December 23, 2024
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On top of IPL standings: Kolkata Knight Riders credit Gautam Gambhir's winning formula | Cricket News

On top of IPL standings: Kolkata Knight Riders credit Gautam Gambhir’s winning formula | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Young pacer Harshit Rana attributed Kolkata Knight Riders’ surge to the top of the IPL points table to the winning blueprint laid down by former captain Gautam Gambhir, now serving as the team’s mentor. Gambhir’s strategic insights, derived from his successful tenure as KKR skipper, have revitalized the franchise’s performance, leading them to reclaim their dominant form in the tournament.Under Gambhir’s leadership, KKR clinched the IPL title twice and secured playoff berths on five occasions between 2011 and 2017.Rana acknowledged Gambhir’s profound understanding of the game, stating, “He has a lot of knowledge on how to turn games in our favor, and it helps us a lot in the middle.”Rana emphasized the team’s adherence to Gambhir’s preferred style of cricket, which focuses on strategic discipline and adaptability. “Not only this match, this entire season we have been focusing a lot on the style of cricket that Gautam Gambhir wants us to play,” Rana remarked during a press conference following KKR’s commanding victory over Lucknow Super Giants.In the latest triumph, KKR showcased their astute reading of the conditions, with Rana playing a pivotal role in restricting the opposition with figures of 3/24. Despite concerns over Mitchell Starc’s economy rate, Rana expressed unwavering faith in the Australian speedster, highlighting his influential presence within the team. Reflecting on his aspirations, Rana expressed his ambition to represent India while maintaining a steadfast focus on delivering consistent performances for his franchise. “My aim is to play for India, but whatever franchise I play for, I try to give my best on the day of the match,” he affirmed.Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants’ Naveen Ul Haq conceded defeat against the brilliance of Sunil Narine‘s explosive innings, which propelled KKR to a daunting total. Naveen acknowledged Narine’s exceptional batting display, lamenting the failure of their bowling plans to contain the West Indian all-rounder.Despite the setback, Naveen remained pragmatic, acknowledging the need to regroup and refocus for their upcoming fixtures. “Every team has a bad day, and we cannot keep focusing on that, we have to move on,” he concluded, echoing the sentiment of resilience required in the demanding landscape of the IPL.(With inputs from PTI)

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Mohammed Siraj's form crucial for RCB: Griffith | Cricket News

Mohammed Siraj’s form crucial for RCB: Griffith | Cricket News

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BENGALURU: It wasn’t a typical M Chinnaswamy stadium strip on Saturday night — the wicket was two-paced, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s bowling too wasn’t akin to their display in the Indian Premier League thus far.Their bowling attack, pace in particular, was characterised by discipline, lengths were rarely off the mark and the lines spot on.Most importantly, their lead bowler, Mohammed Siraj, was back in the groove, tormenting the hapless Gujarat Titans batters in the powerplay.Siraj was dropped for the run-fest against Sunrisers Hyderabad last month and the 10-day break seems to have rejuvenated the 30-year-old. The World Cup-bound pacer has found his rhythm and although RCB are seventh on the points table with three games in hand, it isn’t out of place for them to fancy an outside chance of making the playoffs.In the last two wins — both coming against Gujarat — the bowling in powerplay has been the key for Faf du Plessis and his men. Admitting that the team has been able to address the problem area, Adam Griffith, the RCB bowling coach, said, “The start of the tournament wasn’t great for us, especially in the powerplay and that is something we focused a lot on recently to make sure we work really hard to get better starts. It was good to see the hard work pay off.”Siraj, at the start of the day, was a doubtful starter.“I wasn’t feeling well. When I woke up in the morning, I thought I wouldn’t be able to play and should rest. But I manifested what I wanted to do and that’s exactly what happened,” he said after the four-wicket win.The Bengaluru-based franchise headed to Goa for a break after their nine-wicket win over the Titans in Ahmedabad last week and the rest seemed to have worked well for the team.Outlining the shift in the bowling approach, Griffith revealed, “We’ve swung the ball all tournament upfront. What we’ve done in the last couple of games is we’ve bowled a better line. We talked a lot about bowling straighter and attacking the stumps as much as we can to challenge the batters’ defence and make them play aggressive shots. If they want to come hard at us, it’s a challenge for them to do. The boys put it exactly where we wanted them.”While RCB’s spin attack is undercooked and the pacers have been under the pump, Griffith said Siraj’s form was crucial for the team.“He’s the leader of our group. He’s our most experienced bowler and played a lot for India over the last few years and done really well. It’s not just him bowling well but it’s his aggression, it’s his body language and it’s his taking the batters on to try and get wickets. He’s such an important part of what we’re trying to do. So, having him up and going, swinging the ball again, bowling with good pace is important,” pointed out the 46-year-old.

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IPL: Rohit Sharma's form a concern for India and Mumbai Indians ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad clash | Cricket News

IPL: Rohit Sharma’s form a concern for India and Mumbai Indians ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad clash | Cricket News

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MUMBAI: In an IPL where arguments and counterarguments about Virat Kohli’s strike rate have hogged the limelight, the patchy form of Team India captain Rohit Sharma has flown under the radar.Going into the T20 World Cup next month, Rohit is aware that he could do with some runs and time in the middle under his belt, starting with Monday night’s tie for the Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium.When he was removed from MI captaincy before this season, head coach Mark Boucher had hoped that the decision would allow Rohit, who was in fine touch going into IPL, to “play more freely and take his team to the playoffs.”However, things haven’t exactly panned out the same way for the man who led MI to five IPL titles, but whose IPL form has been a concern for a few years now owing to his tendency to be over-aggressive from ball one. Since he slammed a century (105 not out off 63 balls) — his first in the IPL in more than a decade — against the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on April 14 in a 20-run defeat — Rohit’s scores have been 36, 6, 8, 4 and 11. Before that, his sequence of scores in the tournament read 43, 26, 0, 49 & 38. Overall, the 37-year-old has managed 326 runs in 11 [email protected] so far in IPL-2024.In his last match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Rohit didn’t even field due to a mild back issue and only came to bat as an ‘Impact Player.’There is a fair chance that given that the T20 World Cup is around the corner, the veteran opener would again turn out for MI as an ‘Impact Player’- ironic since he himself has been critical of the rule!At the selection presser, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar had made it clear that his committee pitched in for “experience” while picking the World Cup-bound squad, but Rohit’s poor IPL form does present a concern. If Rohit finds his form, it will help MI, down and knocked out of the competition, salvage some of their battered pride. Although they lost their first eight matches on the trot in 2022, this somehow feels the worst season for MI in their history. Having suffered as many as eight defeats — four on the trot going into this game — in 11 matches, they languish at the last spot in the 10-team tournament.While rumours and talk of their dressing room not being a happy place refuse to die, their big guns, barring pace ace Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets in 11 [email protected]) have failed to fire right through.Placed far better at No 4 with 12 points in 10 matches (six wins and four defeats), the Sunrisers will eye another win which strengthens their playoff hopes.For perhaps the first time since they reached the final in 2018, SRH, the 2016 IPL winners, are looking impressive.Led astutely by Pat Cummins, they possess the tournament’s most dangerous batting line-up in openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, followed by Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy (smashed 76 not out off just 42 balls in the last match). Head’s contest with Bumrah has the potential to light up this game. Between them, Klaasen (31) and Abhishek (28) have smashed as many as 59 sixes in IPL-2024 so far-the maximum by anyone in the competition so far.

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'I think you have to pick your...': Sunil Narine on his blistering knock | Cricket News

‘I think you have to pick your…’: Sunil Narine on his blistering knock | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: In a scintillating display, Sunil Narine‘s explosive knock of 81 runs off just 39 balls powered Kolkata Knight Riders to a dominant victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 98 runs, catapulting them to the top of the IPL table on Sunday.Narine’s blistering innings, adorned with six fours and seven sixes, steered Kolkata to a formidable total of 235-6 after they were put in to bat first in Lucknow’s final home game of the season.The Kolkata bowlers then rose to the occasion, skittling out Lucknow for just 137 runs in 16.1 overs, securing their eighth win in 11 matches and all but sealing a playoff berth. With second-placed Rajasthan Royals having played one match fewer, Kolkata’s victory firmly establishes their position at the summit of the IPL standings.Narine, who has impressed after being promoted to open by Kolkata this season, led their batting charge in a 61-run first-wicket stand with Phil Salt.“The most important thing is starting well and it’s good to have the backing of the support staff. I think you have to pick your strengths and pick your spots, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t,” Narine, who was named Player of the match, said at the post-match presentation.Narine also showered praise on spinner Varun Chakaravarthy for taking wickets and making his job easier.“It’s going very well, Varun is picking up wickets, it’s making my job easier to keep things tight. He is a hard worker and it’s good to see him do well. The boys are anxious and eager to play, so no matter what the situation is, they are up for the challenge and they are contributing for us,” Narine added.

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IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders tie with Mumbai Indians to register stunning batting record | Cricket News

IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders tie with Mumbai Indians to register stunning batting record | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continued their stellar batting display in the IPL, matching Mumbai Indians (MI) by notching up a total of six scores of 200 or more runs in a single season, a remarkable achievement in the history of the tournament.KKR achieved this milestone during their clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.In the match, KKR put up a formidable total of 235/6 in their allotted 20 overs, fueled by impactful contributions from Sunil Narine, Phil Salt, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Ramandeep Singh.Prior to this match, KKR had amassed 200-plus run totals against various opponents throughout the season, including Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings.This accomplishment puts KKR on par with Mumbai Indians, who achieved a similar feat during the 2023 season.Notably, KKR’s total of 235/6 against LSG is the highest score ever recorded against the franchise and at the Ekana Stadium, their home ground. This surpasses the previous record set by Gujarat Titans last season.KKR’s exceptional batting performance not only sets a new benchmark against LSG but also establishes them as a force to be reckoned with in the IPL, showcasing their prowess with the bat in hand.(With ANI inputs)

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'We are losing tosses, but...': Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer | Cricket News

‘We are losing tosses, but…’: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Despite losing the toss in the majority of their IPL matches, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have continued to excel when it matters most, stated skipper Shreyas Iyer after their victory on Sunday propelled them to the top of the points table.In the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Iyer lost his eighth toss in 11 games, yet this did not deter KKR’s performance. After being put into bat by LSG, KKR posted an imposing total of 235 for six.Their batting prowess was complemented by a strong bowling display, as they restricted the hosts to a mere 137 runs, securing another crucial win on their journey towards the playoffs.“The last 6 matches in the dressing room there has been havoc, teammates are coming in and asking skip what’s happening, we are losing tosses, but we are winning games that’s what matters,” said Iyer at the post-match presentation in Lucknow.“We had a great start in the powerplay. A lefty-righty combination makes things difficult for the opposition. It’s all about the freedom, to go out and express themselves.“We want to go out and be positive whatever the situation is, sometimes it doesn’t work out but sometimes it does.”Opener Sunil Narine smashed an unbeaten 81 off 39 balls before the bowlers did their job to script a big win.LSG need to win their remaining three games to push for a play-off spot and the do or die situation will help his team, insisted skipper KL Rahul.“We’ve made a couple of mistakes when we’ve come up against batters like Sunil and anyone that’s powerful. That type of intimidation puts pressure on our bowlers. That’ll be the chat once we get back to the dressing room – move on from this game, see where we went wrong and try and get better.“This is our last home game for us, so we are on the road for the next three games. It’s pretty clear for us, if you want to get to the top four, you got to win all the games. That will give us a little bit of freedom to go out there and be a little bit more fearless, little bit brave to take on the game,” said Rahul.(With PTI inputs)

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KL Rahul says 'poor performance overall' after succumbing to heavy defeat against KKR | Cricket News

KL Rahul says ‘poor performance overall’ after succumbing to heavy defeat against KKR | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants bowlers first leaked 235 in a historic first at the Ekana Stadium and batters then had a disappointing run, collapsing under the scoreboard pressure as KL Rahul and Co. succumbed to a heavy 98-run defeat at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.Smashing the LSG bowlers left, right and centre, Sunil Narine hit a sparkling 81 which was followed by a collective effort by the bowlers as KKR restricted the hosts to 137 all out and moved to the top of the table.Skipper Rahul after the embarrassing defeat blamed an overall poor performance for the horror show in their final home game of the season.“Lot of runs. Poor performance overall. It was a big total. Like I said, It’s a poor performance with both bat and ball. Narine in powerplay puts a lot of pressure. Our bowlers couldn’t handle the pressure,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.While the Ekana surface produced its first ever 200-plus T20 score, Rahul did not blame the pitch and conditions and said it stayed true throughout the game.“Wicket is very good. There is a bit of bounce if you bowl hard length. It wasn’t a bad pitch. 235 was 20-30 runs were above par. Our batting was poor,” Rahul added.With their fifth defeat of the season in 11 games, Lucknow were pushed to the fifth spot on the points table but Rahul said that team will look to bounce back quickly and will look to make it three out of three going ahead and finish inside top four.“Once we go back to dressing room, we move on from this game and see where we went wrong. Last home game, we are on the road for the next few games, we need to be little bit more fearless,” Rahul said.The win, on the other hand, brought KKR closer to the playoffs.Shreyas Iyer and Co. now have 8 wins in 11 matches.

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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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Ball boy over the moon as Jonty Rhodes applauds his stunning catch behind the fence. Watch | Cricket News

Ball boy over the moon as Jonty Rhodes applauds his stunning catch behind the fence. Watch | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: In a delightful and heartwarming incident, a ball boy got the applause from none other than fielding great Jonty Rhodes during the IPL clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Ekana on Sunday.As the ball boy took a superb catch behind the third-man fence, Rhodes alongside the on-air commentators was quick to praise the special effort from the young talent.The incident took place in the third over of Lucknow’s chase when Marcus Stoinis executed an upper-cut off Vaibhav Arora to perfection. As there was no KKR fielder at the fence, the ball boy, who was sitting on the sidelines, instantly got up and moved towards the ball. He then superbly judged the ball, got under it and completed the catch effortlessly.Soon after completing a fine catch, the boy found an admirer in Rhodes as he lauded the catch from the dug-out.On seeing himself at the giant screen and Rhodes applause following him, the boy was over the moon, in a moment of a lifetime incident. Earlier, Sunil Narine continued his explosive run this season with a blistering 81 off 38 balls, propelling KKR to 235 for six against the hosts.Proving his worth with the willow once again, the West Indian went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours.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.

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WATCH: Super RaMan! Ramandeep Singh pulls off a stunner; Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell's reactions are priceless | Cricket News

WATCH: Super RaMan! Ramandeep Singh pulls off a stunner; Mitchell Starc, Andre Russell’s reactions are priceless | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Is this a superman? Is it a bird? No, it’s Ramandeep Singh. Kolkata Knight Riders’ Ramandeep displayed remarkable athleticism by pulling off a breathtaking diving catch during Sunday’s game against Lucknow Super Giants.KKR speedster Mitchell Starc delivered a length ball to LSG opener Arshin Kulkarni, who attempted a flick but got a leading edge, sending the ball soaring over backward point.Ramandeep, fully alert, sprinted a considerable distance, kept his eyes on the ball, executed a perfectly timed dive, and caught the stunner, sending Kulkarni packing.WATCH: Sunil Narine continued his explosive run in the IPL with an 81 off 38 balls, propelling Kolkata Knight Riders to 235 for six against hosts Lucknow Super Giants.Proving his worth with the willow once again, the West Indian went on a six-hitting spree, blasting seven maximums and six fours.

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