Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni got a grand reception at Chennai ahead of Indian Premier League on Monday.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-dhoni-receives-grand-welcome-at-chennai-ahead-of-practice-session-283661">IPL 2020: Dhoni receives grand welcome at Chennai ahead of practice session</a>

Earlier on Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings another video of Dhoni receiving his CSK teammate Suresh Raina. Raina is called 'Chinna Thala' by the CSK fans, whereas their captain MS Dhoni is called 'Thala' ( which means chieftain in Tamil).&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-chennai-super-kings-csk-squad-schedule-and-players-to-watch-out-for-283228">IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) squad, schedule and players to watch out for!</a>

MS Dhoni will finally return to the ground after a long gap, the last time MS Dhoni played a match was against New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Me3t and Gree7 - Everyday is Karthigai in our House, a film by Vikraman Sir. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StartTheWhistles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StartTheWhistles</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/sJz77Nnakr">pic.twitter.com/sJz77Nnakr</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1234684530864246784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Dhoni was criticised for his slow batting during the tournament. Earlier this year, Dhoni was not enlisted in the BCCI's central contract players' list.&nbsp;

The 38-year-old will lead the Super Kings this year, the first match will be between previous edition's finalists, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on March 29.&nbsp;

Dhoni had commenced training with the Jharkhand team some time back, and would also look to get into the groove as he has been away from the game for a while now.&nbsp;

Practice sessions of the Super Kings’ team never failed to attract crowds in thousands in the past, and with Dhoni set for early arrival for preparation similar numbers can be expected this time around as well.

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni got a grand reception at Chennai ahead of Indian Premier League on Monday. Also read: IPL 2020: Dhoni receives grand welcome at Chennai ahead of practice session Earlier on Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings another video of Dhoni receiving his CSK teammate Suresh Raina.

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni got a grand reception at Chennai ahead of Indian Premier League on Monday. Also read: IPL 2020: Dhoni receives grand welcome at Chennai ahead of practice session Earlier on Tuesday, Chennai Super Kings another video of Dhoni receiving his CSK teammate Suresh Raina. Raina is called 'Chinna Thala' by the CSK fans, whereas their captain MS Dhoni is called 'Thala' ( which means chieftain in Tamil). Also read: IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) squad, schedule and players to watch out for! MS Dhoni will finally return to the ground after a long gap, the last time MS Dhoni played a match was against New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup. Me3t and Gree7 - Everyday is Karthigai in our House, a film by Vikraman Sir. #StartTheWhistles 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/sJz77Nnakr — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 3, 2020 × Dhoni was criticised for his slow batting during the tournament. Earlier this year, Dhoni was not enlisted in the BCCI's central contract players' list. The 38-year-old will lead the Super Kings this year, the first match will be between previous edition's finalists, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on March 29. Dhoni had commenced training with the Jharkhand team some time back, and would also look to get into the groove as he has been away from the game for a while now. Practice sessions of the Super Kings’ team never failed to attract crowds in thousands in the past, and with Dhoni set for early arrival for preparation similar numbers can be expected this time around as well.

IPL 2020: 'Thala' MS Dhoni greets 'Chinna Tala' Suresh Raina ahead of CSK training session

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni credited his Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings for becoming a better human being and a cricketer.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-thala-ms-dhoni-greets-chinna-tala-suresh-raina-ahead-of-csk-training-session-283964">IPL 2020: 'Thala' MS Dhoni greets 'Chinna Tala' Suresh Raina ahead of CSK training session</a>

During a TV interview, Dhoni said: "This journey started in 2008, CSK has helped me improve in everything whether it was being a human being or being a cricketer, handling situations that are tough both in and out of the field and how to be humble once you are doing well."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-dhoni-receives-grand-welcome-at-chennai-ahead-of-practice-session-283661">IPL 2020: Dhoni receives grand welcome at Chennai ahead of practice session</a>

Dhoni&nbsp;went on to add that people in the South don't call him by his name but address him as "Thala" which means brother.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-chennai-super-kings-csk-squad-schedule-and-players-to-watch-out-for-283228">IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) squad, schedule and players to watch out for!</a>

"-Thala- basically means brother, so for me, it's more the abstract of the fans, the love and affection towards me is the reflection of that. Whenever I am in Chennai or down South they never call me by my name they address me as 'Thala' and the moment someone calls me Thala they are showing their love and respect but at the same time he is a CSK fan,".

MS Dhoni will finally make a blockbuster come back to the ground after a long gap, the last time MS Dhoni played a match was against New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup.&nbsp;

The 38-year-old will lead the Super Kings this year, the first match will be between previous edition's finalists, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on March 29.&nbsp;

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni credited his Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings for becoming a better human being and a cricketer. Also read: IPL 2020: 'Thala' MS Dhoni greets 'Chinna Tala' Suresh Raina ahead of CSK training session During a TV interview, Dhoni said: "This journey started in 2008, CSK has helped me improve in everything whether it was being a human being or being a cricketer, handling situations that are tough both in and out of the field and how to be humble once you are doing well.

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni credited his Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings for becoming a better human being and a cricketer. Also read: IPL 2020: 'Thala' MS Dhoni greets 'Chinna Tala' Suresh Raina ahead of CSK training session During a TV interview, Dhoni said: "This journey started in 2008, CSK has helped me improve in everything whether it was being a human being or being a cricketer, handling situations that are tough both in and out of the field and how to be humble once you are doing well." Also read: IPL 2020: Dhoni receives grand welcome at Chennai ahead of practice session Dhoni went on to add that people in the South don't call him by his name but address him as "Thala" which means brother. Also read: IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) squad, schedule and players to watch out for! "-Thala- basically means brother, so for me, it's more the abstract of the fans, the love and affection towards me is the reflection of that. Whenever I am in Chennai or down South they never call me by my name they address me as 'Thala' and the moment someone calls me Thala they are showing their love and respect but at the same time he is a CSK fan,". MS Dhoni will finally make a blockbuster come back to the ground after a long gap, the last time MS Dhoni played a match was against New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup. The 38-year-old will lead the Super Kings this year, the first match will be between previous edition's finalists, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on March 29.

'CSK has helped me improve in everything': MS Dhoni credits his IPL team for his success

Chennai Super Kings fan are excited&nbsp;to see MS Dhoni back in action!&nbsp;&nbsp;The Super Kings have lifted the IPL title thrice&nbsp;(in&nbsp;2010,&nbsp;2011&nbsp;and&nbsp;2018), and have the best win percentage among all teams in the IPL (61.28).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl/ipl-2020-indian-premier-league-date-time-venues-of-the-fixtures-283009">IPL 2020 schedule: Date, time and venue of all the matches</a>

Squad:&nbsp;Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Ravindra Jadeja, M Vijay, MS Dhoni (captain), Josh Hazlewood, Kedar Jadhav, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Lungi Ngidi, Sam Curran, Monu Kumar, Shane Watson, Sai Kishore

Coach:&nbsp;Stephen Fleming

Players to watch out for:&nbsp;MS Dhoni,&nbsp;Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo,&nbsp;Ravindra Jadeja

<h2>IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' squad, schedule</h2>

March 29 
08:00 PM 
Match 1, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 
Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings

April 2 
08:00 PM 
Match 5, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

April 6 
08:00 PM 
Match 10, Eden Gardens, Kolkata 
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings

April 11 
08:00 PM 
Match 15, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab

April 13 
08:00 PM 
Match 18, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi 
Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings

April 17 
08:00 PM 
Match 22, Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh 
Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings

April 19 
08:00 PM 
Match 25, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

April 24 
08:00 PM 
Match 30, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians

April 27 
08:00 PM 
Match 34, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

April 30 
08:00 PM 
Match 37, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad 
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings

May 4 
08:00 PM 
Match 42, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 
Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings

May 7 
08:00 PM 
Match 45, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

May 10 
04:00 PM 
Match 48, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 
Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals

May 14 
08:00 PM 
Match 53, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore 
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings

&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings fan are excited to see MS Dhoni back in action! The Super Kings have lifted the IPL title thrice (in 2010, 2011 and 2018), and have the best win percentage among all teams in the IPL (61.

Chennai Super Kings fan are excited to see MS Dhoni back in action! The Super Kings have lifted the IPL title thrice (in 2010, 2011 and 2018), and have the best win percentage among all teams in the IPL (61.28). Also read: IPL 2020 schedule: Date, time and venue of all the matches Squad: Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Ravindra Jadeja, M Vijay, MS Dhoni (captain), Josh Hazlewood, Kedar Jadhav, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Lungi Ngidi, Sam Curran, Monu Kumar, Shane Watson, Sai Kishore Coach: Stephen Fleming Players to watch out for: MS Dhoni, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' squad, schedule March 29 08:00 PM Match 1, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings April 2 08:00 PM Match 5, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals April 6 08:00 PM Match 10, Eden Gardens, Kolkata Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings April 11 08:00 PM Match 15, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab April 13 08:00 PM Match 18, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings April 17 08:00 PM Match 22, Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings April 19 08:00 PM Match 25, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad April 24 08:00 PM Match 30, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians April 27 08:00 PM Match 34, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore April 30 08:00 PM Match 37, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings May 4 08:00 PM Match 42, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings May 7 08:00 PM Match 45, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders May 10 04:00 PM Match 48, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals May 14 08:00 PM Match 53, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings

IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) squad, schedule and players to watch out for!

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the Chennai Super Kings is reported to start his training from March 2 along with other players as the 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) closes in.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the Chennai Super Kings is reported to start his training from March 2 along with other players as the 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) closes in. The 38-year-old whose future as a sportsman in this game has been a subject of intense speculation since the ICC 50-over World Cup of 2019, is expected to begin preparing at the M A Chidambaram stadium for the upcoming IPL. Also Read: BCCI drops Dhoni in central contract list for players The opening match for IPL 2020 will put CSK against defending champion Mumbai Indians on the latter's home turf on March 29. CEO of the cricket team, KS Viswanathan stated that Dhoni will be training with players who are available as the full preparatory camp of the team begins on March 19. Practice sessions for the former India captain are expected to last for a couple of weeks with the likes of Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu among others. This is reported to provide the veteran stumper opportunities to bond with the new players in the CSK set-up. Also Read: MS Dhoni may retire from ODIs soon: Ravi Shastri Dhoni had commenced training with the Jharkhand team some time back, and would also look to get into the groove as he has been away from the game for a while now. Practice sessions of the Super Kings’ team never failed to attract crowds in thousands in the past, and with Dhoni set for early arrival for preparation similar numbers can be expected this time around as well. Also Read: MS Dhoni should be going 'without being pushed out', says Sunil Gavaskar The three-time IPL champion had picked up veteran leggie Piyush Chawla, Aussie pacer Josh Hazelwood, England all-rounder Sam Curran and Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore during the auction held in December of 2019.

IPL 2020: Mahendra Singh Dhoni trains with CSK for clash against Mumbai Indians on March 2

The IPL prize distribution ceremony almost plunged into a controversy after CoA member Diana Edulji expressed her wish to give away the winners' trophy, going against the convention.&nbsp;

Eventually, as per existing convention, acting president CK Khanna handed over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-lift-4th-ipl-trophy-with-1-run-win-over-chennai-218193">winners' trophy to Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma</a>.

While Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai didn't attend the IPL final between Mumbai and Chennai, other two members Diana and Lt Gen (retd) Ravi Thodge were present in Hyderabad.

"Edulji gave away the winners' trophy at the Women's T20 Challenge in Jaipur and she wanted to give away the trophy here also.

However, it was learnt that Khanna showed an e-mail from acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhry to IPL COO Hemang Amin, stating that convention of president giving away the trophy could be followed," a BCCI official privy to the incident told PTI on the conditions of anonymity.

When Rai was asked for his view on the issue, he in turn asked whether there was any need to change the convention.

"It was Lt Gen Thodge, who categorically told the former India women's team captain that acting president Khanna should be allowed to handover the trophy and the matter should be put to an end. She was certainly not happy but had to go with the majority view in this case," said another BCCI source.

Rai and Edulji have had their share of differences on most of the issues and the CoA has been able to take a few concrete decisions of late after Lt Gen Thodge joined the panel.&nbsp;

When Khanna was contacted, he refused to comment on the issue while calls to Edulji went unanswered.

The IPL prize distribution ceremony almost plunged into a controversy after CoA member Diana Edulji expressed her wish to give away the winners' trophy, going against the convention.

The IPL prize distribution ceremony almost plunged into a controversy after CoA member Diana Edulji expressed her wish to give away the winners' trophy, going against the convention. Eventually, as per existing convention, acting president CK Khanna handed over the winners' trophy to Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma. While Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai didn't attend the IPL final between Mumbai and Chennai, other two members Diana and Lt Gen (retd) Ravi Thodge were present in Hyderabad. "Edulji gave away the winners' trophy at the Women's T20 Challenge in Jaipur and she wanted to give away the trophy here also. However, it was learnt that Khanna showed an e-mail from acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhry to IPL COO Hemang Amin, stating that convention of president giving away the trophy could be followed," a BCCI official privy to the incident told PTI on the conditions of anonymity. When Rai was asked for his view on the issue, he in turn asked whether there was any need to change the convention. "It was Lt Gen Thodge, who categorically told the former India women's team captain that acting president Khanna should be allowed to handover the trophy and the matter should be put to an end. She was certainly not happy but had to go with the majority view in this case," said another BCCI source. Rai and Edulji have had their share of differences on most of the issues and the CoA has been able to take a few concrete decisions of late after Lt Gen Thodge joined the panel. When Khanna was contacted, he refused to comment on the issue while calls to Edulji went unanswered.

Diana Edulji wanted to give away IPL winners' trophy but eventually convention followed

From Pollard's protest to thrilling final over, major takeaways from Mumbai's 1-run win over Chennai in IPL 2019 final

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final.&nbsp;

Rohit's side <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-lift-4th-ipl-trophy-with-1-run-win-over-chennai-218193">defeated Chennai by one run</a>&nbsp;to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.&nbsp;

Chennai's Shane Watson almost took his team over the line. In the last over, Watson got run out which ended his knock of 59-ball 80. With two runs needed off the final ball, Lasith Malinga trapped Shardul Thakur leg-before to secure Mumbai's win by one run.&nbsp;

Rohit was ready to carry the cross had the decision to use Malinga backfired but had a gut feeling that the Sri Lankan will be able to pull it off as Mitchell Johnson did in the 2017 IPL final.&nbsp;

Malinga repaid the faith his skipper showed in him defending nine runs off the final over.&nbsp;

Rohit said, "Malinga is a champion, he has been doing it for many years for us. I was thinking of Hardik for the final over, but I wanted to back someone who has been in that situation for us before, and Malinga has been there many times."

"When the decision comes off, it looks all nice. It can backfire also. At that stage, I wanted to go with experience and Malinga has been in that situation a million times," the four-time IPL champion skipper said at the post-match media interaction.

"I am learning in every game, every time I take the field. I have to credit the team as well, it is up to the boys to step up otherwise the captain is made to look foolish," Rohit added.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The 🏆 is back in Hitman's closet 💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/i36At6BBUC">pic.twitter.com/i36At6BBUC</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1127808187892162566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Reactions on bagging the <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IPL</a> championship, straight from the 💙 of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019Final</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/69UQP3sFsF">https://t.co/69UQP3sFsF</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1127815738612506625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The situation was eerily similar to Rohit had faced in 2017 final when Mumbai&nbsp;beat the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants by one run in another thrilling finish.

Then it was former Australian pacer Johnson, who defended 11 runs in the final over to pull-off a one-run victory.&nbsp;

It was that deja vu moment for the Rohit Sharma.

"I clearly remember when we won here in 2017, it was Mitchell Johnson who bowled that last over and defended only 10 (sic) runs. So yes, sometimes you've got to go with only instincts, sometimes you've got to go a little backwards and think what these experienced players have done and what they bring to the table," Rohit said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final. Rohit's side defeated Chennai by one run to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final. Rohit's side defeated Chennai by one run to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Chennai's Shane Watson almost took his team over the line. In the last over, Watson got run out which ended his knock of 59-ball 80. With two runs needed off the final ball, Lasith Malinga trapped Shardul Thakur leg-before to secure Mumbai's win by one run. Rohit was ready to carry the cross had the decision to use Malinga backfired but had a gut feeling that the Sri Lankan will be able to pull it off as Mitchell Johnson did in the 2017 IPL final. Malinga repaid the faith his skipper showed in him defending nine runs off the final over. Rohit said, "Malinga is a champion, he has been doing it for many years for us. I was thinking of Hardik for the final over, but I wanted to back someone who has been in that situation for us before, and Malinga has been there many times." "When the decision comes off, it looks all nice. It can backfire also. At that stage, I wanted to go with experience and Malinga has been in that situation a million times," the four-time IPL champion skipper said at the post-match media interaction. "I am learning in every game, every time I take the field. I have to credit the team as well, it is up to the boys to step up otherwise the captain is made to look foolish," Rohit added. The 🏆 is back in Hitman's closet 💙#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #MIvCSK @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/i36At6BBUC — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 13, 2019 × Reactions on bagging the @IPL championship, straight from the 💙 of #OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2019Final #MIvCSK https://t.co/69UQP3sFsF — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 13, 2019 × The situation was eerily similar to Rohit had faced in 2017 final when Mumbai beat the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants by one run in another thrilling finish. Then it was former Australian pacer Johnson, who defended 11 runs in the final over to pull-off a one-run victory. It was that deja vu moment for the Rohit Sharma. "I clearly remember when we won here in 2017, it was Mitchell Johnson who bowled that last over and defended only 10 (sic) runs. So yes, sometimes you've got to go with only instincts, sometimes you've got to go a little backwards and think what these experienced players have done and what they bring to the table," Rohit said. (With inputs from PTI)

IPL 2019 Final: Rohit Sharma explains his gamble of picking Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in last over

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the skipper of Chennai team, has reached another milestone while playing the final of Indian Premier League 2019 against Mumbai.&nbsp;

Dhoni became the most successful wicket-keeper in the history of IPL by taking his dismissals tally to 132.&nbsp;

Dhoni, who took two catches in the IPL final against Mumbai, has now taken 94 catches and 38 stumpings.&nbsp;

He surpassed his Indian teammate Dinesh Karthik.&nbsp;

Karthik has 131 dismissals to his credit while Robin Uthappa has 90 scalps behind the stumps.

In the match, Dhoni took Quinton de Kock's catch off Shardul Thakur's bowling.&nbsp;

After that he reached the milestone with a diving catch off Deepak Chahar to dismiss Rohit Sharma.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
MS Dhoni's involvement in getting rid of both the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> openers takes him to 132 dismissals in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> - setting a new record.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/dACuk70Akw">pic.twitter.com/dACuk70Akw</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1127584927413936128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11.&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the skipper of Chennai team, has reached another milestone while playing the final of Indian Premier League 2019 against Mumbai. Dhoni became the most successful wicket-keeper in the history of IPL by taking his dismissals tally to 132.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the skipper of Chennai team, has reached another milestone while playing the final of Indian Premier League 2019 against Mumbai. Dhoni became the most successful wicket-keeper in the history of IPL by taking his dismissals tally to 132. Dhoni, who took two catches in the IPL final against Mumbai, has now taken 94 catches and 38 stumpings. He surpassed his Indian teammate Dinesh Karthik. Karthik has 131 dismissals to his credit while Robin Uthappa has 90 scalps behind the stumps. In the match, Dhoni took Quinton de Kock's catch off Shardul Thakur's bowling. After that he reached the milestone with a diving catch off Deepak Chahar to dismiss Rohit Sharma. MS Dhoni's involvement in getting rid of both the #MumbaiIndians openers takes him to 132 dismissals in #VIVOIPL - setting a new record.#MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/dACuk70Akw — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 12, 2019 × Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11.

IPL 2019: MS Dhoni became most successful keeper in IPL history

The stage is set for the final clash of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League 2019</a>, there couldn't be&nbsp;a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off&nbsp;in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title.&nbsp;

Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11.&nbsp;

Since 2015, they have played a total of nine&nbsp;matches and Chennai have defeated Mumbai just two times and Mumbai emerged victorious on seven occasions.&nbsp;

They have met three times in IPL finals, and Rohit &amp; Co defeated Dhoni's side twice.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai can certainly take confidence out of the fact that they have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015.&nbsp;

Previously, eight of the 11 finals have been won by the team that won the toss.&nbsp;

If Imran Tahir makes the Chennai's&nbsp;playing XI, he will be the first 40-year old to compete in an IPL Final.

Imran Tahir needs two more wickets to become only the second spinner in IPL history to bag the Purple Cap; the only spinner to finish as the season’s highest wicket-taker was Pragyan Ojha, back in 2010.&nbsp;

It can't be disputed that Mumbai go into the final as the favourites, having beaten Chennai as many as three times earlier in the tournament including in the Qualifier 1.&nbsp;

However, statistics count for little going into the title fight with both teams being in the situation before multiple times.&nbsp;

The stage is set for the final clash of Indian Premier League 2019, there couldn't be a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title.

The stage is set for the final clash of Indian Premier League 2019, there couldn't be a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title. Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11. Since 2015, they have played a total of nine matches and Chennai have defeated Mumbai just two times and Mumbai emerged victorious on seven occasions. They have met three times in IPL finals, and Rohit & Co defeated Dhoni's side twice. Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai can certainly take confidence out of the fact that they have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015. Previously, eight of the 11 finals have been won by the team that won the toss. If Imran Tahir makes the Chennai's playing XI, he will be the first 40-year old to compete in an IPL Final. Imran Tahir needs two more wickets to become only the second spinner in IPL history to bag the Purple Cap; the only spinner to finish as the season’s highest wicket-taker was Pragyan Ojha, back in 2010. It can't be disputed that Mumbai go into the final as the favourites, having beaten Chennai as many as three times earlier in the tournament including in the Qualifier 1. However, statistics count for little going into the title fight with both teams being in the situation before multiple times.

IPL 2019 Final: The Mumbai-Chennai rivalry in records and stats

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-defending-champions-chennai-defeat-delhi-to-storm-into-final-217611">Chennai defeated Delhi by six wickets</a> to secure their spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final which will be played against Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

After winning the match, batsman Shane Watson said that he is very grateful for the faith Chennai team has shown.&nbsp;

"Very grateful for the faith CSK have shown in not just me, but all the players are grateful," said Watson in the post-match presentation.&nbsp;

Chasing a modest total of 148 runs, Chennai had a brilliant start as they witnessed an 81-run opening partnership between Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson. Both played some amazing shots and provided Chennai a scintillating start.

Watson also mentioned about the benefits of an experienced side, he said, "There are huge positives about age and experience. We have played well from the top with MS (Dhoni) and Fleming."

"When you have experienced players, you have an understanding of what to do. We are making the most of the experience we have had and we are going to make the most out of it on Sunday."

Watson also praised Dhoni, he said, "He always has the faith in the people all the way through. It's an honour to be playing with MS and I have learnt a lot from him."&nbsp;

Chennai defeated Delhi by six wickets to secure their spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final which will be played against Mumbai Indians. After winning the match, batsman Shane Watson said that he is very grateful for the faith Chennai team has shown.

Chennai defeated Delhi by six wickets to secure their spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final which will be played against Mumbai Indians. After winning the match, batsman Shane Watson said that he is very grateful for the faith Chennai team has shown. "Very grateful for the faith CSK have shown in not just me, but all the players are grateful," said Watson in the post-match presentation. Chasing a modest total of 148 runs, Chennai had a brilliant start as they witnessed an 81-run opening partnership between Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson. Both played some amazing shots and provided Chennai a scintillating start. Watson also mentioned about the benefits of an experienced side, he said, "There are huge positives about age and experience. We have played well from the top with MS (Dhoni) and Fleming." "When you have experienced players, you have an understanding of what to do. We are making the most of the experience we have had and we are going to make the most out of it on Sunday." Watson also praised Dhoni, he said, "He always has the faith in the people all the way through. It's an honour to be playing with MS and I have learnt a lot from him."

'Grateful for the faith' Chennai team has shown in me, says Shane Watson

Defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-qualifier-2-delhi-vs-chennai-at-aca-vdca-cricket-stadium-217540">defeated Delhi by six wickets</a> in the Qualifier 2 of Indian Premier League 2019 to set up the summit clash of the season against Mumbai team.&nbsp;

Chasing a total of 148 to win, Chennai openers Shane Watson and Fad du Plessis scored half-centuries to give their side a stable start.&nbsp;

Dwayne Bravo scored the winning runs at Visakhapatnam's ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium and Chennai will play the final match on May 12.&nbsp;

Du Plessis scored his third half-century in this season of IPL before Trent Boult got hold of him in the 11th over.&nbsp;

Soon after scoring his second half-century in this season, Watson (50) gave away his wicket.

Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu then came out to bat but Raina too gave away his wicket after scoring just 11 runs.

After Raina's dismissal, skipper Dhoni took the field. Rayudu and Dhoni played steadily and added another 19 runs on the scoreboard.

However, in the 19th over, Dhoni tried to finish off the match by hitting a six but gave away an easy catch to Keemo Paul off Ishant Sharma delivery.

Dwayne Bravo then joined Rayudu and both took their side over the line to register a six-wicket victory.

Earlier, MS Dhoni-led Chennai dished out a clinical bowling effort to restrict Delhi to 147 for nine.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> win Qualifier 2 by 6 wickets, will face <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> 2019 final 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvDC</a> <a href="https://t.co/rnaDaWBwd8">pic.twitter.com/rnaDaWBwd8</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1126902539536912385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Dwayne Bravo (2/19), Ravindra Jadeja (2/23), Deepak Chahar (2/28) and Harbhajan Singh (2/31) shared eight wickets between them to keep Delhi in check after opting to bowl.&nbsp;

Sent into bat, Delhi made a shaky start with Prithvi Shaw (5) and Shikhar Dhawan (18 off 14) adding 21 runs in 2.3 overs before the former was caught plumb in front of the wicket by Chahar.&nbsp;

Shaw's dismissal opened the floodgates as Delhi lost three wickets in quick time to slump to 75 for four in 11.3 overs.&nbsp;

Dhawan was the next to depart, caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Harbhajan and then Colin Munro (27) was holed at deep square-leg by Bravo off Jadeja as the South African went for a slog sweep.&nbsp;

Skipper Shreyas Iyer (13 of 18) tried to anchor the innings but he too fell while going for a big shot, caught by Suresh Raina off Imran Tahir (1/28) in the 12th over.&nbsp;

To make matters worse for Delhi, new man in Axar Patel departed in the next over, hitting a short delivery of Bravo straight to Tahir at third man.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> reach their 8th <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> final, what a team 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvDC</a> <a href="https://t.co/mMpGkNTJEb">pic.twitter.com/mMpGkNTJEb</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1126904586084569089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Rishabh Pant (38 off 25) and Sherfane Rutherford (10) shared 22 runs for the sixth wicket but Chennai didn't allow the Delhi outfit to get any momentum, picking up wickets at regular intervals to rattle their innings.&nbsp;

Rutherford became Harbhajan's second victim, followed by Keemo Paul who was cleaned up by Bravo's perfect yorker in the 18th over.&nbsp;

The onus was on hard-hitting Pant to take Delhi to a challenging total but he too failed to cope up with the pressure, caught by Bravo at long-on off Chahar.&nbsp;

Towards the end, Amit Mishra (6 not out) and Ishant Sharma (10 not out off 3 balls) used their long handles to great effect and struck some lusty blows to take the Delhi side close to the 150-run mark.

Defending champions defeated Delhi by six wickets in the Qualifier 2 of Indian Premier League 2019 to set up the summit clash of the season against Mumbai team. Chasing a total of 148 to win, Chennai openers Shane Watson and Fad du Plessis scored half-centuries to give their side a stable start.

Defending champions defeated Delhi by six wickets in the Qualifier 2 of Indian Premier League 2019 to set up the summit clash of the season against Mumbai team. Chasing a total of 148 to win, Chennai openers Shane Watson and Fad du Plessis scored half-centuries to give their side a stable start. Dwayne Bravo scored the winning runs at Visakhapatnam's ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium and Chennai will play the final match on May 12. Du Plessis scored his third half-century in this season of IPL before Trent Boult got hold of him in the 11th over. Soon after scoring his second half-century in this season, Watson (50) gave away his wicket. Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu then came out to bat but Raina too gave away his wicket after scoring just 11 runs. After Raina's dismissal, skipper Dhoni took the field. Rayudu and Dhoni played steadily and added another 19 runs on the scoreboard. However, in the 19th over, Dhoni tried to finish off the match by hitting a six but gave away an easy catch to Keemo Paul off Ishant Sharma delivery. Dwayne Bravo then joined Rayudu and both took their side over the line to register a six-wicket victory. Earlier, MS Dhoni-led Chennai dished out a clinical bowling effort to restrict Delhi to 147 for nine. .@ChennaiIPL win Qualifier 2 by 6 wickets, will face @mipaltan in the #VIVOIPL 2019 final 🙌#CSKvDC pic.twitter.com/rnaDaWBwd8 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 10, 2019 × Dwayne Bravo (2/19), Ravindra Jadeja (2/23), Deepak Chahar (2/28) and Harbhajan Singh (2/31) shared eight wickets between them to keep Delhi in check after opting to bowl. Sent into bat, Delhi made a shaky start with Prithvi Shaw (5) and Shikhar Dhawan (18 off 14) adding 21 runs in 2.3 overs before the former was caught plumb in front of the wicket by Chahar. Shaw's dismissal opened the floodgates as Delhi lost three wickets in quick time to slump to 75 for four in 11.3 overs. Dhawan was the next to depart, caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Harbhajan and then Colin Munro (27) was holed at deep square-leg by Bravo off Jadeja as the South African went for a slog sweep. Skipper Shreyas Iyer (13 of 18) tried to anchor the innings but he too fell while going for a big shot, caught by Suresh Raina off Imran Tahir (1/28) in the 12th over. To make matters worse for Delhi, new man in Axar Patel departed in the next over, hitting a short delivery of Bravo straight to Tahir at third man. .@ChennaiIPL reach their 8th #VIVOIPL final, what a team 🔥#CSKvDC pic.twitter.com/mMpGkNTJEb — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 10, 2019 × Rishabh Pant (38 off 25) and Sherfane Rutherford (10) shared 22 runs for the sixth wicket but Chennai didn't allow the Delhi outfit to get any momentum, picking up wickets at regular intervals to rattle their innings. Rutherford became Harbhajan's second victim, followed by Keemo Paul who was cleaned up by Bravo's perfect yorker in the 18th over. The onus was on hard-hitting Pant to take Delhi to a challenging total but he too failed to cope up with the pressure, caught by Bravo at long-on off Chahar. Towards the end, Amit Mishra (6 not out) and Ishant Sharma (10 not out off 3 balls) used their long handles to great effect and struck some lusty blows to take the Delhi side close to the 150-run mark.

IPL 2019: Defending champions Chennai defeat Delhi to storm into final

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that his side should have read the pitch better after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-mumbai-enter-final-after-defeating-chennai-by-6-wickets-216823">losing to Mumbai in Qualifier 1</a> of Indian Premier League 2019 on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Suryakumar Yadav dazzled as he scored an unbeaten 71 runs off 54 balls, which included 10 boundaries at the Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;

On Chepauk's a sluggish pitch, which offered considerable turn and odd bounce, Suryakumar played a brilliant innings with Mumbai reaching the target in 18.3 overs.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation, Dhoni said, "We had to assess the conditions quickly, we have played 6 to 7 games on this pitch and should have read the pitch better, that's the home advantage."&nbsp;

Chennai, however, will get another chance to make it to their eighth summit clash as they will now play the second Qualifier against the winner of the 'Eliminator' between Delhi and Hyderabad.&nbsp;

He further added, "We needed to know how the pitch behaves, would it be tacky? Is the ball coming on or not, those were the things we didn't do well, I think the batting needs to get better."&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> can book an early ✈ to Hyderabad as <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> await one of DC or SRH in Qualifier 2.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/0gfyvT4unR">pic.twitter.com/0gfyvT4unR</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1125819821856178176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Dhoni also said, "Hopefully, we will do well in the next game."&nbsp;

Dhoni also pointed out the mistakes his team made during the match, he said, "I think we were a bit unlucky at times, some balls dropped right in the middle, a few catches weren't taken."

"We perhaps had to bowl slightly away from the batsmen, could have slowed down the pace and bowl with more variations," he added.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the ecstatic winning captain Rohit Sharma said, "Great feeling to know that we'll be playing the finals. Three days now in which we can switch off before the final."&nbsp;

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that his side should have read the pitch better after losing to Mumbai in Qualifier 1 of Indian Premier League 2019 on Tuesday.

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that his side should have read the pitch better after losing to Mumbai in Qualifier 1 of Indian Premier League 2019 on Tuesday. Suryakumar Yadav dazzled as he scored an unbeaten 71 runs off 54 balls, which included 10 boundaries at the Chidambaram Stadium. On Chepauk's a sluggish pitch, which offered considerable turn and odd bounce, Suryakumar played a brilliant innings with Mumbai reaching the target in 18.3 overs. During the post-match presentation, Dhoni said, "We had to assess the conditions quickly, we have played 6 to 7 games on this pitch and should have read the pitch better, that's the home advantage." Chennai, however, will get another chance to make it to their eighth summit clash as they will now play the second Qualifier against the winner of the 'Eliminator' between Delhi and Hyderabad. He further added, "We needed to know how the pitch behaves, would it be tacky? Is the ball coming on or not, those were the things we didn't do well, I think the batting needs to get better." .@mipaltan can book an early ✈ to Hyderabad as @ChennaiIPL await one of DC or SRH in Qualifier 2.#MIvCSK #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/0gfyvT4unR — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 7, 2019 × Dhoni also said, "Hopefully, we will do well in the next game." Dhoni also pointed out the mistakes his team made during the match, he said, "I think we were a bit unlucky at times, some balls dropped right in the middle, a few catches weren't taken." "We perhaps had to bowl slightly away from the batsmen, could have slowed down the pace and bowl with more variations," he added. On the other hand, the ecstatic winning captain Rohit Sharma said, "Great feeling to know that we'll be playing the finals. Three days now in which we can switch off before the final."

'We should have read pitch better', says MS Dhoni after losing to Mumbai in Qualifier 1

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title.&nbsp;

The first Qualifier is between defending champions Chennai and table-toppers Mumbai, which is scheduled for May 7.&nbsp;

Chennai team has been patchy after a strong start and finished its league engagements with a six-wicket defeat to Punjab at Mohali on Sunday. &nbsp;

But Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will be happy to return to their den to take on Mumbai, probably its biggest IPL rival, to decide which team seals a spot in the May 12 final. &nbsp;

Chennai boasts of a tremendous record at home this season, winning six of its seven games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;

A defeat, however, will provide both the teams a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 10. &nbsp;

The Chennai top-order has fired in fits and starts in the league phase and will need to come out all guns blazing against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets), Lasith Malinga (15 wickets), the Pandya brothers (Hardik 14 wickets and Krunal 10 wickets), leggie Rahul Chahar (10 wickets) and possibly Mitchell McClenaghan. &nbsp;

Skipper Dhoni (Chennai's highest run-getter with 368 runs from 12 matches, 3 fifties) has been the mainstay of a rather inconsistent Chennai batting unit and along with openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis and Suresh Raina holds the key in Saturday's game as the usually fluent Ambati Rayudu has struggled to get going. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Chennai, however, will miss the services of the Kedar Jadhav, who sustained a freak shoulder injury in the match against Punjab. &nbsp;

But Jadhav wasn't in the best of form and his absence would open up a spot for either Murali Vijay or Dhruv Shorey.&nbsp;

Bowling has been Chennai's strong point so far this season and becomes even more potent on Chidambaram's sluggish wicket. &nbsp;

Imran Tahir (21 scalps), the second highest wicket-taker this season after Kagiso Rabada (25), has been at the forefront of an effective Chennai spin trio, also including veteran Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja (both with 13 wickets each).&nbsp;

And the success of Tahir &amp; Co against the powerful Mumbai batting line-up could very well determine the course of the match. &nbsp;

Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (386 runs), the impressive Quinton De Kock (492, third leading run-scorer), Hardik Pandya (380) and Kieron Pollard will be hard to stop once they get going and Chennai's bowlers have a tough task at hand. &nbsp;

The onus would also be on the ever-improving Deepak Chahar, who has taken 16 scalps so far, to pick up early wickets for Chennai and stifle the rival batting line-up.&nbsp;

Going by the head-to-head record this year, Mumbai holds an upperhand having won both its encounters against Chennai in the preliminary phase. &nbsp;

Mumabi's head coach Mahela Jayawardene would be aware of the job at hand and won't take Chennai lightly despite the Lions' recent wobbly form.&nbsp;

Chennai will certainly receive a boost by playing the Qualifier 1 at home with the crowd fully backing the team in what promises to be a cracker of a contest.

There is hardly anything to differentiate between the two sides as both CSK and MI have won the title three times earlier.&nbsp;

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title.

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title. The first Qualifier is between defending champions Chennai and table-toppers Mumbai, which is scheduled for May 7. Chennai team has been patchy after a strong start and finished its league engagements with a six-wicket defeat to Punjab at Mohali on Sunday. But Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will be happy to return to their den to take on Mumbai, probably its biggest IPL rival, to decide which team seals a spot in the May 12 final. Chennai boasts of a tremendous record at home this season, winning six of its seven games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. A defeat, however, will provide both the teams a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 10. The Chennai top-order has fired in fits and starts in the league phase and will need to come out all guns blazing against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets), Lasith Malinga (15 wickets), the Pandya brothers (Hardik 14 wickets and Krunal 10 wickets), leggie Rahul Chahar (10 wickets) and possibly Mitchell McClenaghan. Skipper Dhoni (Chennai's highest run-getter with 368 runs from 12 matches, 3 fifties) has been the mainstay of a rather inconsistent Chennai batting unit and along with openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis and Suresh Raina holds the key in Saturday's game as the usually fluent Ambati Rayudu has struggled to get going. Chennai, however, will miss the services of the Kedar Jadhav, who sustained a freak shoulder injury in the match against Punjab. But Jadhav wasn't in the best of form and his absence would open up a spot for either Murali Vijay or Dhruv Shorey. Bowling has been Chennai's strong point so far this season and becomes even more potent on Chidambaram's sluggish wicket. Imran Tahir (21 scalps), the second highest wicket-taker this season after Kagiso Rabada (25), has been at the forefront of an effective Chennai spin trio, also including veteran Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja (both with 13 wickets each). And the success of Tahir & Co against the powerful Mumbai batting line-up could very well determine the course of the match. Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (386 runs), the impressive Quinton De Kock (492, third leading run-scorer), Hardik Pandya (380) and Kieron Pollard will be hard to stop once they get going and Chennai's bowlers have a tough task at hand. The onus would also be on the ever-improving Deepak Chahar, who has taken 16 scalps so far, to pick up early wickets for Chennai and stifle the rival batting line-up. Going by the head-to-head record this year, Mumbai holds an upperhand having won both its encounters against Chennai in the preliminary phase. Mumabi's head coach Mahela Jayawardene would be aware of the job at hand and won't take Chennai lightly despite the Lions' recent wobbly form. Chennai will certainly receive a boost by playing the Qualifier 1 at home with the crowd fully backing the team in what promises to be a cracker of a contest. There is hardly anything to differentiate between the two sides as both CSK and MI have won the title three times earlier.

Eying finale berth, MS Dhoni-led Chennai to take on Mumbai in Qualifier 1

Punjab <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-55-punjab-vs-chennai-at-is-bindra-stadium-216077">defeated Chennai by six wickets</a> in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Sunday. Chasing a target of 171 runs, Punjab had a very scintillating start as the openers, KL Rahul and Chris Gayle, formed a 108 runs partnership.&nbsp;

Rahul started playing big shots at the beginning, which helped him score his half-century in just 19 balls.&nbsp;

Both gave a solid start to Punjab before Rahul (71) and Gayle (28) both got out on two consecutive balls bowled by Harbhajan Singh.&nbsp;

Nicolas Pooran and Mayank Aggarwal then came out to bat. However, their partnership did not last long as Aggarwal gave away his wicket on seven runs.&nbsp;

Mandeep Singh then joined Pooran and both added another 46 runs to the scoreboard before Ravindra Jadeja sent Pooran (36) back to the pavilion.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Oh yes, boy 👌👌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KXIPvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KXIPvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/UsyeHVTdGH">pic.twitter.com/UsyeHVTdGH</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1125019997065994244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Sam Curran then came out to bat and both Curran and Mandeep Singh took their side over the line and registered a 6-wicket victory.&nbsp;

Earlier, Chennai were sent to bat first as Punjab opted to bowl first after winning the toss.&nbsp;

Chennai had a decent start as Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis added 30 runs to the scoreboard before Sam Curran got hold of Watson (7).&nbsp;

Suresh Raina then came out to bat and accompanied Du Plessis. Both the on-field batter played some brilliant shots and struck regular boundaries, which kept the scoreboard running.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
KL Rahul is adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding innings of 71 off 36 deliveries 😎😎 <a href="https://t.co/357RPCfopZ">pic.twitter.com/357RPCfopZ</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1125041692678033409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Both stitched a 120-run partnership which saw half-century of both the players. However, Raina (53) and Du Plessis (96), both became victims of Curran, who sent both the set batsmen, back to the pavilion.&nbsp;

Then skipper MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu came out to bat. However, in the last over of the inning, Mohammed Shami took the wicket of Rayudu which brought Kedar Jhadav to the field but Shami sent Jhadav too back to the pavilion.&nbsp;

Shami conceded only five runs in the final over which helped Punjab restrict Chennai &nbsp;to 170 runs.&nbsp;

Punjab defeated Chennai by six wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Sunday. Chasing a target of 171 runs, Punjab had a very scintillating start as the openers, KL Rahul and Chris Gayle, formed a 108 runs partnership.

Punjab defeated Chennai by six wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Sunday. Chasing a target of 171 runs, Punjab had a very scintillating start as the openers, KL Rahul and Chris Gayle, formed a 108 runs partnership. Rahul started playing big shots at the beginning, which helped him score his half-century in just 19 balls. Both gave a solid start to Punjab before Rahul (71) and Gayle (28) both got out on two consecutive balls bowled by Harbhajan Singh. Nicolas Pooran and Mayank Aggarwal then came out to bat. However, their partnership did not last long as Aggarwal gave away his wicket on seven runs. Mandeep Singh then joined Pooran and both added another 46 runs to the scoreboard before Ravindra Jadeja sent Pooran (36) back to the pavilion. Oh yes, boy 👌👌#KXIPvCSK pic.twitter.com/UsyeHVTdGH — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2019 × Sam Curran then came out to bat and both Curran and Mandeep Singh took their side over the line and registered a 6-wicket victory. Earlier, Chennai were sent to bat first as Punjab opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Chennai had a decent start as Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis added 30 runs to the scoreboard before Sam Curran got hold of Watson (7). Suresh Raina then came out to bat and accompanied Du Plessis. Both the on-field batter played some brilliant shots and struck regular boundaries, which kept the scoreboard running. KL Rahul is adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding innings of 71 off 36 deliveries 😎😎 pic.twitter.com/357RPCfopZ — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2019 × Both stitched a 120-run partnership which saw half-century of both the players. However, Raina (53) and Du Plessis (96), both became victims of Curran, who sent both the set batsmen, back to the pavilion. Then skipper MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu came out to bat. However, in the last over of the inning, Mohammed Shami took the wicket of Rayudu which brought Kedar Jhadav to the field but Shami sent Jhadav too back to the pavilion. Shami conceded only five runs in the final over which helped Punjab restrict Chennai to 170 runs.

IPL 2019: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle shine as Punjab defeat Chennai by six wickets

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-rohit-sharma-led-mumbai-beat-chennai-by-46-runs-213798">46-run win in an IPL match</a> on Friday.&nbsp;

Sans Dhoni, Chennai failed to chase down a 156-run target set by Mumbai, bundling out for 109, their lowest total at home.&nbsp;

"It was a massive boost that MSD (Dhoni) wasn't around. Because his presence does a lot for their team. When you don't have Dhoni when they're chasing the score, then it becomes difficult for them," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony. &nbsp;

"I'm sure his presence was missed by CSK. But he was sick, it's not in his control either," added the right-handed batsman, who struck 67, his first fifty of the season. &nbsp;

Rohit said it was a blessing in disguise for him to lose the toss as they too would wanted to chase on what eventually turned out to be another slow Chepauk surface. "I thought it was better to lose the toss since we wanted to chase as well. But we knew whether we bat first or bowl first, we'll still have to play good cricket. We spoke about that at the start of the game, but it was a great effort by the boys since it's not easy to come here and play," he said. &nbsp;

Rohit too was mighty relived to have scored his first half-century of the season Friday.&nbsp;

"It was a satisfying innings. I was getting 30s and 40s but not getting half-centuries. At no point was I worried about my form because I was hitting the ball well. I knew the day will come, and I guess today was the day," he said.&nbsp;

Chennai stand-in skipper Suresh Raina blamed the team's batting department for the loss. &nbsp;

"We didn't bat well. We kept losing wickets every 2-3 overs, so our batsmen need to take more responsibility. Our bowling has always been good this season. We thought 155 was chaseable. But we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and middle overs," he said. &nbsp;

"We didn't rotate the strike well either. It is important to go out there and see a few balls out, and then decide which bowler you want to go after. We need to sit as a batting unit and see where we're doing wrong. We have power hitters, we have experienced batsmen, we just need to relax as a batting unit."&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their 46-run win in an IPL match on Friday.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their 46-run win in an IPL match on Friday. Sans Dhoni, Chennai failed to chase down a 156-run target set by Mumbai, bundling out for 109, their lowest total at home. "It was a massive boost that MSD (Dhoni) wasn't around. Because his presence does a lot for their team. When you don't have Dhoni when they're chasing the score, then it becomes difficult for them," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony. "I'm sure his presence was missed by CSK. But he was sick, it's not in his control either," added the right-handed batsman, who struck 67, his first fifty of the season. Rohit said it was a blessing in disguise for him to lose the toss as they too would wanted to chase on what eventually turned out to be another slow Chepauk surface. "I thought it was better to lose the toss since we wanted to chase as well. But we knew whether we bat first or bowl first, we'll still have to play good cricket. We spoke about that at the start of the game, but it was a great effort by the boys since it's not easy to come here and play," he said. Rohit too was mighty relived to have scored his first half-century of the season Friday. "It was a satisfying innings. I was getting 30s and 40s but not getting half-centuries. At no point was I worried about my form because I was hitting the ball well. I knew the day will come, and I guess today was the day," he said. Chennai stand-in skipper Suresh Raina blamed the team's batting department for the loss. "We didn't bat well. We kept losing wickets every 2-3 overs, so our batsmen need to take more responsibility. Our bowling has always been good this season. We thought 155 was chaseable. But we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and middle overs," he said. "We didn't rotate the strike well either. It is important to go out there and see a few balls out, and then decide which bowler you want to go after. We need to sit as a batting unit and see where we're doing wrong. We have power hitters, we have experienced batsmen, we just need to relax as a batting unit."

MS Dhoni's absence was a massive boost for us: Rohit Sharma

Lasith Malinga's four-wicket haul helped <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-44-chennai-vs-mumbai-at-chidambaram-stadium-213737">Mumbai beat Chennai by 46 runs</a> in the ongoing 12th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.&nbsp;

Chasing a below-par 156, Chennai without its hero and captain of the ship MS Dhoni, continued to struggle. The host suffered an early blow in the very first over. Shane Watson (8) was caught by Rahul Chahar straight to short fine off Malinga.&nbsp;

Murali Vijay, dropped on 12 at the point, and Suresh Raina tried to readjust Chennai but Hardik dismissed Raina cheaply for two, leading to a flurry of wickets. Vijay tried to shrug off pressure, however, his partner kept changing as Ambati Rayudu for nought, Kedar Jadhav (6) and Dhruv Shorey (5), all departed in quick succession.&nbsp;

Ending the frustration of Mumbai to wrap up Chennai, Jasprit Bumrah delivered a slower ball to Vijay (38), who steered a cut-shot straight to Suryakumar Yadav at the point. Chennai known for its never-give-up attitude tried to recover as Dwayne Bravo and Mitchell Santner combined 33 runs before Lasith Malinga delivered a slow ball to dismiss Bravo (20) on a return catch and Chennai folded for 109.&nbsp;

Earlier, Raina stood in for Dhoni, who missed his second match of the season this time due to fever and sent Mumbai in to bat.&nbsp;

Mumbai faced an early hiccup as Deepak Chahar got Quinton de Kock caught behind for 15. The visitors recovered well in terms of wickets in hand but the scoring remained slow. Captain Rohit Sharma and Evin Lewis added 75 runs for the second wicket.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> climb up the table and move back into the top 2 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/Re9oiB7Slx">pic.twitter.com/Re9oiB7Slx</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1121842898910101504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Santner proved to be a game changer. Lewis (32) looked to swing the ball across the line but it did not have the distance and was caught by Bravo at deep midwicket off Santner. In the next over, veteran Imran Tahir dismissed Krunal cheaply for one, bringing in Hardik.&nbsp;

Rohit formed a brief partnership with Hardik, adding 21 for the fourth wicket before Santner got rid of Mumbai captain (67), who was caught by Vijay at long-on. Hardik (23*) and Kieron Pollard (13*) tried to attack but Chennai bowlers did not allow them to open their arms. The duo combined 33 to post 155 for the loss of four.&nbsp;

Mumbai will next take on Kolkata on April 28, whereas Chennai will meet Delhi on May 1.&nbsp;

Lasith Malinga's four-wicket haul helped Mumbai beat Chennai by 46 runs in the ongoing 12th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.

Lasith Malinga's four-wicket haul helped Mumbai beat Chennai by 46 runs in the ongoing 12th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. Chasing a below-par 156, Chennai without its hero and captain of the ship MS Dhoni, continued to struggle. The host suffered an early blow in the very first over. Shane Watson (8) was caught by Rahul Chahar straight to short fine off Malinga. Murali Vijay, dropped on 12 at the point, and Suresh Raina tried to readjust Chennai but Hardik dismissed Raina cheaply for two, leading to a flurry of wickets. Vijay tried to shrug off pressure, however, his partner kept changing as Ambati Rayudu for nought, Kedar Jadhav (6) and Dhruv Shorey (5), all departed in quick succession. Ending the frustration of Mumbai to wrap up Chennai, Jasprit Bumrah delivered a slower ball to Vijay (38), who steered a cut-shot straight to Suryakumar Yadav at the point. Chennai known for its never-give-up attitude tried to recover as Dwayne Bravo and Mitchell Santner combined 33 runs before Lasith Malinga delivered a slow ball to dismiss Bravo (20) on a return catch and Chennai folded for 109. Earlier, Raina stood in for Dhoni, who missed his second match of the season this time due to fever and sent Mumbai in to bat. Mumbai faced an early hiccup as Deepak Chahar got Quinton de Kock caught behind for 15. The visitors recovered well in terms of wickets in hand but the scoring remained slow. Captain Rohit Sharma and Evin Lewis added 75 runs for the second wicket. .@mipaltan climb up the table and move back into the top 2 🙌#VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/Re9oiB7Slx — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 26, 2019 × Santner proved to be a game changer. Lewis (32) looked to swing the ball across the line but it did not have the distance and was caught by Bravo at deep midwicket off Santner. In the next over, veteran Imran Tahir dismissed Krunal cheaply for one, bringing in Hardik. Rohit formed a brief partnership with Hardik, adding 21 for the fourth wicket before Santner got rid of Mumbai captain (67), who was caught by Vijay at long-on. Hardik (23*) and Kieron Pollard (13*) tried to attack but Chennai bowlers did not allow them to open their arms. The duo combined 33 to post 155 for the loss of four. Mumbai will next take on Kolkata on April 28, whereas Chennai will meet Delhi on May 1.

IPL 2019: Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai beat Chennai by 46 runs

Seventeen-year-old Riyan Parag overshadowed Dinesh Karthik's heroics to guide Rajasthan to a three-wicket win over Kolkata here at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.

With the win, Rajasthan has pushed Bangalore to the bottom place in the point table, taking the seventh position. Kolkata, on the other hand, is in the sixth position.

Chasing 176, Rajasthan got off to a brilliant start as Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson added 53 runs for the opening wicket.&nbsp;

Sunil Narine struck Rahane leg-before for 34 to get a vital breakthrough.&nbsp;In the next over, Piyush Chawla got rid Samson (22) to unsettle Rajasthan.&nbsp;

With captain Steve Smith, Rajasthan was still in a position to turn the tables.&nbsp;However, Narine returned and dismissed Smith cheaply for two.

Riyan Parag formed brief stands with Ben Stokes (11), Stuart Binny (11) and Shreyas Gopal (18) to shrug off the pressure before finding support in Jofar Archer.

Riyan and Archer punished Kolkata bowlers in the death overs to inch closer towards the victory.&nbsp;

With 18 required from 12 balls, Riyan (47) whacked a six to Russell before his bat hit the top of the stumps, forcing him to leave Archer in the middle.&nbsp;

Having needed nine from the final over, Archer smashed a four and a six to Prasidh Krishna, taking Rajasthan over the line with four balls to spare.

Earlier, captain Dinesh Karthik's monumental effort powered Kolkata to 175 for the loss of six after sent in to bat.

Varun Aaron got a major breakthrough for Rajasthan as he got rid of Chris Lynn for a three-ball golden duck in the opening over and returned to dismiss Shubman Gill for 14.&nbsp;

Soon after, Aaron sent just-settled Nitish Rana (21) as he caught the left-hander at cover off Gopal. Karthik and Narine stitched 38-runs together to recover sinking Kolkata at 42/3 under nine overs.&nbsp;

On a Jofar Archer's delivery, a poor running between Kolkata batsmen resulted in the dismissal of Narine (11).&nbsp;

Karthik played to deep square leg and ran for double but Narine was very slow and was well out of the crease at the non-striker's end when Aaron threw the ball and Rahane whipped the bails off.

Karthik built brief partnerships with big-hitter Andre Russell (14) and Carlos Brathwaite (5). Both West Indies batsmen tried to display their attacking form but Rajasthan denied them from going big.

Kolkata captain and Rinku Singh added 44 runs for the seventh wicket in the death overs. Karthik finished 97 unbeaten, his highest ever score in the history of IPL to post a decent but below-par total.

Rajasthan will next play against Hyderabad on April 27, whereas Kolkata will take on Mumbai on April 28.

Seventeen-year-old Riyan Parag overshadowed Dinesh Karthik's heroics to guide Rajasthan to a three-wicket win over Kolkata here at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. With the win, Rajasthan has pushed Bangalore to the bottom place in the point table, taking the seventh position.

Seventeen-year-old Riyan Parag overshadowed Dinesh Karthik's heroics to guide Rajasthan to a three-wicket win over Kolkata here at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. With the win, Rajasthan has pushed Bangalore to the bottom place in the point table, taking the seventh position. Kolkata, on the other hand, is in the sixth position. Chasing 176, Rajasthan got off to a brilliant start as Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson added 53 runs for the opening wicket. Sunil Narine struck Rahane leg-before for 34 to get a vital breakthrough. In the next over, Piyush Chawla got rid Samson (22) to unsettle Rajasthan. With captain Steve Smith, Rajasthan was still in a position to turn the tables. However, Narine returned and dismissed Smith cheaply for two. Riyan Parag formed brief stands with Ben Stokes (11), Stuart Binny (11) and Shreyas Gopal (18) to shrug off the pressure before finding support in Jofar Archer. Riyan and Archer punished Kolkata bowlers in the death overs to inch closer towards the victory. With 18 required from 12 balls, Riyan (47) whacked a six to Russell before his bat hit the top of the stumps, forcing him to leave Archer in the middle. Having needed nine from the final over, Archer smashed a four and a six to Prasidh Krishna, taking Rajasthan over the line with four balls to spare. Earlier, captain Dinesh Karthik's monumental effort powered Kolkata to 175 for the loss of six after sent in to bat. Varun Aaron got a major breakthrough for Rajasthan as he got rid of Chris Lynn for a three-ball golden duck in the opening over and returned to dismiss Shubman Gill for 14. Soon after, Aaron sent just-settled Nitish Rana (21) as he caught the left-hander at cover off Gopal. Karthik and Narine stitched 38-runs together to recover sinking Kolkata at 42/3 under nine overs. On a Jofar Archer's delivery, a poor running between Kolkata batsmen resulted in the dismissal of Narine (11). Karthik played to deep square leg and ran for double but Narine was very slow and was well out of the crease at the non-striker's end when Aaron threw the ball and Rahane whipped the bails off. Karthik built brief partnerships with big-hitter Andre Russell (14) and Carlos Brathwaite (5). Both West Indies batsmen tried to display their attacking form but Rajasthan denied them from going big. Kolkata captain and Rinku Singh added 44 runs for the seventh wicket in the death overs. Karthik finished 97 unbeaten, his highest ever score in the history of IPL to post a decent but below-par total. Rajasthan will next play against Hyderabad on April 27, whereas Kolkata will take on Mumbai on April 28.

IPL 2019: Karthik's heroics in vain, Riyan guides Rajasthan to 3-wicket win

Chennai's regular skipper&nbsp;Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> game against Mumbai on Friday due to fever. In his absence, Suresh Raina will lead the team at the Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;

"MS and Jaddu are not well, they have fever and they will miss today's game," said Raina during the toss.&nbsp;

This is the second time Dhoni has missed a Chennai&nbsp;game this season -- the first being against Hyderabad because of back spasms. Chennai had lost&nbsp;that match.&nbsp;

"Thala (Dhoni) missing out a game for the second time this season, this time due to fever!" Chennai team&nbsp;wrote on its Twitter handle.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> missing out a game for the second time this season, this time due to fever! 😢
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1121776158767374338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

This is only the fourth IPL match Dhoni is not playing for Chennai.&nbsp;

Chennai's regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of an Indian Premier League game against Mumbai on Friday due to fever. In his absence, Suresh Raina will lead the team at the Chidambaram Stadium.

Chennai's regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of an Indian Premier League game against Mumbai on Friday due to fever. In his absence, Suresh Raina will lead the team at the Chidambaram Stadium. "MS and Jaddu are not well, they have fever and they will miss today's game," said Raina during the toss. This is the second time Dhoni has missed a Chennai game this season -- the first being against Hyderabad because of back spasms. Chennai had lost that match. "Thala (Dhoni) missing out a game for the second time this season, this time due to fever!" Chennai team wrote on its Twitter handle. #Thala missing out a game for the second time this season, this time due to fever! 😢 — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 26, 2019 × This is only the fourth IPL match Dhoni is not playing for Chennai.

MS Dhoni ruled out of IPL game against Mumbai

AB de Villiers helped Bangalore to defeat Punjab by 17 runs here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing 203, Punjab got off to a superb start with Chris Gayle and KL Rahul replying with back-to-back boundaries.&nbsp;

AB de Villiers became the game changer as he stopped Gayle (23) at long-on off Umesh Yadav.

Mayank Agarwal and Rahul recovered Punjab with their 59-run stand for the second wicket.&nbsp;

Bangalore applied brakes on the scoring as Marcus Stoinis dismissed Mayank (35), who was caught by a tumbling Yuzvendra Chahal at midwicket.&nbsp;

In the next over, Moeen Ali got rid off Rahul (42) to put Punjab under pressure.

Nicholas Pooran and David Miller build a strong 68-run partnership to take Punjab home but de Villiers denied the visitors. Navdeep Saini dismissed Miller (24), who was caught by de Villiers at long-on.

The final over consumed Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardus Viljoen, which helped Umesh Yadav pick three wickets and Punjab ended for 185/7.

Earlier, asked to bat, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis powered Bangalore, especially in the death&nbsp;overs to post a daunting total of 202 for the loss of four.&nbsp;

At one stage even 160 seemed difficult as the host were 84/4 under 11 overs.&nbsp;

But an unbeaten 121-run partnership between de Villiers and Stoinis gave Bangalore bowlers something to defend.

De Villiers punished Mohammed Shami for 21 runs, including two sixes, and slapped another six to Hardus Viljoen in the final over before Stoinis whacked two sixes and as many sixes to steal 27 runs from the last over.&nbsp;

De Villiers and Stoinis finished unbeaten on 82 and 46, respectively.

Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel displayed their attacking form but the attempt short lived.&nbsp;

Kohli played a drive into the covers off Shami but Mandeep Singh caught him for 13, leaving a full house in silence.

Patel, too, faced a similar fate. Murugan Ashwin got a vital breakthrough as he dismissed Patel (43), who was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at covers.&nbsp;

Big hitter Moeen Ali (4) and Akshdeep Nath (3) returned to the dugout in quick succession without troubling the scoreboard much.

Bangalore will next play against Delhi on April 28, whereas Punjab will take on Hyderabad on April 29.

AB de Villiers helped Bangalore to defeat Punjab by 17 runs here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing 203, Punjab got off to a superb start with Chris Gayle and KL Rahul replying with back-to-back boundaries.

AB de Villiers helped Bangalore to defeat Punjab by 17 runs here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing 203, Punjab got off to a superb start with Chris Gayle and KL Rahul replying with back-to-back boundaries. AB de Villiers became the game changer as he stopped Gayle (23) at long-on off Umesh Yadav. Mayank Agarwal and Rahul recovered Punjab with their 59-run stand for the second wicket. Bangalore applied brakes on the scoring as Marcus Stoinis dismissed Mayank (35), who was caught by a tumbling Yuzvendra Chahal at midwicket. In the next over, Moeen Ali got rid off Rahul (42) to put Punjab under pressure. Nicholas Pooran and David Miller build a strong 68-run partnership to take Punjab home but de Villiers denied the visitors. Navdeep Saini dismissed Miller (24), who was caught by de Villiers at long-on. The final over consumed Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardus Viljoen, which helped Umesh Yadav pick three wickets and Punjab ended for 185/7. Earlier, asked to bat, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis powered Bangalore, especially in the death overs to post a daunting total of 202 for the loss of four. At one stage even 160 seemed difficult as the host were 84/4 under 11 overs. But an unbeaten 121-run partnership between de Villiers and Stoinis gave Bangalore bowlers something to defend. De Villiers punished Mohammed Shami for 21 runs, including two sixes, and slapped another six to Hardus Viljoen in the final over before Stoinis whacked two sixes and as many sixes to steal 27 runs from the last over. De Villiers and Stoinis finished unbeaten on 82 and 46, respectively. Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel displayed their attacking form but the attempt short lived. Kohli played a drive into the covers off Shami but Mandeep Singh caught him for 13, leaving a full house in silence. Patel, too, faced a similar fate. Murugan Ashwin got a vital breakthrough as he dismissed Patel (43), who was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin at covers. Big hitter Moeen Ali (4) and Akshdeep Nath (3) returned to the dugout in quick succession without troubling the scoreboard much. Bangalore will next play against Delhi on April 28, whereas Punjab will take on Hyderabad on April 29.

IPL 2019: Bangalore beat Punjab by 17 runs to register 4th win of the season

Virat Kohli was all charged up during Bangalore's game against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Bangalore not only defeated Punjab by 17 runs but also registered their third win on the trot.&nbsp;

But how can a game in IPL be complete without some aggression on the field. During the clash, the fans got to witness two send-off from both team's skipper.&nbsp;

First, it was Ashwin, who celebrated Virat Kohli's wicket with a lot of aggression, later Kohli returned the favour with an abusive send-off. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Chasing 203 to win, Punjab needed 27 runs off the final over.&nbsp;

Captain Ravichandran Ashwin came to the crease and hit Umesh Yadav's first delivery for a six.&nbsp;Ashwin hoped for the same result on the next delivery too but he mistimed his shot and the ball went straight to Kohli.&nbsp;

After safely completing the catch, Kohli made some gestures it seemed he even abused his Indian teammate.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Karma returns!! 😅<a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> started first.. Then <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> paying back! That's it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AshwinVsKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AshwinVsKohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashwin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashwin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKXIP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KXIPvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KXIPvRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bengaluru?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bengaluru</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://t.co/cS2Vz8SxhZ">pic.twitter.com/cS2Vz8SxhZ</a>
— Chowkidar Shruthi Thumbri 🇮🇳 (@ShruthiThumbri) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShruthiThumbri/status/1121152587158433793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After the match, when asked about the send-off, Ashwin defended his equal number saying that they both are passionate players.

Sent in to bat, AB de Villiers' unbeaten 82 off 44 balls took Bangalore to a formidable 202/4.

In reply, Punjab finished at 185/7 in their stipulated 20 overs.

Bangalore, who lost their first six matches of IPL 2019, are now on eight points with three games left.

Virat Kohli was all charged up during Bangalore's game against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Bangalore not only defeated Punjab by 17 runs but also registered their third win on the trot.

Virat Kohli was all charged up during Bangalore's game against Punjab at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Bangalore not only defeated Punjab by 17 runs but also registered their third win on the trot. But how can a game in IPL be complete without some aggression on the field. During the clash, the fans got to witness two send-off from both team's skipper. First, it was Ashwin, who celebrated Virat Kohli's wicket with a lot of aggression, later Kohli returned the favour with an abusive send-off. Chasing 203 to win, Punjab needed 27 runs off the final over. Captain Ravichandran Ashwin came to the crease and hit Umesh Yadav's first delivery for a six. Ashwin hoped for the same result on the next delivery too but he mistimed his shot and the ball went straight to Kohli. After safely completing the catch, Kohli made some gestures it seemed he even abused his Indian teammate. Karma returns!! 😅@ashwinravi99 started first.. Then @imVkohli paying back! That's it. #AshwinVsKohli #Ashwin #Kohli #RCBvKXIP #KXIPvRCB #IPL2019 #Bengaluru #RCB #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/cS2Vz8SxhZ — Chowkidar Shruthi Thumbri 🇮🇳 (@ShruthiThumbri) April 24, 2019 × After the match, when asked about the send-off, Ashwin defended his equal number saying that they both are passionate players. Sent in to bat, AB de Villiers' unbeaten 82 off 44 balls took Bangalore to a formidable 202/4. In reply, Punjab finished at 185/7 in their stipulated 20 overs. Bangalore, who lost their first six matches of IPL 2019, are now on eight points with three games left.

Watch: Virat Kohli's aggressive send-off to Punjab's Ashwin, Twitter terms it 'Karma'

Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni, who was critical of his side's top-batting order after losing the previous game to Bangalore, looked satisfied after Shane Watson guided <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-shane-watsons-96-gets-chennai-back-on-winning-track-213086">Chennai defeat Hyderabad by six wickets</a> on Tuesday.

On Chidambaram Stadium track, Watson roared back to form with a 96 off 53 balls splendid knock.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation ceremony, Dhoni hailed Watson as a "matchwinner". He said, "Watson has been a matchwinner for us. He has been batting well in the nets."

He added, "Although he (Watson) did struggle a bit. This is the time when you need to back them."&nbsp;

With the win, Chennai have returned on top in the point table with eight wins from 11 games, whereas Hyderabad remained at fourth with five wins from 10 games.&nbsp;

On being asked about Chennai mantra of success, Dhoni said that "it's a secret" and he won't reveal it before retirement.&nbsp;

With a witty smile on his face, he added, "If I tell everyone what it is, then they won't buy me at the auctions." &nbsp;

Dhoni further added, "The crowd support and franchise's support are key of course. Huge credit has to also go to the support staff who play a huge role in keeping the team atmosphere good for the team and other individuals."

"Other than this, I can't reveal anything till I retire."&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Will <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> tell <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bhogleharsha</a> the secret to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a>'s consistency, season after season 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://t.co/FMasdNUqzP">pic.twitter.com/FMasdNUqzP</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1120760569856811008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Dhoni has battled a dodgy back for a long time and he wants to be careful with it as the ICC World Cup is round the corner.&nbsp;

The Chennai skipper said that there has been some stiffness but it is holding up as of now.&nbsp;

"The back is holding up, it's not getting worse, with the World Cup coming up, can't afford that, because that's too important," Dhoni said.&nbsp;

Dhoni said that at the highest level, there aren't any players who are not playing with a niggle or two.&nbsp;

"If it becomes worse, I certainly take some time off but at this level you play with some niggle or the other. Because if you wait to get fully fit, then there will be a gap of five years between two matches," the skipper said cheekily.

Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni, who was critical of his side's top-batting order after losing the previous game to Bangalore, looked satisfied after Shane Watson guided Chennai defeat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday.

Chennai's skipper MS Dhoni, who was critical of his side's top-batting order after losing the previous game to Bangalore, looked satisfied after Shane Watson guided Chennai defeat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday. On Chidambaram Stadium track, Watson roared back to form with a 96 off 53 balls splendid knock. During the post-match presentation ceremony, Dhoni hailed Watson as a "matchwinner". He said, "Watson has been a matchwinner for us. He has been batting well in the nets." He added, "Although he (Watson) did struggle a bit. This is the time when you need to back them." With the win, Chennai have returned on top in the point table with eight wins from 11 games, whereas Hyderabad remained at fourth with five wins from 10 games. On being asked about Chennai mantra of success, Dhoni said that "it's a secret" and he won't reveal it before retirement. With a witty smile on his face, he added, "If I tell everyone what it is, then they won't buy me at the auctions." Dhoni further added, "The crowd support and franchise's support are key of course. Huge credit has to also go to the support staff who play a huge role in keeping the team atmosphere good for the team and other individuals." "Other than this, I can't reveal anything till I retire." Will @msdhoni tell @bhogleharsha the secret to @ChennaiIPL's consistency, season after season 👀#CSKvSRH pic.twitter.com/FMasdNUqzP — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 23, 2019 × Dhoni has battled a dodgy back for a long time and he wants to be careful with it as the ICC World Cup is round the corner. The Chennai skipper said that there has been some stiffness but it is holding up as of now. "The back is holding up, it's not getting worse, with the World Cup coming up, can't afford that, because that's too important," Dhoni said. Dhoni said that at the highest level, there aren't any players who are not playing with a niggle or two. "If it becomes worse, I certainly take some time off but at this level you play with some niggle or the other. Because if you wait to get fully fit, then there will be a gap of five years between two matches," the skipper said cheekily.

'They won't buy me at the auctions', says MS Dhoni on revealing Chennai's 'secret' success mantra

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-41-chennai-super-kings-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-at-chidambaram-stadium-212979">beat Hyderabad by six wickets</a> on Tuesday.

On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as Chennai stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs.&nbsp;

Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that Chennai have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two.

Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches.

A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Hyderabad&nbsp;attack.&nbsp;

What made it more difficult for the Hyderabad was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with 44 coming off his spell.

Sandeep Sharma was another bowler, who was handed severe punishment as he went for 54 in 3.5 overs. Sandeep repeatedly bowled short and Watson would gleefully pull him. Skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/18 in 4 overs) had no option but to bowl the 19th over and left Sandeep with nine runs to defend.

However, Kedar Jadhav literally finished the match with a six off the second ball that sealed the deal.

Earlier, the immensely talented Manish Pandey was back in his element as his unbeaten 83 off 49 balls powered Hyderabad to a fighting 175 for 3 after being put into bat.

Pandey and league's current leading run-scorer David Warner (57 off 45 balls) added 115 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a decent score on what was the best batting track on offer at the Chepauk.&nbsp;

Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh struck an early blow, having the in-form Jony Bairstow caught behind in the second over for a duck.

He was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 39 in four overs while Deepak Chahar picked up the wicket of Vijay Shankar (26 off 20 balls).&nbsp;

Despite the early dismissal of Bairstow, the visiting team didn't get tied down as the irrepressible Warner and Manish Pandey kept hitting those boundaries and sixes. They brought up the team's 50 in the sixth over.

Pandey who has not been in the best form, hit his straps, scoring freely and was not afraid to go over the top. Dhoni's shuffling of the bowlers didn't make much of an impact as Warner and Pandey kept attacking.&nbsp;

Pandey was the first to reach 50 in 25 balls, pulling one from Dwayne Bravo for a boundary.

Warner was a touch slower in comparison to Pandey, but didn't miss out when the opportunity presented itself and hit a couple of big sixes.

The pugnacious Warner fell against the run of play, victim of Dhoni's trademark lightning-quick stumping off a Harbhajan delivery. The Australian, who is leading the run charts this season, fell for 57 (45 balls, 3x4, 2X6) after adding 115 runs for the second wicket with Pandey.

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they beat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday.

Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a playoff berth for Chennai as they beat Hyderabad by six wickets on Tuesday. On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as Chennai stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs. Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that Chennai have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two. Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches. A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Hyderabad attack. What made it more difficult for the Hyderabad was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with 44 coming off his spell. Sandeep Sharma was another bowler, who was handed severe punishment as he went for 54 in 3.5 overs. Sandeep repeatedly bowled short and Watson would gleefully pull him. Skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/18 in 4 overs) had no option but to bowl the 19th over and left Sandeep with nine runs to defend. However, Kedar Jadhav literally finished the match with a six off the second ball that sealed the deal. Earlier, the immensely talented Manish Pandey was back in his element as his unbeaten 83 off 49 balls powered Hyderabad to a fighting 175 for 3 after being put into bat. Pandey and league's current leading run-scorer David Warner (57 off 45 balls) added 115 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a decent score on what was the best batting track on offer at the Chepauk. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh struck an early blow, having the in-form Jony Bairstow caught behind in the second over for a duck. He was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 39 in four overs while Deepak Chahar picked up the wicket of Vijay Shankar (26 off 20 balls). Despite the early dismissal of Bairstow, the visiting team didn't get tied down as the irrepressible Warner and Manish Pandey kept hitting those boundaries and sixes. They brought up the team's 50 in the sixth over. Pandey who has not been in the best form, hit his straps, scoring freely and was not afraid to go over the top. Dhoni's shuffling of the bowlers didn't make much of an impact as Warner and Pandey kept attacking. Pandey was the first to reach 50 in 25 balls, pulling one from Dwayne Bravo for a boundary. Warner was a touch slower in comparison to Pandey, but didn't miss out when the opportunity presented itself and hit a couple of big sixes. The pugnacious Warner fell against the run of play, victim of Dhoni's trademark lightning-quick stumping off a Harbhajan delivery. The Australian, who is leading the run charts this season, fell for 57 (45 balls, 3x4, 2X6) after adding 115 runs for the second wicket with Pandey.

IPL 2019: Shane Watson's 96 gets Chennai back on winning track

Chennai skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=ms+dhoni">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> became the first Indian batsman to hit 200 sixes in India's domestic cricket league, i.e. Indian Premier League.&nbsp;

The overall tally of most sixes is led by Windies cricketer Chris Gayle, who plays for Punjab franchise, with a total of 323 sixes.&nbsp;

Gayle is followed by former South African AB de Villiers with 204 sixes. De Villiers plays for Bangalore team in India's cash-rich league.&nbsp;

Dhoni is at number three in overall tally with a total of 203 sixes. He achieved this feat during his sensational 84-run knock in Sunday's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-bangalore-just-about-manage-to-beat-ms-dhoni-led-team-in-a-last-ball-thriller-212453">game against Bangalore</a> which Chennai lost by only one run.&nbsp;

In the ongoing edition of IPL, Dhoni also became the first captain in history to register 100 wins in the tournament.&nbsp;

Chasing a target of 162, Chennai needed a near-impossible 26 off the last over bowled by Umesh Yadav and Dhoni with 84 off 48 balls that had seven sixes.&nbsp;

Dhoni was at the crease and having consumed dot balls off the previous over, he had to go for the jugular and boy he did it with three sixes and a four.&nbsp;

With two needed off the last ball and Umesh looking increasingly helpless, he managed to bowl a slower delivery and Dhoni missed it only for Parthiv Patel to effect a run-out as non-striker Shardul Thakur inches out of his crease.&nbsp;

In the end it was Dhoni who lost to Bangalore, who eked out their third win of the tournament.&nbsp;

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first Indian batsman to hit 200 sixes in India's domestic cricket league, i.e. Indian Premier League. The overall tally of most sixes is led by Windies cricketer Chris Gayle, who plays for Punjab franchise, with a total of 323 sixes.

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first Indian batsman to hit 200 sixes in India's domestic cricket league, i.e. Indian Premier League. The overall tally of most sixes is led by Windies cricketer Chris Gayle, who plays for Punjab franchise, with a total of 323 sixes. Gayle is followed by former South African AB de Villiers with 204 sixes. De Villiers plays for Bangalore team in India's cash-rich league. Dhoni is at number three in overall tally with a total of 203 sixes. He achieved this feat during his sensational 84-run knock in Sunday's game against Bangalore which Chennai lost by only one run. In the ongoing edition of IPL, Dhoni also became the first captain in history to register 100 wins in the tournament. Chasing a target of 162, Chennai needed a near-impossible 26 off the last over bowled by Umesh Yadav and Dhoni with 84 off 48 balls that had seven sixes. Dhoni was at the crease and having consumed dot balls off the previous over, he had to go for the jugular and boy he did it with three sixes and a four. With two needed off the last ball and Umesh looking increasingly helpless, he managed to bowl a slower delivery and Dhoni missed it only for Parthiv Patel to effect a run-out as non-striker Shardul Thakur inches out of his crease. In the end it was Dhoni who lost to Bangalore, who eked out their third win of the tournament.

IPL 2019: MS Dhoni becomes first Indian to hit 200 sixes in IPL

Parthiv Patel, the man whose direct hit gave Bangalore an improbable one-run win over Chennai, said he was left quite surprised when Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed hitting the last ball of the cliffhanger.&nbsp;

Patel wasn't expecting a marauding Dhoni to miss Umesh Yadav's slower delivery before his direct throw <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-bangalore-just-about-manage-to-beat-ms-dhoni-led-team-in-a-last-ball-thriller-212453">sealed it for the home team</a> on Sunday night.&nbsp;

Dhoni scored 24 off the first five balls of the final over before missing the last ball. A scramble for one run ended in Parthiv's direct throw leaving Shardul Thakur short of his crease.&nbsp;

"We honestly wanted him (Dhoni) to hit through the off-side on the shorter side of the ground. If he had hit it on the leg-side, there were two runs because I don't think the way he runs, there was any chance of stopping those two," an elated Patel said at the post-match press conference.&nbsp;

"So we wanted (Umesh) to bowl slower and outside the off-stump and surprisingly he missed it. I wasn't expecting him to miss it but surprisingly he missed it," he said.&nbsp;

Patel said if Dhoni is around then 70 to 80 runs in the last five overs is always gettable at the Chinnaswamy.&nbsp;

"Playing in Bangalore or Mumbai, you know that 70 runs in the last five overs is gettable. You need at least have 80-90 runs to get in last five overs to defend. So, we wanted to squeeze him.&nbsp;

"We wanted to bowl as many dot balls to him as possible, and put pressure on other batsmen because everybody knows how MS is. He wanted the game to go down to last three-four overs and he almost won the game," said Patel.&nbsp;

The wicketkeeper-batsman scored his second half-century of the season and said that coach Gary Kirsten's advice of choosing the correct bowlers was key to his success.&nbsp;

"Before the game started, I was talking to Gary and he said 'you don't have worry of anything you need to choose your bowlers' and that is exactly what I did," said Patel.&nbsp;

He is happy to open the batting as he can use the Powerplay overs to his advantage.&nbsp;

"Honestly, it is great to be playing in the opening slot with Virat and AB coming in at number three. Actually, I don't have to do much. I try to make sure that I hit couple of boundaries and try and rotate the strike.&nbsp;

"You know, I have been working hard on my game. I have been there in Australia for a couple of months...I have been working hard and I am quite happy with the way I am batting," he said.

Parthiv Patel, the man whose direct hit gave Bangalore an improbable one-run win over Chennai, said he was left quite surprised when Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed hitting the last ball of the cliffhanger.

Parthiv Patel, the man whose direct hit gave Bangalore an improbable one-run win over Chennai, said he was left quite surprised when Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed hitting the last ball of the cliffhanger. Patel wasn't expecting a marauding Dhoni to miss Umesh Yadav's slower delivery before his direct throw sealed it for the home team on Sunday night. Dhoni scored 24 off the first five balls of the final over before missing the last ball. A scramble for one run ended in Parthiv's direct throw leaving Shardul Thakur short of his crease. "We honestly wanted him (Dhoni) to hit through the off-side on the shorter side of the ground. If he had hit it on the leg-side, there were two runs because I don't think the way he runs, there was any chance of stopping those two," an elated Patel said at the post-match press conference. "So we wanted (Umesh) to bowl slower and outside the off-stump and surprisingly he missed it. I wasn't expecting him to miss it but surprisingly he missed it," he said. Patel said if Dhoni is around then 70 to 80 runs in the last five overs is always gettable at the Chinnaswamy. "Playing in Bangalore or Mumbai, you know that 70 runs in the last five overs is gettable. You need at least have 80-90 runs to get in last five overs to defend. So, we wanted to squeeze him. "We wanted to bowl as many dot balls to him as possible, and put pressure on other batsmen because everybody knows how MS is. He wanted the game to go down to last three-four overs and he almost won the game," said Patel. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored his second half-century of the season and said that coach Gary Kirsten's advice of choosing the correct bowlers was key to his success. "Before the game started, I was talking to Gary and he said 'you don't have worry of anything you need to choose your bowlers' and that is exactly what I did," said Patel. He is happy to open the batting as he can use the Powerplay overs to his advantage. "Honestly, it is great to be playing in the opening slot with Virat and AB coming in at number three. Actually, I don't have to do much. I try to make sure that I hit couple of boundaries and try and rotate the strike. "You know, I have been working hard on my game. I have been there in Australia for a couple of months...I have been working hard and I am quite happy with the way I am batting," he said.

Never expected MS Dhoni to miss that last ball: Parthiv Patel

Csk, News on Csk, stories on Csk, articles on Csk, Csk stories at Wion, Csk news, Csk latest news