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Monday, 28 April
Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Capitals - KKR win by 7 wickets.
1h ago
Phil Salt's attacking 68 and bowling figures of 3-16 by Varun Chakravarthy helped Kolkata Knight Riders hammer Delhi Capitals by seven wickets at a hot and humid Eden Gardens in the IPL on Monday.
Chakravarthy, a mystery spinner, led Kolkata's disciplined bowling to restrict Delhi to 153-9 as players, who remained drenched in sweat, and fans braved the intense heat in the colonial-era capital.
Players from all the 10 IPL teams are keen to impress their national selectors with just one day left for countries to name their teams for the T20 World Cup in June.
The in-form Salt, an England wicketkeeper-batsman, led the chase with an opening stand of 79 with Sunil Narine and the two-time champions reached their target with 3.3 overs to spare.
The mercury in the afternoon soared above 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) for the third time this month, forcing the normally bustling streets to stay empty at noon.
But the sports-mad city witnessed a near-packed house at the 66,000 capacity stadium for the evening game and their home team did not disappoint with their sixth win in nine matches to move closer to booking a play-off spot.
Most of India's eastern states and southern peninsula have remained under government heatwave alerts since last week, with relief not expected for several more days.
Delhi elected to bat first but lost regular wickets including Prithvi Shaw for 13 and fellow opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, out for 12 off let-arm quick Mitchell Starc.
Skipper Rishabh Pant attempted to resist the slide in his unconvincing knock of 27 before he was dismissed.
Chakravarthy rattled the middle and lower-order to make Delhi slip to 111-8 before number nine Kuldeep Yadav claimed an unbeaten 35.
Salt, who moved into the top five batsmen this IPL season with 392 runs, put the chase on track along with fellow opener Narine as the two clobbered 23 runs off the first over from Lizaad Williams.
He reached his fourth half-century of the season in 26 balls with a six off Khaleel Ahmed but fell to spinner Axar Patel after his 33-ball knock laced with seven fours and five sixes.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who made 33, and Venkatesh Iyer, who hit the winning six in his 23, steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 57.
The match was a complete contrast to the previous game at the venue when Punjab Kings chased down an IPL record of 262 on another hot day.
- AFP
3h ago
INNINGS:
Varun Chakravarthy took three wickets as Kolkata Knight Riders restricted Delhi Capitals to 153-9 in their IPL encounter.
After deciding to bat first, the Delhi Capitals couldn't comprehend with a lightening Kolkata attack as their batting order collapsed.
Reeling at 68-4, captain Rishabh Pant tried to steady the innings but skied Chakravarthy for 27 off 20 balls (hitting two fours and a six). The in-form Tristan Stubbs didn't last as he was caught behind for four.
Kuldeep Yadav smashed five fours and a six to remain unbeaten 34 off 26 balls and push the Capitals to over 150.
Chakravarthy was the pick of the Kolkaa bowlers as he took three for 16, while Harshit Rana took two for 28 and Vaibhav Arora ended on two for 29.
Scores in brief:
Delhi Capitals 153-9 in 20 (Kuldeep 34*, Pant 27, Chakravarthy 3/16, Harshit Rana 2/27)
Kolkata Knight Riders need 154 runs to win
3h ago
5 overs left
Capitals middle-order has collapsed! Kolkata are ecstatic!
Varun Chakravarthy takes three! Captain Rishabh Pant slices the ball high in the air and is caught for 27 off 20 balls. Tristan Stubbs walks in but doesn't last long as the South African cuts and edges behind for just four.
Sunil Narine then bowls out Axar Patel for 15, and Kumar Kushagra also edges behind for one.
DC 112-8 after 15
Kuldeep 10*
Rasikh 1*
3h ago
10-over update:
Harshit Rana goes full and demolishes Abishek Porel's wickets to leave Delhi Capitals four-down. Porel departs for a 15-ball 18.
However, the Capitals are still going at 9.30 an over.
Still no Tristan Stubbs. The Capitals are hoping the in-form SA batter can do some damage in the death overs.
DC 93-4 in 10
Pant 27*
Axar 12*
4h ago
5-over update:
Drama in Kolkata, Delhi Capitals are three down!
Vaibhav Arora strikes a double blow as he gets opener Prithvi Shaw caught behind for 13 and delivers a peach to bowl out Shai Hope for six.
Mitchell Starc gets his first scalp, as fellow countryman Jake Fraser-McGurk miscues and flaps the ball to deep square leg and departs for 12.
DC 58-3 in 5
Porel 17*
Pant 5*
5h ago
TOSS
Delhi Chargers won the toss and they will bat first.
TEAMS
Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt (w), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Rasikh Dar Salam, Lizaad Williams, Khaleel Ahmed
28 April 18:05
INNINGS
CSK end on 212/3
Gaikwad (98) top scored with Mitchell 52 and Dube 39* also contributing to a decent total.
Sunrisers need 213 to win off 120 balls.
28 April 15:42
TOSS
Sunrisers won the toss and they will field.
TEAMS
CSK XI: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 3 Daryl Mitchell, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Tushar Deshpande, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Matheesha Pathirana
SRH XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Travis Head, 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Shahbaz Ahmed, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 T Natarajan
28 April 15:34
England batsman Will Jacks smashed an unbeaten 41-ball 100 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru hammered Gujarat Titans by nine wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
Jacks chalked up 10 sixes in his blitz as he put on an unbeaten stand of 166 with Virat Kohli, who hit 70 and remained in awe of his younger partner's hitting at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
Chasing 201, Benagluru achieved victory with four overs to spare when Jacks hit the winning six, which also made his century.
It was Bengaluru's third win -- and second in a row -- in 10 matches so far this season, keeping their slim hopes of reaching the play-offs alive.
Jacks was on 16 when the in-form Kohli reached his fifty in 32 balls with a four off Rashid Khan, but soon the 25-year-old Englishman exploded with three sixes and two fours in a 29-run 15th over from Mohit Sharma.
"Phenomenal. Initially when he came to bat, he was annoyed that he wasn't able to strike the ball as he wanted to," Kohli said after the win.
"The only talk was for him to stay calm; we know how explosive he can be when he gets going. The over from Mohit was the game changer, I was just happy to stay around and watch him go."
Jacks then took on Rashid with four sixes and a four in the winning over.
The 35-year-old Kohli, who hit the first ton of this edition, reached 500 runs and was quick to slam critics who said the veteran batsman has struggled to meet modern T20 standards of power hitting.
"There's a reason why you do it for 15 years. For me, it's only about doing the work. People can talk anything they want to, they can talk about me not able to push on, not playing spin well, but you yourself know the game better," Kohli said.
On Bengaluru's disappointing showing this season, he added: "We wanted to play more for our self-respect, we want to play for the fans who have backed us. We know we haven't played up to the standards required. We know we can do a lot more better and it's something which we'll try and do."
Kohli -- who played the spinners with aplomb, including by using the sweep shot to good effect -- and Bengaluru are still waiting for their first IPL title.
Bengaluru, who remain bottom of the 10-team table, elected to field first and Gujarat reached 200-3 in their 20 overs.
Sai Sudarshan hit an unbeaten 84 and put on key partnerships, including putting together 86 runs with Shahrukh Khan, who hit 58, and an unbeaten 69-run stand with David Miller, who made 26.
Glenn Maxwell returned to the Bengaluru XI after a short "mental and physical break" break of three matches, taking a wicket in his first over to return figures of 1-28 with his off-spin.
- AFP
RESULT
RCB beat Gujarat by 9 wickets.
Gujarat: 200/3 (Sudharsan 84*, Khan 58)
RCB: 206/1 in 16 overs (Jacks 100* off 41, Kohli 70*)
27 April 19:50
RESULT
Half-centuries by Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel saw Rajasthan Royals extend their lead on top of the IPL standings with a seven-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.
Chasing 197 runs to win, a 60-run opening stand between Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal got Rajasthan to a flyer start. However, Lucknow Super Giants fought back with three quick wickets in succession as Buttler (34), Jaiswal (24) and Riyan Parag (14) were dismissed.
But the Royals remained defiant as an unbeaten 121-run stand between skipper Samson and Jurel took the game away from Lucknow and saw them cross the line with six balls to spare.
Samson top-scored with an unbeaten 71 off 33 balls (hitting seven fours and four sixes), while Jurel made 52 not out off 34 balls (hitting five fours and two sixes).
Earlier on, KL Rahul led from the front as he shouldered the Giants' innings with a stunning 76 off 48 balls (hitting eight fours and two sixes) as they posted 196-5.
Proteas batter Quinton de Kock fell early and only managed eight before he was bowled out.
Scores in brief:
Lucknow Super Giants 196-5 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 76, Hooda 50, Sandeep 2/31, Ashwin 1/39)
Rajasthan Royals 199-3 in 19 overs (Samson 71*, Jurel 52*, Stoinis 1/3, Mishra 1/20)
Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 7 wickets
27 April 19:23
An unbeaten fifty-run stand between Dhruv Jurel and Sanju Samson has formed as they take on the Lucknow bowling attack.
Rajasthan have kept up with the required run-rate as we approach the death overs.
RR 144-3 after 15
Dhruv Jurel 39*
Sanju Samson 29*
Rajasthan need 53 runs from 30 balls
27 April 19:00
10-over update:
Momentum has shifted firmly to the Lucknow Super Giants as three wickets fall.
Yash Thakur gets the breakthrough as in-form Jos Buttler is bowled for 34 off 18.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal falls the following over as he looks to smack Marcus Stoinis over cover but finds the fielder in the deep and departs for an 18-ball 24.
Amit Mishra gets rid of Riyan Parag for 14 as he finds the field at deep cover.
RR 81-3 in 10
Rajasthan Royals need 116 runs from 60 balls
27 April 18:30
5-over update:
Decent start from the Rajasthan Royals opening batters Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal as they go at 10 an over.
Reminder, Rajasthan are chasing 197.
RR 50-0 after 5
27 April 17:54
INNINGS:
Half-centuries by KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda saw Lucknow Super Giants post 196-5 in their IPL encounter against Rajasthan Royals.
After being sent to bat first, Royals got two early wickets of opener Quinton de Kock for eight and then Marcus Stoinis for a duck.
A 115-run stand between captain KL Rahul and Hooda rebuilt the Lucknow Super Giants innings as both batters brought up their IPL fifties.
Ravichandran Ashwin got the breakthrough as Hooda tries to clear long-on but is caught in the deep for 50 off 31 balls (hitting seven fours).
KL Rahul led from the front as he shouldered the Giants' innings with a stunning 76 off 48 balls (hitting eight fours and two sixes) before he was caught at backward point off Avesh Khan.
Scores in brief:
Lucknow Super Giants 196-5 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 76, Hooda 50, Sandeep 2/31, Ashwin 1/39)
Rajasthan Royals need 197 runs to win
27 April 17:28
15-over update:
The 115-run partnership between skipper KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda has broken.
Ravichandran Ashwin gets the breakthrough. Shortly after bringing up his IPL half-century, Hooda tries to clear long-on but is caught in the deep for 50 off 31 balls (hitting seven fours).
Captain KL Rahul continues to go strong for Lucknow with five overs left of their innings.
LSG 150-3 after 15
KL Rahul 71*
Pooran 11*
27 April 17:00
10-over update:
Lucknow Super Giants have lost two wickets early as Trent Boult bowled opener and Proteas batter Quinton de Kock for just eight.
Sandeep Sharma then bowled out Marcus Stoinis for a four-ball duck to send LSG reeling at 11-2.
However, an unbeaten fifty-run stand has formed between skipper KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda.
KL Rahul brings up his IPL half-century off just 34 balls as Lucknow shortly move into the 100-mark.
LSG 94-2 after 10
Hooda 32*
KL Rahul 52*
27 April 16:24
RESULT
Tristan Stubbs' unbeaten 48 helped steer the Delhi Capitals to a 10-run victory over the Mumbai Indians in their IPL encounter on Saturday.
Jake Fraser-McGurk's 84 and Stubbs 48 not out propelled Delhi Capitals to post a respectable total of 257-4.
In reply, Mumbai Indians lost wickets at regular intervals despite Tilak Varma's 63 off 32 balls as the visitors were restricted to 247-9.
South Africa's Lizaad Williams played his first IPL game of the season and went wicketless for 34 runs in three overs.
Scores in brief:
Delhi Capitals 257-4 in 20 overs (Fraser-McGurk 84, Stubbs 48*, Nabi 1/20, Chawla 1/36)
Mumbai Indians 247-9 in 20 overs (Tilak 63, Hardik 46, Salam 3/34, Mukesh 3/59)
Result: Delhi Capitals won by 10 runs
27 April 15:39
5 overs left!
Still some work for the Mumbai Indian batters as they lose two wickets in the 13th over courtesy of Rasikh Salam.
After a decent stand, Delhi get the breakthrough as captain Hardik Pandya skies it in the air and is caught for 46 off 24 balls (hitting four fours and three sixes).
Salam then gets Nehal Wadhera to edge behind for just 4.
It's all up to Tilak Varma, who brings up his IPL fifty off just 25 balls. But the required run-rate has crept up and it looks like it'll be a tough ask for Mumbai Indians.
MI 173-5 after 15
Mumbai Indians need 85 runs off 30 balls
27 April 15:10
10 overs left in the game:
Crunch time for Mumbai Indians as they chase 257 in Delhi.
After the loss of three wickets, Mumbai Indians have come back with a much-needed unbeaten fifty-run stand between Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya.
MI 115-3 after 10
Tilak 20*
Hardik 31*
Mumbai Indians need 143 runs off 60 balls.
26 April 20:32
Jonny Bairstow smashed an unbeaten century as Punjab Kings recorded the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket with an eight-wicket thrashing of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
The England star clobbered nine sixes and eight fours in his 48-ball 108 to help Punjab overhaul Kolkata's 261-6 with eight balls to spare in hot and humid conditions at the Eden Gardens.
Shashank Singh also impressed with the bat, making 68 not out off 28 balls with eight sixes and two fours.
The previous highest run chase in T20 history was scripted by South Africa who overhauled 258 for 5 made by the West Indies in 2023.
"Both teams played tremendously. You have to go back to the drawing board and see where you went wrong," said Kolkata skipper Shreyas Iyer.
"Not defending hurts but it's a great lesson for the players."
Punjab registered only their third win from nine games and moved to eighth spot in the 10-team competition.
Kolkata, with five wins from eight games, remain in second place.
"From the dugout, I was watching the wicket. I felt the ball was coming on with good bounce,' said Shashank.
"This match, the way Jonny batted was a huge positive. It was a great learning for me, we still have five more matches to go."
Opening the Punjab innings, Bairstow put on 93 runs with impact sub Prabhsimran Singh (54) and another 85 runs with South Africa's Rilee Rossouw (26).
Prabhsimran was run out by a direct throw from Sunil Narine who also chipped in with the wicket of Rossouw in the 13th over.
Despite the two dismissals, Shashank continued to unleash big shots, making sure Punjab did not lose their nerve while chasing the big total.
Earlier, Kolkata got off to a blistering start with Phil Salt and Narine sharing 138 runs off just 69 balls for the first wicket after being put in to bat.
Narine, dropped on 16, hammered four sixes and nine fours in his 32-ball 71 before holing out to Bairstow off leg spinner Rahul Chahar.
England's Sam Curran dismissed Salt who hit a 37-ball 75 studded with six sixes and six fours after being dropped twice by sloppy Punjab fielders.
Venkatesh Iyer chipped in with a cameo 39-run knock as Kolkata posted the highest IPL total ever at the Eden Gardens.
- AFP
26 April 19:51
UNBELIEVABLE!
Punjab Kings have just chased down the highest-ever T20 total!
Johnny Bairstow ends on 108* off 48 balls, while Singh blasted 68* off 28 as they end on 262/2 in 18.4 overs to win by 8 wickets.
More to follow...
26 April 17:59
INNINGS:
Openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine got Kolkata Knight Riders off to a flyer with their half-centuries to guide the home side to 261-6 against the Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens.
After being sent to bat first, Narine and Salt put on a devastating 138-run opening stand thanks to sub-par fielding, poor bowling and multiple dropped catches from the Punjab Kings outfit.
Rahul Chahar got the breakthrough as Narine attempted to clear it long-on and was caught in the deep for a sparkling 71 off 32 balls (hitting nine fours and four sixes).
Stand-in skipper Sam Curran bowled his fellow countryman Salt for a stunning 75 off 37 balls (hitting six fours and six sixes).
Venkatesh Iyer contributed with a handy 39, captain Shreyas Iyer's 38 and Andre Russell's 24 got the Kolkata to their highest-ever T20 total at Eden Gardens.
Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada's poor IPL form continues as he went wicketless for 52 runs in his three overs.
Scores in brief:
KKR 261-6 in 20 (Salt 75, Narine 71, Arshdeep 2/45, Chahar 1/33)
Punjab Kings need 262 runs to win
26 April 17:24
15-over update:
Both set-in Phil Salt and Sunil Narine fall in a space of two overs.
Rahul Chahar provides the breakthrough as Narine tries to clear it long-on but he can't get the distance and is caught in the deep and departs for a sparkling 71 off 32 balls (hitting nine fours and four sixes).
Stand-in skipper Sam Curran gets his first scalp as he bowls his fellow countryman Salt, who swings and misses and walks back for a stunning 75 off 37 balls (hitting six fours and six sixes).
However, Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer have kept the momentum going with boundaries of their own. Kolkata set for a big total with plenty of wickets in hand.
KKR 190-2 after 15
Russell 14*
Venkatesh 22*
26 April 16:58
10-over update:
Carnage in Kolkata as both openers bring up their half-centuries.
First up was Narine, who was previously dropped on 16, brought up his second IPL fifty of the season - excluding his 109 last week - off just 23 balls.
Then Salt, who was also dropped on 35, brought up his third IPL fifty of the season off just 25 balls.
Punjab Kings' are defeated in the field, which has led to sloppy fielding and bowlers leaking too many runs and conceding extras.
KKR 137-0 after 10
Salt 59*
Narine 71*
