New Delhi: Former Australia skipper Allan Border attended Kolkata Knight Riders‘ IPL 2026 home match against Rajasthan Royals, returning to Eden Gardens 39 after after he led his country to ODI World Cup triumph at the venue.
He was invited to rang the bell before the 28th match of the ongoing edition on Sunday and was joined by Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly.
Other top CAB officials were also present at the event as Border rang the bell to indicate start of the match. The bell was installed in 2016 and has since become a tradition before each match at the storied venue.
Former India skipper Kapil Dev was the first cricketer to have rung the bell when the tradition began. After Border did the honours, CAB presented the former left handed opener with a memento to acknowledge his contribution to the game and association with at the venue.
Australia defeated England by seven runs as Border made 31 runs off 31 balls with three boundaries in the final of the 1987 ODI World Cup for their maiden triumph in the 50-over quadrennial tournament.
When two cricketing greats come together! 🤝
Sourav Ganguly, President of CAB, meets Australian cricket legend Allan Border. A timeless moment of leadership, legacy, and pure cricketing class at the iconic Eden Gardens. 🏏✨#CAB #SouravGanguly #AllanBorder #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/MmB53q0qFV
— CABCricket (@CabCricket) April 19, 2026
Sooryavanshi impresses Border
Border praised 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose power hitting in IPL 2026 for Rajasthan Royals has astounded many seasoned eyes.
“I think Vaibhav’s a hell of a player. He has got a bit of (Brian) Lara in terms of flair. He’s going to make mistakes as a 15-year-old,” he said, as quoted by telegraphindia.com.
“Yeah, you may think at times, ‘Does he need to play that kind of a shot at that particular time?’ That sort of thing, but no doubt, he’s a very exciting person.
“At that age, it’s quite scary for him to have to show the purity and the confidence with the way he plays. He has got all the shots.
“I know it’s T20, so it’s not quite the cricket that you really get tested out in as a batsman. But he just looks like he’s got something special about him. Just that feel.
Sooryavanshi was Rajasthan’s top scorer with 46 off 28 balls though they eventually lost by four wickets.
“Some of the shots he plays are all very, very hard for someone of his age. Imagine when he grows into a young man… He’s just a boy,” the 70-year-old Border said.
The left handed Sooryaavanshi has exhibited blistering ability to lift bowlers and asked to comment on his technique, Border said: “… seems he comes a little bit across the stumps, but then just plays the appropriate shot for the ball.
“It’s like you’re hitting 360 degrees. So, a very, very good future, no doubt… We’re seeing something special.”