Mandeep Singh slammed a terrific half-century to guide Kings XI Punjab to a memorable eight-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders as they climbed up to the fourth spot, courtesy better net run-rate than KKR. Mandeep, who lost his father just two days before the match, guided KXIP to their fifth straight win in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.

An emotional Mandeep, after completing his half-century kept pointing and looking towards the sky as he dedicated the half-century to his late father. While social media heavily praised Mandeep for his character and resilience, a special message came from Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who had a similar experience.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-hope-to-carry-domestic-form-into-ipl-2020-says-kings-xi-punjabs-mandeep-singh-327464" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh</a>

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You deserve it all and more <a href="https://twitter.com/mandeeps12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mandeeps12</a> 😊😊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/c5GRlWgU5q">pic.twitter.com/c5GRlWgU5q</a>
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Kohli took to social media platform Instagram on Tuesday as he shared a story with Mandeep’s photograph and wrote:

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wasnt-expecting-it-architect-turned-cricketer-varun-chakravarthy-after-being-awarded-india-call-up-338245" hreflang="en">'Wasn't expecting it': Architect-turned-cricketer Varun Chakravarthy after being awarded India call-up</a>

“The most genuinely happy cricketer I know. To do what you've done in this testing time is because of your faith in live and your positive attitude. Well played shera. He's blessing you from above. @mandeeps12 Lion hearted.”

<img alt="ViratKohli-MandeepSingh" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e7366ad-fb18-4f0f-9fa8-ae4822b005bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ElUz7h1WoAMrnEp.jpg" />

Mandeep has shared the dressing room with Virat Kohli during his stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore and has praised Kohli many a time for inspiring him for better fitness regime.&nbsp;

"This was very special. My father always used to tell me you should remain not out in the game. This one is for him," said Singh who pointed to the sky on reaching his 50, in tribute to his athletics coach father.&nbsp;

"I told Rahul, 'if I play my natural game, I can see this through'. So he was okay with me taking my time and he went after the bowling."

Rahul and Gayle understood Singh's emotions.

"I am just so proud of him, he made everyone emotional," said Rahul.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CaptainPunjab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CaptainPunjab</a> is all praises for <a href="https://twitter.com/mandeeps12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mandeeps12</a> 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaddaPunjab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaddaPunjab</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KXIP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvKXIP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvKXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul11</a> <a href="https://t.co/rByLOriIb5">pic.twitter.com/rByLOriIb5</a>
— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) <a href="https://twitter.com/lionsdenkxip/status/1320998670167273473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"It was so good to see him look up to the sky. We knew it was a message to his dad," said Gayle. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Mandeep Singh slammed a terrific half-century to guide Kings XI Punjab to a memorable eight-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders as they climbed up to the fourth spot, courtesy better net run-rate than KKR.

Mandeep Singh slammed a terrific half-century to guide Kings XI Punjab to a memorable eight-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders as they climbed up to the fourth spot, courtesy better net run-rate than KKR. Mandeep, who lost his father just two days before the match, guided KXIP to their fifth straight win in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. An emotional Mandeep, after completing his half-century kept pointing and looking towards the sky as he dedicated the half-century to his late father. While social media heavily praised Mandeep for his character and resilience, a special message came from Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who had a similar experience. ALSO READ: Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh You deserve it all and more @mandeeps12 😊😊#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/c5GRlWgU5q — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 26, 2020 × Kohli took to social media platform Instagram on Tuesday as he shared a story with Mandeep’s photograph and wrote: ALSO READ: 'Wasn't expecting it': Architect-turned-cricketer Varun Chakravarthy after being awarded India call-up “The most genuinely happy cricketer I know. To do what you've done in this testing time is because of your faith in live and your positive attitude. Well played shera. He's blessing you from above. @mandeeps12 Lion hearted.” Mandeep has shared the dressing room with Virat Kohli during his stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore and has praised Kohli many a time for inspiring him for better fitness regime. "This was very special. My father always used to tell me you should remain not out in the game. This one is for him," said Singh who pointed to the sky on reaching his 50, in tribute to his athletics coach father. "I told Rahul, 'if I play my natural game, I can see this through'. So he was okay with me taking my time and he went after the bowling." Rahul and Gayle understood Singh's emotions. "I am just so proud of him, he made everyone emotional," said Rahul. #CaptainPunjab is all praises for @mandeeps12 🙌#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 #KXIP #KKRvKXIP @klrahul11 pic.twitter.com/rByLOriIb5 — Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) October 27, 2020 × "It was so good to see him look up to the sky. We knew it was a message to his dad," said Gayle.

'Lion-hearted' - Virat Kohli all praise for Mandeep Singh after half-century vs KKR

Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery-spinner who has been making headlines for his bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, has been named in India’s T20I squad against Australia.

With just one First-Class match under his belt, Chakravarthy has been a success story for not only IPL but also for Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he first caught the eyes of scouts and some of the big-name Indian players playing in the tournament.

After being named in Team India’s squad for Australia tour, Chakravarthy said it feels ‘surreal’ to be named in the Indian time as he received praise from all corners of India.

"After the match got over I got to know (of my selection into the Indian team). I keep using the same word again and again, it feels surreal," he told BCCI.tv at the end of the match against Kings XI Punjab on Monday (October 26).

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/where-is-rohit-sharma-why-is-transparency-missing-from-bcci-338235" hreflang="en">Where is Rohit Sharma? Why is transparency missing from BCCI?</a>

Chakravarthy has been bowling some economical spells for KKR and has helped the franchise win some close games. However, his best performance came against Delhi Capitals where Chakravarthy ended up with 5 for 20 in his four-over quota.&nbsp;

Chakravarthy, after being selected in the Indian squad, thanked the selectors for keeping faith in him while adding his basic goal was to play for KKR regularly and contribute to their wins.

"My basic goal was to play in the team regularly and perform and contribute to their wins. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same for India. I am not very active on social media and I have to thank the selectors for keeping the faith in me. I don't really have words."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-indias-squad-for-tour-of-australia-big-names-missing-338129" hreflang="en">BCCI announces India's squad for Tour of Australia; big names missing</a>

Chakravarthy, who is an architect-turned-cricketer, shot to fame in TNPL a couple of years ago and bagged a whopping INR 8.4 crore in IPL to play for Kings XI Punjab. However, he was hammered for 25 runs by Sunil Narine and is now redeeming himself for KKR after being released by KXIP.

"I pretty much started my spin bowling in 2018, that's when I got my breakthrough in TNPL, it's been high and lows - last year, I didn't get many chances and I injured myself, I'm grateful for making a comeback this year. I have been working hard, but the motivation and faith have come from a lot of people around me," he said at the post-match presentation during his Man of the Match interview against the Capitals.

"Around 2015, when I was not making a lot of money (the switch from being an architect to becoming a cricketer), was freelancing and wasn't able to meet my needs, I thought I would do something different, that's when I turned to cricket. I still do it, I like that as well (being an architect)."

He is now excited to talk to his family and share the joyous news with them as he concluded by saying he wasn’t expecting the call-up.

"I'll talk to my parents, my fiance. I'll just talk to them, share the happiness with them. It is just good news for my family. I'm really short of words right now, India call up is big thing. I really wasn't expecting it."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery-spinner who has been making headlines for his bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, has been named in India’s T20I squad against Australia.

Varun Chakravarthy, the mystery-spinner who has been making headlines for his bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, has been named in India’s T20I squad against Australia. With just one First-Class match under his belt, Chakravarthy has been a success story for not only IPL but also for Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he first caught the eyes of scouts and some of the big-name Indian players playing in the tournament. After being named in Team India’s squad for Australia tour, Chakravarthy said it feels ‘surreal’ to be named in the Indian time as he received praise from all corners of India. "After the match got over I got to know (of my selection into the Indian team). I keep using the same word again and again, it feels surreal," he told BCCI.tv at the end of the match against Kings XI Punjab on Monday (October 26). ALSO READ: Where is Rohit Sharma? Why is transparency missing from BCCI? Chakravarthy has been bowling some economical spells for KKR and has helped the franchise win some close games. However, his best performance came against Delhi Capitals where Chakravarthy ended up with 5 for 20 in his four-over quota. Chakravarthy, after being selected in the Indian squad, thanked the selectors for keeping faith in him while adding his basic goal was to play for KKR regularly and contribute to their wins. "My basic goal was to play in the team regularly and perform and contribute to their wins. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same for India. I am not very active on social media and I have to thank the selectors for keeping the faith in me. I don't really have words." ALSO READ: BCCI announces India's squad for Tour of Australia; big names missing Chakravarthy, who is an architect-turned-cricketer, shot to fame in TNPL a couple of years ago and bagged a whopping INR 8.4 crore in IPL to play for Kings XI Punjab. However, he was hammered for 25 runs by Sunil Narine and is now redeeming himself for KKR after being released by KXIP. "I pretty much started my spin bowling in 2018, that's when I got my breakthrough in TNPL, it's been high and lows - last year, I didn't get many chances and I injured myself, I'm grateful for making a comeback this year. I have been working hard, but the motivation and faith have come from a lot of people around me," he said at the post-match presentation during his Man of the Match interview against the Capitals. "Around 2015, when I was not making a lot of money (the switch from being an architect to becoming a cricketer), was freelancing and wasn't able to meet my needs, I thought I would do something different, that's when I turned to cricket. I still do it, I like that as well (being an architect)." He is now excited to talk to his family and share the joyous news with them as he concluded by saying he wasn’t expecting the call-up. "I'll talk to my parents, my fiance. I'll just talk to them, share the happiness with them. It is just good news for my family. I'm really short of words right now, India call up is big thing. I really wasn't expecting it."

'Wasn't expecting it': Architect-turned-cricketer Varun Chakravarthy after being awarded India call-up

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Monday announced the Team India’s squad for the upcoming Australia tour which consists of three T20Is, as many ODIs and four Tests. While some new names featured in three of the squads, a big name in Rohit Sharma was missing from the team sheet. As soon as the squads were announced for the Australia tour, fans and experts started to ask about Rohit Sharma’s fitness.

Rohit, who has blown hot and cold for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 so far, had missed his franchise’s last couple of games where Kieron Pollard was seen leading the Mumbai outfit in Hitman’s absence. While it is understood that Rohit is still recovering from a hamstring strain, the Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) in its press release stated: “The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor the progress of Rohit Sharma”.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-indias-squad-for-for-tour-of-australia-big-names-missing-338129" hreflang="en">BCCI announces India's squad for Tour of Australia; big names missing</a>

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The All-India Senior Selection Committee met via video-conference on Monday to select the Indian Cricket Team for upcoming Tour of Australia. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> will take part in three T20Is, three ODIs &amp; four Test matches against Australia. 
 
More - <a href="https://t.co/64DvpFAh3H">https://t.co/64DvpFAh3H</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1320745776838918144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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No proper fitness update has been provided by the Mumbai Indians camp either as fans and media continue to remain in the dark. Even there are many other points that should have been cleared up by the board and selection committee. Why was Suryakumar Yadav overlooked again? Still no place for Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel in shorter formats? Why was Rishabh Pant dropped from the limited-overs squad?

Indian legend Gavaskar, during the Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders match, called for a bit of transparency and openness as it will help everybody associated with Indian cricket, including the fans. Even Brett Lee, in Star Sports Dugout, assumed that Rohit is ruled out of IPL 2020. Well, that's what unclarity brings to the table.

“We are talking about the Test matches, which are a month and a halfway,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

“And if he is practising in the nets for Mumbai Indians, then honestly I don’t know what kind of injury it is. I think a little bit of transparency, a little bit of openness about what actually is the problem with him will help everybody,” he added.

“The Indian cricket fan deserves to know, more than anything else. The franchisees, I understand. They don’t want to give their hand away. They don’t want to give the oppositions any psychological advantage. But we are talking about the Indian team here. Even Mayank Agarwal for example. For an Indian cricket fan, they ought to know what happens to two of their key players,” Gavaskar said.

Interestingly, moments later after the BCCI announced the squad for Australia tour, in which Rohit’s name was missing, Mumbai Indians took to social media platform Twitter to post a short clip of Rohit hitting the nets and smashing some delightful strokes as they captioned it: “45 seconds of RO 45 in full flow!” So will it be right to say it's an open war between MI and BCCI? That's what happens when there are so many unanswered questions.

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4️⃣5️⃣ seconds of RO 4️⃣5️⃣ in full flow!🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/65ajVQcEKc">pic.twitter.com/65ajVQcEKc</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1320792336683560961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The video came as a surprise to many as BCCI had named KL Rahul as vice-captain of ODI and T20I squad as Rohit’s name went missing.

"If Rohit can play during the last week of IPL, that will be a good enough fitness test and then selectors can think of getting him back in the squad," a source close to the cricketer told PTI on conditions of anonymity.&nbsp;

"Rahul is being looked as India's first-choice white-ball keeper till the 2021 World T20 and beyond. Also he has impressed everyone with his leadership skills and that's why this elevation as vice-captain," the source said.&nbsp;

Even Rishabh Pant was dropped from the ODI and T20I squad but was named in the Test squad. Speculations are rife that the southpaw was dropped due to poor fitness but doesn’t Test cricket demand a lot more fitness than the shorter formats?

As Sunil Gavaskar said, a bit of transparency from the BCCI would help everybody. No press conference was held despite it being the first squad selection under chief selector Sunil Joshi and that too, for such a major tour.&nbsp;

<h2>India name squad for Australia tour: Questions that went unanswered</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Rohit Sharma missing from all three squads. What's his injury update?</li>
	<li>Hardik Pandya missing from Test squad. Will he bowl?</li>
	<li>KL Rahul - vice-captain in ODI and T20Is. Is it a permanent move for the time being?</li>
	<li>Rishabh Pant dropped from ODI and T20I squad. What is the exact reason?</li>
	<li>Varun Chakravarthy selected in the T20I squad. Were Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel discussed?</li>
	<li>What does Suryakumar Yadav need to do to be in the squad? 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Whatever the case may be with Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant or other players who were not named like Suryakumar Yadav, fans of the sport deserve to know the answer to few questions.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Monday announced the Team India’s squad for the upcoming Australia tour which consists of three T20Is, as many ODIs and four Tests.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Monday announced the Team India’s squad for the upcoming Australia tour which consists of three T20Is, as many ODIs and four Tests. While some new names featured in three of the squads, a big name in Rohit Sharma was missing from the team sheet. As soon as the squads were announced for the Australia tour, fans and experts started to ask about Rohit Sharma’s fitness. Rohit, who has blown hot and cold for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 so far, had missed his franchise’s last couple of games where Kieron Pollard was seen leading the Mumbai outfit in Hitman’s absence. While it is understood that Rohit is still recovering from a hamstring strain, the Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) in its press release stated: “The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor the progress of Rohit Sharma”. ALSO READ: BCCI announces India's squad for Tour of Australia; big names missing The All-India Senior Selection Committee met via video-conference on Monday to select the Indian Cricket Team for upcoming Tour of Australia. #TeamIndia will take part in three T20Is, three ODIs & four Test matches against Australia. More - https://t.co/64DvpFAh3H #AUSvIND — BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2020 × No proper fitness update has been provided by the Mumbai Indians camp either as fans and media continue to remain in the dark. Even there are many other points that should have been cleared up by the board and selection committee. Why was Suryakumar Yadav overlooked again? Still no place for Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel in shorter formats? Why was Rishabh Pant dropped from the limited-overs squad? Indian legend Gavaskar, during the Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders match, called for a bit of transparency and openness as it will help everybody associated with Indian cricket, including the fans. Even Brett Lee, in Star Sports Dugout, assumed that Rohit is ruled out of IPL 2020. Well, that's what unclarity brings to the table. “We are talking about the Test matches, which are a month and a halfway,” Gavaskar told Star Sports. “And if he is practising in the nets for Mumbai Indians, then honestly I don’t know what kind of injury it is. I think a little bit of transparency, a little bit of openness about what actually is the problem with him will help everybody,” he added. “The Indian cricket fan deserves to know, more than anything else. The franchisees, I understand. They don’t want to give their hand away. They don’t want to give the oppositions any psychological advantage. But we are talking about the Indian team here. Even Mayank Agarwal for example. For an Indian cricket fan, they ought to know what happens to two of their key players,” Gavaskar said. Interestingly, moments later after the BCCI announced the squad for Australia tour, in which Rohit’s name was missing, Mumbai Indians took to social media platform Twitter to post a short clip of Rohit hitting the nets and smashing some delightful strokes as they captioned it: “45 seconds of RO 45 in full flow!” So will it be right to say it's an open war between MI and BCCI? That's what happens when there are so many unanswered questions. 4️⃣5️⃣ seconds of RO 4️⃣5️⃣ in full flow!🔥#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #Dream11IPL @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/65ajVQcEKc — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 26, 2020 × The video came as a surprise to many as BCCI had named KL Rahul as vice-captain of ODI and T20I squad as Rohit’s name went missing. "If Rohit can play during the last week of IPL, that will be a good enough fitness test and then selectors can think of getting him back in the squad," a source close to the cricketer told PTI on conditions of anonymity. "Rahul is being looked as India's first-choice white-ball keeper till the 2021 World T20 and beyond. Also he has impressed everyone with his leadership skills and that's why this elevation as vice-captain," the source said. Even Rishabh Pant was dropped from the ODI and T20I squad but was named in the Test squad. Speculations are rife that the southpaw was dropped due to poor fitness but doesn’t Test cricket demand a lot more fitness than the shorter formats? As Sunil Gavaskar said, a bit of transparency from the BCCI would help everybody. No press conference was held despite it being the first squad selection under chief selector Sunil Joshi and that too, for such a major tour. India name squad for Australia tour: Questions that went unanswered Rohit Sharma missing from all three squads. What's his injury update? Hardik Pandya missing from Test squad. Will he bowl? KL Rahul - vice-captain in ODI and T20Is. Is it a permanent move for the time being? Rishabh Pant dropped from ODI and T20I squad. What is the exact reason? Varun Chakravarthy selected in the T20I squad. Were Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel discussed? What does Suryakumar Yadav need to do to be in the squad? Whatever the case may be with Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant or other players who were not named like Suryakumar Yadav, fans of the sport deserve to know the answer to few questions.

Where is Rohit Sharma? Why is transparency missing from BCCI?

Former New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Scott Styris has said that he doesn’t see MS Dhoni’s side quality to the playoffs of the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> given their current position in the points table and miserable form.

CSK are lying bottom of IPL 2020 points table but are still ‘mathematically’ in the competition. CSK’s experience have come handy for them almost in every season but Styris is of the view that the ageing squad was supposed to end their cycle one day and it happened this season.

Super Kings have won just three matches of their 10 games so far and have been playing without Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who opted out of the tournament due to personal reasons. Moreover, injuries have hurt CSK really bad this season.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-this-is-as-good-as-manish-pandey-has-ever-played-opines-harsha-bhogle-337360" hreflang="en">This is as good as Manish Pandey has ever played: Harsha Bhogle</a>

"Short answer and it hurts me to say this, I don't think so. I think they are the one side who are out of this tournament right now," Scott Styris told Star Sports when asked about CSK's chances.

"You could tell by Stephen Fleming's press conference last match. He believes the life cycle of this team is gone. We have been talking about it for 3 years, an ageing, old team. When that is the case, the performances, at some stage, were supposed to fall off the cliff as age catches up. I think this year is the year.

"I think they did well to get as far as they did last year. But there are so many match-winners in that CSK side who are a little bit older or not quite finding form. I can't see them turning it around. Apart from Faf du Plessis, with his consistent performances, and Deepak Chahar, there are not much else."

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-maxwell-to-cummins-most-expensive-flops-of-ipl-2020-336698" hreflang="en">From Maxwell to Cummins: Most expensive flops of IPL 2020!</a>

CSK will face the likes of Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab in their remaining matches.

Super Kings will next take on rivals Mumbai Indians in Sharjah on Friday. 
&nbsp;

Former New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Scott Styris has said that he doesn’t see MS Dhoni’s side quality to the playoffs of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 given their current position in the points table and miserable form.

Former New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Scott Styris has said that he doesn’t see MS Dhoni’s side quality to the playoffs of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 given their current position in the points table and miserable form. CSK are lying bottom of IPL 2020 points table but are still ‘mathematically’ in the competition. CSK’s experience have come handy for them almost in every season but Styris is of the view that the ageing squad was supposed to end their cycle one day and it happened this season. Super Kings have won just three matches of their 10 games so far and have been playing without Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who opted out of the tournament due to personal reasons. Moreover, injuries have hurt CSK really bad this season. ALSO READ: This is as good as Manish Pandey has ever played: Harsha Bhogle "Short answer and it hurts me to say this, I don't think so. I think they are the one side who are out of this tournament right now," Scott Styris told Star Sports when asked about CSK's chances. "You could tell by Stephen Fleming's press conference last match. He believes the life cycle of this team is gone. We have been talking about it for 3 years, an ageing, old team. When that is the case, the performances, at some stage, were supposed to fall off the cliff as age catches up. I think this year is the year. "I think they did well to get as far as they did last year. But there are so many match-winners in that CSK side who are a little bit older or not quite finding form. I can't see them turning it around. Apart from Faf du Plessis, with his consistent performances, and Deepak Chahar, there are not much else." IN PICS | From Maxwell to Cummins: Most expensive flops of IPL 2020! CSK will face the likes of Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab in their remaining matches. Super Kings will next take on rivals Mumbai Indians in Sharjah on Friday.

'It hurts me to say this...' - Scott Styris on Chennai Super Kings' hopes in IPL 2020

Indian cricket team’s support staff along with test specialist players are likely to fly to Dubai on October 25 in a bid to prepare for India’s tour of Australia before flying Down Under with the entire squad after the final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to be played on November 10.

Indian support staff headed by Ravi Shastri along with test specialist batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari are ready to depart for a gruelling tour – India’s first international assignment since the COVID-19 outbreak. While Pujara and Vihari haven’t been named in the squad, it is expected that the duo will feature in the four-match Test squad against Tim Paine-led Australia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-tour-of-australia-gets-green-light-check-full-schedule-337092" hreflang="en">India's tour of Australia gets green light; check full schedule</a>

The selection committee is also expected to meet in a couple of days, according to a report in the Mumbai Mirror.

The latest development comes after Cricket Australia received a green signal from the New South Wales authorities to allow the Indian contingent to practice during the quarantine period.

Sydney has now become the arrival spot for the Indian team, which will play four of the six white-ball matches (ODI and T20Is) at the SCG with the remaining two set to be played in Canberra.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-to-select-32-member-indian-squad-for-australia-tour-no-families-allowed-in-bio-bubble-report-336866" hreflang="en">BCCI to select 32-member Indian squad for Australia tour, no families allowed in bio-bubble: Report</a>

“We are all set to host our Indian friends, all the permissions have been obtained,” an upbeat CA chief Earl Eddings told Mirror yesterday. The series was financially very important for the CA as a whopping $ 300 million are at stake for the Australian board.

<h2>India’s tour of Australia (ODI, T20I and Tests) – Tentative Schedule:&nbsp;</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Australia vs India 1st ODI: November 27 at Sydney Cricket Ground</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 2nd ODI: November 29 at Sydney Cricket Ground</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 3rd ODI: December 1 at Manuka Oval</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 1st T20I: December 4 at Manuka Oval</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 2nd T20I: December 6 at Sydney Cricket Ground</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 3rd T20I: December 8 at Sydney Cricket Ground</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 1st Test (Day and Night): December 17-21 at Adelaide Oval</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 2nd Test (Boxing Day): December 26-30 at Melbourne Cricket Ground/Adelaide Oval</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 3rd Test: January 7-11 at Sydney Cricket Ground</li>
	<li>Australia vs India 4th Test: January 15-19 at Brisbane 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Indian cricket team’s support staff along with test specialist players are likely to fly to Dubai on October 25 in a bid to prepare for India’s tour of Australia before flying Down Under with the entire squad after the final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to be played on November 10.

Indian cricket team’s support staff along with test specialist players are likely to fly to Dubai on October 25 in a bid to prepare for India’s tour of Australia before flying Down Under with the entire squad after the final of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to be played on November 10. Indian support staff headed by Ravi Shastri along with test specialist batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari are ready to depart for a gruelling tour – India’s first international assignment since the COVID-19 outbreak. While Pujara and Vihari haven’t been named in the squad, it is expected that the duo will feature in the four-match Test squad against Tim Paine-led Australia. ALSO READ: India's tour of Australia gets green light; check full schedule The selection committee is also expected to meet in a couple of days, according to a report in the Mumbai Mirror. The latest development comes after Cricket Australia received a green signal from the New South Wales authorities to allow the Indian contingent to practice during the quarantine period. Sydney has now become the arrival spot for the Indian team, which will play four of the six white-ball matches (ODI and T20Is) at the SCG with the remaining two set to be played in Canberra. ALSO READ: BCCI to select 32-member Indian squad for Australia tour, no families allowed in bio-bubble: Report “We are all set to host our Indian friends, all the permissions have been obtained,” an upbeat CA chief Earl Eddings told Mirror yesterday. The series was financially very important for the CA as a whopping $ 300 million are at stake for the Australian board. India’s tour of Australia (ODI, T20I and Tests) – Tentative Schedule: Australia vs India 1st ODI: November 27 at Sydney Cricket Ground Australia vs India 2nd ODI: November 29 at Sydney Cricket Ground Australia vs India 3rd ODI: December 1 at Manuka Oval Australia vs India 1st T20I: December 4 at Manuka Oval Australia vs India 2nd T20I: December 6 at Sydney Cricket Ground Australia vs India 3rd T20I: December 8 at Sydney Cricket Ground Australia vs India 1st Test (Day and Night): December 17-21 at Adelaide Oval Australia vs India 2nd Test (Boxing Day): December 26-30 at Melbourne Cricket Ground/Adelaide Oval Australia vs India 3rd Test: January 7-11 at Sydney Cricket Ground Australia vs India 4th Test: January 15-19 at Brisbane

Australia vs India: Support staff, Test specialists to fly on October 25

Hyderabad brushed Rajasthan aside in Match 40 of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League 2020</a>, at Dubai. Hyderabad bowled well, with especially Jason Holder (4-0-33-3), Vijay Shankar (3-0-15-1), and Rashid Khan (4-0-20-1) leading the way, to restrict Rajasthan to 154/6. Jofra Archer (4-0-21-2) then reduced Hyderabad to 16/2 before Manish Pandey (83* in 47 balls) and Shankar (52* in 51) saw them to an 8-wicket win with 11 balls to spare.

Harsha Bhogle spoke highly of Pandey in the My11 Circle Cricbuzz Analysis: “They [Hyderabad] were in trouble, make no mistake, against a sub-par score with Jofra Archer bowling like the wind … But when you pay big bucks to your top-order batsmen, this is the kind of innings you want them to play, where you not just weather the storm but you take the attack to the opposition. Not a cameo, not a 30-35, but you take the team time. I have seen Manish Pandey play some good innings, but this is as good as he has ever played.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-pandey-shankar-strike-unbeaten-fifties-in-sunrisers-win-over-rr-337349">Pandey, Shankar strike unbeaten fifties in Sunrisers' win over RR</a>

While lauding Archer’s superb probing, Bhogle pointed out how dependent the Rajasthan was on him: “It’s looking like Archer at one end, and then [Steven] Smith is looking around.”

For Rajasthan, Ben Stokes has not lived up to the immense expectations. Lisa Sthalekar explained: “I think they really have to got to have a look at Ben Stokes and what he is giving them. That is international sport, and he is not just performing with bat or ball, and maybe he just needs some time out.”

Elaborating on what went wrong with his batting, Sthalekar explained: “You just need to have fast hands, get the ball in the middle of the bat, but he was trying to hit himself out of form, out of the slump he is in.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-mccullum-wants-more-from-kolkata-batsman-337143" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: McCullum wants more from Kolkata batsman</a>

Bhogle agreed: “Ben Stokes is an outstanding Test match cricketer and a very, very high-calibre One-Day cricketer. Those numbers force a question whether he is as good in the T20 format.” Following ordinary shows in 2018 and 2019, Stokes has scored 110 runs in 2020 at a strike rate of 106.79, while his bowling figures read 8-0-82-0.

Thanks to the win, Sunrisers jumped from seventh to fifth place, while Rajasthan slid to seventh. They are above only Chennai.

Hyderabad brushed Rajasthan aside in Match 40 of the Indian Premier League 2020, at Dubai. Hyderabad bowled well, with especially Jason Holder (4-0-33-3), Vijay Shankar (3-0-15-1), and Rashid Khan (4-0-20-1) leading the way, to restrict Rajasthan to 154/6.

Hyderabad brushed Rajasthan aside in Match 40 of the Indian Premier League 2020, at Dubai. Hyderabad bowled well, with especially Jason Holder (4-0-33-3), Vijay Shankar (3-0-15-1), and Rashid Khan (4-0-20-1) leading the way, to restrict Rajasthan to 154/6. Jofra Archer (4-0-21-2) then reduced Hyderabad to 16/2 before Manish Pandey (83* in 47 balls) and Shankar (52* in 51) saw them to an 8-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Harsha Bhogle spoke highly of Pandey in the My11 Circle Cricbuzz Analysis: “They [Hyderabad] were in trouble, make no mistake, against a sub-par score with Jofra Archer bowling like the wind … But when you pay big bucks to your top-order batsmen, this is the kind of innings you want them to play, where you not just weather the storm but you take the attack to the opposition. Not a cameo, not a 30-35, but you take the team time. I have seen Manish Pandey play some good innings, but this is as good as he has ever played.” ALSO READ: Pandey, Shankar strike unbeaten fifties in Sunrisers' win over RR While lauding Archer’s superb probing, Bhogle pointed out how dependent the Rajasthan was on him: “It’s looking like Archer at one end, and then [Steven] Smith is looking around.” For Rajasthan, Ben Stokes has not lived up to the immense expectations. Lisa Sthalekar explained: “I think they really have to got to have a look at Ben Stokes and what he is giving them. That is international sport, and he is not just performing with bat or ball, and maybe he just needs some time out.” Elaborating on what went wrong with his batting, Sthalekar explained: “You just need to have fast hands, get the ball in the middle of the bat, but he was trying to hit himself out of form, out of the slump he is in.” ALSO READ: IPL 2020: McCullum wants more from Kolkata batsman Bhogle agreed: “Ben Stokes is an outstanding Test match cricketer and a very, very high-calibre One-Day cricketer. Those numbers force a question whether he is as good in the T20 format.” Following ordinary shows in 2018 and 2019, Stokes has scored 110 runs in 2020 at a strike rate of 106.79, while his bowling figures read 8-0-82-0. Thanks to the win, Sunrisers jumped from seventh to fifth place, while Rajasthan slid to seventh. They are above only Chennai.

IPL 2020: This is as good as Manish Pandey has ever played, opines Harsha Bhogle

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard is the kind of special talent football needs but he may struggle to recapture his best form as injury continues to rob him of time on the pitch, Danish great Michael Laudrup has said.

Hazard joined Real from Chelsea last year for a fee of 100 million euros ($118 million) but his impact in Spain has been minimal due to two ankle injuries.

The Belgian made only 14 league starts last season, scoring one goal, and the 29-year-old is yet to play in the current campaign due to a muscle injury.

“Every time you think he’s back he plays a few games and then he’s out again ... it’s so sad to see a great player like him and the weeks and months are just disappearing for him,” Laudrup, who played for Real from 1994-1996, told the BBC.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong, he had some injuries at Chelsea but never this much ... I hope he’ll come back but the problem is as you get older it’s tougher to come back at the level you were before.

“I’ve watched him so many times with Chelsea and Belgium and really enjoy him because I think we lack these kinds of players in football nowadays, players who take the ball and players who go one-on-one or one-on-two.

“We need them, otherwise we just play the ball around and who is going to do the special things?”

Real visit Barcelona in the season’s first Clasico on Saturday.

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard is the kind of special talent football needs but he may struggle to recapture his best form as injury continues to rob him of time on the pitch, Danish great Michael Laudrup has said.

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard is the kind of special talent football needs but he may struggle to recapture his best form as injury continues to rob him of time on the pitch, Danish great Michael Laudrup has said. Hazard joined Real from Chelsea last year for a fee of 100 million euros ($118 million) but his impact in Spain has been minimal due to two ankle injuries. The Belgian made only 14 league starts last season, scoring one goal, and the 29-year-old is yet to play in the current campaign due to a muscle injury. “Every time you think he’s back he plays a few games and then he’s out again ... it’s so sad to see a great player like him and the weeks and months are just disappearing for him,” Laudrup, who played for Real from 1994-1996, told the BBC. “I don’t understand what’s wrong, he had some injuries at Chelsea but never this much ... I hope he’ll come back but the problem is as you get older it’s tougher to come back at the level you were before. “I’ve watched him so many times with Chelsea and Belgium and really enjoy him because I think we lack these kinds of players in football nowadays, players who take the ball and players who go one-on-one or one-on-two. “We need them, otherwise we just play the ball around and who is going to do the special things?” Real visit Barcelona in the season’s first Clasico on Saturday.

Hazard a special talent but time slipping away: Laudrup

Rafael Nadal will swap his rackets for his golf clubs on Saturday and play in the Balearic Championship in Mallorca, according to a report in Spain.

Nadal is an excellent golfer with a handicap of 0.3 and will join the list of 60 players for the tournament, which includes 23 professionals and 37 amateurs, said Diario de Mallorca on Thursday.

It is not Nadal's first foray into golf, with the Spaniard finishing second just last weekend in the V Test Circuit Hexagonal - Autovidal in Calvia.

The 34-year-old beat Novak Djokovic to win his 13th French Open title earlier this month and move level with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles.

Rafael Nadal will swap his rackets for his golf clubs on Saturday and play in the Balearic Championship in Mallorca, according to a report in Spain. Nadal is an excellent golfer with a handicap of 0.

Rafael Nadal will swap his rackets for his golf clubs on Saturday and play in the Balearic Championship in Mallorca, according to a report in Spain. Nadal is an excellent golfer with a handicap of 0.3 and will join the list of 60 players for the tournament, which includes 23 professionals and 37 amateurs, said Diario de Mallorca on Thursday. It is not Nadal's first foray into golf, with the Spaniard finishing second just last weekend in the V Test Circuit Hexagonal - Autovidal in Calvia. The 34-year-old beat Novak Djokovic to win his 13th French Open title earlier this month and move level with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal to play professional golf tournament in Mallorca

Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to an opening 3-0 victory over LASK of Austria in their Europa League campaign on Thursday but Celtic suffered another setback with a home 3-1 loss at the hands of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan.

There were also wins for Spurs' Premier League rivals Arsenal and Leicester which left English sides looking back on a promising week in Europe with six victories and one draw from Champions League and Europa League games.

Despite Bale starting for the first time since his return from Real Madrid, it was on-loan Carlos Vinicius who made an impressive debut as Tottenham enjoyed a 3-0 win in their Group J opener.

Vinicius started in place of the resting Harry Kane and he made goals in either half for Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min, while he would have also netted himself had Andres Andrade not scored an own goal.

Bale made that goal where Andrade put through his own net.

Leicester made the perfect start in Group G with a comfortable 3-0 win over Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine.

James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho were on the scoresheet.

In Glasgow, Celtic struggled against Serie A leaders Milan who were 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Rade Krunic and Brahim Diaz.

Mohamed Elyounoussi reduced the arrears after the break, but Jens Petter Hauge broke clear to secure Milan's Group H win in stoppage time.

Milan were so comfortable that they could afford to take Ibrahimovic off just after the hour.

<h2>- Ozil TV support -</h2>

Earlier Thursday, Arsenal came from behind to down Rapid Vienna 2-1 and Rangers beat Standard Liege 2-0.

Arsenal, the 2019 finalists under Unai Emery, were struggling to make an impact in Austria.

After a goalless first half they went behind when keeper Bernd Leno fluffed a clearance on a night he will want to forget.

Taxiarchis Fountas capitalised on Leno's clanger, much to the joy of the 3,000 home fans allowed in to watch under coronavirus safety protocol, but the Gunners then turned the game around in four second half minutes.

David Luiz put them level with a deft glancing header off Nicolas Pepe's free-kick, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then tapping home to bag the three Group B points.

It was an eventful night for Mikel Arteta's side with alongside eight yellow cards an eye catching display from Thomas Partey on his first start since his transfer deadline day move from Atletico Madrid.

A frustrated follower of the game from his London sofa was Mesut Ozil, who has been left out of both Arsenal's Europa League and Premier League squad.

"When I can't support on the pitch tonight, I will support in front of the TV in London." tweeted Ozil.

The other Group B game was being played out in Dublin where Dundalk, only Ireland's third ever representative in the group stage, were beaten 2-1 by Norwegians Molde.

In Belgium, Steven Gerrard's Rangers took on Standard Liege fresh from their Old Firm derby win over Celtic which moved them four points clear in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.

With the rain coming down, James Tavernier scored from the spot after Noe Dussenne handled in the area to put them into a 19th minute lead.

Then three minutes into stoppage time Kemar Roofe produced a wonder goal from the halfway line, the ball flying over the head of bewildered keeper Arnaud Bodart.

Benfica had claimed the first goal of the night and they went on to beat Lech Poznan in Poland 4-2 in the other Group D game.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen ran riot 6-2 against French side Nice and Spanish side Granada, in their first ever European campaign, beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1.

Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to an opening 3-0 victory over LASK of Austria in their Europa League campaign on Thursday but Celtic suffered another setback with a home 3-1 loss at the hands of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan.

Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to an opening 3-0 victory over LASK of Austria in their Europa League campaign on Thursday but Celtic suffered another setback with a home 3-1 loss at the hands of Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan. There were also wins for Spurs' Premier League rivals Arsenal and Leicester which left English sides looking back on a promising week in Europe with six victories and one draw from Champions League and Europa League games. Despite Bale starting for the first time since his return from Real Madrid, it was on-loan Carlos Vinicius who made an impressive debut as Tottenham enjoyed a 3-0 win in their Group J opener. Vinicius started in place of the resting Harry Kane and he made goals in either half for Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min, while he would have also netted himself had Andres Andrade not scored an own goal. Bale made that goal where Andrade put through his own net. Leicester made the perfect start in Group G with a comfortable 3-0 win over Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine. James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho were on the scoresheet. In Glasgow, Celtic struggled against Serie A leaders Milan who were 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Rade Krunic and Brahim Diaz. Mohamed Elyounoussi reduced the arrears after the break, but Jens Petter Hauge broke clear to secure Milan's Group H win in stoppage time. Milan were so comfortable that they could afford to take Ibrahimovic off just after the hour. - Ozil TV support - Earlier Thursday, Arsenal came from behind to down Rapid Vienna 2-1 and Rangers beat Standard Liege 2-0. Arsenal, the 2019 finalists under Unai Emery, were struggling to make an impact in Austria. After a goalless first half they went behind when keeper Bernd Leno fluffed a clearance on a night he will want to forget. Taxiarchis Fountas capitalised on Leno's clanger, much to the joy of the 3,000 home fans allowed in to watch under coronavirus safety protocol, but the Gunners then turned the game around in four second half minutes. David Luiz put them level with a deft glancing header off Nicolas Pepe's free-kick, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then tapping home to bag the three Group B points. It was an eventful night for Mikel Arteta's side with alongside eight yellow cards an eye catching display from Thomas Partey on his first start since his transfer deadline day move from Atletico Madrid. A frustrated follower of the game from his London sofa was Mesut Ozil, who has been left out of both Arsenal's Europa League and Premier League squad. "When I can't support on the pitch tonight, I will support in front of the TV in London." tweeted Ozil. The other Group B game was being played out in Dublin where Dundalk, only Ireland's third ever representative in the group stage, were beaten 2-1 by Norwegians Molde. In Belgium, Steven Gerrard's Rangers took on Standard Liege fresh from their Old Firm derby win over Celtic which moved them four points clear in the Scottish Premiership last weekend. With the rain coming down, James Tavernier scored from the spot after Noe Dussenne handled in the area to put them into a 19th minute lead. Then three minutes into stoppage time Kemar Roofe produced a wonder goal from the halfway line, the ball flying over the head of bewildered keeper Arnaud Bodart. Benfica had claimed the first goal of the night and they went on to beat Lech Poznan in Poland 4-2 in the other Group D game. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen ran riot 6-2 against French side Nice and Spanish side Granada, in their first ever European campaign, beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1.

Bale starts as Spurs win, Celtic undone by Milan

Manish Pandey smashed eight sixes in a blistering 83 after Jason Holder made an instant impact with the ball as Sunrisers Hyderbad kept themselves in the race for IPL play-offs with an eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals here on Thursday.

Pandey and Vijay Shankar (52) stitched an unbroken 140-run partnership after Holder led a disciplined bowling display to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 154 for six.

Playing his first match of the tournament, Holder (3/33) came up with an impressive bowling effort while also affecting a run out to destabilise the RR innings. Rashid Khan (1/20) and Vijay Shankar (1/15) picked a wicket each.

During his unbeaten 47-ball knock, Pandey hit four balls to the fence and eight over it, while Shankar struck six boundaries.

The duo played intelligently in a must-win game for the Sunrisers.

With the win, Sunrisers moved up to the fifth spot, while the Royals were pushed down to seventh.

The Sunrisers' chase was off to the worst possible start with skipper David Warner (4) giving away his wicket to Jofra Archer once again in the very first over. The Barbadian-born English pacer then got rid of Jonny Bairstow (10) in his second over.

With the dangerous openers back in the dugout, Pandey made full use of the field restrictions in the first six overs. He targeted young Kartik Tyagi, smashing the right-arm medium pacer for three boundaries and two sixes.

Pandey survived an lbw scare in the ninth over. He continued to pick the Rajasthan bowlers with Shankar holding fort at the other end.

Eventually the all-rounder, too, found his mojo, hitting back-to-back fours off leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal in the 11 over. He also hit Archer for three successive boundaries.

Earlier, Sunrisers, who were struggling at the penultimate spot in the points table with only three wins from nine outings, opted to bowl after winning the toss at the Dubai International Stadium.

For RR, Sanju Samson (36 off 26 balls) was the top scorer.

Put in to bat, Robin Uthappa looked in rampaging form, hitting the first four and six of the innings. He quickly raced to 19 off 13 balls.

However, his time in the middle was short lived. After Ben Stokes (30) hit Holder for back-to-back boundaries in the fourth over, the West Indies skipper effected Uthappa's run out as the Indian was late to turn back at the non-striker's end.

The powerplay overs yielded 47 runs, including six fours and a maximum, for the loss of one wicket.

The big-hitting Stokes was dropped on 17 in the eighth over by Shankar off a Rashid delivery. Alongside Samson, he kept the scoreboard ticking.

A 56-run stand between the two was broken in the 12th over by Holder. Samson, who had reached his highest score since the 85 against Kings XI Punjab in RR's second match of the tournament, was bowled by a slow off-cutter, after pulling the previous delivery over midwicket for a huge six.

Stokes' stay came to an end when the World Cup winning all-rounder was bowled by Rashid in the beginning of the 13th over, with the Sunrisers bowlers making a strong comeback in the middle overs. RR then lost wickets at regular intervals.

Jos Buttler, too, fell quickly as he was sent back by Shankar in the 16th over with skipper Steve Smith (19) also failing to make an impact.

Manish Pandey smashed eight sixes in a blistering 83 after Jason Holder made an instant impact with the ball as Sunrisers Hyderbad kept themselves in the race for IPL play-offs with an eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals here on Thursday.

Manish Pandey smashed eight sixes in a blistering 83 after Jason Holder made an instant impact with the ball as Sunrisers Hyderbad kept themselves in the race for IPL play-offs with an eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals here on Thursday. Pandey and Vijay Shankar (52) stitched an unbroken 140-run partnership after Holder led a disciplined bowling display to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 154 for six. Playing his first match of the tournament, Holder (3/33) came up with an impressive bowling effort while also affecting a run out to destabilise the RR innings. Rashid Khan (1/20) and Vijay Shankar (1/15) picked a wicket each. During his unbeaten 47-ball knock, Pandey hit four balls to the fence and eight over it, while Shankar struck six boundaries. The duo played intelligently in a must-win game for the Sunrisers. With the win, Sunrisers moved up to the fifth spot, while the Royals were pushed down to seventh. The Sunrisers' chase was off to the worst possible start with skipper David Warner (4) giving away his wicket to Jofra Archer once again in the very first over. The Barbadian-born English pacer then got rid of Jonny Bairstow (10) in his second over. With the dangerous openers back in the dugout, Pandey made full use of the field restrictions in the first six overs. He targeted young Kartik Tyagi, smashing the right-arm medium pacer for three boundaries and two sixes. Pandey survived an lbw scare in the ninth over. He continued to pick the Rajasthan bowlers with Shankar holding fort at the other end. Eventually the all-rounder, too, found his mojo, hitting back-to-back fours off leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal in the 11 over. He also hit Archer for three successive boundaries. Earlier, Sunrisers, who were struggling at the penultimate spot in the points table with only three wins from nine outings, opted to bowl after winning the toss at the Dubai International Stadium. For RR, Sanju Samson (36 off 26 balls) was the top scorer. Put in to bat, Robin Uthappa looked in rampaging form, hitting the first four and six of the innings. He quickly raced to 19 off 13 balls. However, his time in the middle was short lived. After Ben Stokes (30) hit Holder for back-to-back boundaries in the fourth over, the West Indies skipper effected Uthappa's run out as the Indian was late to turn back at the non-striker's end. The powerplay overs yielded 47 runs, including six fours and a maximum, for the loss of one wicket. The big-hitting Stokes was dropped on 17 in the eighth over by Shankar off a Rashid delivery. Alongside Samson, he kept the scoreboard ticking. A 56-run stand between the two was broken in the 12th over by Holder. Samson, who had reached his highest score since the 85 against Kings XI Punjab in RR's second match of the tournament, was bowled by a slow off-cutter, after pulling the previous delivery over midwicket for a huge six. Stokes' stay came to an end when the World Cup winning all-rounder was bowled by Rashid in the beginning of the 13th over, with the Sunrisers bowlers making a strong comeback in the middle overs. RR then lost wickets at regular intervals. Jos Buttler, too, fell quickly as he was sent back by Shankar in the 16th over with skipper Steve Smith (19) also failing to make an impact.

IPL 2020: Pandey, Shankar strike unbeaten fifties in Sunrisers' win over RR

He was once known as the most creative football player in the world. His fans called him - the perfect passing machine. His name is Mesut Ozil, a German football player of Turkish descent. In 2014 - he was a key contributor to Germany’s FIFA World Cup victory. But since then - Ozil hasn't really been at his best. For all the talent - his career has dwindled in rapid fashion and he has now been left out of Arsenal's Premier League and Europa League squad.<o:p></o:p>

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager: “He has had opportunities as have everybody else. I'm sad that I had to leave three players out of this list.”<o:p></o:p>

Ozil is disappointed and he has gone public with his feelings as he shared a letter on Thursday to express his dismay at the decision. The former Real Madrid midfielder wrote, “I will continue to train as best as I can and wherever possible use my voice against inhumanity and for justice'

<o:p></o:p>

What exactly was the player referring to?<o:p></o:p>

His supporters say --- the situation of Uighur Muslims in China's Xinjiang province is related to his current situation. They have flooded the internet with theories that the Chinese regime played a major role in the midfielder's exile. <o:p></o:p>

In question - is Arsenal's significant commercial presence in China the main reason behind it?<o:p></o:p>

But what exactly fueled the china theory?<o:p></o:p>

It all began with this social media post by Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong as he said Ozil had been left out of the Arsenal squad for speaking up for Uighurs. In December 2019 - Ozil who is a Muslim - put out a social media post calling China's Uighur Muslims 'warriors who resist persecution'.<o:p></o:p>

The post went viral - and Ozil was taken out of several video games in China. Even his club's next game against Manchester City - was removed from state broadcaster CCTV's schedule.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hay%C4%B1rl%C4%B1CumalarDo%C4%9FuT%C3%BCrkistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HayırlıCumalarDoğuTürkistan</a> 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/dJgeK4KSIk">pic.twitter.com/dJgeK4KSIk</a>
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) <a href="https://twitter.com/MesutOzil1088/status/1205439723302469632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Chinese state media launched a massive campaign to discredit the player.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

They called him 'silly'. Somebody 'who lives in his imaginary world'. And a man who will decline in influence and will pay a fair price for his words that support terrorism.<o:p></o:p>

One year on - Ozil has been kicked out of his team. His team manager says it’s a purely professional decision. "What I can say from my side is that it is just a football decision. My conscience is very calm because I have been really fair with him.”<o:p></o:p>

But the Chinese state media is celebrating. The Global Times says - Ozil is reaping the consequences of his words.<o:p></o:p>

So is the Chinese regime really behind the player's exile from the Arsenal squad? Or is it just a football decision?<o:p></o:p>

The debate continues...<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

He was once known as the most creative football player in the world. His fans called him - the perfect passing machine. His name is Mesut Ozil, a German football player of Turkish descent.

He was once known as the most creative football player in the world. His fans called him - the perfect passing machine. His name is Mesut Ozil, a German football player of Turkish descent. In 2014 - he was a key contributor to Germany’s FIFA World Cup victory. But since then - Ozil hasn't really been at his best. For all the talent - his career has dwindled in rapid fashion and he has now been left out of Arsenal's Premier League and Europa League squad. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager: “He has had opportunities as have everybody else. I'm sad that I had to leave three players out of this list.” Ozil is disappointed and he has gone public with his feelings as he shared a letter on Thursday to express his dismay at the decision. The former Real Madrid midfielder wrote, “I will continue to train as best as I can and wherever possible use my voice against inhumanity and for justice' What exactly was the player referring to? His supporters say --- the situation of Uighur Muslims in China's Xinjiang province is related to his current situation. They have flooded the internet with theories that the Chinese regime played a major role in the midfielder's exile. In question - is Arsenal's significant commercial presence in China the main reason behind it? But what exactly fueled the china theory? It all began with this social media post by Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong as he said Ozil had been left out of the Arsenal squad for speaking up for Uighurs. In December 2019 - Ozil who is a Muslim - put out a social media post calling China's Uighur Muslims 'warriors who resist persecution'. The post went viral - and Ozil was taken out of several video games in China. Even his club's next game against Manchester City - was removed from state broadcaster CCTV's schedule. #HayırlıCumalarDoğuTürkistan 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/dJgeK4KSIk — Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) December 13, 2019 × The Chinese state media launched a massive campaign to discredit the player. They called him 'silly'. Somebody 'who lives in his imaginary world'. And a man who will decline in influence and will pay a fair price for his words that support terrorism. One year on - Ozil has been kicked out of his team. His team manager says it’s a purely professional decision. "What I can say from my side is that it is just a football decision. My conscience is very calm because I have been really fair with him.” But the Chinese state media is celebrating. The Global Times says - Ozil is reaping the consequences of his words. So is the Chinese regime really behind the player's exile from the Arsenal squad? Or is it just a football decision? The debate continues...

Mesut Ozil in Arsenal: Guilty for speaking out or not the same footballer anymore?

Chennai Super Kings will take on Mumbai Indians at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday as the two of the most successful teams in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> lock horns in the 13th edition of the T20 tournament.&nbsp;

CSK are lying bottom in the IPL 2020 points table with only three wins under their belt whereas MI are third in the standings with six wins. The battle between CSK and MI have always been deemed as ‘El Clasico’ of cricket and both the sides would be looking to put a spectacle for the fans.

Given the sluggish and deteriorating pitch in Sharjah, a score of 200-plus looks unlikely but it could change drastically if the batsmen get it going in smaller boundaries of Sharjah.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-vs-mi-preview-super-kings-look-to-stay-mathematically-alive-in-tournament-337436">IPL 2020, CSK vs MI Preview: Super Kings look to stay 'mathematically' alive</a>

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will take place at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians begins at 7:30 PM IST on Friday (October 23).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will be aired live on Star Sports channels. Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD.

<h2>How to watch IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians at WION. 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings will take on Mumbai Indians at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday as the two of the most successful teams in Indian Premier League (IPL) lock horns in the 13th edition of the T20 tournament.

Chennai Super Kings will take on Mumbai Indians at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday as the two of the most successful teams in Indian Premier League (IPL) lock horns in the 13th edition of the T20 tournament. CSK are lying bottom in the IPL 2020 points table with only three wins under their belt whereas MI are third in the standings with six wins. The battle between CSK and MI have always been deemed as ‘El Clasico’ of cricket and both the sides would be looking to put a spectacle for the fans. Given the sluggish and deteriorating pitch in Sharjah, a score of 200-plus looks unlikely but it could change drastically if the batsmen get it going in smaller boundaries of Sharjah. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, CSK vs MI Preview: Super Kings look to stay 'mathematically' alive Where will the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians take place? The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will take place at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. What time will the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians begin? The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians begins at 7:30 PM IST on Friday (October 23). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians? The IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will be aired live on Star Sports channels. Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD. How to watch IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians at WION.

CSK vs MI, IPL 2020 Live Streaming: How to watch Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians?

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