Danijones

IPL-17 | Starc unfazed by criticism, says lack of T20 experience could be reason for initial struggle

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Mitchell Starc bowls during the match against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League 2024, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI Australian speedster Mitchell Starc is not bothered about the criticism directed at him for not living up to his high IPL price tag but on Sunday admitted that his lack of T20 experience could be the reason for taking longer time to find his rhythm. Starc, the IPL’s highest buy at a whopping ₹24.75 crore, came up with his best show this season, claiming 3/28, including two wickets in the final over, that helped KKR restrict Lucknow Super Giants to a below par 161 for 7. KKR then chased down the target in 15.4 overs with eight wickets intact. Prior to Sunday, Starc took just two wickets in four matches with an average of 77 and leaked 11 runs per over as he drew widespread criticism. “I don’t read anything so that doesn’t bother me,” Starc said after KKR’s win at the Eden Gardens here. “I haven’t played a lot of T20 cricket in the last couple of years, so it’s probably taken me a little bit longer than I would have liked to get back into the rhythm of things and make a better impact. So today was nice in that regard.” Managing workload in T20 cricket and adjusting to the rigours of the IPL is not tough for Test cricketers, said Starc. “I’m 34, so I’m pretty good with my workloads. I’ve been doing this a long time, so that’s fine. “It’s T20 cricket. For the guys that play a lot of Test cricket, this is certainly a lot easier physically. It’s probably more getting used to the tactical side of it.” He said in T20 cricket, games come around so quickly that players can’t really think about what has happened. “We play again on Tuesday, and I think that’s a feature of T20 cricket, whether you have a good day or bad day. You quickly focus on the next game. “So far, we’ve started the season quite well as a group, and now we move on to Tuesday. “We kept them (LSG) under par with the way we bowled, and that showed through with the way that our batters went out there and did it pretty clinically in the end. So a pretty solid day for KKR,” he added.

IPL 2024: Rohit becomes first Indian to hit 500 T20 sixes, hits 2nd IPL ton in losing cause | Cricket

Danijones7 months ago7 months ago03 mins

Mumbai [India], : India and Mumbai Indians star batter Rohit Sharma became the first Indian to smash 500 sixes in T20 cricket. The ‘Hitman’ achieved this milestone during his side’s Indian Premier League match against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium. Rohit was at his vintage best in the match, scoring 105* in 63 balls. His knock was studded with 11 boundaries and five sixes. Amid the fall of wickets around him, the former Mumbai Indians skipper held the fort at one end, blazing away at a strike rate of 166.67. With these sixes, Rohit’s six tally has gone up to 502 sixes. The highest number of sixes in T20 cricket is by West Indies legend Chris Gayle , followed by WI all-rounder Kieron Pollard , Andre Russell and Colin Munro . In six matches this IPL season, Rohit has scored 261 runs at an average of 52.20 and a strike rate of over 167, with a century. Coming to the match, MI won the toss and put CSK to bat first. After Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra did not make much impact, Gaikwad and Shivam Dube stitched a 90-run partnership. Later, MS Dhoni came during the final over and a hat-trick of sixes took CSK to 206/4 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers for MI. Shreyas Gopal and Gerald Coetzee got a wicket each. In the run-chase, MI was off to a fine start, with Ishan Kishan and Rohit having a 70-run partnership. Rohit managed to score his second IPL ton, but did not get much support from the other end, except for another fifty-run stand with Tilak Varma . The Blue and Gold franchise ended with 186/6 on the board, losing by 20 runs. Matheesha Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. Mustafizur Rahman and Tushar Deshpande also got a wicket. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

IPL-17 | Not panicking, but we will have difficult conversations: K.L. Rahul

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

LSG wicketkeeper and captain KL Rahul during the IPL match against KKR at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul on Sunday said panic has not set within his team after two successive defeats, but stressed on the need to have some tough conversations within the group. LSG went down by eight wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders here, as the side is now placed fifth on the points table with six points from as many matches. “Not panicking, but you can’t put your feet up and hope results will go your way. We have to figure out where you are going wrong. We will have a few difficult conversations,” said Rahul during the post-match presentation. “The last couple of games, we have not been able to get more than 160, and that is something to think about, and see how we can get to the 180-200 run mark.” Being asked to bat first, LSG were limited to 161 and KKR chased down the target in just 15.4 overs. Analysing their batting, Rahul rued losing too many wickets upfront. “I think it was the other way round. The ball started nipping around a lot more after the lights came on. I can’t say we played bad shots, but the shots we played, we did not execute well,” he offered. “We kept losing wickets in bunches, and we left about 30 runs out there. If we kept wickets in our hand and had one of our top three-four batters through, we could have got a lot more runs. We got a few wickets but leaked too many boundaries.” The character of bowlers showed: Shreyas ============================== Meanwhile, KKR captain Shreyas Iyer credited the bowlers for the win. The triumph has allowed the two-time champions to maintain the second spot on the table with eight points from five matches. “The way we played, it was a comprehensive victory. We bowled well under pressure, and then, finishing off the game, it was the icing on the cake,” said Iyer. “It was important to bowl as many slower balls as possible. With the heat coming in, the wicket was a little dry, and we wanted to minimise the half-volleys, and we wanted the batters to use their power and clear the ropes. “That is what we were focusing on, and I feel we executed it phenomenally well. The character and attitude bowlers showed were exceptional.” The unbeaten partnership of 120 runs between Iyer (38 runs, 38b) and Phil Salt (89 off 47b) played a pivotal role in KKR’s success. Salt lauded Iyer for his support. “Shreyas was good in the middle and kept me on task. Good to have Shreyas back (in form).” The Englishman also credited the Eden Gardens wicket for making him feel at home. “Before the lights came on, I felt it was a little slower. When they came on, there was a bit more moisture to allow the ball to slide on, so it got a bit better for our innings. “In India, this (pitch) is probably the most similar to home (in England). The ball bounces a bit more, and you can aim squarer.”

Sharma ton goes in vain as Chennai beats Mumbai in IPL. Salt leads Kolkata to win over Lucknow | Cricket

Danijones7 months ago7 months ago09 mins

MUMBAI — Rohit Sharma’s eighth Twenty20 century overall went in vain as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Sunday. Sharma scored 105 not out off 63 balls but couldn’t help his side reach the 207-run target, with Chennai winning by 20 runs. MS Dhoni’s 20 not out off the last four balls of Chennai’s innings was the difference as the visitors scored 206-4 in 20 overs. Mumbai could only reply with 186-6. Earlier, Phil Salt’s 89 not out off 47 balls powered Kolkata Knight Riders to victory over Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens. With their respective wins, both Chennai and Kolkata are now equal on eight points. Kolkata has four wins from five games and is second in the points’ table with a superior net run-rate. Chennai has four wins from six games and is third. Put into bat, Chennai lost opener Ajinkya Rahane early for five runs. Skipper Rituraj Gaikwad and Sachin Ravindra added 52 off 37 balls for the second wicket. Gaikwad scored a second successive half-century, finishing with 69 off 40 balls, including five sixes and five fours. While he anchored the innings, Shivam Dube lit up the Wankhede with an attacking 66 not out off 38 balls. They added 90 runs off only 45 balls for the third wicket with Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya dismissing Gaikwad in the 16th over. Dube hit 10 fours and two sixes to propel Chennai’s score, but seemed to be losing steam at the death. Jasprit Bumrah finished wicketless but gave away only 27 runs in four overs. Dhoni then walked out to bat in the final over, perhaps for the last time at this ground, and smacked three consecutive sixes off Pandya. His finish helped Chennai cross 200 and set up the game. Mumbai got off to a speedy start with Sharma and Ishan Kishan putting on 70 runs in just 7.1 overs. Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana then pegged them back with a double breakthrough in the 8th over — first Kishan was caught at midwicket and then Suryakumar Yadav was caught at third man for a two-ball duck. Sharma and Tilak Varma rebuilt the innings with 60 off 38 balls for the third wicket. Mumbai was back in the chase, when Pathirana struck again to send back Varma. Chennai then put on the brakes with some clever bowling and field placing. Sharma, who had reached 50 off 33 balls, was starved of the strike and only faced another 30 balls despite being unbeaten at the end. He did manage to double his score, reaching 100 off 61 balls, but Mumbai kept losing wickets at the other end. Sharma hit 11 fours and five sixes, but his efforts went in vain. Pathirana finished with 4-28 from four overs. It was Mumbai’s fourth loss in six games this season. SALT TOO STRONG In Kolkata, Phil Salt smashed 14 fours and three sixes in his whirlwind knock as Kolkata won with 4.2 overs to spare. It finished on 162-2 in 15.4 overs, replying to Lucknow’s 161-7. It was a second consecutive loss for the Super Giants who are now fifth with six points from as many games. Salt’s second half-century of the season powered Kolkata’s chase from the very start, despite losing in-form Sunil Narine cheaply. Left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan did the early damage for Lucknow, dismissing Narine as well as 18-year-old batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi . The double breakthrough didn’t impede Salt who helped Kolkata to a powerful start of 42-2 in 3.1 overs. Salt and skipper Shreyas Iyer then put on 120 runs for the unbroken third wicket off only 76 balls. Salt reached 50 off 26, including eight fours and two sixes, and then accelerated even more. One of the sixes was spilt over the boundary at deep square leg in the seventh over, giving the batter a second chance as well as bonus runs. He took another 39 runs off the next 21 balls, with six fours and a six, en route to his highest IPL score. Salt’s previous best was 87 for Delhi Capitals last season. The keeper-batter had come into the Kolkata squad to replace compatriot Jason Roy, who had pulled out of the tournament for personal reasons. Iyer finished on 38 not out, with six fours, letting his partner do most of the heavy work. Lucknow had been restricted to yet another sub-par score on an even batting surface at the Eden Gardens. Nicholas Pooran top scored with 45 off 32, including four sixes, after Lucknow was down to 111-5 in 14.4 overs at one stage. Pooran helped his side squeeze 50 runs off the last 27 balls, and he had some help from Ayush Badoni who scored 29. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in the IPL, finally found some bowling rhythm and finished with 3-28 in four overs. Skipper Lokesh Rahul scored 39 off 27 balls, with three fours and two sixes, but couldn’t help relaunch Lucknow’s innings. MITCH MARSH INJURY The Delhi Capitals have confirmed that all rounder Mitch Marsh flew home to Australia after picking up a minor hamstring injury. Marsh is expected to rejoin the Capitals later in the tournament and the 32-year-old is not considered to be a doubt for the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean and US starting in early June. cricket: /hub/cricket This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

‘There’s a man behind the stumps…’: Hardik Pandya makes big comment on MS Dhoni after CSK win | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana delivered his standout IPL performance, claiming four wickets as the Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 20 runs in an electrifying match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.Put into bat first, CSK’s star allrounder Shivam Dube and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad showcased brilliant stroke play, each notching up half-centuries, propelling the five-time champions to a mammoth 206/4.In reply, Pathirana dismissed Ishan Kishan (23), Surya Kumar Yadav (0), Tilak Varma (31), and Romario Shepherd (1), finishing with figures of 4 for 28, limiting the Mumbai Indians to 186 for six in their allotted 20 overs.IPL: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPMI captain Pandya, who managed just 2 runs before being dismissed by Tushar Deshpande, acknowledged Pathirana’s pivotal role in CSK’s victory.Pandya also lauded the strategic acumen of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose aggressive batting display against him in the final four deliveries, yielding three consecutive sixes, proved decisive in CSK’s triumph.“It (target) was definitely gettable, but they bowled pretty well. Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there’s a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what’s working, that helps,” Pandya said after the match. “It (pitch) was holding up a bit and getting difficult. It was about batting well and keeping the intent. We were going quite well (in the run chase) till Pathirana came into the attack and took those two wickets,” Pandya added.“It was about what is best at that time, we could have done something different. I like to play percentage cricket, it would have been difficult for him (Dube) against seamers rather than spin. We are on the road for the next four games, need to play good cricket, need to keep the intensity high,” the MI skipper said.Mumbai Indians will next face Punjab Kings on April 18 in Chandigarh, while CSK will be up against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 in Lucknow.

IPL 2024, MI vs CSK | Dhoni and Matheesha Pathirana were the point of difference, says Hardik Pandya

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Hardik Pandya credited MS Dhoni and Matheesha Pathirana for being the point of difference between the 2 teams during the match between MI and CSK at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. CSK halted MI’s winning streak at their home ground as they registered an emphatic win to clinch their 4th match of the season. CSK trumped MI by 20 runs to have their first away win of the season. Hardik, during the post-match presentation, admitted that the total of 207 was definitely chaseable but lauded Pathirana’s efforts with the ball and mentioned Dhoni’s valuable guidance from behind the wickets. “Definitely, gettable. But they bowled pretty well and Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with their plans and used the longer boundary well. They got the hang of it, and they have a man behind the stumps telling them what’s working,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation. MI vs CSK: Match report | Highlights It was a comprehensive defence by CSK bowlers on the belter track of the Wankhede Stadium. Pathirana made a return to CSK after missing a couple of matches due to a niggle. He boosted CSK’s bowling attack by picking up 4 wickets and giving away just 28 runs. BABY MALINGA STUNS MI At one point, MI were racing away with the target as they lost no wickets for 70 runs. However, Pathirana in his very first over went on to dismiss Ishan Kishan. From there, MI kept on losing wickets as Rohit Sharma stood at the other end and went onto score a century. Pathirana registered his best IPL figures and was adjudged as the Player of the Match. Hardik also mentioned the difficulty in hitting against the pacers on this wicket and hoped for the team to come back in their next games. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule “The ball was slightly gripping, and they got ahead of the game. Until Pathirana came, we were on course for the total. It was just about what was best at that point (on whether they could have used a spinner to Dube?). For seamers, it was more difficult to hit on this wicket. We are now on the road for the next four games. If we are smart, we can get the goal we want,” Hardik added. DHONI’S BLITZ AT WANKHEDE The highlight of the El Clasico was Thala Dhoni’s arrival at the crease and yet again finishing off in style at Wankhede, but this time for CSK. Hardik was slammed for 3 consecutive sixes on the trot and his fiery knock of 20 runs from last 4 balls propelled CSK to a winning total. Published By: Diya Kakkar Published On: Apr 15, 2024

‘Those three sixes proved to be the difference’: Ruturaj Gaikwad praises MS Dhoni’s epic cameo | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad hailed the young wicketkeeper MS Dhoni for his exceptional performance, particularly his feat of hitting three successive sixes off Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.Gaikwad recognised Dhoni’s pivotal contribution, acknowledging that it ultimately made the decisive difference in the match.Dhoni scored 20 runs off four balls, and that proved to be the exact margin of victory for CSK.Set 207 for victory, five-time winners Mumbai finished on 186/6 even though Rohit Sharma raised his ton in 61 balls.IPL: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPDhoni arrived in the middle with the scorecard showing 186/4 in 19.2 overs, and in no time, vintage Dhoni (20 off 4 balls) made the scoreboard read 206/4 in the stipulated 20 overs, with the help of three massive sixes and a double off the last ball of the innings. “The young wicketkeeper scoring those three sixes helped us a lot, that proved to be the difference. We needed those 10-15 extra runs for this kind of venue. In the middle phase, Bumrah bowled really well. I feel we were spot on with our execution with the ball despite them scoring some great shots. I would have taken 6 overs 60 at the powerplay,” Gaikwad said at the post-match interaction.“You need to be on the mark with bowling and batting at this venue. Our Malinga bowled really well today, he nailed those yorkers. Not to forget, Tushar and Shardul also did well. (On plans ahead) I think we need to keep it simple, encourage all to be in a good headspace and continue the same way. Jinks was carrying a bit of a niggle, so thought it was better for him to open. I’m fine batting anywhere, plus it is the added responsibility as the team captain,” Gaikwad added.Gaikwad and the in-form Shivam Dube powered Chennai, who won their fifth title last year, to 206/4. Gaikwad hit 69 and Dube smashed an unbeaten 66 before warhorse M.S. Dhoni smashed three successive sixes in the 20th over to take Chennai past 200.Sri Lanka quick Matheesha Pathirana then took four wickets to push Mumbai to their fourth loss of the season.

Premier League: Arsenal’s Title Bid Rocked By Aston Villa Loss

Danijones7 months ago07 mins

Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes suffered a massive blow as Aston Villa struck twice in the closing stages to boost their top four bid with a dramatic 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Mikel Arteta’s side would have gone back to the top of the table with a victory, but instead they surrendered the initiative to Manchester City after conceding two goals in the last six minutes. Leon Bailey put the visitors ahead and Ollie Watkins doubled their lead as Villa boss Unai Emery enjoyed a second sweet win this season over the club that sacked him in 2019. Arsenal’s first defeat in 12 league games leaves them in second place, two points behind City, while third placed Liverpool are behind Arsenal on goal difference. With just six games left, champions City are closing in on an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League crown. City’s rout of Luton on Saturday had knocked Arsenal out of first place. But the Gunners should have been on a high after Liverpool suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace just half an hour before kick-off in north London. Instead, Arsenal produced a spluttering display that could prove fatal to their challenge for a first English title in 20 years. It has been a dispiriting week for the Gunners, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, setting up a tricky trip to Germany for the second leg on Wednesday. After blowing an eight-point lead in the title race last season, Arsenal are in danger of squandering the advantage yet again. Villa had moved up to fourth place without kicking a ball after Tottenham’s thrashing at Newcastle on Saturday dropped them below Emery’s men on goal difference. And Villa’s second win in six league games moved them three points clear of Tottenham, who have a game in hand in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish. Arsenal had started brightly and Kai Havertz’s low drive was palmed away by Emiliano Martinez before Gabriel Jesus headed into the side-netting from Bukayo Saka’s cross. Accelerating onto Martin Odegaard’s pin-point pass, Saka took aim from inside the area, but couldn’t test Martinez from an acute angle. Watkins should have put obdurate Villa ahead when he was allowed to break into the Arsenal area unimpeded for a low strike that cannoned back off the post and ricocheted along the goalline to safety. Just seconds later, Arsenal were repelled by Martinez’s superb reflex save after Leandro Trossard met Jesus’s cross with a close-range shot that appeared destined for the net until the Argentine keeper stuck out a foot to block it. As Arsenal’s pressure mounted, Saka curled narrowly past the far post from 12 yards. But superbly-organised Villa remained resolute, reaching half-time on level terms before Youri Tielemans was inches away from giving them the lead on the hour. Robbing the careless Zinchenko 20 yards from goal, Tielemans unleashed a blistering shot that hit the bar, then bounced onto the post before cannoning to safety. Martinez pushed away Jesus’s shot from the edge of the area, but Arsenal were labouring to unlock a Villa defence expertly marshalled by Diego Carlos. The Emirates crowd grew increasingly frustrated as Villa pushed Arsenal back in the closing stages. And their fears were confirmed in the 84th minute when Emery’s men snatched the lead. Lucas Digne’s low cross eluded Arsenal defenders William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, leaving Bailey with the simple task of slotting into the empty net from close-range. Two minutes and 26 seconds later, Watkins delivered the knockout blow, stealing the ball from Emile Smith-Rowe and clipping a delicate finish past David Raya for his 10th goal in his last 11 league games. Emery celebrated with a jubilant jig on the touchline, while Arteta stood ashen-faced as Arsenal faced up to a catastrophic loss. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

IPL 2024 Points Table, Orange Cap, Purple Cap: Chennai Super Kings’ Win Over Mumbai Indians Benefits Punjab Kings

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

IPL 2024: CSK beat MI by 20 runs on Sunday.© BCCI Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana’s best IPL figures overshadowed Rohit Sharma’s fighting century as Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 20 runs in the match at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Despite Rohit’s heroic unbeaten century, Mumbai remained well short of the target set by Chennai. Pathirana dismissed Ishan Kishan (23), Suryakumar Yadav (0), Tilak Varma (31) and Romario Shepherd (1) to register figures of 4 for 28. MI were restricted to 186 for 6 in response of CSK’s 206 for 4. The result of the game saw only one change in the points table with MI slipping to number 8 and Punjab Kings rising to the 7th spot. Earlier in the day, Kolkata Knight Riders had defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 8 wickets. CSK, despite the win on Sunday, remained at the third spot. Meanwhile, KKR held the second position with as many points as CSK but with a better net run rate. Check IPL 2024 Points Table here: Virat Kohli remained at the top of the run-scorers chart with 319 runs from 6 games, while Yuzvendra Chahal led the wicket-takers’ list with 11 wickets from 6 matches. Top run-scorers: Leading wicket-takers: After leading CSK to win over MI on Sunday, Matheesha Pathirana bagged the Player of the Match award. “When we were bowling in the powerplay, I was pretty nervous. I was told to keep it calm and do my thing, that gave me the confidence today. I don’t think too much about results, just concerned with my execution. If I execute, I will get my rewards. Sometimes I have to change my plans depending on the batters. I was struggling with a bit of a niggle two weeks ago, but the support staff all backed me and that’s been the main reason for my form,” said the Sri Lankan pacer. Topics mentioned in this article

Ruturaj Gaikwad Shatters KL Rahul’s Record To Claim Huge IPL Milestone

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Mumbai (Maharashtra) : Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad completed 2,000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, becoming only the fourth player from his franchise to do so. The 27-year-old accomplished this milestone against arch-rivals the Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Playing what was perhaps his most fluent knock of the season, Gaikwad scored 69 in 40 balls. His knock was decorated with five boundaries and five majestic sixers. His runs came at a strike rate of 172.50. In 58 IPL matches, Gaikwad has made 2,021 runs at an average of 39.62 and a strike rate of 134.91. He has scored a century and 16 fifties in 57 innings, with his best score being 101*. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in the IPL for CSK behind Faf Du Plessis (2,721 runs in 92 matches), MS Dhoni (4,547 runs in 226 matches) and Suresh Raina (4,687 runs in 176 matches). He is the fastest Indian to reach the milestone in just 57 innings and the overall third fastest behind Chris Gayle (48 innings) and Shaun Marsh (52 innings). Gaikwad’s finest season with CSK, a franchise he has represented since his debut in 2020, was the 2021 season. In that season, he scored 635 runs in 16 matches at an average of 45.35 and a strike rate of 136.26, with a century and four fifties. He won the ‘Orange Cap’ for most runs and also the fifth IPL title for the ‘Men in Yellow.’ This season, Gaikwad has so far scored 224 runs in six matches at an average of 44.80 and a strike rate of just over 130, with two half-centuries. His best score is 69, making him the seventh-highest run-getter this season. Coming to the match, MI won the toss and put CSK to bat first. After Ajinkya Rahane (5) and Rachin Ravindra (21 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six) did not make much impact, Gaikwad (69 in 40 balls, with five fours and five sixes) and Shivam Dube (66* in 38 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) stitched a 90-run partnership. Later, MS Dhoni (20* in four balls) came during the final over and a hat-trick of sixes took CSK to 206/4 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya (2/43) was the pick of the bowlers for MI. Shreyas Gopal and Gerald Coetzee got a wicket each. Topics mentioned in this article