The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just one sleep away, but fans might have to wait an extra day for the action to get underway. An orange alert in some parts of West Bengal and a forecast of &lsquo;thunderstorms with lightning&rsquo; as warned by Kolkata's Regional Meteorological Centre threatens to play spoilsport in the curtain raiser at the Eden Gardens on Saturday (Mar 22). Hosts Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener.
The Indian Metrological Department&rsquo;s (IMD) forecast reads, "A trough runs from central Odisha to Vidarbha, and there is wind confluence over east and adjoining central India due to the above trough and anticyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal at lower tropospheric levels.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-amid-security-concerns-april-6-kkr-lsg-game-moved-out-of-eden-gardens-guwahati-8874179" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Amid security concerns, April 6 KKR-LSG game moved out of Eden Gardens</a>
&ldquo;Isolated to scattered light or moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on March 20 and 21,&rdquo; the statement added.
As a result, the department has issued an orange alert till March 22.
Meanwhile, not only does the weather forecast ring alarm bells for the IPL 2025 opener, but it could bring curtains down on the glitzy opening ceremony scheduled before the game, including several B-town superstars. The ground staff is taking all precautions by covering the playing area as dark clouds keep paying visits at the iconic venue ahead of the marquee KKR vs RCB tie in IPL 2025.
<h2>Time for action to begin&nbsp;</h2>
A long wait for another blockbuster IPL season ends on Saturday when the defending champions KKR play host to the travelling RCB side in the tournament opener. Both teams have their plans set for the curtain raiser, with KKR announcing their new leadership, naming <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane" rel="dofollow">Ajinkya Rahane</a> the captain and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/venkatesh-iyer" rel="dofollow">Venkatesh Iyer</a> as his deputy.&nbsp;
On the other hand, RCB also has a new captain in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajat-patidar" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar</a>, who leads an exciting-looking side heading into the 18th edition. Both teams have a new set of players, with several uncapped ones waiting to get unleashed on the IPL stage.&nbsp;
Looking at the head-to-head record, in 34 contested matches, Bengaluru has won just 14 times, while the three-time IPL winners Kolkata emerged victorious 20 times.&nbsp;
Besides, in their last four meetings, KKR has won all four matches, winning six out of their previous eight ties.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The ground staff is taking all precautions by covering the playing area as dark clouds pay visits at the iconic venue ahead of the tournament opener.

The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just one sleep away, but fans might have to wait an extra day for the action to get underway. An orange alert in some parts of West Bengal and a forecast of ‘thunderstorms with lightning’ as warned by Kolkata's Regional Meteorological Centre threatens to play spoilsport in the curtain raiser at the Eden Gardens on Saturday (Mar 22). Hosts Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener. The Indian Metrological Department’s (IMD) forecast reads, "A trough runs from central Odisha to Vidarbha, and there is wind confluence over east and adjoining central India due to the above trough and anticyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal at lower tropospheric levels. Also read | IPL 2025: Amid security concerns, April 6 KKR-LSG game moved out of Eden Gardens “Isolated to scattered light or moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on March 20 and 21,” the statement added. As a result, the department has issued an orange alert till March 22. Meanwhile, not only does the weather forecast ring alarm bells for the IPL 2025 opener, but it could bring curtains down on the glitzy opening ceremony scheduled before the game, including several B-town superstars. The ground staff is taking all precautions by covering the playing area as dark clouds keep paying visits at the iconic venue ahead of the marquee KKR vs RCB tie in IPL 2025. Time for action to begin A long wait for another blockbuster IPL season ends on Saturday when the defending champions KKR play host to the travelling RCB side in the tournament opener. Both teams have their plans set for the curtain raiser, with KKR announcing their new leadership, naming Ajinkya Rahane the captain and Venkatesh Iyer as his deputy. On the other hand, RCB also has a new captain in Rajat Patidar, who leads an exciting-looking side heading into the 18th edition. Both teams have a new set of players, with several uncapped ones waiting to get unleashed on the IPL stage. Looking at the head-to-head record, in 34 contested matches, Bengaluru has won just 14 times, while the three-time IPL winners Kolkata emerged victorious 20 times. Besides, in their last four meetings, KKR has won all four matches, winning six out of their previous eight ties. (With inputs from agencies)

KKR vs RCB: Will rain play spoilsport in IPL 2025 opener? Check out Saturday’s weather report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a>' IPL home match against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a> on April 6 at Eden Gardens is likely to be rescheduled, as the city police have not granted security clearance due to Ram Navami celebrations. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari previously announced that over 20,000 processions would take place across West Bengal on Ram Navami, leading to heightened security requirements throughout the state.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cricket-association-of-bengal">Cricket Association of Bengal</a> (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly, following two rounds of discussions with city police on Tuesday, confirmed that authorities "have not given the go-ahead" for the match. "They have categorically stated they won&rsquo;t be able to provide adequate security. Without police protection, accommodating a 65,000-strong crowd becomes impossible," Snehasish said. "We have informed the&nbsp;Board of Control for Cricket in India, and there is still time to make a final decision. Even last year, an Indian Premier League match scheduled on Ram Navami had to be rescheduled."
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/novak-djokovics-ptpa-files-lawsuit-against-tennis-governing-bodies-8867203">Novak Djokovic&rsquo;s PTPA files lawsuit against tennis&rsquo; governing bodies</a>
The KKR-LSG clash, owned by RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, was expected to draw a packed stadium, with both teams enjoying strong local support. Last season, Kolkata Knight Riders fixture against Rajasthan Royals was also rescheduled due to security concerns on Ram Navami.
<h2 data-start="949" data-end="1212">Glittering opening ceremony</h2>
The 2025 Indian Premier League season will kick off at Eden Gardens on March 22, featuring defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. A grand 35-minute opening ceremony will precede the match, with likely performances by noted singer Shreya Ghoshal and actress Disha Patani. ICC chairman Jay Shah and other dignitaries are also expected to attend.
"It's a marquee match with immense ticket demand. Eden Gardens is set to host an opening ceremony after a long time," Snehasish said, while refraining from revealing further details about the event. (With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: CAB president Snehasish Ganguly, following two rounds of discussions with city police, confirmed that authorities have not given the go-ahead for the match

Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL home match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 at Eden Gardens is likely to be rescheduled, as the city police have not granted security clearance due to Ram Navami celebrations. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari previously announced that over 20,000 processions would take place across West Bengal on Ram Navami, leading to heightened security requirements throughout the state. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly, following two rounds of discussions with city police on Tuesday, confirmed that authorities "have not given the go-ahead" for the match. "They have categorically stated they won’t be able to provide adequate security. Without police protection, accommodating a 65,000-strong crowd becomes impossible," Snehasish said. "We have informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and there is still time to make a final decision. Even last year, an Indian Premier League match scheduled on Ram Navami had to be rescheduled." Also Read: Novak Djokovic’s PTPA files lawsuit against tennis’ governing bodies The KKR-LSG clash, owned by RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, was expected to draw a packed stadium, with both teams enjoying strong local support. Last season, Kolkata Knight Riders fixture against Rajasthan Royals was also rescheduled due to security concerns on Ram Navami. Glittering opening ceremony The 2025 Indian Premier League season will kick off at Eden Gardens on March 22, featuring defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. A grand 35-minute opening ceremony will precede the match, with likely performances by noted singer Shreya Ghoshal and actress Disha Patani. ICC chairman Jay Shah and other dignitaries are also expected to attend. "It's a marquee match with immense ticket demand. Eden Gardens is set to host an opening ceremony after a long time," Snehasish said, while refraining from revealing further details about the event. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: KKR vs LSG on April 6 likely to be rescheduled due to security concerns

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> full schedule is out, and Eden Gardens in Kolkata is slated to host the season opener (March 22) and the final (May 25), alongside the Qualifier 2 on May 23. For the first time in a decade, the iconic venue will be hosting an IPL final, having last staged on two occasions in 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, Hyderabad, the home venue of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad</a>, will host the two playoffs &ndash; Qualifier 1 on May 20 and Eliminator on May 21.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m77piq7r-mrm4g5vq-3f2p4o0a">
Mark your calendars, folks! 🥳🗓<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2025 kicks off on March 2️⃣2️⃣ with a clash between <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> 🤜🤛 When is your favourite team's&nbsp;first&nbsp;match?&nbsp;🤔 <a href="https://t.co/f2tf3YcSyY">pic.twitter.com/f2tf3YcSyY</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1891108307756015779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders.&nbsp;
The defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kkr" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> will host <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rcb" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> in the curtain-raiser on Saturday evening (Mar 22), and the marquee clash between the two most successful teams &ndash; Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be played on the next day (Mar 23). The first doubleheader of IPL 2025 will also feature last year&rsquo;s runners-up SRH hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an afternoon game.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ex-india-selector-kris-srikkanth-compares-rajat-patidars-rcb-captaincy-call-to-ms-dhonis-appointment-as-india-captain-in-2007-8726363" rel="dofollow">Ex-India selector compares Patidar&rsquo;s RCB captaincy call to MS Dhoni's appointment as India captain</a>
While Royals, Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will play three afternoon games each, the remaining seven IPL teams will play two day matches.&nbsp;
Besides, 13 venues are listed to host all matches this season, with three - Guwahati (Royals' second home venue), Visakhapatnam (Capitals' second home venue) and Dharamsala (Punjab's second home venue) added to the usual ten cities. Guwahati and Vizag will stage two games each, and Dharamsala will host three.
While Punjab Kings (PBKS) is the only team to host three back-to-back home games (all in Dharamsala from May 4 to 11), no team is scheduled for three away matches this season. Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow will face PBKS during that window.
<h2>New season, same format</h2>
Since the IPL expanded to ten teams in 2022, all teams have been split into two groups, with KKR, RCB, Royals, CSK and Punjab in Group A and SRH, Capitals, Titans, Mumbai and LSG in Group B.&nbsp;
The teams will face the remaining ones in their group and one in the other &ndash; determined by seeds, twice, and the remaining four teams in the other once.
For instance, CSK and MI will face off twice despite not being in the same group.
While Chepauk will host their first clash of this season, an evening game on March 23, the Wankhede in Mumbai will stage the return tie on April 20, again an evening contest.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), starting March 22, will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders.

The IPL 2025 full schedule is out, and Eden Gardens in Kolkata is slated to host the season opener (March 22) and the final (May 25), alongside the Qualifier 2 on May 23. For the first time in a decade, the iconic venue will be hosting an IPL final, having last staged on two occasions in 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, Hyderabad, the home venue of SunRisers Hyderabad, will host the two playoffs – Qualifier 1 on May 20 and Eliminator on May 21. Mark your calendars, folks! 🥳🗓#TATAIPL 2025 kicks off on March 2️⃣2️⃣ with a clash between @KKRiders and @RCBTweets 🤜🤛 When is your favourite team's first match? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/f2tf3YcSyY — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 16, 2025 The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League will feature 74 matches spread over two months (65 days) with 12 doubleheaders. The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain-raiser on Saturday evening (Mar 22), and the marquee clash between the two most successful teams – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will be played on the next day (Mar 23). The first doubleheader of IPL 2025 will also feature last year’s runners-up SRH hosting Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an afternoon game. Also read | Ex-India selector compares Patidar’s RCB captaincy call to MS Dhoni's appointment as India captain While Royals, Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will play three afternoon games each, the remaining seven IPL teams will play two day matches. Besides, 13 venues are listed to host all matches this season, with three - Guwahati (Royals' second home venue), Visakhapatnam (Capitals' second home venue) and Dharamsala (Punjab's second home venue) added to the usual ten cities. Guwahati and Vizag will stage two games each, and Dharamsala will host three. While Punjab Kings (PBKS) is the only team to host three back-to-back home games (all in Dharamsala from May 4 to 11), no team is scheduled for three away matches this season. Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow will face PBKS during that window. New season, same format Since the IPL expanded to ten teams in 2022, all teams have been split into two groups, with KKR, RCB, Royals, CSK and Punjab in Group A and SRH, Capitals, Titans, Mumbai and LSG in Group B. The teams will face the remaining ones in their group and one in the other – determined by seeds, twice, and the remaining four teams in the other once. For instance, CSK and MI will face off twice despite not being in the same group. While Chepauk will host their first clash of this season, an evening game on March 23, the Wankhede in Mumbai will stage the return tie on April 20, again an evening contest. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 Full Schedule: Eden Gardens to host season opener, final; CSK-MI face off on March 23

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After helping India beat&nbsp;England in the T20I series opener by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens with an incredible 3/23, wrist-spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Varun Chakaravarthy</a> said that his focus will always be on making progress in his bowling, irrespective of the phase of the game he&rsquo;s in.&nbsp;
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Chakaravarthy&rsquo;s spell included him castling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/liam-livingstone">Liam Livingstone</a> in quick succession before taking out captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jos-buttler">Jos Buttler</a> to break the back of England&rsquo;s batting as they were bundled out for 132.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;95% of my focus is on myself because if I remove it from myself and put it on the batter, I'll miss my process and end up bowling a full toss or a short ball. Even if it's the death over or the powerplay, my focus remains on my process. I don't think much about what the batter is going to do, but it does run in the back of my mind," said Chakaravarthy in an interview with the digital broadcasters.&nbsp;
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He also revealed he's trying to make his deliveries harder to predict by adding variations to the pace he bowls at, apart from continuing to bowl with over-spin. &ldquo;I've worked on trying to vary my pace. I don't want batters to line me up because I'm bowling at the same speed every ball. That's what I've worked on, and I'm trying to perfect it further.&rdquo; 
Chakravarthy signed off by expressing happiness over coming good at a venue he knows by the back of his hand, as&nbsp;it&rsquo;s the home ground of his IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very nice. Playing against England, a quality side, at Eden Gardens is challenging. It&rsquo;s a small ground. I was nervous in the morning looking at the pitch and the boundary size, but I thought if I stick to my process, I'll be able to do well."&nbsp;
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India have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and will take on England in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25).&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
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Cricket Sports: Chakaravarthy’s spell included him castling Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in quick succession before taking out captain Jos Buttler to break the back of England’s batting as they were bundled out for 132

After helping India beat England in the T20I series opener by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens with an incredible 3/23, wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy said that his focus will always be on making progress in his bowling, irrespective of the phase of the game he’s in. Chakaravarthy’s spell included him castling Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone in quick succession before taking out captain Jos Buttler to break the back of England’s batting as they were bundled out for 132. “95% of my focus is on myself because if I remove it from myself and put it on the batter, I'll miss my process and end up bowling a full toss or a short ball. Even if it's the death over or the powerplay, my focus remains on my process. I don't think much about what the batter is going to do, but it does run in the back of my mind," said Chakaravarthy in an interview with the digital broadcasters. He also revealed he's trying to make his deliveries harder to predict by adding variations to the pace he bowls at, apart from continuing to bowl with over-spin. “I've worked on trying to vary my pace. I don't want batters to line me up because I'm bowling at the same speed every ball. That's what I've worked on, and I'm trying to perfect it further.” Chakravarthy signed off by expressing happiness over coming good at a venue he knows by the back of his hand, as it’s the home ground of his IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. “It’s very nice. Playing against England, a quality side, at Eden Gardens is challenging. It’s a small ground. I was nervous in the morning looking at the pitch and the boundary size, but I thought if I stick to my process, I'll be able to do well." India have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and will take on England in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (Jan 25). (With inputs from agencies)

'95% of my focus is on myself', says wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy

Rock legend Mick Jagger made the most of his recent trip to India. The Rolling Stones frontman recently visited Kolkata, celebrated Diwali and Kali Puja and even watched a cricket match at Eden Gardens stadium. Jagger documented his visit to Kolkata with a post on Instagram.&nbsp; 
 
"Happy Diwali and Kali Pujo," Mick Jagger wrote in English and Hindi on Instagram and shared a series of photographs clicked during his visit to the city where Goddess Kali is worshipped during the time of Diwali.&nbsp;

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The Rolling Stone fans from Kolkata were delighted to know of Mick Jagger's visit to the city, especially during Kali Puja -- one of its major festivals. 
 
"This is so crazy!! And also surreal for him to be here at this time, considering The Rolling Stones logo itself is a representation of Maa Kali," wrote a user. "Imagine being a Rolling Stones fan from Calcutta reading the caption," commented another.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had curated a special Bengali meal for Mick Jagger during his appearance at the Eden Gardens. 
 
The rockstar also met with veteran singer Usha Uthup and together, they sang a line from The Rolling Stones' iconic hit "Satisfaction". The video of the quick jam was shared by TMC politician Derek O'Brien on Instagram.

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"Mick Jagger and my fave ‘Aunty’ Usha Uthup at the Eden Gardens today. Too cool!," he captioned the video.

Rock legend Mick Jagger made the most of his recent trip to India. The Rolling Stones frontman recently visited Kolkata, celebrated Diwali and Kali Puja and even watched a cricket match at Eden Gardens stadium.

Rock legend Mick Jagger made the most of his recent trip to India. The Rolling Stones frontman recently visited Kolkata, celebrated Diwali and Kali Puja and even watched a cricket match at Eden Gardens stadium. Jagger documented his visit to Kolkata with a post on Instagram. "Happy Diwali and Kali Pujo," Mick Jagger wrote in English and Hindi on Instagram and shared a series of photographs clicked during his visit to the city where Goddess Kali is worshipped during the time of Diwali. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mick Jagger (@mickjagger) × The Rolling Stone fans from Kolkata were delighted to know of Mick Jagger's visit to the city, especially during Kali Puja -- one of its major festivals. "This is so crazy!! And also surreal for him to be here at this time, considering The Rolling Stones logo itself is a representation of Maa Kali," wrote a user. "Imagine being a Rolling Stones fan from Calcutta reading the caption," commented another. Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had curated a special Bengali meal for Mick Jagger during his appearance at the Eden Gardens. The rockstar also met with veteran singer Usha Uthup and together, they sang a line from The Rolling Stones' iconic hit "Satisfaction". The video of the quick jam was shared by TMC politician Derek O'Brien on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Derek O'Brien (@derekobrienmp) × "Mick Jagger and my fave ‘Aunty’ Usha Uthup at the Eden Gardens today. Too cool!," he captioned the video.

Mick Jagger celebrates Diwali and Kali Puja in Kolkata, visits the Eden Gardens

India romped past South Africa in match 37 of the ODI World Cup at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday (Nov 5). Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma's quickfire 40, Shreyas Iyer's 77, birthday boy Virat Kohli's 101* and Ravindra Jadeja's 15-ball 24 not out took India to 327 for 5. In reply, the Proteas -- who are the only team apart from India with a confirmed semifinal ticket -- got bundled out for a paltry 83 in 26.1 overs.

With the ball, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami started the onslaught before Jadeja ended with 5 for 33. After yet another clinical win for India, who have now made it eight wins in a row in the ongoing tournament, Shami hilariously trolled the South African side. The Temba Bavuma-led Proteas have been on a run-scoring spree in the mega event -- with three scores in excess of 400 -- but fell flat versus the Indian team.&nbsp;

Talking to Star Sports after India's 243-run win, Shami&nbsp;spoke to&nbsp;former cricketer-turned-commentator Mohammed Kaif and said, "Har baar 400 paar karne waalon ka haal dekko (look at the condition of the team that scored 400-plus in every match)."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-india-will-lose-any-match-in-odi-world-cup-2023-former-pakistan-greats-big-claim-655658">Don’t think India will lose any match in ODI World Cup 2023: Former Pakistan great's big claim</a>

At the post-match presentation, in Kolkata, Rohit said, "If you look at how we have played in the last three games, we have adapted better. We were put under pressure against England. But we got a decent score and then the seamers did the job. We lost a wicket in the first over. Then got runs and then the seamers did well. We needed Kohli to go out there and play the situation. We then knew we had to keep it in the right areas and let the pitch do the rest."&nbsp;

He added, "Not to get too ahead of ourselves has been the talk in the dressing room. Couple of big games coming up. We don't want to change anything."

India have one more league game left -- versus the Netherlands on Sunday (Nov 12) in Bengaluru -- before the knockouts commence.

India romped past South Africa in match 37 of the ODI World Cup at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday (Nov 5). Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma's quickfire 40, Shreyas Iyer's 77, birthday boy Virat Kohli's 101* and Ravindra Jadeja's 15-ball 24 not out took India to 327 for 5.

India romped past South Africa in match 37 of the ODI World Cup at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday (Nov 5). Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma's quickfire 40, Shreyas Iyer's 77, birthday boy Virat Kohli's 101* and Ravindra Jadeja's 15-ball 24 not out took India to 327 for 5. In reply, the Proteas -- who are the only team apart from India with a confirmed semifinal ticket -- got bundled out for a paltry 83 in 26.1 overs. With the ball, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami started the onslaught before Jadeja ended with 5 for 33. After yet another clinical win for India, who have now made it eight wins in a row in the ongoing tournament, Shami hilariously trolled the South African side. The Temba Bavuma-led Proteas have been on a run-scoring spree in the mega event -- with three scores in excess of 400 -- but fell flat versus the Indian team. Talking to Star Sports after India's 243-run win, Shami spoke to former cricketer-turned-commentator Mohammed Kaif and said, "Har baar 400 paar karne waalon ka haal dekko (look at the condition of the team that scored 400-plus in every match)." Also read: Don’t think India will lose any match in ODI World Cup 2023: Former Pakistan great's big claim At the post-match presentation, in Kolkata, Rohit said, "If you look at how we have played in the last three games, we have adapted better. We were put under pressure against England. But we got a decent score and then the seamers did the job. We lost a wicket in the first over. Then got runs and then the seamers did well. We needed Kohli to go out there and play the situation. We then knew we had to keep it in the right areas and let the pitch do the rest." He added, "Not to get too ahead of ourselves has been the talk in the dressing room. Couple of big games coming up. We don't want to change anything." India have one more league game left -- versus the Netherlands on Sunday (Nov 12) in Bengaluru -- before the knockouts commence.

'Look at the condition of South Africa...': Shami hilariously trolls Proteas after India's massive win

Virat Kohli entered history books with his record-equalling 49th ODI hundred on his birthday at the Eden Gardens, as his unbeaten 101 off 121 balls helped India put up a fighting 326 for five on the board in the first innings.

After electing to bat first in Kolkata, the Indian openers went berserk, with captain Rohit Sharma being the aggressor of the two. Both right-handed batters let loose in the first five overs, helping India cross the 50-run mark. Even though Proteas pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada dismissed Rohit caught on 40, India’s scorecard after the end of the first ten overs read 91 for one.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj dismissed Shubman Gill, clean bowled off a Jaffa to silence the crowd in the next over.&nbsp;

Courtesy of tight bowling, South Africa conceded just 33 runs in the next ten overs as the batting pair of birthday boy Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer struggled to get going. After Keshav completed his quota of ten overs, both batters opened their arms.

Iyer and Kohli hit their respective fifties, taking the seam attack to the cleaners, especially Jansen.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2023-virat-kohli-marks-special-day-with-record-equaling-knock-joins-tendulkar-for-most-odi-tons-655403">World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli marks special day with record-equaling knock, joins Tendulkar for most ODI tons</a>

Just when Iyer put in the fifth gear, looking likely to reach the three-digit mark, a back-of-the-hand slower delivery from Ngidi caught him off guard on 77.

India’s man-of-crisis, KL Rahul, soon departed on eight by Jansen. Rassie van der Dussen pulled off an excellent catch in the deep.

Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav kept the momentum going with odd boundaries as the crowd cheered for the King to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s historic ODI tally.&nbsp;

In the meantime, much like Iyer, Suryakumar gave away his wicket at a time when he had started to peak.

After a few singles, the moment came the cricket world was craving, as Virat Kohli notched up his 49th ODI hundred on his 35th birthday, becoming the batter with joint-most ODI tons (equalling Sachin’s record) in history.&nbsp;

Jadeja took the onus on himself in the final over, smashing a six and two fours, as India amassed 326 for five in 50 overs.

Virat Kohli entered history books with his record-equalling 49th ODI hundred on his birthday at the Eden Gardens, as his unbeaten 101 off 121 balls helped India put up a fighting 326 for five on the board in the first innings.

Virat Kohli entered history books with his record-equalling 49th ODI hundred on his birthday at the Eden Gardens, as his unbeaten 101 off 121 balls helped India put up a fighting 326 for five on the board in the first innings. After electing to bat first in Kolkata, the Indian openers went berserk, with captain Rohit Sharma being the aggressor of the two. Both right-handed batters let loose in the first five overs, helping India cross the 50-run mark. Even though Proteas pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada dismissed Rohit caught on 40, India’s scorecard after the end of the first ten overs read 91 for one. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj dismissed Shubman Gill, clean bowled off a Jaffa to silence the crowd in the next over. Courtesy of tight bowling, South Africa conceded just 33 runs in the next ten overs as the batting pair of birthday boy Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer struggled to get going. After Keshav completed his quota of ten overs, both batters opened their arms. Iyer and Kohli hit their respective fifties, taking the seam attack to the cleaners, especially Jansen. ALSO READ: World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli marks special day with record-equaling knock, joins Tendulkar for most ODI tons Just when Iyer put in the fifth gear, looking likely to reach the three-digit mark, a back-of-the-hand slower delivery from Ngidi caught him off guard on 77. India’s man-of-crisis, KL Rahul, soon departed on eight by Jansen. Rassie van der Dussen pulled off an excellent catch in the deep. Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav kept the momentum going with odd boundaries as the crowd cheered for the King to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s historic ODI tally. In the meantime, much like Iyer, Suryakumar gave away his wicket at a time when he had started to peak. After a few singles, the moment came the cricket world was craving, as Virat Kohli notched up his 49th ODI hundred on his 35th birthday, becoming the batter with joint-most ODI tons (equalling Sachin’s record) in history. Jadeja took the onus on himself in the final over, smashing a six and two fours, as India amassed 326 for five in 50 overs.

Kohli’s record-breaking birthday ton propels India to fighting total against South Africa at Eden Gardens

IND vs SA Weather & Pitch Report: India and South Africa will lock horns in an epic battle on Sunday (Nov 5) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The high-voltage match will witness the two table-toppers clash in the 37th match of the ICC World Cup 2023.

IND vs SA Weather & Pitch Report: India and South Africa will lock horns in an epic battle on Sunday (Nov 5) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The high-voltage match will witness the two table-toppers clash in the 37th match of the ICC World Cup 2023. Both teams enter the field after winning their previous matches with huge margins. While India defeated Sri Lanka by 302 runs, South Africa beat New Zealand by 190. The upcoming match between India and South Africa promises to be an exhilarating clash as both cricketing giants have displayed exceptional form and prowess in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Here's all you need to know about the weather forecast and pitch report for India vs South Africa in ICC World Cup 2023. India vs South Africa: Eden Gardens Pitch Report The pitch at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata tends to produce high-scoring matches and favours the batters. However, in the latter stage of the game, it might allow spin bowlers to exert their influence and add an extra layer of excitement to the battle. The hallowed turf can also be potent with the new ball as it can offer carry. So far, Eden Gardens has hosted two ICC ODI World Cup 2023 matches. In the first match, the Netherlands defeated Bangladesh by 87 runs. The pitch at Eden Gardens favoured the Dutch side, as they won the toss and chose to bat. The second match was a cut-throat competition between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat. They scored 204 runs. However, Pakistan took advantage of the high-scoring pitch and defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in the second match. India and South Africa have previously faced each other at Eden Gardens twice. However, the matches date back to 1991 and 1993, with India winning both the ODI encounters. India and South Africa again clashed at the Eden Gardens in 2005, where South Africa defeated India by ten wickets. South Africa will enter the Kolkata ground after their win against Ireland in a 2011 ODI match. Meanwhile, India last played at the Eden Gardens in January 2023 and defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets. India vs South Africa Weather Report According to AccuWeather, Kolkata will have hazy weather on Sunday (Nov 5). The probability of precipitation is four per cent, and the humidity will be 51 per cent. Furthermore, the cloud cover will be 99 per cent, and the temperature will range between 23 to 33 degrees Celsius. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

IND vs SA: Check weather & pitch report for Eden Gardens Kolkata ahead of India vs South Africa World Cup 2023

Fire broke out at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday, August 9 evening as it prepares to get ready for the upcoming ODI World Cup. Home of Bengal Cricket, Eden Gardens is witnessing a major overhaul as it prepares for the mega event in October. The incident happened late at night and it did not lead to any&nbsp;casualties. Eden Gardens will host one semifinal, possibly India vs Pakistan in the ODI World Cup, if they meet in the last four stage.

<h2>Fire breaks out at Eden Gardens</h2>

A short circuit is being cited as the likely cause of the fire in one of the dressing rooms. The stadium is under renovation for the ODI World Cup. It is also reported that there was no big damage but the administration has taken a serious note of the incident. The fire-fighting department was immediately called to the incident site to avoid further damage. A few belongings lying in the dressing room were ruined and no one was in direct contact with the fire.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is yet to break silence on the incident but is determined to get the venue ready by September 15. The CAB is thought to be in contact with the officials regarding the cause of the fire and will take all the necessary steps to avoid any further damage. The venue has been certified by ICC and the body is&nbsp;satisfied with the stadium preparations. The ICC committee was in India last week and inspected all the venues for the main event and warm-up matches of the World Cup.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-23-revised-schedule-india-vs-pakistan-to-take-place-on-october-14-eight-more-fixtures-rescheduled-623882">CWC '23 revised schedule: India vs Pakistan to take place on October 14, eight more fixtures rescheduled</a>

<h2>Action at Eden Gardens</h2>

Kolkata will host five matches in the ODI World Cup and will be used as India’s venue for the semifinal if they end up facing Pakistan. The venue will host India vs South Africa on Sunday, November 5 in a blockbuster contest. Other prominent matches to take place include England vs Pakistan, Netherlands vs Bangladesh, and Pakistan vs Bangladesh. The first match at the venue will take place on Saturday, October 28.

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Fire broke out at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday, August 9 evening as it prepares to get ready for the upcoming ODI World Cup. Home of Bengal Cricket, Eden Gardens is witnessing a major overhaul as it prepares for the mega event in October.

Fire broke out at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday, August 9 evening as it prepares to get ready for the upcoming ODI World Cup. Home of Bengal Cricket, Eden Gardens is witnessing a major overhaul as it prepares for the mega event in October. The incident happened late at night and it did not lead to any casualties. Eden Gardens will host one semifinal, possibly India vs Pakistan in the ODI World Cup, if they meet in the last four stage. Fire breaks out at Eden Gardens A short circuit is being cited as the likely cause of the fire in one of the dressing rooms. The stadium is under renovation for the ODI World Cup. It is also reported that there was no big damage but the administration has taken a serious note of the incident. The fire-fighting department was immediately called to the incident site to avoid further damage. A few belongings lying in the dressing room were ruined and no one was in direct contact with the fire. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is yet to break silence on the incident but is determined to get the venue ready by September 15. The CAB is thought to be in contact with the officials regarding the cause of the fire and will take all the necessary steps to avoid any further damage. The venue has been certified by ICC and the body is satisfied with the stadium preparations. The ICC committee was in India last week and inspected all the venues for the main event and warm-up matches of the World Cup. ALSO READ | CWC '23 revised schedule: India vs Pakistan to take place on October 14, eight more fixtures rescheduled Action at Eden Gardens Kolkata will host five matches in the ODI World Cup and will be used as India’s venue for the semifinal if they end up facing Pakistan. The venue will host India vs South Africa on Sunday, November 5 in a blockbuster contest. Other prominent matches to take place include England vs Pakistan, Netherlands vs Bangladesh, and Pakistan vs Bangladesh. The first match at the venue will take place on Saturday, October 28. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Fire breaks out at Eden Gardens during renovation work for ODI World Cup

In what comes as a big respite, no new COVID-19 case has emerged on Thursday and the Rohit Sharma-led side has started training ahead of the upcoming West Indies series.

Team India is set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16.

Sources in the know of developments confirmed to ANI that no new COVID-19 case has emerged after Wednesday and the players barring the COVID-19 positive ones have started training.

"No new COVID-19 case has been reported in the bubble and the members have started training. The players barring the positive members have started training," the source pointed.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Wednesday added Mayank Agarwal to India`s ODI squad after seven members, including three players of Team India tested positive for COVID-19 following three rounds of RT-PCR testing.

According to BCCI, the members were asked to report in Ahmedabad on January 31, 2022, for the upcoming three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/ranji-trophy-to-be-played-in-two-phases-from-february-10-to-june-26-450246">Ranji Trophy to be played in two phases from February 10 to June 26</a>

"Every member was also asked to undergo an RT-PCR test at home before embarking on their journey to Ahmedabad and the travel was undertaken only after testing negative," BCCI said in a statement."

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan and fast bowler Navdeep Saini`s (standby player) RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday (January 31st) have returned positive results," it added. Fielding Coach T. Dilip and Security Liaison Officer B. Lokesh`s RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday have also returned positive results.

Meanwhile, batter Ruturaj Gaikwad`s RT-PCR test conducted on Tuesday (February 1st) has returned a positive result. He had tested negative during the first round of testing on Monday.

Moreover, Shreyas Iyer and Sports Massage Therapist Rajeev Kumar`s RT-PCR tests conducted on Wednesday (February 2nd) have returned positive results. Both had tested negative in the first two rounds of testing, said BCCI.&nbsp;

In what comes as a big respite, no new COVID-19 case has emerged on Thursday and the Rohit Sharma-led side has started training ahead of the upcoming West Indies series.

In what comes as a big respite, no new COVID-19 case has emerged on Thursday and the Rohit Sharma-led side has started training ahead of the upcoming West Indies series. Team India is set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16. Sources in the know of developments confirmed to ANI that no new COVID-19 case has emerged after Wednesday and the players barring the COVID-19 positive ones have started training. "No new COVID-19 case has been reported in the bubble and the members have started training. The players barring the positive members have started training," the source pointed. The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Wednesday added Mayank Agarwal to India`s ODI squad after seven members, including three players of Team India tested positive for COVID-19 following three rounds of RT-PCR testing. According to BCCI, the members were asked to report in Ahmedabad on January 31, 2022, for the upcoming three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies. Read Also | Ranji Trophy to be played in two phases from February 10 to June 26 "Every member was also asked to undergo an RT-PCR test at home before embarking on their journey to Ahmedabad and the travel was undertaken only after testing negative," BCCI said in a statement." Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan and fast bowler Navdeep Saini`s (standby player) RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday (January 31st) have returned positive results," it added. Fielding Coach T. Dilip and Security Liaison Officer B. Lokesh`s RT-PCR tests conducted on Monday have also returned positive results. Meanwhile, batter Ruturaj Gaikwad`s RT-PCR test conducted on Tuesday (February 1st) has returned a positive result. He had tested negative during the first round of testing on Monday. Moreover, Shreyas Iyer and Sports Massage Therapist Rajeev Kumar`s RT-PCR tests conducted on Wednesday (February 2nd) have returned positive results. Both had tested negative in the first two rounds of testing, said BCCI.

India vs WI: No fresh COVID cases in Rohit-led Indian camp; hosts kick off preparations for opening ODI

Kolkata's legendary Eden Gardens&nbsp;cricket stadium is to be used as a quarantine centre for Indian police who have the coronavirus, officials said Saturday.

With the city's hospitals under growing pressure, hundreds of beds are to be set up in the 80,000 capacity stadium that was used for the 1987 World Cup final.

Nearly 550 Kolkata police have tested positive for the coronavirus and two have died.

"It is our duty to help and support the administration in this hour of crisis. The quarantine facility will be used for police personnel who are COVID-19 warriors," said Cricket Association of Bengal president Avishek Dalmiya.

The beds will be put in galleries around the seating and not on the pitch that was last used by India for a day-night Test against Bangladesh last November.

"Such areas would be thoroughly segregated as a safety measure," added Dalmiya.

The stadium is also used by the Kolkata Knight Riders Indian Premier League side but this year's tournament has been repeatedly postponed because of the pandemic.

India's nationwide coronavirus toll rose Saturday to 820,916 cases with 22,193 deaths

Kolkata's legendary Eden Gardens cricket stadium is to be used as a quarantine centre for Indian police who have the coronavirus, officials said Saturday. With the city's hospitals under growing pressure, hundreds of beds are to be set up in the 80,000 capacity stadium that was used for the 1987 World Cup final.

Kolkata's legendary Eden Gardens cricket stadium is to be used as a quarantine centre for Indian police who have the coronavirus, officials said Saturday. With the city's hospitals under growing pressure, hundreds of beds are to be set up in the 80,000 capacity stadium that was used for the 1987 World Cup final. Nearly 550 Kolkata police have tested positive for the coronavirus and two have died. "It is our duty to help and support the administration in this hour of crisis. The quarantine facility will be used for police personnel who are COVID-19 warriors," said Cricket Association of Bengal president Avishek Dalmiya. The beds will be put in galleries around the seating and not on the pitch that was last used by India for a day-night Test against Bangladesh last November. "Such areas would be thoroughly segregated as a safety measure," added Dalmiya. The stadium is also used by the Kolkata Knight Riders Indian Premier League side but this year's tournament has been repeatedly postponed because of the pandemic. India's nationwide coronavirus toll rose Saturday to 820,916 cases with 22,193 deaths

Famed India cricket stadium to be used for coronavirus quarantine

The world's biggest cricket stadium, with space for 110,000 spectators, is taking shape in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-receives-first-batch-of-sig-sauer-assault-rifles-to-fight-against-terrorists-pakistan-army-on-loc-267559">India </a>and is likely to host its first international match early next year.

The new stadium in Ahmedabad, built at a cost of around $100 million, will seat more fans than Australia's Melbourne Cricket Ground which can accommodate around 100,000 spectators.

According to reports, the Sardar Patel stadium is expected to host its first match in March with an exhibition game between an Asia XI and a World XI as the inaugural game.

The stadium will have more than 70 corporate boxes, four dressing rooms, a clubhouse and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Its construction began in January 2017.

It will overtake <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/india-beat-bangladesh-by-an-inning-and-46-runs-to-win-the-series-2-0-264248">Kolkata's Eden Gardens</a>, currently India's biggest stadium with a capacity of 66,000 -&nbsp;down from 100,000 after a major rebuilding project.

India, the world's top-ranked Test team, has more than a dozen stadiums capable of holding international cricket matches. Test matches, however, often attract sparse crowds.

The world's biggest cricket stadium, with space for 110,000 spectators, is taking shape in India and is likely to host its first international match early next year.

The world's biggest cricket stadium, with space for 110,000 spectators, is taking shape in India and is likely to host its first international match early next year. The new stadium in Ahmedabad, built at a cost of around $100 million, will seat more fans than Australia's Melbourne Cricket Ground which can accommodate around 100,000 spectators. According to reports, the Sardar Patel stadium is expected to host its first match in March with an exhibition game between an Asia XI and a World XI as the inaugural game. The stadium will have more than 70 corporate boxes, four dressing rooms, a clubhouse and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Its construction began in January 2017. It will overtake Kolkata's Eden Gardens, currently India's biggest stadium with a capacity of 66,000 - down from 100,000 after a major rebuilding project. India, the world's top-ranked Test team, has more than a dozen stadiums capable of holding international cricket matches. Test matches, however, often attract sparse crowds.

World's biggest cricket stadium takes shape in India

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday.

Mumbai are currently placed at the second position in the league standings with 16 points, whereas Hyderabad are placed at the fourth position with 12 points.

Chasing a score of 163, Hyderabad got off to a flying start as their openers Wriddhiman Saha and Martin Guptill scored 40 runs in the first four overs.

But their exploits were cut short as Jasprit Bumrah gave Mumbai much-needed breakthroughs by dismissing Saha (25) and Guptill (15), reducing Hyderabad to 57 for two in the sixth over.&nbsp;

Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson (3) once again failed to put up a significant score as he was dismissed cheaply by Krunal Pandya in the seventh over. &nbsp;

Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar put up a brief 33-run stand but their stay was cut short as Krunal dismissed Shankar (12) at a time when Hyderabad required 65 runs off 40 balls to win. &nbsp;

But Pandey kept playing in his trademark style with the support of Mohammad Nabi.&nbsp;

The duo gave Hyderabad some firepower in the death overs. With 7 runs required off the final ball, Pandey hit a six and the match went to the super over.

In the super over, Hyderabad was able to score just eight runs and Mumbai made light work of the target and chased down the total in just three balls.

Earlier, Quinton de Kock's knock of 69 runs off just 58 deliveries enabled Mumbai to post 162 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets in the allotted twenty overs after opting to bat first.

Mumbai got off to a flying start as openers Rohit Sharma and de Kock hammered the visitors with regular boundaries in the opening two overs.&nbsp;

But Hyderabad came back into the match as their bowler Khaleel Ahmed dismissed the skipper Sharma (24) in the sixth over of the innings. &nbsp;

Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat at number three and he, along with de Kock, ensured that the team does not lose momentum in the middle overs.&nbsp;

The duo stitched together a partnership of 54 runs, raising the team's hopes of posting a challenging total in front of the visitors.

However, Hyderabad managed to dismiss Yadav (23) and Ewin Lewis (1) in quick succession, reducing the team to 91 for three in the 13th over.&nbsp;

Yadav was dismissed by Ahmed whereas Lewis was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nabi.

Hardik Pandya (18) was not able to repeat his heroics from the last match against KKR and he was sent back to the pavilion by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over of the innings.

De Kock, however, kept the momentum going and ensured that the team posts a challenging total on the board.&nbsp;

Hyderabad will next take on Bangalore on May 4 whereas Mumbai will face Kolkata on May 5.

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday.

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday. Mumbai are currently placed at the second position in the league standings with 16 points, whereas Hyderabad are placed at the fourth position with 12 points. Chasing a score of 163, Hyderabad got off to a flying start as their openers Wriddhiman Saha and Martin Guptill scored 40 runs in the first four overs. But their exploits were cut short as Jasprit Bumrah gave Mumbai much-needed breakthroughs by dismissing Saha (25) and Guptill (15), reducing Hyderabad to 57 for two in the sixth over. Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson (3) once again failed to put up a significant score as he was dismissed cheaply by Krunal Pandya in the seventh over. Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar put up a brief 33-run stand but their stay was cut short as Krunal dismissed Shankar (12) at a time when Hyderabad required 65 runs off 40 balls to win. But Pandey kept playing in his trademark style with the support of Mohammad Nabi. The duo gave Hyderabad some firepower in the death overs. With 7 runs required off the final ball, Pandey hit a six and the match went to the super over. In the super over, Hyderabad was able to score just eight runs and Mumbai made light work of the target and chased down the total in just three balls. Earlier, Quinton de Kock's knock of 69 runs off just 58 deliveries enabled Mumbai to post 162 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets in the allotted twenty overs after opting to bat first. Mumbai got off to a flying start as openers Rohit Sharma and de Kock hammered the visitors with regular boundaries in the opening two overs. But Hyderabad came back into the match as their bowler Khaleel Ahmed dismissed the skipper Sharma (24) in the sixth over of the innings. Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat at number three and he, along with de Kock, ensured that the team does not lose momentum in the middle overs. The duo stitched together a partnership of 54 runs, raising the team's hopes of posting a challenging total in front of the visitors. However, Hyderabad managed to dismiss Yadav (23) and Ewin Lewis (1) in quick succession, reducing the team to 91 for three in the 13th over. Yadav was dismissed by Ahmed whereas Lewis was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nabi. Hardik Pandya (18) was not able to repeat his heroics from the last match against KKR and he was sent back to the pavilion by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over of the innings. De Kock, however, kept the momentum going and ensured that the team posts a challenging total on the board. Hyderabad will next take on Bangalore on May 4 whereas Mumbai will face Kolkata on May 5.

IPL 2019: Mumbai defeat Hyderabad in super over, book play-off berth

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). &nbsp;

The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players. The best part is they haven't disappointed.&nbsp;

In the 12 games so far, Rahul has scored 550 runs to become the most dependent batsman of the franchise.&nbsp;

When asked what is the mantra behind his superb form and how does he see himself hitting such big scores, Rahul in an exclusive interview to WION, said it's not the individual score that matters&nbsp;to him but the games he can win for the team.

"I always aim very very high. So, for me, I don't start the season thinking 400-500 or 600 runs is good enough for me because that's not a goal or achievement for me. It's always about how many games in a season I win for my team, so that's is what my focus is always on."

Rahul was quick to add that he doesn't care even if he scores 300 runs in one season, provided he plays a role in helping Punjab win the games.

"It doesn't matter even if I get 300 runs in a season or 800 runs in the season. But if I do not win games for my team then I feel like I am not doing my job. So, that's is what I focus on. In a tournament like IPL, it is important that you start well and when you start well you get some confidence and form. And if you stay focussed then the confidence and form just carry&nbsp;on for the rest of the tournament. So, it has been the key for me in the last two seasons," the Punjab opener added.

In most of the games, Rahul has made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end.&nbsp;

However, the scenario has been different till Gayle is on the crease with him.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
When asked if there is any set plan they follow when they enter the crease, Rahul said they just give it some time and access the conditions.

"We don't really go in with a set plan, because as opening batsmen we have the responsibility to go out there and access the conditions, especially when we are batting first, to see what would be a par score and how much we should get on a wicket like that and also see the opposition, see who are the guys we have to target."

"So for that, we go that first couple of overs we are going to look to play cricketing shots and just look to take our time. Moreover, we all know if Chris starts over then there is no worry about the run rate. We will always get 20 runs extra than the par score. So we just look to give ourselves a little time and access the conditions," the 27-year-old said.&nbsp;

Punjab had decent outings in the first half of the tournament before losing the plot in the all-important second phase.&nbsp;

The team have 10 points from 12 matches and are desperately eyeing a victory to remain in the contention for the IPL 2019 playoffs.

The performance of the team has degraded in the second phase, however, Kl Rahul stressed that just because the results haven't gone their way, it doesn' mean they have been outplayed.&nbsp;

"The passion, the determination has always been there to go out and give it our best. Ashwin said in his last interview that we have not been outplayed even once we have hung in there. We have scrapped all through and we have put up a great show and all are games have been gone down to the wire and the crowds have enjoyed it."

"And at the end of the day, it is about putting up a great show. But results haven't gone our way. Again that a habit, if you win a couple of games you get on a roll and it keeps going that way. We are hoping that we will find that rhythm."

Punjab will next lock horns with Kolkata in a do-or-die encounter at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday.&nbsp;

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players.

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players. The best part is they haven't disappointed. In the 12 games so far, Rahul has scored 550 runs to become the most dependent batsman of the franchise. When asked what is the mantra behind his superb form and how does he see himself hitting such big scores, Rahul in an exclusive interview to WION, said it's not the individual score that matters to him but the games he can win for the team. "I always aim very very high. So, for me, I don't start the season thinking 400-500 or 600 runs is good enough for me because that's not a goal or achievement for me. It's always about how many games in a season I win for my team, so that's is what my focus is always on." Rahul was quick to add that he doesn't care even if he scores 300 runs in one season, provided he plays a role in helping Punjab win the games. "It doesn't matter even if I get 300 runs in a season or 800 runs in the season. But if I do not win games for my team then I feel like I am not doing my job. So, that's is what I focus on. In a tournament like IPL, it is important that you start well and when you start well you get some confidence and form. And if you stay focussed then the confidence and form just carry on for the rest of the tournament. So, it has been the key for me in the last two seasons," the Punjab opener added. In most of the games, Rahul has made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end. However, the scenario has been different till Gayle is on the crease with him. When asked if there is any set plan they follow when they enter the crease, Rahul said they just give it some time and access the conditions. "We don't really go in with a set plan, because as opening batsmen we have the responsibility to go out there and access the conditions, especially when we are batting first, to see what would be a par score and how much we should get on a wicket like that and also see the opposition, see who are the guys we have to target." "So for that, we go that first couple of overs we are going to look to play cricketing shots and just look to take our time. Moreover, we all know if Chris starts over then there is no worry about the run rate. We will always get 20 runs extra than the par score. So we just look to give ourselves a little time and access the conditions," the 27-year-old said. Punjab had decent outings in the first half of the tournament before losing the plot in the all-important second phase. The team have 10 points from 12 matches and are desperately eyeing a victory to remain in the contention for the IPL 2019 playoffs. The performance of the team has degraded in the second phase, however, Kl Rahul stressed that just because the results haven't gone their way, it doesn' mean they have been outplayed. "The passion, the determination has always been there to go out and give it our best. Ashwin said in his last interview that we have not been outplayed even once we have hung in there. We have scrapped all through and we have put up a great show and all are games have been gone down to the wire and the crowds have enjoyed it." "And at the end of the day, it is about putting up a great show. But results haven't gone our way. Again that a habit, if you win a couple of games you get on a roll and it keeps going that way. We are hoping that we will find that rhythm." Punjab will next lock horns with Kolkata in a do-or-die encounter at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday.

Not the individual score but games I can win for Punjab matter: KL Rahul to WION

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Needing 22 off the final 10 balls, Royals were favourites to pocket two points but showers lashed Chinnaswamy again and both teams had to share a point each.

The no result keeps Rajasthan&nbsp;mathematically alive in the tournament as they have 11 points from 13 games with one match to go. The visitors were 41 for one in 3.2 overs when the rain returned to the Chinnaswamy with Sanju Samson (28 off 13) being their top-scorer.

Bangalore got a point from the called off game, taking them to nine points from 13 games, ending all their hopes of progressing in the tournament.&nbsp;

Rajasthan limited RCB to 62 for seven in five overs following Gopal's hat-trick.

Rajasthan had won the toss and opted to field but rain arrived and delayed the start of the game by three hours and thirty minutes.&nbsp;

The game finally began after a long delay, courtesy a commendable effort from the ground staff which readied the ground following multiple spells of heavy rain.&nbsp;

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli (25 off 7) was on fire from ball one, depositing pacer Varun Aaron for a straight six. The loyal fans of the hosts, who stayed back for hours in the hope of a game, managed to get their money's worth with Kohli smashing Aaron for another six before AB de Villiers (10 off 4) got into the act as the first over went for 23 runs.&nbsp;

However, Gopal brought Rajasthan right back into the game in the following over by removing Kohli and de Villiers off successive balls before sending back Marcus Stoinis for a memorable hat-trick.&nbsp;

With the following batsmen going for the big hits from the word go, Bangalore did manage to cross the 50-run mark.&nbsp;

Rajasthan pacer Oshane Thomas too made instant impact by taking two wickets in one over.&nbsp;

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday.

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday. Needing 22 off the final 10 balls, Royals were favourites to pocket two points but showers lashed Chinnaswamy again and both teams had to share a point each. The no result keeps Rajasthan mathematically alive in the tournament as they have 11 points from 13 games with one match to go. The visitors were 41 for one in 3.2 overs when the rain returned to the Chinnaswamy with Sanju Samson (28 off 13) being their top-scorer. Bangalore got a point from the called off game, taking them to nine points from 13 games, ending all their hopes of progressing in the tournament. Rajasthan limited RCB to 62 for seven in five overs following Gopal's hat-trick. Rajasthan had won the toss and opted to field but rain arrived and delayed the start of the game by three hours and thirty minutes. The game finally began after a long delay, courtesy a commendable effort from the ground staff which readied the ground following multiple spells of heavy rain. Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli (25 off 7) was on fire from ball one, depositing pacer Varun Aaron for a straight six. The loyal fans of the hosts, who stayed back for hours in the hope of a game, managed to get their money's worth with Kohli smashing Aaron for another six before AB de Villiers (10 off 4) got into the act as the first over went for 23 runs. However, Gopal brought Rajasthan right back into the game in the following over by removing Kohli and de Villiers off successive balls before sending back Marcus Stoinis for a memorable hat-trick. With the following batsmen going for the big hits from the word go, Bangalore did manage to cross the 50-run mark. Rajasthan pacer Oshane Thomas too made instant impact by taking two wickets in one over.

Shreyas Gopal takes 'dream' hat-trick in rain-hit tie as Bangalore knocked out of IPL 2019

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.

With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi&nbsp;are placed at the second position with 16 points.

Chasing a challenging score of 180, Delhi got off to the worst start possible as they lost their opener Prithvi Shaw (4) in the very first over.&nbsp;He was dismissed by Deepak Chahar.

Shikhar Dhawan along with skipper Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings for Delhi and the duo stitched together a 48-run stand.

But Harbhajan Singh cut short Dhawan's (19) resistance as he clean bowled him in the fifth over.

The big-hitting Rishabh Pant (5) also failed to leave a mark as he was dismissed pretty early by Imran Tahir. Colin Ingram (1) also fell cheaply off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja reducing Delhi 66 for four.

Chennai kept scalping wickets and with Iyer`s (44) dismissal in the 12th over it was just a matter of time for Delhi and in the end, Chennai easily secured a win by 80 runs.

Earlier, knocks of 59 and 44* respectively by Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni enabled Chennai to post 179 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets in the allotted twenty overs.

Delhi bowlers maintained a tight grip initially, not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. Chennai was able to score just three runs in the opening three overs and the pressure finally got to Shane Watson (0) as he was dismissed by Jagadeesha Suchith.

The batsman was looking to score a boundary but he just managed to find the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

Raina and Faf du Plessis retrieved the innings for Chennai and they staged an 83-run partnership bringing the hosts back into the match. But their resistance was cut short as both du Plessis (39) and Raina (59) were dismissed in quick succession.

Faf was dismissed by Axar Patel whereas Raina was dismissed by Suchith.

Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja gave some firepower to the team in the death overs and stitched together a partnership of 43 runs of just 22 balls to take the team past the 140-run mark.

Jadeja (25) perished in the penultimate over but Dhoni kept on going on his merry way enabling the team to post a challenging total in front of the visitors. Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu remained unbeaten on 44 and 5 respectively.

Delhi&nbsp;will next play against Rajasthan on May 4 whereas Chennai will take on Punjab on May 5.

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi are placed at the second position with 16 points.

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi are placed at the second position with 16 points. Chasing a challenging score of 180, Delhi got off to the worst start possible as they lost their opener Prithvi Shaw (4) in the very first over. He was dismissed by Deepak Chahar. Shikhar Dhawan along with skipper Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings for Delhi and the duo stitched together a 48-run stand. But Harbhajan Singh cut short Dhawan's (19) resistance as he clean bowled him in the fifth over. The big-hitting Rishabh Pant (5) also failed to leave a mark as he was dismissed pretty early by Imran Tahir. Colin Ingram (1) also fell cheaply off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja reducing Delhi 66 for four. Chennai kept scalping wickets and with Iyer`s (44) dismissal in the 12th over it was just a matter of time for Delhi and in the end, Chennai easily secured a win by 80 runs. Earlier, knocks of 59 and 44* respectively by Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni enabled Chennai to post 179 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets in the allotted twenty overs. Delhi bowlers maintained a tight grip initially, not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. Chennai was able to score just three runs in the opening three overs and the pressure finally got to Shane Watson (0) as he was dismissed by Jagadeesha Suchith. The batsman was looking to score a boundary but he just managed to find the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Raina and Faf du Plessis retrieved the innings for Chennai and they staged an 83-run partnership bringing the hosts back into the match. But their resistance was cut short as both du Plessis (39) and Raina (59) were dismissed in quick succession. Faf was dismissed by Axar Patel whereas Raina was dismissed by Suchith. Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja gave some firepower to the team in the death overs and stitched together a partnership of 43 runs of just 22 balls to take the team past the 140-run mark. Jadeja (25) perished in the penultimate over but Dhoni kept on going on his merry way enabling the team to post a challenging total in front of the visitors. Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu remained unbeaten on 44 and 5 respectively. Delhi will next play against Rajasthan on May 4 whereas Chennai will take on Punjab on May 5.

IPL 2019: Chennai thrash Delhi by huge 80 runs

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Playing his last match of the season before heading home for World Cup preparations, Warner struck a belligerent 81 off 56 balls with seven fours and two sixes to complete his IPL 2019 campaign with 692 runs, the highest so far in the tournament.

Chasing the imposing total, K L Rahul (79 off 56, 4x4s, 5x6s) made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end as Punjab were restricted to 167 for eight.

By virtue of this win, Hyderabad have consolidated their fourth position in the table with 12 points from 12 games, while Punjab are at 10 points from as many matches.

Both the teams have two more matches to go with Punjab still in the hunt.&nbsp;

Punjab needed a brisk start but they didn't get one, losing explosive Chris Gayle early.

Gayle departed in the first ball of the third over, brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey off Khaleel Ahmed (3/40) with Punjab scoreboard reading 11.

Thereafter, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18) added 60 off 39 balls to take Punjab forward.

But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Agarwal was holed by Vijay Shankar off Rashid Khan (3/21) in the ninth over.

New man in Nicholas Pooran (21 off 10) played a short breezy knock before Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a beautiful catch at long-leg boundary off Ahmed to sent packing the batsman.

Rashid then came to the party and picked up two wickets -- David Miller (11 off 11) and skipper Ravichandran Ashwin -- in consecutive balls in the 13th over to stand in chance of registering a hat-trick which didn't materialise.

From there on, the asking was tall for Rahul and debutant Prabhsimran Singh (16) and the former finally perished in the 19th over after a beautiful knock to shut the doors for Punjab. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier, Warner and Wriddhiman Saha (28 off 13) got Hyderabad off to a brisk start after being sent into bat. The duo took the Punjab bowlers to the cleaners to pile up 77 runs of the first six overs of powerplay.

Warner made his intentions clear from the onset, hitting young Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in the opening over and then followed it up with a six over long-off in Mujeeb Ur Rahman's next over.

Mujeeb was in for some treatment as Warner hit two more boundaries in the spinner's next over and then Saha also found the fence to bring up Hyderabad' fifty in the fourth over.

Saha then went after Mohammed Shami (2/36) and hit the pacer for a boundary and six off consecutive balls.

Saha's innings came to an end when he under-edged a Murugan Ashwin delivery to debutant Prabhsimran Singh behind the stumps. Saha shared 78 runs off 6.2 overs with Warner for the opening stand.

Warner continued in the same vein and notched up his eight fifty of the season with a boundary off Shami in the 12th over.

Then came in in-form Manish Pandey (36 off 25) and he too played a quick knock in Warner's company.

Pandey, who struck three fours and a six, added 82 off 55 balls along with Warner before Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (2/20) struck twin blows in the 16th over to remove both the set batsmen.

First Ashwin accounted for Pandey and then two balls later dismissed Warner, caught by Mujeeb at point of what was a tired-looking shot. 
Then skipper Kane Williamson (14 off 7) and Mohammad Nabi (20 off 10) also played short cameos towards the end.

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday.

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday. Playing his last match of the season before heading home for World Cup preparations, Warner struck a belligerent 81 off 56 balls with seven fours and two sixes to complete his IPL 2019 campaign with 692 runs, the highest so far in the tournament. Chasing the imposing total, K L Rahul (79 off 56, 4x4s, 5x6s) made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end as Punjab were restricted to 167 for eight. By virtue of this win, Hyderabad have consolidated their fourth position in the table with 12 points from 12 games, while Punjab are at 10 points from as many matches. Both the teams have two more matches to go with Punjab still in the hunt. Punjab needed a brisk start but they didn't get one, losing explosive Chris Gayle early. Gayle departed in the first ball of the third over, brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey off Khaleel Ahmed (3/40) with Punjab scoreboard reading 11. Thereafter, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18) added 60 off 39 balls to take Punjab forward. But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Agarwal was holed by Vijay Shankar off Rashid Khan (3/21) in the ninth over. New man in Nicholas Pooran (21 off 10) played a short breezy knock before Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a beautiful catch at long-leg boundary off Ahmed to sent packing the batsman. Rashid then came to the party and picked up two wickets -- David Miller (11 off 11) and skipper Ravichandran Ashwin -- in consecutive balls in the 13th over to stand in chance of registering a hat-trick which didn't materialise. From there on, the asking was tall for Rahul and debutant Prabhsimran Singh (16) and the former finally perished in the 19th over after a beautiful knock to shut the doors for Punjab. Earlier, Warner and Wriddhiman Saha (28 off 13) got Hyderabad off to a brisk start after being sent into bat. The duo took the Punjab bowlers to the cleaners to pile up 77 runs of the first six overs of powerplay. Warner made his intentions clear from the onset, hitting young Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in the opening over and then followed it up with a six over long-off in Mujeeb Ur Rahman's next over. Mujeeb was in for some treatment as Warner hit two more boundaries in the spinner's next over and then Saha also found the fence to bring up Hyderabad' fifty in the fourth over. Saha then went after Mohammed Shami (2/36) and hit the pacer for a boundary and six off consecutive balls. Saha's innings came to an end when he under-edged a Murugan Ashwin delivery to debutant Prabhsimran Singh behind the stumps. Saha shared 78 runs off 6.2 overs with Warner for the opening stand. Warner continued in the same vein and notched up his eight fifty of the season with a boundary off Shami in the 12th over. Then came in in-form Manish Pandey (36 off 25) and he too played a quick knock in Warner's company. Pandey, who struck three fours and a six, added 82 off 55 balls along with Warner before Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (2/20) struck twin blows in the 16th over to remove both the set batsmen. First Ashwin accounted for Pandey and then two balls later dismissed Warner, caught by Mujeeb at point of what was a tired-looking shot. Then skipper Kane Williamson (14 off 7) and Mohammad Nabi (20 off 10) also played short cameos towards the end.

IPL 2019: Brilliant David Warner hands Hyderabad 45-run win over Punjab

Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata team will clash with Virat's Bangalore at the Eden Gardens Stadium.

IPL 2019: Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team to clash with Karthik's Kolkata at Eden

IPL 2019: From Warner's comeback to Russell's explosive performance, key points of Kolkata vs Hyderabad match

Rashid Khan played a perfect 10-ball-34 runs cameo to help Hyderabad set 175 runs target for Kolkata at Eden Gardens, on Friday.&nbsp

Khan played at a strike rate of 340 and smashed two boundaries and four sixes in his inning. &nbsp

Put into bat, Wriddhiman Saha and Shikhar Dhawan gave Hyderabad a decent start before Dhawan lost his wicket to Kuldeep Yadav for 34 runs.

Yadav struck twice the same over and dismissed skipper Kane Williamson for cheap 3 runs.

It was then Shakib Al Hasan came to bat and estlabished a partnership with Saha.

But the wicketkeeper-batsman was also sent back to the pavilion for just 35 runs.&nbsp

For Kolkata, Prasidh Krishna became the costliest bowler as he gave away 56 runs in four overs.&nbsp

Earlier, Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik won the toss and opted to bowl against Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 Qualifier 2 at Eden Gardens, on Friday. &nbsp

Both the teams will battle out to book a berth in the final, to be played against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai on May 27.&nbsp

&nbspSpeaking after the toss, Dinesh Karthik said, "We will bowl first. We would like to chase down the target. We fought hard (against RR), we showed good character, we came back hard and we finally won the game."

"It's always the case in a must-win game, two good teams are out to play today. Just one change for us, Shivam Mavi replaces Javon Searles," he added.

Hyderabad, on the other hand, have lost four matches on the trot and will be looking to return to the winning ways.

Talking about their strategy for today, skipper Kane Williamson said, Looks like a good surface, we need to put the runs on the board and defend it. We need to move on and put our best effort."

"This is not the time to be conservative, it's a must-win game for both teams and we need to put our best foot forward, he added."

"We have three changes, Hooda, Saha and Khaleel are in, Manish Pandey, Shreevats Goswami and Sandeep Sharma are out," he concluded.&nbsp

Hyderabad have played very loose in the last four games. Their bowling attack which is their strength, since the first game, became a problem as they failed to swing wickets in team's favour. &nbsp&nbsp

Teams:

 
Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, K Khaleel Ahmed

Kolkata (Playing XI): Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Mavi 
&nbsp

Khan played at a strike rate of 340 and smashed two boundaries and four sixes in his inning.

Rashid Khan played a perfect 10-ball-34 runs cameo to help Hyderabad set 175 runs target for Kolkata at Eden Gardens, on Friday. Khan played at a strike rate of 340 and smashed two boundaries and four sixes in his inning. Put into bat, Wriddhiman Saha and Shikhar Dhawan gave Hyderabad a decent start before Dhawan lost his wicket to Kuldeep Yadav for 34 runs. Yadav struck twice the same over and dismissed skipper Kane Williamson for cheap 3 runs. It was then Shakib Al Hasan came to bat and estlabished a partnership with Saha. But the wicketkeeper-batsman was also sent back to the pavilion for just 35 runs. For Kolkata, Prasidh Krishna became the costliest bowler as he gave away 56 runs in four overs. Earlier, Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik won the toss and opted to bowl against Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 Qualifier 2 at Eden Gardens, on Friday. Both the teams will battle out to book a berth in the final, to be played against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai on May 27. &nbspSpeaking after the toss, Dinesh Karthik said, "We will bowl first. We would like to chase down the target. We fought hard (against RR), we showed good character, we came back hard and we finally won the game." "It's always the case in a must-win game, two good teams are out to play today. Just one change for us, Shivam Mavi replaces Javon Searles," he added. Hyderabad, on the other hand, have lost four matches on the trot and will be looking to return to the winning ways. Talking about their strategy for today, skipper Kane Williamson said, Looks like a good surface, we need to put the runs on the board and defend it. We need to move on and put our best effort." "This is not the time to be conservative, it's a must-win game for both teams and we need to put our best foot forward, he added." "We have three changes, Hooda, Saha and Khaleel are in, Manish Pandey, Shreevats Goswami and Sandeep Sharma are out," he concluded. Hyderabad have played very loose in the last four games. Their bowling attack which is their strength, since the first game, became a problem as they failed to swing wickets in team's favour. Teams: Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Deepak Hooda, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, K Khaleel Ahmed Kolkata (Playing XI): Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Shivam Mavi

IPL 2018: Rashid Khan's 10-ball-34 powers Hyderabad to 174

In the 33rd match of the IPL 2018, Kolkata won the toss and asked Chennai to bat first at the Eden Gardens.&nbsp;

Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis opened for Chennai and scored with the run rate of over 9 per over.&nbsp;

Kolkata bowlers could not get a breakthrough in the initial overs and the batsmen did not face much resistance from the bowlers.

Chennai ended the innings scoring 177 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Dhoni contributed a significant 43 runs.

Speaking after the toss, Karthik said, "We would like to bowl first. The way we have been chasing decently and we back that. It's important to be aware of your strengths and try to keep playing to that."

"I think we have been playing well both in terms of batting and bowling. One change for us. Nitish Rana is out and Rinku Singh is in," he added.

When Asked Dhoni about his strategy for today, he said, "We wanted to bowl first as well. The wicket has been so good that the outfield seems a bit smaller."

"Otherwise, it has been a good venue. Need to improve on our death bowling, what's important for us is to bowl according to our field. That's the only concern for us. Same squad for us," he added.&nbsp;

Teams:

Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Kuldeep Yadav

Chennai (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Karn Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, KM Asif

Their first encounter was won by the MS Dhoni-led side.

In the 33rd match of the IPL 2018, Kolkata won the toss and asked Chennai to bat first at the Eden Gardens. Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis opened for Chennai and scored with the run rate of over 9 per over. Kolkata bowlers could not get a breakthrough in the initial overs and the batsmen did not face much resistance from the bowlers. Chennai ended the innings scoring 177 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. Dhoni contributed a significant 43 runs. Speaking after the toss, Karthik said, "We would like to bowl first. The way we have been chasing decently and we back that. It's important to be aware of your strengths and try to keep playing to that." "I think we have been playing well both in terms of batting and bowling. One change for us. Nitish Rana is out and Rinku Singh is in," he added. When Asked Dhoni about his strategy for today, he said, "We wanted to bowl first as well. The wicket has been so good that the outfield seems a bit smaller." "Otherwise, it has been a good venue. Need to improve on our death bowling, what's important for us is to bowl according to our field. That's the only concern for us. Same squad for us," he added. Teams: Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Kuldeep Yadav Chennai (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Karn Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, KM Asif

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni makes 43* off 25 as Chennai post 177 against Kolkata

As Virat Kohli and company is gearing up for the all-important tour to England for the Test series post IPL, Kohli is a relieved man for the time being. After all he was able to salvage some pride in recent Test series in South Africa.

Last month, when India lost the second Test match at the Centurion against South Africa, Kohli must have told himself &#39;come what may, the series scoreline will not be 3-0&#39;. After all, the last Test of the series was slated at Johannesburg, the place which has that special bonhomie with Team India for many years. The record remained intact; India not only avoided a defeat but won the Test.

India has never lost a Test here, not even in 1992-93 and 1996-97 when otherwise there was complete decimation. At this ground, Rahul Dravid scored an epic 148 in 1996-97. But above all it&#39;s here in 2007 that India won inaugural T-20 World Cup and MS Dhoni embarked upon a journey to superstardom.

But this is not new, in cricket special relationships between teams/players and grounds have been around since ages, albeit most of the time they are inexplicable.

Have a look at few of such unique relationships.

During Sunil Gavaskar&#39;s debut series in 1971-72, India played two Test matches at Port of Spain. In four innings, Gavaskar scored one double century, one century and two half-centuries. Five years later at the same venue, India played two Test matches and Gavaskar scored two more centuries. So whenever there used to a Test at Port of Spain, bowlers of West Indies knew that little master would come with something special.

But even more interesting is the camaraderie between Mohd Azharuddin and Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Azhar made his debut at Kolkata in 1984-75 and scored a century on debut and his special performance at Kolkata continued after that as well. Overall, Azhar played seven Test matches at this ground and scored five centuries. Eden Gardens played a role of saviour for him. In 1993, when Azhar was under heavy scrutiny, both for his batting and captaincy, he scored a massive run-a-ball 182 in opening Test of the series with England. India won the Test as well. In 1996, Azhar scored a Test century here against South Africa in just 74 balls. The crowd went berserk when Azhar struck five boundaries in a single over of Lance Klusener.

Little do we realise that Dilip Vengsarkar has a unique record under his belt. He was first non-English batsman to score three Test centuries at the iconic Lord&#39;s. During his first three Test matches at the &#39;Mecca of Cricket&#39;, Vengsarkar scored centuries in each of them. He played his fourth and last Test at this venue in 1990 and scored a half-century.

VVS Laxman&#39;s love affair with Sydney Cricket Ground started in 1999-2000 when he played a magnum knock of 167 in a series where Indian batsmen simply capitulated against Australian pace attack. He scored centuries on his next two Test outings at this ground in 2004 and 2008.

Like Johannesburg, Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Australia has been very special for Team India. At SCG, India scored a mammoth 600 for 4 during 1985-86 and Australia somehow saved the innings defeat on last day. India was so dominating that after first day&#39;s play, India&#39;s score was 334 for 1 and first three batsmen scored centuries. In 1991-92 India lost five Test series in Australia by 4-0. The only Test they could save was the one played at Sydney. Ravi Shastri scored a double century and Sachin Tendulkar scored a century. At SCG only in 2003-04, India scored 700 plus, riding on a double century by Tendulkar and century by Laxman. It was last Test match of legendary Steve Waugh and India almost defeated Australia in this Test.

I wrap up this discussion with something very interesting. Some relationships thrive spontaneously and some don&#39;t click even after someone vies for them desperately.

Sunil Gavaskar&#39;s wife belongs to Kanpur. Gavaskar always wanted to score a Test century at Kanpur in front of his in-laws. Ironically he failed in his first eight Test outings there. It was in his ninth Test at Kanpur in 1986-87 during fag end of this career, Gavaskar could score a century there. He was a relieved man.

These tales of typical relationships are beyond explanation but they are immensely interesting. As interesting and alluring as the game of cricket itself is.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the authors and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

In cricket, special relationships between teams/players and grounds have been around since ages, albeit most of the time they are inexplicable.

As Virat Kohli and company is gearing up for the all-important tour to England for the Test series post IPL, Kohli is a relieved man for the time being. After all he was able to salvage some pride in recent Test series in South Africa. Last month, when India lost the second Test match at the Centurion against South Africa, Kohli must have told himself 'come what may, the series scoreline will not be 3-0'. After all, the last Test of the series was slated at Johannesburg, the place which has that special bonhomie with Team India for many years. The record remained intact; India not only avoided a defeat but won the Test. India has never lost a Test here, not even in 1992-93 and 1996-97 when otherwise there was complete decimation. At this ground, Rahul Dravid scored an epic 148 in 1996-97. But above all it's here in 2007 that India won inaugural T-20 World Cup and MS Dhoni embarked upon a journey to superstardom. But this is not new, in cricket special relationships between teams/players and grounds have been around since ages, albeit most of the time they are inexplicable. Have a look at few of such unique relationships. During Sunil Gavaskar's debut series in 1971-72, India played two Test matches at Port of Spain. In four innings, Gavaskar scored one double century, one century and two half-centuries. Five years later at the same venue, India played two Test matches and Gavaskar scored two more centuries. So whenever there used to a Test at Port of Spain, bowlers of West Indies knew that little master would come with something special. But even more interesting is the camaraderie between Mohd Azharuddin and Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Azhar made his debut at Kolkata in 1984-75 and scored a century on debut and his special performance at Kolkata continued after that as well. Overall, Azhar played seven Test matches at this ground and scored five centuries. Eden Gardens played a role of saviour for him. In 1993, when Azhar was under heavy scrutiny, both for his batting and captaincy, he scored a massive run-a-ball 182 in opening Test of the series with England. India won the Test as well. In 1996, Azhar scored a Test century here against South Africa in just 74 balls. The crowd went berserk when Azhar struck five boundaries in a single over of Lance Klusener. Little do we realise that Dilip Vengsarkar has a unique record under his belt. He was first non-English batsman to score three Test centuries at the iconic Lord's. During his first three Test matches at the 'Mecca of Cricket', Vengsarkar scored centuries in each of them. He played his fourth and last Test at this venue in 1990 and scored a half-century. VVS Laxman's love affair with Sydney Cricket Ground started in 1999-2000 when he played a magnum knock of 167 in a series where Indian batsmen simply capitulated against Australian pace attack. He scored centuries on his next two Test outings at this ground in 2004 and 2008. Like Johannesburg, Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Australia has been very special for Team India. At SCG, India scored a mammoth 600 for 4 during 1985-86 and Australia somehow saved the innings defeat on last day. India was so dominating that after first day's play, India's score was 334 for 1 and first three batsmen scored centuries. In 1991-92 India lost five Test series in Australia by 4-0. The only Test they could save was the one played at Sydney. Ravi Shastri scored a double century and Sachin Tendulkar scored a century. At SCG only in 2003-04, India scored 700 plus, riding on a double century by Tendulkar and century by Laxman. It was last Test match of legendary Steve Waugh and India almost defeated Australia in this Test. I wrap up this discussion with something very interesting. Some relationships thrive spontaneously and some don't click even after someone vies for them desperately. Sunil Gavaskar's wife belongs to Kanpur. Gavaskar always wanted to score a Test century at Kanpur in front of his in-laws. Ironically he failed in his first eight Test outings there. It was in his ninth Test at Kanpur in 1986-87 during fag end of this career, Gavaskar could score a century there. He was a relieved man. These tales of typical relationships are beyond explanation but they are immensely interesting. As interesting and alluring as the game of cricket itself is. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the authors and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The special bonds between cricket players, grounds and teams

Bad light and rain have put a stop to India&#39;s first Test against Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

The Indians were struggling at 17 for 3.&nbsp;

Lokesh Rahul was caught off the first ball of the match.&nbsp;

He edged a rising delivery from Suranga Lakmal to Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.&nbsp;

The paceman then took Shikhar Dhawan for eight.&nbsp;

Captain Virat Kohli was the next to go, for duck.&nbsp;

Cheteshwar Pujara at 8 and Ajinkya Rahane, at nought, were left at the crease.&nbsp;

It had been raining for two days before the first Test, which began late because of a wet outfield.&nbsp;

And the game was stopped twice in between before finally being called off for good at 3.38 pm.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Lokesh Rahul was caught off the first ball of the match

Bad light and rain have put a stop to India's first Test against Sri Lanka. The Indians were struggling at 17 for 3. Lokesh Rahul was caught off the first ball of the match. He edged a rising delivery from Suranga Lakmal to Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella. The paceman then took Shikhar Dhawan for eight. Captain Virat Kohli was the next to go, for duck. Cheteshwar Pujara at 8 and Ajinkya Rahane, at nought, were left at the crease. It had been raining for two days before the first Test, which began late because of a wet outfield. And the game was stopped twice in between before finally being called off for good at 3.38 pm.

1st Test: Struggling at 17/3, bad weather comes to India's rescue

Wriddhiman Saha&rsquo;s battling half-century helped India reach 316 before the hosts tore into the New Zealand top order on the second day of the second test at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

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After India were dismissed shortly before lunch, the home side&#39;s seamers did all the early damage as New Zealand staggered to 85 for four in their first innings before rain forced an early tea break.

Stand-in captain Ross Taylor (30) was unbeaten at the crease with Luke Ronchi (35) falling leg before on the last ball before the umpires signalled the players off the field as the weather deteriorated.

Mohammed Shami trapped opener Tom Latham (one) leg before, while an out-of-sorts Martin Guptill (13) departed when the ball ricocheted off of his elbow and onto his stumps after he lifted his arms to avoid a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery.

Henry Nicholls (one) was out soon after play resumed in the second session when the left-handed batsman chopped Kumar on to his stumps to reduce the Kiwis to 23-3.

Taylor and Ronchi, who made 38 and 80 in the first test in Kanpur, then took the fight to the hosts with a 62-run fourth wicket stand as they opted to play shots against India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ronchi was dropped by substitute fielder Gautam Gambhir at short point off Shami and then survived a confident leg before appeal against Jadeja before his luck ran out and he was trapped in front by the left-arm spinner.

New Zealand&#39;s hopes will rest heavily on Taylor&#39;s shoulders with regular captain Kane Williamson absent through illness and the tourists can expect a further trial by spin on a wearing track as the innings progresses.

Resuming on 239-7, India, who lead the three-test series 1-0, added some valuable runs through their lower-order batsmen, with Saha (54 not out) completing his third test fifty.

The 31-year-old, who has cemented his place in India&rsquo;s test side after the retirement of long-standing captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, was struck on the elbow and the ribcage by some hostile New Zealand bowling.

But the right-handed batsman did not flinch and brought up his fifty with a four and a six in successive deliveries off left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, much to the delight of the crowd, who applauded at length for the local cricketer.

Saha added 41 for the eighth wicket with Jadeja (14) and another 35 for the final one with fellow home favourite Shami.

Fast bowler Matt Henry, who took two catches in the morning, was the most successful of the New Zealand bowlers by claiming a three-wicket haul, while Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Jeetan Patel all picked up two a piece.

(Reuters)

The Indian pacer optimised a conducive pitch to blow up the Kiwi batting spine on Day 2 of the second Test

Wriddhiman Saha’s battling half-century helped India reach 316 before the hosts tore into the New Zealand top order on the second day of the second test at Eden Gardens on Saturday. After India were dismissed shortly before lunch, the home side's seamers did all the early damage as New Zealand staggered to 85 for four in their first innings before rain forced an early tea break. Stand-in captain Ross Taylor (30) was unbeaten at the crease with Luke Ronchi (35) falling leg before on the last ball before the umpires signalled the players off the field as the weather deteriorated. Mohammed Shami trapped opener Tom Latham (one) leg before, while an out-of-sorts Martin Guptill (13) departed when the ball ricocheted off of his elbow and onto his stumps after he lifted his arms to avoid a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery. Henry Nicholls (one) was out soon after play resumed in the second session when the left-handed batsman chopped Kumar on to his stumps to reduce the Kiwis to 23-3. Taylor and Ronchi, who made 38 and 80 in the first test in Kanpur, then took the fight to the hosts with a 62-run fourth wicket stand as they opted to play shots against India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ronchi was dropped by substitute fielder Gautam Gambhir at short point off Shami and then survived a confident leg before appeal against Jadeja before his luck ran out and he was trapped in front by the left-arm spinner. New Zealand's hopes will rest heavily on Taylor's shoulders with regular captain Kane Williamson absent through illness and the tourists can expect a further trial by spin on a wearing track as the innings progresses. Resuming on 239-7, India, who lead the three-test series 1-0, added some valuable runs through their lower-order batsmen, with Saha (54 not out) completing his third test fifty. The 31-year-old, who has cemented his place in India’s test side after the retirement of long-standing captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, was struck on the elbow and the ribcage by some hostile New Zealand bowling. But the right-handed batsman did not flinch and brought up his fifty with a four and a six in successive deliveries off left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, much to the delight of the crowd, who applauded at length for the local cricketer. Saha added 41 for the eighth wicket with Jadeja (14) and another 35 for the final one with fellow home favourite Shami. Fast bowler Matt Henry, who took two catches in the morning, was the most successful of the New Zealand bowlers by claiming a three-wicket haul, while Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Jeetan Patel all picked up two a piece. (Reuters)

Bhuvneshwar's five-for hobbles New Zealand's pursuit of India's 316

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