IPL

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

Danijones6 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

Danijones6 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

Danijones6 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.

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

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

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RCB vs GT, IPL 2024 Highlights: Faf Du Plessis fifty, bowlers carry Royal Challengers Bengaluru to four-wicket win over Gujarat Titans | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru seemed to falter midway through the chase, but a blazing half-century from captain Faf du Plessis provided the momentum needed to secure a four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in their IPL match on Saturday.Du Plessis (64 off 23 balls, 10 fours, 3 sixes) and Virat Kohli (42 off 27 balls, 2 fours, 4 sixes) showcased their prowess as they put up 92 runs in just 35 balls for the opening wicket, guiding Royal Challengers past a modest target of 148 despite a few tense moments, mostly self-inflicted. The win propelled RCB to seventh place on the table with eight points from 11 matches, keeping their hopes of making it to the playoffs mathematically alive.Du Plessis and Kohli dealt in boundaries as the home side racked in 92 runs in Power Play, that contained 10 fours and seven maximums.Both Du Plessis and Kohli were severe on all GT bowlers, as the latter began the butchering with two sixes off pacer Mohit Sharma in the first over. Du Plessis was in no mood to play the role of a sidekick as he waded into left-arm pacer Josh Little with a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 4 in the second over that produced a total of 20 runs.The Titans introduced IPL debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar in the hope of containing Kohli at least, but the ploy was foiled spectacularly.The RCB talisman showed his increasing comfort against spin, clobbering Suthar for two successive sixes.Du Plessis reserved his punitive blade for Mohit, whom he carted around for four fours in the fifth over, as the South African reached fifty in just 18 balls before falling to Little.RCB entered a phase of struggle from there as they lost last match centurion Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green between the sixth and 10th overs for just 20 runs. Little (4/45) and spinner Noor Ahmad (2/23) were the chief perpetrators as RCB slipped from 92 for 1 to 112 for five.Ahmad soon ousted Kohli as RCB were 117 for six but Dinesh Karthik (21 not out, 12b) was cool under pressure as RCB notched their overall fourth and third win in a row of this season.Before RCB batsmen joined the party, their bowlers came up with an immaculate effort on a supportive pitch to bowl GT to a modest 147.There were a couple of good partnerships – 61 between David Miller and Shahrukh Khan and 44 by Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan – but the Titans lacked that one big innings or a stand that could have given them a firmer grip on the match.In fact, they seemed distinctly incapable of accelerating even in the Power Play as their top-order batters struggled against RCB pacers, Mohammed Siraj (2/29) and Yash Dayal (2/21) who stuck to a wonderful length. That GT managed to strike just two fours in Power Play offered ample evidence to their struggle and RCB bowlers’ accuracy.The Gujarat side’s Power Play score of 23 for three was the lowest in the segment this season, and it was mainly due to Siraj’s domination upfront.He consumed an out-of-form Wriddhiman Saha with a fine outswinger which the GT opener wafted to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps.Shubman Gill followed soon as his attempted swat to the on-side off Siraj took a leading edge and ended in the hands of Vysakh Vijayakumar at deep point.Green fetched the third wicket for RCB in the Power Play when he jettisoned in-form B Sai Sudharsan, whose feeble pull close to the body was snaffled by Kohli at mid-off.Miller (30, 20b) and Shahrukh (37, 24b) tried their best to drag GT out of the woods with a well-paced 61-run alliance off 37 balls for the fourth wicket.Miller, who was fortunate to get dropped on 23 off Green by Karn Sharma, played archetypal power shots.He punished leg-spinner Karn for a couple of sixes – a pull and a loft over extra cover – but fell to the same bowler when a miscued heave was grabbed by Maxwell at deep.But a bigger misfortune was in store for the visitors as Shahrukh, who backed up a tad too far to Rahul Tewatia’s soft drop, could not beat a throw from Kohli to the non-striker’s end.For the sixth-wicket, Tewatia (35, 21b) and Rashid (18, 14b) added 44 off 29 balls, but the latter’s desire to be innovative against Yash Dayal saw the ball crashing onto the stumps.Tewatia, who punished Karn for 18 runs (4, 6, 4, 4) in the 16th over, departed soon. (With inputs from PTI)

In IPL wins, Virat Kohli becomes the first player to score… | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli has once again made headlines by setting a new record in the Indian Premier League history. Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s star batter continues to impress fans with his exceptional performance on the field. Kohli’s latest achievement adds to his long list of accolades in the sport.The former RCB captain now became the first player to score 4000 runs in IPL wins.He achieved the milestone during RCB’s four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans on Saturday. He has amassed an impressive total of 4039 runs so far.Kohli achieved another milestone by becoming the first Indian batter to reach 12,500 runs in T20 cricket. He was just six runs shy of this mark and reached it with a massive hit off Mohit Sharma on the second ball of the chase.Following closely behind is the left-handed batsman Shikhar Dhawan, with a tally of 3945 runs. Dhawan’s ability to score quickly and steadily has made him a valuable player in the IPL.Most runs in IPL wins Virat Kohli (4039 runs) Shikhar Dhawan (3945 runs) Rohit Sharma (3918 runs) David Warner (3710 runs) Suresh Raina (3559 runs) The third position is held by former Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma, who has scored 3918 runs. Rohit’s leadership and batting contributions have been pivotal to his team’s performance in the league.Australian cricketer David Warner, known for his aggressive batting style, has made 3710 runs in the IPL wins. Warner’s role as an opener has often given his team a solid start in matches.Suresh Raina, with 3559 runs, rounds off the top five run-scorers in the IPL. Raina’s consistency and experience have been his strong suits throughout his IPL career.

Faf Du Plessis breaks Chris Gayle’s ‘triple’ record | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Faf Du Plessis delivered a masterful performance against the Gujarat Titans. After the Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowlers dismissed the Gujarat Titans for 147, the hard-hitting Du Plessis took on the Gujarat Titans bowlers, blasting a 23-ball 64 to give his team an explosive start.Du Plessis, who reached his half-century in just 18 balls, scored all 64 runs during the Powerplay.In doing so, he surpassed former RCB star Chris Gayle‘s record for most runs scored by an RCB batter in the Powerplay. Gayle had achieved this milestone three times while playing for RCB.Most runs by a RCB batter within powerplay64 – Faf du plessis vs GT, 2024*50 – Chris Gayle vs PWI, 201250 – Chris Gayle vs PWI, 201350 – Chris Gayle vs PBKS, 2015Du Plessis, who scored 64 off 23 balls before Joshua Little ended his stay, stitched 92 runs for the opening wicket with Virat Kohli (42 off 27) against Gujarat Titans. RCB won the match by 4 wickets and jumped to 7th position in the points table.

WATCH: Superhuman effort! Vijaykumar Vyshak plucks a blinder to show Rahul Tewatia the exit door | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) speedster Vijaykumar Vyshak on Saturday produced a superhuman effort by taking a spectacular catch to dismiss star Gujarat Titans (GT) batsman Rahul Tewatia during their IPL 2024 match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.On the final delivery of RCB pacer Yash Dayal‘s over, Tewatia attempted a powerful pull shot but ended up with an edge that soared towards third man.Vyshak, quick on his feet, sprinted to his right and made a diving catch with his arms extended, securing an incredible dismissal.WATCH: Apart from Dayal (2/21), Mohammed Siraj and Vijaykumar Vyshak claimed two wickets apiece to help RCB bowl out Gujarat Titans for 147 in 19.3 overs.“Quite happy as the team has done well. Glad that we could restrict them to 150-odd. Our bowling coach told us to hit the right areas, and we executed our plans,” Vyshak said at the post-match presentation.“We tried hard with the bouncers, happy that I got a couple of wickets. I have been working hard with the fielding coach, that is helping me. Taking one game at a time. It’s a bit swollen, my both hands are swollen but I am okay. Pretty sure that we will get that total,” he said.

Gujarat Titans set unwanted record with lowest powerplay score in IPL 2024 | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: In an IPL season where already 8 totals of more than 250 were scored, Gujarat Titans took a contrasting approach with the lowest powerplay totals in the IPL 2024.GT registered a lowest powerplay total against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Bengaluru where they managed to score only 23 runs for the loss of 3 wickets. It was GT’s lowest-ever powerplay total in IPL history as well.Following closely, Punjab Kings struggled against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mullanpur.They scored 27 runs and lost 3 wickets in the Powerplay, which hindered their momentum and made it challenging for them to build a substantial innings.Lowest Powerplay totals in IPL 2024 23/3 – GT vs RCB, Bengaluru 27/3 – PBKS vs SRH, Mullanpur 28/4 – MI vs LSG, Lucknow 30/4 – GT vs DC, Ahmedabad 31/2 – RR vs DC, Jaipur Mumbai Indians faced a tough time against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow. They could only muster 28 runs and also lost 4 crucial wickets during the Powerplay. GT again found themselves on the list when they played against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad. They scored 30 runs but lost 4 wickets in the process, which affected their batting strategy and overall score.Rajasthan Royals had a disappointing start against DC in Jaipur. They scored 31 runs and lost 2 wickets, which was a setback for them early in the game.Earlier, RCB captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl against Gujarat at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.RCB were unchanged for the match, while GT made two changes bringing in left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and left-arm pacer Joshua Little as R Sai Kishore missed out.

Mayank Yadav won’t take any further part in IPL: Justin Langer | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer confirmed on Saturday that pace sensation Mayank Yadav will miss the rest of the Indian Premier League due to a lower abdominal tear.The news of the 21-year-old Delhi man being ruled out of this IPL due to a grade 1 side strain was earlier reported on May 1, coinciding with his inclusion in the BCCI‘s pace bowling contract list.Asked about Mayank’s fitness status, Langer said, “No, we’ll be praying that he can play, hopefully, in the play-offs, but I am a realist as well. It’ll probably be difficult for him to get up for the back-end of the tournament.”Mayank, known for his thunderbolt deliveries clocking at 155 km/h, featured in four IPL matches, claiming seven wickets.However, in two of those games, he was unable to finish his allotted overs due to injury.During the first instance against Gujarat Titans, Mayank suffered a side strain after bowling just one over and had to leave the field.Following a four-week rehabilitation period, Mayank returned to play against Mumbai Indians. However, he suffered another breakdown after bowling 3.1 overs, resulting in strong criticism from Brett Lee, a former teammate of Langer.Langer informed the media that Mayank sustained a tear at the same area where he was injured earlier.“He’s (Mayank) had a scan. He’s got a small tear in a similar area to where his last one (injury) was. So, it’s very unfortunate. We saw the impact he had when he came back into the game,” the former Australia opener and head coach said.Langer said even the great Jasprit Bumrah has spoken about how fast bowlers will have to cope with injuries.“There will always be a lot of discussion about fast bowlers, and I know he spoke to [Jasprit] Bumrah after the game and he reassured him that if he’s going to be a fast bowler, a part of his journey as a young fast bowler, he’s going to get injuries.“So, in my experience, every young fast bowler, probably until they get to 25 or 26, is going to experience different injuries. It’s the most unfortunate. He’s got huge potential,” he said.While Lee had questioned LSG’s handling of Mayank’s injury, the head coach sounded different.“His rehabilitation was excellent. He went into the game [against MI], had a couple of bowls before the game.“He was completely pain free. So, it’s very sad for him and it’s disappointing for LSG as well that he might not play (the rest of the tournament).”(With PTI inputs)