IPL 2024

MS Dhoni’s retirement talks intensified by Wasim Jaffer after CSK beat MI at IPL 2024: ‘Everyone expecting him to…’ | Cricket

Danijones7 months ago7 months ago04 mins

Completing a fairytale return to the iconic Wankhede Stadium, legendary cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni finished things off in style for Chennai Super Kings by taking Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya to the cleaners in the recently concluded encounter of the Indian Premier League season 2024. Giving CSK a late flourish in the final overs on Sunday, Dhoni smoked three sixes off Pandya to make sure the Yellow Brigade posted a match-winning total in the first El Clasico of the cash-rich league. Rohit Sharma , right, greets MS Dhoni at the end the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in Mumbai(AP) After Dhoni finished off CSK’s innings in style by hitting three sixes off his first three balls at the Wankhede, former India opener Wasim Jaffer issued a cryptic post about the former CSK skipper. The former India skipper is in speculation about finishing his T20 career at the IPL 2024. Dhoni stepped down as CSK’s captain in the build-up to the new season. “MS has always done things that no one expected, especially when it comes to retiring from formats. Now everyone is expecting him to retire after this IPL..Baki aap khud samajhdar hai #MIvCSK #IPL2024,” Jaffer said in his post. Dhoni cameo proved to be the difference in Clasico Dhoni remained unbeaten on 20 off just 4 balls against Hardik’s Mumbai Indians in match No.29 of the IPL 2024. The 42-year-old batted at a strike rate of 500 as the former CSK skipper propelled the defending champions to 206-4 in 20 overs. Dhoni’s successor, Ruturaj Gaikwad, played a stroke-filled knock of 69 off 40 balls while power-hitter Shivam Dube remained unbeaten with Dhoni on 66 off 38 deliveries. Dhoni’s IPL legacy According to a report filed by news agency PTI, Dhoni can bid farewell to IPL cricket after the 2024 season. Dhoni picked Indian opener Gaikwad as his successor at CSK. Dhoni informed the CSK CEO about his decision to step down as captain just before the IPL 2024 skippers’ meet. “There is speculation that Dhoni will retire at the end of the season and therefore the franchise felt the need for a smooth transition in the stalwart’s presence as a player,” the news agency mentioned in one of its reports. Dhoni has won the joint-most IPL trophies as captain. Chennai icon Dhoni has guided CSK to five IPL title triumphs. The former CSK skipper has scored the most runs as a wicketkeeper-batter in the elite T20 tournament. The most-capped player in IPL’s history has played a record 11 finals in his iconic career.

Heinrich Klaasen enjoys battle against two Indian spinners who challenge him the most

Danijones7 months ago7 months ago04 mins

Heinrich Klaasen has transformed his batting superbly according to the modern day requirements. He is now a six-hitting machine possessing the ability to turn the game on its head from any position. The man is currently playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has already scored 186 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 193.75 with 17 sixes to his name. On the contrary, the wicketkeeper-batter has only hit seven fours. Klaasen is one of the toughest batters to bowl at these days. However, he finds it challenging to face two Indian spinners – Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja. Talking about Chahal who is playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL, Klaasen recalls getting out to him on a couple of occasions but also rejoices smashing him for sixes. At the same time, the Proteas batter has also lauded Chahal for coming up with variations and also sticking to his game plan. As for Jadeja, his accuracy is what finds Klaasen challenging and is looking forward to facing him later in the season again. “I like facing [Yuzvendra] Chahal. It’s always been a good battle. He’s got me out a couple of times and I’ve been scoring off him, so that ratio is nice, I feel. I know he’s an excellent bowler, he’s one of my good friends as well so that will always be a nice challenge. He’s one of the bowlers that is always sticking to his gameplan. Even if you hit him for a couple of good shots, he still follows his process. Obviously he’s one of my mates so you want to take him down. He’s been good. “And Jadeja has been good on his type of wickets. So that’s always a nice challenge. So those two spinners in particular, it’s been good. I haven’t faced a lot of Jadeja so I am looking forward to more of that,” Klaasen said while speaking to Cricbuzz. Klaasen also picked SuperSport Park in Centurion as his favourite venue to bat while also clarifying that he also loves playing at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad which is also the home ground of SRH. “Super Sport Park – I don’t think there’s any better place in the world to play cricket at, especially on a Friday night. And Boland Park (Paarl) has always been my favourite. The mountains in the backdrop and the sun set looks just unbelievable. In the IPL, I obviously enjoy Hyderabad. The wicket has been fantastic there. But probably one of the loudest places I’ve been to is Mumbai. It’s a nice wicket too, as well and a great atmosphere,” Klaasen added.

‘There is no one to actually support…’: Brian Lara slams Mumbai Indians’ bowling | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: West Indian cricket legend Brian Lara and former England captain Kevin Pietersen offered insightful analysis after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 20 runs in their IPL encounter.Lara pointed out MI’s bowling deficiencies, beyond the formidable Jasprit Bumrah. He emphasized the lack of support for Bumrah, stating, “Their bowling is poor. Beyond Jasprit Bumrah, there is no one to actually support them in that bowling attack, and the CSK batters took them apart.” The batting maestro highlighted MI’s reluctance to utilize spinners against Shivam Dube and emphasized the need for MI to strengthen their bowling lineup. He emphasized, “The spinners, they only bowled 4 overs after around 7 runs an over, but they weren’t trusted with Shivam Dube out there. So, MI will have to improve in that area, they’ve got to find a couple of bowlers, match-winning bowlers.” Meanwhile, Pietersen lauded Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana‘s exceptional performance, describing him as “very unorthodox.” Drawing comparisons with legendary bowler Lasith Malinga, Pietersen added, “It was something that Malinga had as well, it was reverse, but it wasn’t reverse in, it was reverse down, and that’s always going away from the angle of where you’re trying to hit the ball.”ALSO CHECK: IPL SCHEDULEPietersen emphasized the challenge posed by Pathirana’s deliveries, noting, “When you’ve got a bowler that’s coming at an angle, but it’s not coming on at a natural angle, it’s coming on at an angle that actually starts to dip on you, then you can’t actually play the sweep, you can’t play the ramp, because it’s going to get under your bat, and then it also makes it really hard to hit down the ground. It’s a gem for CSK, what a bowler.”(Inputs from PTI)

Watch – ‘A trip down memory lane’: MS Dhoni with 2011 ODI and 2007 T20 World Cup trophies | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: The legendary MS Dhoni was back in Mumbai for Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2024 match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEOn Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had released three pictures of the former India captain visiting the board headquarters at the Wankhede and admiring the ODI World Cup trophy he had won for the country on April 2, 2011.On Sunday after the MI-CSK match, BCCI released a heart-warming video that shows Dhoni at the headquarters.Dhoni signed a photograph of himself hitting that iconic six in the final against Sri Lanka to win the ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni also signed another photograph of himself playing a Test match and then was seen admiring the 2007 T20 World Cup trophy that had capitulated him to stardom.The heart-warming video shows Dhoni with a smile as he roamed about the room filled with nostalgia. In the match against Mumbai Indians, Dhoni scored 20 runs off four balls, and that proved to be the exact margin of victory for Chennai Super Kings.

IPL-17 | Starc unfazed by criticism, says lack of T20 experience could be reason for initial struggle

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Mitchell Starc bowls during the match against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League 2024, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI Australian speedster Mitchell Starc is not bothered about the criticism directed at him for not living up to his high IPL price tag but on Sunday admitted that his lack of T20 experience could be the reason for taking longer time to find his rhythm. Starc, the IPL’s highest buy at a whopping ₹24.75 crore, came up with his best show this season, claiming 3/28, including two wickets in the final over, that helped KKR restrict Lucknow Super Giants to a below par 161 for 7. KKR then chased down the target in 15.4 overs with eight wickets intact. Prior to Sunday, Starc took just two wickets in four matches with an average of 77 and leaked 11 runs per over as he drew widespread criticism. “I don’t read anything so that doesn’t bother me,” Starc said after KKR’s win at the Eden Gardens here. “I haven’t played a lot of T20 cricket in the last couple of years, so it’s probably taken me a little bit longer than I would have liked to get back into the rhythm of things and make a better impact. So today was nice in that regard.” Managing workload in T20 cricket and adjusting to the rigours of the IPL is not tough for Test cricketers, said Starc. “I’m 34, so I’m pretty good with my workloads. I’ve been doing this a long time, so that’s fine. “It’s T20 cricket. For the guys that play a lot of Test cricket, this is certainly a lot easier physically. It’s probably more getting used to the tactical side of it.” He said in T20 cricket, games come around so quickly that players can’t really think about what has happened. “We play again on Tuesday, and I think that’s a feature of T20 cricket, whether you have a good day or bad day. You quickly focus on the next game. “So far, we’ve started the season quite well as a group, and now we move on to Tuesday. “We kept them (LSG) under par with the way we bowled, and that showed through with the way that our batters went out there and did it pretty clinically in the end. So a pretty solid day for KKR,” he added.

IPL-17 | Not panicking, but we will have difficult conversations: K.L. Rahul

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

LSG wicketkeeper and captain KL Rahul during the IPL match against KKR at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 14, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul on Sunday said panic has not set within his team after two successive defeats, but stressed on the need to have some tough conversations within the group. LSG went down by eight wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders here, as the side is now placed fifth on the points table with six points from as many matches. “Not panicking, but you can’t put your feet up and hope results will go your way. We have to figure out where you are going wrong. We will have a few difficult conversations,” said Rahul during the post-match presentation. “The last couple of games, we have not been able to get more than 160, and that is something to think about, and see how we can get to the 180-200 run mark.” Being asked to bat first, LSG were limited to 161 and KKR chased down the target in just 15.4 overs. Analysing their batting, Rahul rued losing too many wickets upfront. “I think it was the other way round. The ball started nipping around a lot more after the lights came on. I can’t say we played bad shots, but the shots we played, we did not execute well,” he offered. “We kept losing wickets in bunches, and we left about 30 runs out there. If we kept wickets in our hand and had one of our top three-four batters through, we could have got a lot more runs. We got a few wickets but leaked too many boundaries.” The character of bowlers showed: Shreyas ============================== Meanwhile, KKR captain Shreyas Iyer credited the bowlers for the win. The triumph has allowed the two-time champions to maintain the second spot on the table with eight points from five matches. “The way we played, it was a comprehensive victory. We bowled well under pressure, and then, finishing off the game, it was the icing on the cake,” said Iyer. “It was important to bowl as many slower balls as possible. With the heat coming in, the wicket was a little dry, and we wanted to minimise the half-volleys, and we wanted the batters to use their power and clear the ropes. “That is what we were focusing on, and I feel we executed it phenomenally well. The character and attitude bowlers showed were exceptional.” The unbeaten partnership of 120 runs between Iyer (38 runs, 38b) and Phil Salt (89 off 47b) played a pivotal role in KKR’s success. Salt lauded Iyer for his support. “Shreyas was good in the middle and kept me on task. Good to have Shreyas back (in form).” The Englishman also credited the Eden Gardens wicket for making him feel at home. “Before the lights came on, I felt it was a little slower. When they came on, there was a bit more moisture to allow the ball to slide on, so it got a bit better for our innings. “In India, this (pitch) is probably the most similar to home (in England). The ball bounces a bit more, and you can aim squarer.”

‘There’s a man behind the stumps…’: Hardik Pandya makes big comment on MS Dhoni after CSK win | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana delivered his standout IPL performance, claiming four wickets as the Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 20 runs in an electrifying match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.Put into bat first, CSK’s star allrounder Shivam Dube and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad showcased brilliant stroke play, each notching up half-centuries, propelling the five-time champions to a mammoth 206/4.In reply, Pathirana dismissed Ishan Kishan (23), Surya Kumar Yadav (0), Tilak Varma (31), and Romario Shepherd (1), finishing with figures of 4 for 28, limiting the Mumbai Indians to 186 for six in their allotted 20 overs.IPL: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPMI captain Pandya, who managed just 2 runs before being dismissed by Tushar Deshpande, acknowledged Pathirana’s pivotal role in CSK’s victory.Pandya also lauded the strategic acumen of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose aggressive batting display against him in the final four deliveries, yielding three consecutive sixes, proved decisive in CSK’s triumph.“It (target) was definitely gettable, but they bowled pretty well. Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there’s a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what’s working, that helps,” Pandya said after the match. “It (pitch) was holding up a bit and getting difficult. It was about batting well and keeping the intent. We were going quite well (in the run chase) till Pathirana came into the attack and took those two wickets,” Pandya added.“It was about what is best at that time, we could have done something different. I like to play percentage cricket, it would have been difficult for him (Dube) against seamers rather than spin. We are on the road for the next four games, need to play good cricket, need to keep the intensity high,” the MI skipper said.Mumbai Indians will next face Punjab Kings on April 18 in Chandigarh, while CSK will be up against Lucknow Super Giants on April 19 in Lucknow.

‘Those three sixes proved to be the difference’: Ruturaj Gaikwad praises MS Dhoni’s epic cameo | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad hailed the young wicketkeeper MS Dhoni for his exceptional performance, particularly his feat of hitting three successive sixes off Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.Gaikwad recognised Dhoni’s pivotal contribution, acknowledging that it ultimately made the decisive difference in the match.Dhoni scored 20 runs off four balls, and that proved to be the exact margin of victory for CSK.Set 207 for victory, five-time winners Mumbai finished on 186/6 even though Rohit Sharma raised his ton in 61 balls.IPL: POINTS TABLE | ORANGE CAP | PURPLE CAPDhoni arrived in the middle with the scorecard showing 186/4 in 19.2 overs, and in no time, vintage Dhoni (20 off 4 balls) made the scoreboard read 206/4 in the stipulated 20 overs, with the help of three massive sixes and a double off the last ball of the innings. “The young wicketkeeper scoring those three sixes helped us a lot, that proved to be the difference. We needed those 10-15 extra runs for this kind of venue. In the middle phase, Bumrah bowled really well. I feel we were spot on with our execution with the ball despite them scoring some great shots. I would have taken 6 overs 60 at the powerplay,” Gaikwad said at the post-match interaction.“You need to be on the mark with bowling and batting at this venue. Our Malinga bowled really well today, he nailed those yorkers. Not to forget, Tushar and Shardul also did well. (On plans ahead) I think we need to keep it simple, encourage all to be in a good headspace and continue the same way. Jinks was carrying a bit of a niggle, so thought it was better for him to open. I’m fine batting anywhere, plus it is the added responsibility as the team captain,” Gaikwad added.Gaikwad and the in-form Shivam Dube powered Chennai, who won their fifth title last year, to 206/4. Gaikwad hit 69 and Dube smashed an unbeaten 66 before warhorse M.S. Dhoni smashed three successive sixes in the 20th over to take Chennai past 200.Sri Lanka quick Matheesha Pathirana then took four wickets to push Mumbai to their fourth loss of the season.

Picture Perfect! Sachin Tendulkar hugs MS Dhoni after MI-CSK match | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Irrespective of the match result in the IPL, the players’ camaraderie of the opposition camps often takes center stage. One such moment emerged after the Mumbai Indians-Chennai Super Kings match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.The two legends of the game, former CSK captain MS Dhoni and MI mentor Sachin Tendulkar were seen hugging each other graciously after the match.CSK put an end to MI’s home winning streak and secured their first away victory in this IPL season. Defending a total of 206 runs, they relied on superb defensive bowling. Matheesha Pathirana shone brightly, leading the charge with figures of 4 for 28 in his four overs.Despite Rohit Sharma’s magnificent unbeaten 105, Mumbai Indians fell short by 20 runs as they attempted to chase down a formidable target set by defending champions CSK in a clash between IPL giants.Even though Rohit raised his century off 61 balls, Mumbai concluded their innings at 186-6, unable to overhaul the target at their home ground, Wankhede Stadium. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and the in-form Shivam Dube powered Chennai, who won their fifth title last year, to 206-4. Gaikwad hit 69 and Dube smashed an unbeaten 66 before warhorse MS Dhoni smashed three successive sixes in the 20th over to take Chennai past 200.Dhoni came in to bat with four balls left and scored 20. He smashed Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya for three sixes and finished with a two to end a 26-run over.

Young wicketkeeper’s 3 sixes, Baby Malinga: CSK captain credits Dhoni, Pathirana for MI win

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad credited MS Dhoni’s superb cameo and Matheesa Pathirana’s sensational bowling effort for Chennai’s 20-run win over MI in the IPL 2024 match at the Wankhede Stadium. Gaikwad addressed Dhoni as a ‘young wicketkeeper’ while acknowledging his unbeaten 20-run cameo as a game-changer. Dhoni’s ballistic 4-ball 20 garnished forceful fifties by Shivam Dube and Ruturaj Gaikwad as Chennai powered to a strong 206 for four against Mumbai, which turned out to be a winning total. “The young wicketkeeper (MS Dhoni) scoring those three sixes helped us a lot, that proved to be the difference. We needed those 10-15 extra runs for this kind of venue. In the middle phase, Bumrah bowled really well. I feel we were spot on with our execution with the ball despite them scoring some great shots. I would have taken 6 overs 60 at the powerplay,” Ruturaj Gaikwad said after the win over MI. Chennai were under the pump inside the Powerplay as the opening pair of Mumbai were doing some real damage. However, the introduction of Matheesha Pathirana in the 8th over, turned things around in the blink of an eye as he got two big wickets in his first over and got his side back in the game. Chennai once again let another partnership build before Ruturaj Gaikwad brought Pathirana in and he yet again delivered with a wicket. This was well backed up by the likes of Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande who went for just 5 runs combined in their final overs. In the end, Mustafizur Rahman got hit but got David out and then Pathirana closed things out well. IPL 2024 Full Coverage | IPL 2024 Points Table and Standings | 2024 IPL Full Schedule Gaikwad lauded Pathirana’s performance, emphasizing his critical role in the team’s bowling strategy. Alongside Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande and Shardul Thakur also received praise for their contributions, highlighting the collective effort of the bowling unit. Looking ahead, Gaikwad emphasized the importance of maintaining simplicity in approach and fostering a positive mindset among the team members. “You need to be on the mark with bowling and batting at this venue. Our Malinga (Matheesa Pathirana) bowled really well today, he nailed those yorkers. Not to forget, Tushar and Shardul also did well. (On plans ahead) I think we need to keep it simple, encourage all to be in a good headspace and continue the same way. Jinks was carrying a bit of a niggle, so thought it was better for him to open. I’m fine batting anywhere, plus it is the added responsibility as the team captain,” Ruturaj added. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: Apr 15, 2024 Tune In