Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old Bihar batting prodigy, shattered records in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 opener by becoming the youngest player ever to score a century in men’s List A cricket. At 14 years and 272 days old, he blazed 190 runs off 84 balls, including 16 fours and 15 sixes, against Arunachal Pradesh at JSCA Oval in Ranchi. His explosive 36-ball ton powered Bihar to a record-breaking 574 for 6, the highest total in List A history, eclipsing a 39-year-old mark previously held by Pakistan’s Zahoor Elahi.​

Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record-breaking rise

Suryavanshi reached his hundred in just 36 balls, the second-fastest in Indian List A cricket behind Anmolpreet Singh‘s 35-ball effort, while also claiming the fastest 150 in men’s List A history off 59 balls. This marked only his seventh List A appearance since debuting in December 2024, highlighting his meteoric trajectory in domestic cricket. Bihar’s innings featured three centuries, with Suryavanshi’s knock setting the tone in a dominant Plate League victory.​

The teenager’s exploits extend beyond List A. In April 2025, he grabbed global attention with a first-ball six on IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals, followed by a 35-ball T20 century against Gujarat Titans—the second-fastest in IPL history after Chris Gayle‘s 30-ball blitz. July brought another milestone: a 52-ball youth ODI hundred off 78 balls (143 runs) for India against England at Worcester, the fastest recorded in that format. Four months later, his 32-ball 144 in India A‘s Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 win over UAE ranked as the joint-fifth quickest men’s T20 ton worldwide.​

Suryavanshi’s Vijay Hazare heroics underscore his fearless approach, blending raw power with maturity far beyond his years. Experts now eye him as a future India star, drawing parallels to precocious talents like Shahid Afridi for his boundary-hitting prowess.​

Top 5 youngest list A centurions

1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Suryavanshi tops the elite list of youngest List A centurions, rewriting cricket’s history books at 14 years and 272 days on December 24, 2025. His Bihar innings displaced Pakistan’s Zahoor Elahi from the pinnacle, a record that stood for nearly four decades.​

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2. Zahoor Elahi

In second place, Elahi achieved 15 years and 209 days during the 1986 Wills Cup for Pakistan Automobiles against Railways. The off-spinner and lower-order batter shone domestically but struggled internationally, playing just one Test and 10 ODIs without notable success. Elahi’s ton symbolized an era of unearthed Pakistani talent in limited-overs domestic cricket.​

3. Riaz Hassan

Third is Afghanistan opener Riaz Hassan at 16 years and 9 days in 2018, scoring his hundred for Boost Region against Band-e-Amir in domestic one-day play. Born in 2002, Hassan has since progressed to international cricket, featuring in Tests and ODIs while representing Afghanistan’s emerging batting depth amid their Test nation status.​

4. Usman Tariq

Usman Tariq holds fourth spot at 16 years and 91 days in the 2000-01 Quaid-e-Azam one-day Trophy for Islamabad versus Gujranwala in Rawalpindi. The left-handed top-order batter debuted at 13 in 1996-97, amassing over 100 first-class games and multiple tons, including a swift 114 off 65 balls later in his career.​

5. Nasir Jamshed

Rounding out the top five, Nasir Jamshed scored 117 off 114 balls at 16 years and 92 days on March 8, 2006, for Karachi Dolphins against Lahore Lions. The stylish opener later played 48 ODIs for Pakistan, peaking with a 101 not out in a 2013 ODI hundred, though inconsistency curtailed his international career.​

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China is likely seeking to leverage the easing of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India to stabilise strained bilateral ties and, more strategically, to prevent a further deepening of New Delhi’s partnership with Washington, according to a new report by the US Department of War.In itsannual report to Congress, “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2025”, the Pentagon assesses that Beijing views the recent de-escalation along the India–China border as an opportunity to recalibrate relations with India at a time of sharpening geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific.

The report highlights that in October 2024, Indian leaders announced an agreement with China to disengage from the remaining standoff points along the LAC, just two days before a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.It states: “Developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India. In October 2024, Indian leadership announced an agreement with China to disengage from remaining standoff sites along the LAC two days before a meeting between President Xi and Indian Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the Brics Summit.”According to the Pentagon, the Xi–Modi interaction marked the start of monthly high-level engagements between the two sides, with discussions extending beyond border management to the “next steps” in the bilateral relationship. These included proposals on resuming direct flights, easing visa restrictions and reviving exchanges of academics and journalists, signalling a cautious effort to restore normalcy after years of tension.The report, however, underlines that Beijing’s motivations are viewed with suspicion in New Delhi. “China probably seeks to capitalize on decreased tension along the LAC to stabilize bilateral relations and prevent the deepening of U.S.-India ties; however, India probably remains skeptical of China’s actions and motives. Continued mutual distrust and other irritants almost certainly limit the bilateral relationship,” it says.Over the past few months, India and China have rolled out a series of people-centric measures following the formal end of the four-year military face-off in eastern Ladakh in October last year. India resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals in July, while both countries agreed to restart the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, resume direct flights, facilitate visas and commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Direct flights resumed in October.The Pentagon situates these moves within China’s long-term national strategy of achieving “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by 2049, including building a “world-class” military capable of “fight and win”. It reiterates that Beijing treats issues tied to sovereignty — including Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands and Arunachal Pradesh — as “core interests” that are not open to negotiation.The report also stated that US–China relations are “stronger than they have been in many years” under President Donald Trump, with Washington seeking stability through strength rather than confrontation. “We do not seek to strangle, dominate, or humiliate China,” it says, emphasising that US policy in the Indo-Pacific is aimed at deterring aggression and preserving a balance of power. The Department of War will therefore prioritise bolstering deterrence in the Indo-Pacific through strength, not confrontation.It added that President Trump aims for stable peace, fair trade and respectful ties with China, and that the Department of War would back these goals from a position of military strength, while working to maintain a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific that allows open and fair trade, shared prosperity and respect for all nations’ interests.(With inputs from PTI)

US stocks were largely steady on Wednesday, hovering close to record levels as investors navigated a holiday-shortened session ahead of the Christmas break.In early trade, the S&P 500 was flat, a day after closing at its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 51 points, or 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%, AP reported. Trading volumes remained light, with US markets set to close early at 1 pm Eastern on Christmas Eve and remain shut on Thursday, before resuming normal hours on Friday.Stock futures had pointed to a muted open, with futures for the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow Jones Industrial Average all little changed before the bell. Market participants continued to digest a mix of corporate news and economic signals in a thinly traded environment.Shares of Dynavax Technologies surged about 38% after French drugmaker Sanofi said it would acquire the California-based vaccine maker in a $2.2 billion deal. Sanofi plans to add Dynavax’s hepatitis B vaccines to its portfolio, along with a shingles vaccine currently under development. Sanofi shares were largely unchanged in premarket trade.On the macro front, investors awaited weekly data on applications for jobless benefits from the US Labor Department, a closely watched indicator of layoffs and labour market health. Recent data have pointed to easing hiring momentum even as jobless claims remain historically low.Markets are broadly pricing in expectations that the US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged at its January meeting, amid persistent inflation pressures and weakening consumer confidence linked to high prices. Retail sales have also shown signs of softening.Overseas, European markets were mixed at midday, with Britain’s FTSE 100 down 0.2% while France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.1%. Several global markets, including those in London, Paris, Hong Kong and Australia, closed early for Christmas Eve, while Germany’s markets remained shut for the day.Asian markets ended mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.1%, South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.2%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.2% and China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.5%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined nearly 0.4%, while India’s Sensex was down 0.1%.In commodities, gold and silver extended their rally after hitting record highs earlier this week, supported by geopolitical tensions. Spot gold rose to around $4,518 an ounce, taking its gains for the year to roughly 70%, while silver climbed 1.7%.In currency markets, the US dollar weakened further against the Japanese yen amid renewed talk of possible intervention by Japanese authorities, trading at around 156.04 yen. The euro eased slightly to $1.1787.Oil prices edged higher, with US benchmark crude adding 13 cents to $58.51 a barrel and Brent crude up 6 cents at $61.93, as traders monitored potential supply disruptions linked to Venezuela and Russia.

Drone view of Aravalli hills (ANI photo)

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday ordered states to impose a complete ban on new mining leases in the Aravallis and expand protected zones, a major move amid public outcry over the “new definition” of the mountain range.The Union environment ministry said the decision was aimed at the “conservation and protection” of one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, covering the stretch from Delhi to Gujarat. The directive seeks to safeguard the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the National Capital Region and to put an end to unregulated mining across the region.

As part of the announcement, the ministry instructed the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) to identify further zones across the Aravallis where mining must be prohibited, beyond those areas already notified by the Centre-based on ecological, geological and landscape-level assessments.The Centre also said it intends to expand the list of areas protected and restricted from mining across the range. For mines that are currently operational, state governments have been asked to ensure “strict compliance” with environmental safeguards and adherence to Supreme Court orders.On Monday, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference that “no new mining leases will be permitted, especially in core, protected and ecologically sensitive areas, including the NCR”.Responding to the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the “new definition” of the Aravallis, he said: “The ruling recognises and endorses the Government of India’s sustained efforts to protect the Aravalli range through scientific assessment, strict safeguards and initiatives such as the Aravalli Green Wall Project.”He further underlined the government’s efforts such as the expansion of Ramsar sites, afforestation drives and global recognition of India’s forest cover, adding that the BJP-led NDA government remains “firmly committed to balancing ecology and economy, while countering misinformation with facts and science”.The Supreme Court’s acceptance, classifying any landform in Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more from the local relief as Aravali Hills-sparked concern among several stakeholders, who fear the new definition could leave more than 90% of the range open to mining, as most landforms fall below the 100-metre threshold.

US unemployment benefit claims fell again last week, underscoring a labour market that remains broadly stable even as hiring momentum shows signs of cooling, according to data released by the Labor Department.Applications for jobless aid dropped by 10,000 to 214,000 for the week ended December 20, down from a revised 224,000 a week earlier, AP reported. The figure came in well below the 232,000 claims forecast by economists surveyed by FactSet. The weekly report was released a day earlier than usual due to the Christmas holiday.Initial claims are widely seen as a near real-time indicator of layoffs, and the latest reading remains within a range considered historically healthy.The data comes against a mixed backdrop for the US labour market. The government last week reported a net gain of 64,000 jobs in November, following a loss of 105,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, its highest level since 2021.October’s decline in payrolls was driven largely by a sharp fall of 162,000 federal jobs, as workers exited following fiscal year-end and administrative cutbacks under the Trump administration. Subsequent revisions also shaved 33,000 jobs off August and September employment figures.Since March, job creation has averaged about 35,000 a month, roughly half the pace seen in the year ended March, as businesses grapple with uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the lingering impact of elevated interest rates following the Federal Reserve’s aggressive tightening cycle in 2022 and 2023.Earlier this month, the Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points for the third consecutive meeting. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the move reflected concerns that the labour market may be weaker than headline figures suggest, adding that recent job data could be revised down by as much as 60,000.Several large companies, including UPS, General Motors, Amazon and Verizon, have announced job cuts in recent months, though such reductions often take time to be reflected in official data.The Labor Department’s report also showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims slipped by 750 to 216,750, smoothing out week-to-week volatility. Meanwhile, continuing claims — the number of people receiving unemployment benefits — rose by 38,000 to 1.92 million for the week ended December 13.