1 Sehwag, who is hailed as the greatest ever batter. “It’s because Tendulkar is my idol,” Sehwag said. “He is my biggest batman I have ever seen. He taught me a lot about how aggressive you can be up there at the top of the order."

At No. 3, Sehwag chose former Pakistan middle-order batter Inzamam-ul-Haq, who reigned in the 1990s and 2000s. His top two were Indian batters — Sachin Tendulkar at No. 2 and Virat Kohli at No. 1.

The rest of the three batters on Sehwag's shortlist are:
3. Inzamam-ul-Haq
4. AB de Villiers
5. chris Gayle

"All these batters are legends, Sehwag said. “They all have a legacy in ODI cricket.”
Virender Sehwag has jaw-dropping stats of his five ODI batters. Sachin Tendulkar is still the leading run-scorer in ODI as he amassed 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23 across 463 matches. Now the guy with the more hundreds than anyone (50) in limited-overs cricket is Virat Kohli with 13,963 runs at an average of 57.93 with a strike rate of 93.52 in 297 matches. Seventh on 11,739 runs at 39.52 and strike rate of 74.24 in 378 matches. The only batsman to have scored 9,577 runs at an average over 50 and a strike rate over 100 or above is AB de Villiers, who had 228 ODIs with an average of 53.50 and a strike rate of 101.09. Gale who was an explosive batter scored 10,480 runs in ODIs at an average of 37.83 at a strike rate of 87.19.

Kohli takes top spot, Tendulkar at No. 2 🤯@virendersehwag reveals his Top 5 ODI batters 🔥

Watch now 👉🏼 pic.twitter.com/3qIf1nmlDN

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) February 17, 2025

Sehwag's statement will invite controversy but only proves the greatness of both Kohli and Sachin. Both batters have achieved incredible things in ODI cricket and they are both deserving of a place in any all-time list.

Also Read : Indian Flag Missing at Pakistan Venue, Controversy Erupts

Road to the Final: IPL 2025 Playoffs Set to Ignite

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag is in the news for divorce rumours with his wife, Aarti Ahlawat, who have been married for more than 20 years.

The 46-year-old Virender Sehwag, who was famous for his explosive batting in every format, likes to keep his family relations private, but several media reports are indicating his divorce rumours.

See Also: Can Mohammed Shami play in next T20I?

Virender Sehwag and Aarti Ahlawat known each other since childhood

According to media reports, Virender Sehwag and Aarti Ahlawat have known each other since childhood. During Virender’s cousin’s marriage to Aarti’s aunt, Virender was just seven and Aarti was just five. In April 2004, Virender married Aarti. They have two sons. Aryavir was born in 2007, and Vedant was born in 2010. 

Talking about Sehwag’s personal life, previously the Indian opener posted some pictures of his family on the social media accounts, which he hardly does in recent years.

According to some recent media news, Sehwag and Aarti have been living separately for several months, and the divorce is likely to happen. However, there is no official information about this. Although Sehwag’s wife's Instagram account is private, she is using the name @aartisehwag. 

Virender Sehwag's international cricket career: Brief info

Between 1999 and 2013, Virender Sehwag played 104 Tests, 251 ODIs, and 19 T20Is. The right-handed batter scored 8586 Test runs (average 49.34), 8273 ODI runs (average 35.05), and 394 T20I runs (average 21.88). Apart from 23 hundreds and 32 fifties in his Test career and 15 centuries and 38 half-centuries in ODIs, he also recorded two half-centuries in the T20I format. Also, as an off-spinner, he took 40 Test wickets and 96 ODI wickets. 

Sehwag had key roles as an opening batter during MS Dhoni-led India winning the ICC World T20 2007 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Apart from scoring two triple centuries in Test cricket, he was the first ODI captain to record a double century, as he held the record for the highest individual score in ODI history for almost three years. He still holds the record for the highest ODI score as a captain.

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has shared details of a challenging period with former Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) director of operations, Virender Sehwag, during the IPL 2017 season. In his new book, Maxwell recounts the friction between him and Sehwag, highlighting issues related to team selection, management decisions, and a public fallout that ultimately led to a strained relationship.

Sehwag’s role in team decisions and Maxwell’s discontent

Maxwell, who captained PBKS during the 2017 season, detailed how Sehwag maintained significant control over team selection, sidelining input from the coaching staff. Despite a consensus to involve all coaches in a WhatsApp group for team decisions, Sehwag ignored suggestions and asserted his authority to pick the playing XI unilaterally. This approach, according to Maxwell, contributed to the team’s underwhelming performance that season.

In his book, Maxwell explained, “We thought it might be beneficial to include the coaching staff in a WhatsApp group for team decisions. Everyone was on board, except for Sehwag. In the end, he was the one calling the shots on the starting XI, and this affected the morale both on and off the field.”

Public fallout after loss to rising Pune Super Giants

Maxwell also recounted the aftermath of PBKS’s final game of the season against Rising Pune Super Giants, which they lost by nine wickets. Following the match, Maxwell volunteered to face the media, but Sehwag chose to go instead, using the opportunity to criticize Maxwell publicly, calling him a “big disappointment” and blaming him for failing to take responsibility as captain. Maxwell was surprised by this, especially when he found out that he had been removed from the team’s WhatsApp group soon after the game.

The former PBKS captain also mentioned his private response to Sehwag’s remarks: “I texted him saying how much it hurt to hear those comments. I told him he’d lost a fan in me. He responded, saying he didn’t need a fan like me. That was the last we spoke.”

See Also: Santner shines with record-breaking performance against India

Maxwell eventually left PBKS and played for other franchises, including Delhi Capitals in 2018 and later rejoining PBKS in 2020. Since 2021, he has been a part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with his future in the franchise still under consideration.

Chennai Super Kings suffered their sixth defeat of the season as Gujarat Titans bounced back with a 35-run victory in Ahmedabad. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan’s remarkable centuries propelled GT to a formidable total of 231/3, and the hosts successfully defended it by restricting CSK to 196/8, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

CSK’s chase began disastrously, losing their openers with just two runs on the board, including skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s early departure for a duck, leaving them reeling at 10/3. However, Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali staged a commendable fightback, forging a 109-run partnership to revive CSK’s hopes. But Mohit Sharma’s crucial breakthroughs halted their momentum, dismissing both set batsmen along with Shivam Dube. 

“We should end the debate around MS Dhoni’s batting position…” 

Rashid Khan further compounded CSK’s woes by claiming two vital wickets, leaving them in a precarious position.

“We should end the debate around MS Dhoni’s batting position. He knows what he wants to do. It’s his wish. But if you want to win the match, the form he is in, and the strike rate that he’s batting at… the other batters need to play at a similar level. It felt today that Mitchell and Ali couldn’t match Sudharsan and Gill. Someone has to score a 100. Or Jadeja and Dube had to score a 20-ball fifty to get close to the target,” Sehwag said.

“I don’t want to get into the debate. Wherever he bat, it’s fine. He played fine, entertained the public, who cares if they win or lose? He entertained public, that’s it,” Sehwag further said.

Performance does not lead to the result as CSK defeated by GT 

In a valiant effort, MS Dhoni showcased his batting prowess with three towering sixes in the final over, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the match for CSK. The debate over Dhoni’s batting position has been a topic of discussion throughout IPL 2024, especially after his appearance at no.9 in the previous match against Punjab Kings.

“Like just hitting sixes and fours, which he has done pretty well. And keep as well as some of the best in the competition if not the best in the competition. So don’t underestimate his influence on the team just because he comes in at No. 9. There’s a timing aspect, but we’re very wary of what he can give us. And we’ll max that out,” Fleming was quoted.

“But we don’t want to max that out where we lose him. So it’s a delicate balance, but trust me, his best interest is with us, and his interest [is] in performing well for us is still very high. To put the nation at ease – he’s okay,” he added.

See Also: Sourav Ganguly speaks about KL Rahul-Sanjiv Goenka controversy

Virender Sehwag weighed in on the debate, suggesting that CSK should reconsider Dhoni’s position given his current form. However, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming emphasized Dhoni’s significance to the team, highlighting their efforts to manage his workload and avoid unnecessary pressure. Despite the defeat, CSK remains confident in Dhoni’s ability to contribute effectively to the franchise.

Former India player Virender Sehwag has called for giving free tickets to children for non-India games at the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. However, the opening fixture of the 2023 ODI World Cup between England and New Zealand started in front of almost empty stands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad today (October 5) as well.

However, the mere presence of spectators at the World Cup grabbed the eyeballs of the wider cricket public as people opined on how the BCCI and ICC’s mismanagement of the scheduling and ticketing process led to the situation where the tournament started in front of largely empty stands as well.

It is also noteworthy that, the Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in the world with a capacity of around 132,000 people, which makes it look relatively empty even if there were fans in the stadium as well. Meanwhile, this could be a fact of the poor attendance for the match that the first match is being played on a weekday without India playing in it as well.

And, Virender Sehwag joined in on the discussion about the empty stands and stated that providing free tickets to school and college-going children for games not involving India at the World Cup could help as well.

“Hopefully after office hours, there should be more people coming in. But for games not featuring Bharat (India), there should be free tickets for school and college children,” said Sehwag. “With the fading interest in 50 over game, it will definitely help that youngsters get to experience a World Cup game and players get to play in front of a full stadium.”

However, a few days back, the new MCC President Mark Nicholas has also said that MCC “strongly believes” that ODIs should be restricted only to World Cups as well. “We think it’s difficult bilaterally now to justify them. They’re not filling grounds in a lot of countries,” said Nicholas.

Without captain Shikhar Dhawan, the Punjab Kings are currently in trouble. The team was chasing a target of 175 runs in their most recent match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, but they were bowled out for just 150 runs. 

Sam Curran, who was in charge of the team when Dhawan wasn’t there, didn’t do much with the ball or the bat

The English all-rounder was run out for a small 10 runs off 12 balls, and previous Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag was incredulous of his exhibition.

Sehwag, in his examination, was scorching towards Curran, particularly for his dynamic that prompted his run out. The former Indian opener also emphasized Curran’s lack of experience in comparison to Dhawan’s. Curran is one of the most sought-after all-rounders in the game. He was purchased at the auction for a staggering INR 18.50 crore, making him one of the tournament’s most expensive players.

“He’s an international player. But you can’t buy experience with 18 crore. It only comes when you play, when your hair turns white as you play under the hot sun,” .

Sehwag said on Cricbuzz’s show

“We think just because he was bought for 18 crore, he will win you matches. But he doesn’t have that experience yet. It was poor running, there was no need for that. You’re captain, you should’ve stayed, tried to take it to the final overs. But again, the lack of experience cost him,”

the former India and Punjab Kings opener further said.

The Kings’ loss against the Royal Challengers pushed them down to the seventh spot in the points table, with three wins and three losses in six matches. Even though the season isn’t over yet, the team is probably hoping that Dhawan’s quick recovery will help them get good results the rest of the way.

In IPL 2023, Chennai Super Kings‘ bowling performance was subpar. Their bowlers have not quite been able to choke the opposing batters, despite their towering scores when batting first. After putting 227 runs on the board in their match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday, CSK had to fight until the very last over to win the match by 8 runs.

Their seam attack has been weakened by injuries to key bowlers like Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sisanda Magala, Ben Stokes, and Simarjeet Singh, but discipline and accuracy have been the primary concerns.

In this IPL, CSK bowlers have bowled multiple wides and no-balls

They bowled six wides on Monday, even against RCB. Captain MS Dhoni, who is known to be one of the calmest cricketers in the game, was forced to issue a warning due to the extras issue with the CSK bowlers.

“They’ll have to bowl no no-balls and fewer wides. We are bowling too many extra deliveries and need to cut them out otherwise they’ll be playing under a new captain,”

Dhoni had said after beating LSG earlier this month.

In that time, CSK had bowled 13 wides. The number has decreased, but it has not yet reached a level that is manageable. Virender Sehwag, a former India opener, stated that Dhoni, the captain of CSK, will soon face a suspension for his numerous slow over-rate offenses if this trend continues.

“Dhoni was not looking happy because he has mentioned before that he wants the bowlers to reduce the number of no-balls and wides. CSK had bowled two-three years of extra and against RCB, they bowled another extra over. It shouldn’t go to a stage where Dhoni gets banned and CSK has to take the field without their captain. With the kind of knee injury he has, it appears he might play only a handful of matches more anyway. He is constantly pushing himself but if his bowlers are bowling so many wides and no-balls, then Dhoni will have to take rest,”

Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

Yet again Tushar Deshpande, who has been offered the most additional items for CSK in the current year’s IPL, bowled three wides against RCB however Sehwag was more annoyed with spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

“It is especially disheartening to see the spinners bowl wides. These are things under your control,”

he said.

Sehwag described CSK’s bowling attack as “weak” and stated that the four-time champions’ continued participation in the tournament would be difficult if they were unable to resolve the issue quickly.

“I’ve been saying from day 1 that CSK’s bowling is weak. They need to work in that department. But what more can they do? They will have to use whatever resources they have this season. The bowlers have to be more accurate. If you look at their performance against RCB, they bowled 30-35 dot balls so they didn’t let RCB score a run in six overs. Despite that, they ended up conceding 218 because they leaked far too many sixes and fours,”

he added.

Virender Sehwag, one of the greatest batters in the history of Indian cricket, was widely revered as one of the most explosive batters of his time. Apart from being known for his explosive batting, Sehwag was one of the few Indian batters who could make an impact with the ball as well.

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag recently revealed in an interview that he got extremely angry with current Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli for denying him a potential milestone during a match

Sehwag, known for his aggressive batting style during his playing days, recalled an incident during a match against Sri Lanka in 2009 where he was batting on 99 and was confident of reaching his century.

However, Kohli, who was batting at the other end, refused to take a single on the last ball of the over and instead, chose to face the first ball of the next over. Sehwag was left stranded on 99 and missed out on a well-deserved century. Sehwag expressed his disappointment and frustration at Kohli’s decision, stating that he could have easily taken the single and allowed him to reach the milestone.

Sehwag further added that he had always played for the team and would have done the same thing for Kohli had the roles been reversed. However, Kohli’s decision left him feeling angry and let down. He also acknowledged that Kohli has since become a great player and a good captain for the Indian team.

Sehwag said that there were times when he cherished a bowling milestone, to the point that there was an occasion when he shouted at a young Virat Kohli for dropping a catch off his bowling.

“I don’t know about magic, but I did get some big batters out with my bowling. Ponting, Hayden, Hussey, Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Dilshan, and Lara are some of the top batters. I once dismissed Gilchrist round his legs in Perth. The big ones did fall to me sometimes,”

Sehwag told Ranveer Allahabadia in a video on his BeerBiceps YouTube channel.

“I actually felt quite sad when Virat Kohli once dropped a dolly off me at midwicket once. I would have probably got to some bowling milestone, but he ended up putting it down. I got so angry, probably far more than when I missed a triple century. I told him come on man, you should have caught that,”

he continued.

Sehwag’s comments have sparked a debate among cricket fans, with some criticizing Kohli’s decision while others defend it, citing the need to play for the team’s cause. While milestones are important, cricket is ultimately a team game, and decisions like these are often made based on the situation and the team’s requirements.

In conclusion, Sehwag’s revelation serves as a reminder that cricket, like any other sport, is filled with moments of disappointment and frustration, and it is important to learn from these experiences and move on. As for Kohli and Sehwag, they have both moved on to different stages of their careers and remain two of India’s greatest cricketers.

Virender Sehwag, the swaggering former Indian opening batsman, is considered one of the greatest entertainers in cricket history. His destructive batting style and fearless approach raise his fan following all around the world. But like every cricketer, Shewag’s career also has its ups and downs, and one of the most tumultuous periods in his career was during his time as a member of the Indian Cricket team under coach Greg Chappell.

However, Sehwag was seen as the natural successor to Sourav Ganguly as the captain of team India Cricket team

Sehwag had already proven himself as a great leader, having led India to a test series victory over South Africa in 2005. But things started to collapse and unravel under Chappell’s coaching.

Chappell, who was a former Australian cricketer, was known for his aggressive and disruptive coaching style. Even he was not afraid to make big changes and shake up the team without any hesitation. 

And this often led to clashes between players and other members of the coaching staff. Sehwag, who had been a crucial part of the team under Ganguly, found himself struggling under Chappell’s leadership.

In an interview, Sehwag opens up his mouth about the difficulties he faced during Chappell’s period. He stated that Chappell forced him to change his batting style and play in a defensive way. Sehwag who is attacking in nature is more difficult to play defensively. And Sehwag also found it difficult for him to adapt to the new playing style. He also adds that Chappell does not care about Sehwag’s concerns and doesn’t provide back support which he needed to succeed.

As a result, Sehwag struggled on the field and this led to his being dropped from the team. He said that this was the bad phase of his cricket career and he felt that he lost his fan support. But he also that this experience helps him a lot and helped him to become a great long-time player for team India.

Quite apart from his difficulties, Sehwag persisted in working hard and raising his level of play.  He also added at last foreign coaches may not be the best option for team India. 

“I have always believed that in our country, we have good coaches who can manage the Indian team. Hence, we don’t need foreign coaches. But when I was playing, I asked this question to my seniors ‘Why do we need another foreign coach after John Wright?’. All of them, who had spent a lot of time with Indian coaches, said that Indian coaches at times get biassed towards players – some become favourites and those who don’t are pushed at the end of the line. So when a foreign coach comes, he will look at them differently. But to be honest, even a foreign coach can feel the pressure of dealing with a Tendulkar or a Dravid or a Ganguly or a Laxman,”

Sehwag said.