<p>Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to start from today (September 19) with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi. While there is massive hype surrounding the IPL 2020, predictions and analysis have started to pour in the lead up to the lucrative T20 tournament.</p>

<p>Former England spinner Monty Panesar, while speaking exclusively to WION's Subhayan Chakraborty, predicted the top four teams and winners of IPL 2020, which is being staged in the UAE behind closed doors.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>WATCH: Monty Panesar previews all 8 IPL franchise and predicts top four teams&nbsp;</h2>

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<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Panesar further predicted the winners of Orange Cap (highest run-scorer) and Purple Cap (highest wicket-taker) in the IPL 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Picking his top four teams in IPL 2020, Panesar said he feels Delhi Capitals are one of the strongest in the 13th edition of IPL with a great mix of youth and experience as he said that the conditions might suit the DC players more than other franchise.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about Royal Challengers Bangalore, Panesar said it may come down to how Virat Kohli manages the squad and takes his decision on the field and went on to keep the Bengaluru-based outfit in his top four. Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians were the next picks by Panesar to complete his top four IPL 2020 teams.</p>

<p>Monty Panesar’s top 4 teams in IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore</p>

<p>The former England international, who scalped 167 wickets in Test cricket, went on to predict Delhi Capitals as the winner of IPL 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-king-kohli-to-afghan-spin-wizard-five-to-watch-in-ipl-2020-328330" hreflang="en">From King Kohli to Afghan spin wizard: five to watch in IPL 2020</a></strong></p>

<p>Completing his predictions for IPL 2020, Panesar named Rashid Khan to bag the Purple Cap while naming Rishabh Pant to win the Orange Cap in the tournament.</p>


Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to start from today (September 19) with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi.

Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to start from today (September 19) with defending champions Mumbai Indians facing three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi. While there is massive hype surrounding the IPL 2020, predictions and analysis have started to pour in the lead up to the lucrative T20 tournament. Former England spinner Monty Panesar, while speaking exclusively to WION's Subhayan Chakraborty, predicted the top four teams and winners of IPL 2020, which is being staged in the UAE behind closed doors. WATCH: Monty Panesar previews all 8 IPL franchise and predicts top four teams × Panesar further predicted the winners of Orange Cap (highest run-scorer) and Purple Cap (highest wicket-taker) in the IPL 2020. Picking his top four teams in IPL 2020, Panesar said he feels Delhi Capitals are one of the strongest in the 13th edition of IPL with a great mix of youth and experience as he said that the conditions might suit the DC players more than other franchise. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Talking about Royal Challengers Bangalore, Panesar said it may come down to how Virat Kohli manages the squad and takes his decision on the field and went on to keep the Bengaluru-based outfit in his top four. Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians were the next picks by Panesar to complete his top four IPL 2020 teams. Monty Panesar’s top 4 teams in IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore The former England international, who scalped 167 wickets in Test cricket, went on to predict Delhi Capitals as the winner of IPL 2020. ALSO READ: From King Kohli to Afghan spin wizard: five to watch in IPL 2020 Completing his predictions for IPL 2020, Panesar named Rashid Khan to bag the Purple Cap while naming Rishabh Pant to win the Orange Cap in the tournament.

Monty Panesar predicts winners of IPL 2020, picks favourites for Orange and Purple cap

<p>Earlier this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, countless&nbsp;frontline&nbsp;workers risked their lives for the sake of others, with their selfless efforts. As a small token of gratitude, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> franchise Delhi Capitals, through its digital initiative "Salaam Dilli", recognised the contribution of some frontline workers from Delhi NCR.</p>

<p>Inspired and humbled by the efforts of these courageous citizens, the Delhi Capitals official match jersey will bear the "Thank You COVID Warriors" message for the entire duration of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">IPL 2020</a>.</p>

<p>On Thursday, members of the Delhi Capitals squad, including CEO Mr. Dhiraj Malhotra, Assistant Coach Mohammad Kaif, and senior players Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra, interacted with these COVID heroes through a virtual meet. On the occasion, the participants also unboxed a surprise delivery package, which comprised a letter of gratitude and personalised jerseys on behalf of the Delhi Capitals team.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p>Under the 'Salaam Dilli' initiative, Delhi Capitals featured the following COVID warriors from the city:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Ms. Manika Bhadwar: Fed underprivileged people through her own kitchen&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Ms. Pomilla Gupta: Ran a kitchen for stray dogs during the lockdown&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Mr. Sourav Das &amp; Mrs. Laxmi Das - Distributed home-made masks for free, installed mask vending machines in public places&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Dr. Atul Gogia - Stood at the frontline to treat COVID patients&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Ms. Niharika Dwivedi - Donated personal savings to buy air tickets for a family of migrant workers&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Mr. Amit Phogat &amp; Mr. Ravinder Dharwal - Delhi Police constables who donated, and ran a plasma donation network&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>Here's what members of the Delhi Capitals squad had to say during the interaction:</p>

<p><strong>WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-exclusive-australias-josh-hazlewood-on-ipl-2020-csk-and-ms-dhoni-and-india-series-316501" hreflang="en">WION Exclusive: Australia's Josh Hazlewood on IPL 2020, CSK and MS Dhoni and India series</a></strong></p>

<p><b>Ishant Sharma</b>&nbsp;"Throughout the pandemic, frontline workers have dedicated themselves to protecting&nbsp;our population. To all the sanitation workers, doctors, security forces, blood donors, social workers, drivers, and their respective families - this small token of thanks from our team is testament of your service towards humanity."</p>

<p><b>Amit Mishra</b>&nbsp;"It is heartening to see youngsters like Nikarika working and supporting people during these difficult times. Words are not enough to thank these COVID warriors. A big Salaam from all of us for you. As our world continues to battle and survive this pandemic, it’s efforts like yours that will continue to inspire, and make a difference."</p>

<p><b>Dhiraj Malhotra</b>&nbsp;"At Delhi Capitals, we believe there’s no work greater than service to others. And to serve others amidst a global pandemic, and to take on the responsibility of keeping countless lives safe, is tremendous, to say the least. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts, for your unparalleled service in these tough times going beyond the call of duty."</p>

<p><b>Mohammad Kaif</b>&nbsp;"It takes real selflessness, humility and desire to be able to put others first in this battle for survival. Therefore, I would like to express my huge gratitude to all of you for making the world a better place. I want to salute you, the real warriors, on behalf of the DC family."&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Earlier this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, countless frontline workers risked their lives for the sake of others, with their selfless efforts.

Earlier this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, countless frontline workers risked their lives for the sake of others, with their selfless efforts. As a small token of gratitude, Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals, through its digital initiative "Salaam Dilli", recognised the contribution of some frontline workers from Delhi NCR. Inspired and humbled by the efforts of these courageous citizens, the Delhi Capitals official match jersey will bear the "Thank You COVID Warriors" message for the entire duration of IPL 2020. On Thursday, members of the Delhi Capitals squad, including CEO Mr. Dhiraj Malhotra, Assistant Coach Mohammad Kaif, and senior players Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra, interacted with these COVID heroes through a virtual meet. On the occasion, the participants also unboxed a surprise delivery package, which comprised a letter of gratitude and personalised jerseys on behalf of the Delhi Capitals team. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Under the 'Salaam Dilli' initiative, Delhi Capitals featured the following COVID warriors from the city: Ms. Manika Bhadwar: Fed underprivileged people through her own kitchen Ms. Pomilla Gupta: Ran a kitchen for stray dogs during the lockdown Mr. Sourav Das & Mrs. Laxmi Das - Distributed home-made masks for free, installed mask vending machines in public places Dr. Atul Gogia - Stood at the frontline to treat COVID patients Ms. Niharika Dwivedi - Donated personal savings to buy air tickets for a family of migrant workers Mr. Amit Phogat & Mr. Ravinder Dharwal - Delhi Police constables who donated, and ran a plasma donation network Here's what members of the Delhi Capitals squad had to say during the interaction: WATCH: WION Exclusive: Australia's Josh Hazlewood on IPL 2020, CSK and MS Dhoni and India series Ishant Sharma "Throughout the pandemic, frontline workers have dedicated themselves to protecting our population. To all the sanitation workers, doctors, security forces, blood donors, social workers, drivers, and their respective families - this small token of thanks from our team is testament of your service towards humanity." Amit Mishra "It is heartening to see youngsters like Nikarika working and supporting people during these difficult times. Words are not enough to thank these COVID warriors. A big Salaam from all of us for you. As our world continues to battle and survive this pandemic, it’s efforts like yours that will continue to inspire, and make a difference." Dhiraj Malhotra "At Delhi Capitals, we believe there’s no work greater than service to others. And to serve others amidst a global pandemic, and to take on the responsibility of keeping countless lives safe, is tremendous, to say the least. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts, for your unparalleled service in these tough times going beyond the call of duty." Mohammad Kaif "It takes real selflessness, humility and desire to be able to put others first in this battle for survival. Therefore, I would like to express my huge gratitude to all of you for making the world a better place. I want to salute you, the real warriors, on behalf of the DC family."

IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals salute COVID Warriors from the national capital

<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League</a> starts on Saturday, five months late and shifted to the United Arab Emirates because of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>AFP Sport highlights five players to watch in the 53-day Twenty20 extravaganza.</p>

<h2>- Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) -</h2>

<p>Captain Kohli will be key to Royal Challengers Bangalore's hopes in the 13th edition of the tournament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The star batsman hasn't been at his best in the T20 tournament, save the 2016 edition when he scored 640 runs in 16 matches to guide Bangalore to a runner-up finish.</p>

<p>But with 'King Kohli' backed by big guns including South Africa's AB de Villiers and&nbsp;Aaron Finch of Australia, Bangalore will be optimistic about doing better than last year, when they finished with the wooden spoon.</p>

<h2>- David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) -</h2>

<p>Back as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad two years after being replaced over a cheating scandal, Warner is aiming for the top.</p>

<p>The explosive opener smashed 692 runs from 12 matches last year after being barred from the 2018 edition over the 'Sandpapergate' affair during a Test against South Africa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Warner's leadership and exploits with the bat helped Hyderabad clinch the 2016 title, and he is looking for a repeat of that in the UAE.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am sure I will be doing my very, very best to try and lift the IPL trophy coming this year," he said, after being reinstated as Hyderabad skipper.</p>

<h2>- Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) -</h2>

<p>Buttler has formed the backbone of England's one-day batting since their World Cup triumph last year and is a key player of his IPL team, the Rajasthan Royals.</p>

<p>The wicketkeeper-batsman recently hit his T20 international best of 77 not out against Australia in what seemed a perfect tune-up for the IPL.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Buttler, who has a strike rate of over 150 in the IPL, plays alongside fellow countrymen Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer for the inaugural champions, who will be hoping to do better than last year when they finished seventh.</p>

<h2>- Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders) -</h2>

<p>A West Indian power-hitter who has single-handedly won games for Kolkata Knight Riders, Russell is any bowler's nightmare.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The all-rounder was the IPL's Most Valuable Player last year, with 11 wickets and 510 runs for Kolkata.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two-time champions are considering promoting the middle-order batsman to the number three position and get the maximum out of his attacking play.</p>

<p>"If he comes in at number three and bats 60 balls, he might even score a double-hundred. Anything can happen with 'Dre' Russ. He is almost the heartbeat of the team," said KKR team mentor David Hussey.</p>

<h2>- Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) -</h2>

<p>The Afghanistan spin sensation passed 300 T20 wickets during the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rashid, 21, has plied his trade in T20 leagues across the globe but it was his exploits for the IPL's Hyderabad team that grabbed the most attention.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The world's top-ranked T20 bowler has claimed 55 wickets in 46 IPL games and is handy as a lower-order batsman.</p>

<p>According to his Hyderabad team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar, having Rashid is "is always a delight for any team".</p>


The Indian Premier League starts on Saturday, five months late and shifted to the United Arab Emirates because of the coronavirus pandemic. AFP Sport highlights five players to watch in the 53-day Twenty20 extravaganza.

The Indian Premier League starts on Saturday, five months late and shifted to the United Arab Emirates because of the coronavirus pandemic. AFP Sport highlights five players to watch in the 53-day Twenty20 extravaganza. - Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) - Captain Kohli will be key to Royal Challengers Bangalore's hopes in the 13th edition of the tournament. The star batsman hasn't been at his best in the T20 tournament, save the 2016 edition when he scored 640 runs in 16 matches to guide Bangalore to a runner-up finish. But with 'King Kohli' backed by big guns including South Africa's AB de Villiers and Aaron Finch of Australia, Bangalore will be optimistic about doing better than last year, when they finished with the wooden spoon. - David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) - Back as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad two years after being replaced over a cheating scandal, Warner is aiming for the top. The explosive opener smashed 692 runs from 12 matches last year after being barred from the 2018 edition over the 'Sandpapergate' affair during a Test against South Africa. But Warner's leadership and exploits with the bat helped Hyderabad clinch the 2016 title, and he is looking for a repeat of that in the UAE. "I am sure I will be doing my very, very best to try and lift the IPL trophy coming this year," he said, after being reinstated as Hyderabad skipper. - Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) - Buttler has formed the backbone of England's one-day batting since their World Cup triumph last year and is a key player of his IPL team, the Rajasthan Royals. The wicketkeeper-batsman recently hit his T20 international best of 77 not out against Australia in what seemed a perfect tune-up for the IPL. Buttler, who has a strike rate of over 150 in the IPL, plays alongside fellow countrymen Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer for the inaugural champions, who will be hoping to do better than last year when they finished seventh. - Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders) - A West Indian power-hitter who has single-handedly won games for Kolkata Knight Riders, Russell is any bowler's nightmare. The all-rounder was the IPL's Most Valuable Player last year, with 11 wickets and 510 runs for Kolkata. The two-time champions are considering promoting the middle-order batsman to the number three position and get the maximum out of his attacking play. "If he comes in at number three and bats 60 balls, he might even score a double-hundred. Anything can happen with 'Dre' Russ. He is almost the heartbeat of the team," said KKR team mentor David Hussey. - Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) - The Afghanistan spin sensation passed 300 T20 wickets during the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League. Rashid, 21, has plied his trade in T20 leagues across the globe but it was his exploits for the IPL's Hyderabad team that grabbed the most attention. The world's top-ranked T20 bowler has claimed 55 wickets in 46 IPL games and is handy as a lower-order batsman. According to his Hyderabad team-mate Bhuvneshwar Kumar, having Rashid is "is always a delight for any team".

From King Kohli to Afghan spin wizard: five to watch in IPL 2020

<p>Liverpool face an early test of their Premier League title defence against Chelsea this weekend as Manchester City and Manchester United launch their quest to be champions.</p>

<p>Arsenal, Everton and Leicester hope to build on encouraging opening wins while Jose Mourinho needs a morale-boosting victory for Tottenham.</p>

<p>AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the action.</p>

<h2>Will big-spending Chelsea make Liverpool pay?</h2>

<p>Chelsea's meeting with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday has added edge after a feisty exchange between the managers over transfer spending.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The London club finished 33 points behind the champions last season but have splashed out around £200 million ($259 million) on new players.</p>

<p>By contrast, Liverpool have been relatively quiet, adding just Greece left-back Kostas Tsimikas so far, with Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara likely to follow.</p>

<p>Jurgen Klopp pointedly said Liverpool could not spend in the same way as clubs owned by "countries" and "oligarchs" such as City and Chelsea during the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>But Frank Lampard, who also became embroiled in a spat with Liverpool's bench in July, pointed out the Anfield side had spent big in previous seasons as they built their title-winning side.</p>

<p>Liverpool will be keen to cut out the defensive errors they committed in a 4-3 win against newly-promoted Leeds, but Mohamed Salah looked in fine early season form as he scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend.</p>

<p>Chelsea were also unconvincing winners against Brighton in their opening match, but Timo Werner, who chose to join the Blues despite interest from Liverpool, did impress in winning a penalty against the Seagulls.</p>

<h2>Manchester City's tough task</h2>

<p>Manchester City are the bookmakers' favourites to land a third Premier League trophy in four seasons but face a tough opener against Wolves.</p>

<p>City boss Pep Guardiola has shored up his defence by signing Netherlands international Nathan Ake and has added to his rich attacking options, landing Ferran Torres from Valencia.</p>

<p>City scored 102 goals last season as they finished second, but lost nine matches as they surrendered their crown to Liverpool.</p>

<p>Both Manchester clubs are starting a week later than other sides due to their European commitments last season.</p>

<p>Guardiola will be painfully aware that his team must be more consistent this campaign and he cannot afford to let Klopp's men open up an early lead.</p>

<p>But he will feel nervous as he travels to face Wolves, who beat City twice last season, after a disrupted pre-season.</p>

<p>City duo Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, while Phil Foden was sent home by England after breaking coronavirus protocols while on international duty.</p>

<h2>Can Man Utd progress?</h2>

<p>The challenge facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of a match against Crystal Palace is how to improve on last season's third-place finish.</p>

<p>Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was the catalyst as United put together a long unbeaten run, with a front three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood providing the firepower.</p>

<p>But United have been relatively quiet in the transfer window, so far adding just midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax, despite persistent speculation linking them with Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho.</p>

<p>"When we signed Bruno Fernandes, we knew we needed that kind of player -- now we've signed Donny and he's a type of player I felt we needed in the squad," said Solskjaer.</p>

<h2>Arsenal's feel-good factor</h2>

<p>Arsenal are buoyant after launching their season with a 3-0 win at newly promoted Fulham and tying down captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for three more years.</p>

<p>Mikel Arteta's men, who host West Ham on Saturday, finished down in eighth place last season but ended their campaign on a high, winning the FA Cup for a record 14th time.</p>

<p>They followed that up by beating Liverpool on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before the announcement on Aubameyang this week that fans had craved.</p>

<p>"I want to become an Arsenal legend just like Thierry (Henry), Wrighty (Ian Wright), (Tony) Adams and (Dennis) Bergkamp," he said.</p>

<p>Fixtures</p>

<p>Saturday</p>

<p>Everton v West Brom (1130 GMT), Leeds v Fulham (1400), Manchester United v Crystal Palace (1630), Arsenal v West Ham (1900)</p>

<p>Sunday</p>

<p>Southampton v Tottenham (1100), Newcastle v Brighton (1300), Chelsea v Liverpool (1530), Leicester v Burnley (1800)</p>

<p>Monday</p>

<p>Aston Villa v Sheffield United (1700), Wolves v Manchester City (1915)</p>


Liverpool face an early test of their Premier League title defence against Chelsea this weekend as Manchester City and Manchester United launch their quest to be champions.

Liverpool face an early test of their Premier League title defence against Chelsea this weekend as Manchester City and Manchester United launch their quest to be champions. Arsenal, Everton and Leicester hope to build on encouraging opening wins while Jose Mourinho needs a morale-boosting victory for Tottenham. AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the action. Will big-spending Chelsea make Liverpool pay? Chelsea's meeting with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday has added edge after a feisty exchange between the managers over transfer spending. The London club finished 33 points behind the champions last season but have splashed out around £200 million ($259 million) on new players. By contrast, Liverpool have been relatively quiet, adding just Greece left-back Kostas Tsimikas so far, with Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara likely to follow. Jurgen Klopp pointedly said Liverpool could not spend in the same way as clubs owned by "countries" and "oligarchs" such as City and Chelsea during the coronavirus pandemic. But Frank Lampard, who also became embroiled in a spat with Liverpool's bench in July, pointed out the Anfield side had spent big in previous seasons as they built their title-winning side. Liverpool will be keen to cut out the defensive errors they committed in a 4-3 win against newly-promoted Leeds, but Mohamed Salah looked in fine early season form as he scored a hat-trick on the opening weekend. Chelsea were also unconvincing winners against Brighton in their opening match, but Timo Werner, who chose to join the Blues despite interest from Liverpool, did impress in winning a penalty against the Seagulls. Manchester City's tough task Manchester City are the bookmakers' favourites to land a third Premier League trophy in four seasons but face a tough opener against Wolves. City boss Pep Guardiola has shored up his defence by signing Netherlands international Nathan Ake and has added to his rich attacking options, landing Ferran Torres from Valencia. City scored 102 goals last season as they finished second, but lost nine matches as they surrendered their crown to Liverpool. Both Manchester clubs are starting a week later than other sides due to their European commitments last season. Guardiola will be painfully aware that his team must be more consistent this campaign and he cannot afford to let Klopp's men open up an early lead. But he will feel nervous as he travels to face Wolves, who beat City twice last season, after a disrupted pre-season. City duo Aymeric Laporte and Riyad Mahrez tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, while Phil Foden was sent home by England after breaking coronavirus protocols while on international duty. Can Man Utd progress? The challenge facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of a match against Crystal Palace is how to improve on last season's third-place finish. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was the catalyst as United put together a long unbeaten run, with a front three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood providing the firepower. But United have been relatively quiet in the transfer window, so far adding just midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax, despite persistent speculation linking them with Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho. "When we signed Bruno Fernandes, we knew we needed that kind of player -- now we've signed Donny and he's a type of player I felt we needed in the squad," said Solskjaer. Arsenal's feel-good factor Arsenal are buoyant after launching their season with a 3-0 win at newly promoted Fulham and tying down captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for three more years. Mikel Arteta's men, who host West Ham on Saturday, finished down in eighth place last season but ended their campaign on a high, winning the FA Cup for a record 14th time. They followed that up by beating Liverpool on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before the announcement on Aubameyang this week that fans had craved. "I want to become an Arsenal legend just like Thierry (Henry), Wrighty (Ian Wright), (Tony) Adams and (Dennis) Bergkamp," he said. Fixtures Saturday Everton v West Brom (1130 GMT), Leeds v Fulham (1400), Manchester United v Crystal Palace (1630), Arsenal v West Ham (1900) Sunday Southampton v Tottenham (1100), Newcastle v Brighton (1300), Chelsea v Liverpool (1530), Leicester v Burnley (1800) Monday Aston Villa v Sheffield United (1700), Wolves v Manchester City (1915)

Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray

<p>Premier League clubs on Thursday urged the government to stick to its proposal to allow a partial return of fans to stadiums from October 1.</p>

<p>British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week ministers would review the target date for a return of crowds following a spike in coronavirus cases.</p>

<p>Pilot events are currently restricted to 1,000 spectators.</p>

<p>The English top-flight was forced to finish last season behind closed doors and the new campaign has also started in empty stadiums.</p>

<p>The Premier League and its clubs emphasised their commitment to safety after meeting on Thursday.</p>

<p>"Safety remains the number-one priority and clubs reiterated their commitment to ensuring Premier League stadiums will be among the safest public places,&nbsp;through the effective use of a wide range of mitigation measures," the Premier League said in a statement.</p>

<p>"Clubs will adopt a range of common standards, which will help deliver bio-secure, safe environments for fans across the league."</p>

<p>Top-flight clubs stated the loss of matchday revenues was having a "significant impact" across the league and throughout the football pyramid.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Taking into account the high safety standards which will be set by the Premier League in conjunction with the relevant public authorities, the league and clubs urge government to remain committed to&nbsp;the 1 October&nbsp;date for the controlled return of fans to sporting venues," the statement said.</p>

<p>Seven English Football League matches are set to be played in front of crowds of up to 1,000 this weekend, in the second, third and fourth tiers.</p>

<p>The government granted the EFL permission to use selected fixtures as pilot events to reintroduce spectators to venues on a socially distanced basis.</p>


Premier League clubs on Thursday urged the government to stick to its proposal to allow a partial return of fans to stadiums from October 1. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week ministers would review the target date for a return of crowds following a spike in coronavirus cases.

Premier League clubs on Thursday urged the government to stick to its proposal to allow a partial return of fans to stadiums from October 1. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week ministers would review the target date for a return of crowds following a spike in coronavirus cases. Pilot events are currently restricted to 1,000 spectators. The English top-flight was forced to finish last season behind closed doors and the new campaign has also started in empty stadiums. The Premier League and its clubs emphasised their commitment to safety after meeting on Thursday. "Safety remains the number-one priority and clubs reiterated their commitment to ensuring Premier League stadiums will be among the safest public places, through the effective use of a wide range of mitigation measures," the Premier League said in a statement. "Clubs will adopt a range of common standards, which will help deliver bio-secure, safe environments for fans across the league." Top-flight clubs stated the loss of matchday revenues was having a "significant impact" across the league and throughout the football pyramid. "Taking into account the high safety standards which will be set by the Premier League in conjunction with the relevant public authorities, the league and clubs urge government to remain committed to the 1 October date for the controlled return of fans to sporting venues," the statement said. Seven English Football League matches are set to be played in front of crowds of up to 1,000 this weekend, in the second, third and fourth tiers. The government granted the EFL permission to use selected fixtures as pilot events to reintroduce spectators to venues on a socially distanced basis.

Premier League urges government to stick to October date for fans' return

<p>Naomi Osaka, who captured her third Grand Slam title at the US Open on September 12, pulled out of the upcoming French Open with a hamstring injury on Thursday.</p>

<p>"Unfortunately I won't be able to play the French Open this year," Osaka said in posts on Instagram and Twitter. "My hamstring is still sore so I won't have enough time to prepare for the clay - these two tournaments came too close to each other for me this year."</p>

<p>The French Open is due to start on September 27 at Roland Garros, rescheduled from earlier in the year because of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>On Sunday, Osaka rallied from a set down to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the US Open women's final, adding a third major trophy after her victories at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open triumphs.</p>

<p>The 22-year-old was the first woman to win the US Open singles final from a set down since 1994, and the victory moved her to third in the WTA rankings.</p>

<p>She also became the first Asian player to win three Grand Slams, overtaking China's Li Na on two.</p>

<p>Osaka had gone into the US Open at Flushing Meadows with fitness concerns.</p>

<p>She pulled out of the WTA final of the Western &amp; Southern Open -- also held this year at Flushing Meadows -- with a left hamstring injury just two days before the start of the Grand Slam in New York.</p>

<p>She said she pulled the muscle in her semi-final victory.</p>

<p>Osaka played her US Open matches with her left thigh heavily strapped, but showed no sign the injury hindered her.</p>

<p>The US Open, normally the final Grand Slam in a season, was just the second major to be played in 2020 after the Australian Open in January.</p>

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic brought tennis to a halt along with the rest of global sport, with Wimbledon cancelled completely and Roland Garros moved from its usual May start to September 27-October 11.</p>

<p>Unlike the US Open, organizers at Roland Garros will admit fans, although it was announced Thursday that the number of spectators will be limited to 5,000 per day.</p>

<p>Organizers had originally hoped to accommodate 20,000 spectators per day.</p>

<p>Defending women's champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia announced earlier this month that she would not defend her title because she feared participation still carried health risks and because she had not been able to train properly with her coach because of the state border closures in Australia.</p>


Naomi Osaka, who captured her third Grand Slam title at the US Open on September 12, pulled out of the upcoming French Open with a hamstring injury on Thursday. "Unfortunately I won't be able to play the French Open this year," Osaka said in posts on Instagram and Twitter.

Naomi Osaka, who captured her third Grand Slam title at the US Open on September 12, pulled out of the upcoming French Open with a hamstring injury on Thursday. "Unfortunately I won't be able to play the French Open this year," Osaka said in posts on Instagram and Twitter. "My hamstring is still sore so I won't have enough time to prepare for the clay - these two tournaments came too close to each other for me this year." The French Open is due to start on September 27 at Roland Garros, rescheduled from earlier in the year because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Osaka rallied from a set down to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the US Open women's final, adding a third major trophy after her victories at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open triumphs. The 22-year-old was the first woman to win the US Open singles final from a set down since 1994, and the victory moved her to third in the WTA rankings. She also became the first Asian player to win three Grand Slams, overtaking China's Li Na on two. Osaka had gone into the US Open at Flushing Meadows with fitness concerns. She pulled out of the WTA final of the Western & Southern Open -- also held this year at Flushing Meadows -- with a left hamstring injury just two days before the start of the Grand Slam in New York. She said she pulled the muscle in her semi-final victory. Osaka played her US Open matches with her left thigh heavily strapped, but showed no sign the injury hindered her. The US Open, normally the final Grand Slam in a season, was just the second major to be played in 2020 after the Australian Open in January. The COVID-19 pandemic brought tennis to a halt along with the rest of global sport, with Wimbledon cancelled completely and Roland Garros moved from its usual May start to September 27-October 11. Unlike the US Open, organizers at Roland Garros will admit fans, although it was announced Thursday that the number of spectators will be limited to 5,000 per day. Organizers had originally hoped to accommodate 20,000 spectators per day. Defending women's champion Ashleigh Barty of Australia announced earlier this month that she would not defend her title because she feared participation still carried health risks and because she had not been able to train properly with her coach because of the state border closures in Australia.

US Open champion Osaka withdraws from French Open with injury

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> club Liverpool on Friday announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £20 million ($26 million) on Friday.</p>

<p>Thiago agreed upon a “long-term contract” with the Premier League champions after ending his seven-year stay with German giants Bayern Munich. Thiago comes with a massive reputation of being one of the top midfielders and was in excellent form in the 2019-20 season where he helped Bayern Munich lift the treble of UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga trophy and German Cup.</p>

<p>"I think it's an amazing feeling. I was waiting for this moment for a long time and I am very happy to be here," Thiago told Liverpool's website.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-sergio-aguero-and-aymeric-laporte-unavailable-against-wolves-confirms-pep-guardiola-328450" hreflang="en">Premier League: Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte unavailable against Wolves, confirms Pep Guardiola</a></strong></p>

<p>“When the years are passing, you are trying to win as much as you can – and when you win, you want to win more. I think this club describes what I am as well; I want to achieve all of the goals, win as many trophies as possible.</p>

<p>“It also [has] this kind of family [feeling] that I need because we [like to] have a very close relationship with the club and I think I will feel this, I will have this feeling, with this club as well.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-face-chelsea-test-as-manchester-clubs-enter-fray-328329" hreflang="en">Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray</a></strong></p>

<p>Thiago moves to Anfield fresh from helping Bayern clinch a prestigious treble as they won the Bundesliga, German cup and Champions League in 2019-20, during which he featured 40 times.</p>


Premier League club Liverpool on Friday announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £20 million ($26 million) on Friday.

Premier League club Liverpool on Friday announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich for a reported fee of £20 million ($26 million) on Friday. Thiago agreed upon a “long-term contract” with the Premier League champions after ending his seven-year stay with German giants Bayern Munich. Thiago comes with a massive reputation of being one of the top midfielders and was in excellent form in the 2019-20 season where he helped Bayern Munich lift the treble of UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga trophy and German Cup. "I think it's an amazing feeling. I was waiting for this moment for a long time and I am very happy to be here," Thiago told Liverpool's website. ALSO READ: Premier League: Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte unavailable against Wolves, confirms Pep Guardiola “When the years are passing, you are trying to win as much as you can – and when you win, you want to win more. I think this club describes what I am as well; I want to achieve all of the goals, win as many trophies as possible. “It also [has] this kind of family [feeling] that I need because we [like to] have a very close relationship with the club and I think I will feel this, I will have this feeling, with this club as well.” ALSO READ: Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray Thiago moves to Anfield fresh from helping Bayern clinch a prestigious treble as they won the Bundesliga, German cup and Champions League in 2019-20, during which he featured 40 times.

Liverpool sign Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich

<p>The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away. After over a&nbsp;year, MS Dhoni will be taking to the field in the match against Mumbai Indians and fans are already looking forward to witnessing former Indian skipper back in action again.</p>

<p>#WelcomeBackDhoni started to trend on social media platform Twitter as fans posted stats, photos, videos of Dhoni with more than 50,000 tweets. There has been lot of talks surrounding Dhoni’s comeback on field, more so ever after he announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. While fans may not witness ‘Thala’ in action from stadiums, they will be tuning in on their televisions to catch a glimpse of the wicket-keeper batsman.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<h2>Here's how #WelcomeBackDhoni trended on Twitter:</h2>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let’s look forward to dashing Dhoni’s dhamaka in Dubai!🤩🥳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/pawSK02ZyP">pic.twitter.com/pawSK02ZyP</a></p>
— Whistle Podu Army ® - CSK Fan Club (@CSKFansOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansOfficial/status/1306950487929806848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Most runs in last 4 overs<br />
Most runs in the last over<br />
Most wins as Captain<br />
Most dismissals as Keeper<br />
Most runs as Captain<br />
Most MOM as Captain<br />
Most not outs as Batsman<br />
Most sixes by an Indian<br />
Most MOM by an Indian<br />
Highest average by Indian player<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306949868686987264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Done and dusted with the blues<br />
<br />
Need to do it again with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/gUYOJHzhxj">pic.twitter.com/gUYOJHzhxj</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306957487967531008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">19:29 - MSD Retired !!<br />
<br />
19:30 - MSD will be coming back !!<br />
<br />
Destiny 🤞💥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a></p>
— DHONI Army TN™ (@DhoniArmyTN) <a href="https://twitter.com/DhoniArmyTN/status/1306949805445271552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here is the Special Design to Welcome our beloved IDOL <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSDhoni</a>. 💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> 🦁🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> • Design <a href="https://twitter.com/lingamalagar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lingamalagar</a>..!! <a href="https://t.co/J72CcG16kQ">pic.twitter.com/J72CcG16kQ</a></p>
— DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHONIism/status/1306951639341826050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Captain Cool, Well Said !!👌🦁💛<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/9Ds4aAWopO">pic.twitter.com/9Ds4aAWopO</a></p>
— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansArmy/status/1306959179660156940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> 🔥<br />
<br />
Art Artist <a href="https://t.co/CnkcXEo8xR">pic.twitter.com/CnkcXEo8xR</a></p>
— DHONI Tamil FC™ (@DhoniTamilFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DhoniTamilFC/status/1306949986601414656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Helicopter Flying in the UAE !!🚁💥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/6GvCZYscjA">pic.twitter.com/6GvCZYscjA</a></p>
— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansArmy/status/1306950150305116160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All We Need is Your Presence to Cherish &amp; Smile to Rejoice 🤗💛<a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeBackDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeBackDhoni</a> <a href="https://t.co/LGd9nnTQns">pic.twitter.com/LGd9nnTQns</a></p>
— Sharukh MSD™🦁 (@StanMSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/StanMSD/status/1306948840843436032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-hardik-pandya-jokingly-trolls-ms-dhoni-abd-reminds-him-not-to-mess-with-thala-328343" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya Jokingly trolls MS Dhoni, ABD; reminds him not to mess with ‘Thala’</a></strong></p>

<p>CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, heaped praise on Dhoni as he said: “It has been no different. He’s very fit and mentally he’s been very engaged and determined. In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go,” Fleming told CSK’s official website.</p>

<p>Also termed as ‘El Clasico’ cricket, CSK vs MI will be the perfect season opener for IPL 2020. Talking about the match, Fleming said, the encounter always adds extra excitement and pressure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The first game is always full of anxiety, nerves and excitement, and CSK-MI has added extra excitement and pressure and we enjoy that. We’ve earned the right to play the first game by playing well last year, and given the way the final finished last year, it’s nice to have another crack at MI. They are a very good side and it gives you a good gauge as to how the pre-season has gone and the areas that need improvement. You get a good idea after the first game as to where your team is sitting,” Fleming said.</p>

<p>CSK will be without the likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh who opted out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season opener between defending champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings is less than 24 hours away. After over a year, MS Dhoni will be taking to the field in the match against Mumbai Indians and fans are already looking forward to witnessing former Indian skipper back in action again. #WelcomeBackDhoni started to trend on social media platform Twitter as fans posted stats, photos, videos of Dhoni with more than 50,000 tweets. There has been lot of talks surrounding Dhoni’s comeback on field, more so ever after he announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15. While fans may not witness ‘Thala’ in action from stadiums, they will be tuning in on their televisions to catch a glimpse of the wicket-keeper batsman. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Here's how #WelcomeBackDhoni trended on Twitter: Let’s look forward to dashing Dhoni’s dhamaka in Dubai!🤩🥳#WelcomeBackDhoni @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/pawSK02ZyP — Whistle Podu Army ® - CSK Fan Club (@CSKFansOfficial) September 18, 2020 × Most runs in last 4 overs Most runs in the last over Most wins as Captain Most dismissals as Keeper Most runs as Captain Most MOM as Captain Most not outs as Batsman Most sixes by an Indian Most MOM by an Indian Highest average by Indian player#WelcomeBackDhoni | @MSDhoni — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × Done and dusted with the blues Need to do it again with the #Yellove 🔥#WelcomeBackDhoni | @MSDhoni pic.twitter.com/gUYOJHzhxj — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × 19:29 - MSD Retired !! 19:30 - MSD will be coming back !! Destiny 🤞💥#WelcomeBackDhoni | @ChennaiIPL — DHONI Army TN™ (@DhoniArmyTN) September 18, 2020 × Here is the Special Design to Welcome our beloved IDOL @MSDhoni. 💛#WelcomeBackDhoni 🦁🔥#IPL2020 • Design @lingamalagar..!! pic.twitter.com/J72CcG16kQ — DHONIsm™ ❤️ (@DHONIism) September 18, 2020 × Captain Cool, Well Said !!👌🦁💛#WelcomeBackDhoni | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/9Ds4aAWopO — CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) September 18, 2020 × #WelcomeBackDhoni 🔥 Art Artist pic.twitter.com/CnkcXEo8xR — DHONI Tamil FC™ (@DhoniTamilFC) September 18, 2020 × Helicopter Flying in the UAE !!🚁💥#WelcomeBackDhoni | #CSK pic.twitter.com/6GvCZYscjA — CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) September 18, 2020 × All We Need is Your Presence to Cherish & Smile to Rejoice 🤗💛@msdhoni #MSDhoni #WelcomeBackDhoni pic.twitter.com/LGd9nnTQns — Sharukh MSD™🦁 (@StanMSD) September 18, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya Jokingly trolls MS Dhoni, ABD; reminds him not to mess with ‘Thala’ CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, heaped praise on Dhoni as he said: “It has been no different. He’s very fit and mentally he’s been very engaged and determined. In some ways the break can work for the experienced and older players that we have. MS is fresh and ready to go,” Fleming told CSK’s official website. Also termed as ‘El Clasico’ cricket, CSK vs MI will be the perfect season opener for IPL 2020. Talking about the match, Fleming said, the encounter always adds extra excitement and pressure. “The first game is always full of anxiety, nerves and excitement, and CSK-MI has added extra excitement and pressure and we enjoy that. We’ve earned the right to play the first game by playing well last year, and given the way the final finished last year, it’s nice to have another crack at MI. They are a very good side and it gives you a good gauge as to how the pre-season has gone and the areas that need improvement. You get a good idea after the first game as to where your team is sitting,” Fleming said. CSK will be without the likes of Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh who opted out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.

IPL 2020: Ahead of MI vs CSK opener, #WelcomeBackDhoni trends on Twitter

<p>Pep Guardiola on Friday confirmed that Sergio Aguero will miss Manchester City’s first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League 2020-21</a> match against Wolves on Monday as he is yet to fully train and isn’t completely match-fit. However, the Spaniard said that Riyad Mahrez, who had tested positive for the coronavirus, will be available for the season opener after testing negative.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about Wolves, Pep said that they are always a strong side and it will be a difficult game for the Blues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Wolves were always strong, even when they were in the Championship. It was always a difficult game but it will not be any more difficult as against Leicester or Leeds away. We know exactly how tough the Premier League is,” Pep said in pre-match press conference.</p>

<p>As Aymeric Laporte won’t be available for Man City on Monday, chances are high that new signing Nathan Ake might be handed his club debut.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-face-chelsea-test-as-manchester-clubs-enter-fray-328329" hreflang="en">Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray</a></strong></p>

<p>"We bought Nathan Ake as a centre-back, but sometimes he can help us as a full-back. Maybe if we get injuries, he can play there."<br />
When asked about the transfer of highly-linked player Kalidou Kouilbaly or any other incoming transfers, Pep said he never speaks about other players in front of the media. "No. I don’t talk in the media about the transfer window,” Pep replied to WION’s query during the press conference.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"What’s going to happen is going to happen. If we stay with the players we have we'll be happy. Never before and never in the future am I going to complain. I'm lucky to have these players and to be at this club,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-urges-government-to-stick-to-october-date-for-fans-return-328328" hreflang="en">Premier League urges government to stick to October date for fans' return</a></strong></p>

<p>In his last year of the current contract, Pep said he is content with the club from the day he arrived in Manchester while adding he knows the club will do the best for everyone including the player and manager.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Since day one, when I arrived here I’m more than satisfied with what I had in the team. I know the club do absolutely everything to do their best, not just for me, but for all of us…” Pep concluded.</p>

<p>Man City are set to face Wolves in their first Premier League 2020-21 match on Monday and will looking to pose a better challenge for the title than the last season.</p>


Pep Guardiola on Friday confirmed that Sergio Aguero will miss Manchester City’s first Premier League 2020-21 match against Wolves on Monday as he is yet to fully train and isn’t completely match-fit.

Pep Guardiola on Friday confirmed that Sergio Aguero will miss Manchester City’s first Premier League 2020-21 match against Wolves on Monday as he is yet to fully train and isn’t completely match-fit. However, the Spaniard said that Riyad Mahrez, who had tested positive for the coronavirus, will be available for the season opener after testing negative. Talking about Wolves, Pep said that they are always a strong side and it will be a difficult game for the Blues. "Wolves were always strong, even when they were in the Championship. It was always a difficult game but it will not be any more difficult as against Leicester or Leeds away. We know exactly how tough the Premier League is,” Pep said in pre-match press conference. As Aymeric Laporte won’t be available for Man City on Monday, chances are high that new signing Nathan Ake might be handed his club debut. ALSO READ: Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray "We bought Nathan Ake as a centre-back, but sometimes he can help us as a full-back. Maybe if we get injuries, he can play there." When asked about the transfer of highly-linked player Kalidou Kouilbaly or any other incoming transfers, Pep said he never speaks about other players in front of the media. "No. I don’t talk in the media about the transfer window,” Pep replied to WION’s query during the press conference. "What’s going to happen is going to happen. If we stay with the players we have we'll be happy. Never before and never in the future am I going to complain. I'm lucky to have these players and to be at this club,” he added. ALSO READ: Premier League urges government to stick to October date for fans' return In his last year of the current contract, Pep said he is content with the club from the day he arrived in Manchester while adding he knows the club will do the best for everyone including the player and manager. "Since day one, when I arrived here I’m more than satisfied with what I had in the team. I know the club do absolutely everything to do their best, not just for me, but for all of us…” Pep concluded. Man City are set to face Wolves in their first Premier League 2020-21 match on Monday and will looking to pose a better challenge for the title than the last season.

Premier League: Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte unavailable against Wolves, confirms Pep Guardiola

<p>With England and Australian players joining in their respective franchises just days ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, teams have been handed a massive relief as all the 21 players who arrived to the UAE from the United Kingdom will only have undergo 36 hours of quarantine contrary to the earlier reported six days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All the franchises having English and Australian players had appealed to the BCCI for reducing quarantine period and the issue has now been sort out with the local authorities in the UAE.</p>

<p>According to PTI, English and Australian players will now have to under 36-hour quarantine period instead of six days which allows the team to have all their players available from the first game itself.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rcb-release-new-anthem-usage-of-hindi-language-triggers-outrage-on-social-media-328409" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: RCB release new anthem, usage of 'Hindi language' triggers outrage on social media</a></strong></p>

<p>"Yes, I can confirm that all the English and Australian players have to now undergo 36-hour quarantine instead of six days. The matter has been sorted and most of the teams will now have their big stars available from the first game itself," a senior IPL functionary privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler will arrive in the UAE late on Thursday night (UAE time) from the UK and on arrival will undergo RT-PCR test for COVID-19.</p>

<p>"They have undergone one rapid test before boarding (the flight) and will undergo another on arrival. Otherwise, the robust testing protocols will be followed as usual. The rationale behind the move is that all the players are entering from one bio-bubble to another," the veteran BCCI official said. The PTI had earlier reported that one of the senior players, an Australian superstar, had written a letter to BCCI president Ganguly requesting for a three-day quarantine, instead of six.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-predicting-mvps-from-each-franchise-326829" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise</a></strong></p>

<p>Reportedly, the BCCI had a word with the officials of at least three franchises which have Australian and English players in their squad and the verdict has been satisfactory. "The BCCI did a great job in reducing the quarantine period to 36 hours. This means teams like Chennai Super Kings (Josh Hazlewood and Tom Curran), Rajasthan Royals (Smith, Buttler, Archer) will have all their players available from their first game. Ditto for Kings XI Punjab that has Glenn Maxwell in its roster and Delhi Capitals that has Alex Carry," a franchise official told PTI.</p>

<p>Mumbai Indians are the only franchise not boasting any English or Australian players who were a part of the recently concluded England vs Australia limited-overs series. Whereas Kolkata Knight Riders, who start their campaign on September 23 remain unaffected by the change of rules.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With PTI inputs)</em></p>


With England and Australian players joining in their respective franchises just days ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, teams have been handed a massive relief as all the 21 players who arrived to the UAE from the United Kingdom will only have undergo 36 hours of quarantine contrary to the earlier reported six days.

With England and Australian players joining in their respective franchises just days ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, teams have been handed a massive relief as all the 21 players who arrived to the UAE from the United Kingdom will only have undergo 36 hours of quarantine contrary to the earlier reported six days. All the franchises having English and Australian players had appealed to the BCCI for reducing quarantine period and the issue has now been sort out with the local authorities in the UAE. According to PTI, English and Australian players will now have to under 36-hour quarantine period instead of six days which allows the team to have all their players available from the first game itself. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: RCB release new anthem, usage of 'Hindi language' triggers outrage on social media "Yes, I can confirm that all the English and Australian players have to now undergo 36-hour quarantine instead of six days. The matter has been sorted and most of the teams will now have their big stars available from the first game itself," a senior IPL functionary privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity. The likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler will arrive in the UAE late on Thursday night (UAE time) from the UK and on arrival will undergo RT-PCR test for COVID-19. "They have undergone one rapid test before boarding (the flight) and will undergo another on arrival. Otherwise, the robust testing protocols will be followed as usual. The rationale behind the move is that all the players are entering from one bio-bubble to another," the veteran BCCI official said. The PTI had earlier reported that one of the senior players, an Australian superstar, had written a letter to BCCI president Ganguly requesting for a three-day quarantine, instead of six. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise Reportedly, the BCCI had a word with the officials of at least three franchises which have Australian and English players in their squad and the verdict has been satisfactory. "The BCCI did a great job in reducing the quarantine period to 36 hours. This means teams like Chennai Super Kings (Josh Hazlewood and Tom Curran), Rajasthan Royals (Smith, Buttler, Archer) will have all their players available from their first game. Ditto for Kings XI Punjab that has Glenn Maxwell in its roster and Delhi Capitals that has Alex Carry," a franchise official told PTI. Mumbai Indians are the only franchise not boasting any English or Australian players who were a part of the recently concluded England vs Australia limited-overs series. Whereas Kolkata Knight Riders, who start their campaign on September 23 remain unaffected by the change of rules. (With PTI inputs)

IPL 2020: Relief for franchises as English and Australian players to undergo just 36-hour of quarantine

<p>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday released their official anthem for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. While there was massive hype ahead of RCB anthem release, outrage was sparked on social media platform Twitter after RCB’s official handle posted the video song featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal among many others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fans were left upset over the use of Hindi language in RCB’s anthem as they questioned the franchise over the less usage of Kannada language in the anthem. Even former India cricketer and one of the stalwarts of Karnataka, Dodda Ganesh was left unimpressed with the new RCB anthem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Official RCB Anthem is here! And it's dedicated to the best fans in the world. Time to crank up the volume to the maximum, 12th Man Army," RCB tweeted.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ: '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-covid-heroes-royal-challengers-bangalore-to-pay-tribute-to-frontline-warriors-in-ipl-2020-328178" hreflang="en">My Covid Heroes': RCB to pay tribute to frontline warriors in IPL 2020</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Official RCB Anthem is here! And it’s dedicated to the best fans in the world. Time to crank up the volume to the maximum, 12th Man Army. 🗣🔊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBAnthem?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBAnthem</a> <a href="https://t.co/zUBMfSM4U5">pic.twitter.com/zUBMfSM4U5</a></p>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1306797594073423872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Here's how the fans reacted on RCB's new anthem:</strong></h2>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No, Shashank. The outrage is a genuine one. Just like how the <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> adds local flavour with Tamil, <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a>’ fans asking for a Kannada song, is justified. After all, it is Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Bengaluru’s official language is Kannada. <a href="https://t.co/sF4bVC42Ad">https://t.co/sF4bVC42Ad</a></p>
— ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ | Dodda Ganesh (@doddaganesha) <a href="https://twitter.com/doddaganesha/status/1306848973622181888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The entire state is fighting a battle today to avoid Hindi imposition in the state of Karnataka.<br />
<br />
Comes RCB - Which represents the state of Kannada Nadu having a rich cricketing history releasing it's anthem which involves unnecessary use of Hindi.<br />
<br />
Embarrassing.</p>
— Harish S Itagi (@HarishSItagi) <a href="https://twitter.com/HarishSItagi/status/1306802970554638336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Y yis hindi mor than kannada? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Waar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Waar</a><br />
Seaparat kannada hadilva nam kannada fans ge<br />
Paapa uella bejaru<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Waar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Waar</a> 🖖</p>
— Mr. Nags ✌️ (@Thundrous0) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thundrous0/status/1306801677677150208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">With so much of Hindi lyrics in it... I don't feel like supporting it. RCB has fans from all over the country/ world, not Hindi regions only. And majorly from Karnataka, so Kannada would have been used more.</p>
— ವಿಕಾಸ್ ಹೆಗಡೆ | Vikas Hegde (@hegde_vikas) <a href="https://twitter.com/hegde_vikas/status/1306840485458108416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is thousand time better than ur useless anthem... <a href="https://t.co/ePSI1j70x3">pic.twitter.com/ePSI1j70x3</a></p>
— Unpaired_electron____* (@RockAlways_777) <a href="https://twitter.com/RockAlways_777/status/1306840667503562754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Disappointed! Where's the local language?? Should have been in English and Kannada... Not Hindi...</p>
— Hameed Pasha حمیدپاشا (@whitecrescent) <a href="https://twitter.com/whitecrescent/status/1306798348830154753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Don't come up with a Kannada song later on to mend our wounds.. These wounds are more than a decade old and we are fed up of your callous attitude year after year.. 2/2</p>
— ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ್ ಬಿ (Mallikarjun B) (@arjuna04) <a href="https://twitter.com/arjuna04/status/1306846176390664192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> Tale,<br />
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1. They don't promote much of local Karnataka talent in their team.<br />
<br />
2. They hardly use Kannada. Take the new anthem for example, they have included few Kannada words so that there won't be any outrage from fans.<br />
<br />
Suggestion: Drop Bengaluru from your banner.</p>
— Manjunath S (@NaanuManjunatha) <a href="https://twitter.com/NaanuManjunatha/status/1306868557553295365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Please remove Hindi or remove Bangalore(bengaluru) from your team's name ,this is hijacking some ones identity <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopHindiImposition?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopHindiImposition</a></p>
— prashanthr (@prashanthrag) <a href="https://twitter.com/prashanthrag/status/1306862349018513409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">hey - is it royal challengers bengaluru or bareily ?<br />
let the anthem be in kannada and a bit of english<br />
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just because we have lost all tournaments does not mean you can add hindi , dont think we are govt of karnataka to take hindi imposition !!!😡😡😡😡😡</p>
— Free-Spirit (@murthybs) <a href="https://twitter.com/murthybs/status/1306835468638593024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> All good now, happy with this Anthem. Now Create another song/anthem that connects with the Bengaluru in its language: Kannada. It’s not a request, its a demand from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rcb?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#rcb</a><br />
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Hope you will hear to it.</p>
— Ganesh Paradi (@GaneshParadi) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaneshParadi/status/1306837930644652032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, a couple of hours later RCB released another anthem in Kannada language which calmed the social media outrage a bit. Local fans were of the view that theme song should have feature more of Kannada language since Royal Challengers Bangalore represent Karnataka.</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>RCB's new anthem in Kannada language:</strong></h2>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">RCB Anthem ಕನ್ನಡ Rap ft. <a href="https://twitter.com/devdpd07?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@devdpd07</a><br />
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ಏನೇ ಬರಲಿ... ಎಂತೇ ಇರಲಿ... RCB! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBAnthem?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBAnthem</a> <a href="https://t.co/cR9KKfWgvd">pic.twitter.com/cR9KKfWgvd</a></p>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1306857992017436673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Apparently, the song featured only four Kannada words which has been looped thrice while the Hindi words dominate the 106-second long video.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, RCB would be gunning to break their IPL title drought when they take to the field in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament, which is set to be held behind closed doors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19.&nbsp;</p>

<p>RCB are among the three teams who are yet to lift the IPL trophy with the others being Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab.&nbsp;</p>


Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday released their official anthem for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. While there was massive hype ahead of RCB anthem release, outrage was sparked on social media platform Twitter after RCB’s official handle posted the video song featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal among many others.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday released their official anthem for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. While there was massive hype ahead of RCB anthem release, outrage was sparked on social media platform Twitter after RCB’s official handle posted the video song featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal among many others. Fans were left upset over the use of Hindi language in RCB’s anthem as they questioned the franchise over the less usage of Kannada language in the anthem. Even former India cricketer and one of the stalwarts of Karnataka, Dodda Ganesh was left unimpressed with the new RCB anthem. "The Official RCB Anthem is here! And it's dedicated to the best fans in the world. Time to crank up the volume to the maximum, 12th Man Army," RCB tweeted. ALSO READ: 'My Covid Heroes': RCB to pay tribute to frontline warriors in IPL 2020 The Official RCB Anthem is here! And it’s dedicated to the best fans in the world. Time to crank up the volume to the maximum, 12th Man Army. 🗣🔊#PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #RCBAnthem pic.twitter.com/zUBMfSM4U5 — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) September 18, 2020 × Here's how the fans reacted on RCB's new anthem: No, Shashank. The outrage is a genuine one. Just like how the @ChennaiIPL adds local flavour with Tamil, @RCBTweets’ fans asking for a Kannada song, is justified. After all, it is Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Bengaluru’s official language is Kannada. https://t.co/sF4bVC42Ad — ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ | Dodda Ganesh (@doddaganesha) September 18, 2020 × The entire state is fighting a battle today to avoid Hindi imposition in the state of Karnataka. Comes RCB - Which represents the state of Kannada Nadu having a rich cricketing history releasing it's anthem which involves unnecessary use of Hindi. Embarrassing. — Harish S Itagi (@HarishSItagi) September 18, 2020 × Y yis hindi mor than kannada? #Waar Seaparat kannada hadilva nam kannada fans ge Paapa uella bejaru#Waar 🖖 — Mr. Nags ✌️ (@Thundrous0) September 18, 2020 × With so much of Hindi lyrics in it... I don't feel like supporting it. RCB has fans from all over the country/ world, not Hindi regions only. And majorly from Karnataka, so Kannada would have been used more. — ವಿಕಾಸ್ ಹೆಗಡೆ | Vikas Hegde (@hegde_vikas) September 18, 2020 × This is thousand time better than ur useless anthem... pic.twitter.com/ePSI1j70x3 — Unpaired_electron____* (@RockAlways_777) September 18, 2020 × Disappointed! Where's the local language?? Should have been in English and Kannada... Not Hindi... — Hameed Pasha حمیدپاشا (@whitecrescent) September 18, 2020 × Don't come up with a Kannada song later on to mend our wounds.. These wounds are more than a decade old and we are fed up of your callous attitude year after year.. 2/2 — ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ್ ಬಿ (Mallikarjun B) (@arjuna04) September 18, 2020 × The @RCBTweets Tale, 1. They don't promote much of local Karnataka talent in their team. 2. They hardly use Kannada. Take the new anthem for example, they have included few Kannada words so that there won't be any outrage from fans. Suggestion: Drop Bengaluru from your banner. — Manjunath S (@NaanuManjunatha) September 18, 2020 × Please remove Hindi or remove Bangalore(bengaluru) from your team's name ,this is hijacking some ones identity #StopHindiImposition — prashanthr (@prashanthrag) September 18, 2020 × hey - is it royal challengers bengaluru or bareily ? let the anthem be in kannada and a bit of english just because we have lost all tournaments does not mean you can add hindi , dont think we are govt of karnataka to take hindi imposition !!!😡😡😡😡😡 — Free-Spirit (@murthybs) September 18, 2020 × @RCBTweets All good now, happy with this Anthem. Now Create another song/anthem that connects with the Bengaluru in its language: Kannada. It’s not a request, its a demand from #RCBians #rcb Hope you will hear to it. — Ganesh Paradi (@GaneshParadi) September 18, 2020 × However, a couple of hours later RCB released another anthem in Kannada language which calmed the social media outrage a bit. Local fans were of the view that theme song should have feature more of Kannada language since Royal Challengers Bangalore represent Karnataka. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament RCB's new anthem in Kannada language: RCB Anthem ಕನ್ನಡ Rap ft. @devdpd07 ಏನೇ ಬರಲಿ... ಎಂತೇ ಇರಲಿ... RCB! #PlayBold #IPL2020 #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #RCBAnthem pic.twitter.com/cR9KKfWgvd — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) September 18, 2020 × Apparently, the song featured only four Kannada words which has been looped thrice while the Hindi words dominate the 106-second long video. Meanwhile, RCB would be gunning to break their IPL title drought when they take to the field in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament, which is set to be held behind closed doors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19. RCB are among the three teams who are yet to lift the IPL trophy with the others being Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab.

IPL 2020: RCB release new anthem, usage of 'Hindi language' triggers outrage on social media

<p class="MsoNormal">The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/aWwErJgyvV">pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV</a></p>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1306571815435685894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>


The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies. Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.#Thala Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 17, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020. ALSO READ: IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons. CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.

IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings honour MS Dhoni with 'Golden Cap'

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