December 23, 2024
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T20 World Cup Group D Preview: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Battle Resumes, South Africa Aim To Impress

T20 World Cup Group D Preview: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Battle Resumes, South Africa Aim To Impress

Danijones015 mins

Dubai : Former ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions Sri Lanka find themselves in Group D alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal for the upcoming tournament. This group promises thrilling matches with rivals Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, South Africa and Netherlands pitted against one another. While Nepal gears up for their second appearance in the marquee event, the group boasts no clear-cut favourite with history bearing witness that each team carries the potential to beat the other. Let’s run through the teams in this group and what we can expect from them. Bangladesh: Bangladesh enters the T20 World Cup with a bit of uncertainty as they continue to look for their strongest XI. Experienced opener Litton Das has been out of form of late with an average of 13.16 this year in six matches. Although teammate Tawhid Hridoy is confident that Das will make a strong comeback in the tournament. Another concern is the injury to vice-captain Taskin Ahmed and his fitness will be monitored prior to Bangladesh’s first contest against Sri Lanka on 7 June after he suffered a side strain before the final match of the recent series against Zimbabwe. The Tigers have backed experience. Other than Das, they have former Bangladesh skippers Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan who can provide Najmul Hossain Shanto much-needed support as he undertakes his first ICC tournament as the new captain. Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed (Vice Captain), Litton Kumer Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud Fixtures: 7 June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Dallas 10 June: South Africa vs Bangladesh, New York 13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands, St. Vincent 16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal, St. Vincent Players to watch out for: In conditions that are expected to be slow with some assistance from spinners, Mustafizur Rahman’s skill set including deceptive off-cutters can turn out to be useful. Mustafizur has time and again proven to be a match-winner for Bangladesh. His control in the middle overs and effectiveness in the final overs with a recovering Taskin Ahmed make him a priceless inclusion. Nepal: Nepal will feature a young side at the T20 World Cup, with 21-year-old Rohit Paudel leading the team as captain. Paudel’s recent form against West Indies A in the lead up to the tournament is a big positive with scores of 112, 71*, and 82 in the series. Gulshan Jha, who appeared at the U19 World Cup earlier in the year, along with 19-year-old Pratis GC are the other young stars expected to bring fireworks. Sompal Kami, the fast bowling all-rounder, is the sole player from Nepal’s inaugural 2014 squad to feature in the 2024 edition, with veteran Karan KC joining him as the team’s senior member. This will mark Nepal’s second appearance in the tournament making them the least experienced side in the group. Squad: Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee Fixtures: 4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal, Dallas 11 June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal, Florida 14 June: South Africa vs Nepal, St. Vincent 16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal, St. Vincent Players to watch out for: The latest entrant in the six sixes club, Dipendra Singh Airee, comes in with a hard-hitting reputation. Dipendra bludgeoned six sixes in the ACC Men’s T20I Premier Cup clash against Qatar becoming only the third men’s player to do so in T20Is after Yuvraj Singh (2007) and Keiron Pollard (2021). He also is the current record holder of the fastest T20I fifty. The right-handed batter achieved this feat in nine balls, breaking Yuvraj’s record of 12 deliveries. The 24-year-old’s contribution in the middle overs can help Nepal put up a strong challenge in the group. Netherlands: The Netherlands have often brought the element of surprise in an ICC tournament. They have the edge over Proteas, beating them in the last two ICC Men’s tournaments – in the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 Cricket World Cup. They will face South Africa again on 8 June in New York with the aim to complete a hat-trick of wins. 20-year-old Michael Levitt has found a place in the absence of Colin Ackermann after an impressive hundred against Namibia earlier this year. The Dutch have restored their core players for this edition with captain Scott Edwards, Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Vikram Singh and Wesley Barresi bringing the experience. Squad: Scott Edwards (c), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi. Reserve: Kyle Klein Fixtures: 4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal, Dallas 8 June: Netherlands vs South Africa, New York 13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands, St. Vincent 16 June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands, St. Lucia Players to watch out for: Bas de Leede has been instrumental for the Netherlands with both bat and ball. For his impressive performance last year, de Leede was awarded with the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year. However, the 24-year-old all-rounder has played little T20I cricket of late, with his recent appearances in the tri-series with Scotland and Ireland being his first matches in the shortest format since 2022 at the most recent edition of the T20 World Cup. De Leede was one of the Netherlands’ best at the event where he finished as their leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps. South Africa: Perhaps the strongest side in this group and the tournament, South Africa have put together a strong squad. The batting line-up consists of experienced Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Reeza Hendricks who can bludgeon bowling attacks with Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs…

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Today's top 10 trending news stories – India TV

Today’s top 10 trending news stories – India TV

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Image Source : KKRIDERS/AP/INDIA TV Kolkata Knight Riders got their flight diverted twice due to inclement weather in Kolkata while Suryakumar Yadav’s second IPL century took Mumbai Indians to a massive win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got their flight diverted twice due to inclement weather in Kolkata on their way from Lucknow. First, they landed in Guwahati and one hour later they attempted again but failed and had to stay in Varanasi. KKR still have three days before they play their next game. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav’s second IPL century took Mumbai Indians to an important win against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024. This was MI’s fourth win of the tournament and they still have a mathematical chance to qualify. All that and more in our Sports Wrap for today. Top 10 Trending Sports Stories Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad to keep IPL 2024 alive Suryakumar Yadav with his second century in the IPL kept the 2024 edition of the IPL alive as Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad rather comfortably to register their fourth win. Mumbai Indians still have a mathematical chance to qualify for the playoffs. Matheesha Pathirana bids adieu Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana in an emotional goodbye note on social media bid adieu to the 2024 edition of the IPL and hoped that the trophy will be in the Yellow cabinet for the sixth time. Pathirana suffered an injury and has returned to Sri Lanka and will not be taking any further part in the competition. Delhi Capitals face Rajasthan Royals in a must-win clash Delhi Capitals will take on the Rajasthan Royals in a must-win clash as they get into action after a week’s break. The Capitals lost their last game against the Kolkata Knight Riders and will be looking to come back to the winning ways against the high-flying Royals. Kolkata Knight Riders’ flight diverted twice due to bad weather in Kolkata Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stayed in Varanasi overnight following a couple of diversions on their way to Kolkata from Lucknow. KKR first landed in Guwahati and their second attempt to go to Kolkata failed and found themselves in Varanasi owing to bad weather in the City of Joy Scotland to take on Sri Lanka in Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers final Scotland are on the brink of scripting history as they face Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers final in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, May 7. The winner goes into Group A of the T20 World Cup featuring Australia, India, Pakistan and New Zealand. Sri Lanka are unbeaten so far and Scotland’s only loss came against them. Suryakumar Yadav slams his second IPL century, confirms no injury Suryakumar Yadav, who was seen limping on the way to his second IPL century against the Sunrisers Hyderabad confirmed that there’s nothing to worry about as he was just tired and there was no injury concern. Jake Fraser-McGurk understands T20 World Cup snub Australian T20 phenom Jake Fraser-McGurk was pragmatic about his snub from the T20 World Cup squad saying that a month ago he was nowhere near the conversation, so he looked it at positively. Fraser-McGurk was hopeful of good things to come saying that at least people are talking about it and a call-up is not far. Manchester United thrashed by Crystal Palace Manchester United were thrashed 4-0  by Crystal Palace as the Red Devils’ misery continued. Michael Olise’s brace helped Crystal Palace hammer Erik Ten Hag’s side into submission. Pakistan leave for Ireland as long time on the road begins Pakistan’s long tour on the road will begin with a short series against Ireland, followed by four T20 matches against England and then the T20 World Cup Kylian Mbappe plays his final Champions League game for PSG After a 7-season stint with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe is set to play his final Champions League game in the semi-final against Borussia Dortmund.

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'A hard goodbye with my only wish...': Matheesha Pathirana's emotional post for CSK and MS Dhoni | Cricket News

‘A hard goodbye with my only wish…’: Matheesha Pathirana’s emotional post for CSK and MS Dhoni | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings’ pacer Matheesha Pathirana‘s involvement in the current IPL season has abruptly ended as he heads back to Sri Lanka to recover from a hamstring injury.The right-arm fast bowler played in six matches this IPL season, taking 13 wickets with an economy rate of 7.68.Pathirana’s last game for CSK was during their 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he bowled two overs and dismissed Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.He missed the match against Punjab Kings in Chennai on May 1, with England pacer Richard Gleeson stepping in as his replacement.Pathirana’s absence is a significant blow to CSK, as their bowling options have sharply decreased in recent days. On Monday, the Sri Lankan speedster shared a series of photos with MS Dhoni and other CSK teammates, accompanied by an emotional caption.“A hard goodbye with my only wish to see the 2024 IPL champion trophy in CSK’s room soon! Grateful to the CSK team for all the blessings and love from Chennai. – #matheeshapathirana,” Pathirana wrote. Pace-bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar is also expected to miss the remainder of the IPL after sustaining a niggle during the match against Punjab at Chepauk.Chahar left the field after bowling just two deliveries, and Shardul Thakur completed the over in his place.CSK will also be without Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana for at least a few more matches, as he is set to return to Sri Lanka to complete his USA visa process ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup in the Americas.Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL tenure also concluded after the last match against PBKS, as he has joined the national team for the home T20I series against Zimbabwe.

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IPL 2024: CSK suffer big blow as Matheesha Pathirana returns to Sri Lanka to recover from injury | Cricket News

IPL 2024: CSK suffer big blow as Matheesha Pathirana returns to Sri Lanka to recover from injury | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings dealt a major blow as their star pacer Matheesha Pathirana, nursing a hamstring injury, will return to Sri Lanka for further recovery. “Matheesha Pathirana is nursing a hamstring injury and will be returning to Sri Lanka for further recovery. Chennai Super Kings wishes Pathirana a quick recovery,” CSK said in a statement on Sunday.Pathirana made his CSK debut in IPL 2022 season, and played a pivotal role in their title-winning run in 2023.Pathirana played six matches for CSK this season, picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68, including a four-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians.He currently sits as CSK’s second-leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024 behind Mustafizur Rahman’s 14 scalps.The Sri Lankan is the second CSK pacer to be dealing with injuries this season after Deepak Chahar pulled his hamstring and went off the field after bowling the first two balls of the Punjab Kings’ chase at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 1.

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"MS Dhoni Is Playing Father's Role In My Cricket Life": CSK Star's Massive Praise

“MS Dhoni Is Playing Father’s Role In My Cricket Life”: CSK Star’s Massive Praise

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana said that the legendary MS Dhoni plays a “father’s role” in his cricket life and urged the cricketing icon to play for one more season in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The five-time champions will be locking horns with Punjab Kings at Dharamshala on Sunday. This will be a crucial game for CSK as far as their playoff chances are concerned. The Yellow army is at the fifth spot in the points table with five wins and five losses, giving them a total of 10 points. On the other hand, PBKS is at the seventh spot with four wins, six losses and a total of eight points. In their previous game, PBKS won by seven wickets against CSK in Chennai on Wednesday. Speaking at the Lions Upclose show by CSK, Pathirana said that Dhoni cares for him always, and gives him valuable advice as a cricketer. “After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he (Dhoni) is playing my father’s role because he is always taking care of me, giving me advice, what I have to do, similar to my father when I am at home. He tells just small things, but it makes a lot of difference. So those little things, I take a lot of confidence,” said the Sri Lankan pacer. Pathirana said that even though they do not talk much off the field, he would often go to Dhoni and ask him for whatever he needs. “Every time he is telling me, ‘Enjoy your game and take care of your body,’ Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us. If I am here,” he concluded. After impressing with his slingy action reminiscent of Sri Lankan pace legend Lasith Malinga, Pathirana made his debut for Lankan Lions following the IPL 2022. In 12 matches of the IPL 2023, he took 19 wickets at an average of 14.63, with best figures of 3/15 and played a crucial role in CSK’s fifth title win. In the ongoing season, Pathirana has played just six games owing to injury and taken 13 wickets at an average of 13.00, with the best figures of 4/28. CSK missed Pathirana’s services as he returned to his home country to sort out visa issues ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup this year, starting in the West Indies/USA from June 1 onwards. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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'In my cricket life, MS Dhoni plays my father's role': Matheesha Pathirana reserves highest praise for CSK legend

‘In my cricket life, MS Dhoni plays my father’s role’: Matheesha Pathirana reserves highest praise for CSK legend

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MS Dhoni’s cricketing prowess is world-renowned, but perhaps equally remarkable is his knack for nurturing young talent. Since becoming the Indian captain for the first time in 2007, Dhoni has played a pivotal role in cultivating a rich pool of Indian cricketers, propelling the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to batting stardom, among numerous others. This talent cultivation extends seamlessly to the IPL; under Dhoni’s astute leadership, Chennai Super Kings have clinched a record 5 titles, witnessing the transformation of budding talents like Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja into world-class cricketers. Chennai Super Kings’ Matheesha Pathirana, left, celebrates a dismissal with MS Dhoni in IPL 2024(AP) But it’s not just the Indian cricketers who benefited from Dhoni’s rich presence at the CSK dressing room. Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana is among the first names in his national team’s playing XI in limited-overs formats, but MS Dhoni was among the first ones to spot him. It was at CSK where Pathirana first announced his arrival to the cricketing fraternity in 2022, eventually making his national debut the same year. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! In an interaction with CSK on their official YouTube account, Pathirana showed his immense gratitude to Dhoni for propelling his career. Labelling him a father figure in his cricketing life, Pathirana said Dhoni has always supported him. “After my father, in my cricket life, he (Dhoni) plays my father’s role. He takes care of me, and he gives me advice on what I have to do, similar to my father’s thing when I’m at my home. I think that’s enough,” said Pathirana. “He doesn’t tell me a lot of things when I’m on the field and off the field, but he tells just small things that make a lot of difference and gives me a lot of confidence. He knows how to maintain the players. Off the field, we don’t talk much, but if I have to ask something from him, definitely I’d go to him and ask him,” Pathirana said further. Pathirana’s impact at CSK Pathirana was crucial to CSK’s success in the previous edition of the IPL, where he picked 19 wickets in 12 matches and helped the side win a record-equalling fifth title. This year, too, Pathirana has been brilliant for the side so far; in six matches, the Sri Lankan has taken 13 wickets and is in the top ten in the Purple Cap list.

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'In my cricket life, MS Dhoni is playing my father's role' | Cricket News

‘In my cricket life, MS Dhoni is playing my father’s role’ | Cricket News

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Ever since asking Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over of the 2007 T20 World Cup against Pakistan, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and India captain MS Dhoni has been known to putting his trust into young players and turning them into champion performers, and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is experiencing something similar at CSK in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.IPL 2024: Results | Points TableHaving a slingy action similar to Sri Lankan fast-bowling legend Lasith Malinga, Pathirana is currently fifth on the list of top wicket-takers in this IPL season, with 13 wickets in six matches.He finished among the top 10 bowlers in the 2023 season as well.He credits that success to the confidence shown in him by Dhoni, who handed over CSK captaincy duties to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024. WATCH VIDEO “After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he (Dhoni) is playing my father’s role because he is always taking care of me, giving me advice, what I have to do, similar to my father when I am at home,” said Pathirana on the latest episode of ‘Lions Upclose’.Pathirana further revealed that Dhoni doesn’t say much and always stresses on the need to enjoying the game and taking care of fitness. “He’s not telling a lot of things when I am on the field and off the field. He tells just small tings, but it makes a lot of difference. So those little things, I take a lot of confidence (from),” said the 21-year-old Sri Lankan pacer. “In my cricket life, Dhoni’s like my father”| Lions up close Ft. Matheesha Pathirana “Off the field, we don’t talk that much; but if I have to ask something from him, definitely I would go to him and ask. Everytime he is telling me ‘enjoy your game and take care of your body’.” The pacer from Trinity College in Kandy then slipped in quiet request that is on every CSK fan’s wish-list. “Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us. If I’m here (laughs).”

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'There is no one to actually support...': Brian Lara slams Mumbai Indians' bowling | Cricket News

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

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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)

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

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

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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.

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MI vs CSK, IPL 2024 highlights: Matheesha Pathirana overshadows Rohit Sharma's century as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 20 runs | Cricket News

MI vs CSK, IPL 2024 highlights: Matheesha Pathirana overshadows Rohit Sharma’s century as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 20 runs | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Matheesha Pathirana and the timeless MS Dhoni dealt decisive blows as Chennai Super Kings triumphed over Mumbai Indians by a margin of 20 runs, despite Rohit Sharma‘s resilient, unbeaten 105 in their clash in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.Dhoni’s onslaught of three consecutive sixes in the final over, bowled by Hardik Pandya, propelled CSK to a commanding total of 206 for four, with Dhoni himself reaching 20 not out from just four deliveries.Pathirana’s stellar performance, claiming 4 wickets for 28 runs, effectively curbed MI’s chase, restricting them to 186 for six. Rohit showcased his brilliance with only his second IPL century and first since 2012, smashing 11 boundaries and five maximums in his 63-ball innings. However, his remarkable innings lacked support from the rest of the MI lineup, despite the favorable batting conditions at the Wankhede Stadium.The defending champions, CSK, secured their first away victory of the season, propelling them to third place with eight points, while MI suffered their fourth defeat in six matches, languishing at the eighth position in the standings.In a game wherein the loudest cheers were reserved for Dhoni, Mumbai skipper Pandya continued to get booed intermittently. There were, though, a section of fans cheering him on at least once, like they did in the last game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Unlike CSK, who got their majority of runs in the last 10 overs (136), Mumbai Indians remained in the hunt of in the initial part through Rohit’s sustained acceleration and some handy contributions from others.Once again, Rohit set the platform for Mumbai with a sturdy 70-run stand in seven overs with Ishan Kishan, who raced to 23 off 15 balls (3x4s, 1x6s).With MI on charge, pacer Pathirana produced a two-wicket over after the powerplay accounting for Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav (0), getting him caught at third man with Mustafizur Rahman producing a juggling act at the ropes to complete the catch. Tilak Varma aided Rohit with a 20-ball 31 laced with five fours, adding 60 off 38 balls for the third wicket, but Pathirana’s return broke their stand.However, it was the Mumbai duo of Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande tilted the game in favour of CSK, producing two tight overs which broke the back of MI’s chase.Pandya fell for just two but consumed six balls and Tim David hammered a couple of sixes but failed to capitalise. Amid all this, Rohit remained stuck at the other end watching the game slip away despite his best effort.Earlier. Dhoni’s ballistic 20 garnished forceful fifties by Shivam Dube and Ruturaj Gaikwad as Chennai Super Kings powered to a strong 206 for four.Dube (66 not out, 10×4, 2×6) and Gaikwad (69), who milked 90 runs off a mere 45 balls for the third wicket, gave Chennai innings steam in the initial and middle passages of the play before Dhoni mesmerized a packed Wankhede with vintage shot-making. The former CSK skipper hammered three consecutive sixes off MI skipper Pandya (2/43) to help his side collect 26 runs off the final over.Dhoni’s stunning knock – which had the balls sailing over long-off, wide long-on and deep square leg – also pushed Chennai past the 200-run mark, which did appear tough until that final over.Even though he could not push beyond 69, which came off 40 balls with five sixes and as many boundaries, Gaikwad appeared in prime form.The CSK skipper hit through the line effortlessly to clear ropes and when the MI bowlers challenged him by angling their deliveries into his body, Gaikwad improvised to find his runs without taking any unwanted risks.Dube remained unbeaten on 66 off 38 balls, studded with 10 fours and two sixes.(With inputs from PTI)

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