Chennai Super Kings

Truth Behind MS Dhoni's No. 9 Decision Out, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan Made To Eat Words

“He Likes To Build Drama A Bit’: CSK Batting Coach Michael Hussey On MS Dhoni’s Retirement Plans

Danijones11 months ago03 mins

File photo of MS Dhoni.© BCCI As IPL 2024 is nearing its conclusion, the talk about MS Dhoni’s retirement plans is also picking pace once again. Speculations were rife last year that Dhoni would call time on his IPL career but the then Chennai Super Kings captain, instead, expressed desire to continue playing for the side. While reacting to a question regarding the retirement plans of Dhoni, former CSK batter and its current batting coach Michael Hussey said that he himself has no idea about it. Hussey gave the statement while speaking to Around The Wicket podcast. He added that Dhoni likes to “build the drama a little bit as well”. When asked if Dhoni would be back next year, Hussey said, “Your guess is as good as mine at this stage. “He keeps his cards very, very close to his chest. We are hoping he does keep going. “He is still batting so well. He does prepare well – he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really.” Dhoni has been coming lower down the order to bat this season as he is suffering from a knee issue. “I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament,” said Hussey. “From a personal point of view, I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So I wouldn’t expect a decision anytime soon,” he added. CSK are still alive in the race to IPL 2024 playoffs. Their last league match is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 18. Topics mentioned in this article

Virat Kohli in a zone where no bowler can trouble him: Mohammad Kaif | Cricket News

Danijones11 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on Virat Kohli, stating that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener has reached a state of focus where no bowling match-up can disturb him. Kohli has been in exceptional form in IPL 2024, displaying his prowess and determination.RCB are set to face Chennai Super Kings in their final league game in Bengaluru on Saturday.The hosts need to secure a victory with a decent margin to surpass their opponents and clinch the final playoff berth based on net run rate.Speaking on Star Sports, Kaif likened Kohli’s current form and mindset to that of a monk in deep meditation, undisturbed by external distractions.”When a hermit goes to the Himalayas, he is in a different zone when he is meditating. Nothing distracts him. Whether there is a loud noise, someone shouts or cries, it doesn’t make a difference. Virat Kohli has reached that zone,” Kaif said.“He is not seeing the scorecard and is just in his zone and concentrating. He knows the intent with which he needs to play no matter which bowler, whether it’s a fast bowler or a spinner, is in front of him. No matter which bowler comes, he has reached a zone where there is no match-up,” the former India batter added. Kohli is the highest run-getter in IPL 2024, amassing 661 runs at a strike rate of 155.16 in 13 games. Kaif emphasized that Kohli is driven by a desire to lead RCB to victory.“He has come just to dominate. He has come with the passion that he will only be satisfied once he makes his team win, and that has been seen from the second match. In the first match against Chennai, he got out when he pulled a Fizz (Mustafizur Rahman) slower bouncer and (Ajinkya) Rahane took the catch,” he observed.“From the second match against Punjab, he came determined. He was jumping down the track and hitting (Kagiso) Rabada and playing slog sweeps against spinners. You talk about the fourth or fifth gear but he has reached the 15th gear. No one will reach that level,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.As RCB prepare for their crucial match against CSK, Kohli’s form and focus will be pivotal in determining the team’s chances of making it to the playoffs.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Today Match Prediction & Live Odds – IPL 2024

Vann Hiso11 months ago11 months ago06 mins

Get to Know Who will win Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2024 Match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, Playing 11, CBTFJSK Tips, Live score & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : May 18, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 19:30 IST / 14:00 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : M Chinnaswamy Stadium – Bengaluru, India𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : IPL 2024 Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Betting Tips Virat Kohli has been top notch with over 660 runs for RCB so far in 13 games. Back him as top batter for RCB. Mohammed Siraj has shown great form in last few games and the conditions will be favourable for him. He is a top choice for RCB best bowler.Ruturaj Gaikwad has also scored nearly 600 runs in the tournament and will be CSK’s best bet for leading run scorer. With 16 wickets, Tushar Deshpande has done well for CSK. In overcast conditions, Deshpande can pose serious challenge thus he is our pick for top wicket-taker for CSK.Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad have scored hundreds in the tournament while several other players from both teams have got close. There is a good possibility that a century can be scored in the match. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips, IPL 2024 RCB will play CSK in the 68th match of the IPL 2024. The game will be played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and will start at 7:30 PM IST on May 18th. RCB and CSK will face off in a virtual knockout for the final place in IPL playoffs. RCB are placed sixth on the points table, with 12 points, however, if they beat CSK, they will reach 14 points, on par with CSK. The fourth qualifier will then be decided by the net run rate. For RCB to topple CSK in run rate, they need to beat CSK by 18 or more runs or ensure they chase the target inside 18.1 overs. For CSK, the equation is pretty simple. The Gaikwad-led side just need a win to qualify for the playoffs. RCB have been in great form of late and they would certainly back themselves to get the better of CSK. However, the Yellow Army have been a stiff opposition to beat for RCB, who have lost 22 out of the 33 games against CSK. Another massive aspect to consider is the weather. As per the weather forecast, there is a prediction of heavy rain on the match day and if the match gets washed out, CSK will qualify for the playoffs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Match Toss PredictionChinnaswamy Stadium is not an easy ground to defend. Also, with rain around, captains will prefer to bowl. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Pitch ReportThe wicket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium will be good for batting, however, there is some rain around and the overcast conditions can help the fast bowlers get some swing and movement, making it a bit more challenging for the batters. Bengaluru Weather ReportThe weather is not very promising as there is over 80 per cent chance of rain on the match day. The IMD has issued an Orange Alert for Bengaluru on May 18. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings, Indian Premier League 2024

MS Dhoni bowls in nets ahead of CSK vs RCB clash | Cricket News

Danijones11 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni’s presence on the cricket field never fails to captivate fans, regardless of the outcome of the match. The mere sight of Thala stepping out to bat, even if it’s for a single delivery, is enough to send the crowd into a frenzy of joy and excitement.Ahead of the highly anticipated and do-or-die clash between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a video surfaced on CSK’s social media handle, showcasing MS Dhoni bowling during the practice session.The footage captured the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman bowling during the team’s net session. Is he going to enthrall fans with his bowling skills against RCB on Saturday?“When he bowls, just ADORABOWL!,” CSK posted on their social media handle. CSK batting coach Michael Hussey is hoping that Dhoni would continue with the team for a couple of years more, saying the former skipper was still batting well.The 42-year-old Dhoni surprised everyone by stepping aside as captain of the team just a day before the start of the 2024 season. Ruturaj Gaikwad was handed the reins of the side.“We are hoping he does keep going. He is still batting so well. He does prepare well – he gets into the camp very early and hits a lot of balls. He has been in good touch all season really,” Hussey said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show.“I guess we just got to try to manage him from the body side of things. He had a knee surgery after the last season. So, he has been managing that from the initial stage of the tournament.“I hope he keeps going for another couple of years. But we will just have to wait and see. He is the only one who will make that call. And, he likes to sort of build the drama a little bit as well. So, I wouldn’t expect a decision anytime soon.”Dhoni led CSK to record five IPL titles.

For Meeting MS Dhoni Mid IPL-Match, College Student Arrested For ‘Criminal Trespassing’

Danijones11 months ago03 mins

A college student has been arrested for criminal trespassing and illegal entry after invading the field to meet legendary cricketer MS Dhoni during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred during a match between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the stadium on Friday. According to police, the accused, identified as Jai Bharat, is a final-year BA student. Ahmedabad ACP Digvijay Singh Rana told reporters on Saturday that a case of trespassing and illegal entry has been registered against the accused student. “Yesterday, during the IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, a college student jumped onto the field and started running towards the pitch. There was a break during the match and the accused thought of meeting Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Constables present at the spot apprehended him,” ACP Rana said. “In the preliminary investigation, we found that he had no other intentions. A case has been registered against him for trespassing and illegal entry during the match,” he added. Recapping the match, CSK elected to field first after winning the toss. Sudarshan (103 in 51 balls, with five fours and seven sixes) and Gill (104 in 55 balls, with nine fours and six sixes) put on a 210-run opening partnership, which powered GT to 231/3 in their 20 overs. Tushar Deshpande (2/33) was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. In the run-chase, CSK was reduced to 10/3. Half-centuries from Daryl Mitchell (63 in 34 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) and Moeen Ali (56 in 36 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) temporarily posed a threat to GT with a 109-run partnership. But after that, CSK lost wickets regularly and was restricted to 196/8 in their 20 overs. Mohit Sharma (3/31) and Rashid Khan (2/38) were among the top bowlers for GT. Gill was given the ‘Player of the Match’ award. Topics mentioned in this article

Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Today Match Prediction & Live Odds – IPL 2024

Vann Hiso11 months ago11 months ago05 mins

Get to Know Who will win Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2024 Match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, Playing 11, CBTFJSK Tips, Live score & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : May 12, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 15:30 IST / 10:00 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : MA Chidambaram Stadium – Chennai, India𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : IPL 2024 Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Betting Tips Daryl Mitchell hit 63 runs from 34 balls in Friday’s defeat to Gujarat and the New Zealander is our tip for CSK’s highest run scorer against Rajasthan Royals. Tushar Deshpande took 2/33 in the last game and the pace bowler is well worth backing as CSK’s top wicket taker in this game.Skipper Sanju Samson was on form once again in the last game with 86 runs from 46 balls and he is well worth backing as Rajasthan Royals’ highest run scorer against CSK. Yuzvendra Chahal has 14 wickets across the campaign and he will enjoy bowling in Chepauk. He is our pick for Rajasthan Royals’ top wicket taker on Sunday.After an impressive last four years at all levels, we recommend backing Daryl Mitchell to hit the most boundaries in this game. Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips, IPL 2024 Chennai Super Kings go head to head with Rajasthan Royals in Match 61 of the 2024 Indian Premier League on Sunday afternoon. CSK were beaten by Gujarat Titans on Friday and have 12 points whereas Rajasthan Royals have eight victories and 16 points. Read on as we preview this match which gets underway at 15:30 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk at 15:30 local time on May 12th. Although CSK have been inconsistent this season and were beaten again on Friday evening, they are a different side at home in front of their own fans. This will certainly be a tough contest against Rajasthan Royals but, with their knowledge of home conditions, they will have an excellent chance to win. Rajasthan Royals have suddenly hit a run of poor form but they have more than enough talent across their squad to still finish the group stage strongly. We certainly expect them to be competitive again in this match and to push CSK all the way. Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Match Toss PredictionTeams batting first have won almost 59% of IPL games in Chepauk so our prediction is that the captains on both sides will want to bat first ahead of the toss. Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals Pitch ReportThe average first innings score at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is 164.66 but we expect a par score to be slightly above that in this game. There will be turn for the spinners and scoring quick runs during the middle overs could be tough on this pitch. Chennai Weather ReportSunny conditions are expected throughout this game on Sunday in Chepauk with the temperature at 33 degrees from start to finish. It will also be humid with the level above 70%. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, Indian Premier League 2024

‘When MS Dhoni comes to play…’: Rashid Khan after Gujarat Titans’ win over Chennai Super Kings | Cricket News

Danijones11 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Skipper Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan delivered exceptional centuries in a record-equaling opening partnership of over 200 runs, propelling the Gujarat Titans to a comfortable 35-run victory over the Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match on Friday. This win keeps Gujarat’s playoff hopes alive.Sudharsan scored 103 off 51 balls, hitting five fours and seven sixes, while Gill notched the season’s first century with a superb 104 off 55 balls, including six sixes.Together, they helped GT set an imposing total of 231 for 3 after being put into bat. The duo’s partnership of 210 runs for the first wicket matched the record set by Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul in 2022.In pursuit of the challenging target, CSK had a rocky start, but Daryl Mitchell (63 off 34) and Moeen Ali (56 off 36) shared a 109-run stand for the fourth wicket to keep the team in contention. However, the target proved too steep, and CSK were ultimately held to 196 for 8 in their 20 overs.“You love to watch those two (Gill and Sudharsan), really enjoyed the way they played, happy to be on the winning side though. Happy to get a couple of wickets, my body is feeling better. Had a back issue, it’s good and it’s better now, very soon I will be all fit,” Rashid said after the match.Despite a late surge from Mahendra Singh Dhoni with a quick 26 off 11 balls, it wasn’t enough to secure the win for the defending champions.Dhoni tonked a couple of one-handed maximums to enthrall the Ahmedabad crowd. Gujarat Titans spinner Rashid Khan, who claimed two wickets in his team’s win, was in awe of Dhoni and his fan following. “I have bowled against him (Dhoni), when he comes to play it’s a different feeling, it gives us a good energy, happy to play with him,” Rashid said.For Gujarat Titans, Mohit Sharma (3/31) stood out among the bowlers.

IPL-17: GT vs CSK | Gill, Sudharshan centuries take Gujarat Titans to huge total against Chennai Super Kings

Danijones11 months ago05 mins

Gujarat Titans openers Shubhman Gill and Sai Sudarshan scored brilliant centuries during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on May 10, 2024. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji Put into bat, Gujarat Titans openers Shubhman Gill (104) and Sai Sudarshan (103) take their team to a gigantic total of 231 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on May 10. THe openers added 210 runs in 17.2 overs. It is the first time that a team has scored more than 200 runs as the opening partnership against Chennai Super Kings. None of the CSK bowlers made an impact against the rampaging Gill and Sudarshan. Dropping of catches and misfields from Chennai Super Kings fielders added salt to the injury. During his course of century knock, Sai Sudarshan completed fastest 1000 IPL runs Interestingly, Gill and Sudarshan scored 100th and 101st centuries in the Indian Premier League. Sudarshan and Gill were dismissed with the score at 213 runs on the board. Of the CSK bowlers, only Shardul Thakur (0 for 25) was the pick of the bowlers. Tushar Deshpande (2 for 33) was the wicket-taker. All the other bowlers went for runs. Earlier, Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and decided to bowl against Gujarat Titans in the 59th match. Currently, CSK are at the fourth place in the table with 12 points. GT has lost seven matches after playing 11 matches. They are at the 10th place in the table. Speaking at the toss, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad confirmed that Rachin Ravindra has replaced Richard Gleeson in the playing eleven. “We will bowl first. Looks a good wicket, to be honest. It’s been a chasing ground, so we will look to chase. Pretty much similar to Chennai. We didn’t like a red solid wicket much. Pretty relaxed. You tend to lose many games in IPL, you have to back everyone and make sure everyone is in a good head space. We had injuries in between, but happy. Rachin comes in for Gleeson,” Gaikwad said. GT captain Shubman Gill said Kartik Tyagi came in the first eleven in place of Joshua Little. “Would have bowled first as well, looks a good wicket. There’s a 1% chance of qualifying, so we are going to try hard for that. The mood is like any other match, we as a team believe in doing the best we can. Will be a good surface to bat on. Will score runs and try to restrict them. Wade comes in for Saha who has a niggle. In order to balance the team combination Kartik Tyagi comes in for Jos Little,” Gill said. Teams Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (Wk), Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh. Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, David Miller, Matthew Wade (Wk), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Kartik Tyagi. (With inputs from ANI)

Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings Today Match Prediction & Live Odds – IPL 2024

Vann Hiso11 months ago11 months ago07 mins

Get to Know Who will win Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2024 Match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, Playing 11, CBTFJSK Tips, Live score, Win Probability & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : May 10, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 19:30 IST / 14:00 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : Narendra Modi Stadium – Ahmedabad, India 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : IPL 2024 Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings Betting Tips Shubman Gill has been ordinary so far in IPL 2024 but how long can a player of the calibre of Gill be kept quit. Law of averages have to come in at some point thus we are optimistic that Gill can do well against CSK. He could be backed as GT top batter. Mohit Sharma has bowled well in matches played at Narendra Modi Stadium due to the spongy nature and his style of bowling. Back him as top bowler.Ruturaj Gaikwad has been in great form and is the leading run scorer for CSK, with 541 runs. Back him as CSK top batter. Ravindra Jadeja has found form and bagged a three wicket haul against PBKS. He is our preferred pick for CSK top bowler.Out of the four matches played at Narendra Modi Stadium, two matches have seen scores of 200+ while two matches have been low scoring ones. However, both matches have seen a lot of wickets fall. Total wickets in the match could be over 12.5. Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips, IPL 2024 Gujarat Titans will take on Chennai Super Kings in the 59th match of the IPL 2024. The game will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and will start at 7:30 PM IST on May 10. Gujarat Titans need a miracle to qualify for the playoffs. With just four wins in 11 games, they are placed at the bottom of the points table. GT need to win all three games by massive margins to have any hopes of qualifying but they play CSK, KKR and SRH, the three most dangerous teams in IPL 2024, in their following matches. The road to the final looks a distant dream and to be fair, the IPL 2022 champions have not shown any signs of a team that is competing to win. Meanwhile, CSK returned to winning ways after they defeated PBKS by 28 runs. CSK need wins in all three games to assure themselves a playoff berth. The points table is jam packed and SRH, DC, LSG and even RCB are in the fray for the final two spots. In an ideal situation, CSK would look to win all three games and book a berth in playoffs, however, if they’d to lose a game, it certainly won’t be against GT. CSK have RR to play in Chennai thus a win against GT is a must to keep them in good space. However, lack of consistency from Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell and Ravindra Jadeja is a cause of concern. Also, with Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana out, the bowling looks bleak. Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings Match Toss PredictionThe captains winning the toss should chase. There could be some dew in evening while the ground dimensions and impact player rule make batting second a more feasible option. Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings Pitch ReportThe surface at the Narendra Modi Stadium in generally good for batting. However, the last game here saw the batters struggle for timing. If the same pitch is used, spinners could come into play. A score of 180 should be par here but there is nothing such as a safe score in IPL 2024. Ahmedabad Weather ReportIt will be a hot evening in Ahmedabad, with temperature touching the 30 degree mark. The humidity will be 37 percent while the wind speed will be 14 km/h. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings, Indian Premier League 2024

IPL 2024 Points Table, Orange Cap, Purple Cap: SRH’s Massive Win Makes Playoff Race Tough For CSK. Here’s How

Danijones11 months ago11 months ago04 mins

Openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma smoked half-centuries as Sunrisers Hyderabad crushed Lucknow Super Giants by 10 wickets on Wednesday to boost their play-off hopes in the IPL. Chasing a modest 166 for victory, Head, who smashed 89, and fellow left-hander Abhishek, who hit 75, tore into the opposition attack to romp home with 10.2 overs to spare at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. SRH’s win knocked former champions Mumbai Indians out of the tournament. The win also imapacted Chennai Super Kings as the side slipped a position in the points table with SRH replacing them at the third spot. SRH moved to the third spot with 14 points from 12 matches, while CSK, who are now at the fourth spot have 12 points from 11 matches. Rest of the points table remained unchanged. Here is the updated IPL 2024 Points Table – Virat Kohli continues to hold the Orange Cap with 542 runs from 11 matches while Jasprit Bumrah has the Purple Cap with 18 wickets from 12 matches. Talking about the SRH vs LSG match on Wednesday, Australia’s Head attacked with a flurry of fours and sixes as he reached his fifty in 16 balls and went past 500 runs this season. Head is now third in the batting chart behind Virat Kohli (542) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (541) with his fourth half-century — he also has a ton — in this edition. Abhishek joined the charge as he got to his fifty in 19 balls after the pair took Hyderabad to 107 in the first six overs of powerplay, when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle. Hyderabad, who won the IPL in 2016 under David Warner, registered their seventh win in 12 matches to hand a perfect gift to birthday boy and captain Pat Cummins, who turned 31 on Wednesday. Abhishek hit the winning six as Hyderabad moved to third in the 10-team table with 14 points. Lucknow stay sixth after the bruising loss. Top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai. Seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar set up victory with impressive bowling figures of 2-12 in his four overs to restrict Lucknow to 165-4 after they elected to bat first. Lucknow lost regular wickets until Nicholas Pooran, who hit 48, and Ayush Badoni, who smashed 55, put on an unbeaten stand of 99 in 52 balls to boost the team total. But the score proved too little against a team which posted record totals of 277 and 287 in this high-scoring edition of the T20 tournament.