Babar Azam And Virat Kohli Records, MS Dhoni Return- May 17 Cricket Highlights

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli [Source: AFP]

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli both scaled significant batting records in international cricket and in IPL respectively. In other news, MS Dhoni will likely be making his return to the CSK playing XI for the match against the SRH.

Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Sunday, May 17.

Babar Azam achieves major batting record this decade

Babar Azam struck 68 runs off 84 balls in his comeback Test against Bangladesh. The legendary Pakistan batter belted 10 boundaries to top-score for Pakistan in their first innings on Day 2. Through the course of his knock, Babar completed 9,000 runs in the ongoing 2020 decade, becoming the first batter in the world to scale the landmark figure.

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He has aggregated 9,060 runs in 231 innings across all formats since January 2020.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes IPL six-hitting history

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blasted 46 runs off just 21 balls with five boundaries and three huge sixes against the Delhi Capitals in match 62 of the IPL 2026 season in Delhi. Through the course of his top-order blitz, the blistering left-hander extended his tally to 43 maximums this season, the highest by any Indian cricketer in a single edition of the tournament.

He surpassed Abhishek Sharma’s previous record of 42 sixes he hit back in 2024.

Virat Kohli scripts another IPL record

Virat Kohli compiled 58 runs off just 37 balls against Punjab Kings in match number 61 of the IPL 2026 season. The RCB veteran smeared four boundaries and three huge sixes in his innings in Dharamsala.

Through the course of his match-winning knock, Kohli also completed 5,500 runs as an opening batter in IPL, thus becoming the first-ever opener to do so in the tournament.

RCB qualifies for IPL 2026 playoffs

The RCB franchise walloped Punjab Kings by 23 runs in match 61 of the IPL 2026 season. The outcome marked RCB’s ninth win this season at an expense of four defeats from 13 matches. With 18 points at a formidable NRR of 1.065, the defending champions are also fittingly placed at the top of the points table.

Fittingly, RCB has now officially qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs, thus becoming the first side of the season to confirm a place in the top four.

MS Dhoni likely to return vs SRH

Fans are speculating that MS Dhoni might make his return to the CSK playing XI for their upcoming final league game of the IPL 2026 season. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter is yet to play a single match this tournament owing to his injury concern.

However, fans spotted Dhoni leaving the team hotel in a fresh clean-shaven look as he headed straight for a practice session. CSK is scheduled to face SRH in Chennai on Monday, May 18.

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