The biggest cricket carnival, Indian Premier League has reached the last phase and we have two finalists Hyderabad and Chennai.

The cricket fraternity is waiting for the ultimate winner of&nbspthe eleventh edition of IPL which will be decided after today's intriguing encounter between the two finalists at Wankhede.

According to several online surveys that are being conducted on social media, M.S Dhoni-led Chennai team has been voted as the strong favourites but they certainly don't deserve the title.

The fans survey highlighted Dhoni as the most popular player out of the top 12 players with 27.3 per cent votes followed by Virat Kohli with 22 per cent and Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson with 20.11 per cent fan votes.&nbsp

If the favourites teams are judged on the basis of favourite players than Virat Kohli-led Bangalore must win the competition because the Bangalore team had the most popular playing XI of the season, in the presence of Virat himself and South African batsman AB de Villiers.

We all know that the frenzy for MS Dhoni is massive, it doesn't matter whether he is playing for Chennai or Pune, the fan following will be same. It is an honour and MSD has earned it for himself and he truly deserves it.

On the other hand, Hyderabad received a major blow before the start of IPL in the form of David Warner's ouster from the IPL.

Australian cricketer David Warner was supposed to lead the "Orange Army" and also he was the opener. In his absence, Hyderabad's batting unit suffered a lot but still the team raised above it and emerged as one of the top contenders for the title.

After David Warner's exit, Kane Williamson got the responsibility to lead the team and he proved his mettle with stunning leadership skills and managed to reach the finals despite many adversities.

Under his guidance, many players come into view and the best example of that is Siddharth Kaul.

Kaul has taken 21 wickets so far in the tournament with 8.00 economy rate.

Although, Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have supported the team,&nbspbut never felt the pressure of sole responsibility.

The bowling unit has never been dependent on experienced ones, in fact, all the bowlers, from spinners to seamers and from pacers to death over specialists, everybody has taken wickets at crucial moments.

Unlike Chennai, which is also branded as a bunch of old and experienced players, Hyderabad have given chance to young talents.

In my opinion, it is easy to play and win with experienced players but it takes actual intent to motivate young champs and give them chance to play their own game and shine brighter than stars.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Kane Williamson proved his mettle with stunning leadership skills and managed to reach the finals despite many adversities

The biggest cricket carnival, Indian Premier League has reached the last phase and we have two finalists Hyderabad and Chennai. The cricket fraternity is waiting for the ultimate winner of&nbspthe eleventh edition of IPL which will be decided after today's intriguing encounter between the two finalists at Wankhede. According to several online surveys that are being conducted on social media, M.S Dhoni-led Chennai team has been voted as the strong favourites but they certainly don't deserve the title. The fans survey highlighted Dhoni as the most popular player out of the top 12 players with 27.3 per cent votes followed by Virat Kohli with 22 per cent and Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson with 20.11 per cent fan votes. If the favourites teams are judged on the basis of favourite players than Virat Kohli-led Bangalore must win the competition because the Bangalore team had the most popular playing XI of the season, in the presence of Virat himself and South African batsman AB de Villiers. We all know that the frenzy for MS Dhoni is massive, it doesn't matter whether he is playing for Chennai or Pune, the fan following will be same. It is an honour and MSD has earned it for himself and he truly deserves it. On the other hand, Hyderabad received a major blow before the start of IPL in the form of David Warner's ouster from the IPL. Australian cricketer David Warner was supposed to lead the "Orange Army" and also he was the opener. In his absence, Hyderabad's batting unit suffered a lot but still the team raised above it and emerged as one of the top contenders for the title. After David Warner's exit, Kane Williamson got the responsibility to lead the team and he proved his mettle with stunning leadership skills and managed to reach the finals despite many adversities. Under his guidance, many players come into view and the best example of that is Siddharth Kaul. Kaul has taken 21 wickets so far in the tournament with 8.00 economy rate. Although, Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have supported the team,&nbspbut never felt the pressure of sole responsibility. The bowling unit has never been dependent on experienced ones, in fact, all the bowlers, from spinners to seamers and from pacers to death over specialists, everybody has taken wickets at crucial moments. Unlike Chennai, which is also branded as a bunch of old and experienced players, Hyderabad have given chance to young talents. In my opinion, it is easy to play and win with experienced players but it takes actual intent to motivate young champs and give them chance to play their own game and shine brighter than stars. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: IPL 2018 - Why Hyderabad will overshadow Dhoni's experienced side

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday was highly impressed with Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan's bowling against Kolkata in IPL Qualifier 2.

The master blaster not only praised his ease with the ball but also described him as the best spinner in the T20 format.

Tendulkar took to his Twitter handle and said, "Always felt @rashidkhan_19 was a good spinner but now I wouldn't hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format. Mind you, he's got some batting skills as well. Great guy."

The 19-year-old clinched three wickets and gave just 19 runs to build pressure on Kolkata.

So far, he has clinched 20 wickets in a total of 16 matches played. &nbsp;

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Always felt <a href="https://twitter.com/rashidkhan_19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rashidkhan_19</a> was a good spinner but now I wouldn’t hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format. Mind you, he’s got some batting skills as well. Great guy.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1000053997447843840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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He also smashed a 10-ball 34 in the final overs to help Hyderabad post 174-7 at Edens Gardens today.&nbsp;

The cricket legend took to twitter to praise the tweaker

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday was highly impressed with Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan's bowling against Kolkata in IPL Qualifier 2. The master blaster not only praised his ease with the ball but also described him as the best spinner in the T20 format. Tendulkar took to his Twitter handle and said, "Always felt @rashidkhan_19 was a good spinner but now I wouldn't hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format. Mind you, he's got some batting skills as well. Great guy." The 19-year-old clinched three wickets and gave just 19 runs to build pressure on Kolkata. So far, he has clinched 20 wickets in a total of 16 matches played. Always felt @rashidkhan_19 was a good spinner but now I wouldn’t hesitate in saying he is the best spinner in the world in this format. Mind you, he’s got some batting skills as well. Great guy. — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 25, 2018 × He also smashed a 10-ball 34 in the final overs to help Hyderabad post 174-7 at Edens Gardens today.

Sachin Tendulkar praises Rashid Khan, says he is 'world's best spinner in T20'

Rashid Khan became the star of IPL 2018 Qualifier 2 as he propelled Hyderabad into final by taking 3-wickets in his four overs and scoring 10-ball-34 when batting against Kolkata at Eden on Friday.&nbsp;

With this match, Kolkata is out from the tournament while Hyderabad will clash with Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai on May 27.

Opener Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine gave Kolkata the required start to chase a target of 175 runs.

However, Siddarth Kaul broke the 40 runs partnership as he sent Narine back to the pavilion for 26.

Lynn, who continued his attack, fell just two runs short of his half-century and was lbw by Afghanistan tweaker Rashid Khan.&nbsp;Lynn made 48 runs in 31 balls which included six boundaries and two sixes.

Skipper Dinesh Karthik and Robi Uthappa too lost their wickets early for 8 and 2 respectively. 
&nbsp; 
For Hyderabad, Rashid Khan played a perfect cameo to help Hyderabad set 175 runs target.&nbsp;

Khan played 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;

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

Hyderabad will clash with Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai on May 27.

Rashid Khan became the star of IPL 2018 Qualifier 2 as he propelled Hyderabad into final by taking 3-wickets in his four overs and scoring 10-ball-34 when batting against Kolkata at Eden on Friday. With this match, Kolkata is out from the tournament while Hyderabad will clash with Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai on May 27. Opener Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine gave Kolkata the required start to chase a target of 175 runs. However, Siddarth Kaul broke the 40 runs partnership as he sent Narine back to the pavilion for 26. Lynn, who continued his attack, fell just two runs short of his half-century and was lbw by Afghanistan tweaker Rashid Khan. Lynn made 48 runs in 31 balls which included six boundaries and two sixes. Skipper Dinesh Karthik and Robi Uthappa too lost their wickets early for 8 and 2 respectively. For Hyderabad, Rashid Khan played a perfect cameo to help Hyderabad set 175 runs target. Khan played 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. 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 propels Hyderabad into final; beat Kolkata by 13 runs

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

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

Speaking 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

Both the teams will battle out to book a berth in the final,

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. Speaking 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: Kolkata win toss, make Hyderabad bat first in Qualifier 2

Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium on Friday, May 25 to book a berth in the Indian Premier League 2018 finals.

The winner of tonight's match will meet MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the IPL's finale on May 27 as team Chennai has already through to the finals after defeating Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1.

It's very ironic when the table toppers at the end of league matches, struggle&nbsp;to reach the finals, now call it carelessness or the lack of performance from their middle-order, Hyderabad have lost four straight games, something that will be a cause of concern for Williamson's side in tonight's game.

Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the presence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and Rashid Khan. The bowling side will try to take benefits from the Eden Gardens track but it is not easy to face Dinesh Karthik's side&nbsp;as the batsmen coming at the 6th and 7th position have potential to score runs.

In the presence of crazy fans at the Eden Gardens, Dinesh Karthik&nbsp;side definitely has an upper hand against Hyderabad.

In the first Qualifier, when Hyderabad had their match in the pocket with Chennai struggling at 62-6 while chasing 140 runs but the bowling strategy backfired in the death overs when Carlos Brathwaite leaked too many runs.

Also, Hyderabad's problem has been their batting which is heavily reliant on skipper Kane Williamson, the current 'Orange Cap' holder with 685 runs at 57.05 average.

In order to resolve it, Shikhar Dhawan will have to rise to the occasion but it is the middle order that has created problems, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan will have to score in order to help the bowling unit to bowl without pressure.

On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik who will look to go unchanged unless there's an injury in the lineup.&nbsp;

Their biggest strength has been the team's ability to stand up and perform in case someone fails. That we have seen in the Eliminator match when the top batting order was out bowled then middle batting order scored to reach the target.

The clash is going to be very interesting as the result will give another finalist of the tournament.

Watch the preview:

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Playing XI (TBC):

Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul

Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium to book a berth in the IPL 2018 finals

Two-time champions Kolkata will host Kane Williamson-led Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens stadium on Friday, May 25 to book a berth in the Indian Premier League 2018 finals. The winner of tonight's match will meet MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the IPL's finale on May 27 as team Chennai has already through to the finals after defeating Hyderabad in the Qualifier 1. It's very ironic when the table toppers at the end of league matches, struggle to reach the finals, now call it carelessness or the lack of performance from their middle-order, Hyderabad have lost four straight games, something that will be a cause of concern for Williamson's side in tonight's game. Although, Hyderabad have the best bowling unit in the presence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma and Rashid Khan. The bowling side will try to take benefits from the Eden Gardens track but it is not easy to face Dinesh Karthik's side as the batsmen coming at the 6th and 7th position have potential to score runs. In the presence of crazy fans at the Eden Gardens, Dinesh Karthik side definitely has an upper hand against Hyderabad. In the first Qualifier, when Hyderabad had their match in the pocket with Chennai struggling at 62-6 while chasing 140 runs but the bowling strategy backfired in the death overs when Carlos Brathwaite leaked too many runs. Also, Hyderabad's problem has been their batting which is heavily reliant on skipper Kane Williamson, the current 'Orange Cap' holder with 685 runs at 57.05 average. In order to resolve it, Shikhar Dhawan will have to rise to the occasion but it is the middle order that has created problems, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan will have to score in order to help the bowling unit to bowl without pressure. On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik who will look to go unchanged unless there's an injury in the lineup. Their biggest strength has been the team's ability to stand up and perform in case someone fails. That we have seen in the Eliminator match when the top batting order was out bowled then middle batting order scored to reach the target. The clash is going to be very interesting as the result will give another finalist of the tournament. Watch the preview: × Playing XI (TBC): Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna. Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, Siddarth Kaul

IPL 2018, 2nd Qualifier: Karthik-led Kolkata have advantage at Eden against Hyderabad

Former union minister and BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya’s 21-year-old son Bandaru Vaishnav has died of a heart attack.&nbsp

News reports said Vaishnav was having dinner with his family when he collapsed.&nbsp

His father took him to hospital, where doctors told Bandaru Dattatreya they could leave Vaishnav with them.&nbsp

The reports added that Vaishnav was declared dead at about 12.30 am Wednesday morning.&nbsp

They added that Vaishnav was a third-year medical student.&nbsp

News reports said former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya's son Vaishnav was having dinner with his family when he collapsed

Former union minister and BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya’s 21-year-old son Bandaru Vaishnav has died of a heart attack. News reports said Vaishnav was having dinner with his family when he collapsed. His father took him to hospital, where doctors told Bandaru Dattatreya they could leave Vaishnav with them. The reports added that Vaishnav was declared dead at about 12.30 am Wednesday morning. They added that Vaishnav was a third-year medical student.

Hyderabad: MP's 21-year-old son dies of heart attack

The holy month of Ramzan got a wee bit more special for the needy people in Hyderabad. A non-profitable trust in Hyderabad is on a mission to serve Iftar to over 500 poor people every day during the month of Ramadan.

Hyderabad's Zaheer Uddin Khan Memorial Trust also distributes ration to over one thousand poor families who can't afford it.

"In this month of Ramzan we serve food for Iftar to poor people including children from poor families who can't afford it. They come here after their Roza (Fast) and eat. More than 500 poor people visit here daily to consume food. We serve food for all 30 days," Mohammad Azhar, member of Zaheer Uddin Khan Memorial Trust said.

"Our trust also distributes ration to over1000 poor families in Ramzan. We provide all this help from our own income," Azhar added.

"It's very appreciative that they distribute ration to so many families, even I and my family receive ration from this trust and we also come here to consume Iftar food daily during the month of Ramzan," Mohammad Shafi Ulla, a beneficiary of the trust, said. &nbsp

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp

&nbsp

Hyderabad's Zaheer Uddin Khan Memorial Trust also distributes ration to over one thousand poor families who can't afford it

The holy month of Ramzan got a wee bit more special for the needy people in Hyderabad. A non-profitable trust in Hyderabad is on a mission to serve Iftar to over 500 poor people every day during the month of Ramadan. Hyderabad's Zaheer Uddin Khan Memorial Trust also distributes ration to over one thousand poor families who can't afford it. "In this month of Ramzan we serve food for Iftar to poor people including children from poor families who can't afford it. They come here after their Roza (Fast) and eat. More than 500 poor people visit here daily to consume food. We serve food for all 30 days," Mohammad Azhar, member of Zaheer Uddin Khan Memorial Trust said. "Our trust also distributes ration to over1000 poor families in Ramzan. We provide all this help from our own income," Azhar added. "It's very appreciative that they distribute ration to so many families, even I and my family receive ration from this trust and we also come here to consume Iftar food daily during the month of Ramzan," Mohammad Shafi Ulla, a beneficiary of the trust, said. (With inputs from ANI)

Hyderabad: Trust distributes Iftar food, rations to poor during Ramzan

There are more bad moments than good in a cricket match but what differentiates the two is how well and soon you make a comeback.

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its last week, the first qualifier will be played between the two best teams of the seasons, Hyderabad and Chennai. &nbsp; 
Both are the top two teams on points table following the conclusion of the league stage and it grants them two shots to make it to the final.

The winner today will stay in Mumbai while the loser goes to Kolkata, with the hope of making it back to Wankhede.

The intriguing fact of the game today are the skippers - Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kane Williamson. The qualifier 1 is not just limited to these two names, it is more than that.

It is ‘best defenders vs best chasers’. &nbsp;

However, the chasers have been inconsistent in comparison to the defenders, and this is exactly what makes them a week team today.&nbsp; And the worst part, Hyderabad know it.

Dhoni-led Chennai which returned to the fray after serving out a two-year suspension, started its campaign by registering one-wicket win against defending champions Mumbai.

However, the credit goes to a single player - Dwayne Bravo. His 30-ball 68 was the only reason why the 'Yellow Brigade' won. &nbsp;

With openers falling cheaply the middle and lower order failed to provide any momentum and gave away their wickets. And this problem still exists when they enter the qualifiers today.

Whenever Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu have fallen cheaply, Chennai’s middle-order hasn’t shown the ability to withstand the pressure and in the end has left too much for Dhoni to do on his own.

Though Suresh Raina has done well in patches, his strike rate hasn’t been great.&nbsp; Sam Billings, too, barring a match-winning knock against Kolkata, hasn’t had much of an impact.

Another problem which adds to Dhoni's woes is absence of a death-over specialist.

Dhoni is worried with his bowlers leaking too many runs in the last few overs. Lack of options has seen Dhoni handing over the ball to different bowlers. But as the tournament progressed Bravo came out to be better while others completely struggled.

Chennai’s worry list also includes senior players - Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja. Though both have done well in containing the opposition but haven’t impressed with the wickets.

In 14 games played, Jadeja clinched only 9 wickets and made just 86 runs, while Singh has 7 wickets to his name in 12 games and only 27 runs contribution. The best part about Chennai is they have never been dependent on a single batsman or bowler, but the inconsistency factor will be major trouble for the team. &nbsp;

But, no matter what happens today, the loser gets another opportunity in qualifier-2 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on May 25.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Today's game is ‘best defenders vs best chasers’

There are more bad moments than good in a cricket match but what differentiates the two is how well and soon you make a comeback. As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its last week, the first qualifier will be played between the two best teams of the seasons, Hyderabad and Chennai. Both are the top two teams on points table following the conclusion of the league stage and it grants them two shots to make it to the final. The winner today will stay in Mumbai while the loser goes to Kolkata, with the hope of making it back to Wankhede. The intriguing fact of the game today are the skippers - Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kane Williamson. The qualifier 1 is not just limited to these two names, it is more than that. It is ‘best defenders vs best chasers’. However, the chasers have been inconsistent in comparison to the defenders, and this is exactly what makes them a week team today. And the worst part, Hyderabad know it. Dhoni-led Chennai which returned to the fray after serving out a two-year suspension, started its campaign by registering one-wicket win against defending champions Mumbai. However, the credit goes to a single player - Dwayne Bravo. His 30-ball 68 was the only reason why the 'Yellow Brigade' won. With openers falling cheaply the middle and lower order failed to provide any momentum and gave away their wickets. And this problem still exists when they enter the qualifiers today. Whenever Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu have fallen cheaply, Chennai’s middle-order hasn’t shown the ability to withstand the pressure and in the end has left too much for Dhoni to do on his own. Though Suresh Raina has done well in patches, his strike rate hasn’t been great. Sam Billings, too, barring a match-winning knock against Kolkata, hasn’t had much of an impact. Another problem which adds to Dhoni's woes is absence of a death-over specialist. Dhoni is worried with his bowlers leaking too many runs in the last few overs. Lack of options has seen Dhoni handing over the ball to different bowlers. But as the tournament progressed Bravo came out to be better while others completely struggled. Chennai’s worry list also includes senior players - Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja. Though both have done well in containing the opposition but haven’t impressed with the wickets. In 14 games played, Jadeja clinched only 9 wickets and made just 86 runs, while Singh has 7 wickets to his name in 12 games and only 27 runs contribution. The best part about Chennai is they have never been dependent on a single batsman or bowler, but the inconsistency factor will be major trouble for the team. But, no matter what happens today, the loser gets another opportunity in qualifier-2 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on May 25. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why MS Dhoni-led Chennai will lose against Hyderabad in IPL Qualifier 1

The first qualifier of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 will be held between the two best teams of the eleventh season -&nbsp;Hyderabad and Chennai -&nbsp;at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

Hyderabad ended on top of the IPL 2018 Points Table with 18 points, while Chennai finished second, by run-rate.

The ‘Yellow Brigade’ returned to winning ways after defeating R Ashwin-led Punjab by five wickets in the last league match, while Hyderabad’s campaign toppled as they lost their last three games played against Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata.

The MS Dhoni-led team has beaten the Kane Williamson outfit on both occasions that they have previously met this year in the league stage.

As the winner sails straight into the final slated for May 27, the match promises to be quite a contest.

Throughout the tournament, Hyderabad have been overtly dependent on skipper Kane Williamson.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/meet-the-top-four-teams-of-ipl-2018--138479">Meet the top four teams of IPL 2018</a>

He has been in red-hot form to rise to the number two slot in the leading run-getters' list with 661 runs.

Kane along with opener Shikhar Dhawan, who took some time to get going, have shown consistency with the bat. The left-handed batsman has made 437 runs which includes four half-centuries.

Meanwhile, their bowling attack is in contrast to their batting ways.

Barring the last few games, the bowlers’ capability to defend paltry totals have been the talking point of the season.

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They have Sidharth Kaul and Sandeep Sharma to rely on. Overseas spinners Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan add depth to their line.

The advantage they have over Chennai is their death-overs specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar. MS Dhoni is yet to find one for his team.

Chennai, on the other hand, have a plus point that they are not dependent on selected players, although Ambati Rayudu has been their standout performer with 586 runs.

Shane Watson, 438 runs, too has been in top form along with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The form of key batsman Suresh Raina, who anchored the innings splendidly against Punjab with an unbeaten 61, is another encouraging sign.

The outstanding spell of South African Lungi Ngidi, who grabbed 4 for 10 to take the man of the match award last night, could not have come at a more opportune time for the Super Kings.

With Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo doing their bit on the pace bowling front, Chennai will be banking on spin twins Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja to deliver in the middle overs.

Meanwhile, a win here will take Chennai to their seventh IPL final, since its inception, while the loser the loser will be playing Qualifier 2 in Kolkata on May 25.

Dhoni-led team has beaten the Kane outfit on both occasions that they have previously met in the league stage

The first qualifier of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 will be held between the two best teams of the eleventh season - Hyderabad and Chennai - at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. Hyderabad ended on top of the IPL 2018 Points Table with 18 points, while Chennai finished second, by run-rate. The ‘Yellow Brigade’ returned to winning ways after defeating R Ashwin-led Punjab by five wickets in the last league match, while Hyderabad’s campaign toppled as they lost their last three games played against Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The MS Dhoni-led team has beaten the Kane Williamson outfit on both occasions that they have previously met this year in the league stage. As the winner sails straight into the final slated for May 27, the match promises to be quite a contest. Throughout the tournament, Hyderabad have been overtly dependent on skipper Kane Williamson. Also read: Meet the top four teams of IPL 2018 He has been in red-hot form to rise to the number two slot in the leading run-getters' list with 661 runs. Kane along with opener Shikhar Dhawan, who took some time to get going, have shown consistency with the bat. The left-handed batsman has made 437 runs which includes four half-centuries. Meanwhile, their bowling attack is in contrast to their batting ways. Barring the last few games, the bowlers’ capability to defend paltry totals have been the talking point of the season. × They have Sidharth Kaul and Sandeep Sharma to rely on. Overseas spinners Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan add depth to their line. The advantage they have over Chennai is their death-overs specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar. MS Dhoni is yet to find one for his team. Chennai, on the other hand, have a plus point that they are not dependent on selected players, although Ambati Rayudu has been their standout performer with 586 runs. Shane Watson, 438 runs, too has been in top form along with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The form of key batsman Suresh Raina, who anchored the innings splendidly against Punjab with an unbeaten 61, is another encouraging sign. The outstanding spell of South African Lungi Ngidi, who grabbed 4 for 10 to take the man of the match award last night, could not have come at a more opportune time for the Super Kings. With Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo doing their bit on the pace bowling front, Chennai will be banking on spin twins Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja to deliver in the middle overs. Meanwhile, a win here will take Chennai to their seventh IPL final, since its inception, while the loser the loser will be playing Qualifier 2 in Kolkata on May 25.

IPL 2018 Qualifier 1: Chennai, Hyderabad to battle to seal final berth

The eleventh edition of India Premier League has entered its last week and the franchise is all set for the knockout stage.

The top four teams - Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Rajasthan- have made it to the tournament’s play-offs.

After the grueling and deciding week, Mumbai and Punjab have been eliminated by Delhi and Chennai respectively.

Although, Punjab did not qualify in the tournament's play-off but its co-owner Preity Zinta was caught on camera saying that she is 'happy.'

In a viral video, Preity Zinta said, "I am just very happy that Mumbai is not going to the finals … really happy."

The reason for her happiness was the elimination of&nbsp;the rival team Mumbai

Defending Champions Mumbai lost the last chance to book a play-off berth as they were kicked out of the tournament by Delhi team that gave a joyous moment to Bollywood's actress Preity Zinta.

Here is the video:

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Did <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PreityZinta?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PreityZinta</a> just say “I am just very happy that Mumbai is not going to the finals..Really happy” ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvKXIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvKXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvsDD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvsDD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/KWaxSUZYZh">pic.twitter.com/KWaxSUZYZh</a>
— Jo (@jogtweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/jogtweets/status/998233626092457984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Preity Zinta : "I'm just very happy that Mumbai is knocked out...very happy" ...??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cskvkxip?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cskvkxip</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KXIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://t.co/jCKywZ4vep">pic.twitter.com/jCKywZ4vep</a>
— LinksInd (@LinksInd1) <a href="https://twitter.com/LinksInd1/status/998277392731799552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The top two teams of IPL 2018, i.e. Chennai and Hyderabad, will meet each other in the Qualifier 1 on Tuesday.

The winner of the match will go directly to the IPL 2018 final while the loser will get one more chance.

The team placed third and fourth in IPL 2018 points table will meet in the Eliminator on Wednesday, May 23.

The winner of the match will enter the Qualifier 2, where they will clash with the losing side of Qualifier 1. That match will take place on Friday, May 25.

The winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 will clash for the IPL 2018 trophy on Sunday, May 27.

Although, Punjab did not qualify in the tournament's play-off but franchise co-owner Preity Zinta was caught on camera saying that she is 'happy.'

The eleventh edition of India Premier League has entered its last week and the franchise is all set for the knockout stage. The top four teams - Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Rajasthan- have made it to the tournament’s play-offs. After the grueling and deciding week, Mumbai and Punjab have been eliminated by Delhi and Chennai respectively. Although, Punjab did not qualify in the tournament's play-off but its co-owner Preity Zinta was caught on camera saying that she is 'happy.' In a viral video, Preity Zinta said, "I am just very happy that Mumbai is not going to the finals … really happy." The reason for her happiness was the elimination of the rival team Mumbai Defending Champions Mumbai lost the last chance to book a play-off berth as they were kicked out of the tournament by Delhi team that gave a joyous moment to Bollywood's actress Preity Zinta. Here is the video: Did #PreityZinta just say “I am just very happy that Mumbai is not going to the finals..Really happy” ? #CSKvKXIP #MIvsDD #IPL #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/KWaxSUZYZh — Jo (@jogtweets) May 20, 2018 × Preity Zinta : "I'm just very happy that Mumbai is knocked out...very happy" ...??#cskvkxip #KXIP #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/jCKywZ4vep — LinksInd (@LinksInd1) May 20, 2018 × The top two teams of IPL 2018, i.e. Chennai and Hyderabad, will meet each other in the Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. The winner of the match will go directly to the IPL 2018 final while the loser will get one more chance. The team placed third and fourth in IPL 2018 points table will meet in the Eliminator on Wednesday, May 23. The winner of the match will enter the Qualifier 2, where they will clash with the losing side of Qualifier 1. That match will take place on Friday, May 25. The winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 will clash for the IPL 2018 trophy on Sunday, May 27.

Watch: After Mumbai's exit from IPL, Punjab's Preity Zinta says, 'She is very happy'

"Size does matter" – It is a well-versed quote. But as the group stage of IPL-2018 is over and you take a glance at the outcome, you would strongly disagree with this quote.

IPL-2018 endorses once again that in sports what actually matters is that how you gel with each other in a team composition and how you deliver on the ground. The stature and big players won't really help if this basic idea is missing.

Look at the qualifiers for the playoffs. Chennai is back in the league after suspension of two years and played well right from the beginning. Dhoni is back with his old mojo, both as a captain and player. He stood and delivered.

Hyderabad team has been the unexpected table topper. They are the only team in the tournament which is led by an overseas player, Kane Williamson. Before the start of IPL, Hyderabad got a jolt when their coveted skipper David Warner was ruled out of the tournament. But Williamson has been leading the side from the front and using whatever resources he has with clinical efficiency.

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<h5>Rajasthan and Kolkata are led by Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik and both of them are not even India's regular for One Day International and T-20</h5>
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Other two qualifiers Rajasthan and Kolkata are led by Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik and both of them are not even India's regular for One Day International and T-20.&nbsp;

Rajasthan also received a setback like Hyderabad when the big name and their nominated skipper Steve Smith was ruled out. Ajinkya was the last minute pick for the side and not much was expected from Rajasthan team.

Rajasthan, however, made to the next stage albeit with difficulty. Shahrukh's franchise did not pick their regular skipper Gautam Gambhir this time and Karthik was leading any IPL side for the first time. Kolkata had few anxious moments at the group stage but Dinesh Karthik led his troop well and with the support of competent guidance of Jacques Kallis.

On contrary to above, all the big name bit the dust. Mumbai Indians, arguably the most coveted team as it is owned by the richest man in India and mentored by none other than the legend Sachin Tendulkar has been knocked out. Mumbai team has been supported and coached by a legion of players like Mahela Jayawardene, Robin Singh and Malinga but nothing helped.

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<h5>Virat Kohli could not sail his side through, despite having names like AB deVilliers (ABD), Chahal, Brendon McCullum and Umesh Yadav in the line-up of his side</h5>
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Unarguably the most decorated player in the recent time Virat Kohli could not sail his side through, despite having names like AB deVilliers (ABD), Chahal, Brendon McCullum and Umesh Yadav in the line-up of his side.

Kohli and ABD are the two most destructive batsmen in the shorter version of the game. They batted well as such but the team failed to deliver the final punch.

Delhi’s poor run in IPL continued in 2018 as well. The team coached and mentored by the legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting. Gautam Gambhir, who in past lifted trophy twice as Kolkata's skipper was Delhi's skipper to start with but failed miserably.&nbsp;

The destructive Glen Maxwell, playing for Delhi was a big-time failure. Though Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer batted well but the failure of Gambhir and Maxwell was proved to be costly for the side.

Ashwin-led Punjab team has been knocked out despite having players like Gayle, KL Rahul and Yuvraj Singh in the line-up. The great Virender Sehwag also could not turn things around for the side. The failure of Gayle and Yuvraj (two of the biggest name in the history of T-20) hit the team hard.

The message is clear. You need to deliver on the ground to get success. The great Australian coach John Buchanan once said that “You may have limitations, but may not have the limit. Just go and apply yourself”. This quote of Buchanan is so much a truth here.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

IPL-2018 endorses once again that in sports what actually matters is that how you gel with each other in a team composition and how you deliver on the ground

"Size does matter" – It is a well-versed quote. But as the group stage of IPL-2018 is over and you take a glance at the outcome, you would strongly disagree with this quote. IPL-2018 endorses once again that in sports what actually matters is that how you gel with each other in a team composition and how you deliver on the ground. The stature and big players won't really help if this basic idea is missing. Look at the qualifiers for the playoffs. Chennai is back in the league after suspension of two years and played well right from the beginning. Dhoni is back with his old mojo, both as a captain and player. He stood and delivered. Hyderabad team has been the unexpected table topper. They are the only team in the tournament which is led by an overseas player, Kane Williamson. Before the start of IPL, Hyderabad got a jolt when their coveted skipper David Warner was ruled out of the tournament. But Williamson has been leading the side from the front and using whatever resources he has with clinical efficiency. Rajasthan and Kolkata are led by Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik and both of them are not even India's regular for One Day International and T-20 × Other two qualifiers Rajasthan and Kolkata are led by Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik and both of them are not even India's regular for One Day International and T-20. Rajasthan also received a setback like Hyderabad when the big name and their nominated skipper Steve Smith was ruled out. Ajinkya was the last minute pick for the side and not much was expected from Rajasthan team. Rajasthan, however, made to the next stage albeit with difficulty. Shahrukh's franchise did not pick their regular skipper Gautam Gambhir this time and Karthik was leading any IPL side for the first time. Kolkata had few anxious moments at the group stage but Dinesh Karthik led his troop well and with the support of competent guidance of Jacques Kallis. On contrary to above, all the big name bit the dust. Mumbai Indians, arguably the most coveted team as it is owned by the richest man in India and mentored by none other than the legend Sachin Tendulkar has been knocked out. Mumbai team has been supported and coached by a legion of players like Mahela Jayawardene, Robin Singh and Malinga but nothing helped. Virat Kohli could not sail his side through, despite having names like AB deVilliers (ABD), Chahal, Brendon McCullum and Umesh Yadav in the line-up of his side × Unarguably the most decorated player in the recent time Virat Kohli could not sail his side through, despite having names like AB deVilliers (ABD), Chahal, Brendon McCullum and Umesh Yadav in the line-up of his side. Kohli and ABD are the two most destructive batsmen in the shorter version of the game. They batted well as such but the team failed to deliver the final punch. Delhi’s poor run in IPL continued in 2018 as well. The team coached and mentored by the legendary cricketer Ricky Ponting. Gautam Gambhir, who in past lifted trophy twice as Kolkata's skipper was Delhi's skipper to start with but failed miserably. The destructive Glen Maxwell, playing for Delhi was a big-time failure. Though Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer batted well but the failure of Gambhir and Maxwell was proved to be costly for the side. Ashwin-led Punjab team has been knocked out despite having players like Gayle, KL Rahul and Yuvraj Singh in the line-up. The great Virender Sehwag also could not turn things around for the side. The failure of Gayle and Yuvraj (two of the biggest name in the history of T-20) hit the team hard. The message is clear. You need to deliver on the ground to get success. The great Australian coach John Buchanan once said that “You may have limitations, but may not have the limit. Just go and apply yourself”. This quote of Buchanan is so much a truth here. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Takeaways from IPL 2018 - Size doesn't really matter

Indian Premier League 2018 has entered it's last week and the franchise is all set for the knockout stage. 

The top four teams - Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Rajasthan- have made it to the the tournament’s play-offs. 

Hyderabad became the first team to qualify, with nine wins out of 14 games played. They are placed at number 1 in the league table with 18 points.

Chennai became the second team with same 18 points. They garnered two points after defeating Punjab by five wickets at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Sunday.

Punjab’s defeat brought Rajasthan in the contention. They became the fourth team to qualify in the top four. 

Meanwhile, Kolkata defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by five wickets to occupy third place in the table.

With Monday being a break day to catch our breaths, the action will resume on Tuesday, May 22. 

The top two teams of IPL 2018, i.e. Chennai and Hyderabad, will meet each other in the Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. 

The winner of the match will go directly to the IPL 2018 final while the loser will get one more chance. 

The team placed third and fourth in IPL 2018 points table will meet in the Eliminator on Wednesday, May 23. 

The winner of the match will enter the Qualifier 2, where they will clash with the losing side of Qualifier 1. That match will take place on Friday, May 25.

The winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 will clash for the IPL 2018 trophy on Sunday, May 27.

The playoff games and final will begin at 7 pm.

The knockout stage will be played in Mumbai and Kolkata. While Qualifier 1 and The IPL final will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 

Meanwhile, the eliminator and Qualifier 2 will be held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

The playoff games and final will also begin at 7 pm.

Hyderabad became the first team to qualify, with nine wins out of 14 games played

Indian Premier League 2018 has entered it's last week and the franchise is all set for the knockout stage. The top four teams - Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Rajasthan- have made it to the the tournament’s play-offs. Hyderabad became the first team to qualify, with nine wins out of 14 games played. They are placed at number 1 in the league table with 18 points. Chennai became the second team with same 18 points. They garnered two points after defeating Punjab by five wickets at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Sunday. Punjab’s defeat brought Rajasthan in the contention. They became the fourth team to qualify in the top four. Meanwhile, Kolkata defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by five wickets to occupy third place in the table. With Monday being a break day to catch our breaths, the action will resume on Tuesday, May 22. The top two teams of IPL 2018, i.e. Chennai and Hyderabad, will meet each other in the Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. The winner of the match will go directly to the IPL 2018 final while the loser will get one more chance. The team placed third and fourth in IPL 2018 points table will meet in the Eliminator on Wednesday, May 23. The winner of the match will enter the Qualifier 2, where they will clash with the losing side of Qualifier 1. That match will take place on Friday, May 25. The winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2 will clash for the IPL 2018 trophy on Sunday, May 27. The playoff games and final will begin at 7 pm. The knockout stage will be played in Mumbai and Kolkata. While Qualifier 1 and The IPL final will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Meanwhile, the eliminator and Qualifier 2 will be held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The playoff games and final will also begin at 7 pm.

Meet the top four teams of IPL 2018

The Indian Premier League got its third team which managed to book its berth in the play-offs race in form of Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata.

The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by five wickets at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday.

Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa played a perfect innings to save Kolkata in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. 
&nbsp 
Lynn smashed 55 runs in just 43 balls before giving away his wicket to S Kaul.

It was after that, Uthappa continued the momentum and took Kolkata a step near to victory.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Hyderabad bowlers have had another lacklustre game after they failed to swing wickets in their favour.&nbsp

Death-overs specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar failed to take any wickets and gave away 33 runs in four overs bowled.&nbsp

Despite getting a flying start, table-toppers Hyderabad were restricted for mere 172 runs by the Kolkata bowlers&nbsp

Shikhar Dhawan and Shreevats Goswami opened for Hyderabad and established 79 runs partnership before Kuldeep Yadav broke the bond.&nbsp

Goswami was sent back to the pavilion after making 35 runs off 26 balls. 
&nbsp 
Dhawan continued the attack to reach his half-century, before being LBW.

Skipper Kane Williamson also smashed 36 runs off 16 balls. His inning included one boundary and three sixes.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna came out as a trump card for Kolkata as he took four crucial wickets to restrict Hyderabad from setting a massive total.

In four overs bowled, Prasidh gave 30 runs which included two wides also.

Russell, &nbspNarine, Yadav and Searles took one wicket apiece.

Yadav today turned out to be the costliest player for Kolkata as he gave 35 runs in four overs at an economy of 8.75.

Lynn smashed 55 runs in just 43 balls before giving away his wicket to S Kaul.

The Indian Premier League got its third team which managed to book its berth in the play-offs race in form of Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata. The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned franchise defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by five wickets at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday. Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa played a perfect innings to save Kolkata in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. Lynn smashed 55 runs in just 43 balls before giving away his wicket to S Kaul. It was after that, Uthappa continued the momentum and took Kolkata a step near to victory. Meanwhile, Hyderabad bowlers have had another lacklustre game after they failed to swing wickets in their favour. Death-overs specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar failed to take any wickets and gave away 33 runs in four overs bowled. Despite getting a flying start, table-toppers Hyderabad were restricted for mere 172 runs by the Kolkata bowlers Shikhar Dhawan and Shreevats Goswami opened for Hyderabad and established 79 runs partnership before Kuldeep Yadav broke the bond. Goswami was sent back to the pavilion after making 35 runs off 26 balls. Dhawan continued the attack to reach his half-century, before being LBW. Skipper Kane Williamson also smashed 36 runs off 16 balls. His inning included one boundary and three sixes. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna came out as a trump card for Kolkata as he took four crucial wickets to restrict Hyderabad from setting a massive total. In four overs bowled, Prasidh gave 30 runs which included two wides also. Russell, &nbspNarine, Yadav and Searles took one wicket apiece. Yadav today turned out to be the costliest player for Kolkata as he gave 35 runs in four overs at an economy of 8.75.

IPL 2018: Kolkata make it to play-offs, beat Hyderabad by 5 wickets

Despite getting a flying start, table-toppers Hyderabad were restricted for mere 172 runs by the Kolkata bowlers at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday.

Shikhar Dhawan and Shreevats Goswami opened for Hyderabad and established 79 runs partnership before Kuldeep Yadav broke the bond.&nbsp

Goswami was sent back to the pavilion after making 35 runs off 26 balls. 
&nbsp 
Dhawan continued the attack to reach his half-century, before being LBW.

Skipper Kane Williamson also smashed 36 runs off 17 balls. His inning included one boundary and three sixes.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna came out as a trump card for Kolkata as he took four crucial wickets to restrict Hyderabad from setting a massive total.

In four overs bowled, Prasidh gave 30 runs which included two wides also.

Russell, &nbspNarine, Yadav and Searles took one wicket apiece.

Yadav today turned out to be the costliest player for Kolkata as he gave 35 runs in four overs at an economy of 8.75.&nbsp

Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

After winning the toss Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson highlighted the quality of pitch and said that it has grass and it will stay the same that is an advantage for the Hyderabad team.

As expected, Basil Thampi has been dropped as his performance in the previous game was very poor.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Carlos Brathwaite have been included in the squad for tonight's match at the pace of Alex Hales and Basil Thampi.

On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik mentioned that the pitch might turn a bit and there is only change for Kolkata, Piyush Chawla has replaced Shivam Mavi.

Playing XI:

Kolkata:&nbspSunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Hyderabad:&nbspShikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Skipper Kane Williamson also smashed 36 runs off 17 balls

Despite getting a flying start, table-toppers Hyderabad were restricted for mere 172 runs by the Kolkata bowlers at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Saturday. Shikhar Dhawan and Shreevats Goswami opened for Hyderabad and established 79 runs partnership before Kuldeep Yadav broke the bond. Goswami was sent back to the pavilion after making 35 runs off 26 balls. Dhawan continued the attack to reach his half-century, before being LBW. Skipper Kane Williamson also smashed 36 runs off 17 balls. His inning included one boundary and three sixes. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna came out as a trump card for Kolkata as he took four crucial wickets to restrict Hyderabad from setting a massive total. In four overs bowled, Prasidh gave 30 runs which included two wides also. Russell, &nbspNarine, Yadav and Searles took one wicket apiece. Yadav today turned out to be the costliest player for Kolkata as he gave 35 runs in four overs at an economy of 8.75. Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. After winning the toss Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson highlighted the quality of pitch and said that it has grass and it will stay the same that is an advantage for the Hyderabad team. As expected, Basil Thampi has been dropped as his performance in the previous game was very poor. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Carlos Brathwaite have been included in the squad for tonight's match at the pace of Alex Hales and Basil Thampi. On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik mentioned that the pitch might turn a bit and there is only change for Kolkata, Piyush Chawla has replaced Shivam Mavi. Playing XI: Kolkata:&nbspSunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav Hyderabad:&nbspShikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: After flying start Hyderabad restricted to mere 172

Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

After winning the toss Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson highlighted the quality of pitch and said that it has grass and it will stay the same that is an advantage for the Hyderabad team.

As expected, Basil Thampi has been dropped as his performance in the previous game was very poor.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Carlos Brathwaite have been included in the squad for tonight's match at the pace of Alex Hales and Basil Thampi.

On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik mentioned that the pitch might turn a bit and there is only change for Kolkata, Piyush Chawla has replaced Shivam Mavi.

Playing XI:

Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Carlos Brathwaite have been included in Hyderabad's squad for tonight's match

Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bat at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. After winning the toss Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson highlighted the quality of pitch and said that it has grass and it will stay the same that is an advantage for the Hyderabad team. As expected, Basil Thampi has been dropped as his performance in the previous game was very poor. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Carlos Brathwaite have been included in the squad for tonight's match at the pace of Alex Hales and Basil Thampi. On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik mentioned that the pitch might turn a bit and there is only change for Kolkata, Piyush Chawla has replaced Shivam Mavi. Playing XI: Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Carlos Brathwaite, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: Kane Williamson opts to bat against Kolkata

How often do you see such stiff competition among teams to qualify for the next round of the tournament as you are witnessing this in the IPL 2018?

Now take this fact. During the round-robin stage total, 56 matches were slated to decide four qualifiers for the playoffs. Out of these, we are already done with 52 matches and only four are left and still, two of these four spots are up for the grab and five teams are very well in the race.

So it’s all boils down to final four matches and any combination of two teams out of these five can make it to the next round, basis overall outcome of these four matches.

The fate of only three times has been frozen till now - Hyderabad and Chennai are in the next round and Delhi have been knocked off. Rest five teams are still toiling, wondering and supplicating for a bit of luck as well.

It has been one of the most tightly contested IPLs so far. There has been a continuous swing in the momentum, as by and large it is the fight among the equals. Guessing the outcome is a dangerous business in this scenario and please do this at your own risk.&nbsp;

Take the example of the match between Chennai and Delhi on 18th May 2018. How many of us would have thought that down and dejected Delhi team would be able to tame spirited "Yellow Brigade" so comprehensively? The handful of them, I believe.

I would still take risk of guessing and will put my money on Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore for the playoffs. Kolkata team is playing reasonably well as a unit and currently, they have 14 points under their belt.

One victory in the last match would send them to the playoffs, irrespective of the outcome of other matches. Rest four teams in the fray are having 12 points. Besides a victory in the last match, they need a bit of luck to have a better Net Run Rate.

Bangalore and Mumbai have recovered well after a poor run during the middle of the tournament and current favourite for playoffs birth because of the recent momentum.

Mumbai's run is somewhat reminiscent of their run in 2015 when they came back from the bottom threshold and ultimately won the championship. The good news for Mumbai is that Kieron Pollard is back in the form.

Virat-led Bangalore team has defeated the table topper Hyderabad in their previous match and that must have given them the much-needed self-belief.

AB de Villiers is batting well and captain Kohli can always turn things around with the bat. Umesh Yadav and Chahal are bowling well and they have managed Kohli’s bowling worries to an extent.

Jos Buttler has been the star of the season of Rajasthan team. He would no longer be available with for today's game and this is really a bad news for the side.

Punjab on other hand is over dependant on KL Rahul for runs. Their other stalwarts Cris Gayle, Yuvraj Singh and Karun Nair are struggling and that has made things difficult for the side.

Nonetheless, let’s fasten for seat belt this weekend for four livewire matches in IPL-2018. Rest assured all five teams would play out of their skin in their last league match.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

56 matches were slated to decide four qualifiers for the playoffs. Out of these, we are already done with 52 matches and only four are left and still, two of these four spots are up for the grab and five teams are very well in the race

How often do you see such stiff competition among teams to qualify for the next round of the tournament as you are witnessing this in the IPL 2018? Now take this fact. During the round-robin stage total, 56 matches were slated to decide four qualifiers for the playoffs. Out of these, we are already done with 52 matches and only four are left and still, two of these four spots are up for the grab and five teams are very well in the race. So it’s all boils down to final four matches and any combination of two teams out of these five can make it to the next round, basis overall outcome of these four matches. The fate of only three times has been frozen till now - Hyderabad and Chennai are in the next round and Delhi have been knocked off. Rest five teams are still toiling, wondering and supplicating for a bit of luck as well. It has been one of the most tightly contested IPLs so far. There has been a continuous swing in the momentum, as by and large it is the fight among the equals. Guessing the outcome is a dangerous business in this scenario and please do this at your own risk. Take the example of the match between Chennai and Delhi on 18th May 2018. How many of us would have thought that down and dejected Delhi team would be able to tame spirited "Yellow Brigade" so comprehensively? The handful of them, I believe. I would still take risk of guessing and will put my money on Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore for the playoffs. Kolkata team is playing reasonably well as a unit and currently, they have 14 points under their belt. One victory in the last match would send them to the playoffs, irrespective of the outcome of other matches. Rest four teams in the fray are having 12 points. Besides a victory in the last match, they need a bit of luck to have a better Net Run Rate. Bangalore and Mumbai have recovered well after a poor run during the middle of the tournament and current favourite for playoffs birth because of the recent momentum. Mumbai's run is somewhat reminiscent of their run in 2015 when they came back from the bottom threshold and ultimately won the championship. The good news for Mumbai is that Kieron Pollard is back in the form. Virat-led Bangalore team has defeated the table topper Hyderabad in their previous match and that must have given them the much-needed self-belief. AB de Villiers is batting well and captain Kohli can always turn things around with the bat. Umesh Yadav and Chahal are bowling well and they have managed Kohli’s bowling worries to an extent. Jos Buttler has been the star of the season of Rajasthan team. He would no longer be available with for today's game and this is really a bad news for the side. Punjab on other hand is over dependant on KL Rahul for runs. Their other stalwarts Cris Gayle, Yuvraj Singh and Karun Nair are struggling and that has made things difficult for the side. Nonetheless, let’s fasten for seat belt this weekend for four livewire matches in IPL-2018. Rest assured all five teams would play out of their skin in their last league match. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: IPL 2018 - Be ready for the livewire action this weekend

Table toppers Hyderabad will lock horns with Kolkata at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. Kolkata have a two-point advantage over the other teams that are in the race for playoffs.

The do and die clash for Kolkata will not be easy as hosts Hyderabad will play all the available cards to win tonight's match in order to remain at the top of the league's table.

Despite coming off from a defeat, Hyderabad are riding on confidence because of their impressive showing in the season so far.

Skipper Kane Williamson has led the side from the front, and he will look to do it again besides other batsmen like Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey.

For Kolkata, Dinesh Karthik too has taken the responsibility of the entire team in crucial occasions.

Also, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Andre Russell are in good form.

Hyderabad might consider replacing Basil Thampi with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bhuvi who did not play the last game could be back alongside Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul and Shakib Al Hasan to strengthen the bowling unit.

The likes of Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and skipper Dinesh Karthik will hold the key to KKR's fortunes.

Playing XI (TBC):

Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav

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&nbsp;

Table toppers Hyderabad will lock horns with Kolkata at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday

Table toppers Hyderabad will lock horns with Kolkata at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. Kolkata have a two-point advantage over the other teams that are in the race for playoffs. The do and die clash for Kolkata will not be easy as hosts Hyderabad will play all the available cards to win tonight's match in order to remain at the top of the league's table. Despite coming off from a defeat, Hyderabad are riding on confidence because of their impressive showing in the season so far. Skipper Kane Williamson has led the side from the front, and he will look to do it again besides other batsmen like Shikhar Dhawan and Manish Pandey. For Kolkata, Dinesh Karthik too has taken the responsibility of the entire team in crucial occasions. Also, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Andre Russell are in good form. Hyderabad might consider replacing Basil Thampi with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bhuvi who did not play the last game could be back alongside Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul and Shakib Al Hasan to strengthen the bowling unit. The likes of Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and skipper Dinesh Karthik will hold the key to KKR's fortunes. Playing XI (TBC): Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Javon Searles, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav ×

IPL 2018: Match preview of Hyderabad vs Kolkata

Bangalore defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by 14 runs in a must-win match to stay alive in the Indian Premier League at M. Chinnaswamy stadium.&nbsp

Hyderabad skipper Williamson along with Manish Pandey forged a crucial partnership to take Hyderabad on the verge of another nail-biting win.

However, it was the hosts who clinched the issue to keep their playoff dream alive.

While Williamson smashed 81 runs off just 42 balls, Pandey made 62 in 38 balls.

Chasing the massive 219-run target, Hyderabad openers Shikhar Dhawan (18) and Alex Hales (37) took their side to a quick start, accumulating 47 runs in the first five overs.

However, the decent start was short-lived as Yuzvendra Chahal drew the first blood for the hosts in the sixth over when Dhawan came down the track but chipped back to the bowler.

With addition of another 17 runs in Hyderabad`s scorecard, AB de Villiers took a stunning catch at deep midwicket to pack back Hales off a Moeen Ali delivery.

Skipper Williamson and Pandey then took the command, taking their side to touch the three-figure mark in 11.3 overs.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad captain slammed his half-century off 28 balls, helping his side inch closer to the target.

The duo went on to forge a crucial 135-run partnership for the third wicket, lifting the visitors to 199 runs in 19.1 overs.

With 19 needed off the final over, Mohammed Siraj jolted Hyderabad dismissing the visiting skipper to bring back Bangalore in the game.

Earlier, Colin de Grandhomme's 17-ball 40 powered Bangalore to mammoth 218 runs against table-toppers Hyderabad.

After Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli departed cheaply, AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali established a 107 runs partnership to help Bangalore recover from the losses.

De Villiers smashed 69 runs off 37 balls while Ali made 65 off 34 balls before giving away their wicket in one over to Rashid Khan.

For Hyderabad, Basil Thampi registered the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. He gave away 70 runs in four overs and took zero wickets.&nbsp

Earlier, Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them."

"We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. &nbsp

Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). &nbsp&nbsp

The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention.&nbsp

Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom."&nbsp

"We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added.

"There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded.&nbsp

While Williamson smashed 81 runs off just 42 balls, Pandey made 62 in 38 balls

Bangalore defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by 14 runs in a must-win match to stay alive in the Indian Premier League at M. Chinnaswamy stadium. Hyderabad skipper Williamson along with Manish Pandey forged a crucial partnership to take Hyderabad on the verge of another nail-biting win. However, it was the hosts who clinched the issue to keep their playoff dream alive. While Williamson smashed 81 runs off just 42 balls, Pandey made 62 in 38 balls. Chasing the massive 219-run target, Hyderabad openers Shikhar Dhawan (18) and Alex Hales (37) took their side to a quick start, accumulating 47 runs in the first five overs. However, the decent start was short-lived as Yuzvendra Chahal drew the first blood for the hosts in the sixth over when Dhawan came down the track but chipped back to the bowler. With addition of another 17 runs in Hyderabad`s scorecard, AB de Villiers took a stunning catch at deep midwicket to pack back Hales off a Moeen Ali delivery. Skipper Williamson and Pandey then took the command, taking their side to touch the three-figure mark in 11.3 overs. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad captain slammed his half-century off 28 balls, helping his side inch closer to the target. The duo went on to forge a crucial 135-run partnership for the third wicket, lifting the visitors to 199 runs in 19.1 overs. With 19 needed off the final over, Mohammed Siraj jolted Hyderabad dismissing the visiting skipper to bring back Bangalore in the game. Earlier, Colin de Grandhomme's 17-ball 40 powered Bangalore to mammoth 218 runs against table-toppers Hyderabad. After Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli departed cheaply, AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali established a 107 runs partnership to help Bangalore recover from the losses. De Villiers smashed 69 runs off 37 balls while Ali made 65 off 34 balls before giving away their wicket in one over to Rashid Khan. For Hyderabad, Basil Thampi registered the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. He gave away 70 runs in four overs and took zero wickets. Earlier, Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them." "We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention. Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom." "We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added. "There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded.

Bangalore beat Hyderabad by 14 runs to stay alive in IPL 2018

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by 14 runs in a must-win match to stay alive in the Indian Premier League at M. Chinnaswamy stadium on Thursday.

The Bangalore team suffered initially but now, somehow have bounced back in the ongoing tournament and the skipper Virat is using all the possible cards from the deck to book a berth in the play-offs.

Not only Virat Kohli, in fact, all the players are giving their 100 per cent in order to move further in IPL 2018.

Like yesterday, while playing against Hyderabad, AB de Villiers took an acrobatic catch and was hailed as a "Spiderman" by captain Virat Kohli.

South African star cricketer leaped on the deep mid-wicket boundary to stop a ball heading for a near-certain six and catch out Hyderabad batsman Alex Hales.

The video of the catch got viral on the social media and on the brilliant efforts of ABD, Virat said, "AB's catch was spiderman stuff, you don't do that as normal human beings," an ecstatic Kohli said after his team's win."

Watch the video here:

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ABD is from a different planet.. This is absolutely crazy stuff <a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABdeVilliers17</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvSRH</a> <a href="https://t.co/t19ormFJXZ">pic.twitter.com/t19ormFJXZ</a>
— Shahzadiqbal SamaaTv (@ShahzadIqbaal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShahzadIqbaal/status/997397337763958784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Saw <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderMan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpiderMan</a> Live today! ?<a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abdevilliers17</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvsSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvsSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/mUuGVKuTn4">pic.twitter.com/mUuGVKuTn4</a>
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On the other hand, De Villiers, who has accumulated 427 runs in 11 games including five half-centuries modestly called it a &nbsp"nice catch".

"I made it look better than actually, it was," the 34-year-old said after being adjudged man of the match."Got into a bad position, the ball had a bit of a curve on it. The minute I took the jump, I realized a little bit of my body was outside. I just had to put that right and luckily it stuck."

South African star cricketer leaped on the deep mid-wicket boundary to stop a ball heading for a near-certain six and catch out Hyderabad batsman Alex Hales

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore defeated table-toppers Hyderabad by 14 runs in a must-win match to stay alive in the Indian Premier League at M. Chinnaswamy stadium on Thursday. The Bangalore team suffered initially but now, somehow have bounced back in the ongoing tournament and the skipper Virat is using all the possible cards from the deck to book a berth in the play-offs. Not only Virat Kohli, in fact, all the players are giving their 100 per cent in order to move further in IPL 2018. Like yesterday, while playing against Hyderabad, AB de Villiers took an acrobatic catch and was hailed as a "Spiderman" by captain Virat Kohli. South African star cricketer leaped on the deep mid-wicket boundary to stop a ball heading for a near-certain six and catch out Hyderabad batsman Alex Hales. The video of the catch got viral on the social media and on the brilliant efforts of ABD, Virat said, "AB's catch was spiderman stuff, you don't do that as normal human beings," an ecstatic Kohli said after his team's win." Watch the video here: ABD is from a different planet.. This is absolutely crazy stuff @ABdeVilliers17 #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/t19ormFJXZ — Shahzadiqbal SamaaTv (@ShahzadIqbaal) May 18, 2018 × Saw #SpiderMan Live today! ?@abdevilliers17#RCBvsSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/mUuGVKuTn4 — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 17, 2018 × On the other hand, De Villiers, who has accumulated 427 runs in 11 games including five half-centuries modestly called it a "nice catch". "I made it look better than actually, it was," the 34-year-old said after being adjudged man of the match."Got into a bad position, the ball had a bit of a curve on it. The minute I took the jump, I realized a little bit of my body was outside. I just had to put that right and luckily it stuck."

Watch: AB de Villiers' Spiderman-like stunt to dismiss Alex Hales

Colin de Grandhomme's 17-ball 40 powered Bangalore to mammoth 218 runs against table-toppers Hyderabad on Thursday.

After Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli departed cheaply, AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali established a 107 runs partnership to help Bangalore recover from the losses.

De Villiers smashed 69 runs off 37 balls while Ali made 65 off 34 balls before giving away their wicket in one over to Rashid Khan.

For Hyderabad, Basil Thampi registered the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. He gave away 70 runs in four overs and took zero wickets.&nbsp

Earlier, Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them."

"We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. &nbsp

Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). &nbsp&nbsp

The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention.&nbsp

Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom."&nbsp

"We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added.

"There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded.&nbsp

Kohli has to defeat table-toppers Hyderabad to save Bangalore in IPL 2018.&nbsp

Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi 
&nbsp

AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali established a 107 runs partnership to help Bangalore recover from the losses

Colin de Grandhomme's 17-ball 40 powered Bangalore to mammoth 218 runs against table-toppers Hyderabad on Thursday. After Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli departed cheaply, AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali established a 107 runs partnership to help Bangalore recover from the losses. De Villiers smashed 69 runs off 37 balls while Ali made 65 off 34 balls before giving away their wicket in one over to Rashid Khan. For Hyderabad, Basil Thampi registered the most expensive bowling figures in IPL history. He gave away 70 runs in four overs and took zero wickets. Earlier, Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them." "We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention. Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom." "We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added. "There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded. Kohli has to defeat table-toppers Hyderabad to save Bangalore in IPL 2018. Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi

IPL 2018: Grandhomme's cameo powers Bangalore to mammoth 218

Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them."

"We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. &nbsp

Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). &nbsp&nbsp

The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention.&nbsp

Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom."&nbsp

"We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added.

"There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded.&nbsp

Kohli has to defeat table-toppers Hyderabad to save Bangalore in IPL 2018.&nbsp

Team

Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi 
&nbsp

Kohli has to defeat table-toppers Hyderabad to save Bangalore in IPL 2018.

Kane Williamson ton the toss and opted to bowl against Bangalore as the two teams clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Talking after the toss, Williamson said," "We are gonna bowl. Hard to know how the surface will play, so we'll try and make use of it first with the ball in hand. Hopefully we can restrict them." "We have one change: Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar. Great opportunity for Basil tonight. Hopefully we can adapt to conditions," he added. Bangalore, on the other hand, registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention. Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said,"We wanted to bowl but SRH are not a bad side to bat first against, who bank on their bowling. Would be nice to test their batting with a score on board. We can play with freedom." "We will try to do well in whatever we are doing first. It's my 163rd IPL game, so not my first (when Morrison asked if he was nervous about where RCB were). We have been through these times before, so the key is to enjoy," he added. "There's no reason to think too much now because we have two (consecutive) wins. Another day in life, so just enjoy. We have won two games, so we are playing with the same side. We'll try and replicate the same tonight," the Bangalore skipper concluded. Kohli has to defeat table-toppers Hyderabad to save Bangalore in IPL 2018. Team Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal Hyderabad (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi

IPl 2018: Hyderabad won toss, opt to bowl first against Bangalore

Bangalore registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp

The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention.&nbsp

But the road is not that easy as they will gear up with table toppers Hyderabad who are perhaps enjoying their best season yet.&nbsp

Bangalore will hope that confidence pushes them towards another big win and increase their chances of finishing in the top four spot.&nbsp

The team haven’t had the best of seasons in the IPL, winning just 5 matches. But they are still hanging by the thread and require wins in both their last 2 games depending on other results.

The team is overly dependent on skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.&nbsp

Opener Parthiv Patel also played a superb knock in their last match against Punjab, but his inconsistency remains a big problem.&nbsp

It's important for him to provide a decent start to his team in order to further strengthen their chances. &nbsp

Hyderabad, on the other hand, is dependent quite a lot on opener Shikhar Dhawan (369 runs) and skipper Kane Williamson (544 runs) for inspiration.

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Williamson has been a top leader since David Warner was ruled out of the IPL due to his role in the ball tampering incident.

The New Zealand captain would look to consolidate the team's top spot and ensure a top-two finish at the end of the league stage.

Their bowlers have been incredibly consistent across all phases of the 20 overs but have bagged most of their wickets in the period between the seventh and the 15th over.&nbsp

So overall, as Hyderabad has already booked its spot in the play-offs, they have little to worry about. &nbsp

The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention.

Bangalore registered two big wins over Delhi and Punjab to save their chances of survival in Indian Premier League (IPL). The 10 wicket victory over R Ashwin side brought the Virat Kohli’s team out of nowhere into the play-off contention. But the road is not that easy as they will gear up with table toppers Hyderabad who are perhaps enjoying their best season yet. Bangalore will hope that confidence pushes them towards another big win and increase their chances of finishing in the top four spot. The team haven’t had the best of seasons in the IPL, winning just 5 matches. But they are still hanging by the thread and require wins in both their last 2 games depending on other results. The team is overly dependent on skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Opener Parthiv Patel also played a superb knock in their last match against Punjab, but his inconsistency remains a big problem. It's important for him to provide a decent start to his team in order to further strengthen their chances. Hyderabad, on the other hand, is dependent quite a lot on opener Shikhar Dhawan (369 runs) and skipper Kane Williamson (544 runs) for inspiration. × Williamson has been a top leader since David Warner was ruled out of the IPL due to his role in the ball tampering incident. The New Zealand captain would look to consolidate the team's top spot and ensure a top-two finish at the end of the league stage. Their bowlers have been incredibly consistent across all phases of the 20 overs but have bagged most of their wickets in the period between the seventh and the 15th over. So overall, as Hyderabad has already booked its spot in the play-offs, they have little to worry about.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Hyderabad vs Bangalore

Ambati Rayudu slammed a ton to help&nbsphis team achieve the 180-run target set by Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, on Sunday.

Although, Hyderabad have already qualified for the play-offs in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League,&nbspteam Chennai are just an inch closer in contention.&nbsp

The clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) gave an essence of the IPL 2018 finale with some bittersweet moments. And one cannot expect a dull moment when MS Dhoni is on the ground.&nbsp

One such&nbsphilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when Hyderabad&nbspbatsman Shikhar Dhawan played a shot and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni ran after the ball.

He picked up the ball and gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja, who was also approaching the ball at the same time. For a while, Jadeja got scared but ended up laughing on the funny act of skipper Dhoni.

Watch the video here:

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Cutest moment ???<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhoni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jadeja?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jadeja</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvCSK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRHvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/9sNzH9PNgi">pic.twitter.com/9sNzH9PNgi</a>
— மகிழன் (@omagasiya) <a href="https://twitter.com/omagasiya/status/995658958303039494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Dhoni funs Jadeja On Field & Smiled After That. Video Shows Funny Side Of Dhoni.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/9p5Ti3g7zH">pic.twitter.com/9p5Ti3g7zH</a>
— HiFi Talkies ™ (@HiFiTalkies) <a href="https://twitter.com/HiFiTalkies/status/995656396891803649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

A hilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when MS Dhoni gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja

Ambati Rayudu slammed a ton to help&nbsphis team achieve the 180-run target set by Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, on Sunday. Although, Hyderabad have already qualified for the play-offs in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League,&nbspteam Chennai are just an inch closer in contention. The clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) gave an essence of the IPL 2018 finale with some bittersweet moments. And one cannot expect a dull moment when MS Dhoni is on the ground. One such&nbsphilarious incident happened in the seventh over of the first innings when Hyderabad&nbspbatsman Shikhar Dhawan played a shot and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni ran after the ball. He picked up the ball and gestured to throw on the face of Ravindra Jadeja, who was also approaching the ball at the same time. For a while, Jadeja got scared but ended up laughing on the funny act of skipper Dhoni. Watch the video here: Cutest moment ???#Dhoni #Jadeja #CSK #CSKvSRH #SRHvCSK pic.twitter.com/9sNzH9PNgi — மகிழன் (@omagasiya) May 13, 2018 × Dhoni funs Jadeja On Field & Smiled After That. Video Shows Funny Side Of Dhoni.. #CSKvSRH #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/9p5Ti3g7zH — HiFi Talkies ™ (@HiFiTalkies) May 13, 2018 ×

Caught on cam: MS Dhoni threatens Ravindra Jadeja in IPL match against Hyderabad

Ambati Rayudu slammed a century off 62 balls and helped his team in achieving the 180-run target against Hyderabad at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday.

It was a clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) but team Chennai displayed an outstanding performance and chased down the target at home ground.

The openers, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu scored 57 and 100 runs respectively to give the necessary start to the team and defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets.

Chennai's batsmen Ambati Rayudu was given Man of the Match award for his magnificent performance.&nbsp;

Apart from the openers, MS Dhoni scored 20 runs to mark the much-needed victory, on the other hand, Suresh Raina lost his wicket after scoring just two runs.

Known for their massive bowling strength, Hyderabad struggled in taking wickets and none of the bowlers performed.

Sandeep Sharma took one wicket of Suresh Raina in his 4-over spell.

Earlier, MS Dhoni had invited the guests to bat first after winning the toss.

Shikhar Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22.

Another opener Alex Hales did not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls.

Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents.

Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively.

In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell.

Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.&nbsp;

Ambati Rayudu was given 'Man of the Match' award for his magnificent performance

Ambati Rayudu slammed a century off 62 balls and helped his team in achieving the 180-run target against Hyderabad at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. It was a clash between the 'best chasers' (Chennai) and 'best defenders' (Hyderabad) but team Chennai displayed an outstanding performance and chased down the target at home ground. The openers, Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu scored 57 and 100 runs respectively to give the necessary start to the team and defeated Hyderabad by eight wickets. Chennai's batsmen Ambati Rayudu was given Man of the Match award for his magnificent performance. Apart from the openers, MS Dhoni scored 20 runs to mark the much-needed victory, on the other hand, Suresh Raina lost his wicket after scoring just two runs. Known for their massive bowling strength, Hyderabad struggled in taking wickets and none of the bowlers performed. Sandeep Sharma took one wicket of Suresh Raina in his 4-over spell. Earlier, MS Dhoni had invited the guests to bat first after winning the toss. Shikhar Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22. Another opener Alex Hales did not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls. Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents. Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively. In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell. Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.

IPL 2018: Ambati Rayudu's 62-ball century helps Chennai defeat Hyderabad by 8 wickets

Hyderabad set a 180-run target for Chennai at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. Earlier, MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl.

Table toppers Hyderabad entered the field with confidence as they have already qualified for the play-off and the conviction was reflected&nbsp;in the performance&nbsp;of Shikhar Dhawan.

Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22

Another opener Alex Hales did&nbsp;not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls.

Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents.

Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively.

In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell.

Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.&nbsp;

Shikhar Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22

Hyderabad set a 180-run target for Chennai at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. Earlier, MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl. Table toppers Hyderabad entered the field with confidence as they have already qualified for the play-off and the conviction was reflected in the performance of Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan scored 79 runs off 49 balls, his innings included ten 4's and three 6's playing at a strike rate of 161.22 Another opener Alex Hales did not perform and lost his wicket to Deepak Chahar after scoring just two runs off nine balls. Skipper Kane Williamson slammed his 10th IPL fifty and found a determined ally in Shikhar Dhawan on the other end to put up a decent target for the opponents. Deepak Hooda played some beautiful shots in the death overs and scored 21 crucial runs. Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan scored 5 and 8 runs respectively. In search of wickets, MS Dhoni took help of seven bowlers but apart from Deepak Chahar, none of the bowlers were economical. Chahar took one key wicket of Alex Hales and gave 16 runs in his 4-over spell. Also, Shardul Thakur took two wickets of Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey.

Dhawan, Williamson shine as Hyderabad set 180-run target for Chennai

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday.

The two top teams&nbsp;will lock horns as Chennai&nbsp;host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018.

Although, Hyderabad have already qualified in the play-off but team Chennai is just one win away from solidifying the place in the top four.

For Chennai there is just one change, Deepak Chahar comes in for Karn Sharma.

For Hyderabad, Deepak Hooda has been included in the squad as Yusuf Pathan is facing some health issues.

Playing XI:

Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

The two top teams will lock horns as Chennai host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. The two top teams will lock horns as Chennai host Hyderabad and fight to book a berth in the play-offs of IPL 2018. Although, Hyderabad have already qualified in the play-off but team Chennai is just one win away from solidifying the place in the top four. For Chennai there is just one change, Deepak Chahar comes in for Karn Sharma. For Hyderabad, Deepak Hooda has been included in the squad as Yusuf Pathan is facing some health issues. Playing XI: Chennai: Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, David Willey, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni opts to bowl against Hyderabad

Chennai and Hyderabad are all set to lock horns for the second time in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp;

Hyderabad stand at top of the IPL table with 18 points, while Chennai is placed at the 2nd position with 14 points. &nbsp;

MS Dhoni-led side will face the Kane Williamson and team at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Chennai's temporarily home ground.&nbsp;

So, let us take a look at the players expected to perform in today's big clash.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
1. Suresh Raina - Though his performance has not been outstanding in the season so far, he certainly did some wonders in the last game when he smashed 52 runs off 35 balls which included six boundaries and one six. Also in his previous game against Hyderabad, he scored an unbeaten 43-ball-54 &nbsp;with five boundaries and two sixes. Definitely, a confident batsman to step out on the field against Hyderabad.&nbsp;

2. Kane Williamson - The backbone of Hyderabad is one of the most successful skippers in the ongoing league so far. With his team being the table-toppers, he definitely fulfilled his duties as a captain. When required he has stood up for his team as a batsman too. In 11 matches he has scored 493 runs which include six half-centuries. Even in his previous game against Delhi, Hyderabad skipper slammed 53-ball-83 and ensured victory for his side.&nbsp;

3. Shikhar Dhawan - Dhawan played an impeccable inning in his previous game as he smashed an unbeaten 92 runs off 50 balls, which included nine boundaries and four sixes. He shed his poor form with an unforgettable inning. He is expected to play an opener's knock to help his side consolidate their position.&nbsp;

4. Ambati Rayudu - An adequate batsman for Chennai knows how to play his innings and help his team set a required target or win the game. Altogether, he scored 435 runs in 11 games so far. His experience and ability to deplete any bowling attack makes him a player to watch out for in today's game.&nbsp;

5. Shakib al Hasan - The Hyderabad all-rounder played a decent inning in his previous games. The only bowler to take two crucial wickets, one of Prithvi Shaw and another of Jason Roy, in their last encounter against Delhi. He is expected to perform the same today when Chennai faces Hyderabad.

Chennai have to get pumped up for tonight as Hyderabad have not seen defeat in last six games played.&nbsp;

Hyderabad stand at top of the IPL table with 18 points

Chennai and Hyderabad are all set to lock horns for the second time in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL). Hyderabad stand at top of the IPL table with 18 points, while Chennai is placed at the 2nd position with 14 points. MS Dhoni-led side will face the Kane Williamson and team at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Chennai's temporarily home ground. So, let us take a look at the players expected to perform in today's big clash. 1. Suresh Raina - Though his performance has not been outstanding in the season so far, he certainly did some wonders in the last game when he smashed 52 runs off 35 balls which included six boundaries and one six. Also in his previous game against Hyderabad, he scored an unbeaten 43-ball-54 with five boundaries and two sixes. Definitely, a confident batsman to step out on the field against Hyderabad. 2. Kane Williamson - The backbone of Hyderabad is one of the most successful skippers in the ongoing league so far. With his team being the table-toppers, he definitely fulfilled his duties as a captain. When required he has stood up for his team as a batsman too. In 11 matches he has scored 493 runs which include six half-centuries. Even in his previous game against Delhi, Hyderabad skipper slammed 53-ball-83 and ensured victory for his side. 3. Shikhar Dhawan - Dhawan played an impeccable inning in his previous game as he smashed an unbeaten 92 runs off 50 balls, which included nine boundaries and four sixes. He shed his poor form with an unforgettable inning. He is expected to play an opener's knock to help his side consolidate their position. 4. Ambati Rayudu - An adequate batsman for Chennai knows how to play his innings and help his team set a required target or win the game. Altogether, he scored 435 runs in 11 games so far. His experience and ability to deplete any bowling attack makes him a player to watch out for in today's game. 5. Shakib al Hasan - The Hyderabad all-rounder played a decent inning in his previous games. The only bowler to take two crucial wickets, one of Prithvi Shaw and another of Jason Roy, in their last encounter against Delhi. He is expected to perform the same today when Chennai faces Hyderabad. Chennai have to get pumped up for tonight as Hyderabad have not seen defeat in last six games played.

IPL 2018: Players to watch out for in Chennai vs Hyderabad clash

After suffering a setback from Rajasthan in their last match, Chennai will host table-toppers Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Saturday

The Yellow Brigade was defeated by five wickets when they faced Rajasthan at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

After beginning the eleventh season in cracking fashion, they have lost three games out of their last five and more often than not, it's the bowling that has let them down.&nbsp

&nbspA combined batting effort by Suresh Raina, skipper M.S. Dhoni and opener Shane Watson helped Chennai post a fighting total of 176 against Rajasthan.&nbsp

So far, batsmen are the major reason behind Chennai's success as they have been in top form this season, however, death-over bowling still remains a concern for the franchise.

Most of the batsmen - Ambati Rayudu, Australian Shane Watson, West Indian Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina, have contributed whenever the team needed.

Rayudu has batted well both as an opener and at number four, amassing 435 runs from 11 innings.

With 393 runs from 10 innings, Dhoni has also shown glimpses of the past.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who struggled in the first half of the league, emerged with a match-winning figure of 3/18 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The pace attack will once again rely on Lungi Ngidi, David Willey and Shardul Thakur.

Hyderabad, on the other hand, have already sealed a playoff berth and will be eyeing another win to consolidate their position.&nbsp

The Kane Williamson-led side is currently in red-hot form. In their last encounter, Hyderabad hammered Delhi by nine wickets while chasing a massive total of 188 runs.

The orange army is capable of putting huge totals as well as defending low scores.

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Overall, its Hyderabad's bowling unit led by the overseas spin twins - Afghan Rashid Khan and Bangladeshi Shakib Al Hasan - who have been instrumental till now.

The spinners have been well supported by the pace department led by fit-again Bhuvneshwar Kumar and young Siddharth Kaul.

Their batting mainly centres around the skipper -- Williamson -- who has repeatedly dug them out of troubled waters, scoring six half-centuries so far in this season.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who struggled for runs earlier, got back his touch against Delhi, smashing a 50-ball unbeaten 92, laced with nine fours and four sixes.

However, Alex Hales and Manish Pandey need to shoulder the responsibility in case Williamson fails to deliver.

Overall, it will be another edge of the seat match for fans when the top two teams of the cash-rich league square-off in a crucial tie.

The Yellow Brigade was defeated by five wickets when they faced Rajasthan in their last match

After suffering a setback from Rajasthan in their last match, Chennai will host table-toppers Hyderabad at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Saturday The Yellow Brigade was defeated by five wickets when they faced Rajasthan at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. After beginning the eleventh season in cracking fashion, they have lost three games out of their last five and more often than not, it's the bowling that has let them down. &nbspA combined batting effort by Suresh Raina, skipper M.S. Dhoni and opener Shane Watson helped Chennai post a fighting total of 176 against Rajasthan. So far, batsmen are the major reason behind Chennai's success as they have been in top form this season, however, death-over bowling still remains a concern for the franchise. Most of the batsmen - Ambati Rayudu, Australian Shane Watson, West Indian Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina, have contributed whenever the team needed. Rayudu has batted well both as an opener and at number four, amassing 435 runs from 11 innings. With 393 runs from 10 innings, Dhoni has also shown glimpses of the past. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who struggled in the first half of the league, emerged with a match-winning figure of 3/18 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The pace attack will once again rely on Lungi Ngidi, David Willey and Shardul Thakur. Hyderabad, on the other hand, have already sealed a playoff berth and will be eyeing another win to consolidate their position. The Kane Williamson-led side is currently in red-hot form. In their last encounter, Hyderabad hammered Delhi by nine wickets while chasing a massive total of 188 runs. The orange army is capable of putting huge totals as well as defending low scores. × Overall, its Hyderabad's bowling unit led by the overseas spin twins - Afghan Rashid Khan and Bangladeshi Shakib Al Hasan - who have been instrumental till now. The spinners have been well supported by the pace department led by fit-again Bhuvneshwar Kumar and young Siddharth Kaul. Their batting mainly centres around the skipper -- Williamson -- who has repeatedly dug them out of troubled waters, scoring six half-centuries so far in this season. Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who struggled for runs earlier, got back his touch against Delhi, smashing a 50-ball unbeaten 92, laced with nine fours and four sixes. However, Alex Hales and Manish Pandey need to shoulder the responsibility in case Williamson fails to deliver. Overall, it will be another edge of the seat match for fans when the top two teams of the cash-rich league square-off in a crucial tie.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Chennai vs Hyderabad

Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat against Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday.

Struggling at the bottom of the points table, the hosts made three changes to their playing XI by including Shahbaz Nadeem, Jason Roy and Harshal Patel in place of Avesh Khan, Daniel Christian and Naman Ojha.

On the other hand, the tourists replaced injured wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha with Shreevats Goswami.

Teams:

Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson (Captain), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami (WK), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma.

Daredevils: Prithvi Shaw, Jason Roy, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Rishabh Pant (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar, Liam Plunkett, Harshal Patel, Amit Mishra, Shahbaz Nadeem, Trent Boult.

The tourists replaced injured wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha with Shreevats Goswami.

Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat against Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday. Struggling at the bottom of the points table, the hosts made three changes to their playing XI by including Shahbaz Nadeem, Jason Roy and Harshal Patel in place of Avesh Khan, Daniel Christian and Naman Ojha. On the other hand, the tourists replaced injured wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha with Shreevats Goswami. Teams: Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson (Captain), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami (WK), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma. Daredevils: Prithvi Shaw, Jason Roy, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Rishabh Pant (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar, Liam Plunkett, Harshal Patel, Amit Mishra, Shahbaz Nadeem, Trent Boult.

IPL 2018: Delhi opt to bat against Hyderabad

Delhi will return to its home ground Feroz Shah Kotla and will host table-toppers Hyderabad today. Their last encounter was won by the Kane-Williamson side by seven wickets.

Kotla has proved to be lucky for the home team of late - Shreyas Iyer has won both times he’s led the team out at this venue following Gautam Gambhir’s sudden resignation from the captaincy.

As Delhi stands last in the league table, its important for the franchise to beat Hyderabad to keep their chances of qualifying for the play-off alive.

For Delhi, Prithvi Shaw and skipper Shyeras Iyer are in red-hot form. The two smashed 65 and 45 runs respectively in their last match against Hyderabad.

In-form Rishab pant failed to contribute in his last match but is expected to play a superb knock today

It is the bowling department which has to play a different game today to restrict the opponents.&nbsp;

Hyderabad, on the other hand, are enjoying their game by sitting on top of the IPL table.&nbsp;

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Skipper Kane Williamson had hit a half-century in his last match against Bangalore. The batsman is capable of single-handedly taking the match away from Delhi.&nbsp;

The bowling department has always been their strong base and are expected to perform above par today also.&nbsp;

So overall, Delhi will fight to keep their playoff chances alive while Hyderabad will enter the ground to consolidate their position.&nbsp;

Delhi will return to its home ground Feroz Shah Kotla and will host table-toppers Hyderabad today. Their last encounter was won by the Kane-Williamson side by seven wickets. Kotla has proved to be lucky for the home team of late - Shreyas Iyer has won both times he’s led the team out at this venue following Gautam Gambhir’s sudden resignation from the captaincy. As Delhi stands last in the league table, its important for the franchise to beat Hyderabad to keep their chances of qualifying for the play-off alive. For Delhi, Prithvi Shaw and skipper Shyeras Iyer are in red-hot form. The two smashed 65 and 45 runs respectively in their last match against Hyderabad. In-form Rishab pant failed to contribute in his last match but is expected to play a superb knock today It is the bowling department which has to play a different game today to restrict the opponents. Hyderabad, on the other hand, are enjoying their game by sitting on top of the IPL table. × Skipper Kane Williamson had hit a half-century in his last match against Bangalore. The batsman is capable of single-handedly taking the match away from Delhi. The bowling department has always been their strong base and are expected to perform above par today also. So overall, Delhi will fight to keep their playoff chances alive while Hyderabad will enter the ground to consolidate their position.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Delhi vs Hyderabad

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