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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"F*** Off": Hardik Pandya Involved In Ugly Staredown With GT Star. Watch

In a controversial moment during the 9th match of Indian Premier League 2025, Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans' star spinner R Sai Kishore were involved in a staredown. Such furious was the face-off that Hardik even ended up yelling "F*** off" to the spinner. Though the words were not audible on camera, it was quite evident from the movement of his lips. The incident took place in the 15th over of the MI chase. Kishore started with two dot balls to Hardik before the batter slammed a four. The next delivery was also a dot ball and this is when the drama took place.

Watch it here:

GAME

Hardik Pandya Sai Kishore - teammates then, rivals now!

Watch the LIVE action https://t.co/VU1zRx9cWp #IPLonJioStar #GTvMI | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi, & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/2p1SMHQdqc

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 29, 2025

After the match, the players could be seen hugging and sorting things out.

Hardik Pandya returned to lead the Mumbai Indians as the five-time champions won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans in ninth match of IPL 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams entered the match on the back of defeats in their respective opening games. Hardik had missed MI's season opener against Chennai Super Kings due to a one-match ban he copped for maintaining a slow over rate last year.

Apart from Hardik, spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was also included in the playing eleven of MI, with Robin Minz, Will Jacks and Vignesh Puthur, who took 3-32 against CSK on debut, making way. Minz, however, came in an impact substitute later in the second innings.

"The simple reason is we don't know how the pitch will play, plus the dew factor. It's always better to bat second on the black-soil pitch. Only last year we played on black soil, otherwise we have been playing on red soil. Last year, we had the game under wraps but couldn't finish it."

"The prep has been fantastic, the boys are excited and we back each other, be there for each other. Very happy stage. I come back, and the others we are keeping the options open. Always about playing good cricket, planning right and enjoying the game," Hardik said.

GT skipper Shubman Gill said he would have looked to bowl first as well and that his playing eleven is unchanged. "Batted first plenty of times here, so nothing changes for us. It is all about assessing the conditions and seeing what target we can set, and if we are chasing it is about how to get to that target."

"Plenty of positives from the last game, we just got slow in the middle and that post us, but still we managed to score about 200 runs in 14 overs. We have got the same team, might see one change with the impact sub. We want to have a lefty - righty (opening) combination, and Jos has been playing at three for England, so nothing changes for him," he said.

(With IANS Inputs

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Dravid Opens up On Promoting Parag Up At No. 3 Ahead Of RR vs CSK Game

Having spent his first five Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons primarily as a finisher, Riyan Parag experienced a breakthrough campaign in 2024. Elevated to No. 4 in the batting order, he emerged as Rajasthan Royals' leading run-scorer, playing a pivotal role in their journey to the playoffs. This season, Parag has been handed an even greater responsibility, moving up to No. 3 as Rajasthan Royals aim to maximize his potential. Head coach Rahul Dravid has hailed him as one of their best batters. However, his start to IPL 2025 has been modest, with scores of 4 and 25 in RR's opening two matches. Sunday's clash against Chennai Super Kings presents his final opportunity to register a significant score on his home ground, as Guwahati will host RR's last match of the season.

"That's the right word to use, that he's promoted," Dravid said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"Look, Riyan is one of our best batters, let's be honest. And we want to give him as many balls as we possibly can. Twenty overs is a very short time and the more balls Riyan Parag bats for us, the better it is for us as a team," he added.

"But of course, these things we'll keep looking at, we'll keep assessing, we'll keep seeing how it goes. And yeah, we know that Riyan has done really well at No. 4, so it gives us an option," Dravid noted.

"But honestly, the move to No. 3 was a positive move to try and give him more time to bat. And we know how destructive a player he is and if he gets more time, then he can score more runs and that can benefit the team. So that was the thinking, but we can always assess that and we can always see how it's going. And I think he's quite comfortable, he's more than capable of batting at any position," he said.

In addition to his batting responsibilities, Parag has also stepped in as Rajasthan Royals' captain in the absence of regular skipper Sanju Samson, who is still recovering from a finger injury. With Samson limited to batting as an impact substitute, Parag has taken charge of leading the side. The task has been challenging, with RR suffering defeats in their first two matches, but Dravid remains supportive of the 23-year-old. Having first coached Parag as a 16-year-old in 2017 during his tenure with India's Under-19 team, Dravid continues to back him, believing in his talent and leadership potential.

"I think he's adapted really well," Dravid said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"It's not easy to captain when the team is scoring 280 runs [Sunrisers Hyderabad] on a flat wicket. The first game is probably a tough game to be a captain. But I think the calmness that he showed and the fact that it didn't seem like our team was panicking was really good," he said.

"Even in the game against KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders], his brave decision to bring himself on [with the ball], realising that the wicket was turning, with two left-handers batting, to bowl the fifth over in the powerplay was a brave decision and a correct decision. So I think he's been very impressive. As a captain, it's nice for him to get this opportunity till Sanju is able to field again. And he's sharing his thoughts and his ideas. Very clear. He's very solid in that sense," he noted.

"So, yeah, very impressive early days. And it's very nice for us as, again, a team that's looking to develop people and players. Of course, it's unfortunate that Sanju was not able to captain and play for us. But I think in a way it's nice that we were able to give Riyan, our vice-captain, a chance to captain in a few games and give him that exposure and experience as well," he said.

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

Skipper Rajat Patidar's fortuitous fifty received excellent support from an unerring set of bowlers as Royal Challengers Bengaluru snapped a 17-year winless streak at Chepauk with a huge 50-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on Friday. Having fought their way to a competitive 196/7, RCB applied the perfect squeeze on CSK with early strikes and the five-time winners crumbled without any resistance, making 146/8. CSK's defeat to RCB in the "Southern Derby" in their own "Anbuden" (Den of Love) was their first since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.

The value of the victory could have gauged from the wide smile on the face of old warhorse Virat Kohli, the only one man in this RCB line-up who was part of that distant 2008 victory.

RCB's win came courtesy a heady mix of orthodox game of giving it all with the bat and stifling the opposition with regular wickets.

But the Royal Challengers also had to thank CSK's shocking lack of gumption as the home side never landed a punch in reply.

Top Run-Scorers' List:

CSK never recovered from a poor start which saw them losing skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (0) among three wickets inside the first two overs.

The slide began in the second over when Rahul Tripathi (5) lobbed an easy catch to short midwicket off Josh Hazlewood (3/21) while attempting a pull.

Hazlewood dealt a body blow to CSK on the final ball when he had in-form Gaikwad caught at deep square leg for a four-ball duck, off a top edge which flew high in the air.

Top Wicket-Takers' List:

CSK slipped to 8/3 soon when Deepak Hooda edged one behind off Bhuvneshwar Kumar while looking to guide the ball to third man, which left the five-time champions in deep trouble.

Rachin Ravindra (41, 31 balls) and Sam Curran (8) did well to arrest the slump but in bargain they could not whittle down the asking rate, which swelled to 13 runs an over.

In the ninth over, Curran went after Liam Livingstone (4-0-28-2) but was caught at long on by Krunal Pandya and it was evident at this point that CSK were staring at a heavy loss.

The regular fall of wickets never really allowed Ravindra to take the aggressive route, and his resistance ended in the 13th over when he chopped Yash Dayal onto his stumps (2/18).

Dayal reaped further benefits of the mounting pressure when he had Shivam Dube (19) playing one onto the stumps.

CSK sent in R Ashwin here, and not MS Dhoni, which told CSK had given up the fight with 116 to get with seven overs in hand.

Dayal's twin strikes in the 13th over harmed CSK as much as RCB's Impact Sub Suyash Sharma's fine spell, delivering a measly 4-0-32-0 to tie down the opposition batters.

Dhoni struck three fours and two sixes to make 30 not out off 16 balls to go past Suresh Raina as CSK's highest run-scorer in IPL history, but that was only a minor consolation point.

Earlier, Patidar rode on his luck to make a vital 51 and along with Tim David (8-ball 22) lifted Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 196 for seven.

Patidar was dropped thrice by CSK fielders but he made most of the reprieves to score 51 off 32 balls (4x4s, 3x6s), providing his side a much-needed impetus in the middle-overs, while David's late burst made up for a mid-phase slump.

Early fireworks form Phil Salt (32 off 16 balls, 5x4s, 1x6s) and Devdutt Padikkal (27 off 14 balls, 2x4s, 2x6s) had masked Virat Kohli's (31, 30 balls) struggle but their dismissals left RCB in doldrums.

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

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"Lowest Point": Internet Slams Dhoni For Batting At No. 9 For CSK Against RCB

MS Dhoni came out to bat at No. 9 for Chennai Super Kings but it was a case of too little too late as his side slumped to a 50-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Chasing 197, CSK kept losing wickets at regular intervals and Shivam Dube was dismissed in the 13th over, the expectation was that Dhoni will come out to bat. However, it was R Ashwin who joined Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle and by the time Dhoni came out in the 16th over, the match was almost out of CSK's hands. The ex-India captain remained unbeaten on 30 off 16 balls but it made no difference to his team's fortunes. The fans were not happy with Dhoni coming out to bat so late and they took to social media to express their views.

Dhoni coming at no 9 is lowest point in his career. He should retire gracefully than this embarrassment. #IPL2025 #RCBvCSK

— kirat.13_ (@kirat8513) March 28, 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 50 runs in their Indian Premier League match on Friday.

What's the point of #Dhoni batting at No. 9 in a 197-run chase when CSK is struggling at 100? CSK's tactics today showed they had given up.

Dhoni at No. 9—just for a couple of sixes and PR? A few sixes for the fans won't change the bigger picture. Maybe it's time to ask—has… pic.twitter.com/TLekj4Qy1B

— Amit Kumar (@AmitMaithil7) March 28, 2025

Chasing a target of 197, CSK ended up at 146 for 8 in 20 overs, their first defeat to RCB at Chepauk since 2008.

Opener Rachin Ravindra top-scored for CSK with 41 while the next best batter was former captain MS Dhoni who remained not out on 30 off 16 balls.

Josh Hazlewood (3/21), Yash Dayal (2/18) and Liam Livingstone (2/28) were the main wicket takers for RCB.

Earlier, RCB posted 196 for 7 after being put in to bat at the Chepauk.

Captain Rajat Patidar top-scored with 51 off 32 deliveries while openers Phil Salt (32 off 16 balls), Virat Kohli (31 off 30 balls) and Tim David (22 not out off 8 balls) were the other notable contributors.

For CSK, Noor Ahmad (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers while Matheesha Pathirana (2/36), veteran Ravichandran Ashwin (1/22) and pacer Khaleel Ahmed (1/28) chipped in with wickets.

(With PTI inputs)

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BCCI Contracts: No Demotion For Rohit, Kohli; Report Says Kishan's Case...

The BCCI is likely to announce its central contract list in the next few days. According to reports, the BCCI is set to convene a meeting on Saturday with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and India head coach Gautam Gambhir in attendance. There will be a lot of intrigue surrounding big names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. The veteran trio now play only two formats after having retired from  T20s following the 2024 T20 World Cup win. 

If a TOI report is to be believed India's ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and allrounder Ravindra Jadeja will continue to be place in the A+ category of central contracts - the highest level among central contracts. The trio, along with Jasprit Bumrah, will be retained in the category, according to sources, said the report. 

The report further claimed Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the BCCI central contracts for the 2023-24 season for not playing domestic cricket, is set to be back. Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan was also dropped along with Iyer but there remains doubt over his inclusion. 

"Shreyas is set to regain his contract, and it will be in a top category. However, discussions are still ongoing on whether in Ishan's case," the report quoted a source as saying.

Iyer was India's top-scorer in the Champions Trophy 2025 and is currently leading Punjab Kings in the IPL. 

Meanwhile, left-arm spin allrounder Axar Patel, who is the vice-captain of India's T20 side, may be promoted from Grade B to Grade A, said the report.

Meanwhile, 'mystery spinner" Varun Chakravarthy, allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhishek Sharma are set to bag BCCI central contracts, according to the report.

A+ category has a retainership fee of Rs 7 crore, followed by A where a player gets Rs 5 crore while cricketers in Grade B and C are paid Rs 3 crore and 1 crore respectively.

For any player to enter the central contract list, he needs to play either three Tests or eight ODIs or 10 T20Is during a particular calendar year to be considered for the next season.

It will also be interesting to see if young Yashasvi Jaiswal gets an elevation from his Grade B contract considering his promise across formats. In the new list, Bengal speedster Akash Deep, who has played seven Tests and Sarfaraz Khan, who has played three during the calendar year, should be inducted in Group C.

With PTI inputs 

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IPL 2025 Points Table After SRH vs LSG IPL Match, Purple Cap, Orange Cap

 Shardul Thakur's four-wicket haul and a sensational display of power-hitting from Nicholas Pooran set up a five-wicket win for Lucknow Super Giants over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match on Thursday. Shardul continued his dream comeback returning with figures of 4/34 to help LSG restrict a power-packed SRH to 190 for nine before Pooran (70 off 26; 6x4s, 6x6s) displayed his 360 degree hitting skills. Pooran shared quick-fire match-winning 116 runs for the second wicket with Marsh (52 off 31) to help LSG chase down the target in 16.1 overs.

With it LSG registered its first win of IPL 2025 and climbed to the second spot in the IPL 2025. As far as Orange Cap, LSG's Nicholas Pooran became the highest run-scorer with a tally of 145. LSG's Shardul Thakur is the highest wicket-taker with six scalps.

LSG didn't have the best start to their chase as they lost Aiden Markram early. But thereafter, it was the effortless hitting from Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran that helped LSG surge ahead.

Pooran in particular was at his attacking best as he mostly dealt in sixes, clobbering Simarjeet and Abhishek Sharma for huge sixes during his knock, mostly towards the square boundary.

SRH just found it difficult to stop Pooran as he didn't even spare Cummins, hitting him for two fours in his first over to reach 77 for 1 in the powerplay.

Pooran brought up the fastest fifty of this season in just 18 balls with another huge six over square leg of Adam Zampa.

Pooran's magnificent knock was cut short by Cummins, trapped in front of the wickets in the ninth over.

After Pooran's dismissal, Marsh took the onus on him and brought up his half-century of just 29 balls.

LSG skipper Rishabh Pant (15 off 15) could not do much but Abdul Samad played a entertaining cameo to get his side home.

Earlier opting bowl, Shardul (4/34) gave LSG a fiery start, removing Abishek Sharma and last match centurion Ishan Kishan in consecutive balls in the third over.

Shardul sent packing Sharma with a short delivery before getting Ishan Kishan caught behind off an innocuous delivery down the leg side. Travis Head (47 off 28), however, looked in ominous form as he took the attack to the opposition and used his brute power to deal in boundaries and sixes.

Head was particularly brutal against Avesh Khan, who sprayed the ball on both sides, with the Australian hitting him for two sixes and one four to pick up 18 runs in the fourth over.

Head, however, was lucky as he got two reprieves.

Head skied Ravi Bishnoi's first ball down the ground, and Pooran stationed at long-on had all the time in the world to get under the ball and take a simple catch but the West Indian put it down.

The missed chance proved costly as Head slammed Bishnoi over covers for a maximum.

Bishnoi had another chance to claim the wicket of Head in the fifth ball of the sixth over but he failed to latch on to a difficult return catch.

But Head's luck finally ran out when fast bowler Prince Yadav disturbed his timbers to pick up his first IPL wicket.

Henrich Klaasen (26 off 17) was looking dangerous but got out in a bizarre fashion, run out by Yadav off his own bowling as a straight drive from Nitish Reddy ricocheted on to the sumps from the bowlers follow through.

Young Aniket Verma played a 13-ball 36-run cameo that included five sixes but fell to leg-spinner Disvesh Rathi, caught by David Miller.

SRH skipper Pat Cummins (18 off 4) hit three sixes of his first three balls before departing. 

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"These Things...": Thakur's Blunt Message On Getting Unsold In IPL Auction

Shardul Thakur continued his dream comeback with a four-wicket haul to help Lucknow Super Giants restrict a power-packed Sunrisers Hyderabad to 190 for nine in an IPL match on Thursday. Opting to bowl, Shardul (4/34) gave LSG a fiery start, removing Abishek Sharma and last match centurion Ishan Kishan in consecutive balls in the third over. Shardul sent packing Sharma with a short delivery before getting Ishan Kishan caught behind off an innocuous delivery down the leg side. Travis Head (47 off 28), however, looked in ominous form as he took the attack to the opposition and used his brute power to deal in boundaries and sixes.

Shardul Thakur, after the innings ended, opened up on not getting picked up by any team in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Thakur only joined LSG after Mohsin Khan was ruled out due to injury. 

"I feel all these things happen in cricket. It was a bad day for me in the auction (I didn't get picked by any franchise.) LSG was the one who approached me first due to the injuries to their bowlers, so it was always on the cards. I had to accept it with Zaheer Khan around. You have to go through such things (ups and downs) in cricket. Winning in the game is important for me. I don't look at the wickets or runs column. I want to create an impact and a match winning performance. The batters are coming hard at the bowlers, why not the bowlers go hard at them, that was our plan against SRH. They have been scoring heavily on flat pitches. It fell in our pockets initially (earlier today).

Head was particularly brutal against Avesh, who sprayed the ball on both sides, with the Australian hitting him for two sixes and one four to pick up 18 runs in the fourth over.

Head, however, was lucky as he got two reprieves.

Head skied Ravi Bishnoi's first ball down the ground, and Pooran stationed at long-on had all the time in the world to get under the ball and take a simple catch but the West Indian put it down.

The missed chance proved costly as Head slammed Bishnoi over covers for a maximum.

Bishnoi had another chance to claim the wicket of Head in the fifth ball of the sixth over but he failed to latch on to a difficult return catch.

But Head's luck finally ran out when fast bowler Prince Yadav disturbed his timbers to pick up his first IPL wicket.

Henrich Klaasen (26 off 17) was looking dangerous but got out in a bizarre fashion, run out by Yadav off his own bowling as a straight drive from Nitish Reddy ricocheted on to the sumps from the bowlers follow through.

Young Aniket Verma played a 13-ball 36-run cameo that included five sixes but fell to leg-spinner Disvesh Rathi, caught by David Miller.

SRH skipper Pat Cummins (18 off 4) hit three sixes of his first three balls before departing.

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"Seen People Denying Runs": In Praising Iyer, Dig Taken At Milestone Chasers

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra was full of praise for Shreyas Iyer's innings of unbeaten 97 off 42 balls in Punjab Kings' 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2025 opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Chopra highlighted Iyer's ability to dominate the middle overs, particularly against spin, calling him India's best batter in that phase of the game. “It was just clean, crisp hitting—especially against spin. I believe he is the best Indian batter in the middle overs when it comes to taking down spinners. While most batters rely on stepping out to generate momentum before hitting over the top, Shreyas doesn't need to. This makes it incredibly difficult for bowlers to predict his next move," Chopra said on JioHotstar.

Iyer's dominance was on full display as he expertly tackled Gujarat Titans' bowling attack, particularly against their spin duo of Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore. He dismantled Sai Kishore with two more boundaries immediately after the left-arm spinner had struck twice in consecutive deliveries in his previous over.

He also took on Rashid Khan, smashing two of the five sixes the leg-spinner conceded in his final figures of 4-0-48-1. Iyer was so sharp in identifying scoring opportunities that he even noticed a wide while standing at the non-striker's end in the 15th over. When he faced the extra delivery, he dispatched it for a six as well.

"His stance has changed slightly—he has opened it up a bit. Traditionally, batting is a side-on game, but now his back leg isn't completely parallel to the popping crease. Instead, it is positioned somewhere between the point and the cover. This has helped him access areas he couldn't before," Chopra noted.

"His bat, which used to come down almost over the off-stump, is now positioned slightly outside. This minor adjustment allows him to shift his weight more efficiently and remain balanced while executing his shots. If a batter is too focused on the short ball and places all their weight on the back foot, they often mistime shots. But Iyer, with his balanced stance, remains mobile and in control," he added.

Shreyas Iyer fell three runs short of his 1st IPL ton though he was unbeaten. Shashank Singh was going full throttle but Iyer never asked for the strike.

"Iyer was only one hit away from his first IPL century. Didn't get the strike thereafter. Didn't ask for it either. And it's set a nice example for everyone.  T20 cricket is all about maximising every ball...whoever is hitting, keeps hitting. No personal milestones are bigger than a few extra Team runs. 
Let's not forget that we have seen people denying runs to farm the strike in the last overs when a milestone is within touching distance," Chopra wrote on X.

Iyer was only one hit away from his first IPL century. Didn't get the strike thereafter. Didn't ask for it either. And it's set a nice example for everyone.
T20 cricket is all about maximising every ball…whoever is hitting, keeps hitting. No personal milestones are bigger than…

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 26, 2025

Throughout his innings, Iyer led from the front, smashing nine sixes and five fours at a strike rate of 230.95. Debutant Priyansh Arya provided a brisk start with 47 off 23 balls, while Shashank Singh's late blitz of unbeaten 44 off 16 deliveries ensured Punjab Kings post their second-highest total in IPL history.

"Shreyas Iyer's innings was a masterclass. His ability to handle both spin and pace with such fluency makes him a nightmare for bowlers in the middle overs. If he continues in this form, Punjab Kings will be a serious contender this season," said Chopra.

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IPL 2025 Points Table After Kolkata Knight Riders' Win vs Rajasthan Royals

South Africa's Quinton de Kock struck an unbeaten 97 as holders Kolkata Knight Riders registered their first win of the IPL season with an eight-wicket hammering of Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. Spinners Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy combined to help restrict Rajasthan to 151-9 after KKR elected to field first in Guwahati. De Kock bossed the chase with his 61-ball innings laced with eight fours and six sixes as Kolkata achieved their target with 15 balls to spare. He handed his team a quick start, hitting two fours but then lost opening partner Moeen, run out for five.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane fell after a brisk 18 but De Kock stood firm and along with impact substitute Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who made 22, steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 83.

De Kock finished with a six off Jofra Archer as Kolkata bounced back from their opening loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Rajasthan suffered their second straight loss.

IPL 2025 Updated Points table:

Earlier, Kolkata fast bowler Vaibhav Arora dismissed Sanju Samson, bowled for 13, and Chakravarthy and Moeen soon took two wickets each.

Wicketkeeper Samson is Rajasthan's regular captain but has been forced to play only as a batter in the first three matches due to an injury.

Chakravarthy, who starred in India's recent Champions Trophy triumph, got stand-in-skipper Riyan Parag out caught behind for 25.

Former England all-rounder Moeen, in for the unwell Sunil Narine, stifled the opposition with his off-spin and was rewarded with the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal for 29.

The 37-year-old and Chakravarthy both struck again as Rajasthan slipped to 82-5 in 11 overs.

Wickets kept tumbling for Rajasthan and despite wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel's 33 and 16 from Archer, they settled for a below-par total.

Arora and fellow quick Harshit Rana also took two wickets each.

Kolkata, under Shreyas Iyer who is now Punjab Kings captain after a $3.17 million move in the auction, won their third IPL title last year.

(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 Highlights: Quinton De Kock Anchors KKR's 8-Wicket Win Over RR

Quinton de Kock struck a magnificent 97 not out on a tacky Barsapara wicket, anchoring Kolkata Knight Riders' chase to perfection as they secured a dominant eight-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL clash on Wednesday. Opting to bowl, KKR's disciplined bowling attack, led by their spin duo Varun Chakravarthy (2/17) and Moeen Ali (2/23), restricted Rajasthan Royals to a below-par 151/9. In response, De Kock remained 97 not out from 61 balls, his knock laced with eight fours and six sixes, as KKR comfortably chased down the target in 17.3 overs.

They get off the mark in #TATAIPL 2025

A comprehensive show with both bat and ball for the defending champions @KKRiders in Guwahati

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#RRvKKR pic.twitter.com/4p2tukzLau

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

Despite the challenging nature of the surface, De Kock displayed controlled aggression, timing the ball beautifully while ensuring KKR's chase remained on track.

The chase was never in trouble, with the required run rate hovering around a run-a-ball.

KKR lost Moeen Ali (5) and skipper Ajinkya Rahane (18) early, but De Kock held one end firm, finding an able partner in young Angkrish Raghuvanshi 22 (17 balls).

The duo stitched together an unbroken 83-run partnership that came off just 44 balls, sealing the first win of the season for the defending champions.

The Proteas keeper-batter was at his fluent best, preferring groundstrokes over aerial risks, yet still finding boundaries with ease.

Q for Quality, Q for Quinton

A sensational unbeaten runs to seal the deal

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/kbjY1vbjNL

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

He took calculated risks, fully aware of the modest target.

He took the attack to Jofra Archer, smashing him for a four and a six in the same over.

He brought up his half-century in just 35 balls, swiping Wanindu Hasaranga for a towering six over wide long-on -- his third of the innings.

The Royals may have overplayed their spin options, allowing KKR's batters to settle into a rhythm.

Hasaranga, who had dismissed De Kock twice in the past, was dominated in this matchup.

A more aggressive approach -- bringing in Jofra Archer during the middle overs -- could have added pressure, but English speedster was brought in as late as 18th over with KKR needing just 17 runs from 18 balls.

It was just a formality as De Kock welcomed him with a boundary before launching him for two sixes to wrap it up in a canter.

Earlier, Chakravarthy and Ali dismantled the Royals' middle order, picking up two wickets each in successive overs right after the powerplay, shifting the momentum in KKR's favour.

Spinners casting their magic

First Varun Chakravarthy and then Moeen Ali

Updates https://t.co/lGpYvw7zTj#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/EfWc2iLVIx

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

Seamer Vaibhav Arora (2/33) was expensive but chipped in with two crucial wickets -- regular Royals skipper Sanju Samson (13 off 11) with a yorker in the powerplay before dismissing impact substitute Shubham Dubey (9) cheaply.

Harshit Rana (2/36) was instrumental at the death, breaking Dhruv Jurel's promising innings of 33 (28) and removing the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for just 7, both in the crucial penultimate over.

A quickfire cameo 16 from 7 balls from Jofra Archer ensured that they reached 150-mark but he fell to Spencer Johnson (1/42) in the penultimate ball of their innings.

I.C.Y.M.I

In the for
And dispatched

How crucial will these hits be for #RR?

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/SBnsVTrbuy

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

RR had looked set for a big total at 54 for 1, with a well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal (29 off 24) and local lad Riyan Parag (25 off 15) at the crease.

Riyan, leading the Royals for the first time at his home ground, began with intent, smashing Harshit Rana for a six over square leg off just the third ball he faced.

Riyan, who knows the Barsapara pitch like the back of his hand, played the shot of the innings in the next over -- a beautifully timed lofted drive off Vaibhav Arora, sending the ball soaring straight down the ground.

Jaiswal, dropped on 19, capped off the powerplay with a six as RR finished the first six overs strongly at 54/1.

However, KKR struck back immediately. Chakravarthy, their mystery spinner, triggered the collapse in the seventh over, dismissing the dangerous-looking Parag with a well-disguised 113kph delivery.

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

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Watch: Delhi Capitals Team Welcomes Rahul's Baby Girl In Heartwarming Video

Indian batter KL Rahul's teammates in the Delhi Capitals (DC), including skipper Axar Patel, welcomed his newborn daughter, posting a heartwarming video on social media. The official X handle of DC celebrated the "extension" of the DC family in style, welcoming the baby with coach Hemang Badani, Skipper Axar Patel, mentor Kevin Pietersen, Tristan Stubbs and Jake Fraser McGurk being among those in the video making the cradling gesture to welcome KL's baby with wife and Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty.

In the video, the song 'Meri Duniya Tu Hi Re' from the 2007 Akshay Kumar starrer 'Heyy Babyy' was used. The song is sung by Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan.

Our family extends, our family celebrates pic.twitter.com/lqX9g2x2wU

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 25, 2025

KL and Athiya have become parents to a baby girl. Athiya, on Monday evening, took to Instagram and announced the arrival of her daughter with a cute post.

She posted a painting of two swans with a message that read, "Blessed with a baby girl"

Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul tied the knot on January 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at Suniel Shetty's farmhouse in Khandala.

In November 2024, Athiya and KL Rahul announced their pregnancy, sharing an adorable post that read,

"Our beautiful blessing is coming soon. 2025," accompanied by baby feet emojis.

KL will be heading into the IPL 2025 with plenty of positive momentum on his side, having played a crucial role in India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 win. He will represent Delhi Capitals.

KL, who has played at multiple positions in the batting order, was given the responsibility of number six, as the team wanted to put Axar Patel at five, to give extra depth to the side during the ICC Champions Trophy winning campaign for India.

Rahul played a crucial role in the middle, scoring a valuable 34* in 33 balls in a crunch situation during the final against New Zealand. In five matches and four innings, KL scored 140 runs at an average of 140.00 and a strike rate of 97.90, with the best score of 42*.

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

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Updated IPL 2025 Points Table After GT vs PBKS Match

Shreyas Iyer shone with an unbeaten 97 as Punjab Kings beat Gujarat Titans by 11 runs in their Indian Premier League match on Tuesday. Chasing 244 to win, Gujarat Titans fought hard to make 232 for 5 but the target proved to be beyond their batters despite Sai Sudharsan making 74, Shubman Gill hitting a quick 33 and Jos Buttler scoring 54. Sherfane Rutherford also played a quick knock of 46 but his effort was not enough. 

The win saw Punjab Kings begin their campaign with a win . They are third in the points table. SunRisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings are the other teams in the top four.

Earlier in the first innings, Shreyas Iyer missed out on a maiden IPL century but his 97 not out off 42 balls (9 sixes, 5 fours) and Shashank Singh's 44 not out off 16 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) helped Punjab Kings post 243 for 5.

Sai Kishore was the pick of the bowlers for Gujarat Titans with 3/40 but the home team bowlers generally struggled to keep the run flow in check.

At the top, young Priyansh Arya struck seven fours and two sixes to make 47 off 23 balls.

Brief Scores: Punjab Kings: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Priyansh Arya 47, Shreyas Iyer 97 not out, Shashank Singh 44 not out; R Sai Kishore 3/30).

Gujarat Titans: 232 for 5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 74, Shubman Gill 33, Jos Buttler 54, Sherfane Rutherford 46; Arshdeep Singh 2/36).

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India, Bangladesh Play Out Goalless Draw In 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

India did not get the start they were looking for in their 2027 AFC Asian Cup third round qualifying match as they played out a goal-less draw against familiar rivals Bangladesh on Tuesday. Bangladesh were slightly the better side in the first half with more attacking moves and corner kicks but without any clear-cut chances. India put up a much better performance in the next 45 minutes, putting Bangladesh under a lot of pressure but the chances were few and far between.

In the 12th minute, India goalkeeper Vishal Kaith committed a mistake as he kicked the ball into an opposition player. Mohammed Ridoy pounced on the deflection and sent a left footer from an angular position into the open net but Subhasish Bose produced a goal-line clearance.

India's best chance came in the 31st minute but Udanta Singh's header off a Liston Colaco cross from left failed to beat Bangladesh goalie Mitul Marma.

In a dominant second half display for India, Bose made an audacious long range effort which beat the Bangladesh goalkeeper all the way but missed the left corner of the net by inches in the 68th minute.

Five minutes later, Farukh Choudhary's right footer went just wide after a deflection from a Bangladeshi defender.

The 84th minute saw star striker Sunil Chhetri getting a free header inside the Bangladesh box but his effort lacked direction and power.

Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who is currently playing for Sheffield United on loan from English Premier League side Leicester City, could not do much for most part of the match.

India had come into the match after a 3-0 thrashing of Maldives on March 19 in an international friendly to mark talismanic striker Chhetri's return to national colours and Manolo Marquez's first win as head coach.

Marquez made five changes from the team that vanquished Maldives, bringing in Boris Singh Thangjam, Udanta Singh Kumam, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sandesh Jhingan and Farukh Choudhary.

He also handed over the captain's armband to Jhingan and looked like he had his plans firmly in place on a slippery pitch of the lush green Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Yet, Bangladesh had an opportunity to grab the lead within a few seconds of the start when Kaith's unsteady clearance landed straight to Mojibor Jony. To the relief of the Indians, the Bangladesh midfielder's shot crashed against the side net.

The next foray also came from Bangladesh. Mohd. Shakil Topu danced down the right and crossed in the goalmouth for Mohd Shariar Emon to take a header that sailed over the bar. In the first 15 minutes, the visitors tormented the Blue Tigers' defence with vigour and energy.

After surviving the storm, India slowly settled down to take charge of things and make inroads in the rival defence with encouraging domination in the midfield, and created a few positive chances later in the first half and then in large stretches of the next 45 minutes.

The two sides face each other again on November 18 in Bangladesh.

India's next qualifying round match, though, will be against Hong Kong on June 10 in Kowloon.

India are placed in Group C of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying third round along with Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Singapore, and only the top team after six home and away matches qualifies for the continental showpiece.

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"Need To Do The Basics...": Shocked Pant Speaks Out After Ashutosh Miracle

After Ashutosh Sharma's late carnage of unbeaten 31 balls 66 helped Delhi Capitals edge out Lucknow Super Giants by one wicket in the IPL 2025 fourth match at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that his team LSG felt the pressure as they lost control of the match but credited Ashutosh and Vipraj Nigam for their crucial partnership that turned the game in their favour. Chasing 210, DC had a terrible start, losing three wickets for just eight runs. The situation worsened when Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel, who had steadied the innings, were also dismissed, leaving DC at 85 for 5. The required run rate kept climbing, and the match seemed to be slipping away.

"I think the runs were enough on the board. The batters batted really well. We may have lost the momentum in the middle but I think that was a pretty good score on this wicket. Definitely as a team we are looking to take positives from every match and learn from it. I think the more we get basics right the better we will get. We need to do the basics right more often," Pant said after the match.

That's when Ashutosh Sharma took control. He was on 20 off 20 balls with the required rate over 12, but he accelerated at the right time, smashing 46 off his next 11 balls. Vipraj Nigam also played a crucial role, scoring 39 off just 15 balls before falling to Digvesh Rathi. Ashutosh continued the attack, taking the game deep and finishing in style with a six off Shahbaz Ahmed in the final over to seal the win for DC with three balls to spare.

"I think they had two good partnerships between Stubbsy, Ashutosh and... one more guy [Nigam] I think as the more the ball got older there was help for the bowlers but we could have done the basics more. We felt the pressure. It's early in the tournament and we are settling in. Luck plays a big part, if it hadn't hit his pad, it would have been a big chance for stumping."

Earlier, LSG had posted 209 for 8, thanks to explosive knocks from Nicholas Pooran (75 off 30) and Mitchell Marsh (72 off 36). At one stage, LSG seemed on course for 250, but DC's bowlers pulled things back, conceding only 49 runs in the last seven overs while picking up seven wickets.

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IPL 2025: Impact Sub Ashutosh's Superhero Knock Helps DC Stun LSG

Delhi Capitals found a new hero in Ashutosh Sharma, who singlehandedly left Lucknow Super Giants gobsmacked and sealed a narrow one-wicket win for his side in the ongoing Indian Premier League on Monday. The crowd at Visakhapatnam was on a rollercoaster ride they hardly anticipated. They sat on the edge of their seats, witnessed the nerve-wracking events, and slowly fathomed what 26-year-old Ashutosh had achieved at the end as DC completed its biggest run-chase in the cash-rich league. From being down and out at 65/5, Ashutosh played the decisive role in a game where the pendulum swung in favour of both sides. He put on a show for cricket lovers across the globe, stayed till the end, struck the winning six and returned with a match-winning unbeaten 66(31).

Despite lining up with a depleted pace attack, the Super Giants rattled DC early, who were in pursuit of a herculean 210-run target. Shardul Thakur pegged Jake Fraser-McGurk cheaply on the third ball of the second innings.

Abishek Porel sliced it to Nicholas Pooran on the penultimate delivery of the opening over, to leave DC tottering at 6/2. Sameer Rizvi, who was guilty of dropping Nicholas Pooran's catch in the first innings, returned cheaply to the dugout with a score of 4(4).

The duo of captain and vice-captain Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel tried to stitch up DC's innings with a quick-fire 43-run partnership. Faf flexed his prowess to find the boundary rope while Axar too joined the party with a couple of flashy hits.

As the partnership tried to threaten LSG's dominance, Digvesh Rathi found the breakthrough by dismissing Axar on 22(11) in the final over of the powerplay.

In the next over, LSG captain Rishabh Pant instructed goggly spinner Ravi Bishnoi, which instantly paid off. On the next ball, Faf skied his shot high in the air, which landed in David Miller's hands and forced him to return with a score of 29(18).

Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma took the fight against high-flying LSG and raised a valuable 48-run stand. LSG's impact substitute, Manimaran Siddharth, made a game-changing impact by finding a bit of grip from the surface and pinning Stubbs (34) in front of the stumps.

Vipraj Nigam made an influential cameo with his quick-fire 39(15), laced with a staggering five boundaries and two towering maximums.

With the equation down to 42 runs in 24 balls, a time-out was taken, allowing both sides to evaluate their course of action. On the first ball after the break, Digvesh removed Vipraj to add another twist to the game.

The game looked in LSG's grasp, but Ashutosh singlehandedly turned the tides in the Capitals' favour. On the third ball of the 18th over, he smoked the ball into the stands off Bishnoi. He followed it up with a boundary and finished the over with another searing six.

In the penultimate over, Kuldeep Yadav got run out, adding another turn in the game. Boundaries were the need of the hour, and Ashutosh lit the stadium with a memorable onslaught.

He ran for a double, opened the face of his bat for a six, long way from the boundary rope and topped it up with a four in the final ball, bring the equation down to six from six.

Pant entrusted his faith in Shahbaz to see off the game. On the first ball, Pant missed the opportunity to stump but decided to take a review for LBW. The review confirmed the ball was missing the stumps.

On the next ball, Mohit pushed the ball gently for a single, bringing Ashutosh back on strike. Ashutosh finished it in style with a sensational six straight down the ground, singlehandedly sealing a one-wicket win for DC.

Earlier in the match, Delhi Capitals put LSG to bat on a placid surface after winning the toss. Aiden Markram fell early, but Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran took the mantle of making the most out of the conditions.

They tore through DC's bowling attack, which made them tilt at the windmills. They picked their targets, bashed them away according to their will and raised an 87-run stand for the second wicket.

When LSG looked destined to cross the 220-run mark, Mukesh Kumar brought an end to Marsh's entertaining 72(36) by luring him to hole it straight to Stubbs, stationed at long-on.

After the Australian's exploits ended, Pooran took the brunt of scoring runs on his shoulder. He unleashed hell on Tristan Stubbs with four towering maximums on the trot, garnering 28 runs from the 13th over.

Pooran looked poised to stay till the end and continue his on-field business with a belligerent approach. The explosive batter was toying with spinners and came up against Mitchell Starc in the 15th over.

Starc sent the stumps flying with a touch of reverse swing on the penultimate delivery of the over. Pooran tried to slog it away as the ball bent back in late and launched two stumps into the air.

Pooran jumped on the bandwagon and joined Marsh in the dressing room. From standing in a position to cross 220, LSG stared at the prospect of folding before the 200-run mark.

David Miller, known for his reputation for finishing the innings, opened his arms at the right time. On the last two deliveries of the final over, Miller muscled the ball into the stands twice to lift LSG to 209/8.

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

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Ashutosh Sharma's Celebration Viral After Guiding DC To Terrific Win vs LSG

Ashutosh Sharma did the unthinkable for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday. At a time when even the most passionate of DC fans would have thought that it was not possible for their team to chase down a 210-run target, Ashutosh Sharma thought otherwise. Impact sub Ashutosh Sharma played the most defining knock of his IPL career to guide Delhi Capitals to a thrilling one wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants here on Monday.

Ashutosh smashed 66 not out off 31 balls and finished it with a huge six off Shahbaz Ahmed as DC chased down a target of 210 with three balls to spare. The right-hander hit five fours and five sixes in all. Ashutsh Sharma's celebration after the win went viral.

And he does it in

Ashutosh Sharma, take a bow!

A #TATAIPL classic in Vizag

Updates https://t.co/aHUCFODDQL#DCvLSG | @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/rVAfJMqfm7

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2025

DC were 7 for 3 at one stage and then 113 for 6 but Ashutosh and unheralded Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15 balls) added 55 runs in quick time before the Railways man finished it off in style despite wickets falling at the other end.

LSG were 20 short during batting and paid the price for not having any of their frontline pacers on the park due to injury. It didn't help that Ravi Bishnoi was hit for 53 runs. Earlier, Delhi Capitals bowlers did well at the back-end to restrict Lucknow Super Giants to 209 for 8 on a batting paradise, despite attractive fifties from Mitchell Marsh (72) and Nicholas Pooran (75).

Kuldeep Yadav was easily the most impactful bowler with figures of 2 for 20 while Mitchell Starc used his variations to end with best figures 3 for 42 in four overs.

Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants: 209 for 8 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 75, Mitchell Marsh 72; Kuldeep Yadav 2/20, Mitchell Starc 3/42).

Delhi Capitals: 211 for 9 in 19.3 overs (Ashutosh Sharma 66 not out; Shardul Thakur 2/19).

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Two Sessions A Day, Gym, Video Analysis: Behind Kishan's Terrific Comeback

Perhaps, 2024 was a year that Ishan Kishan would like to forget in a hurry. Or perhaps not. The 26-year-old's story of redemption is way more compelling than his stylish 45-ball-century on his Sunrisers Hyderabad debut in the IPL against Rajasthan Royals here on Sunday. "The nervousness was there. Looking at the team, Pat (Cummins) and the coach gave me a lot of confidence. The environment is so calm. I just enjoyed my time in the middle," Kishan said after collecting his Player of The Match trophy for his maiden IPL ton.

Around this time last year, Kishan was dropped from the central contracts as national selectors and BCCI top brass felt that he had no time for Ranji Trophy.

From being among the top three keeper-batters in the country alongside Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, Kishan was not even in the periphery, left behind to learn a lesson or two.

Suddenly he had a lot of time and by his own admission, it was well spent.

"I had a lot of time, I was practising a lot, worked hard on my batting. The preparation was good," he said.

Indeed it was.

Unlike the other years when he would mainly train at the MI's ground in Ghansoli, this time he used the hard-earned money into making a cricket academy of his own in his hometown Patna.

"He trained in two sessions every day. The morning session focused on cricket skills at his academy, lasting 2-3 hours and being very intense. In the evening, he would either do gym workouts or speed training for 1-2 hours," a source, who has been primary witness to Kishan's hard work, said.

To cut down his technical flaws, the evenings were spent analysing his own videos.

"Apart from this, he worked extensively on his mental game by analysing his own videos." Unlike earlier years, when he was on the move due to India commitments, the time off from cricket before the domestic season was spent at home along with his family.

"He chose to train at his own academy in Patna, never traveling elsewhere, which allowed him to stay focused and put in consistent, dedicated work in his own environment," the source added.

His skipper Pat Cummins had the best compliment for him.

"Ishan today was incredible. Just trying to play with freedom. The boys have created a blue-print for the rest of the year".

Kishan can't stop gushing about his skipper.

"Pat - he knows what's there for the team. We have to enjoy whatever your game-play is. You have to plan accordingly, don't be afraid of getting out." Ishan Kishan is back and in a regal manner. 

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

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Rahane's KKR Captaincy Stint Begins With A Dazzling 56 vs RCB In IPL 2025

A transformed Ajinkya Rahane dazzled on his Kolkata Knight Riders captaincy debut with a 25-ball fifty, but Krunal Pandya's game-changing three wicket burst ensured that the defending champions fell well short of the 200-mark, managing a below-par 174 for 8 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL opener on Saturday. The 36-year-old veteran, who last played a T20I for India in 2016 and replaced Shreyas Iyer at the helm, played a fearless knock of 56 off 31 balls.

Sunil Narine contributed 44 off 26, in a 103-run third wicket partnership off 55 balls to lay a solid platform scoring at 10 plus an over.

But their efforts were undone by left-arm spinner Krunal's brilliant 3/29 in the middle overs where he dismissed a well-set Rahane, and the two KKR heavyweights duo of Venkatesh Iyer (6) and Rinku Singh (12) in successive overs.

The inability of KKR's lower middle order -- featuring their most expensive INR 23.75 crore signing Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Russell—to fire cost them dearly as they managed just 23 runs and lost two wickets in the last four overs.

Josh Hazlewood, who started brilliantly with the new ball, finished with tidy 2/22.

Put in, KKR struggled early, managing just nine runs in the first three overs, with Josh Hazlewood's precise lines and Yash Dayal's disciplined bowling keeping them quiet.

The only casualty in this phase was Quinton de Kock, undone by a sharp in-swinger from Hazlewood that took a faint inside edge to the wicketkeeper.

The momentum shifted drastically when Rahane took charge in the fourth over, dismantling Rasikh Salam Dar for 16 runs, including two sixes and a four.

Narine, despite struggling with his timing, found his rhythm against Suyash Sharma, smashing him for consecutive sixes and a four.

The duo propelled KKR to a dominant 60/1 at the end of the powerplay. Rahane's knock was a spectacle of aggression and elegance. He reached his fifty in grand fashion, kneeling down to sweep a delivery miles over deep midwicket.

His onslaught continued against Krunal and Yash Dayal, flicking and pulling with audacity. A particularly brutal over from Dayal saw Rahane hit a four and two sixes in succession, showcasing his complete control.

However, RCB clawed back into the contest with a brilliant spell from Krunal in the middle phase.

Re-introduced in the 11th over, Krunal struck a crucial blow by dismissing Rahane, who mistimed a pull and was caught at deep backward square leg.

The left-arm spinner continued his demolition job, removing the KKR vice-captain and most expensive player Iyer and the explosive Rinku to choke KKR's run flow.

Suyash Sharma, expensive and erratic earlier, redeemed himself by claiming the prized wicket of Andre Russell (4) with a googly in his final over, leaving KKR in deep trouble at 150/6.

Suyash, however, remained RCB's weakest link, leaking 47 runs in his four overs at an economy of 11.75.

Despite the early fireworks, KKR's innings fizzled out under RCB's disciplined bowling in the death overs.

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