IPL 2025 Points Table: Big Day For LSG; CSK Stay In Bottom Two

Priyansh Arya set the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season on fire, slamming the fastest century by an uncapped player in IPL history as Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 18 runs. Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fell short by 4 runs in their chase of 239 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Five teams now sit on 6 points each, with KKR the best team on 4 points. CSK continue to languish near the bottom after their fourth successive defeat in IPL 2025. They're in ninth.

LSG's overseas stars Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh are runaway leaders in the IPL Orange Cap race, after slamming 87* and 81 respectively against KKR. Noor Ahmad continues to lead the Purple Cap race, with Mitchell Starc and Khaleel Ahmed close behind.

Rookie opener Priyansh Arya delivered on his high promise with a sensational hundred before the bowlers survived M S Dhoni's late onslaught to script an 18-run win for Punjab Kings over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL here on Tuesday.

Priyansh (103 off 42) powered Punjab Kings to 219 for six, the highest total at the venue, after the hosts lost half their side inside the first eight overs. CSK batters have not been good enough thus far in the season but the likes of Devon Conway (69 off 49 retired out), Rachin Ravindra (36 off 23) and Shivam Dube (42 off 27) were able to take the game deep on this occasion. However, CSK fell short and ended at 201 for five.

It was CSK's fourth loss in five games while Punjab Kings recorded their third win in four matches.

The equation for CSK came down to 75 runs off the last 30 balls. Much to the delight of fans present at the venue, Dhoni (27 off 12) came to bat at number five after Dube's fall in the 16th over.

It was Lockie Ferguson's turn to bowl the 18th over and that was when Dhoni provided a glimmer of hope for CSK with two sixes off as many balls. However, 43 off the last 12 balls ended up being too much for the away team.

The night belonged to Priyansh, the 24-year-old from Delhi who rose to prominence with six sixes in an over in a local league last year.

He flaunted his special six-hitting skills on the national stage to lift Punjab Kings to an above par total. His knock included seven boundaries and nine hits over the fence.

Earlier in the day, explosive knocks from Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh set up a tense four-run win for Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring IPL clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday.

Marsh smashed 81 for his fourth half-century of the tournament and Pooran an unbeaten 36-ball 87 to fire Lucknow to 238-3 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.

Kolkata mounted a strong reply as skipper Ajinkya Rahane struck 61 off 35 balls and Rinku Singh blasted an unbeaten 38 in a late blitz, but the home team finished on 234-7.

Lucknow have three wins from five matches. Kolkata, who won their third IPL title last year, have three defeats from their five outings.

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Dhoni Suffers Heartbreak, Gets Dismissed In Final Over Of Run Chase vs PBKS

MS Dhoni suffered a massive heartbreak as he was dismissed in the final over of the run chase against Punjab Kings in their IPL 2025 encounter on Monday. With 28 runs needed in the final over, Dhoni was dismissed in the first ball from Yash Thakur for 27. Dhoni looked in great touch as he slammed one four and three sixes to take the run chase down to the wire. However, he ended up playing a low full-toss from Thakur straight to Yuzvendra Chahal at short fine-leg. The disappointment was clear on his face as he made his way back to the dugout and CSK ended up losing the match by 18 runs.

WELL PLAYED, MS DHONI.

- People had hopes from him even at the age of 43. The evergreen man, a fine innings.pic.twitter.com/0WrUUo5VXP

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 8, 2025

 Rookie opener Priyansh Arya delivered on his high promise with a sensational hundred before the bowlers survived MS Dhoni's late onslaught to script an 18-run win for Punjab Kings over Chennai Super Kings.

Priyansh (103 off 42) powered Punjab Kings to 219 for six, the highest total at the venue, after the hosts lost half their side inside the first eight overs.

CSK batters have not been good enough thus far in the season but the likes of Devon Conway (69 off 49 retired out), Rachin Ravindra (36 off 23) and Shivam Dube (42 off 27) were able to take the game deep on this occasion. However, CSK fell short and ended at 201 for five.

It was CSK's fourth loss in five games while Punjab Kings recorded their third win in four matches.

The equation for CSK came down to 75 runs off the last 30 balls. Much to the delight of fans present at the venue, Dhoni (27 off 12) came to bat at number five after Dube's fall in the 16th over.

With Dube going ballistic in the middle overs, Punjab Kings had to wait till the 17th over to get their main spinner Yuzvendra Chahal into operation.

It was Lockie Ferguson's turn to bowl the 18th over and that was when Dhoni provided a glimmer of hope for CSK with two sixes off as many balls. However, 43 off the last 12 balls ended up being too much for the away team.

Punjab Kings were poor in the field, dropping as many as four catches but were still able to get over the line.

(With PTI inputs)

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It Would Be Honour To Coach Team India: Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan, former Indian left-arm fast bowler and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor for the Indian Premier League, has said that it will be an honour if he gets an opportunity to coach Team India. "It would be an honour to coach Team India," Zaheer Khan told Boria Majumdar in Kolkata at a CII event, according to a video posted by RevSportz on their X handle. The left-arm fast bowler went on to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for two additional years before retiring in 2017. Following his retirement, Zaheer Khan worked as a bowling coach with Mumbai Indians in international cricket prior to accepting a position as a mentor at LSG in 2024.

Zaheer Khan made his debut in the ICC Knockout Cup in 2000 and immediately hit the headlines when he yorked Steve Waugh, beating him for pace. An Indian express-pacer was a once-in-a-blue-moon discovery, and his ability to bowl fast yorkers at the death, move the ball off the deck and in the air, and maintain his pace set him apart from the more metronomic fast bowlers that India was used to.

In his illustrious international career, Zaheer picked up 311 Test wickets in 92 matches and overall 610 scalps in 309 international matches across all formats for Men in Blue.

Zaheer was a member of the 2011 World Cup-winning team and the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy team, which India shared with Sri Lanka due to a lack of results in the finals.

Zaheer represented the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. He played 100 matches in the IPL and bagged 102 wickets at an economy rate of 7.59.

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RCB Stars Collide, End Up Spilling Catch; Ritika Sajdeh's Reaction Viral

Jitesh Sharma and Yash Dayal collided on the field as they ended up missing a catch during the IPL 2025 encounter between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on Monday. During the 12th over of the MI innings, Suryakumar Yadav miscued a delivery from Yash Dayal and the ball went high up in the air. Both Dayal and Jitesh went for the catch but there was a huge miscommunication between the two cricketers. In the end, they ended up colliding with each other as the ball spilled out of Dayal's hands. Both cricketers were left unhappy while replays showed Jitesh was hit on his face. The incident left the crowd thrilled and Rohit Sharma's wife Ritika Sajdeh's reaction has gone viral on social media.

#MIvsRCB
OH NO! Major miscommunication between Jitesh & Yash Dayal!
Catch of Surya Dada goes down!
RCB let a golden chance slip — and MI fans just took a deep breath!
You can't drop Surya and sleep peacefully.#SuryakumarYadav #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/jKQoybsUFz

— XGlobalBuzz (@Xglobalbuzz) April 7, 2025

Earlier, following his half-century against Mumbai Indians (MI), star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli hailed Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar for their valuable contributions and expressed importance of evolving his game with changing times in the shortest format of the sport.

Rohit Sharma's wife Ritika Sajdeh celebrating as RCB fielders drop Surya Kumar Yadav's catch ??#TATAIPL #tapmad #DontStopStreaming #CatchEveryMatch pic.twitter.com/SKTsaxxS0Y

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) April 7, 2025

Fans at Wankhede Stadium became witnesses to a power-packed performance from RCB batters, as Virat and Patidar registered brilliant fifties while Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma played fine supporting hands against MI at Wankhede Stadium.

Speaking after the innings, Virat said, "That was pretty good. After losing a wicket on the second ball (of Phil Salt), we countered pretty nicely. Dev (Padikkal) played a brilliant impact knock for us, really changed the momentum towards us. I got a few going as well. That partnership was really important for us to set that total on the board. My strength is to get my touch and feel of the ball early on, then I can play the shots that I want to. I tried to innovate a bit, tried to play different shots off spin as well and then tried to hit different areas of the ground. You need to keep evolving your game and keep up with the demands of the situation in T20 cricket. When I time the ball nicely early on, I have better chances to contribute."

Virat hailed Padikkal for his impactful cameos during last few games when early wickets fell for RCB and feels that a huge score is just around the corner for the left hander.

"That partnership was important for us to go deeper into the innings, get guys like Jitesh Livi (Liam Livingstone) and Tim David towards the back end of the innings. What Rajat did is what Rajat does most often. It was a great inning by those two as well - Rajat and Jitesh got us those extra 20-25 runs. One of their spinners was out of the game. It was difficult for the chinaman to bowl. That gave us 20-25 runs. What happened with wickets not falling was that one of their spinners was out of the game, and that played out to be an important factor for us because we knew once the spinner is out of the game, then the fast bowler with shorter boundaries will find it tough."

"The wicket was not as straightforward as it seemed. Hardik was taking pace off the ball consistently and was not coming onto the bat. We have a good score on the board. Hopefully, we break that jinx today (RCB have lost their last six matches vs MI at this venue). We have got a strong bowling line-up, and early inroads in the powerplay will help," he concluded.

(With ANI inputs)

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IPL 2025 Points Table: SRH Stay At Bottom, GT Rise To...

Skipper Shubman Gill led by example with a classy half-century after Mohammed Siraj bowled with fire in his belly to return excellent figures of 4/17 as Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their IPL match in Hyderabad on Sunday. Sent at number four, Washington Sundar too showed his class with a 29-ball 49 as GT registered their third win in four outings, even as SRH suffered their fourth defeat in five matches. The chase of 153 was completed with as many as 20 balls to spare, with Gill making an unbeaten 61 off 43 balls. Bowling first, GT restricted SHR to 152 for eight with left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/24) and seamer Prasidh Krishna (2/25) too performing admirably on a slow surface.

Mohammed Shami (2/28) and Pat Cummins (1/26) brought SRH back into the contest with their early strikes as GT found themselves at a tricky 16 for two in the fourth over.

B Sai Sudharsan (5) could not keep his shot down and was caught at square leg off Shami, and Cummins then dismissed Jos Buttler for a three-ball duck with a back of a length delivery that nipped back in sharply, and Heinrich Klaasen did the rest behind the stumps.

The two wickets gave SRH a glimmer of hope but skipper Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar joined forces to stitch a third-wicket partnership of 90 runs to pave the way for their team's win.

Helping the GT duo to get their innings up and running after the early wobble was a horrendous sixth over from pacer Simarjeet Singh, who conceded 20 runs to ease the pressure on the visitors.

Simarjeet was guilty of repeatedly bowling short and Washington took full advantage of it by pulling and hooking him for two sixes over fine leg after collecting two fours.

Gill was all class reaching his half-century in 36 balls with the help of some delightful shots but Washington got out one short of what would have been a well-deserved fifty.

A flurry of boundaries from Sherfane Rutherford (35 not out off 16 balls) then helped GT finish the game with plenty to spare.

List of batters with most runs -

Earlier, Siraj dismissed struggling openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma cheaply before coming back to add two more wickets to his tally.

Head (8) had a fortuitous start as his edge off Siraj went past the stumps for a boundary.

However, Siraj had the last laugh as the pacer got rid of the danger man from Australia when the opener flicked one for Sai Sudharsan to complete a smart diving catch at mid-wicket.

The crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium found their voice after a few boundaries.

Siraj, however, had other ideas as the pumped-up seamer sent back Abhishek after the batter took the aerial route but failed to get the timing right and was caught at mid-on.

This meant the SRH openers' struggles continued in this edition of the IPL as the side reached 45 for two at the end of the power play.

List of bowlers with most wickets -

Even as the visitors dominated proceedings at that stage, they faced some anxious moments when Glenn Phillips got injured. After being attended to by the physio, Phillips hobbled off the field.

Ishan Kishan (17) perished when he miscued a pull off a Prasidh Krishna short ball to deep square leg where Ishant completed the catch.

The duo of Nitish Kumar Reddy (31 off 34 balls) and Klaasen (27 off 19 balls) tried to revive SRH innings with a fifty-run stand for the fourth wicket, a phase where GT got a few fours and a six by the South African big-hitter against Rashid Khan.

But just when SRH looked like laying the foundation for a respectable score, left-arm spinner Sai Kishore picked up the prized wicket of Klaasen whose leg stump was disturbed as he rocked back to employ the pull shot.

Reddy too perished while trying to smash Sai Kishore out of the park, leaving SRH at 105 for five in the beginning of the 16th over.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Controversy Hits IPL 2025 As Fans Slam 3rd Umpire Call During SRH vs GT Game

The dismissal of Washington Sundar sparked a massive controversy during the IPL 2025 match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. Washington looked in brilliant form as he dominated the SRH bowlers but he was ultimately dismissed for 49 by Mohammed Shami. During the 14th over of the GT innings, Washington slammed a short of length ball from Shami towards sweeper cover and Aniket Verma ended up taking a brilliant catch. However, the umpires were not convinced whether he cleanly collected it or not. They decided to go for a review and although some replays suggested that the ball may have touched the ground, the third umpire ruled against the batter. The dismissal led to a massive discussion on social media with several users criticising the decision.

A sundar inning was being played by Washi Sundar. But was that really out?#SRHvGT

— Aadarsh (@Aadarsh1830) April 6, 2025

Skipper Shubman Gill led by example with a classy half-century after Mohammed Siraj bowled with fire in his belly to return excellent figures of 4/17 as Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their IPL match on Sunday.

Nitin Menon robbed Washington Sundar's maiden IPL fifty. pic.twitter.com/shhE7I2Y9n

— Utsav(@utsav__45) April 6, 2025

Sent at number four, Washington Sundar too showed his class with a 29-ball 49 as GT registered their third win in four outings, even as SRH suffered their fourth defeat in five matches.

I feel Washington Sundar is not out
It's a controversial decision in favour of SRH #SRHvGT

— Vidyuts Maniac (@vidyuts_maniac) April 6, 2025

The chase of 153 was completed with as many as 20 balls to spare, with Gill making an unbeaten 61 off 43 balls.

Washington sundar dismissed on 49 by an outstanding catch from Aniket Verma.
Mohammed Shami took a wicket at the right time.#IPL2025 #washingtonsundar #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/UQGrbZbcgy

— Aksh Chaudhary (@ChaudharyAkshS1) April 6, 2025

Bowling first, GT restricted SHR to 152 for eight with left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/24) and seamer Prasidh Krishna (2/25) too performing admirably on a slow surface.

Mohammed Shami (2/28) and Pat Cummins (1/26) brought SRH back into the contest with their early strikes as GT found themselves at a tricky 16 for two in the fourth over.

(With PTI inputs)

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"Our Nation...": Rizwan's Response After Pak Suffer 0-3 Battering vs NZ

Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan said the team needs to improve. "Disappointing series for us. (Positives) Babar was in good touch with two fifties. Naseem Shah's batting as well. In the bowling, Sufiyan Muqeem was the guy who bowled really well. I give credit to New Zealand in all departments. They've been playing well. We know that these are difficult conditions for us here, but they played in Pakistan really well. They played against us in Pakistan. There are professionals in all departments. We need to improve, that's it." Mohammad Rizwan said at the post-match presentation.

"In New Zealand, it's very important to play well against the new ball. We'll learn from here and fix it. If you lose, you can't say like that (when asked if today was their best performance of the tour). Individually, we are good. New Zealand won all the key moments. After the Champions Trophy and this series, we'll leave the past. PSL is a big tournament for us in Pakistan, hopefully our nation will enjoy. Hopefully, we'll do well in PSL," he added.

Ben Sears's second five-wicket haul on the trot inspired New Zealand (NZ) to whitewash Pakistan (PAK) with a 3-0 ODI series triumph, following their 43-run success in the third and final series clash at Bay Oval on Saturday.

Batting first, New Zealand showcased their strength to rack up a competitive 264/8 on the scoreboard. In a game reduced to 42 overs due to a wet outfield, Pakistan's attempt to chase a target of 265 ultimately fell short as they were bowled out by New Zealand for 221 in 40 overs. New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell received the player of the match award for his outstanding fifty and one wicket.

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PM Modi Meets Sri Lanka's 1996 WC-Winning Team On Visit To Island Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with members of the 1996 World Cup-winning Sri Lankan cricket team and said the triumph captured the imagination of countless sports lovers. PM Modi is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka. The PM arrived in Colombo on Friday night for bilateral discussions and the signing of several key pacts between the two nations. Later on Saturday, he met the members of the Sri Lankan World Cup-winning side that defeated the Mark Taylor-led Australian team by seven wickets in the final at Lahore. "Cricket connect! Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers!" wrote the PM on 'X'.

Cricket connect!

Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers! pic.twitter.com/2ZprMmOtz6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2025

The members of the triumphant side, including Kumar Dharmasena, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana and Marvan Atapattu presented Modi with a memento on the occasion.

"In Colombo, PM @narendramodi interacted with the members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. Here are a few glimpses from their interaction," wrote the PM's official account while posting images of the interaction.

In the final played on March 17 at the Gaddafi Stadium, the Arjuna Ranatunga-led Sri Lanka chased down Australia's 241/7 for the loss of just three wickets with De Silva scoring an unbeaten 107.

Romesh Kaluwitharana, an explosive opening batter of his time, said after the meeting that India had always stood with Sri Lanka, especially during the crisis.

De Silva, the all-time great Sri Lankan batter, praised Modi, saying the Indian PM is well respected around the world.

Jayasuriya said the interaction with Modi was a great experience, and noted that the Indian PM spoke about his work since coming to power in 2014.

Former pacer Vaas said Modi had good cricketing knowledge and discussed with the players their 1996 World Cup campaign.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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New Zealand vs Pakistan 3rd ODI, LIVE Score Updates

New Zealand vs Pakistan 3rd ODI, LIVE Score Updates: Pakistan will be hoping to get a consolation win as they take on New Zealand in the third and final ODI of a rather unsuccessful white-ball tour. Pakistan were hammered 4-1 in the T20I series, and have already been outclassed in the first two ODIs of the series. Having previously beaten Australia and South Africa in ODI series away from home, Pakistan haven't been able to replicate the same against New Zealand, continuing on from their disastrous Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. (LIVE SCORECARD)

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IPL 2025 Points Table, Purple Cap, Orange Cap: LSG Gain One Spot At Expense Of MI

Lucknow Super Giants registered a 12-run win over Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 game at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Friday. Getting an invitation to bat first, LSG posted 203 for 8 despite Hardik Pandya's five-wicket haul. While the MI captain returned 5 for 36, Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram scored fiery fifties to help the team post a big total on the board. In MI's chase, Suryakumar Yadav played a superb knock (67 off 43) but failed to take the side over the line. The result saw LSG gain one spot and move to number 6 in the points table at the expense of MI. Meanwhile, Nicholas Pooran continues to hold the Orange Cap - now with 201 runs in 4 matches. The Purple Cap is with Noor Ahmad - 9 wickets in 3 matches.

IPL 2025 Updated Points Table -

Hardik Pandya's maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket and star batter Suryakumar Yadav's fluent 67 went in vain as Lucknow Super Giants beat Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in an Indian Premier League match on Friday.

MI captain Pandya returned with magnificent figures of 5/36 in an inspiring bowling performance but couldn't stop LSG from posting 203 for 8 after being put into bat. Chasing 204 for a win, MI, however, ended at 191 for 5 in 20 overs and exposed the five-time champions' inability to chase down big targets.

Shardul Thakur's economical effort in the penultimate over, giving away just seven runs, tilted the scale in favour of LSG.

MI were reduced to 17 for 2 in 2.2 overs with both openers -- Will Jacks (5) and Ryan Rickelton (10) -- getting out cheaply.

Jacks, who replaced struggling Rohit Sharma at the top of the order after the India captain got hit on his knee at the nets, was the first to be dismissed off the bowling of Akash Deep who was playing his first match of the season after an injury lay-off.

Rickelton followed suit in the third over as Shardul claimed his wicket with Ravi Bishnoi, who came in as Impact Player in place of batter Mitchell Marsh, taking the catch.

MI were in a spot of bother but India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir steadied the run chase.

Dhir launched an attack on Akash Deep in the fourth over with two sixes and two boundaries in the first four deliveries to keep MI in the hunt.

Suryakumar struck Avesh Khan for a six in the fifth over, and played second fiddle to Dhir.

MI were 64 for 2 at the end of powerplay, not much far behind the corresponding 69 for no loss of LSG in terms of runs at the same stage.

Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, who was fined 25 per cent of his match fees for his unusual 'letter-writing' celebration after dismissing a Punjab Kings batter, broke the third-wicket stand worth 69 runs. He cleaned up Dhir in the first ball of the ninth over and did the same gesture, though far off from the departing batter.

Tilak Varma then came to the crease as Impact Sub for Vignesh Puthur as MI reached 101 for 3 at halfway stage. The asking rate kept on climbing as there was a dearth of boundaries in the middle overs.

Suryakumar, meanwhile, reached to his first fifty off 31 balls with a boundary off Bishnoi in the 14th over to keep MI in the hunt.

It was not going to be easy for MI as they needed 61 from the last five overs and Suryukumar got out in an inopportune time with Avesh Khan getting rid of him in the 17th over.

MI needed 40 runs from the last three overs and 29 from the last two with Pandya and Varma having settled down nicely. Shardul then gave away just seven runs in the 19th over to tilt the scale in favour of LSG. MI was then forced to retire out a struggling Varma out after an uncharacteristic slow batting as he scored 25 off 23 balls.

In came Mitchell Santner and MI needed 22 runs from the final over bowled by Avesh Khan.

Pandya hit a six off Khan in the first ball but the third and fourth deliveries were dot balls. MI needed 14 runs off the last two balls but Pandya could get only one in the fifth ball, ending his side's hopes of a win.

Earlier, LSG rode on superb half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to post 203 for 8, despite Pandya's five-wicket haul.

Pandya took the wickets of Markram (53 off 38 balls), Nicholas Pooran (12), Rishabh Pant (2), David Miller (27) and Akash Deep (0), putting brakes on LSG's innings.

LSG were off to a great start with opener Marsh hitting his third half-century in four matches. His 60 came off just 31 balls and was studded with nine fours and two sixes.

With the other opener Markram also in good nick, LSG were 69 for no loss at the end of power play. But MI came back after that with Pandya making crucial bowling changes.

Left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who had starred in MI's win over Chennai Super Kings, was introduced in the seventh over and he gave the breakthrough immediately. He had Marsh caught and bowled, breaking the dangerous-looking opening stand of 76 runs.

Pandya then brought himself into action and had Pooran in the ninth over before getting the prized wicket of LSG captain Pant (2) who got out cheaply once again.

Substitute fielder Corbin Bosch took a fine catch at the mid-off after Pant failed to negotiate a slower ball off Pandya. Pant, who faced six balls, continued his poor form, having scored 0, 15, 2 in his three earlier innings.

LSG were 107 for 3 in 10.4 overs when Pant was out.

Markram, who had been ordinary so far, stood up for his team and held one end together till he was out in the 18th over.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Tilak Retired Out During MI's Run Chase vs LSG. Shocking Decision Explained

Mumbai Indians decided to retire out Tilak Varma with seven balls remaining in their run chase against Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2025 match on Friday. Tilak, who was batting on 25 off 23 deliveries, suddenly went off the pitch before the final ball of Shardul Thakur's over and was replaced by Mitchell Santner. MI need 24 off 7 balls at that moment but Avesh Khan successfully defended 22 runs in the final over to clinch the match for LSG. "It was obvious that we needed some hits and he was not getting... in cricket, one of those days come when you really try but it does not happen. I think the decision speaks for itself why we did it," Hardik Pandya said after the defeat. 

Retired out in the IPL

R Ashwin vs LSG, Wankhede, 2022

Atharva Taide vs DC, Dharamshala, 2023

Sai Sudharsan vs MI, Ahmedabad, 2023

Tilak Varma vs LSG, Lucknow, 2025*

Suryakumar Yadav's fighting half-century went in vain as Lucknow Super Giants defeated Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in an Indian Premier League match on Friday.

Batting first, LSG, riding on half-centuries from openers Mitchell Marsh (60 off 31 balls) and Aiden Markram (53 off 38 balls), scored 203/8 despite MI skipper Hardik Pandya (5/36) taking his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.

In reply, MI were restricted to 191 for five despite Suryakumar scoring a 43-ball 67, studded with nine boundaries and a six.

Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan and Digvesh Rathi took a wicket each for LSG.

Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma sat out of the contest after being hit on the knee during nets.

(With PTI inputs)

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'Jaiswal Kicked Rahane's Kitbag', Friction Between Stars Behind Goa Move

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's sudden decision to switch from Mumbai to Goa grabbed headlines on Wednesday. Jaiswal wrote to the Mumbai Cricket Association on Tuesday, expressing his wish to leave Mumbai for Goa, and the governing body swiftly accepted his request. Jaiswal's shock move will see the left-handed 23-year-old play for Goa from the 2025-26 season where he could be appointed captain, though it is yet to be understood how much time he would be able to give to the state side given the packed international calendar.

In an interview, Jaiswal revealed that he is shifting to Goa due to new opportunities. "It was a very tough decision for me. Whatever I am today is because of Mumbai. The city has made me who I am, and all my life, I will be indebted to the MCA," Jaiswal told The Indian Express. "Goa has thrown me a new opportunity and it has offered me a leadership role. My first goal will be to do well for India and whenever I'm not on national duty, I will be playing for Goa and try to make them go deep into the tournament. This was an (important) opportunity which came my way and I just took it."

However, a report in India Today, has made some interesting claims regarding the likely reason behind Jaiswal's departure. A report in the publication said 'people close to the situation' have said that the young left-handed batter was not happy with the 'constant scrutiny' in Mumbai set-up.  

The report went on to claim that the relationship between Jaiswal and Ajinkya Rahane (Mumbai First-Class captain) was 'untenable'. It claimed the 'friction' between the two Indian cricket team players started in 2022 when Rahane had sent off Jaiswal for sledging in a match. Jaiswal had struck a double century — 265 off 323 balls with 30 fours and four sixes in the second innings of the game but on the final day of the clash the West Zone skipper sent him off the field for excessively sledging South Zone batter Ravi Teja.

The report also said there was 'constant questioning' about Jaiswal's shot selection. The 'final straw' was when Jaiswal was criticised by the Mumbai team management after a poor outing in a Mumbai vs Jammu and Kashmir match. Mumbai coach Omkar Salvi and Rahane apparently questioned the commitment of Jaiswal. The report claimed 'people close to the situation' said an angry Jaiswal even kicked the kitbag of captain Rahane.

A PTI report also indicated the same thing mentioning Jaiswal's rift with a 'senior player'. "It is also believed Jaiswal's decision to move to Goa could be due to his displeasure with the Mumbai team management," the news agency report said.

"In the contest against J&K last season, sources said Jaiswal had a rift with a senior member of the side in the second innings after the latter questioned his shot selection as Mumbai were battling to save the game. In reply, Jaiswal shot back at the senior questioning his shot in the first innings."

With PTI inputs 

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Ahead Of Clash vs LSG, A Look At MI Veteran Rohit Sharma's Struggles

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), all eyes will be on star Mumbai Indians (MI) batter Rohit Sharma, who has been struggling for form in the competition so far. LSG and MI, both teams that have struggled for consistency so far with just one win and two losses, will be locking horns at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Friday. The Hitman has not found his groove in the tournament so far, having made 21 runs in three innings at an average of 7.00 and strike rate of 105.00 and best score of 13.

A surprising statistic has emerged about Rohit, who has garnered acclaim for his hard-hitting approach with the Indian team, but has delivered underwhelming results in IPL over the years. He has crossed the 400-run mark in a season only twice since 2017, in 2019 (405 runs in 15 matches with two fifties) and 2024 (417 runs in 14 matches with a century and a fifty).

Since 2017, as per ESPNCricinfo, 15 players have scored at least 2,500 runs in the league. Amongst them, Rohit has the lowest-strike rate of 130.09. In 118 matches since 2017, Rohit has scored 2,775 runs at an average of just 25.00 and a strike rate of over 130, with a century and 14 fifties to his name in 117 innings and best score of 105*.

LSG has not been a very favourable opponent to Rohit as against them he has made 165 runs in six innings at an average of 27.50 and a strike rate of over 142.24, with a half-century. His best score is 68 and he has scored a half-century against LSG.

Rohit's fans will be keenly hoping that he will find his mojo in the match against LSG.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians Squad: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton(w), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Satyanarayana Raju, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Karn Sharma, Reece Topley, Bevon Jacobs, Krishnan Shrijith, Arjun Tendulkar

Lucknow Super Giants Squad: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Manimaran Siddharth, Prince Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Himmat Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Aryan Juyal, RS Hangargekar, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Deep, Mayank Yadav, Shamar Joseph, Arshin Kulkarni.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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SRH Star Bowls With Left, Right Arm In Same Over vs KKR. Internet Confused

Kamindu Mendis is a rarity in cricket. The Sri Lankan can bowl with both arms and his talent was on display at the IPL 2025 in the match between SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. He only bowled one over in the match and picked the wicket of KKR half-centurion Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Though it was the ambidextrous bowler's debut match in IPL, Mendis has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka. He has played 12 Tests, 19 ODIs and 23 T20Is. 

The IPL in its official x handle wrote: "Confused?"

Left Right
Right Left
Confused?

That's what Kamindu Mendis causes in the minds of batters

Updates https://t.co/jahSPzdeys#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/IJH0N1c3kT

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 3, 2025

KAMINDU - THE AMBIDEXTROUS.

- Bowling left arm to right handed.
- Bowling right arm to left handed. pic.twitter.com/RpZKqL4GSw

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 3, 2025

Defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) posted a competitive total against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Eden Gardens, thanks to a remarkable late-innings acceleration spearheaded by Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh.

KKR finished their innings at 200/6 in 20 overs, recovering from early setbacks with a dynamic middle-order partnership.

The KKR opening partnership, which had failed to find momentum in previous games, endured another underwhelming outing. Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock could not provide the explosive start the team desired.

After a quiet first over, de Kock miscued a pull shot off Pat Cummins and was caught in the deep for just one (6 balls). Narine followed soon after, edging an over-pitched delivery from Mohammed Shami to the keeper for seven (7 balls). KKR were left struggling at 17/2 in three overs, bringing captain Ajinkya Rahane and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi to the crease.

With KKR in trouble, Rahane and Raghuvanshi stabilized the innings with calculated aggression. The duo took advantage of short deliveries, keeping the scoreboard ticking with well-timed boundaries and excellent running between the wickets. Rahane hit three sixes and played fluently before falling for 38 (27 balls) while attempting a reverse sweep against Zeeshan Ansari.

Raghuvanshi, displaying maturity beyond his years, brought up his second IPL fifty off just 30 balls. However, his impressive innings of 50 (32 balls, five fours, two sixes) came to an end when he sliced Kamindu Mendis' off-spin to deep backward point. At 109/4 in 13.2 overs, KKR had lost both set batters, shifting the responsibility to their middle-order.

With the innings at a critical juncture, Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29 balls) and Rinku Singh (unbeaten 32 off 17) took charge. Initially cautious, the duo unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes in the death overs. Venkatesh found his rhythm with powerful shots off Simarjeet and Shami, while Rinku ignited KKR's charge with three consecutive fours off Harshal Patel in the 17th over.

The 19th over bowled by Cummins proved to be the turning point, as Rinku smashed 4,6,4,4,2,1, reaching his fifty in just 25 balls. The final partnership yielded 91 off just 41 balls, at a stunning run rate of 11.25.

KKR's late surge saw them add 91 runs in the last seven overs, propelling their total to 200 in 20 overs. The innings was defined by Venkatesh Iyer's anchoring role and Rinku Singh's fearless hitting, putting the pressure back on SRH's bowling attack.

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SKY Breaks Silence After Report Claims He's Leading Coup Against Mumbai

In a surprising development on Wednesday, multiple reports claimed Yashasvi Jaiswal has decided to make a shock switch to Goa from Mumbai due to personal reasons, leaving a domestic powerhouse that laid the foundation for the left-hander's blossoming international career. According to news agency PTI, Jaiswal wrote to the Mumbai Cricket Association on Tuesday, expressing his wish to leave Mumbai for Goa, and the governing body swiftly accepted his request.

Later in the evening on Wednesday, a report claimed that there was a 'coup underway' in the Mumbai team and 'there is a possibility' that Suryakumar Yadav may also follow his teammate. The report, however also added, sources close to the batter have denied the development. 

However, Suryakumar Yadav laughed off the report. He posted the screenshot of a report, which had the caption: "In fact, rumour mills suggest, Suryakumar Yadav is actually playing the lead role in getting players to consider a move". SKY comment was satirical. "Script writer hai ya journalist? Agar hasna hai toh I will stop watching comedy movies and start reading these articles. Ekdum bakwas," he wrote on X in a post that went viral.

Meanwhile, Jaiswal is the third cricketer from Mumbai in recent times to have moved to Goa after Arjun Tendulkar and Siddhesh Lad. Lad and Tendulkar had moved to Goa ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Jaiswal last played for Mumbai against Jammu and Kashmir in their Ranji Trophy Group A league round match from January 23-25 following the strict implementation of the BCCI directives that all India players should play domestic cricket if not on national duty.

In that game, Jaiswal had made his sole appearance in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season along with India captain Rohit Sharma.

The two India stars flopped on their domestic return, with Jaiswal scoring 4 and 26 as Mumbai lost by five wickets to Jammu and Kashmir for the second time in the tournament's history.

While Jaiswal rose swiftly through the ranks in Mumbai cricket to emerge as one of the brightest batters in the country and duly earned a spot in the national side, it wasn't always a smooth ride for the youngster.

Moving from native Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh at the age of 12 to pursue his cricketing dream, Jaiswal went through several hardships. He spent nights in a tent before he was spotted by coach Jwala Singh who took him under his wings and developed his game. 

With PTI inputs 

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Pakistan's Sufiyan Muqeem Creates History, Becomes 1st Batter To...

Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem established a world record on Tuesday, becoming the player with the highest individual score at number 12 position in an ODI match. Muqeem achieved this record during his side's second ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand at Hamilton. While chasing 293 against the Kiwis, Muqeem came to bat with his team at 174/9 and scored 13 in 10 balls, with a four and six. He also had a brief partnership with Naseem Shah, who smashed 51 in 44 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes.

Naseem himself fell short of Mohammed Amir's record score of 58 at number 11, which he made against England at Nottingham in 2016. Naseem was the concussion substitute of Haris Rauf, who was hit on his helmet, hence Muqeem being the number 12th man for Pakistan, as per Wisden.

Kiwis beat Pakistan by 84 runs at Hamilton to secure the ODI series 2-0 with a game to go. After Pakistan opted to field first, NZ put on 292/8 in their 50 overs. After being reduced to 132/5, knocks from Muhammad Abbas (41 in 66 balls, with three fours) and Mitchell Hay (99* in 78 balls, with seven fours and seven sixes) saved NZ.

Muqeem (2/33) and Mohammed Wasim (2/78) were the top bowlers for Pakistan.

During the chase, Pakistan sunk to 72/7 due to fiery spells of Ben Sears (5/59) and Jacob Duffy (3/35). A fightback from Faheem Ashraf (73 in 80 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and Naseem (51 in 44 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) did help Pakistan reach a better position, but not a victory.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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IPL 2025 Points Table: RCB Lose Top Spot After Loss To GT

Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost its top place in the IPL 2025 points table after losing to Gujarat Titans on Wednesday. Currently Punjab Kings lead the table followed by Delhi Capitals, RCB and Gujarat Titans. Barring Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, all teams have played three matches each. Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran is the highest run-scorer and holds the Orange Cap with a tally of 189. Chennai Super Kings' Noor Ahmad continues to lead the highest wicket-takers' chart, and holds the  

Jos Buttler made a fifty marked by creativity and sustained aggression to support the impeccable spell of Mohammed Siraj as Gujarat Titans carved a smooth eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match on Wednesday. Buttler (73 not out, 39b, 5x4, 6x6) and B Sai Sudharsan (49, 36b) added 75 runs off 45 balls for the second wicket, as the Titans ended up at 170 for two in 17.5 overs, while chasing RCB's 169 for eight.

However, the Gujarat side's chase did not start as they would have liked, losing skipper Shubman Gill for a laboured 14.

The Titans' skipper clobbered Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six but fell in the very next ball to the pacer, lobbing him to Liam Livingstone in the deep.

But it brought together Sudharsan and Buttler, who extracted runs off the RCB bowlers in contrasting style.

Sudharsan's innings was an antithesis to the modern T20 ethos, as it was all about elegantly timed shots such as a wristy flick for a boundary off Yash Dayal or a square cut for four off the same bowler.

There was a touch of impishness too to the innings when he moved across and scooped pacer Josh Hazlewood for a six over the stumper's head.

However, a second attempt to play a similar shot off the Australian ended his stay, giving a simple catch to Jitesh Sharma.

But Sudharsan's dismissal, which came in the immediate aftermath of RCB taking the second ball in the 13th over, was a minor jitter in Gujarat's chase, which was marshalled so effectively by Buttler.

The Englishman was slightly jittery to begin with but once he found the right gears, he was unstoppable, fetching those thunderous shots off the shelf regularly.

Buttler reached his fifty with a sumptuous six off spinner Livingstone over long-on off 31 balls and his imperious touch was evident in the three sixes he hammered off Hazlewood to finish the match.

Buttler and Impact Sub Sherfane Rutherford (30 not out, 18b) added 63 runs for the third wicket as Gujarat strolled home.

Earlier, Siraj led a group of fired-up GT bowlers as they limited the vaunted RCB batting unit to 169 for eight despite a providential 54 by Livingstone.

Once the Titans decided to bowl first, they would not have envisioned such a domination over a potent batting line-up even considering a rather unexpectedly slow and grippy pitch.

The slip-down started with the wicket of Virat Kohli (7), who began with a lovely cover driven four off Siraj (4-0-19-3).

But the ace batter fell to left-arm seamer Arshad Khan, who came in for Kagiso Rabada, attempting a pull that ended in the hands of Prasidh Krishna at fine leg.

Thereafter the RCB top-order was poleaxed by GT bowlers led by Siraj, who joined the side after a seven-season stint in the red and gold jersey ahead of IPL 2025.

Phil Salt, who was dropped on zero by Buttler off Siraj, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal paraded back to the hut as RCB slumped to 42 for four in 6.2 overs.

However, Salt, who slammed Siraj for a 105 metre six, and Devdutt might feel a tinge of regret because both of them tried to give space to themselves for big shots only to get castled by Siraj.

However, the Royal Challengers found some stability through Jitesh Sharma (33, 21b) and Livingstone (54, 40b, 1x4, 5x6) as they added 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket.

The impressive left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/22), who varied his line and pace exemplarily, broke the alliance, dismissing Jitesh, who skied him to Rahul Tewatia.

It was a redemption point for Tewatia as well because he had earlier dropped Livingstone on 9 off Sai Kishore.

It proved costly for GT as the English batter hammered an off-colour Rashid Khan for three sixes in an over, two in a row, to reach his fifty in 39 balls.

Livingstone milked 46 precious runs for the seventh wicket with Tim David to take RCB past the 150-run mark. PTI UNG UNG AH AH

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BCCI Springs Into Action, Reprimands LSG Star For Priyansh Arya Send-Off

Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi was fined 25 percent of his match fees and handed a demerit point for his unusual 'letter-writing' celebration after dismissing Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya. The Board of Control for Cricket in India penalised Rathi for "breaching the IPL Code of Conduct" during LSG's match against PBKS at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. PBKS won the game by eight wickets.

"Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee's sanction," an IPL media advisory stated.

"For Level 1 breaches of the Code of Conduct, the Match Referee's decision is final and binding." The controversial celebration took place on the penultimate ball of the third over during PBKS' chase of 172.

Digvesh bowled a short and wide delivery, which Arya attempted to pull without much foot movement, only to top-edge the ball.

DIGVESH RATHI DROPS AN ABSOLUTE BANGER CELEBRATION.pic.twitter.com/kJWRa0xWtM

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 1, 2025

Shardul Thakur sprinted from mid-on and completed a running catch.

As Arya walked back to the pavilion after scoring eight off nine balls, Digvesh, his teammate from the Delhi T20 League, mimicked writing a letter — an act seemingly directed at Arya.

The umpires took note of the gesture and had a word with the bowler as it also drew immediate comparisons to West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams, who popularised the 'notebook' celebration after dismissing opponents, including a famous spat against Virat Kohli during a 2019 bilateral series.

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammed Kaif, while doing commentaries, did not appreciate Digvesh's antics.

The leg-spinner was the pick of the LSG bowling lineup, picking up 2/30 runs in his four overs.

However, the rest of the LSG bowling attack failed to make an impact as PBKS chased down the 173-run target in just 16.2 overs.

The win propelled PBKS to second place in the IPL 2025 points table. PBKS, RCB, and DC currently have four points each, having won their first two matches.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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LSG Owner Sanjiv Goenka Confronts Rishabh Pant, Recreates KL Rahul Scene

The sum of Rs 27 crore that Lucknow Super Giants spent on Rishabh Pant isn't looking good at the moment. The wicket-keeper batter has hardly gotten his bat to do the talking in the first three games for the franchise. Even his captaincy decisions have been questioned by many, with fans on social media already putting the label of a "Rs 27 crore flop" on the wicket-keeper batter. After LSG suffered their second defeat of the season, at the hands of Punjab Kings, the franchise's co-owner Sanji Goenka confronted Rishabh Pant again on the field, asking some tough questions.

Goenka has developed a reputation of asking questions to his team's captains. In the past even KL Rahul has had to face Goenka's wrath on the field over the team's defeats. Pant was subjected to a similar confrontation after LSG's defeat against Delhi Capitals in their opening match of the season.

Lucknow then bounced back with a victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad but slumped to a defeat against Punjab on Tuesday. Goenka didn't shy away from confronting Pant again on the ground, triggering a social media storm. The LSG co-owner was even seen pointing finger at Pant during the conversation.

Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant after the match. pic.twitter.com/AzyGSCYPLd

— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) April 1, 2025

Scene created between Goenka & Pant. #PBKSvsLSG pic.twitter.com/oU9AS4kbN5

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) April 1, 2025

Sanjeev Goenka - The worst IPL owner.

In every match, he keeps talking to Pant with an intense look, interfering too much in cricketing decisions.

He doesn't even let the players catch their breath after a loss.@LucknowIPL @RishabhPant17 #LSGvsPBKS #PBKSvsLSG pic.twitter.com/PNRVDqu7uI

— Sachin Shukla (@imsachin_20) April 1, 2025

Goenka be like: Gussa toh bahut aa rha h tujh pr, pr kya karu Public dkh rhi h !!#LSGvsPBKS #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/Dmg25fmMdj

— Cricket Adda (@Aslicricketer23) April 1, 2025

Sanjiv Goenka started abusing Rishabh Pant in the Dressing Room after losing LSG vs PBKS IPL match again.#SanjivGoenka #RishabhPant #LSGvPBKS #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/qlJsiGtyaV

— (@Crickaith) April 1, 2025

After the game, Rishabh Pant admitted that his team was about 20-25 runs short against Punjab.

"It (the total) wasn't enough, we were 20-25 runs short, but that's part and parcel of the game. Still assessing the conditions at our home ground. It's always going to be difficult to get a big total when you lose early wickets, but each and every player is trying hard to take the game forward. The idea was to get a slow wicket. I think the slower balls were sticking in. We got to learn from this game and move forward. There are a lot of positives, can't say much," he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

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'You're From Punjab...": MI's New Hero Reveals Rousing Message From Hardik

Mumbai Indians record-shattering IPL debutant Ashwani Kumar revealed the words of encouragement he received from skipper Hardik Pandya and his favourite scalp out of the four top stars he bagged against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Mumbai Indians (MI) continued their policy of unearthing new talent and presented the 23-year-old left-arm seamer to the world. On his debut, Ashwani became the first Indian to take a four-wicket haul on an IPL debut. Before enchanting the spectators with his scorching spell, Ashwani, who hails from Punjab, received a simple message from Hardik to bowl fearlessly and enjoy.

"It is a really good feeling. I didn't expect things to play out like this. Hardik bhai told me you are from Punjab, and the people there are not scared of anything. You have to scare the opposition and enjoy," he said in a video posted by the IPL.

He sent shivers down KKR's spine when he took his position and began charging down at the batters. The 23-year-old made his IPL debut a day to remember and returned with figures of 4/24.

Ashwani's wicket pool included established stars featuring skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey and hard-hitting Andre Russell.

"My favourite wicket was Andre Russell because he is a big player," Ashwani said when asked about his favourite wicket.

Ashwani didn't waste time and struck on his first ball in the IPL. Rahane tried to go after the boundary but only found Tilak Varma's hands. Initially, Tilak gobbled up the chance as the ball fumbled out of his hands, but he held his composure to complete the catch on the second occasion.

"When the ball fumbled I just hope he somehow gets hold of it. My strength is a bouncer and I can bowl a yorker as well," he said.

Ashwani's sizzling spell restricted Kolkata to 116 which Mumbai effortlessly chased down to open its win account with an 8-wicket triumph.

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IPL 2025 Early Trends - Batters Dominate Like Never Before

The last season of the IPL was a revolutionary one, witnessing an unprecedented domination of bat over ball- there were record totals, sixes galore and the run-rate soared higher and higher like never before. There was mayhem in the powerplay with teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders redefined batting in the first six overs - incidentally, they were the two finalists last season. The 2025 edition has also started with a bang and if the first week is anything to go by, the bar has already been raised by the batters. We look at the early trends and numbers that define the first week in IPL 2025. 

Note: All numbers updated till end of Match 10 

Run-Rate at an all-time high 

If the batters scaled K2 last season, they seem set to trek Mount Everest in IPL 2025! The collective run-rate in the first 10 matches this season is a stunning 9.91, a few notches higher than the 9.53 at the same point last year. There has been some outstanding hitting already in this edition. A total of 194 sixes were hammered in the first 10 encounters in IPL 2024. That number has been surpassed quite comfortably this season and stands at 204! The 200-run mark was breached five times in the first 10 matches in IPL 2024. It has already been crossed six times this season. 

Powerplay Carnage 

The major feature of IPL 2024 was the carnage witnessed in the powerplay.

Teams went helter-skelter in the first six overs with maximizing runs the mantra of the season. Conserving wickets and accelerating later was a thing of the past! The run-rate in the first six overs in the first 10 matches in IPL 2024 was 9.34 and there was a strong correlation between teams who maximized the powerplay and success - Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders were the two most destructive teams in the powerplay and it was not a coincidence that they played each other in the final. Powerplay batting has been taken to another level this season with the average run-rate in the first six overs in the first 10 matches at a mind-boggling 10.2. Teams have already scored 70 or more six times in the tournament. 

Chasing slight advantage 

The team chasing has won six of the first 10 matches this season, keeping with the historic trend, where batting second has always been an advantage. However, batting second is the overwhelming preference this season with the captain winning the toss electing to chase on nine occasions! 

Left-handers ruling the roost 

The three leading run-getters so far this season are all left-handers. Five on the top 7 list are southpaws. Nicholas Pooran is the highest impact batter so far with two stunning performances to start his campaign for Lucknow Super Giants. He hammered a sensational 75 off just 30 deliveries against Delhi Capitals at Visakhapatnam before smashing 70 off just 26 deliveries in a successful 191-run chase against Sunrisers in Hyderabad. The feature of his batting has been the clean striking - Pooran has blasted a total of 13 sixes in his two innings this season! 

Spinners more restrictive

Spinners have bagged 54 wickets so far this season at an average of 28.7, strike rate of 18.7 and economy of 9.18. The pacers, on the other hand, have picked 69 wickets at an average of 31.7, strike rate of 18.4 and economy of 10.28. 

The struggle of the Big 3 

Still early days but interesting trends are emerging in season 18 of the IPL. The Big 3 - Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders - who have 13 of the 17 titles between them - have had an indifferent start in the tournament. MI's batting has let them down in both matches and the bowling also lacks the firepower without Jasprit Bumrah. CSK have also struggled with the bat and depend heavily on Rachin Ravindra and Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the order. Defending champions, KKR, need their middle-order - the likes of Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell to fire if they are to compete with the more formidable batting line-ups like SRH, DC and LSG in the tournament. Like CSK, they have won one and lost one encounter. RCB and DC have looked to be the two best units so far this season and have won both their matches. Both the franchises are yet to win the IPL!

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England Test captain Ben Stokes To Miss Early County Games In Fitness Battle

Ben Stokes is not expected to play in the early rounds of the County Championship as he battles to be fit to lead England, his Durham coach Ryan Campbell said on Monday. The 33-year-old Test captain is recovering from hamstring surgery after breaking down in New Zealand in December, his second hamstring tear in five months. But the all-rounder is not yet ready for action in the four-day domestic championship, which starts on Friday. England host Zimbabwe in May, with a five-Test series against India to follow. Later in the year they head to Australia for a five-match Ashes series.

Durham have six matches in the top tier of the County Championship before the Zimbabwe Test.

Campbell, who is also without England quicks Brydon Carse (toe) and Mark Wood (knee), made it clear no risks would be taken.

"When you look at Carse, Stokes and Wood, at this stage they're probably not likely to play for us. My expectation is that it'll be zero -- anything else is an added bonus," he said.

"They're all coming back from serious injuries. The facts are that they need to get up and running by the time the Test matches start.

"But what we know about Stokesy is that he's here nearly every single day working his butt off. The guy had hamstring surgery and was in the next day lifting weights, which I couldn't believe. He sets the bar, wherever he is."

Campbell has pledged to protect Carse, 29, who has impressed since making his Test debut against Pakistan in October 2024, taking 27 wickets at an average of 19.85 in five matches.

"I think Brydon Carse is probably the number one priority for England right now," he said.

"With what he's shown in Test cricket, he's born for that sort of stuff. There's 11 Tests over the summer and winter, and I think he's going to be number one on England's list to make sure that he's ready to go for that.

"Does that mean he's going to play for us? I'm not so sure.... We've known about his foot problems for a year now. It's not new, but he needs to get it right if he's going to be playing a lot of Test cricket."

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Brathwaite Steps Down As West Indies Test captain, Hope Appointed T20I Skipper

Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down as skipper of the West Indies Test team after four years in charge, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said on Monday after a shift in leadership roles saw Shai Hope taking over captaincy of the T20I side. Brathwaite, 32, was appointed as West Indies' Test captain in place of Jason Holder in March 2021. Hope, who is also the team's ODI skipper, replaced Rovman Powell for T20I captaincy. Powell has led the T20 side since May 2023. In a statement, CWI said, "Brathwaite wanted to ensure the team had a period of transition before his departure. As a result, he has submitted his resignation ahead of the home series against Australia, giving the new leadership time to establish itself.

"This series will be particularly special, allowing Brathwaite, who is two matches shy of 100 Test matches, to double down on his batting without added responsibility." A new Test captain will be announced shortly.

The West Indies are scheduled to play Australia in a home series in June-July, marking the start of a new ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

"CWI extends its deepest gratitude to Kraigg Brathwaite for his years of service as captain, recognising his dedication to West Indies cricket and his leadership in guiding the Test team to significant milestones. A new captain will be named in the coming weeks," the board said.

During Brathwaite's tenure, the West Indies earned their first Test victory in Australia in 27 years with a thrilling eight-run win in Brisbane last year.

Earlier this year, he led the team to a memorable Test win in Pakistan to level the series, a first in 34 years.

His captaincy also saw the West Indies beat England at home in 2022 and secure a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

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Asked About CSK's Poor Form, Skipper Ruturaj Gives Unfiltered Reply

Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad blamed their poor starts and fielding lapses as key reasons behind their six-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals in the IPL on Sunday, marking their second consecutive loss. Nitish Rana's blistering 36-ball 81, combined with Wanindu Hasaranga's four-wicket haul, powered Rajasthan Royals to a hard-fought win at the Barsapara Stadium. Chasing 183, CSK lost Rachin Ravindra for duck while Rahul Tripathi got out after the power play as they finished at 176/6. They had lost their last match at home to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a first in 17 years.

“We haven't been getting good starts, but once we do, things will be different,” Gaikwad admitted at the post-match presentation. “We also conceded 8-10 extra runs through misfields, and that's something we need to improve.” Gaikwad's valiant 63 anchored the chase, but with wickets falling at regular intervals, CSK couldn't cross the line.

On batting at No. 3, the CSK captain explained that it was a pre-planned strategy.

“Over the years, Ajinkya batted at three while Rayudu handled the middle overs. We thought it would be better if I came in later to steady things, while Tripathi could attack upfront.

"It was decided at the auction, and I have no problem with it. Anyway, I'm getting to bat early in every game,” he said with a smile.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' stand-in skipper Riyan Parag, leading in his hometown, was relieved to end their Guwahati leg with a win.

“We felt we were 20 short. We were going well in the middle overs but lost a couple of quick wickets. However, our bowlers executed our plans well,” Parag said.

“We've had two tough games -- one where we conceded 280 and another where we couldn't defend 180. This win was much needed,” he added.

They were brilliant on the field with Parag taking a blinder to dismiss Shivam Dube for 18, while Shimron Hetmyer's splendid catch ended MS Dhoni's late blitz for 16.

"Fielding makes up for the 20 runs that we were short. We have been working with Dishant Yagnik, our fielding coach. So it shows," Parag said.

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IPL 2025 Points Table After RR vs CSK Match, Purple Cap And Orange Cap

Nitish Rana smashed a blistering 36-ball 81, while leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga starred with a four-wicket haul as Rajasthan Royals (RR) opened their account with a hard-fought six-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL in Guwahati on Sunday. Promoted to number 3, left-handed Rana dominated the CSK bowlers, hitting 10 boundaries and 5 sixes en route his scintillating knock but Royals struggled towards back-end just about manage a par-score of 182 for 9. CSK, who had never successfully chased a target over 180 since 2019, faltered again, managing 176 for six in the allotted overs. The chase was built around skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's 63, but it wasn't enough as CSK succumbed to their second consecutive loss.

The legend of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's last over finishes in IPL is fast becoming a story of yesterday as he failed to muscle Maheesh Theekshana and Sandeep Sharma. Chasing 183, CSK found themselves at 5/1 in the first three overs, with Jofra Archer starting with a maiden wicket over, dismissing Rachin Ravindra (0).

A few lusty blows from Rahul Tripathi (23) and Gaikwad (63) helped CSK reach 42/1 in the powerplay.

Hasaranga made an immediate impact, removing Tripathi, who was caught by Shimron Hetmyer, while Shivam Dube (18) looked dangerous, hammering two sixes off the Sri Lankan spinner. However, a moment of brilliance from stand-in captain Riyan Parag proved to be a game-changer.

Top Run-Scorers' List:

Parag, playing in front of his home crowd, dived to his right from cover to take a stunning catch to dismiss Dube.

Despite Gaikwad's resistance, CSK continued to lose wickets, with Hasaranga dismissing Vijay Shankar (9) after a big six. Gaikwad reached his fifty off 37 balls, but soon fell to Hasaranga, becoming his fourth victim, as CSK slumped to 129 for 5.

With CSK needing 39 off 12 balls, MS Dhoni (16), cheered by the crowd, hit a boundary over short third and a towering six over long-on off a profligate Tushar Deshpande. Ravindra Jadeja (32) also joined in, sweeping the bowler for a huge six over deep backward square leg.

Sandeep Sharma was tasked with the final over, and he struck the crucial blow by removing Dhoni, with Shimron Hetmyer taking a stunning catch to eventually defend 20 runs in the last six balls.

Top Wicket-Takers' List:

Earlier, Royals suffered an early setback when opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, after hitting a boundary on the first ball, was dismissed by Khaleel but it was Nitish's show from thereon, as he added 82 runs off 42 balls with Sanju Samson (20) to lay a solid foundation for Rajasthan.

Nitish read the length of the ball perfectly, playing exquisite strokes to provide early momentum. He flicked, pulled, and even ramped the pacers for sixes, while using the slog sweep behind square to get two sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin.

The southpaw reached his fifty in just 21 balls as RR raced to 79/1 in the powerplay, their third-highest total in IPL history.

Noor broke the 82-run second wicket stand with Samson holing out to Rachin Ravindra at long-off.

At 99/2 in the 10th over, Nitish continued his assault, flicking Matheesha Pathirana for a six, while also slog sweeping and reverse slog sweeping Ashwin for a six and a four, respectively.

However, Ashwin had the last laugh, as he deliberately bowled a wide delivery out of Nitish's hitting arc and Mahendra Singh Dhoni did the needful behind the stumps.

Noor then claimed the wicket of Jurel with a wrong 'un, while Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Wanindu Hasaranga (4) as CSK made a comeback, reducing RR to 140/5 in the 15th over.

In the 17th over, Riyan Parag (37) launched Noor for a four and a six before being cleaned up by Pathirana. Shimron Hetmyer (19) hit a four and a six as RR managed to cross the 180-mark. 

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MS Dhoni Left Dejected After Last-Over Dismissal As CSK Lose vs RR - Watch

MS Dhoni was dismissed on the first ball of the final over as Chennai Super Kings slumped to a 6-run loss against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 on Sunday. Dhoni looked in good touch as he scored 16 off 11 balls with the help of one four and one six. With 20 runs needed off the final over, all eyes were on Dhoni but the veteran India wicket-keeper batter was caught in the deep as the fans were left disappointed. It was a low wide full toss from Sandeep Sharma and Dhoni went for the big one but the ball went straight to Shimron Hetmyer at deep mid-wicket who made no mistake.

Wanindu Hasaranga's brilliance derailed Chennai Super Kings' chase as Rajasthan Royals sealed a six-run win in an IPL match on Sunday.

Shimron Hethmayr today you silenced the realm of MS Dhoni.#cskvsRR #msdhoni #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/hlwuaFuKKm

— Immanuel Rudhrakshan (@immanrudhra9066) March 30, 2025

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led CSK's fightback with a 44-ball 63 (7x4, 1x6), but Hasaranga's (4/35) relentless strikes kept the chase in check, restricting them to 176/6. This is CSK's second successive defeat.

Ravindra Jadeja (32 not out from 22 balls) and MS Dhoni (16; 11b), who came in at No 7, provided late fireworks, but the target proved beyond reach.

Dhoni gave CSK hope with a six and a four in the 19th over, where Tushar Deshpande leaked 19 runs, with Jadeja finishing it off with a six.

However, with 20 needed off the final over, Sandeep Sharma held his nerves to concede just 13 and dismissed Dhoni, courtesy of a stunning catch by Shimron Hetmyer, sealing RR's win.

Earlier, Nitish Rana's explosive 81 off 36 balls, laced with 10 fours and five sixes, had set RR on course for a 200-plus total.

However, CSK pulled things back in the final overs, with Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, and Khaleel Ahmed taking two wickets each, limiting RR to 182/9.

(With PTI inputs)

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Gavaskar Slams "Terrible" Mumbai Indians, Says "No Wonder Chahar..."

Mumbai Indians' bowlers had a challenging time on Saturday but managed to restrict Gujarat Titans to below 200 in an IPL 2025 match in Ahmedabad. While skipper Hardik Pandya turned up the heat, there were occasions when MI fielders were found wanting. One such occasion was when an overthrow resulted in five runs. It happened when Sai Sudharsan pulled one off  Deepak Chahar. But Naman Dhir's throw created a chance of a run out at the non-striker's end. The throw, however, missed the stumps. To add to the woes, there was no one to back up as the ball raced to the boundary.   

The act left Sunil Gavaskar, commentating on Star Sports, fuming. "That's absolutely terrible cricket. No wonder Deepak Chahar is not happy, it (the five runs) goes against his name!” Gavaskar said.

Sai Sudharsan showcased his growing stature with a composed 63, but a Hardik Pandya-inspired Mumbai Indians fought back brilliantly in the backend to limit Gujarat Titans to a par 196/8 in an IPL match here on Saturday. The Tamil Nadu southpaw played with supple wrists and exquisite placement in his 41-ball 63 (4x4, 2x6).

Just as GT looked set for a 200-plus total, Pandya checked the momentum post Power Play, finishing with an impressive 2/29, his impact extending beyond the wickets as he also ran out Rahul Tewatia (9).

Sai's dismissal in the 18th over, trapped lbw by Trent Boult's searing yorker, triggered a mini-collapse as GT lost three wickets in three balls across two overs.

The big-hitting Sherfane Rutherford (18; 11b, 2x6) fell in the penultimate over, and MI ensured the total remained within reach.

On a black-soil Motera pitch with variable bounce, 190 appears par for the course.

Sudharsan started his innings with two gorgeous boundaries off Boult in the second over.

He later took on Mujeeb Ur Rahman, welcoming the spinner with a drag-down boundary before launching him for a six straight over the bowler's head.

Adjusting smartly to wickets falling at the other end, Sudharsan curbed his boundary shots but kept the run rate steady at nine per over.

He brought up his eighth IPL fifty off 33 balls, highlighted by a superb 84-metre six over deep mid-wicket.

Skipper Shubman Gill (38 off 27b; 4x4, 1x6) also looked fluent, playing mostly in front of the wicket.

The openers in a 78-run alliance capitalised on the new ball, with spin introduced in the fifth over.

Sudharsan stepped up against Mujeeb, while Gill punished the Afghan off-spinner for straying on the leg side, smashing him through fine leg.

The over yielded 15 runs, and GT surged to 46/0 after five overs. The last power play over was even more punishing as Gill stepped out to Deepak Chahar to smash him for a six and ended with a short-arm jab for four, helping GT race to 66/0.

But Hardik's clever variations built pressure, culminating in Gill's dismissal, caught at deep backward square leg while attempting a pull shot as Mumbai tightened the screws drying up the boundaries for 13 balls.

Jos Buttler, promoted to No. 3, tried to break the shackles with a counterattack. He targeted Santner with a six and a cheeky lap past the keeper.

Buttler's quickfire 39 from 24 balls (5x4, 1x6) in a 51-run stand briefly lifted GT, but Mujeeb removed him against the run of play - his carrom ball inducing an edge.

Shah Rukh Khan briefly provided fireworks, smashing Pandya for a six over deep square leg.

But Pandya struck back, setting him up with a slower short delivery and Tilak Varma took a straightforward catch at a rather unconventional deep extra-cover.

MI's fielding was rusty with overthrows and missed run-outs, but Hardik's tactical brilliance, despite Jasprit Bumrah's continued absence, kept GT in check.

With PTI Inputs

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