Virat Kohli's poor form with the bat has become a huge topic of discussion in world cricket. While Kohli hasn't scored a century in international cricket since late 2019, his form in IPL 2022 is also a cause of concern for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.

Though RCB are very much in contention for the playoffs, their former skipper Kohli hasn't got going in the 15th season. So far, Kohli has amassed only&nbsp;216 runs at an average of 21.60 and a strike rate of 111.91. Even in some innings where he has scored runs, he has gone at an ordinary run-a-ball. During RCB's 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), on Wednesday (May 04) in match 49, Kohli again got a start but returned with a 33-ball 30. A game earlier, he had scored his first fifty of the season, versus Gujarat Titans (GT), but ended with a 53-ball 58. Thus, former West Indies speedster-turned-commentator Ian Bishop has expressed his concern over Kohli's dry run, below-par strike rate and knack of getting out to pff-spinners (Moeen Ali dismissed Kohli in CSK-RCB clash).

"For a while, for 10 or 15 runs, he wasn't even going at a run-a-ball, or he was just going at a run-a-ball," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'. "He didn't get ahead, and there wasn't much intent. He hit one (six) over extra-cover off the seamer (vs CSK), and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back.

"This is something we've been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he'll fly out - he didn't fly out tonight - and then he'll slow down again. So, I'm concerned," opined Bishop.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/want-him-to-take-significant-break-before-asia-cup-says-msk-prasad-amid-virat-kohlis-poor-form-476540">Want him to take significant break before Asia Cup, says MSK Prasad amid Virat Kohli's poor form</a>

"Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series (at home in February), we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I'm concerned about ... and I'm a Kohli fan. I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli's at his best, so it isn't criticism but an observation that I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he's not getting ahead of the rate," added the veteran.

Amid his struggles, Kohli has been advised by many former cricketers, such as Ravi Shastri, MSK Prasad,&nbsp;Kevin Pietersen, etc., to take a significant break from cricket in order to stay afresh and return to scoring ways for Team India.

Virat Kohli's poor form with the bat has become a huge topic of discussion in world cricket. While Kohli hasn't scored a century in international cricket since late 2019, his form in IPL 2022 is also a cause of concern for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise.

Virat Kohli's poor form with the bat has become a huge topic of discussion in world cricket. While Kohli hasn't scored a century in international cricket since late 2019, his form in IPL 2022 is also a cause of concern for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. Though RCB are very much in contention for the playoffs, their former skipper Kohli hasn't got going in the 15th season. So far, Kohli has amassed only 216 runs at an average of 21.60 and a strike rate of 111.91. Even in some innings where he has scored runs, he has gone at an ordinary run-a-ball. During RCB's 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), on Wednesday (May 04) in match 49, Kohli again got a start but returned with a 33-ball 30. A game earlier, he had scored his first fifty of the season, versus Gujarat Titans (GT), but ended with a 53-ball 58. Thus, former West Indies speedster-turned-commentator Ian Bishop has expressed his concern over Kohli's dry run, below-par strike rate and knack of getting out to pff-spinners (Moeen Ali dismissed Kohli in CSK-RCB clash). "For a while, for 10 or 15 runs, he wasn't even going at a run-a-ball, or he was just going at a run-a-ball," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'. "He didn't get ahead, and there wasn't much intent. He hit one (six) over extra-cover off the seamer (vs CSK), and that was when he just went ahead to a run-a-ball and then he came back. "This is something we've been seeing with Virat, not just this season. Even last season, I remember, and even sometimes internationally, he'll fly out - he didn't fly out tonight - and then he'll slow down again. So, I'm concerned," opined Bishop. ALSO READ | Want him to take significant break before Asia Cup, says MSK Prasad amid Virat Kohli's poor form "Roston Chase got him out in the West Indies series (at home in February), we saw him getting out to the off-spinner in Test matches. So, I'm concerned about ... and I'm a Kohli fan. I tune in to watch cricket when Kohli's at his best, so it isn't criticism but an observation that I am concerned that a number of types of bowlers are getting him out and he's not getting ahead of the rate," added the veteran. Amid his struggles, Kohli has been advised by many former cricketers, such as Ravi Shastri, MSK Prasad, Kevin Pietersen, etc., to take a significant break from cricket in order to stay afresh and return to scoring ways for Team India.

This is something we've been seeing with him: Ian Bishop expresses concern over Virat Kohli's poor form

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema continues to add to his legendary status in the UEFA Champions League. His goal at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium against Manchester City moved him level with Robert Lewandowski`s tally of 86 goals.

The Madridista equals the Polish marksman as the third-highest goal scorer in European Cup history. Ahead of them on the list sit Cristiano Ronaldo (141) and Lionel Messi (125). The Frenchman also equalled Ronaldo`s record for the most knockout goals in a single Champions League campaign. Benzema`s extra-time penalty winner against City on Wednesday was his 10th goal in the knockouts of UCL this season. Benzema has recorded his best personal tally this season, with 15 goals. Five came in the Group Stage, while the remaining ten have arrived in an incredible knock-out phase run which has seen him score in five successive games against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-rallies-past-manchester-city-to-reach-uefa-champions-league-final-476432">Real Madrid rallies past Manchester City to reach UEFA Champions League final</a>

Benzema has found the back of the net in the Champions League for 17 consecutive seasons. His first came back in 2005/06 against Rosenborg while playing for Olympique Lyon, where he scored a total of 12 times. The other 74 goals have come in a Real Madrid jersey. He opened his European account for the team with a strike against Milan on 3 November 2009. His favourite opposition in the competition are Galatasaray, PSG and Chelsea, hitting five goals against all of them.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema continues to add to his legendary status in the UEFA Champions League. His goal at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium against Manchester City moved him level with Robert Lewandowski`s tally of 86 goals.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema continues to add to his legendary status in the UEFA Champions League. His goal at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium against Manchester City moved him level with Robert Lewandowski`s tally of 86 goals. The Madridista equals the Polish marksman as the third-highest goal scorer in European Cup history. Ahead of them on the list sit Cristiano Ronaldo (141) and Lionel Messi (125). The Frenchman also equalled Ronaldo`s record for the most knockout goals in a single Champions League campaign. Benzema`s extra-time penalty winner against City on Wednesday was his 10th goal in the knockouts of UCL this season. Benzema has recorded his best personal tally this season, with 15 goals. Five came in the Group Stage, while the remaining ten have arrived in an incredible knock-out phase run which has seen him score in five successive games against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City. ALSO READ | Real Madrid rallies past Manchester City to reach UEFA Champions League final Benzema has found the back of the net in the Champions League for 17 consecutive seasons. His first came back in 2005/06 against Rosenborg while playing for Olympique Lyon, where he scored a total of 12 times. The other 74 goals have come in a Real Madrid jersey. He opened his European account for the team with a strike against Milan on 3 November 2009. His favourite opposition in the competition are Galatasaray, PSG and Chelsea, hitting five goals against all of them.

UCL: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema equals records of Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said. Three-times major winner Murray was set to face Djokovic for the 37th time in a highly anticipated clash on clay at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital.

"Unfortunately, Andy Murray is unable to take to the Manolo Santana Stadium due to illness," organisers wrote on Twitter. "Instead, Andrey Rublev and Daniel Evans will open the day`s play on centre court."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rafael-nadal-overpowers-serbias-miomir-kecmanovic-in-madrid-on-return-from-injury-476401">Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury</a>

Former world number one Murray, who had earlier said he would skip the claycourt season in order to protect his fitness, accepted a late wildcard in Madrid and beat Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov in his opening two matches.

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said.

Andy Murray has withdrawn from his last-16 match against world number one Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday due to illness, tournament organisers said. Three-times major winner Murray was set to face Djokovic for the 37th time in a highly anticipated clash on clay at the ATP Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital. "Unfortunately, Andy Murray is unable to take to the Manolo Santana Stadium due to illness," organisers wrote on Twitter. "Instead, Andrey Rublev and Daniel Evans will open the day`s play on centre court." ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury Former world number one Murray, who had earlier said he would skip the claycourt season in order to protect his fitness, accepted a late wildcard in Madrid and beat Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov in his opening two matches.

Andy Murray pulls out from Novak Djokovic face-off in Madrid due to illness

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have neared elimination in IPL 2022 with their seventh defeat of the season, after losing match 49 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 13 runs. With another loss, the four-time winners and defending champions are on the verge of an early exit as their disappointing season continues.

While some of their batters haven't been at their best, the bowling has leaked runs on many occasions, the change in captaincy has been one of the main reasons for their failures. Prior to IPL 15's start, the franchise had announced that MS Dhoni would be stepping down as the skipper, with Ravindra Jadeja succeeding him. Jadeja led in eight games, winning only two encounters, before handing back the captaincy duties to 'Thala' Dhoni.

With the constant change in leadership and Jadeja's inability to respond to the additional responsibilities, the CSK franchise are now starring on the brink of an early exit. Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, thus, commented on Yellow Army's struggles.

"The first mistake they did was at the start of the season when they announced that MS Dhoni won't be captaining and it will be Ravindra Jadeja, it was a wrong decision," Sehwag told Cricbuzz after CSK were beaten by RCB on Wednesday (May 04).

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-joins-virat-kohli-to-become-second-player-to-enter-special-200-club-476388">IPL 2022: CSK skipper MS Dhoni joins Virat Kohli to become second player to enter special 200-club</a>

"There was no settled playing XI. Ruturaj Gaikwad didn't score runs in the beginning. They started off poorly, the batters didn't score runs and from there on, there season was always going to be full of turmoil. If Dhoni had been the captain from the beginning then it would've been better and maybe CSK wouldn't have lost match so many matches," Sehwag added.

With four games remaining, CSK will aim to win all the matches but their playoffs chances are now not solely dependent on their victories alone. They need a miracle to enter the top-four and their fate seemed to be sealed in IPL 2022, which has been a disappointing affair for Dhoni &amp; Co.
</section>

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have neared elimination in IPL 2022 with their seventh defeat of the season, after losing match 49 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 13 runs.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have neared elimination in IPL 2022 with their seventh defeat of the season, after losing match 49 to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 13 runs. With another loss, the four-time winners and defending champions are on the verge of an early exit as their disappointing season continues. While some of their batters haven't been at their best, the bowling has leaked runs on many occasions, the change in captaincy has been one of the main reasons for their failures. Prior to IPL 15's start, the franchise had announced that MS Dhoni would be stepping down as the skipper, with Ravindra Jadeja succeeding him. Jadeja led in eight games, winning only two encounters, before handing back the captaincy duties to 'Thala' Dhoni. With the constant change in leadership and Jadeja's inability to respond to the additional responsibilities, the CSK franchise are now starring on the brink of an early exit. Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, thus, commented on Yellow Army's struggles. "The first mistake they did was at the start of the season when they announced that MS Dhoni won't be captaining and it will be Ravindra Jadeja, it was a wrong decision," Sehwag told Cricbuzz after CSK were beaten by RCB on Wednesday (May 04). ALSO READ | IPL 2022: CSK skipper MS Dhoni joins Virat Kohli to become second player to enter special 200-club "There was no settled playing XI. Ruturaj Gaikwad didn't score runs in the beginning. They started off poorly, the batters didn't score runs and from there on, there season was always going to be full of turmoil. If Dhoni had been the captain from the beginning then it would've been better and maybe CSK wouldn't have lost match so many matches," Sehwag added. With four games remaining, CSK will aim to win all the matches but their playoffs chances are now not solely dependent on their victories alone. They need a miracle to enter the top-four and their fate seemed to be sealed in IPL 2022, which has been a disappointing affair for Dhoni & Co.

CSK were wrong to replace MS Dhoni with Ravindra Jadeja as captain: Sehwag opines on Yellow Army's struggles

Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a banned steroid, the World Athletics body confirmed on Wednesday. "The AIU has provisionally suspended discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur of India for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Stanozolol), a breach of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules," the governing body said in a tweet. 
 
Tokyo Olympian and national record holder in women`s discus throw, Kamalpreet Kaur faces the prospect of being banned for a maximum period of four years if she is found guilty. Notably, a Provisional Suspension is when an Athlete or other Person is suspended temporarily from participating in any competition or activity in Athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.

The 26-year-old Kaur, who holds the national record of 65.06m which she had achieved last year, finished a creditable sixth in the women`s discus throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games last year. It is not known where and when she was tested but Kaur is in the registered testing pool of World Athletics.

Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a banned steroid, the World Athletics body confirmed on Wednesday.

Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a banned steroid, the World Athletics body confirmed on Wednesday. "The AIU has provisionally suspended discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur of India for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Stanozolol), a breach of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules," the governing body said in a tweet. Tokyo Olympian and national record holder in women`s discus throw, Kamalpreet Kaur faces the prospect of being banned for a maximum period of four years if she is found guilty. Notably, a Provisional Suspension is when an Athlete or other Person is suspended temporarily from participating in any competition or activity in Athletics prior to a final decision at a hearing conducted under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct. The 26-year-old Kaur, who holds the national record of 65.06m which she had achieved last year, finished a creditable sixth in the women`s discus throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games last year. It is not known where and when she was tested but Kaur is in the registered testing pool of World Athletics.

Tokyo 2020 star Kamalpreet Kaur provisionally suspended after testing positive for banned drug

Virat Kohli's form remains a concern. During the IPL 2022 edition, he achieved an unwanted feat of going over 100 matches across formats without a century. While Kohli scored his first half-century for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their tenth outing this season, he only managed a 53-ball 58. Even in RCB's reverse fixture versus the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kohli returned with an unimpressive 33-ball 30.

As his struggle for runs continues, the whole of the Indian cricket fraternity is concerned by King Kohli's barren run. His last international ton came in late 2019 and at present, he is looking far from his usual best. Amid all this, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri had advised him to pull out of IPL 15 and take a much-needed break. Now, former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad has also joined the bandwagon and asked Kohli to take a significant rest to return completely fresh before the Asia Cup.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mr-360-ab-de-villiers-turns-to-golf-to-team-up-with-australias-ex-tennis-star-ashleigh-barty-in-icon-series-476530">Mr. 360 AB de Villiers turns to golf, to team up with Australia's ex-tennis star Ashleigh Barty in Icon Series</a>

Further, MSK also called for KL Rahul to be tried at No. 4 in T20Is with Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma opening the innings.

"These three are indispensable if fit. There is no way that you can leave anyone of them for the World T20. But yes, if I look at numbers, I might just try someone like Shikhar Dhawan at the opening slot and check Rahul out at No.4. He has a T20 hundred in Manchester some years back in middle-order, so why not. But yes, I want Virat to take a significant break and before the Asia Cup, he should be fresh, up and running," Prasad told PTI.

It remains to be seen if Kohli takes a break in the near future. At present, it seems highly unlikely given that Faf du Plessis-led RCB haven't cemented a place in the playoffs in this year's IPL season. Given that India will play the T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia later this year, Kohli's form is extremely critical to the Men in Blue's chances in the showpiece event.

Virat Kohli's form remains a concern. During the IPL 2022 edition, he achieved an unwanted feat of going over 100 matches across formats without a century. While Kohli scored his first half-century for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their tenth outing this season, he only managed a 53-ball 58.

Virat Kohli's form remains a concern. During the IPL 2022 edition, he achieved an unwanted feat of going over 100 matches across formats without a century. While Kohli scored his first half-century for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their tenth outing this season, he only managed a 53-ball 58. Even in RCB's reverse fixture versus the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kohli returned with an unimpressive 33-ball 30. As his struggle for runs continues, the whole of the Indian cricket fraternity is concerned by King Kohli's barren run. His last international ton came in late 2019 and at present, he is looking far from his usual best. Amid all this, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri had advised him to pull out of IPL 15 and take a much-needed break. Now, former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad has also joined the bandwagon and asked Kohli to take a significant rest to return completely fresh before the Asia Cup. ALSO READ | Mr. 360 AB de Villiers turns to golf, to team up with Australia's ex-tennis star Ashleigh Barty in Icon Series Further, MSK also called for KL Rahul to be tried at No. 4 in T20Is with Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma opening the innings. "These three are indispensable if fit. There is no way that you can leave anyone of them for the World T20. But yes, if I look at numbers, I might just try someone like Shikhar Dhawan at the opening slot and check Rahul out at No.4. He has a T20 hundred in Manchester some years back in middle-order, so why not. But yes, I want Virat to take a significant break and before the Asia Cup, he should be fresh, up and running," Prasad told PTI. It remains to be seen if Kohli takes a break in the near future. At present, it seems highly unlikely given that Faf du Plessis-led RCB haven't cemented a place in the playoffs in this year's IPL season. Given that India will play the T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia later this year, Kohli's form is extremely critical to the Men in Blue's chances in the showpiece event.

Want him to take significant break before Asia Cup, says MSK Prasad amid Virat Kohli's poor form

South Africa cricket legend AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. The swashbuckling right-hander had a stellar international career for the Proteas and also is an IPL legend, where he&nbsp;played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), then known as Delhi Daredevils (DD).&nbsp;

However, De Villiers is not only a great in the gentlemen's game, but he has an avid interest in many other sports apart from his other talents.&nbsp;Retiring&nbsp;from professional cricket in November 2021, the former Proteas skipper is set to make a comeback on the field. However, it won't be on a cricket field. De Villiers will return as a golfer as he is set to team up with former tennis star Ashleigh Barty, who recently announced her retirement, in&nbsp;a top-flight golf tournament, i.e. the Icon Series.

De Villiers shared the news with one and all on his official Twitter handle and wrote, "I’m pleased to be playing in the&nbsp;@IconsSeries at @libertynational, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure a Rest of the World Victory! #IconsSeries"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m pleased to be playing in the <a href="https://twitter.com/IconsSeries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IconsSeries</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/libertynational?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@libertynational</a>, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure a Rest of the World Victory! 🗽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IconsSeries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IconsSeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/YTSCaYL3pC">pic.twitter.com/YTSCaYL3pC</a>
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17/status/1521900175471611906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-virat-kohli-to-ab-de-villiers-superstar-batters-with-most-ipl-hundreds-463535">From Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli to AB de Villiers - Superstar batters with most IPL hundreds</a>

Barty, de Villiers' teammate, is also a&nbsp;former professional cricketer. The Australian had even met De Villiers during the SA legend's first and only Big Bash League stint in 2019/20. For the unversed, even Barty was a part of the BBL before she switched to tennis.

De Villiers had also reacted to Barty's shocking retirement from tennis, early this year. Talking to AFP, he had told, "It is a weird one to explain. I think the best answer is that every person has their own way of maneuvering through their career, some as long as possible. The whole world respects her decision. I would like to think stepping away can be a relief but it is an incredible age to retire at."

It will be interesting to see how De Villiers-Barty perform together as a unit in the forthcoming Icon Series, to be held in Jersey in June-July. The multi-talented players will surely generate a lot of noise when they take on the field together in the marquee event.

South Africa cricket legend AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. The swashbuckling right-hander had a stellar international career for the Proteas and also is an IPL legend, where he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), then known as Delhi Daredevils (DD).

South Africa cricket legend AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. The swashbuckling right-hander had a stellar international career for the Proteas and also is an IPL legend, where he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Delhi Capitals (DC), then known as Delhi Daredevils (DD). However, De Villiers is not only a great in the gentlemen's game, but he has an avid interest in many other sports apart from his other talents. Retiring from professional cricket in November 2021, the former Proteas skipper is set to make a comeback on the field. However, it won't be on a cricket field. De Villiers will return as a golfer as he is set to team up with former tennis star Ashleigh Barty, who recently announced her retirement, in a top-flight golf tournament, i.e. the Icon Series. De Villiers shared the news with one and all on his official Twitter handle and wrote, "I’m pleased to be playing in the @IconsSeries at @libertynational, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure a Rest of the World Victory! #IconsSeries" I’m pleased to be playing in the @IconsSeries at @libertynational, I’ll be doing everything I can to ensure a Rest of the World Victory! 🗽 #IconsSeries pic.twitter.com/YTSCaYL3pC — AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) May 4, 2022 × ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli to AB de Villiers - Superstar batters with most IPL hundreds Barty, de Villiers' teammate, is also a former professional cricketer. The Australian had even met De Villiers during the SA legend's first and only Big Bash League stint in 2019/20. For the unversed, even Barty was a part of the BBL before she switched to tennis. De Villiers had also reacted to Barty's shocking retirement from tennis, early this year. Talking to AFP, he had told, "It is a weird one to explain. I think the best answer is that every person has their own way of maneuvering through their career, some as long as possible. The whole world respects her decision. I would like to think stepping away can be a relief but it is an incredible age to retire at." It will be interesting to see how De Villiers-Barty perform together as a unit in the forthcoming Icon Series, to be held in Jersey in June-July. The multi-talented players will surely generate a lot of noise when they take on the field together in the marquee event.

Mr. 360 AB de Villiers turns to golf, to team up with Australia's ex-tennis star Ashleigh Barty in Icon Series

The cricketing action will continue as IPL 2022 edition's match 50 will see the one-time winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lock horns with the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday evening (May 05), at the&nbsp;Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

With each passing day, the playoffs race is heating up. Both SRH and DC are in contention for the playoffs. Nonetheless, they cannot afford to let loose as the bottom-lying teams have started to cause a few upsets. Talking about the SRH camp, they have won five encounters out of nine. On the other hand, the Delhi franchise have had a topsy-turvy ride from the beginning of the season and have four victories from an equal number of games. Thus, two points separate both teams at present.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-chennai-super-kings-versus-royal-challengers-bangalore-clash-476404">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Chennai Super Kings versus Royal Challengers Bangalore clash</a>

Both sides are also coming into this fixture on the back of a defeat each. While Delhi's concerns have been their batting depth and too much dependence on Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed. Overall, they also need more consistency from their big guns such as Rishabh, Mitchell Marsh, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman. SRH will also want more from their batters, as they have also been more reliant on Abhishek Sharma whereas skipper Kane has only one fifty this season. Rahul Tripathy, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran will be desperate to remain consistent as the tournament is in a very crunch phase.

Match prediction for DC vs SRH clash: This game will be played at the Brabourne, where spinners have had some say and run-scoring hasn't been an issue. Expect a 170-plus contest with SRH bowlers to emerge on top of an inconsistent DC line-up?

The cricketing action will continue as IPL 2022 edition's match 50 will see the one-time winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lock horns with the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday evening (May 05), at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

The cricketing action will continue as IPL 2022 edition's match 50 will see the one-time winners Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) lock horns with the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday evening (May 05), at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. With each passing day, the playoffs race is heating up. Both SRH and DC are in contention for the playoffs. Nonetheless, they cannot afford to let loose as the bottom-lying teams have started to cause a few upsets. Talking about the SRH camp, they have won five encounters out of nine. On the other hand, the Delhi franchise have had a topsy-turvy ride from the beginning of the season and have four victories from an equal number of games. Thus, two points separate both teams at present. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Chennai Super Kings versus Royal Challengers Bangalore clash Both sides are also coming into this fixture on the back of a defeat each. While Delhi's concerns have been their batting depth and too much dependence on Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed. Overall, they also need more consistency from their big guns such as Rishabh, Mitchell Marsh, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman. SRH will also want more from their batters, as they have also been more reliant on Abhishek Sharma whereas skipper Kane has only one fifty this season. Rahul Tripathy, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran will be desperate to remain consistent as the tournament is in a very crunch phase. Match prediction for DC vs SRH clash: This game will be played at the Brabourne, where spinners have had some say and run-scoring hasn't been an issue. Expect a 170-plus contest with SRH bowlers to emerge on top of an inconsistent DC line-up?

DC vs SRH, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match?

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said he was not giving up a bid to buy Chelsea despite apparent rejection from the U.S. bank handling the sale of the Premier League club. The head of chemical company INEOS announced last Friday a last minute offer of 4.25 billion pounds ($5.35 billion) but a consortium led by LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly is considered the preferred bidder.

Russian owner Roman Abramovich, now subject to sanctions by the British government, put the West London club up for sale after Russia`s invasion of Ukraine. "We presented them (New York bank Raine) with an offer at the end of last week, we haven`t heard a great deal back from them which is a bit disappointing," Ratcliffe told the BBC on Wednesday.

"I`d say don`t discount our offer, we are very British and we`ve got great intentions for Chelsea," he added when asked what his message to those overseeing the sale would be. The Daily Telegraph earlier quoted Ineos communications director Tom Crotty saying Raine had ruled out the company`s bid.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-rallies-past-manchester-city-to-reach-uefa-champions-league-final-476432">Real Madrid rallies past Manchester City to reach UEFA Champions League final</a>

"We’ve had an email to say, ‘forget it, you’re not in the process’," he said. "That was from Raine, but we’re not giving up because we believe what we’ve got is a bid that makes good sense for the club." Ratcliffe recognised his move had been late but said it had taken time to reach a fully committed decision. 
"We got there at the end of the day and we now are quite committed to that proposal that we`ve made," he said. "We`re not giving up."

Boehly`s consortium includes Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British property investor Jonathan Goldstein.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said he was not giving up a bid to buy Chelsea despite apparent rejection from the U.S. bank handling the sale of the Premier League club.

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said he was not giving up a bid to buy Chelsea despite apparent rejection from the U.S. bank handling the sale of the Premier League club. The head of chemical company INEOS announced last Friday a last minute offer of 4.25 billion pounds ($5.35 billion) but a consortium led by LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly is considered the preferred bidder. Russian owner Roman Abramovich, now subject to sanctions by the British government, put the West London club up for sale after Russia`s invasion of Ukraine. "We presented them (New York bank Raine) with an offer at the end of last week, we haven`t heard a great deal back from them which is a bit disappointing," Ratcliffe told the BBC on Wednesday. "I`d say don`t discount our offer, we are very British and we`ve got great intentions for Chelsea," he added when asked what his message to those overseeing the sale would be. The Daily Telegraph earlier quoted Ineos communications director Tom Crotty saying Raine had ruled out the company`s bid. ALSO READ | Real Madrid rallies past Manchester City to reach UEFA Champions League final "We’ve had an email to say, ‘forget it, you’re not in the process’," he said. "That was from Raine, but we’re not giving up because we believe what we’ve got is a bid that makes good sense for the club." Ratcliffe recognised his move had been late but said it had taken time to reach a fully committed decision. "We got there at the end of the day and we now are quite committed to that proposal that we`ve made," he said. "We`re not giving up." Boehly`s consortium includes Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British property investor Jonathan Goldstein.

British tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe not giving up on Chelsea bid despite apparent rejection

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locked horns with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 04). The match was held at the MCA Stadium, Pune where RCB emerged on top by 13 runs with the playoffs race intensifying with each passing day.&nbsp;

Opting to bowl first, the MS Dhoni-led CSK restricted RCB to 173-8, riding on regular wickets from spinners Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana. In reply, the four-time winners and defending champions Yellow Army had top-scorers in the form of Devon Conway (56) and Moeen (34) but they managed 160 for 8 in another hard-fought contest in the 15th season. With this, CSK is nearing an early exit from the competition.

Here's the updated points table after RCB-CSK clash at the MCA Stadium, Pune:

<img alt="Points Table after CSK-RCB clash" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="af5bd2ec-278d-4ba0-874c-0425f24b4372" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/PT%20after%20RCB%20beat%20CSK.png" />

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rcb-beat-ms-dhoni-led-csk-by-13-runs-as-defending-champions-near-elimination-476397">IPL 2022: RCB beat MS Dhoni-led CSK by 13 runs as defending champions near elimination</a>

At the post-match presentation, winning captain Du Plessis said, "We definitely needed that. We put up a decent total. We are moving in the right direction. We have been very good in the bowling departmet. I thought 165 would be nice to get. I thought the PP was a good time to score. The fielding was amazing. Some great catching and good bowling indeed. We are very lucky to have experienced guys. Very good to have me lean on the senior players."

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locked horns with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 04). The match was held at the MCA Stadium, Pune where RCB emerged on top by 13 runs with the playoffs race intensifying with each passing day.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locked horns with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 04). The match was held at the MCA Stadium, Pune where RCB emerged on top by 13 runs with the playoffs race intensifying with each passing day. Opting to bowl first, the MS Dhoni-led CSK restricted RCB to 173-8, riding on regular wickets from spinners Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana. In reply, the four-time winners and defending champions Yellow Army had top-scorers in the form of Devon Conway (56) and Moeen (34) but they managed 160 for 8 in another hard-fought contest in the 15th season. With this, CSK is nearing an early exit from the competition. Here's the updated points table after RCB-CSK clash at the MCA Stadium, Pune: ALSO READ | IPL 2022: RCB beat MS Dhoni-led CSK by 13 runs as defending champions near elimination At the post-match presentation, winning captain Du Plessis said, "We definitely needed that. We put up a decent total. We are moving in the right direction. We have been very good in the bowling departmet. I thought 165 would be nice to get. I thought the PP was a good time to score. The fielding was amazing. Some great catching and good bowling indeed. We are very lucky to have experienced guys. Very good to have me lean on the senior players."

Updated IPL 2022 points table after Chennai Super Kings versus Royal Challengers Bangalore clash

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic.

Rain suspended play early in the second set and 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal lost momentum. 
The 35-year-old Spaniard, hitting with explosive power, recovered from failing to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second set to seal victory in just under two hours. Nadal, who improved his win-loss record to 21-1 for the season, is aiming to win his sixth title on home soil in Madrid having last won the tournament in 2017, and will next play qualifier David Goffin.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/madrid-open-world-no-1-novak-djokovic-stays-perfect-against-gael-monfils-emma-raducanu-knocked-out-476357">Madrid Open: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stays perfect against Gael Monfils, Emma Raducanu knocked out</a>

Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 6-4 6-4, while qualifier Dusan Lajovic beat fifth seed Casper Ruud 7-6(7) 2-6 6-4. Greece`s Stefanos Tsitsipas is due to face Lucas Pouille later.

In the women`s draw, Tunisian Ons Jabeur reached her second WTA 1000 semi-final after beating former world number one Simona Halep 6-3 6-2. Jabeur won 77.8% points on her first serve and converted four of five break points against twice champion Halep to seal victory in just over an hour. 
World number 10 Jabeur will face qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final after Alexandrova defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3.

Swiss Jil Teichmann beat Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-4 and will face the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain and American Jessica Pegula.

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic.

Rafa Nadal returned from an injury layoff to beat Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1 7-6(4) on Wednesday and reach the last 16 in the Madrid Open claycourt tournament. Nadal, competing in his first match since March following a rib injury, quickly found his rhythm in a strong start against Serbian Kecmanovic. Rain suspended play early in the second set and 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal lost momentum. The 35-year-old Spaniard, hitting with explosive power, recovered from failing to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second set to seal victory in just under two hours. Nadal, who improved his win-loss record to 21-1 for the season, is aiming to win his sixth title on home soil in Madrid having last won the tournament in 2017, and will next play qualifier David Goffin. ALSO READ | Madrid Open: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stays perfect against Gael Monfils, Emma Raducanu knocked out Earlier, world number three Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to beat Marin Cilic 4-6 6-4 6-4, while qualifier Dusan Lajovic beat fifth seed Casper Ruud 7-6(7) 2-6 6-4. Greece`s Stefanos Tsitsipas is due to face Lucas Pouille later. In the women`s draw, Tunisian Ons Jabeur reached her second WTA 1000 semi-final after beating former world number one Simona Halep 6-3 6-2. Jabeur won 77.8% points on her first serve and converted four of five break points against twice champion Halep to seal victory in just over an hour. World number 10 Jabeur will face qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final after Alexandrova defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3. Swiss Jil Teichmann beat Ukraine`s Anhelina Kalinina 6-3 6-4 and will face the winner of the match between Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain and American Jessica Pegula.

Rafael Nadal overpowers Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic in Madrid on return from injury

Match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on their close rivals Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (May 04). Being in a precarious situation with the playoffs race heating up, both sides were in need of a win before RCB eventually emerged on top by 13 runs.&nbsp;

At the coin toss, CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first. Skipper MS Dhoni unlocked another major milestone in his staggering IPL career to become only the second player to play 200 matches for a single franchise (after Virat Kohli). RCB openers Faf and Kohli started off a bit slowly but&nbsp;stitched an impressive 62-run opening stand within 8 overs before skipper Faf was removed by his former teammate Moeen Ali. Moeen, who replaced Mitchell Santner, also picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli. Kohli never got going throughout his innings as he only managed a 33-ball 30.

From thereon, RCB young guns Mahipal Lomror (42)&nbsp;and Rajat Patidar started the recovery process. The duo added a valuable 44-run stand for the fourth wicket as the big guns Faf, Kohli and Glenn Maxwell had perished soon.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-joins-virat-kohli-to-become-second-player-to-enter-special-200-club-476388">IPL 2022: CSK skipper MS Dhoni joins Virat Kohli to become second player to enter special 200-club</a>

For CSK, their spinners Moeen Ali (2 for 28) and Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana (3 for 27) changed the course of RCB's innings with regular scalps. Ravindra Jadeja also kept it tight from his end but some runs off Dwaine Pretorius and Dinesh Karthik's 17-ball 26 propelled RCB to 173-8 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

In reply, CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway (56) ensured a good start for the four-time winners and defending champions. Ruturaj, playing once again on his home ground, looked in good touch but Shahbad Ahmed sent him back for a 23-ball 28. Conway continued from his end but lost the support of Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa as RCB spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maxwell chipped in with regular breakthroughs. Harshal Patel (3 for 35) and Josh Hazlewood (1 for 19)&nbsp;ended proceedings in RCB's favour by&nbsp;bowling&nbsp;impressively in the death overs.

The likes of Rayudu, Uthappa and Jadeja not firing let down CSK despite them being in control for most parts. With this loss, Dhoni &amp; Co. is nearing an early exit as RCB enters the top 4 (12 points).

Match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on their close rivals Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (May 04).

Match 49 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) take on their close rivals Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (May 04). Being in a precarious situation with the playoffs race heating up, both sides were in need of a win before RCB eventually emerged on top by 13 runs. At the coin toss, CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first. Skipper MS Dhoni unlocked another major milestone in his staggering IPL career to become only the second player to play 200 matches for a single franchise (after Virat Kohli). RCB openers Faf and Kohli started off a bit slowly but stitched an impressive 62-run opening stand within 8 overs before skipper Faf was removed by his former teammate Moeen Ali. Moeen, who replaced Mitchell Santner, also picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli. Kohli never got going throughout his innings as he only managed a 33-ball 30. From thereon, RCB young guns Mahipal Lomror (42) and Rajat Patidar started the recovery process. The duo added a valuable 44-run stand for the fourth wicket as the big guns Faf, Kohli and Glenn Maxwell had perished soon. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: CSK skipper MS Dhoni joins Virat Kohli to become second player to enter special 200-club For CSK, their spinners Moeen Ali (2 for 28) and Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana (3 for 27) changed the course of RCB's innings with regular scalps. Ravindra Jadeja also kept it tight from his end but some runs off Dwaine Pretorius and Dinesh Karthik's 17-ball 26 propelled RCB to 173-8 in 20 overs. In reply, CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway (56) ensured a good start for the four-time winners and defending champions. Ruturaj, playing once again on his home ground, looked in good touch but Shahbad Ahmed sent him back for a 23-ball 28. Conway continued from his end but lost the support of Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa as RCB spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maxwell chipped in with regular breakthroughs. Harshal Patel (3 for 35) and Josh Hazlewood (1 for 19) ended proceedings in RCB's favour by bowling impressively in the death overs. The likes of Rayudu, Uthappa and Jadeja not firing let down CSK despite them being in control for most parts. With this loss, Dhoni & Co. is nearing an early exit as RCB enters the top 4 (12 points).

IPL 2022: RCB beat MS Dhoni-led CSK by 13 runs as defending champions near elimination

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Aditya Sahay

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.