Tilak Varma returned to form in the most destructive way possible in IPL 2026 on Monday. After battling through a series of low scores such as 20, 0, 14, 1 and 8, Varma was back to his best as he slammed an unbeaten 101 off 45 balls. What made the innings special was the way it progressed. He was very slow off the blocks, scoring just 19 off the first 22 balls he faced. Over the next 23 deliveries, however, he smashed 82 runs. His innings included seven sixes and eight fours. At the end of the 14th over, when Varma was on 19, Hardik Pandya gave him an animated message on the pitch.

While it is not known what Pandya said, something clearly triggered Varma to unleash his destructive side. In the 15th over, bowled by Prasidh Krishna – before which Varma had not hit a single boundary – the left-handed batter began his assault, smashing one six and two fours. From there, there was no looking back.

Fastest hundreds for MI in IPL (by balls)

45 – Sanath Jayasuriya vs CSK, Wankhede, 2008

45 – Tilak Varma vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2026

47 – Cameron Green vs SRH, Wankhede, 2023

49 – Suryakumar vs GT, Wankhede, 2023

Tilak Varma-ಗೆ ಹುರಿದುಂಬಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ Hardik Pandya!

| #TATAIPL2026 #GTvsMI | LIVE NOW | ನಿಮ್ಮ Star Sports ಕನ್ನಡ & JioHotstar ನಲ್ಲಿ.#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/0TDzA1kNzM

— Star Sports Kannada (@StarSportsKan) April 20, 2026

Dddy Hardik Pandya did nothing just scored 15 from 16 balls n caught by Glenn Philips 💥 He just did this to Tilak Varma who is playing exceeding well 🏏#GTvsMI #MIvsGT #GTvMI #MIvGT #IPL #ShubhmanGill #HardikPandya #Rabada pic.twitter.com/DfFjmT2mBY

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— Cric_Lover 🏏 (@ankit_bhattar) April 20, 2026

Before Monday’s innings, Tilak’s poor form was one of the major talking points, as he had managed only 43 runs across his previous five outings. In all, he struck eight fours and seven sixes on the day, including a few over cover and several hits straight down the ground.

Pandya (15 off 16 balls) pushed Tilak to keep attacking but did little of note himself during their 81-run stand off just 38 balls. The final six overs yielded 96 runs, largely due to the ever-inconsistent Prasidh Krishna (1/54 in four overs), who conceded 41 runs in his final two overs.

This came after Kagiso Rabada (3/33 in four overs) got the ball to seam at a lively pace, blowing away the top order inside the powerplay to ensure that it was yet another below-par performance for the five-time champions, who had looked completely out of sorts.

Rabada, regarded as one of the legends of his generation alongside Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood, bowled a “Test-match length” – faster and fuller – while attacking the stumps to claim three wickets.

Danish Malewar (2) understood the gulf between domestic and world-class bowling as he failed to bring his bat down in time, with Rabada trapping him plumb in front of the stumps. Quinton de Kock (13 off 11 balls) did find one crisp square cut when Rabada offered width, but a short ball soon followed, causing him to balloon a pull shot that the bowler collected gleefully.

The best dismissal was arguably the one that set up out-of-form India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav (15 off 10 balls). Surya had clipped Rabada for a six over cow corner and followed it with a straight drive for four. Rabada responded with a bouncer – a 152 kmph delivery pitched on a fourth-stump line that jagged back sharply. With no visible footwork and the bat too far from the body, the delivery breached his defence and sent the stumps flying.

Naman Dhir, who scored a fifty in the previous game, attempted to resurrect the innings. He used Ashok Sharma‘s pace to pick up a couple of boundaries and kept the scoreboard ticking, though he never truly dominated the attack.

It was only after the strategic break that Tilak suddenly shifted gears and produced the most memorable knock of his IPL career – the fastest century ever scored by a Mumbai Indians batter in the history of the tournament. 

With PTI inputs

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The ⁠NBA ⁠Defensive Player of ⁠the Year award ​has been around since 1983, and in that time, no player has ​ever received 100% of the first-place votes for the award.

Victor Wembanyama is now the first.

The San Antonio Spurs superstar center received 100 first-place votes ​out ‌of a possible 100 to unanimously win the prestigious ⁠award, the NBA announced on Monday.

Wembanyama, a frontrunner for Most Valuable Player, led the league ‌in blocks (3.1 per game) for the third straight season ⁠in becoming the youngest player to ever earn the award (22 years, 98 days).

The two-time All-Star also averaged career highs in ​points (25.0) and rebounds (11.5) while chipping in a steal ‌per game for a Spurs team that compiled the second-best record in the league (62-20) and also ranked No. 3 in the league in defensive rating.

Read moreFrench NBA star Wembanyama faces weeks-long injury layoff

Wembanyama ‌secured 500 points in the voting and joined fellow Spur legend David Robinson in becoming the ​only two players since 1991-92 to win the award within their first three seasons.

That continues a remarkable tradition: a league-high four different ​Spurs players have now won the award a combined five times: ​Alvin Robertson (1986), Robinson, Kawhi Leonard (2015, 2016) and Wembanyama.

The Oklahoma ​City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren finished second in the voting with 239 points (76 second-place votes), while the ​Detroit Pistons’ Ausar Thompson finished third with 60 points (nine second-place votes). The Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert (41 points) and the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes (21 points) rounded out the top five.

“He changes the game so much,” Trail Blazers coach Tiago ⁠Splitter marveled Sunday after Wembanyama’s dominant effort in San Antonio’s playoff-opening 111-98 victory over Portland. ⁠

Wembanyama set ​a franchise record with 35 points in his playoff debut, adding two blocks on the defensive end for good measure.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

Next week, Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are set to collide in the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing, with the undisputed super-bantamweight title on the line.

Inoue is one of just three fighters to have become a multi-divisional undisputed world champion in the four-belt era, joined by only Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk in that extremely elite club.

At super-bantamweight, it took ‘The Monster’ just two fights to capture all four belts, defeating a pair of unified champions in Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales, and he has since gone on to defend his titles on six occasions.

Meanwhile, Nakatani vacated the unified bantamweight world titles and debuted up at 122lbs back in December, but underwhelmed on his divisional debut against Mexico’s Sebastian Hernandez Reyes.

As a result, fans are now expecting that Inoue will retain his titles once again, in what looks to be the toughest test of his career thus far. However, trainer Garcia warned on The Spit Bucket podcast that Nakatani’s power could prove less forgiving than that of the previous fighters who have dropped ‘The Monster.’

“He has a challenge against Nakatani. People might be counting him out but Nakatani is a very dangerous fighter. His style is one of those tough, strong fighters that has tremendous power.

“I think Nakatani is going to put up a great fight, he has got great power and Inoue has been dropped a couple of times. I don’t think that the fighters that Inoue has been dropped by are as good or have as much power as Nakatani has.

“He [Nakatani] is a solid guy, man, and he is going to put up a good fight. I still pick Inoue, yes, but it is going to be a really good fight.”

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Inoue has hit the deck against both Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas and will be hoping to prove more elusive when he and Nakatani collide on Saturday, May 2, at the Tokyo Dome.

Formula 1 has introduced a fresh set of rule adjustments to deal with concerns surrounding the new engine regulations brought in this season.

The latest power units, which split output almost evenly between combustion and electric energy, have drawn criticism from drivers who feel the heavy focus on energy management reduces the importance of driving skill. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has even suggested he may rethink his future in the sport due to frustration with the new system.

The updated rules focus on refining how engines are used, with the aim of allowing drivers to push harder during qualifying and limiting major speed gaps in races. Previously, there could be a difference of up to 470bhp between cars running full power and those with depleted battery energy.

Most of the changes are expected to take effect at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix scheduled for 1–3 May.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the approach as making careful, precise improvements rather than drastic changes.

“We all want the same thing – to improve racing, make it more competitive, and ensure safety,” Wolff said.

The revisions were agreed during a meeting involving F1 teams, the sport’s organisers, and the governing body FIA. Final approval is still required from the FIA World Council.

In qualifying, the new rules are designed to cut down on excessive energy saving and encourage drivers to maintain full speed more consistently. Previously, drivers often had to lift off the throttle early before corners to conserve energy – a method many described as unnatural.

The maximum energy recovery per lap has been reduced from 8MJ to 7MJ, lowering the need for energy harvesting. At the same time, the limit for energy recovery while at full throttle – known as “super-clipping” – has been increased from 250kW to 350kW.

According to the FIA, this should limit super-clipping to just two to four seconds per qualifying lap.

Additionally, the number of tracks where even lower energy limits may apply has been increased from eight to 12. These are usually circuits with long straights and fewer corners, where energy recovery is more difficult.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi‘s journey in IPL 2026 – and in Indian cricket – is turning out to be a special one. At IPL 2025, Sooryavanshi was an “unknown commodity”. However, after becoming the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket with a blistering 35-ball hundred for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Gujarat Titans (GT) in just his third game, he became a household name. This season, he has been more consistent than ever. The 15-year-old’s scores so far read: 52, 31, 39, 78, 0 and 46. His team RR are also placed among the top three on the points table. Sooryavanshi has also spoken about his desire to finish matches for his side.

RR have so far lost two of their six matches, with their latest defeat coming against Kolkata Knight Riders. After the match, Sooryavanshi appeared distraught and visibly frustrated. RR manager Romni Bhinder was seen handing him a phone after the game, as the young batter looked disappointed.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi was crying and frustrated on a call with his parents after losing the match against KKR. pic.twitter.com/el1pnBZaVe

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— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) April 20, 2026

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer has heaped praise on Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him a “spectacular talent” following his impressive performances in IPL 2026.

Speaking on JioStar’s show Believe after Punjab Kings’ emphatic 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants, Iyer highlighted Sooryavanshi’s immense potential.

While analysing young talents emerging in the league, Iyer was particularly impressed by the teenager’s batting technique and composure at the crease. He stressed that Sooryavanshi’s natural ability sets him apart from others at a similar stage of development.

The PBKS skipper further noted that the youngster’s batting rhythm and pre-delivery movement indicate a strong foundation, which could help him evolve into a consistent performer at the highest level in the coming years.

“He is a spectacular talent, and all the adjectives would pretty much fall short for him. The way he has that bat flow, the rhythm and momentum he creates before the delivery – I think he is one for the future,” Iyer said.

In the ongoing 2026 season, the RR opener has smashed 246 runs in six matches at a staggering strike rate of 236.53.

Shreyas Iyer also spoke about the strong team environment within the Punjab Kings squad and his interactions with young batters Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, emphasising the importance of backing natural talent and allowing players to express themselves freely at the highest level.

“We have a team room, which is probably there for every team. We try to spend a lot of time together there, before and after games, and whenever we have off days. We come together and build that bond,” Iyer said.

“Whenever I speak to them, my only message is: just be yourself. Don’t try to emulate, mimic, or be someone else.”

The PBKS skipper added, “When you are playing at this level and you are fearless and flamboyant in your own way, you don’t have to resemble or copy anyone. When you tell these guys that they are match-winners – both Prabhsimran and Priyansh Arya – it instils confidence in them. They can just go out there and play freely. They have been delivering for us, and hopefully, they continue to do so.

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In hindsight, Denny Hamlin wishes he would not have let Kyle Larson force him three-wide middle on the final restart on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Of course, if he could do it all over again, he also would likely have restarted on the outside as well.

That was the overall sentiment from Hamlin on Monday during the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, one in which he feels everything went against him in a race that looked like his to lose.

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He had just retaken the lead from Tyler Reddick with four laps to go and was half a lap away from taking the white flag when Cody Ware spun due to a flat tire. Then, he simply got beat on the restart but factors both in and out of his control.

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Even during the restart, Hamlin feels like he would have had a shot at winning if not for Tyler Reddick putting Christopher Bell into the wall and into his path.

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“Like, of the Reddick contact with Bell doesn’t happen, and I don’t get (driven) all the way down to the apron … Kyle (Larson’s) car was so bad those last two laps,” Hamlin said. “That’s what happens (extreme tight balance) when you put on (right sides) and have really old lefts. That’s why it looked like Tyler was superman. …

“I thought I was going to be three-wide with (Larson and Reddick) entering turn three because of the run I got on the top.”

As far as Larson taking him three-wide going into Turn 1, he wants a redo on that too.

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“I know, because I’ve been there before, that (Larson) is not going to push,” Hamlin said. “He’s going to try to get everything he can to go three-wide and I’ve just got to drive him down to the apron. ‘If you want to go three-wide, you have to go to the middle,’ and this is just a forewarning. …

“If this happens again, he’s going to have to go the middle. I will not let him. I will run to the apron or keep him on the apron next time. I will not get beat low at this racetrack again.”

So then, the fair and obvious question is why did Hamlin choose the bottom over the top as the control car driver. The data suggests the best restarts come from the bottom but that expects a push from behind that Larson was never going to give in that scenario.

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“Should have, I should have, as strong as I know my cars are on the top on mile-and-a-half tracks, I absolutely should have started at the top, no matter what,” Hamlin said. “I could hold more throttle than everyone else.”

So again, why didn’t he?

“The bottom is the preferred line,” Hamlin said. “The bottom wins by the numbers. The data says the bottom.”

Just not on the final restart as it turns out.

“People are not content pushing anymore,” Hamlin said. “Everyone is just going to go for themselves. And that’s where you have to just throw the numbers out.”

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Ultimately, Hamlin was extra disappointed because he knows next season is his final season, and this now makes two wins that got away from him in 2026 — Martinsville and Kansas.

“I took this one a little tougher because I just want to capitalize,” Hamlin said. “I’ve only got 60 races left and I just want to get these wins when I should be winning and it’s just not happening.

“It was the loose wheel at the end of Martinsville and a lot of stuff that’s not going great in the luck category or the creating your own luck category, which is what I chalk this up to.”

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Basilinna’s owners are pursuing yet another ‘win and you’re in’ race opportunity at the Mornington meeting.

Basilinna qualified for the Melbourne Cup ballot last season via her success in the Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington in May.

Trainers David and Emma-Lee Browne are open to targeting the Andrew Ramsden again, but prioritise the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday first.

Winning the Mornington Cup offers a ballot exemption to the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) scheduled for October.

The mare has had a brace of runs this preparation – 1800m and 2000m – and according to David Browne, the Saturday 2400m trip is a superior match for her.

Nevertheless, the trainer thinks she could be one start away from full fitness, impacted by a bone chip that cut short her prior spring and barred her from last year’s Melbourne Cup.

“She’s got a good soft draw so she should be able to sit in a good spot,” Browne said.

“Then we’ll need some luck getting out and hopefully there’s a bit of rain as that will help her out as well.

“A Soft 6 or 7, I would be happy, but if it stays a Soft 5, it’s still good for her.”

Browne has been happy with the mare’s two efforts this campaign, even though she was outclassed in those events.

She ended up last on her return in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield, then eighth in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 28 at Flemington.

“I thought her run in a high-pressure race, against very good company, was excellent last time,” Browne said.

“She beat the horses she needed to beat, and that’s all you can ask.

“She feels better than she ever has, so we’re pretty happy in that way but the hardest thing with her is she has been one run behind.

“When you take a chip out like we had to last year, that puts you behind because she was a bit burly to start with, so that is why we had to go to the Australian Cup to play a bit of catch up and get a run into her.

“The first two weren’t suitable races for her to go in, but I thought she did a good job.”

Following this weekend, Basilinna’s path forward is unclear.

She could head to the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) on May 7, or the Listed Andrew Ramsden at Flemington on May 16.

“If she went to Warrnambool, that might pull her up for the campaign as it is a pretty quick back-up to Flemington,” Browne said.

“I think we’ll play that last one by ear, whether we do both or pop her out.”

For the latest racing betting markets, visit trusted betting sites before the Mornington Cup.