IPL 2024

IPL 2024: Must-win game for Chennai Super Kings against Punjab Kings | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago04 mins

Pacers Pathirana, Deshpande back as Ruturaj’s boys eye revenge against PBKSChennai Super Kings have been far from comfortable playing away from home this season. The reigning champions have won just one of their four matches on the road so far and were outplayed by the opposition in each of the three losses. With time not on their side and the team playing catch-up in the intense playoff race, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK will have to improve their away record, starting with the clash against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Sunday.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLESuper Kings (10 points from 10 matches) find themselves in must-win territory as they are two points behind Sunrisers Hyderabad (12 points from 10 matches), who occupy the fourth and final knockout spot.A slip-up against Punjab – four days after going down to the same opposition in Chennai – could mean that top-four qualification may no longer be in their hands.Moving into the most crucial phase of the league stage, Ruturaj’s form is a huge positive for CSK. The right-handed opener is on a dream run with five 50-plus scores in his last six outings. While Ruturaj is in glorious touch, he can still improve in certain areas – maintaining consistency away from home, making full use of the Powerplay at a time when his opening partner Ajinkya Rahane is struggling for runs. The fact that the pitches at the HPCA Stadium provide good assistance to the batters should please Ruturaj and Co. After being dominated by spinners Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar, the middle-order batters, especially Shivam Dube, will be eager to exact revenge.CSK are set to be bolstered by the availability of pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande, but will be without the services of Deepak Chahar. While Pathirana and Deshpande missed the last game with a niggle and flu respectively, Deepak limped off the field with a groin injury. “Deepak has pulled up with a problem in his leg and is not with us. The Sri Lankan boys (Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana) had to go to get their visas sorted. They did not train on Saturday. Once we see how the conditions are and the balance of the team, we will know (if they play). Tushar seems fine right now,” said CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons.Punjab, who are on a two-match winning streak, will look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The change of home venue from Mullanpur to Dharamshala could come as a welcome boost as the free-stroking PBKS batters may be better-suited to the HPCA Stadium pitch.

‘Brutal!’ Fans react to Sunil Gavaskar’s scathing response to Virat Kohli on strike-rate talks | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago05 mins

After Sunil Gavaskar‘s scathing response to fellow batting legend Virat Kohli for his comment on cricket experts debating his strike rate in T20s, fans came out in huge numbers on social media to voice their opinion on the controversy. Prior to the announcement of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, there were talks about Kohli not scoring quickly enough to match the standards of T20 strike rate these days despite the Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon topping the list of run-getters in the ongoing Indian Premier League Season. But Kohli remained in almost ever expert’s list of India’s 15-member T20 World Cup squad and also made it to the official squad announced by the BCCI earlier in the week. Kohli, who has scored 542 runs in 11 matches so far in IPL 2024, reacted to the comments.WHAT KOHLI SAID“Not really, all the people who talk about strike-rates and me not playing spin well are the ones talking about this stuff. For me, it’s about winning the games for the team and there’s a reason why you’ve done it for 15 years, you’ve done this day in and day out, you’ve won games for your teams, I’m not quite sure that if you haven’t been in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game in the box.”“For me, people can talk about their assumptions day in and day out, but those who have done it day in and day out, they know what’s happening and it’s a kind of muscle memory for me now.”GAVASKAR’S RESPONSE“Commentators questioned only when his strike rate was 118. I’m not too sure. I don’t watch too many matches, so I don’t know what the other commentators have said otherwise. But if you come and open and then have a strike of 118 when you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, I mean, if you want applause for that, that’s a little bit different.”“All these guys talk about, ‘oh we don’t care about outside noise’. Accha! Then why are you replying to any outside noise or whatever it is? We all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket. We don’t have agendas. We speak about what we see. We don’t necessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes and dislikes, we actually speak on what is happening.” “I hope Star Sports realises that when that clip is shown, questioning the critics, the critics are your own commentators. For you to show the person belittling your own commentators, I’m not sure that’s a great thing. You need to realise you have shown it enough times, everybody’s got the message. I would be very disappointed if you show it once more.”HOW THE FANS HAVE REACTED

Watch: What Virat Kohli did after receiving the Orange Cap from Dinesh Karthik | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

Virat Kohli, who had lost the Orange Cap as IPL 2024‘s top scorer to Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad earlier this week, reclaimed it with his 42-run knock for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their victory over Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru on Saturday. But it was not just his breezy knock but also his cheeky gesture after receiving the cap from teammate Dinesh Karthik that broke the internet.IPL 2024 STANDINGS: Points Table | Orange Cap | Purple CapKohli’s 42 came off just 27 balls at a strike rate of 155.56, while he put up an opening partnership of 92 runs with RCB skipper and top-scorer Faf du PLessis who struck a sublime 23-ball 62, which included 10 four and 3 sixes.However, RCB’s middle order caved in against Joshua Litle (4/42) while chasing Gujarat Titans’s below-par 147. But the Kohli-Du Plessis partnership had done enough damage at the top, as veteran finisher Karthik (21* off 12 balls) and Swapil Singh (15* off 9) took the team home in 13.4 overs for a four-wicket win.WATCH VIDEO Kohli’s knock took him past Gaikwad in the Orange Cap standings. CSK’s Gaikwad was nine runs ahead before the start of Friday’s match. Kohli now has 542 runs in 11 matches so far this season. After the game, Kohli received the Orange Cap from Karthik, who put it on Virat’s head. In a cheeky gesture, Kohli bowed to Karthik after receiving it, as both smiled. RCB bowlers, led by two wickets each from Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Mohammed Siraj, bowled out Gujarat Titans for just 147 after the hosts won the toss and opted to bowl first. The victory took RCB to the seventh spot in the points table, but their chances of reaching the playoffs continue to hang by a thread.

‘Start from zero…’: Shubman Gill after Gujarat Titans slump to third loss in a row | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a dominant four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans for their third consecutive IPL 2024 win on Saturday. This was RCB’s fourth win in 11 matches, which propelled them from last place to seventh, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.Chasing a modest target of 148, Du Plessis (64) and Kohli (42) provided a strong start with a 92-run partnership in 35 balls, securing the win with 6.2 overs to spare at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.Du Plessis’s departure triggered a mini-collapse, as Gujarat struck back with wickets from Joshua Little and Noor Ahmad, leaving RCB at 117-6 when Kohli fell. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik (21) and Swapnil Singh (15) then ensured a smooth finish with an unbroken 35-run stand, guiding the team home without further trouble.Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans’s situation remains precarious, as they suffered their seventh loss in 11 matches.After the defeat, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill rued not having an extra bowling option in the side.“It all depends on the wicket, you see the first couple of overs. You get an idea and you play according to that. I think 170-180 on this wicket would have been a good total,” Gill said.“I think how we batted in the powerplay and how we bowled in the powerplay, that made a difference. We would have an extra bowling option (had we not lost early wickets.) Never easy. It’s important for us to start from zero (in the next game), need to move on,” he said.“Many positives to take from this game, need to make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes. It’s all about winning everything we can from here on,” Gill added.

IPL 2024 | Didn’t think I had to bat, was having my cappuccino: Dinesh Karthik on finishing RCB vs GT

Danijones8 months ago06 mins

Dinesh Karthik revealed how he had to turn into RCB’s saviour yet again after initially not thinking he would need to bat during the match against GT at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on May 4, Saturday. Karthik calmed down RCB’s nerves and guided them to a 4-wicket win against Gujarat. RCB continue to keep their playoff hopes alive as they registered their 3rd win in a row. While speaking to the broadcasters, Karthik revealed that he was having a cup of cappuccino and did not think that he had to bat and was in a pretty chilled out mood. Karthik suggested that he was not mentally prepared and when wickets started tumbling, he had to be ready. “Started with a cup of tea and then after about 4 overs, I had a cappuccino and thought I wasn’t going to bat. I wasn’t padded up, I wasn’t mentally ready, I was just chilling. And then, things happened, and I had to pad up. I was a touch late but managed to make it. It’s a very different sort of pressure, it’s one thing about chasing down totals in an interesting way and all you need to think about is hitting boundaries.” IPL 2024, RCB vs GT: Highlights | Report After getting off to a blazing start, when RCB were at 92 for 1 in the first 6 overs, they started to fall like a pack of cards. RCB went onto lose 6 wickets in a span of 25 runs as they were reduced to 117 for 6. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule HOW KARTHIK HELPED RCB CHASE 148 RUNS Karthik opened upon how he approached the chase after RCB looked in a bit of trouble. He emphasised playing with a bit of caution as RCB had a lot of balls left to chase the target. He also mentioned that it was a good toss to win as the wicket had some moisture. “But if there’s a lot of time, and you need to make sure that you are playing sensibly, it is also the need of the hour, basic cricketing skills come through. Over a period of time, that’s been my strength, so I backed myself. The pitch was initially good to bowl on, being under the covers for so long, there was a bit of moisture. It was sticky, good toss to win, and we bowled very well,” Karthik said. Karthik played a quickfire knock of 21 runs from 12 balls to help RCB cross the line. He had come to bat in the 10th over when RCB needed only 35 runs to win the match. Karthik credited the bowlers for restricting GT to a below-par total of 147 runs, which was crucial to RCB winning the match. He lauded the 92-run stand between Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, in which the duo went ballistic and set up the win for RCB. “Got to give credit to the bowlers. The way Faf and Virat batted, I don’t think you could have played some kind of shots if you were batting first. I enjoyed how they went about things.” Karthik also revealed his chat with young batter Swapnil Singh, who finished the match with a six for RCB. Karthik said how he backed Swapnil to face GT spinner Noor Ahmed and was impressed with his batting. “I told Swapnil to play for the ball that comes in. He asked me if sweep is a good option and I said, ‘If you feel sweep is a good option, back yourself to do it but commit to your shot.’ Then he executed those two sweep shots, which was really good and that was the need of the hour in a way,” Karthik said. RCB next face PBKS on May 9. Published By: Diya Kakkar Published On: May 5, 2024

‘Don’t look at the scoreboard and…’: Skipper Faf du Plessis explains RCB’s batting approach | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s emphatic four-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans marked their third consecutive win in the IPL. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli spearheaded the successful chase of a modest 148-run target, forming a formidable partnership of 92 runs in just 35 balls.Their commanding performance laid a solid foundation for the team’s triumph, achieved with 6.2 overs to spare at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.However, du Plessis’ departure triggered a brief collapse, with Gujarat Titans striking back with quick wickets. The team found itself in a precarious position at 117-6 following Kohli’s dismissal.Yet, wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, alongside Swapnil Singh, displayed composure and determination, guiding Bangalore to victory with an unbeaten partnership of 35 runs. Their collective effort ensured there was no further drama as they successfully steered the team home.Skipper du Plessis, however, clearly stated that the team’s mantra is to not look at the scoreboard and play the way we want to play.“Been really good the last few games, the way we’ve played with bat and ball. Aggressive with the bat, unbelievable in the field. [Assessment of conditions] There was more bounce in the wicket, we got that information and the bowlers were consistently really good. We dropped a catch but have been really consistent. Something around 180-90 would have been a good score, but we’ve seen the way the game has changed,” Du Plessis said after the match.“Don’t look at the scoreboard and play the way that we want to play. It was a bit nerve-racking, another wicket, another wicket. Probably not the best but you’re trying to be positive, get your NRR up. It makes sense from that point of view but it gets to the point when you need to show a bit of calmness and composure – probably around four down, so some lessons to be learned from that,” Du Plessis added.

Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli take RCB to win over Titans after bowlers fire

Danijones8 months ago07 mins

For the first six overs of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reply, the ball was travelling to all parts of the stadium. The home team were running away with the match on 92/1 after the powerplay, chasing 148. So dominant were they, and GT bowlers so listless, that RCB got greedy. They decided to push for an early win in a bid to boost their net run rate. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli during the match against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2024.(ANI ) Perhaps late, but Titans woke up to the possibility of using the short ball, which was their undoing while batting. Irish left-arm seamer Josh Little, playing the season’s first match, was the only serious bowling option GT had to execute the short-ball ploy. Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell in the 8th over, Cameron Green in the 10th, all holed out trying to attack Little’s short ball. His 4-0-45-4 almost forced RCB off their perch. When Noor Ahmed’s wrong ’un got the set Virat Kohli 42 (27b), RCB were 117/6 and there was panic in the dugout. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! But Dinesh Karthik’s calm 21* (12b) and Swapnil Singh 15* (9b) saved the day as RCB kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a four-wicket win achieved in the 14th over on Saturday. SIRAJ FINDS RHYTHM World Cup-bound Mohammed Siraj rediscovered his lengths (4-0-29-2) on a M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch that had some life in the first half, for a change. Whether it was the effect of the pitch having been under covers due to rain, the grass on the pitch wasn’t just cosmetic. RCB bowlers made the most of the two-paced pitch, using short deliveries to peg back the visitors in the powerplay. Not for the first time, GT endured another poor powerplay with fewest runs – 23/3. Against Delhi Capitals at home, they had only managed 30/4. Even for a bowling-heavy side, GT’s middling performances with the bat have been piling on their agony. Wriddhiman Saha has been Siraj’s bunny and it took no time for the India pacer to catch Saha’s (1) outside edge. Soon, Shubman Gill cut a desolate figure after another failure, his waft on two against Siraj ending up in the hands of point. For a batter who plundered runs at will, 890 last edition, Gill’s indifferent season as captain will add to his misery. After the Hardik Pandya transfer, GT has been without a middle-overs insurance cover and more reliant on Gill than before. But he has been hesitant on which approach to take, leading to his undoing on quite a few occasions. Then Sai Sudharsan (6) fell to Cameron Green’s extra bounce and Shahrukh Khan (37) was run out by Kohli. GT could never truly recover. Rahul Tewatia did try and push the scoring rate, going particularly hard against leg-spinner Karn Sharma. With a 4-4-6-4, he took 19 runs off the 16th over. But the finishing kick never came as GT folded up for 147 in 19.3 overs. EXPENSIVE MOHIT There’s a fine line between trusting an old warhorse and being obsessive with that. For GT it was the experienced medium-pacer Mohit Sharma, who had gone for 19-runs-per-over in the last six overs he has bowled in the past two matches. Gill handed him the first over. Kohli and Faf du Plessis though were far too experienced and transferred the heat on Mohit. Kohli took the lead hitting two sixes, over long-off and mid-wicket. In Mohit’s next over, du Plessis plundered him around the park for four boundaries. Mohit had again gone for 16-an-over. Powered by du Plessis’ brisk 64 (23b), RCB batters stepped on the gas. Their decision to go into overdrive in the middle-overs almost cost them the match though. The day began with Sunil Gavaskar raising the heat, taking on Virat Kohli’s criticism of those who spoke ‘from the box’ questioning his strike-rate against spin. “If you have a strike of 118 and then you get out in the 14th or the 15th with a strike-rate of 118, I mean, if you want applause for that, that’s a little bit different,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. “We don’t have agendas.” Kohli again showed good intent against GT’s spinners, although he couldn’t stay unbeaten. We may not have heard the last of Kohli and his batting strike rate.

‘Had a cappuccino and thought I…’: Dinesh Karthik sums up RCB’s batting collapse | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s explosive start, led by Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, set the tone for a thrilling encounter. Du Plessis, in particular, showcased his aggressive intent, smashing the ball to all corners and registering the franchise’s second-fastest fifty off 18 balls against Gujarat Titans in the IPL match in Bengaluru.While du Plessis took on the aggressor role, Kohli provided crucial support, resulting in their highest Powerplay score of 92 in the history of the IPL.However, a dramatic turn of events saw Bengaluru lose momentum, slipping from 92/1 to 111/5. Kohli, undeterred by the falling wickets, anchored the innings, losing partners but holding one end firmly.Dinesh Karthik‘s arrival provided much-needed support, and despite Kohli’s dismissal, Karthik kept his calm and targeted Rashid Khan to get things back under control.With Swapnil Singh also contributing crucial runs, Bengaluru’s resilience shone through as they successfully chased down the 147-run target with 38 balls to spare, showcasing the team’s depth and determination in overcoming adversity.Veteran RCB batter Karthik, who hadn’t thought of coming to bat with the way their openers started the chase, gave full credit to Kohli and du Plessis for the four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans.“I started with a cup of tea, then after four overs I had a cappuccino and thought I wouldn’t be batting.” Things happened, and then I had to have a bat,” Karthik said after the match.“[Approach] How to hit boundaries, basic cricketing skills come through. I backed myself to get the job done. The pitch was good to bowl on, having been under the covers there was a bit of moisture.Good toss to win but the bowlers did the job beautifully. The way Faf and Virat batted, I don’t think they would have played the same shots batting first! [Advice to Swapnil] Play for the one that comes in. If you feel sweep is a good option, back yourself to do it but commit to the shot, don’t be half-hearted,” Karthik added.

IPL 2024, RCB vs GT: How resolute Mohammed Siraj defeated illness to wreck Gujarat

Danijones8 months ago03 mins

Mohammed Siraj said that he was determined to play RCB’s IPL 2024 match against GT despite not being on top of his health. On Saturday, April 4, the speedster won the Player of the Match award after RCB beat the Titans by 4 wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Siraj finished with figures of 4-0-29-2 as the hosts kept alive their slim chances of making it through to the playoffs. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule Siraj made the early inroads into the opposition batting, dismissing Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill. On the back of his initial burst with the new ball, RCB reduced GT to 10 for 2 in 3.5 overs. The Titans could hardly recover from the early jolts and were bowled out for 147 in 19.3 overs. Siraj said that he pushed himself to take the field. ‘Almighty made me play’ “I was actually sick since last night and wasn’t going to play at all today, so this is great. When I got up this morning I thought it was better to rest but the almighty made me play. I kind of manifested it this morning because I envisioned it in a way that I would get Saha out like that, caught behind,” Siraj said in the post-match presentation ceremony. Siraj said that he took time in finding his rhythm, having not played white-ball cricket since the ODI World Cup final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. “I had been playing red-ball cricket for long and hadn’t played with the white ball since the ODI World Cup. So my rhythm was missing a little bit when I came here. But it came back gradually as I worked and practised more and more,” Siraj added. After beating GT, the Challengers will next be up against PBKS on Thursday, May 9 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Published By: sabyasachi chowdhury Published On: May 4, 2024 Tune In

angry sunil gavaskar launches never seen attack on virat kohli, says ‘why are you replying to any outside noise’ | Cricket News

Danijones8 months ago02 mins

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.Read More