June 8, 2025
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Hardik Pandya Has "Lot Of Questions" With MI All But Out Of IPL, Puts Blame On...

Hardik Pandya Has “Lot Of Questions” With MI All But Out Of IPL, Puts Blame On…

Danijones04 mins

All but out of play-off contention after eighth defeat in 11 games, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya seemed as if he was groping in the dark for replies to all the unanswered questions hounding the five-time champions in yet another disastrous IPL season. Pandya was handed over the captaincy after the franchise removed national captain Rohit Sharma, something that the fans didn’t really embrace with the colourful Baroda all-rounder being booed every time he entered the pitch. “There are a lot of questions that will take time to answer. But for now, not much to say. Obviously, we couldn’t form partnerships and kept losing wickets. Bowlers did a fantastic job on this track,” Pandya said after his team failed to score 170, losing to KKR at home for the first time in 12 years. Pandya felt that it was better to bat late evening once dew set in but MI failed to capitalise. “The wicket got better if I’m not wrong. Dew came in the second innings. Will go through the game and see what we can do better,” he said. Pandya tried to put up a brave front as he spoke about fighting till the last match. “You keep fighting, that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s challenging, but you take the challenges.” His opposite number Shreyas Iyer was delighted that his team is on the cusp of a play-off berth. “We are (knocking at the door) at the moment. Lot of thinking would have gone behind that (had we lost today). Just got to know about the stat (of KKR not winning at Wankhede for 12 years)… ” The “Impact Player” rule did help KKR as Manish Pandey, who came in at the fall of the fifth wicket, contributed 42 priceless runs. “This Impact Player rule specifically helped us in this game. Manish has being eyeing an opportunity from the first game. We got to a commendable total. I told the boys that if we have got here, we can defend it,” Iyer said. He was all praise for the performances from spin twins Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, both of whom returning with identical figures of 2 for 22. “Spinners were unreal, absolutely spot on in executing their lines and lengths as discussed in team meetings. Kudos to them,” Iyer said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Gautam Gambhir Names Only Batsman He Has "Feared". It's Not Gayle, De Villiers, Dhoni Or Kohli

Gautam Gambhir Names Only Batsman He Has “Feared”. It’s Not Gayle, De Villiers, Dhoni Or Kohli

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As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) look to take on Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the mentor of the 2-time champions, Gautam Gambhir, opened up on his respect for Rohit Sharma. While Gambhir has come up against some of the finest batters in the game during his active days as a cricketer, especially as the KKR skipper, there is no batter he has “feared” the most than Rohit Sharma. In a candid chat with the IPL broadcaster, Gambhir revealed that he often had to come up with multiple plans to stop Rohit from scoring runs. Gambhir, during his cricketing career, had to plan for marquee batters like AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, etc. But, it’s Rohit against whom he had the most difficult times. “The only batsman that I’ve feared is Rohit Sharma. The only batter who has given me sleepless nights… No Chris Gayle, no AB de Villiers, only Rohit. I always knew I had to have a Plan A, a Plan B and probably a Plan C as well, because if Rohit is in, I don’t think anything can control him,” Gambhir told Star Sports. Game recognises game “The only batsman I feared in IPL was @ImRo45“, @GautamGambhir praises the Indian captain’s batting prowess! Will he lead #TeamIndia to glory in the #T20WorldCup2024? | #MIvKKR | TODAY, 6:30 PM | #IPLOnStar pic.twitter.com/eEav5GbKG5 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 3, 2024 “I’ve never planned for any other batter in the IPL except Rohit Sharma. There has been times where I had seen visuals and I said, ‘Fair enough. Plan A is fine’. But for Rohit, one night before I used to think, if this doesn’t work I have to get the other plan,” he further added. In IPL 2024, Sunil Narine has emerged as a consistent performer for KKR, both with the bat and the ball. While admitting that Narine vs Rohit is a battle that he has his eyes on, Gambhir also asserted that he needs more than just the 4 overs from the West Indian to keep Rohit in check. “If Sunil bowls his four over, then who is going to bowl the next 16? And if I finish off Sunil early and Rohit is there, he can hit 30 off one over. Probably, he was the only batter I feared as a captain,” he added. Topics mentioned in this article

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All-Rounder Saad Bin Zafar To Lead Canada In T20 World Cup 2024

All-Rounder Saad Bin Zafar To Lead Canada In T20 World Cup 2024

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Canada will make its maiden appearance in the Men’s T20 World Cup with all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar, a player of Pakistani origin, set to lead the side in the showpiece event to be held in the Americas. The side, comprising mostly of Indian and Pakistani origin players, is placed in Group A alongside co-hosts USA, India, Pakistan and Ireland. Canada will play its first match against the US in Dallas on June 1, with the side then set to face Ireland on June 7, Pakistan on June 11, and India on June 15. Canada had defeated Bermuda in October last year in the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Region Final, a double round-robin format, for a berth in the T20 World Cup. The Canadians had failed to make it to the global event in the eight previous editions of the T20 World Cup. Saad, 37, who is also a left-arm spinner and has played 38 T20I, is one of the most experienced players in the Canadian side, with top-order batter Aaron Johnson and left-arm seamer Kaleem Sana also expected to feature heavily in the playing XI. The side is coached by former Sri Lankan and Canadian international Pubudu Dassanayake, who took over the reins in 2022. Harsh Thaker, Nicholas Kirton, and Dilpreet Bajwa are the only three players in the side under the age of 30. “Aaron Johnson’s explosive hitting will be critical at the top of the order, as will Kaleem Sana’s pace bowling when Canada is in the field. The all-round skills of Bin Zafar, Thaker, and Dilon Heyliger will be vital to Canada’s hopes of winning on the biggest stage,” said a Cricket Canada statement. Squad: Saad Bin Zafar (C), Aaron Johnson, Dilon Heyliger, Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Jeremy Gordon, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur (wk), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Ravinderpal Singh, Rayyankhan Pathan, Shreyas Movva (wk). Reserves: Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, Parveen Kumar. PTI AM AM APA Topics mentioned in this article

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'Some Players Going To T20 World Cup On Reputation': Ex-India Stars Unhappy Over Rinku Singh's Snub

BCCI Breaks Silence On Rinku Singh’s T20 World Cup Exclusion, Says “He Has Done…”

Danijones03 mins

There has been a lot of discussion over BCCI’s decision to not include Rinku Singh in the 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. The explosive batter showed brilliant promise in IPL 2023 and then followed it up with impressive performances for the Indian cricket team in T20Is. However, he was included in the reserves and Shivam Dube was rewarded for his form in the ongoing IPL 2024. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar finally opened up about the decision and said that it is not because Rinku did anything wrong. In the press conference held on Thursday, Agarkar said that the decision was taken keeping the team composition in mind and as a result, an all-rounder like Axar Patel was preferred. “”It’s probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss. He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that better. It’s about combinations. There are a couple of wrist spinners included to give Rohit more options. It’s just unfortunate. He’s in the reserves, so that tells you how close he came into being in the 15. But at the end of the day you can only pick 15 players in the squad,” Agarkar said. Agarkar also opened up about Hardik Pandya’s role as well as his appointment as vice-captain. “Nothing discussed regards to vice captaincy. He has come agfter a longish layoff. He has gotten through all the games for MI and we have got another month and a little bit till we play our first game. Hope is that he builds on that form. There’s no replacement on what he brings to the team, especially with the ball. His fitness is critical and so far he has gone well in the IPL,” the BCCI chief selector explained. India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2024:Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah. Reserves:Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan Topics mentioned in this article

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SRH vs RR Live Score, IPL 2024: Yuzvendra Chahal Close To Becoming First Indian Bowler To Achieve Massive T20 Feat

SRH vs RR Live Score, IPL 2024: Yuzvendra Chahal Close To Becoming First Indian Bowler To Achieve Massive T20 Feat

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SRH vs RR Live: Squads – Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj. SunRisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Abdul Samad, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Sanvir Singh, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, T. Natarajan, Anmolpreet Singh, Mayank Markande, Upendra Singh Yadav (wk), Umran Malik, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Travis Head, Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh, Jhathavedh Subramanyan.

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"This Is Rubbish": India Great Slams Ajit Agarkar In Fiery Rant Over Rinku Singh's Snub

“This Is Rubbish”: India Great Slams Ajit Agarkar In Fiery Rant Over Rinku Singh’s Snub

Danijones05 mins

Former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth hit out at the Indian selection committee for not keeping Rinku Singh in the 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup 2024 and said that the 26-year-old batter was made the “scapegoat”. Rinku made his T20 debut in 2023 against Ireland, following that he has played 15 matches and 11 innings in which he scored 356 runs at a strike rate of 176.24. The left-handed batter played his last 20-over match for India against Afghanistan in January 2024. India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 05, 2024, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, followed by the marquee clash against Pakistan on June 09, 2024 at the same venue. India will then play the USA and Canada on June 12 and 15 respectively. While speaking on his official YouTube channel, Srikkanth pointed out Rinku’s unbeaten 69-run knock against the Afghan side in the 3rd T20I. He also slammed the Indian selectors and called it a “rubbish” selection. “He has played match-winning knocks in South Africa. Remember the game against Afghanistan in which Rohit scored a hundred? India were 22 for 4, from there, they scored 212. Rinku played a crucial Knock. He has given his all whenever he played for India. This is rubbish, rubbish selection. Why do you need 4 spinners? All of them have to go? You have made the selection to please a few people and you have made Rinku Singh a scapegoat,” Srikkanth said. The former India skipper further added that Rinku performed well at every opportunity he has got and he should have been there in the 15-member squad. “I am not at all happy. Come on all of you. Rinku Singh has been spoken about all over the world. He has performed in each and every opportunity he has got. How can you drop Rinku Singh? You drop anyone else, it doesn’t matter. In my view, Rinku Singh should have been there, even if that meant you had to drop Yashasvi Jaiswal,” he added. India have added two wicket-keepers, including Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, to their squad. Star batter Virat Kohli, who has been slamming runs in the ongoing IPL 2024 has also been added into the squad. Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan have been named as reserved players. India are placed in Group A of the ICC tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA. India Squad:Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (Wk), Sanju Samson (Wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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"How Many Games Have You Played?": RCB Great 'Fed Up' With Virat Kohli Strike-Rate Criticism

“How Many Games Have You Played?”: RCB Great ‘Fed Up’ With Virat Kohli Strike-Rate Criticism

Danijones04 mins

AB de Villiers said he is fed up with seeing “data-driven pundits” criticizing Virat Kohli.© BCCI Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers heaped praise on India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli and said he is one of the best players to ever play cricket. Currently, Kohli is the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024. He scored 500 runs at a strike rate of 147.49 after appearing in 10 matches. He hammered 46 fours and 20 overhead boundaries in the ongoing T20 tournament. While speaking on his official YouTube channel, De Villiers said he is fed up with seeing “data-driven pundits” criticizing Kohli’s strike rate. The former Proteas cricketer hailed the talisman Indian batter and said that he has been “incredible” in IPL “Virat Kohli, catching criticism about his strike rate. It’s been going on for way too long and I am sort of fed up with that now. I’m frustrated to say the least. This guy is one of the best players to ever play the game of cricket. He’s incredible in the IPL, he plays a certain role for RCB, and I’ve pretty much had enough of data-driven pundits who keep criticising this man. When you don’t really have knowledge of the game. How many games of cricket have you played, how many IPL hundreds have you scored?,” De Villiers said. During RCB’s previous match against GT, Kohli stood out with his quick-fired 70* and played a significant role in Bengaluru’s triumph and brushed off the recent debate around his strike rate. During the game, the ‘chase master’ Virat Kohli achieved a landmark feat during RCB’s clash against GT. In his unbeaten knock of 70 runs from 44 balls, struck at a massive strike rate of 159.09, Kohli completed 24 half-centuries while chasing a target, he now stands second in the list. Dhawan holds the third place with 23 fifty-plus scores. Meanwhile, David Warner stands in the top spot with 35 half-centuries while chasing a target. The 35-year-old also equalled David Warner’s record of most 500-plus runs in IPL seasons. Both Kohli and Warner have crossed the 500-run mark seven times in an IPL season. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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SRH vs RR, IPL 2024: Predicted Playing XIs And Impact Substitutes

SRH vs RR, IPL 2024: Predicted Playing XIs And Impact Substitutes

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SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 50th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday, May 2. Having won five games out of nine, SRH are placed fourth in the IPL 2024 standings. On the other hand, RR are currently placed first in the IPL 2024 standings with 16 points on the board after winning eight matches out of nine. Ahead of this exciting clash, we look at the predicted XIs of both sides. SRH Predicted XI Abhishek Sharma Abhishek Sharma, one of the most promising batters in IPL 2024, will open the innings for SRH in the upcoming game. Sharma has been in exceptional form, scoring 303 runs in nine matches at a magnificent strike rate of 214.89. His performance will be crucial if SRH aim to set a formidable total on Thursday. Travis Head Australian opener Travis Head has made a huge impact in IPL 2024. The left-handed batter has amassed 338 runs at an impressive average of 42.25 and a remarkable strike rate of 211.25. Head has also recorded a century and two half-centuries this season. Expected to open alongside Sharma in the upcoming match, he will be keen to provide SRH with a strong start against RR. Aiden Markram Aiden Markram is set to bolster SunRisers Hyderabad’s top order. Despite scoring only 199 runs in nine matches this season, the South African batter will look to contribute significantly in the next game and ease the pressure on the team’s openers. Nitish Kumar Reddy Nitish Kumar Reddy, a talented all-rounder, has done his bit in the SRH lineup. With 143 runs and three wickets in six matches, he has showcased his ability with both bat and ball. Reddy will be keen to exert pressure on RR’s batters and bowlers with his versatile skills. Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper) Renowned for his aggressive approach to batting, Heinrich Klaasen has emerged as one of the most dangerous batters in IPL 2024. Having amassed 295 runs in nine matches, the South African boasts an impressive average of 42.14 and a striking strike rate of 185.53. Klassen’s power-hitting skills have been instrumental in SRH achieving record-breaking totals, making him a player to keep an eye on during Thursday’s match. Shahbaz Ahmed Shahbaz Ahmed will look to solidify his spot in SRH’s middle-order. The all-rounder has been impressive, scoring 176 runs and remaining unbeaten in three of them. With the ball, Shahbaz has claimed three wickets in nine matches, providing valuable support to the team’s spin bowling unit. Abdul Samad Abdul Samad has found his aggressive batting form and often left SRH fans in awe in the ongoing IPL. The right-handed batter has piled up 148 runs at a scintillating strike rate of 187.34. Samad will be a raring to showcase his batting skills against RR in the upcoming match. Pat Cummins (captain) SunRisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins has been particularly effective with the ball, claiming 10 wickets in nine matches. He can also provide depth to the lower order, having scored his runs at an impressive strike rate of 140 this season. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Known for his swing variations and bowling the right lengths, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to open the bowling for Hyderabad. The Indian pacer has scalped five wickets in nine matches and will want to improve his tally in the upcoming match against RRi. Jaydev Unadkat Jaydev Unadkat’s inclusion in the playing XI adds variety to SRH’s bowling attack. The left-arm pacer’s ability to swing the ball and vary his pace has led him to take eight wickets in seven matches. His experience in the IPL could be vital as he can provide crucial breakthroughs when needed and maintain pressure on the opposition throughout the match. T Natarajan Indian fast bowler T Natarajan will lead the SRH bowling attack. Natarajan has taken thirteen wickets in just seven matches, showcasing his skill in generating swing and bowling accurate lengths. He is the top wicket-taker for SRH this season and will need to be at his best to restrict RR. Impact sub Anmolpreet Singh RR Predicted XI Yashasvi Jaiswal RR’s flamboyant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to form with a match-winning century against Mumbai Indians. Chasing 180, Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 104 off just 60 balls to guide RR to a nine-wicket win in Jaipur and the southpaw will look to continue his resurgent form against SRH. Jos Buttler Yashasvi Jaiswal’s opening partner Jos Buttler has also been in scintillating form this season. Buttler has scored 319 runs in eight games at an average of 53.17 and a strike rate of 150.47, including a magnificent ton against KKR and he will aim to produce another big knock in Hyderabad. Sanju Samson Sanju Samson has been one of the standout performers for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has amassed 385 runs in nine games at an average of 77 and a strike rate of 161.09. Riyan Parag Riyan Parag has been one of the leading run scorers for RR this season so far. Batting at No. 4, Parag has accumulated 332 runs in nine matches at an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 159.62. He will once again hold the key in the middle order for the Royals against SRH. Dhruv Jurel Dhruv Jurel is another quality inclusion in RR’s playing XI and the youngster has scored 102 runs in nine matches in IPL 2024. With RR’s top-order firing, Jurel has had limited opportunities but will look to impress in Hyderabad. Shimron Hetmyer West Indies’ explosive batter Shimron Hetmyer is one of the top finishers in T20 cricket. Hetmyer has scored 70 runs this season in his limited opportunities at an impressive strike rate of 194.44. He will look to contribute against SRH if he gets time in the middle. Rovman Powell West Indies’ T20I captain Rovman Powell is a match-winner on his day. The 30-year-old has played four matches for the…

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Sunrisers Hyderabad

MI Pacer Jasprit Bumrah Wins Hearts With His Adorable Gesture For A Young Fan. Watch

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Mumbai Indians (MI) and India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah gave a young fan a memory worth cherishing for a lifetime at the Ekana Stadium during the clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the official handle of MI posted a video of Bumrah giving out his prestigious Purple Cap, an honour given to the leading wicket-taker in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to a young fan. Not just that, Bumrah also gave him his autograph. That kid now has a core memory for life ????????#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #LSGvMI | @Jaspritbumrah93 pic.twitter.com/CcS1tdjYzB — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 1, 2024 The fan was clearly ecstatic beyond words to have received Bumrah’s prized possession and an autograph from one of the best in the world, as he was seen running around in the stands with expressions of joy on his face. Indeed, the fan got a “core memory” that he would remember forever. “That kid now has a core memory for life #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #LSGvMI | @Jaspritbumrah93,” tweeted MI. Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker this season so far, with 14 scalps in 10 games at an average of 18.28 and an economy rate of 6.40. His best figures are 5/21. However, his rich bowling form has not helped his team, as they are sitting at the ninth spot in the points table with three wins and seven losses. Coming to the match, LSG won the toss and opted to field first. Mumbai Indians could not get going from the start, losing four wickets for 27 runs within the powerplay itself. Nehal Wadhera (46 in 41 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes), Ishan Kishan (32 in 36 balls, with three fours) and Tim David (35* in 18 balls, with three fours and a six) tried their best, but could take their side to just 144/7 in their 20 overs. Mohsin Khan (2/36) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, while Marcus Stoinis, Mayank Yadav, Naveen ul Haq and Stoinis got a wicket each. In the run-chase of 145 runs, LSG also faced a hard challenge from MI bowlers and lost wickets at regular intervals. Stoinis’ knock of 62 in 45 balls, with seven fours and two sixes proved to be just enough to take LSG to a four-wicket win with four balls and four wickets left. Stoinis took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award. LSG is at the third spot with six wins and four losses, giving them 12 points. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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On MS Dhoni's Run-Out, PBKS' "Thala For A Reason" Post Goes Viral

On MS Dhoni’s Run-Out, PBKS’ “Thala For A Reason” Post Goes Viral

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For the 5th straight time in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings secured a victory against Chennai Super Kings, this time defeating the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side by 7 wickets. Though Punjab haven’t had the best of IPL 2024 campaign, securing just 4 wins in 10 matches, they couldn’t resist the opportunity of trolling the Super Kings, having dominated them on yet another occasion. PBKS, in a series of posts on social media, wrote ‘Thala for a reason’, drawing references to the number 7. At first, PBKS trolled CSK after getting Dhoni run-out in the match. As Dhoni became the Kings’ 7th wicket of the innings, they wrote: “Dhoni was our 7th wicket today! Thala for a reason!” Dhoni was our 7th wicket today! Thala for a reason! — Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 1, 2024 Later, referring to their own position in the points table, 7, Punjab Kings once again wrote “Thala for a reason”. Our position in the points table!  Thala for a reason!  pic.twitter.com/nKWjZFm10u — Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 1, 2024 CSK could only muster a below-par 162/7. Gaikwad made a handsome 62 but other batters struggled against accurate spin bowling by Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar. CSK had to make two changes for the match as their Sri Lankan pacer Pathirana was nursing a niggle and Deshpande was unwell. Replacements Richard Gleeson and Shardul Thakur failed to impress as heavy dew set in during PBKS’s chase. “It is a real problem (not having Pathirana and Deshpande). There are phases where you want to get a wicket, and you have only two bowlers, plus the spinners are out of the question because of the dew. Can’t do much,” Gaikwad rued during the post-match presentation. The skipper added that the dew compounded CSK’s problem as they tried to restrict PBKS batters. “It’s very difficult. Even in the last game, we were quite surprised that we would win by that much margin. “This (dew) is something we can’t control. We can slightly bat better in the first innings. In the last two games, we tried our best to get 200-210. It was tough to get 180 in this pitch,” he said. Gaikwad said another 50-60 runs would have made the difference. “50-60 runs short to be honest. When we were batting first, the pitch wasn’t great, plus the dew as well (in the second innings).” Topics mentioned in this article

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