June 7, 2025
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LSG vs KKR, IPL 2024 Highlights: Sunil Narine shines as Kolkata Knight Riders crush Lucknow Super Giants by 98 runs, go to top of table | Cricket News

LSG vs KKR, IPL 2024 Highlights: Sunil Narine shines as Kolkata Knight Riders crush Lucknow Super Giants by 98 runs, go to top of table | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Sunil Narine‘s dazzling half-century, combined with a strong performance from the bowlers, led Kolkata Knight Riders to a commanding 98-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL on Sunday.LSG’s decision to bowl first backfired, as KKR became the first team to score over 200 runs at the Ekana Stadium.Narine showcased his batting prowess once again, smashing 81 off 38 balls, including seven sixes and six fours, to propel KKR to an imposing total of 235/6.LSG faced a daunting chase and needed to start aggressively, but they struggled to find the big shots and were eventually bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs. Within the first 10 overs, LSG had lost half the side including skipper KL Rahul (25), Arshin Kulkarni (9), Deepak Hooda (5) and big hitters Marcus Stoinis (36) and Nicholas Pooran (10).Ashton Turner hit some lusty blows and looked in mood to showcase his batting prowess but the Australian was supremely unlucky as an inside edge deflected off his boot with Varun Chakravarthy completing a caught and bowled. With the win KKR moved to the top of the table. They have 16 points, the same as Rajasthan Royals but have played one game more.LSG, on the other hand, dropped out of the top four to the fifth spot with 12 points from 11 games. Their Net Run Rate also took a massive hit going down from 0.094 to -0.371. Earlier, the in-form Narine, who was dropped twice in the space of two balls, smoked five boundaries in five balls, setting the tone for the KKR innings.First, he hammered back-to-back fours off Naveen-ul-Haq in the last two balls of the third over. He then attacked the offside, hitting three boundaries on the trot off Mohsin Khan in the fourth over. Narine and Phil Salt (32) gave the two-time champions the explosive start they have come to expect from the duo. Together they put up a quick 61-run stand before Naveen-ul Haq took the pace off the ball to send the Englishman packing.Medium pacer Yash Thakur then stemmed the flow of runs in the final over of the powerplay, giving away only two runs as KKR reached 70/1.However, the unperturbed Narine continued his onslaught and brought up his fifty off 27 deliveries with a cheeky late dab that sent the ball rolling past short third.He took a particular liking to Marcus Stoinis, sending the ball over the fence three times in the 11th over.But Ravi Bishnoi, on whose bowling Narine was dropped twice before, was third time lucky as he put an end to the all-rounder’s spectacular innings.The LSG bowlers were able to rein in the KKR batters as they kept taking wickets.Naveen-ul Haq got rid of Andre Russell (12) before Yudhvir Singh, who came as a concussion sub for Mohsin Khan, picked up young Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s (32) wicket in the next over.The Afghan pacer swung back into action to account for the big-hitting Rinku Singh (16) while Thakur removed Shreyas Iyer (23).But Ramandeep Singh’s unbeaten 25 off 6 balls took KKR past the 230-run mark.(With inputs from PTI)

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Gautam Gambhir's tweet after KKR beat MI at Wankhede is all about pain, fighting spirit and redemption

Gautam Gambhir’s tweet after KKR beat MI at Wankhede is all about pain, fighting spirit and redemption

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Mitchell Starc let out a roar after knocking down Gerarld Coetzee’s middle stump. It was his third wicket of the over and the fourth of the night overall for the Australian quick but more importantly, it was the last of the Mumbai Indians’ team. Kolkata Knight Riders had finally managed to beat MI at the Wankhede Stadium after 12 long years. No team have a better head-to-head record in the IPL than MI over KKR. You could see what it meant to KKR. Mentor Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar were embracing and shouting in each other’s ears. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan embraces the team mentor Gautam Gambhir(ANI) It was just different emotions. KKR have been one of the teams to beat in this IPL and MI have been just the opposite. But KKR vs MI is one encounter that doesn’t follow form and reputation. It’s just one-way traffic in favour of the five-time champions. That’s why this victory tasted way sweeter for the men in purple. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Starc is in his first season with KKR. Even their captain Shreyas Iyer, who was showing more emotions on the field on Friday than he usually does, has been around the team for three years. They must have heard about MI’s domination of KKR but didn’t quite experience it. For Gambhir, though, it’s different. He was the last KKR captain to beat MI at Wankhede in 2012. The only other KKR member who was part of the team in both of those wins, 12 years apart, is Sunil Narine. The West Indies all-rounder was in fact Player of the Match for his 4/15 in the 2012 match at Wanhede against MI. He once again made a useful contribution with the ball, picking up 2/22 in his four overs. He is not known to be too emotive, so judging the magnitude of KKR’s victory on Friday by looking at Narine’s expressions might not be the best of ideas, but looking at Gambhir sure is. After his emotional embrace with Nayar in the dugout, the KKR mentor was all smiles during the post-match handshakes. The former India opener did not take much longer to let his emotions flow on social media. “Turning the tide after 12 yrs at Wankhede! Beautifully done boys!” he wrote on X. If KKR batters were guilty of not working out their game plan on the go in the first half to be bowled out for just 169 with Venkatesh Iyer contributing 70, Mumbai Indians’ underperforming batters stood no chance on a tricky wicket which demanded both application and patience. They were all-out for 145 in 18.5 overs and are practically out of the competition which has been a nightmare for Hardik Pandya. Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliant fifty, Mumbai Indians were shot out for 145 in 18.5 overs chasing 170, found wanting with the bat once again as Mitchell Starc (3.5-0-33-4) cleaned up the tail for KKR’s seventh win in 10 matches.

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Gautam Gambhir's Left Fuming As Rinku Singh Fails In 1st Match After T20 World Cup Snub. Video

Gautam Gambhir’s Left Fuming As Rinku Singh Fails In 1st Match After T20 World Cup Snub. Video

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Rinku Singh scored just nine runs in eight balls, despite a promising start.© X (Twitter) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh failed to impress on his first outing after being left out of India’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad. Rinku’s exclusion from the team has sparked a debate with fans and experts suggesting that the explosive batter should’ve been part of the 15-man squad. Rinku is one of the four travelling reserves for the tournament in the West Indies and USA. The 26-year-old, however, had a horror outing in his first IPL match after the unfortunate T20 World Cup snub. On Friday, during KKR’s game against the Mumbai Indians (MI), Rinku scored just nine runs in eight balls, despite a promising start where he hit Hardik Pandya for two boundaries. However, he was dismissed by Piyush Chawla in the veteran’s first ball of the match. Chawla deceived the youngster with a wrong’un, with Rinku chipping the ball straight back to him. Rinku’s dismissal, however, left KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir visibly frustrated in the dug out. Watch: Rinku Singh’s dismissal leaves Gautam Gambhir fuming https://t.co/r3JFmqLhmO — VEDANT BLANCO (@MrTrequartista7) May 4, 2024 Coming back to the match, Mitchell Starc picked up four wickets as a disciplined bowling performance helped KKR beat MI for the first time in 12 years at the Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a below-par 170, Mumbai lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out for 145 off 18.5 overs at the Wankhede Stadium. Suryakumar Yadav raised hopes with a 35-ball 56 but his dismissal in the 16th over tilted the scales in favour of Kolkata. Earlier, Kolkata lost five quick wickets including that of the prolific Phil Salt (five) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (six) after being put in to bat. Tottering at 57-5, Venkatesh Iyer (70) and impact sub Manish Pandey (42) steadied Kolkata with an 83-run stand and ensured a respectable total on the board. Iyer, who hit a century at the same ground last season, hit three sixes and six fours in his fighting 52-ball knock. (With AFP Inputs) 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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MS Dhoni: 'You can go out and express...': Gautam Gambhir praises CSK's strategy empowering MS Dhoni's impact in IPL 2024 | Cricket News

MS Dhoni: ‘You can go out and express…’: Gautam Gambhir praises CSK’s strategy empowering MS Dhoni’s impact in IPL 2024 | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and current Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir lauded the strategic brilliance of Chennai Super Kings in harnessing the unparalleled prowess of MS Dhoni in the Indian Premier League 2024. Gambhir emphasized that CSK’s tactical approach, particularly in assigning Dhoni the finisher’s role with just 8-10 balls, has unleashed the legendary cricketer’s potential to make an immediate impact on the game.“It is a strategy of CSK (Dhoni facing just 8-10 balls) and that has given Dhoni the freedom. Different teams have different strategies and CSK has done this for the past 2-3 years. The freedom has allowed Dhoni to have an impact. When you play 20-25 balls you have that responsibility to consolidate, but when it’s just 8-10 balls you can go out there and express yourself with freedom,” expressed Gambhir in an interaction with Sportskeeda.Highlighting Dhoni’s phenomenal performance in the ongoing IPL season, Gambhir underscored the leadership similarities between Dhoni and himself during their IPL rivalry. “I feel insecurity is the biggest reason for a player’s failure. It’s not about ability. If you don’t have the ability you won’t reach the first-class, IPL, or international level in the first place. So it is important to have a secure dressing room. A secure dressing room is a happy dressing room and it eventually becomes a winning dressing room,” Gambhir remarked, reflecting on the conducive environment for players’ success. Dhoni’s batting prowess in the IPL 2024 has been nothing short of remarkable, with the veteran cricketer showcasing his unmatched skills as a finisher. Dhoni stands on the cusp of reaching a significant milestone of 250 sixes in the IPL. With a staggering strike rate of 229.16 in ten games, Dhoni’s impact on CSK’s fortunes has been undeniable.Despite a minor setback against Punjab Kings, where Dhoni (14 off 11) was run out off the final ball of the innings – his first dismissal in the season, his significance in guiding CSK through tense situations remains undiminished.

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Gautam Gambhir: KKR vs LSG: Gautam Gambhir goes from planning Lucknow Super Giants' rise to plotting their doom | Cricket News

Gautam Gambhir: KKR vs LSG: Gautam Gambhir goes from planning Lucknow Super Giants’ rise to plotting their doom | Cricket News

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KOLKATA: Gautam Gambhir finds himself in a situation that makes him grin. He had mentored Lucknow Super Giants till last season with a fair amount of success, a period which included three wins over Kolkata Knight Riders. On Sunday, he will be there in the KKR dugout, hoping to mentor the purple brigade to their first win over LSG.IPL 2024: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPIs the boot on the other foot now? “Just a new day,” Gambhir quipped on match eve.”I might know them well, but they know me pretty well too. In fact everyone knows each other quite well and plans accordingly. It doesn’t make a difference (that I am on the other side now). I had planned for KKR while I had been with LSG and now I am planning on behalf of KKR. It’s not as if I’m going to plan something different for them. Eventually, the team that plays better wins, and not the team that plans better.” Gambhir perhaps knows KKR better than anyone else, having led the team to two IPL titles. There are players like Sunil Narine, whom Gambhir had groomed during his stint at KKR and who are flourishing now. “He (Narine) was very happy to see me back. We have spent so much time together. Sometimes relationships are more about the emotion which you carry for each other than the time spent. Happy to see him doing well.”Gambhir remains as aggressive as ever and will not count Mayank Yadav’s absence as a relief. “We would always want our opponents to play with their best team,” he said. Neither is he worried that Mitchell Starc might buckle under pressure. “I know what impact he can have,” he said.

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'It's all about...': KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir backs under-fire pacer Mitchell Starc | Cricket News

‘It’s all about…’: KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir backs under-fire pacer Mitchell Starc | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), came to the defence of Mitchell Starc, emphasising that the Australian pacer’s recent struggles in the IPL do not define his abilities as a bowler. Despite Starc’s underwhelming performance, Gambhir highlighted the importance of team success over individual brilliance.Starc, who was acquired by KKR for a significant amount of Rs 24.75 crore, has faced criticism for his lackluster returns in the tournament.With just two wickets to his name at an average of 77 and an economy rate of 11 runs per over across four matches, Starc’s form has been far from ideal.However, Gambhir refrained from labeling Starc as a “bad bowler,” acknowledging that cricket is a team sport where individual performances often fluctuate.Instead, he emphasized the collective effort required for the team’s success, suggesting that Starc’s contribution, while not meeting expectations statistically, may still have positive implications within the team dynamic.IPL: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAP“It (his poor stats) doesn’t matter, T20 cricket is all about bowlers getting smashed. We’ve got three wins out of four,” Gambhir said.Ahead of their match against LSG in Kolkata, Gambhir added, “In a team sport, it’s the wins that matter. We have got three wins out of four. Why should I not be happy with anyone’s performance? See, people have bad and good days, ultimately, it’s the team that needs to win.“And we’ve got decent results in the first four games of the competition. And we all know how big a threat Mitchell Starc is. Four games doesn’t make him a bad bowler.“And four good games doesn’t make him a brilliant bowler either. So I know what impact he can create and what impact he will create in the competition.”Gambhir further said the Aussie will create an “impact” going forward.“Tomorrow it might be a completely different day. Or probably going forward, it could be a completely different day. An individual can have a brilliant performance and the team doesn’t end up winning.“There’s no reason why you should talk about individual performance. I feel that Mitchell Starc has done reasonably okay. I think he’s bowled some tough overs. And he will create an impact, what he’s been picked for,” he said.A new startGambhir, who served as the mentor for LSG in the last two seasons, has made a return to his former team, KKR. Gambhir had previously led Kolkata to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 during his tenure with the franchise from 2011 to 2017.During Gambhir’s time as the mentor of LSG, KKR faced them three times without securing a victory. Despite this, Gambhir remains optimistic about the new season, emphasising that each day presents a fresh opportunity to begin anew.“It’s a new day, new start. What difference does it make that what has happened in the last two years? It really makes no difference. We start from scratch.“All of us are really looking forward to the game tomorrow. You know, it’s a quality side. But we are a quality side as well,” he said.Gambhir further reacted to criticism about their head coach Chandrakant Pandit‘s “militant style” of functioning.“I don’t read a lot about what has been said and stuff, but it’s been early days. My working relationship with him has been really, really good and hopefully it continues that way.“He’s been very successful in domestic cricket and that’s why he got this opportunity, so far it’s been really good working with him.”Former KKR all-rounder David Wiese had earlier described Pandit as a strict disciplinarian and a “militant-type” coach.(With PTI inputs)

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