Yuzvendra Chahal Makes 'Copyright Complaint' Against PBKS Star, Writes To Elon Musk

Yuzvendra Chahal Makes ‘Copyright Complaint’ Against PBKS Star, Writes To Elon Musk

India and Rajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal made a hilarious request to Elon Musk — a billionaire and owner of X, formerly Twitter — on Wednesday. Chahal asked Musk to put a copyright strike on Punjab Kings’ pacer Harshal Patel after the latter celebrated a catch during Chennai Super Kings game in a viral fashion. After completing the catch, Harshal celebrated in a manner that is associated to Chahal’s viral meme. Sharing the picture of Harshal’s celebration, Chahal wrote on X, “Dear @elonmusk paaji, Harshal bhai pe copyright lagana hai.” Dear @elonmusk paaji, Harshal bhai pe copyright lagana hai pic.twitter.com/CUAeZd6uNa — Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) May 1, 2024 The post of Chahal, who has been named in India’s T20 World Cup squad that was announced on April 30, went viral on social media. Talking about the celebration, Kagiso Rabada bowled a short ball outside off stump to Sameer Rizvi, who tried to play an upper cut on it. The ball could not get past the third man where Harshal put a well-timed slide to take the catch. Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 7 wickets at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Chasing a target of 163, PBKS reached home in 17.5 overs, thanks to Jonny Bairstow’s 46 off 30 and Rilee Rossouw’s 43 off 23. Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad (62 in 48) scored a fighting fifty to help CSK post 162 for 7 in 20 overs after getting an invitation to bat first. Rahul Chahar (2 for 16 in four overs) and Harpreet Brar (2 for 17 in four overs) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Brar was later named the Player of the Match. “It was a good wicket to bowl on, and even Rahul (Chahar) bowled really well. I have been playing since 6 years, so my confidence has been pretty high. Now bowling to these legends of the game feels normal, I just bowl to my strengths. To be honest, I don’t think wickets, my aim is only to bowl lots of dot balls and dot balls create the wickets. When there is spin in the wicket, the bowlers confidence goes up and it is a bit helpful,” said Brar after the game. Topics mentioned in this article

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Denied Single By MS Dhoni, CSK Star Daryl Mitchell Runs Double, Video Goes Viral. Watch

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Daryl Mitchell ended up ‘completing’ two runs despite MS Dhoni denying him a single during the IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 on Wednesday. On the third ball of the final over, Dhoni slammed a delivery from Arshdeep Singh in the deep cover region and Mitchell instantly started running. However, Dhoni was not interested in taking the run and in a hilarious turn of events, Mitchell reached the other end and then ran back to the non-striker’s end before the fielder picked up the ball and threw it back. Dhoni made amends on the fifth ball of the over as he heaved Arshdeep over deep extra cover for a huge six but his action faced criticism from fans on social media, with some calling the act ‘selfish’. One Of funniest Moments today Thala Dhoni × Daryl Mitchell ROLF #ChennaiSuperKings #CSKvsPBKS #PBKSvsCSK pic.twitter.com/AtGQUirTZ2 — Srinivasan M (@sriniPopeye) May 1, 2024 Daryl, you have the best seat in the house! Relax #TATAIPL #CSKvPBKS #IPLonJioCinema #MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/NaM8jGqIUj — JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 1, 2024 Dhoni was eventually run-out in the match, losing his wicket for the first time this season as CSK put a total of 162/7 on the board. Punjab Kings had little trouble in chasing down the target, scoring 163 with more than 2 overs to spare. After a defeat, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad felt his side was “50-60 runs short” during the match and highlighted that pitch was not that great but improved in the second half. Punjab Kings with an all-rounded performance, clinched a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on Wednesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. After Lucknow Super Giants breached Chepauk, CSK’s fortress was breached for the second time in the ongoing season as CSK bowlers struggled to find their rhythm with dew majorly hindering them throughout the night. “Probably 50-60 runs short, the pitch wasn’t great when we batted, but it got better later on. With the impact rule as well, we were well short,” Gaikwad said in a post-match presentation. Talking about the toss, “I’ve practised the tosses (during the practice sessions), it’s not going well in the match, not sure what to do. To be truthful, I’m under pressure when I go to the middle (for the toss).” With ANI inputs Topics mentioned in this article

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IPL 2024 Points Table: What Big Win Over Chennai Super Kings Means For Punjab Kings' Playoff Hopes

IPL 2024 Points Table: What Big Win Over Chennai Super Kings Means For Punjab Kings’ Playoff Hopes

Punjab Kings kept their IPL 2024 playoff dreams alive with a big seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday. It was an important victory for the Sam Curran-led side who now have 8 points from 10 matches and are seventh in the IPL 2024 points table. PBKS will need to win all of their remaining four matches and depend on other results to end up in the Top 4. On the other hand, the defeat means that CSK remain fourth with 10 points from 10 matches. Rajasthan Royals are at the top of the table followed by Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. Punjab Kings mounted a pragmatic chase to consign Chennai Super Kings to a demoralising seven-wicket defeat at their own den in their IPL 2024 match on Wednesday. Punjab rode on quick 40s by Jonny Bairstow (46, 30b, 7×4, 1×6) and Rilee Rossouw (43, 23b, 5×4, 2×6) to move past Chennai’s modest 162 for seven, which was built around skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s solid 62 (48b, 5×4, 2×6). The win took PBKS to seventh place on the points table with eight points, while CSK stayed on fourth with 10 points. The Super Kings’ defence of 163 faced multiple barricades as their spinners – Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja – were rendered ineffective because of dew and pacer Deepak Chahar walked off the field with a niggle after bowling just two balls. But that should not take the sheen out of PBKS’ effort with the bat on the night. “Very happy. Every time you come to Chennai and take two wins, always a special feeling. Same as last year, we lost a lot of our home games and won away, finding a similar pattern. We are in a position where we need to win all our games, we come up against the same opposition in a few days. I think when you come to Chennai, you now how hot it is and dew is going to settle in.” “Chahar came back and was the best bowler in the 260 game, and he’s bowling with great confidence. He stepped up when I asked him to bowl against MSD in the 19th over. The pace bowlers were going for a bit in the end, and I wanted to try something different. Asked Rilee what he reckoned and took that gamble with spin. We come against the same opposition so we have one up on them.” “It is a new game, new conditions but this win will give us a lot of confidence. I think our bowlers were superb, the spinners and Jonny striking them well, even the way we paced that chase, it was brilliant. Need to build on that confidence,” PBKS skipper Sam Curran said after the match. (With PTI inputs) Topics mentioned in this article

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End Of IPL Campaign For India's 156.7 Kmph Pace Star Mayank Yadav? Report Claims...

End Of IPL Campaign For India’s 156.7 Kmph Pace Star Mayank Yadav? Report Claims…

File photo of Mayank Yadav© AFP Pace sensation Mayank Yadav’s participation in the remainder of the IPL round-robin stage seems doubtful after he sustained a suspected abdominal muscle “tear” during the game against Mumbai Indians, making it his second injury breakdown in past four weeks. However, there is a silver lining for the 21-year-old Delhi man as he is all set to be given a pace bowling contract by the BCCI alongside Umran Malik, Vidwath Kaverappa, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Dayal and Akash Deep. The contract will place Mayank under the supervision of NCA’s Sports Science and Medical team, who will take charge of his injury management and fitness programme from his IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants. “Mayank has a tear but it is more likely a grade 1 tear. It will be cutting it fine but in case LSG qualifies for the play-offs, he might just be able to play the knock-out games. But it is like hoping against hope and right now he is doubtful for the remaining IPL games,” a BCCI source informed PTI on condition of anonymity. Mayank, who burst into the scene with 155 click deliveries and back-to-back ‘Player of the Match’ awards at the start of the IPL, broke down in the third match and was ruled out for four weeks. He made a comeback against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday after passing fitness tests but was forced back into the dugout after bowling 3.1 overs in which he gave away 31 runs. Had Mayank been fit all this while, there was a possibility of him being a left-field selection in the T20 World Cup but right now, handling him with care is the primary job of the Indian cricket establishment. “He will soon be handed a pace bowling contract and once he is in BCCI Pathways structure, his growth will be systematically monitored. “The national selection committee and the Indian team management would like to gradually blood him and ensure that he can maintain peak fitness,” the BCCI source added. Topics mentioned in this article

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Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2024: Predicted Playing XI Of Both Teams

Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2024: Predicted Playing XI Of Both Teams

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 49th match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday. Having won five games out of nine, CSK are placed third in the IPL 2024 standings. On the other hand, PBKS are currently placed eighth in the IPL 2024 standings with six points on the board after winning three matches out of nine. Ahead of this exciting clash, we look at the predicted XIs of both sides. CSK Predicted XI Ajinkya Rahane In the upcoming match against PBKS, Ajinkya Rahane will open the innings for CSK. Rahane, who has not been able to replicate his IPL 2023 form in the current season, has scored 170 runs in nine matches and will be eager to make a significant score soon. Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain) CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad heads into this match after a magnificent 98-run knock against SRH, showcasing an explosive strike rate of 181.48. Gaikwad will be focused on providing another quick start for his team as he aims to put early pressure on the PBKS bowlers on Wednesday. Daryl Mitchell Daryl Mitchell, known for his ability to strike sixes, will seek to bring stability to CSK’s top order. Despite scoring only 198 runs in eight matches, the Kiwi batter has the potential to make a significant impact and will be keen to make his presence felt in the last few games of the season. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja will look to bolster both the batting and bowling departments for CSK. The accomplished Indian all-rounder has contributed 157 runs in nine matches, boasting an impressive average of 78.50, and has also taken five wickets. Jadeja is expected to make an impact with both bat and ball in the upcoming match. Shivam Dube Shivam Dube is the standout performer for CSK this season. The tall and talented batter scored a quickfire 66 runs off 27 balls against LSG, hitting seven sixes and three boundaries. With a total of 350 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 172.41, Dube will be eager to produce another strong performance against PBKS. MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper) MS Dhoni continues to perform for CSK, consistently defying his age and delighting fans with his batting prowess. Despite spending limited time at the crease, the veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter has made a significant impact whenever he has batted. With 96 runs in nine matches, Dhoni’s remarkable strike rate of 259.46 makes him a serious threat to the best bowlers in IPL. Moeen Ali Moeen Ali adds balance to the CSK batting lineup. While Moeen has scored 30 runs in his solitary innings, he has been influential with the ball having taken two wickets in four matches. The English all-rounder will look to have a bigger say with bat and ball in the upcoming game. Deepak Chahar Indian fast bowler Deepak Chahar will lead the CSK bowling attack. Chahar has taken five wickets in seven matches, showcasing his skill in generating swing and bowling accurate lengths. Additionally, he can prove useful with the bat and is capable of scoring crucial runs lower down the order when needed. Tushar Deshpande Tushar Deshpande will offer variety to the CSK bowling attack. His knack for bewildering batters with pace variations has earned him 10 wickets in nine matches. Deshpande has also been relatively effective in restricting the opposition, boasting an economy rate of 8.66. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman leads the wicket-taking charts for Chennai in IPL 2024 with 14 scalps in eight matches. The Bangladeshi pacer is a crucial member of the CSK fast-bowling unit and will be keen to regain the Purple Cap by adding to his tally of wickets at Chennai. Matheesha Pathirana Matheesha Pathirana, one of the most lethal bowlers in IPL 2024, will look to make early breakthroughs for CSK in the next match. With an impressive economy rate of 7.68, Pathirana has already claimed 13 wickets in just six matches. He will be eager to bamboozle PBKS batters with his pace bowling skills come Wednesday. Impact Sub Shardul Thakur PBKS Predicted XI Sam Curran Sam Curran has taken on plenty of responsibilities for PBKS this season. Handed captaincy duties in the absence of the injured Shikhar Dhawan, Sam Curran has scored 152 runs this season, including one fifty. He’s also accounted for 12 scalps and is crucial to the PBKS lineup. Prabhsimran Singh In the team’s last match, Prabhsimran Singh scored 54 runs in just 20 balls against KKR, hitting five sixes and four boundaries. He boasts a strike rate of 163.74 in IPL 2024 and will try to add to his 208 runs this season when he faces CSK. Rilee Rossouw Although Rilee Rossouw hasn’t put his best foot forward in IPL 2024 yet, the South African deserves another chance to showcase his ability. A star in T20s, Rossouw has scored more than 8000 runs in the format and boasts a strike rate of 143.02. Jonny Bairstow Jonny Bairstow was on fire against KKR, scoring 108 runs off 48 balls, including nine sixes and eight boundaries. Bairstow’s return to form will provide a significant boost to Punjab’s chances of a win against CSK. Shashank Singh Shashank Singh has been a revelation with PBKS this season. The top-scorer for PBKS in IPL 2024, Shashank has remained not out in five of the nine matches and has made 263 runs with an average of 65.75 and a strike rate of 182.64. His best of 68 not out against KKR helped PBKS to a memorable win in IPL 2024. Jitesh Sharma Wicketkeeper batter Jitesh Sharma will be desperate to get runs quickly after enduring an underwhelming campaign so far. However, he is capable of taking any bowling attack to the cleaners as his IPL strike rate of 151.47 suggests and will be hoping to find some form soon. Ashutosh Sharma A revelation if there ever was one, Ashutosh Sharma has been one…

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CSK vs SRH, IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tushar Deshpande Guide Chennai Super Kings To Easy Win

CSK vs SRH, IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tushar Deshpande Guide Chennai Super Kings To Easy Win

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s belligerent 98 was complemented by a clinical bowling display, led by pacer Tushar Deshpande, as Chennai Super Kings defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 78 runs in the Indian Premier League in Chennai on Sunday. Invited to bat, Gaikwad’s valiant 54-ball knock was the driving force which propelled CSK to an imposing 212 for three. He was ably supported by Daryl Mitchell, who returned to form with a crucial 32-ball 52 before Shivam Dube’s 20-ball 39 not out took CSK past the 200 mark. In response, SRH’s ultra-cautious batting approach backfired again as they couldn’t recover from Deshpande’s (4/27 in 3 overs) three-wicket burst with the new ball and the middle-overs squeeze to be all out for 134 in 18.5 overs as CSK snapped their two-game losing streak. Following the win, CSK moved to the third spot with 10 points, same as Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals. SRH, who are also on 10 points, slipped to fourth after their fourth loss. Chasing 213 to win, Travis Head (13) and Abhishek Sharma (15) made rapid starts but Deshpande got rid of the former with a slower wide ball and then returned to remove impact sub Anmolpreet Singh with an outswinger on the stumps as the batter went for a golden duck. Abhishek was next caught at deep point as Deshpande broke their back, leaving SRH at 40 for 3 in the fourth over. Nitish Reddy (15) and Aiden Markram (32) tried to steady the ship but Ravindra Jadeja bamboozled the former with a bouncer, while Matheesha Pathirana produced a superb yorker to uproot the middle stump of the South African. At 85-5 in 10.5 overs, Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad joined hands but runs were tough to come by as the bowlers executed their plans to perfectly. While Jadeja completed a superb spell of 4-0-22-1, Shardul Thakur kept bowling at wide outside off to frustrate the batters as CSK conceded just two boundaries in nine overs after the powerplay. With an improbable 104 needed off 30 balls, Klaasen, Samad, Pat Cummins and Shahbaz Ahmed all holed out as Mitchell claimed five catches in the outfield during the match. Earlier, Gaikwad missed out on a successive hundred by a whisker but his 107-run stand with Mitchell was the cornerstone of CSK’s innings. It is CSK’s 35th 200-plus total, the most by any side in T20 cricket. Gaikwad was the star of the CSK batting as he hit 10 fours and three sixes in his innings. Opening the innings, Ajinkya Rahane (9) perished early again with Bhuvneshwar Kumar earning his prized wicket in the third over but Gaikwad kept CSK going. The skipper did not back down and attacked the bowlers at will as the hosts ended the powerplay at 50 for one. In no time, the 27-year-old Gaikwad brought up his 17th IPL half-century off just 27 deliveries. Gaikwad and Mitchell batted sensibly as they managed to keep the boundaries coming, with the latter chipping in periodically too after a slow start (12 off 11). With dew setting in the 12th over, the batting duo tried to take advantage of it as Mitchell soon brought up his maiden IPL 50 off 29 deliveries in the 13th over. But the New Zealander failed to get going for too long and perished in the following over to Jaydev Unadkat after depositing a full-toss into the hands of Nitish Kumar Reddy in the deep mid-wicket. In-form Shivam Dube then joined Gaikwad and the two decided to up the ante. SRH skipper Pat Cummins was targeted by the batters, having been dispatched for 49 in his four overs. Gaikwad looked set to back-to-back tons but the heat and humidity of Chennai seemed to affect him as his vigil ended with a tired-looking shot as T Natarajan sent him back in the final over. Crowd-favourite MS Dhoni scored five off two deliveries that included a four, while Dube deposited a full toss in the stands as the final four overs yielded 53 runs. (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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IPL-17: DC vs MI | In a thrilling encounter, Mumbai Indians fall short by 10 runs against Delhi Capitals

IPL-17: DC vs MI | In a thrilling encounter, Mumbai Indians fall short by 10 runs against Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals batsman Jake Fraser Mcgurk plays a shot during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Mumbai Indians in New Delhi on April 27, 2024. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy Chasing a target of 258, Mumbai Indians fell short by 10 runs during the Indian Premier League 2024 against Delhi Capitals in New Delhi on April 27. Mumbai Indians lost Rohit Sharma (8) early with the score at 35. Ishan Kishan (20) also fell with MI score at 45 in 4.1 overs. All the hopes fell on the shoulders of Suryakumar Yadav (26 off 13 balls) who thrashed three boundaries and 2 sixes. But with the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai Indians relied on its captain Hardik Pandya. Pandya (46) scored some scintillating shots and took his team to 136 in 12.3 overs. Nehal Wadhera (4) fell early and Mumbai Indains were in some sort of trouble. But Tim David (37) and Tilak Verma (63) played brilliantly and they nearly took Mumbai Indians home but fell short by 10 runs. Mohammad Nabi and Piyush Chawla played some useful knocks towards the end of the innings. Rasikh Salam bowled brilliantly and took 3 for 34 Khaleel Ahmed (2 for 45) and Mukesh Kumar (3 for 59 ) were among the wicket-takers though expensive. Earlier, after sent into bat, Delhi Capitals went on a run-spree scoring a dauting score of 257 in 20 overs. Jake Fraser-McGurk (84 off just 27 balls) and Abishek Porel (36) started on a brisk note to put on 114 runs in just 7.3 overs. McGurk was particularly severe right from the first ball of the innings and scored at will despatching the bowlers to all around the Arun Jaitley stadium. He hit 11 fours and 6 sixes in his innings. Porel played second fiddle to McGurk. With the quick wickets of McGurk and Porel at 127 in 9.4 overs, it was Shai Hope (41 off 17 balls) and captain Rishabh Pant (29) scored briskly and added 53 runs in just 4 overs. Shai Hope innings consisted of five sixes. With the loss of Rishabh Pant and Shai Hope, Tristan Stubbs (48) and Axar Patel (11) took Delhi Capitals innings past the 250-mark. Jasprit Bumrah (1 for 35), Luke Wood (1 for 68), Mohammed Nabi (1 for 20) and Piyush Chawla (1 for 36) were the wicket takers for Mumbai Indians. Earlier, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field against Delhi Capitals. MI made one change to its playing XI, bringing in Luke Wood for Gerald Coetzee. The Delhi side made a couple of changes, bringing in Kumar Kushagra and Lizaad Williams for Prithvi Shaw and Anrich Nortje. While DC is ranked sixth on the points table, MI is placed ninth. Playing XI Delhi Capitals: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kumar Kushagra, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (wk & c), Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Lizaad Williams, Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed. Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Luke Wood, Jasprit Bumrah and Nuwan Thushara.

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"Not The Right Time To...": Hardik Pandya's Intriguing Captaincy Take On MI Loss

“Not The Right Time To…”: Hardik Pandya’s Intriguing Captaincy Take On MI Loss

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was once again at the losing end as Rajasthan Royals all but secured their progression into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs with a thumping 9-wicket win. Hardik, who has been in the spotlight ever since he took over the franchise’s reins from Rohit Sharma, admitted that the team hasn’t been good enough in any of the three departments of the game. As mistakes as a batting unit, bowling unit, and in the field continue to cost Mumbai Indians important games, Hardik admitted it’s time to accept flaws and work on them. (IPL 2024 Points Table) “We put ourselves in trouble early on. The way Tilak and Nehal batted – that was fantastic. I don’t think that when we lost a couple of wickets early we thought we would even reach 180. We didn’t finish well and that’s why we were 10-15 runs short. We had to keep it within the stumps (while bowling). Early on in the powerplay, we gave a lot of width and I don’t think it was our best day in the field as well. Overall, we did not put the right foot in the park and eventually, they outplayed us,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation ceremony. There remain certain individuals in the game who are yet to fire this season. But, Hardik doesn’t believe in singling out players and talking to them individually. The MI skipper continues to believe in the professionalism that the players have and is hoping to see them rectify their mistakes themselves. “After the game, it’s not the right time to go to the players, everyone is professional, they know their roles. What we can do is learn from this game and the mistakes which we have made, rectify it and make sure that we don’t make it. Progression is very important. Within the team, individually, we will have to accept our flaws and maybe work on those,” he explained. Though Mumbai have lost their 5th game in 8 matches, Hardik continues to believe in the team that has been picked. He all but ruled out making big changes in the playing XI as the franchise enters a do-or-die stage in the campaign. “I don’t believe much in chip and chop, I like to back players and the focus would always be to play good cricket, sticking to our plans and making sure that we don’t make the basic errors. Cricket is simple, as long as we keep it simple, it’s nice,” he concluded. Topics mentioned in this article

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IPL-17: PBKS vs GT | After the Sai Kishore show, Tewatia takes Titans home

IPL-17: PBKS vs GT | After the Sai Kishore show, Tewatia takes Titans home

Gujarat Titans bowler Sai Kishore celebrates after taking a wicket during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 21, 2024. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy In the battle of shaky top orders, Rahul Tewatia’s rearguard action took Gujarat Titans over the line by three wickets against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday. Though a 143-run target was just what the under-fire Titans batting line-up would have wished for, poor shot selection helped Punjab claw back and give the Shubman Gill-led side a scare. At the 16-over mark, the visitor still needed 38 runs to win with the last recognised batting pair, Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, at the crease. The former survived a close lbw shout in the following over, attempting a perilous reverse-sweep off Harpreet Brar. He backed himself and reprised the shot two deliveries later, fetching a boundary on this occasion. That opened the floodgates as 27 runs came off the next nine balls, with Kagiso Rabada’s over, 18th of the innings, going for 20 runs. Though Harshal Patel gave the crowd some cheer with two wickets in the 19th over with a yorker and a full toss, it wasn’t enough for Punjab to avoid its fourth consecutive defeat at home. Earlier, it was a familiar script for Punjab as Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma stood at the burning deck, with their team floundering at 86 for five. Unfortunately for the host, there was no redemption this time as both batters were back in the dugout in a span of three overs, deceived in flight by left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore. With the innings tottering at 99 for seven, it fell upon Impact Player Harpreet Singh Bhatia and No. 9 Harpreet Brar to drag the host to 142. After electing to bat, Punjab’s top order flattered to deceive as Sam Curran and Prabhsimran Singh put on the team’s second 50-run opening partnership of the season but were soon watching the proceedings from the sidelines. Prabhsimran, Rilee Rossouw, Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma succumbed to a rush of blood to the head, leaving their side in early trouble. Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan picked seven wickets between them, transcending seamer-friendly conditions and bamboozling the host in its den. Scoreboard PUNJAB KINGS: Sam Curran lbw b Rashid 20 (19b, 2×4), Prabhsimran Singh c Saha b Mohit 35 (21b, 3×4, 3×6), Rilee Rossouw lbw b Noor 9 (7b, 2×4), Jitesh Sharma b Sai Kishore 13 (12b, 1×6), Liam Livingstone c Tewatia b Noor 6 (9b, 1×4), Shashank Singh c & b Sai Kishore 8 (12b), Ashutosh Sharma c Mohit b Sai Kishore 3 (8b), Harpreet Bhatia (Impact Player in place of Prabhsimran) run out 14 (19b), Harpreet Brar c Shahrukh b Sai Kishore 29 (12b, 4×4, 1×6), Harshal Patel c Shahrukh b Mohit 0 (1b), Kagiso Rabada (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-1, nb-1, w-2): 4; Total (in 20 overs): 142. FALL OF WICKETS: 1-52 (Prabhsimran, 5.3 overs), 2-63 (Rossouw, 6.6), 3-67 (Curran, 7.5), 4-78 (Livingstone, 10.2), 5-86 (Jitesh, 11.4), 6-92 (Ashutosh, 13.5), 7-99 (Shashank, 15.2), 8-139 (Harpreet Brar, 18.6), 9-140 (Harshal, 19.2). GUJARAT TITANS BOWLING: Omarzai 2-0-13-0, Warrier 1-0-21-0, Mohit 4-0-32-2, Rashid 4-0-15-1, Noor 4-0-20-2, Sai Kishore 4-0-33-4, Shahrukh 1-0-7-0.

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Pakistan Trounce Depleted New Zealand In Second T20I

Pakistan Trounce Depleted New Zealand In Second T20I

Left-armers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Amir shared five wickets to rock New Zealand for a paltry 90 before Mohammad Rizwan anchored the chase to help Pakistan win the second Twenty20 clash Saturday in Rawalpindi. Shaheen led the attack with 3-13 while Amir, returning to international cricket after nearly four years, finished with 2-13 as the visitors were bowled out in 18.1 overs after being sent in to bat. Rizwan finished with 45 not out off 34 balls with a six and four boundaries to ensure Pakistan chased down a modest target in 12.1 overs for a seven wicket win and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match, also in Rawalpindi, was washed out after just two deliveries on Thursday. New Zealand did fight back with wickets of Saim Ayub (four), Babar Azam (14) and debutant Usman Khan (seven) but Muhammad Irfan Khan (run-a-ball 18) partnered Rizwan in an unfinished 36-run stand to seal victory. Ayub hit a boundary off the first ball of the innings before giving a return catch to pacer Ben Lister off the next while Azam was stumped off rival skipper Michael Bracewell and Usman bowled by spinner Ish Sodhi. Azam credited his bowling for the kickstart. “It’s crucial to set the tone in first six overs at this ground,” said Azam of the Pindi stadium which saw a packed 16,000 week-end crowd. “The way Naseem, Shaheen and Amir bowled was outstanding and helped us get early wickets.” Bracewell lamented batting failure. “We didn’t score quite enough runs,” said Bracewell. “We were little bit slow to adapt to the surface and put ourselves under pressure in the end. We got a game tomorrow and we need to learn quickly.” Earlier Amir — returning to international cricket after nearly four years — jolted New Zealand in the opening overs. Amir retired abruptly in 2020 after he was dropped from the team, the second break in his career after he was banned for five years in a spot-fixing scandal in 2010. Spinners Abrar Ahmed (2-15) and Shadab Khan (2-15) doubled the pressure as New Zealand were dismissed for their second lowest total against Pakistan in the game’s shortest format. Mark Chapman (19), Cole McConchie (15), Dean Foxcroft (13) and Tim Seifert (13) were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Chapman hit three boundaries in his 16-ball knock. New Zealand’s lowest T20I total against Pakistan is 80, made at Christchurch in 2010. Fast bowler Naseem Shah, also playing his first match since injuring his shoulder in September last year, took 1-27 in four overs. Both teams are preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in June in the United States and the West Indies. New Zealand are missing a host of their top players due to playing in the ongoing Indian Premier League, unavailability and injuries. The remaining matches are in Rawalpindi on Sunday followed by the last two in Lahore on April 25 and 27. (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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