‘Still two trophies behind MI and CSK’: Gautam Gambhir aims higher after IPL 2024 win

‘Still two trophies behind MI and CSK’: Gautam Gambhir aims higher after IPL 2024 win

KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir is determined to make his team the most successful franchise of the Indian Premier League as he aims to surpass MI and CSK’s tally of most title victories. Notably, Kolkata recently clinched their third IPL title after beating SRH in the final of IPL 2024. Following their win, the Shreyas Iyer-led side became the third most successful team in the competition after MI and CSK who have five titles each to their name. Following their win, Gambhir has set his aim higher to be the most successful side in the history of the tournament. Commenting on his team’s win, the former KKR captain said that the journey has just begun as he wants to add three more trophies to his team’s tally to make them the most successful franchise of the tournament. “You’re saying this because we’ve won it three times but if you ask me we’re still two trophies behind MI and CSK. Yes, I’m happy today but again the hunger inside that we’re still not the most successful franchise of the IPL. To get there, we need to win thrice and for that, we will have to work really hard. So I feel, if we’re able to make KKR the most successful franchise of the tournament then there won’t be anything better than that but for that, the journey has just begun” Gambhir told Sportskeeda. Further speaking ahead, the 42-year-old picked KKR’s first title triumph in 2012 as the most special one as it laid the foundation for their next two victories in 2014 and 2024 respectively. Gambhir picks IPL 2012 as ‘most special’ victory “2012, not just because I was the captain but because we won it for the first time I just told you that when you win it for the first time then you get to know the kind of cricket you need to play to win an IPL final. Until you win, you keep questioning whether you will be able to win it or not. Once you win it you feel that we’ve won it and will win it again. Hence 2012, because we won it first time,” he added. Notably, Gambhir led KKR to their first title triumph in 2012 beating defending champions CSK in the final. He further inspired his team to their second triumph in 2014 beating PBKS in a high-scoring final. It took KKR ten long years to add a third trophy to their cabinet as Gambhir returned to the franchise as a mentor after parting ways ahead of the 2018 season. KKR fans would hope that Gambhir continues his ‘Midas Touch’ for the team and continues to guide them to more IPL victories in the years to come. Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: May 30, 2024

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‘Don’t know which mathematical situation we're talking about…': Hardik Pandya on MI qualifying for IPL play-offs

‘Don’t know which mathematical situation we’re talking about…’: Hardik Pandya on MI qualifying for IPL play-offs

Mumbai Indians shrugged off a four-match losing streak by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets to keep their slender hopes of staying alive in IPL 2024. Yes, you read that right! MI still have a chance of making it to the play-offs. Their captain, Hardik Pandya, however, is not so sure about the absurd mathematical calculations. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya “I don’t know which mathematical situation we’re talking about, but at the same time, you want to focus on playing good cricket,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation when asked by former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar about MI’s chances of making it to the next round. This was MI’s first win in five matches. But the emphatic win was enough to help them rise above the last position to No.9 in the IPL 2024 points table. Apart from MI, there are three other teams – Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings – on 8 points. All of them have played a match less than the five-time champions. Then there are the Delhi Capitals with 10 points and Chennai Super Kings, SRH and Lucknow Super Giants with 12 points. These are seven teams MI can either catch or beat, provided the results of other matches go their way. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, with 16 points each, are way ahead in the play-off race. Let’s look at how the stars need to align for MI to make it to the playoffs MI have two matches left against Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. To make it to playoffs, they have first to make sure to win both matches. However, the job won’t end there as they have to rely on other teams’ results to advance in the tournament. It would be crucial for them that current leaders Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals finished the league stage in the top 2 positions. Meanwhile, the result of Sunrisers vs Super Giants is also going to be crucial for MI as the loser of the tie has to lose all the remaining matches and finish with 12 points. CSK also have to lose their three remaining matches to keep MI’s playoff hopes alive by finishing the league at 12 points. Meanwhile, it will be crucial for MI that the remaining teams, who are currently placed at the bottom four, don’t get over 12 points. However, even after all that, Hardik and Co. have to rely on the NRR with multiple teams staying on the 12 points to move ahead in the tournament. Suryakumar powers MI’s emphatic win over SRH MI won the toss and elected to field first. SRH lost wickets at regular intervals from the beginning and it was knocks from Travis Head (48 in 30 balls, with seven fours and a six) and skipper Pat Cummins (35* in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) that took SRH to 173/8 in their 20 overs. In the run chase, MI lost their top order early and was reeling at 31/3. It was then that Suryakumar (102* in 51 balls with 12 fours and six sixes) and Tilak Varma (37* in 32 balls, with six fours) launched a counter attack which guided MI to a win with 16 balls left. Suryakumar took home the ‘Player of the Match’ honour. MI is at the ninth spot with four wins and eight losses, giving them eight points. SRH is at fourth with six wins, five losses and 12 points. “I think we were quite good with the ball today, still reckon 10-15 runs extra, but nevertheless, the way batters batted was brilliant,” Hardik said. “My bowling, I do the stuff, I do. I like to bowl in the right areas, I bowl according to the situation. Today, it was nipping around, and that worked. “SKY was unbelievable. More than him getting runs, him putting so much pressure on bowlers that even other batters get loose balls. He breaks you. He’s evolved. Lucky to have him in my team. Hope to have many more such innings,” he added.

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IPL 2024: MI-CSK renew high-octane rivalry under new skippers | Cricket News

IPL 2024: MI-CSK renew high-octane rivalry under new skippers | Cricket News

MUMBAI: When you see top corporate bigwigs, cricket officials and even players struggle to get tickets, you know that it’s here-the El Clasico of the IPL.On Sunday night, two of the most decorated clubs of the IPL, with five titles each, will resume their famed rivalry when the Mumbai Indians face off against the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEWhat adds allure is the fact that this could be the last IPL outing for MS Dhoni at a venue where he lifted the ODI World Cup trophy in 2011.Since the ‘Impact Player’ rule came into existence, the 42-year-old has hardly come out to bat, unless needed. Going by the trend in IPL 2024, the Wankhede crowd is likely to cheer vociferously for him even if he pulls off a catch or stumping or makes a fleeting appearance with the bat.Having undergone a contrasting transition in leadership-MI are now led by Hardik Pandya while CSK are captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad-both the teams have blown hot and cold so far.MI lost their first three games before bouncing back with wins at home against Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. CSK started off with wins against RCB and Gujarat Titans at home, but stumbled to two defeats on the road and then recovered by beating Kolkata Knight Riders at home. Of late, CSK have had the wood on MI, beating them four times in their last five encounters. Ironically, CSK will bank on the four Mumbai aces in their pack-inform Shivam Dube, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur and Tushar Deshpande. Each of these four must know the Wankhede track like the back of their hand, with three of them-Rahane, Thakur and Deshpande being a part of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy winning side last month.When MI and CSK met at the Wankhede last year, Rahane had smashed a breathtaking 27-ball 61 to star in CSK’s seven-wicket win.The match will also pit two contenders for the allrounder’s position in Team India for the T20 World Cup in June. With 176 runs in five games @44.00 and a strike rate of 160, Dube, playing in the role of an Impact Player, is CSK’s top run-getter.Having smashed 13 sixes so far, the 30-year-old has won the heart of someone he’s often compared with, India’s 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, who feels that the Mumbaikar must surely be a part of India’s T20 WC squad. As if being booed by his home crowd wasn’t enough, Dube’s sizzling performances has put pressure on Pandya (84 runs in five matches @32.25 & 1-89 in eight overs) to raise his game too. Struggling to find his groove while batting too low down the order, Pandya showed signs of finding his mojo during his six-ball 21 not out cameo against RCB on Thursday.With their rest of the bowling floundering, MI will once again rely heavily on the magic of Jasprit Bumrah, who took a match-winning haul of five for 21 against RCB, to bail them out against a strong CSK batting line-up.Where this battle could be decided is how MI’s rampaging batting line-up, currently looking destructive at full strength with the return of Suryakumar Yadav, tackles CSK’s top-class spinners Ravindra Jadeja (3-18 in four overs in the last match) and Maheesh Theekshana.

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