KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struck fluent half-centuries to guide Punjab to a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-kings-xi-punjab-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-208823">six-wicket win over Hyderabad</a> in a nail-biting Indian Premier League match on Monday.&nbsp;

Opting to bat, Punjab first restricted Hyderabad to 150 for four and then rode on Rahul and Agarwal's knocks to chased down the target in 19.5 overs.&nbsp;

Rahul (71 not out) and Agarwal (55) stitched 114 runs off 84 balls for the second wicket to take Punjab close to the target.&nbsp;

Chasing 151 for a win, Punjab lost dangerous Chris Gayle (16) in the fourth over with their scoreboard reading 18.&nbsp;

Gayle struck a four and a six each before Deepak Hooda took a brilliant catch at long-on boundary off Rashid Khan's (1/20) bowling to sent packing the West Indian.&nbsp;

Rahul and Agarwal then complemented each other brilliantly as the duo mixed caution with aggression to literally take the game away from Hyderabad.&nbsp;

While Rahul was the enforcer, Agarwal matched his Karnataka teammate with his timing and on the rise shots that included a delectable boundary through covers and a lofted six over the long-off boundary.&nbsp;

Rahul reached his half-century off 34 balls with a boundary off Mohammad Nabi through the wide long-on region.&nbsp;

Desperate to break the partnership, skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar brought him back into the attack in the 16th over and nearly achieved his goal, only for Yusuf Pathan to drop a sitter.&nbsp;

A short delivery outside the off stump enticed Agarwal to go for an uppercut, which didn't yield the desired connection and elevation but Pathan dropped a sitter at sweeper cover.&nbsp;

But Sandeep Sharma (2/21) picked up two wickets -- Agarwal and David Miller -- in the 18th over to change the complexion of the match.&nbsp;

Agarwal departed soon after reaching his fifty while going for a big shot, caught by Vijay Shankar at deep midwicket off Sandeep Sharma and four balls later Miller to was dismissed by the pacer as the left-hander went for an expansive shot.&nbsp;

It was stroll in the park for Punjab when Rahul and Agarwal were going great guns but the scenario changed completely, courtesy the two quick wickets.&nbsp;

Punjab needed 16 runs off the last two overs and the pressure got the better of new man Mandeep Singh, caught by Hooda off Siddharth Kaul's brilliant penultimate over that yielded just five runs.&nbsp;

The pressure shifted to Punjab in no time as they needed 11 runs off the last over off Nabi but Sam Curran (5 not out) and Rahul played sensibly without committing any harakiri to reach home with a ball to spare.&nbsp;

Earlier, David Warner struck his fourth fifty of the season before Hooda played a cameo in the final over to lift Hyderabad to a challenging 150 for four.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opening the batting, Warner carried on his bat for an uncharacteristic 70 not out off 62 balls to anchor Hyderabad's innings but it was Hooda's unbeaten 14 off three deliveries that provided the late thrust to the visitors' innings.&nbsp;

Warner struck six boundaries and one six during his knock, but it was Hooda who stole the limelight, smashing Mohammed Shami for two fours and one hit over the fence to pick up vital 15 runs off the last over.&nbsp;

Hyderabad suffered an early blow in the form of Jonny Bairstow (1) after being sent into bat.&nbsp;

Bairstow failed to control a flick off Mujeeb Ur Rahman's (1/34) bowling as Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin took a smart catch at short midwicket in the second over.&nbsp;

The early dismissal, together with some disciplined bowling from Punjab, made life difficult for Hyderabad batsmen as Warner and new man in Shankar (26) found the going tough.&nbsp;

The duo failed to strike big and stitched 49 runs for the second wicket off 57 balls to stabilise the Hyderabad's innings.&nbsp;

But just when it was time to cut loose after a slow start, Shankar edged a Ashwin (1/30) delivery to Rahul behind the stumps as Hyderabad slumped to 56 for two after 10.4 overs.&nbsp;

Promoted up the order, Nabi (12) fell victim to an unfortunate run out after adding just 24 runs with Warner.&nbsp;

Warner was not his elements Monday as he struggled to his fifty off 49 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six.&nbsp;

Warner and Manish Pandey (19) then added 55 runs for the fourth wicket to take Hyderabad forward before Hooda finished off the innings in style to give Hyderabad's bowlers a total to defend.&nbsp;

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struck fluent half-centuries to guide Punjab to a six-wicket win over Hyderabad in a nail-biting Indian Premier League match on Monday.

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struck fluent half-centuries to guide Punjab to a six-wicket win over Hyderabad in a nail-biting Indian Premier League match on Monday. Opting to bat, Punjab first restricted Hyderabad to 150 for four and then rode on Rahul and Agarwal's knocks to chased down the target in 19.5 overs. Rahul (71 not out) and Agarwal (55) stitched 114 runs off 84 balls for the second wicket to take Punjab close to the target. Chasing 151 for a win, Punjab lost dangerous Chris Gayle (16) in the fourth over with their scoreboard reading 18. Gayle struck a four and a six each before Deepak Hooda took a brilliant catch at long-on boundary off Rashid Khan's (1/20) bowling to sent packing the West Indian. Rahul and Agarwal then complemented each other brilliantly as the duo mixed caution with aggression to literally take the game away from Hyderabad. While Rahul was the enforcer, Agarwal matched his Karnataka teammate with his timing and on the rise shots that included a delectable boundary through covers and a lofted six over the long-off boundary. Rahul reached his half-century off 34 balls with a boundary off Mohammad Nabi through the wide long-on region. Desperate to break the partnership, skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar brought him back into the attack in the 16th over and nearly achieved his goal, only for Yusuf Pathan to drop a sitter. A short delivery outside the off stump enticed Agarwal to go for an uppercut, which didn't yield the desired connection and elevation but Pathan dropped a sitter at sweeper cover. But Sandeep Sharma (2/21) picked up two wickets -- Agarwal and David Miller -- in the 18th over to change the complexion of the match. Agarwal departed soon after reaching his fifty while going for a big shot, caught by Vijay Shankar at deep midwicket off Sandeep Sharma and four balls later Miller to was dismissed by the pacer as the left-hander went for an expansive shot. It was stroll in the park for Punjab when Rahul and Agarwal were going great guns but the scenario changed completely, courtesy the two quick wickets. Punjab needed 16 runs off the last two overs and the pressure got the better of new man Mandeep Singh, caught by Hooda off Siddharth Kaul's brilliant penultimate over that yielded just five runs. The pressure shifted to Punjab in no time as they needed 11 runs off the last over off Nabi but Sam Curran (5 not out) and Rahul played sensibly without committing any harakiri to reach home with a ball to spare. Earlier, David Warner struck his fourth fifty of the season before Hooda played a cameo in the final over to lift Hyderabad to a challenging 150 for four. Opening the batting, Warner carried on his bat for an uncharacteristic 70 not out off 62 balls to anchor Hyderabad's innings but it was Hooda's unbeaten 14 off three deliveries that provided the late thrust to the visitors' innings. Warner struck six boundaries and one six during his knock, but it was Hooda who stole the limelight, smashing Mohammed Shami for two fours and one hit over the fence to pick up vital 15 runs off the last over. Hyderabad suffered an early blow in the form of Jonny Bairstow (1) after being sent into bat. Bairstow failed to control a flick off Mujeeb Ur Rahman's (1/34) bowling as Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin took a smart catch at short midwicket in the second over. The early dismissal, together with some disciplined bowling from Punjab, made life difficult for Hyderabad batsmen as Warner and new man in Shankar (26) found the going tough. The duo failed to strike big and stitched 49 runs for the second wicket off 57 balls to stabilise the Hyderabad's innings. But just when it was time to cut loose after a slow start, Shankar edged a Ashwin (1/30) delivery to Rahul behind the stumps as Hyderabad slumped to 56 for two after 10.4 overs. Promoted up the order, Nabi (12) fell victim to an unfortunate run out after adding just 24 runs with Warner. Warner was not his elements Monday as he struggled to his fifty off 49 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six. Warner and Manish Pandey (19) then added 55 runs for the fourth wicket to take Hyderabad forward before Hooda finished off the innings in style to give Hyderabad's bowlers a total to defend.

IPL 2019: KL Rahul's match-winning knock gives Punjab win against Hyderabad

A clinical Chennai&nbsp;maintained their unbeaten run at home with a seven-wicket thrashing of Kolkata&nbsp;in the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday.

The hosts put up a top-class bowling effort yet again after winning the toss, limiting Kolkata to 108 for nine despite an unbeaten 50 off 44 balls from the dangerous Andre Russell.

With the dew making batting easier in the second half of the match, Chennai chased down a rather comfortable target in 17.2 overs.&nbsp;

With an emphatic win, Chennai&nbsp;are back at the top of the table with five victories from six games while Kolkata suffered their second loss in six matches and will be hoping that Tuesday's performance was just a blip in otherwise a promising campaign so far.

Shane Watson (17 off 9) smashed two fours and a six early on in the run chase before falling to a soft dismissal off-spinner Sunil Narine.

Suresh Raina (14) too did not cash in on the opportunity to make a big score and perished in an attempt to hit Narine out of the park, leaving Chennai at 35 for two in five overs.

Since the asking rate was not an issue, Faf du Plessis (43 not out off 45) and Ambati Rayudu (21) went about their job with little difficulty. The South African, who scored 54 in his first game of the season here on Saturday, played another solid inning to take the team home.

Earlier, a lot depended on the in-form Russell after a poor show from the Kolkata batting unit. He played the only way he knows, going for big shots, and succeeded to a certain extent to finish with five fours and three sixes.

The under-rated Deepak Chahar, who returned with impressive figures of three for 20 from four overs, rattled the Kolkata top-order with early strikes, including that of the big-hitting Chris Lynn as the visitors struggled to 29 for four in the powerplay.&nbsp;

Harbhajan Singh (2/15), Imran Tahir (2/21) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/17) put the brakes on the Kolkata batting with a disciplined effort.

Kolkata were under pressure from the word go as Lynn and Sunil Narine fell within the space of five balls. First, Chahar trapped Lynn leg-before-wicket for a duck in the first over, as the Aussie missed a pull off a delivery that kept low.&nbsp;

In the next over, Harbhajan tossed one up to Narine, who attempted a big shot, only to skew it to the point region where Chahar took a good catch running backwards.

Nitish Rana (0) became Chahar's second victim, taken smartly by Rayudu. Robin Uthappa (11, 9 balls, 2X4) played a couple of good shots, before perishing to a pull which landed in the safe hands of Kedar Jadhav at deep-square leg.&nbsp;

A lot was expected of skipper Dinesh Karthik but he flattered to deceive, hammering a shot off Tahir straight into the hands of Harbhajan at mid-wicket, to be dismissed for 19 to leave Kolkata in trouble at 44 for five.

That Kolkata's 50 came up only in the 12th over, indicating how much their batsmen struggled to come to grips with the surface at Chepauk.&nbsp;

A clinical Chennai maintained their unbeaten run at home with a seven-wicket thrashing of Kolkata in the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday. The hosts put up a top-class bowling effort yet again after winning the toss, limiting Kolkata to 108 for nine despite an unbeaten 50 off 44 balls from the dangerous Andre Russell.

A clinical Chennai maintained their unbeaten run at home with a seven-wicket thrashing of Kolkata in the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday. The hosts put up a top-class bowling effort yet again after winning the toss, limiting Kolkata to 108 for nine despite an unbeaten 50 off 44 balls from the dangerous Andre Russell. With the dew making batting easier in the second half of the match, Chennai chased down a rather comfortable target in 17.2 overs. With an emphatic win, Chennai are back at the top of the table with five victories from six games while Kolkata suffered their second loss in six matches and will be hoping that Tuesday's performance was just a blip in otherwise a promising campaign so far. Shane Watson (17 off 9) smashed two fours and a six early on in the run chase before falling to a soft dismissal off-spinner Sunil Narine. Suresh Raina (14) too did not cash in on the opportunity to make a big score and perished in an attempt to hit Narine out of the park, leaving Chennai at 35 for two in five overs. Since the asking rate was not an issue, Faf du Plessis (43 not out off 45) and Ambati Rayudu (21) went about their job with little difficulty. The South African, who scored 54 in his first game of the season here on Saturday, played another solid inning to take the team home. Earlier, a lot depended on the in-form Russell after a poor show from the Kolkata batting unit. He played the only way he knows, going for big shots, and succeeded to a certain extent to finish with five fours and three sixes. The under-rated Deepak Chahar, who returned with impressive figures of three for 20 from four overs, rattled the Kolkata top-order with early strikes, including that of the big-hitting Chris Lynn as the visitors struggled to 29 for four in the powerplay. Harbhajan Singh (2/15), Imran Tahir (2/21) and Ravindra Jadeja (1/17) put the brakes on the Kolkata batting with a disciplined effort. Kolkata were under pressure from the word go as Lynn and Sunil Narine fell within the space of five balls. First, Chahar trapped Lynn leg-before-wicket for a duck in the first over, as the Aussie missed a pull off a delivery that kept low. In the next over, Harbhajan tossed one up to Narine, who attempted a big shot, only to skew it to the point region where Chahar took a good catch running backwards. Nitish Rana (0) became Chahar's second victim, taken smartly by Rayudu. Robin Uthappa (11, 9 balls, 2X4) played a couple of good shots, before perishing to a pull which landed in the safe hands of Kedar Jadhav at deep-square leg. A lot was expected of skipper Dinesh Karthik but he flattered to deceive, hammering a shot off Tahir straight into the hands of Harbhajan at mid-wicket, to be dismissed for 19 to leave Kolkata in trouble at 44 for five. That Kolkata's 50 came up only in the 12th over, indicating how much their batsmen struggled to come to grips with the surface at Chepauk.

IPL 2019: Chennai maintain unbeaten run at home with emphatic win over Kolkata

#IPL2019 #IPL #RCBvsDC #KKRvsRR #Virat Kohli # MS Dhoni The previous encounter between the two teams in Mohali had ended in a comprehensive eight-wicket win for Punjab.

IPL 2019, match 24: Punjab's Chris Gayle to face Mumbai's Kieron Pollard

Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was at the receiving end after he 'Mankaded' Rajasthan's Jos Buttler in their campaign opener in Jaipur.&nbsp;

The debate on 'Mankad' raged on social media leaving the cricket world divided.&nbsp;While many questioned Ashwin's sportsmanship, Hyderabad's David Warner on Monday found a unique way to counter the 'Mankad' threat&nbsp;

During the Punjab vs Hyderabad game at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, the Australian cricketer deliberately took a start but extended himself to make sure that his bat was grounded and well inside the crease.

A video of the same also went viral with users showing it a way to tackle the 'Mankad' threat.&nbsp;

Warner smashed his fourth half-century of IPL 2019, but it was by far his slowest IPL fifty. His half-century came off 49 balls, the most he has taken to reach the 50-run mark in IPL cricket.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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No, Warner doesn't want to get 'Mankaded' <a href="https://t.co/DUSt66yf3I">https://t.co/DUSt66yf3I</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ipl</a>
— Utkarsh Bhatla (@UtkarshBhatla) <a href="https://twitter.com/UtkarshBhatla/status/1115273653535608837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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His previous slowest also came against Punjab in Hyderabad in IPL 2017 (45 balls). Warner carried on his bat for an uncharacteristic 70 not out off 62 balls to anchor Hyderabad's innings.&nbsp;

However, it was Punjab who celebrated the night as opener KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struck fluent half-centuries to guide their side to a six-wicket win.

The win helped Punjab go third in the IPL Points Table.&nbsp;

Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was at the receiving end after he 'Mankaded' Rajasthan's Jos Buttler in their campaign opener in Jaipur. The debate on 'Mankad' raged on social media leaving the cricket world divided.

Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was at the receiving end after he 'Mankaded' Rajasthan's Jos Buttler in their campaign opener in Jaipur. The debate on 'Mankad' raged on social media leaving the cricket world divided. While many questioned Ashwin's sportsmanship, Hyderabad's David Warner on Monday found a unique way to counter the 'Mankad' threat During the Punjab vs Hyderabad game at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, the Australian cricketer deliberately took a start but extended himself to make sure that his bat was grounded and well inside the crease. A video of the same also went viral with users showing it a way to tackle the 'Mankad' threat. Warner smashed his fourth half-century of IPL 2019, but it was by far his slowest IPL fifty. His half-century came off 49 balls, the most he has taken to reach the 50-run mark in IPL cricket. No, Warner doesn't want to get 'Mankaded' https://t.co/DUSt66yf3I via @ipl — Utkarsh Bhatla (@UtkarshBhatla) April 8, 2019 × His previous slowest also came against Punjab in Hyderabad in IPL 2017 (45 balls). Warner carried on his bat for an uncharacteristic 70 not out off 62 balls to anchor Hyderabad's innings. However, it was Punjab who celebrated the night as opener KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal struck fluent half-centuries to guide their side to a six-wicket win. The win helped Punjab go third in the IPL Points Table.

Watch: David Warner teaches how to counter 'Mankad' threat

Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata defeated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-rajasthan-royals-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-208582">Rajasthan by eight wickets</a> at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.&nbsp;

Openers Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn tore the Rajasthan bowling attack to shreds to help Kolkata notch up an easy eight-wicket win.

Chasing 140 for a win, Narine (47) and Lynn (50) shared 91 runs for the opening stand in 8.3 overs to take the game away from Rajasthan as Kolkata reached the target with 6.1 overs to spare.&nbsp;

The win, which took Kolkata&nbsp;to the top of the table with eight points from five matches (4 wins and 1 loss), was the best of this season in terms of number of balls to spare.&nbsp;

Narine contributed 47, his best of this IPL season, from 25 balls from which he hit six fours and three sixes while Lynn made an exact 50 from 32 deliveries, with the help of six boundaries and three sixes.

Earlier,&nbsp;Australian batsman Steve&nbsp;Smith struck his first half-century of this IPL season as he remained not out on 73 off 59 deliveries after the home side were invited to bat on a tricky track.&nbsp;

The former Australia captain hit seven fours and one six in his unbeaten knock.&nbsp;

He shared 72 runs in 10.4 overs with opener Jos Buttler (37 off 34 balls) for the second wicket after captain Ajinkya Rahane was out cheaply for 5 in the second over.&nbsp;

On a slow track at the Sawai Man Singh stadium, the runs were a premium as the ball did not come on to the bat easily.

The stadium was also engulfed by a sandstorm before the tie but the match started on time.

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> are placed atop the Points Table after Match 21 of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/0hyI8PGOFZ">pic.twitter.com/0hyI8PGOFZ</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1114944653969596417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The home side were 56 for 1 at halfway stage but increased the scoring rate at the back end of the innings to add 83 runs from the next 10 overs with Smith scoring the bulk of the runs.

Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata defeated Rajasthan by eight wickets at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday. Openers Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn tore the Rajasthan bowling attack to shreds to help Kolkata notch up an easy eight-wicket win.

Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata defeated Rajasthan by eight wickets at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday. Openers Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn tore the Rajasthan bowling attack to shreds to help Kolkata notch up an easy eight-wicket win. Chasing 140 for a win, Narine (47) and Lynn (50) shared 91 runs for the opening stand in 8.3 overs to take the game away from Rajasthan as Kolkata reached the target with 6.1 overs to spare. The win, which took Kolkata to the top of the table with eight points from five matches (4 wins and 1 loss), was the best of this season in terms of number of balls to spare. Narine contributed 47, his best of this IPL season, from 25 balls from which he hit six fours and three sixes while Lynn made an exact 50 from 32 deliveries, with the help of six boundaries and three sixes. Earlier, Australian batsman Steve Smith struck his first half-century of this IPL season as he remained not out on 73 off 59 deliveries after the home side were invited to bat on a tricky track. The former Australia captain hit seven fours and one six in his unbeaten knock. He shared 72 runs in 10.4 overs with opener Jos Buttler (37 off 34 balls) for the second wicket after captain Ajinkya Rahane was out cheaply for 5 in the second over. On a slow track at the Sawai Man Singh stadium, the runs were a premium as the ball did not come on to the bat easily. The stadium was also engulfed by a sandstorm before the tie but the match started on time. The @KKRiders are placed atop the Points Table after Match 21 of #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/0hyI8PGOFZ — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2019 × The home side were 56 for 1 at halfway stage but increased the scoring rate at the back end of the innings to add 83 runs from the next 10 overs with Smith scoring the bulk of the runs.

IPL 2019: Karthik's Kolkata beat Rahane-led Rajasthan by 8 wickets

The 23rd game of the league will be played between MS Dhoni-led Chennai and Dinesh Karthik's Kolkata. Both the teams have four wins each and have been in pretty impressive form. The winner of the game will go at the top of the points table.&nbsp;

While Chennai suffered their first defeat at the hands of Mumbai, Kolkata lost to Delhi after the games got tied and went in Super Over.

In a clash between two teams having quality spinners, a batsman of Andre Russell's calibre may just prove to be the difference between the two sides.&nbsp;

While for Chennai, Kedar Jadhav and skipper Dhoni himself will be the game changers as the game will be played at their home ground MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams then Chennai easily defeated Punjab in their last game, thanks to a brilliant half-century by Faf du Plessis. He scored 54 runs in just 38 balls.&nbsp;

His inning was well backed by Dhoni who remained unbeaten for 37 runs in just 23 balls. Even Ambati Rayudu, who came in at no five played a decent game as and smashed 21 in 25 balls.&nbsp;

In bowling, Harbhajan Singh and New Zealand pacer Scott took two wickets each. Their contribution against Kolkata will be important as they can restrict the Russell power. 
&nbsp; 
Now if we talk about Kolkata, the team's batting solely relies on Russell's last-minute performance. Russell has delivered some power-packed performances in the last few games to give them win at the last moment. He took away three man of the match awards for his performance.

Apart from Russell, Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine established a 91-run partnership to defeat Rajasthan in their last game. While Lynn returned to form with his 32-ball 50 runs, Narine slammed 47 in 25 balls.&nbsp;

Talking about the winning probability then Chennai need to find a solution to tackle Russell as he can be very dangerous. It would be better if Chennai goes for bowling first and chase the target.

Shane Watson should step up for the team as even 200 would be a less target considering the players the two teams possess.

Meanwhile, for Kolkata, Robin Uthappa and Kuldeep Yadav will be the players to watch out for.

The 23rd game of the league will be played between MS Dhoni-led Chennai and Dinesh Karthik's Kolkata. Both the teams have four wins each and have been in pretty impressive form.

The 23rd game of the league will be played between MS Dhoni-led Chennai and Dinesh Karthik's Kolkata. Both the teams have four wins each and have been in pretty impressive form. The winner of the game will go at the top of the points table. While Chennai suffered their first defeat at the hands of Mumbai, Kolkata lost to Delhi after the games got tied and went in Super Over. In a clash between two teams having quality spinners, a batsman of Andre Russell's calibre may just prove to be the difference between the two sides. While for Chennai, Kedar Jadhav and skipper Dhoni himself will be the game changers as the game will be played at their home ground MA Chidambaram Stadium. Analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams then Chennai easily defeated Punjab in their last game, thanks to a brilliant half-century by Faf du Plessis. He scored 54 runs in just 38 balls. His inning was well backed by Dhoni who remained unbeaten for 37 runs in just 23 balls. Even Ambati Rayudu, who came in at no five played a decent game as and smashed 21 in 25 balls. In bowling, Harbhajan Singh and New Zealand pacer Scott took two wickets each. Their contribution against Kolkata will be important as they can restrict the Russell power. Now if we talk about Kolkata, the team's batting solely relies on Russell's last-minute performance. Russell has delivered some power-packed performances in the last few games to give them win at the last moment. He took away three man of the match awards for his performance. Apart from Russell, Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine established a 91-run partnership to defeat Rajasthan in their last game. While Lynn returned to form with his 32-ball 50 runs, Narine slammed 47 in 25 balls. Talking about the winning probability then Chennai need to find a solution to tackle Russell as he can be very dangerous. It would be better if Chennai goes for bowling first and chase the target. Shane Watson should step up for the team as even 200 would be a less target considering the players the two teams possess. Meanwhile, for Kolkata, Robin Uthappa and Kuldeep Yadav will be the players to watch out for.

IPL 2019: Chennai to contain Andre Russell as they lock horns with Kolkata

Chennai&nbsp;head coach Stephen Fleming Monday said focusing too much on the big-hitting Andre Russell could backfire as Kolkata also have other quality batsmen in their line-up.

"Possibly, there are a couple of challenges. One is you ignore the other six (batsmen). And in a team that has (Chris) Lynn, (Dinesh) Karthik and (Robin) Uthappa you do that at your own peril. We've got to be careful we don't focus overtly on Russell," he said at the press conference ahead the IPL match against Kolkata.&nbsp;

"Even though he has been so dynamic, there's still good work done by the other players. So, again, I stress it doesn't change our preparation to focus on one or two players, but we're acutely aware of how dangerous these players are so, it's business as usual for us," Fleming said.

With the flamboyant Jamaican being in red-hot form, Fleming said whether it is spin or seam, one had to be accurate against hitters like Russell.

"You've got to put context around that as well&nbsp;different stages of the game. Look at analysis and match up with what you have, it's no secret that we're spin-heavy anyway.

So, if there's an opportunity to change-up to Russell, we will certainly look at it.&nbsp;

"Whether it's spin or seam at the end you've to be accurate against hitters like Russell, Dhoni, Pollard and Pandya. It's no different really, the pressure is always on in the last few overs."&nbsp;

About the possibility of Chennai using spinners at the death, Fleming said things couldn't be over planned.

"Possibly. But, again, if it's dewy. Mitch Santner who is one of the best spinners around struggled to hold the ball...So, you can't overplan...We have to have a free mind and be smart enough to assess conditions."

Fleming said Dhoni and the team had moved away from too much of analysis and data.

"We've gone a long way away from that. A lot of teams are loading up on analysis and numbers and we've actually gone away from that. Sometimes, information overload can be confusing. So, we're really trying to simplify it and make sure that the time we spend together is meaningful and understood," he added.

Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming Monday said focusing too much on the big-hitting Andre Russell could backfire as Kolkata also have other quality batsmen in their line-up.

Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming Monday said focusing too much on the big-hitting Andre Russell could backfire as Kolkata also have other quality batsmen in their line-up. "Possibly, there are a couple of challenges. One is you ignore the other six (batsmen). And in a team that has (Chris) Lynn, (Dinesh) Karthik and (Robin) Uthappa you do that at your own peril. We've got to be careful we don't focus overtly on Russell," he said at the press conference ahead the IPL match against Kolkata. "Even though he has been so dynamic, there's still good work done by the other players. So, again, I stress it doesn't change our preparation to focus on one or two players, but we're acutely aware of how dangerous these players are so, it's business as usual for us," Fleming said. With the flamboyant Jamaican being in red-hot form, Fleming said whether it is spin or seam, one had to be accurate against hitters like Russell. "You've got to put context around that as well different stages of the game. Look at analysis and match up with what you have, it's no secret that we're spin-heavy anyway. So, if there's an opportunity to change-up to Russell, we will certainly look at it. "Whether it's spin or seam at the end you've to be accurate against hitters like Russell, Dhoni, Pollard and Pandya. It's no different really, the pressure is always on in the last few overs." About the possibility of Chennai using spinners at the death, Fleming said things couldn't be over planned. "Possibly. But, again, if it's dewy. Mitch Santner who is one of the best spinners around struggled to hold the ball...So, you can't overplan...We have to have a free mind and be smart enough to assess conditions." Fleming said Dhoni and the team had moved away from too much of analysis and data. "We've gone a long way away from that. A lot of teams are loading up on analysis and numbers and we've actually gone away from that. Sometimes, information overload can be confusing. So, we're really trying to simplify it and make sure that the time we spend together is meaningful and understood," he added.

IPL 2019: Can't focus too much on Andre Russell, says Chennai coach Stephen Fleming

The story of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-we-cant-give-excuses-everyday-virat-kohli-after-bangalores-6th-defeat-in-a-row-208599">Virat Kohli</a>-led Bangalore team has been quite disappointing so far in the twelfth edition of Indian Premier League as team's woeful run continues when they suffered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-virat-kohlis-bangalore-lose-sixth-match-in-a-row-delhi-win-by-4-wickets-208594">sixth straight defeat against Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi</a> at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.&nbsp;

Poor fielding and conceding too many runs in the death overs are highlighted reasons for the team's consecutive losses. And talking analytically, Virat-led team has dropped 15 catches so far in the ongoing season.&nbsp;

Talking about poor fielding and missed chances, Kohli hinted pressure is playing in players' mind.&nbsp;

"When the mind is cluttered, you wouldn't be able to focus on the chances that come your way. When you have clarity, you can take your chances better. Shreyas made 65, he was dropped on eight. You never know, could've come into the game that time."&nbsp;

Bangalore also matched Delhi's 2013 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-led-bangalore-set-record-one-they-never-wanted-to-208612">record for maximum consecutive losses</a> at the beginning of an IPL season.&nbsp;

Like Delhi in 2013, Bangalore also faced sixth consecutive defeats in the start of a season.&nbsp;

Looking forward, Kohli said his side needs to needs relax and accept whatever comes "in front of us".&nbsp;

"There's nothing more you can tell the team. We've asked the boys to take responsibility. It hasn't happened so far, and that's the reality. Need to play expressive cricket.&nbsp;

Personally, not trying to control anything. After a while, it's about the skill. We want to enjoy as a team, otherwise we won't be able to play any good cricket," he said.&nbsp;

The story of Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team has been quite disappointing so far in the twelfth edition of Indian Premier League as team's woeful run continues when they suffered sixth straight defeat against Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The story of Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team has been quite disappointing so far in the twelfth edition of Indian Premier League as team's woeful run continues when they suffered sixth straight defeat against Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. Poor fielding and conceding too many runs in the death overs are highlighted reasons for the team's consecutive losses. And talking analytically, Virat-led team has dropped 15 catches so far in the ongoing season. Talking about poor fielding and missed chances, Kohli hinted pressure is playing in players' mind. "When the mind is cluttered, you wouldn't be able to focus on the chances that come your way. When you have clarity, you can take your chances better. Shreyas made 65, he was dropped on eight. You never know, could've come into the game that time." Bangalore also matched Delhi's 2013 record for maximum consecutive losses at the beginning of an IPL season. Like Delhi in 2013, Bangalore also faced sixth consecutive defeats in the start of a season. Looking forward, Kohli said his side needs to needs relax and accept whatever comes "in front of us". "There's nothing more you can tell the team. We've asked the boys to take responsibility. It hasn't happened so far, and that's the reality. Need to play expressive cricket. Personally, not trying to control anything. After a while, it's about the skill. We want to enjoy as a team, otherwise we won't be able to play any good cricket," he said.

IPL 2019: Guess how many catches Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team dropped so far this season

Kolkata's&nbsp;Chris Lynn was&nbsp;tempted to visit a casino to cash in on his luck after a miraculous reprieve while batting during Kolkata's Indian Premier League (IPL) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-karthiks-kolkata-beat-ajinkya-led-rajasthan-by-8-wickets-208643">victory over Rajasthan</a> on Sunday.&nbsp;

The 28-year-old was on 13 when he inside-edged a delivery from paceman Dhawan Kulkarni onto his stumps and started walking off without bothering to look behind.&nbsp;

Kulkarni was celebrating too but it was soon cut short when the bowler realised that the ball had lit up the zing bail but failed to dislodge it, ricocheting off the leg stump to the fine-leg boundary for a four instead.

Lynn went on to score 50 off 32 deliveries in Kolkata's successful eight-wicket win chasing Rajasthan's 139-3 that put them at the top of the IPL table with four wins from five matches.&nbsp;

Watch the video:

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvsRR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvsRR</a> Chris Lynn may have been lucky during that match, but clearly, whether or not the bails fell off, the ball did hit the stumps and thus it should've been an out. <a href="https://t.co/q89PVeiZ0q">pic.twitter.com/q89PVeiZ0q</a>
— SR_Guy (@SR_Guy_1164) <a href="https://twitter.com/SR_Guy_1164/status/1115143554102251521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Chris Lynn Bowled? Well, not really! <a href="https://t.co/dIoHGafnTm">https://t.co/dIoHGafnTm</a>
— चौकीदार..Vijay Shahapure (VP) (@VijayShahapure3) <a href="https://twitter.com/VijayShahapure3/status/1114945346973708288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"I always like to ride my luck," Lynn told teammate Harry Gurney in a video posted on the IPL website.

"I inside-edged it, and then I heard a second noise. I thought (the wicket-keeper) might catch it or the bails might come off, but I got lucky.

"I might actually go the casino tonight!"

It was the third time in this year's IPL that a batsman had benefited from the bails refusing to be dislodged.

Rajasthan were also on the receiving end in an earlier match when Jofra Archer's delivery rolled onto the stumps but Chennai's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, yet to open his account, survived as bails could not be dislodged.

Dhoni, who went on to make a match-winning 75 off 46 deliveries, suffered the heartbreak himself on Saturday when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-how-ms-dhoni-missed-kl-rahuls-stumping-in-ipl-match-208507">bails did not fall despite his direct hit with Punjab opener Lokesh Rahul </a>short of his ground.&nbsp;

Rajasthan captain Ajinkya Rahane appeared as bewildered as the bowler and was involved in a long conversation with the on-field umpire after Sunday's incident.&nbsp;

"The rules are what they are, but I told the umpire, at least don't declare it a boundary," Rahane said.

"It's already so tough for the bowlers in T20, and in such a situation, a ball can, maybe, declared a dead ball. That was my conversation with the umpires."

Kolkata's Chris Lynn was tempted to visit a casino to cash in on his luck after a miraculous reprieve while batting during Kolkata's Indian Premier League (IPL) victory over Rajasthan on Sunday.

Kolkata's Chris Lynn was tempted to visit a casino to cash in on his luck after a miraculous reprieve while batting during Kolkata's Indian Premier League (IPL) victory over Rajasthan on Sunday. The 28-year-old was on 13 when he inside-edged a delivery from paceman Dhawan Kulkarni onto his stumps and started walking off without bothering to look behind. Kulkarni was celebrating too but it was soon cut short when the bowler realised that the ball had lit up the zing bail but failed to dislodge it, ricocheting off the leg stump to the fine-leg boundary for a four instead. Lynn went on to score 50 off 32 deliveries in Kolkata's successful eight-wicket win chasing Rajasthan's 139-3 that put them at the top of the IPL table with four wins from five matches. Watch the video: #KKRvsRR Chris Lynn may have been lucky during that match, but clearly, whether or not the bails fell off, the ball did hit the stumps and thus it should've been an out. pic.twitter.com/q89PVeiZ0q — SR_Guy (@SR_Guy_1164) April 8, 2019 × Chris Lynn Bowled? Well, not really! https://t.co/dIoHGafnTm — चौकीदार..Vijay Shahapure (VP) (@VijayShahapure3) April 7, 2019 × "I always like to ride my luck," Lynn told teammate Harry Gurney in a video posted on the IPL website. "I inside-edged it, and then I heard a second noise. I thought (the wicket-keeper) might catch it or the bails might come off, but I got lucky. "I might actually go the casino tonight!" It was the third time in this year's IPL that a batsman had benefited from the bails refusing to be dislodged. Rajasthan were also on the receiving end in an earlier match when Jofra Archer's delivery rolled onto the stumps but Chennai's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, yet to open his account, survived as bails could not be dislodged. Dhoni, who went on to make a match-winning 75 off 46 deliveries, suffered the heartbreak himself on Saturday when bails did not fall despite his direct hit with Punjab opener Lokesh Rahul short of his ground. Rajasthan captain Ajinkya Rahane appeared as bewildered as the bowler and was involved in a long conversation with the on-field umpire after Sunday's incident. "The rules are what they are, but I told the umpire, at least don't declare it a boundary," Rahane said. "It's already so tough for the bowlers in T20, and in such a situation, a ball can, maybe, declared a dead ball. That was my conversation with the umpires."

'Visit the casino': Watch how Kolkata's Chris Lynn gets lucky after bail fail against Rajasthan

Rajasthan might have lost four out of five matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League but captain Ajinkya Rahane feels there is no need to hit the panic button just yet.&nbsp;

After restricting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-karthiks-kolkata-beat-ajinkya-led-rajasthan-by-8-wickets-208643">Rajasthan to 139 for 3 in 20 overs</a>, Kolkata's Sunil Narine (47) and Chris Lynn (50) tore their bowling attack to shreds, sharing 91 runs for the opening stand in 8.3 overs to reach the target with 6.1 overs to spare.&nbsp;

"I think there's no need for us to panic yet. Out of the five matches that we played, we lost badly in just one game. We played well in our last four matches, out of which we could have won three," Rahane said at the post-match press conference.&nbsp;

"When you're losing, you can risk overthinking. But when you're winning, you don't dwell on things that much.&nbsp;

"It's not too late for us. If we can improve and apply ourselves, the desired results will surely follow," he added.&nbsp;

Rahane said that the batsmen need to stay longer at the crease and take calculated risks, while bowlers are expected to quickly get the hang of the wicket and execute the plans accordingly.&nbsp;

"Execution is the key for us as a batting and bowling unit. Risk is an integral part of the T20 format and players need to often back themselves. It's not the responsibility of an individual, but rather the whole team. We win as a team, we lose as a team. We need to improve as a team.&nbsp;

"The set batsmen need to stay on the crease longer and take the game deeper, while also taking calculated risks. Similarly, the bowlers need to execute their plans based on the understanding of the wicket, and by observing the difficulties that the batsmen are facing with regards to playing any shots," he explained.&nbsp;

Rahane said 150-160 would have been a fighting total against Kolkata here on Sunday night.&nbsp;

"It was important for us to post 150-160 on board, which we felt would be a challenging total on that wicket. We struggled to get to 140, which is possibly a learning for the bowling unit. While playing at home, we need to adjust to the wicket as soon as possible, while also being aware of the correct line and length that is to be bowled.&nbsp;

A ball from Dhawal Kulkarni got an inside edge off Lynn to hit the stumps but did not dislodge the bails. In fact, the ball travelled past the boundary ropes and was awarded a boundary in favour of the batsman.

Rahane said he had approached the umpire and asked him to declare it a dead ball but to no avail. &nbsp;

"The rules are rules. Having said that, maybe the boundary could have not been counted or it could have been called a dead ball. The game is already heavily tilted in the favour of batsmen. That was my conversation with the umpire. Though, there is no point of discussing aspects that we cannot control," he said. &nbsp;

Rahane backed all-rounder Ben Stokes, who during his 22-minute uncomfortable stay at the crease scored just 7 off 14 balls, to come good in the upcoming games.&nbsp;

"Ben has been a vital cog for us and he has an impact on match but unfortunately it did not happen this time. The way he bowled in the last match and has been batting I don't feel his selection for this match was wrong. I am sure he would be performing in the coming matches too. &nbsp;

"As a team we have to back our players. It is not that any particular player is to perform in every match," he insisted.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kolkata debutant Harry Gurney was happy to be declared the man of the match.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Asked whether he had expected it to be so easy, Gurney said, "When I was told that I would be playing I was a bit nervous because it was my debut but I am happy to give a decent performance and look forward to rest of the competition."&nbsp;

Rajasthan might have lost four out of five matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League but captain Ajinkya Rahane feels there is no need to hit the panic button just yet.

Rajasthan might have lost four out of five matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League but captain Ajinkya Rahane feels there is no need to hit the panic button just yet. After restricting Rajasthan to 139 for 3 in 20 overs, Kolkata's Sunil Narine (47) and Chris Lynn (50) tore their bowling attack to shreds, sharing 91 runs for the opening stand in 8.3 overs to reach the target with 6.1 overs to spare. "I think there's no need for us to panic yet. Out of the five matches that we played, we lost badly in just one game. We played well in our last four matches, out of which we could have won three," Rahane said at the post-match press conference. "When you're losing, you can risk overthinking. But when you're winning, you don't dwell on things that much. "It's not too late for us. If we can improve and apply ourselves, the desired results will surely follow," he added. Rahane said that the batsmen need to stay longer at the crease and take calculated risks, while bowlers are expected to quickly get the hang of the wicket and execute the plans accordingly. "Execution is the key for us as a batting and bowling unit. Risk is an integral part of the T20 format and players need to often back themselves. It's not the responsibility of an individual, but rather the whole team. We win as a team, we lose as a team. We need to improve as a team. "The set batsmen need to stay on the crease longer and take the game deeper, while also taking calculated risks. Similarly, the bowlers need to execute their plans based on the understanding of the wicket, and by observing the difficulties that the batsmen are facing with regards to playing any shots," he explained. Rahane said 150-160 would have been a fighting total against Kolkata here on Sunday night. "It was important for us to post 150-160 on board, which we felt would be a challenging total on that wicket. We struggled to get to 140, which is possibly a learning for the bowling unit. While playing at home, we need to adjust to the wicket as soon as possible, while also being aware of the correct line and length that is to be bowled. A ball from Dhawal Kulkarni got an inside edge off Lynn to hit the stumps but did not dislodge the bails. In fact, the ball travelled past the boundary ropes and was awarded a boundary in favour of the batsman. Rahane said he had approached the umpire and asked him to declare it a dead ball but to no avail. "The rules are rules. Having said that, maybe the boundary could have not been counted or it could have been called a dead ball. The game is already heavily tilted in the favour of batsmen. That was my conversation with the umpire. Though, there is no point of discussing aspects that we cannot control," he said. Rahane backed all-rounder Ben Stokes, who during his 22-minute uncomfortable stay at the crease scored just 7 off 14 balls, to come good in the upcoming games. "Ben has been a vital cog for us and he has an impact on match but unfortunately it did not happen this time. The way he bowled in the last match and has been batting I don't feel his selection for this match was wrong. I am sure he would be performing in the coming matches too. "As a team we have to back our players. It is not that any particular player is to perform in every match," he insisted. Meanwhile, Kolkata debutant Harry Gurney was happy to be declared the man of the match. Asked whether he had expected it to be so easy, Gurney said, "When I was told that I would be playing I was a bit nervous because it was my debut but I am happy to give a decent performance and look forward to rest of the competition."

No need to panic yet: Rajasthan skipper Ajinkya Rahane

IPL 2019: Match preview of Bangalore vs Delhi and Rajasthan vs Kolkata

West Indies young pacer Alzzari Joseph made a dream debut in the Indian Premier League by recording the best bowling figures in the history of the tournament.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-debutant-alzzari-joseph-keiron-pollard-combine-to-script-mumbais-memorable-win-208447">During Mumbai vs Hyderabad game</a>, 22-year-old Joseph broke former Pakistani paceman Sohail Tanvir's 11-year-old record by claiming the figures of 6/12 in his 3.4 overs, which included one maiden over too.&nbsp;

Tanvir registered astonishing figures of 6 for 14 against MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.&nbsp;

His six wickets included players like David Warner, his maiden wicket, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddharth Kaul. &nbsp;

Despite registering a paltry score of 136 runs, Mumbai managed to defeat Hyderabad by 40 runs.&nbsp;

Led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hyderabad were all out for just 96 runs in 17.4 overs.

West Indies young pacer Alzzari Joseph made a dream debut in the Indian Premier League by recording the best bowling figures in the history of the tournament. During Mumbai vs Hyderabad game, 22-year-old Joseph broke former Pakistani paceman Sohail Tanvir's 11-year-old record by claiming the figures of 6/12 in his 3.

West Indies young pacer Alzzari Joseph made a dream debut in the Indian Premier League by recording the best bowling figures in the history of the tournament. During Mumbai vs Hyderabad game, 22-year-old Joseph broke former Pakistani paceman Sohail Tanvir's 11-year-old record by claiming the figures of 6/12 in his 3.4 overs, which included one maiden over too. Tanvir registered astonishing figures of 6 for 14 against MS Dhoni-led Chennai in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. His six wickets included players like David Warner, his maiden wicket, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddharth Kaul. Despite registering a paltry score of 136 runs, Mumbai managed to defeat Hyderabad by 40 runs. Led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hyderabad were all out for just 96 runs in 17.4 overs.

Hyderabad vs Mumbai: Debutant Alzarri Joseph breaks 11-year-old Indian Premier League record

6 reasons why Virat Kohli's Bangalore lost their sixth straight game

IPL 2019: Hyderabad to deal with middle-order woes ahead of Punjab clash

Helplessness was palpable when Virat Kohli spoke after his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-virat-kohlis-bangalore-lose-sixth-match-in-a-row-delhi-win-by-4-wickets-208594">side's sixth straight defeat this IPL season </a>as he defended his atypical slow knock against Delhi, here Sunday.&nbsp;

Bangalore made 149 for eight but could not defend the total with Delhi winning by four wickets.

"We thought 160 would be competitive, but we kept losing wickets at regular intervals, so I wanted to take the game deep. Even 150, had we held on to our chances, would've been difficult for them. We need to grab those chances, can't give excuses every day," said Kohli at the post-match presentation ceremony.&nbsp;

"We just weren't good on the given day. That's the whole story of Bangalore this season," he said in dejection.

Kohli, who took 33 balls for his 41 runs after largely going a-run-a-ball, said he had no option to play in that fashion.

"The wicket was tough. When AB got out, I had to anchor the innings. Stoinis was good, Akshdeep was good too. When one senior batsman gets out, it's important for the other senior to anchor. I wasn't happy getting out at the stage, could've made 25-30 more for the team if I was still there till the end, but felt 160 was a good score."

Talking about poor fielding of his side which has now dropped 15 catch chances, Kohli hinted pressure is playing in players' mind.&nbsp;

"When the mind is cluttered, you wouldn't be able to focus on the chances that come your way. When you have clarity, you can take your chances better. Shreyas made 65, he was dropped on eight. You never know, could've come into the game that time."

Looking forward, Kohli said his side needs to needs relax and accept whatever comes "in front of us".&nbsp;

"There's nothing more you can tell the team. We've asked the boys to take responsibility. It hasn't happened so far, and that's the reality. Need to play expressive cricket.

Personally, not trying to control anything. After a while, it's about the skill. We want to enjoy as a team, otherwise we won't be able to play any good cricket," he said.&nbsp;

Helplessness was palpable when Virat Kohli spoke after his side's sixth straight defeat this IPL season as he defended his atypical slow knock against Delhi, here Sunday.

Helplessness was palpable when Virat Kohli spoke after his side's sixth straight defeat this IPL season as he defended his atypical slow knock against Delhi, here Sunday. Bangalore made 149 for eight but could not defend the total with Delhi winning by four wickets. "We thought 160 would be competitive, but we kept losing wickets at regular intervals, so I wanted to take the game deep. Even 150, had we held on to our chances, would've been difficult for them. We need to grab those chances, can't give excuses every day," said Kohli at the post-match presentation ceremony. "We just weren't good on the given day. That's the whole story of Bangalore this season," he said in dejection. Kohli, who took 33 balls for his 41 runs after largely going a-run-a-ball, said he had no option to play in that fashion. "The wicket was tough. When AB got out, I had to anchor the innings. Stoinis was good, Akshdeep was good too. When one senior batsman gets out, it's important for the other senior to anchor. I wasn't happy getting out at the stage, could've made 25-30 more for the team if I was still there till the end, but felt 160 was a good score." Talking about poor fielding of his side which has now dropped 15 catch chances, Kohli hinted pressure is playing in players' mind. "When the mind is cluttered, you wouldn't be able to focus on the chances that come your way. When you have clarity, you can take your chances better. Shreyas made 65, he was dropped on eight. You never know, could've come into the game that time." Looking forward, Kohli said his side needs to needs relax and accept whatever comes "in front of us". "There's nothing more you can tell the team. We've asked the boys to take responsibility. It hasn't happened so far, and that's the reality. Need to play expressive cricket. Personally, not trying to control anything. After a while, it's about the skill. We want to enjoy as a team, otherwise we won't be able to play any good cricket," he said.

IPL 2019: Can't give excuses every day, says Virat Kohli after 6th Bangalore defeat in a row

12 years, 12 controversies: IPL has seen it all

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-we-cant-give-excuses-everyday-virat-kohli-after-bangalores-6th-defeat-in-a-row-208599">Virat Kohli-led Bangalore</a> team has created an unwanted record of most consecutive defeats in Indian Premier League. Now, the Bangalore team have suffered seven consecutive defeats from May 19, 2018, to April 7, 2019.&nbsp;

This is not something new for Virat-led team as in 2008, Bangalore registered six back-to-back defeats and in 2017, they faced five consecutive losses.&nbsp;

In the ongoing season, Bangalore's woeful run continues when they suffered sixth straight defeat against Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.&nbsp;

Bangalore also matched Delhi's 2013 record for maximum consecutive losses at the beginning of an IPL season.&nbsp;

Like Delhi in 2013, Bangalore also faced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-virat-kohlis-bangalore-lose-sixth-match-in-a-row-delhi-win-by-4-wickets-208594">sixth consecutive defeats</a> in the start of a season.&nbsp;

Bangalore batsmen struggled on a tough wicket after being invited to bat first and could only manage 149 for 8 in the stipulated 20 overs.&nbsp;

While, Iyer played a captain's knock, making a 50-ball 67 to guide Delhi to a comfortable win, bringing their IPL campaign back on track.&nbsp;

Iyer anchored the chase with some crucial partnerships as Delhi overhauled the target with 10 balls to spare.&nbsp;

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Iyer smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 50-ball innings which helped Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping a two-match losing streak where they lost to Punjab and Hyderabad in the last two games.

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team has created an unwanted record of most consecutive defeats in Indian Premier League. Now, the Bangalore team have suffered seven consecutive defeats from May 19, 2018, to April 7, 2019.

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team has created an unwanted record of most consecutive defeats in Indian Premier League. Now, the Bangalore team have suffered seven consecutive defeats from May 19, 2018, to April 7, 2019. This is not something new for Virat-led team as in 2008, Bangalore registered six back-to-back defeats and in 2017, they faced five consecutive losses. In the ongoing season, Bangalore's woeful run continues when they suffered sixth straight defeat against Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. Bangalore also matched Delhi's 2013 record for maximum consecutive losses at the beginning of an IPL season. Like Delhi in 2013, Bangalore also faced sixth consecutive defeats in the start of a season. Bangalore batsmen struggled on a tough wicket after being invited to bat first and could only manage 149 for 8 in the stipulated 20 overs. While, Iyer played a captain's knock, making a 50-ball 67 to guide Delhi to a comfortable win, bringing their IPL campaign back on track. Iyer anchored the chase with some crucial partnerships as Delhi overhauled the target with 10 balls to spare. A story of frustration and cluelessness from the Green outfit but satisfaction and hope from the Blue 🙌#RCBvDC #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/tBsYuyysud — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 7, 2019 × Iyer smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 50-ball innings which helped Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping a two-match losing streak where they lost to Punjab and Hyderabad in the last two games.

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore set record (not one they wanted to)

Skipper Shreyas Iyer Sunday struck a blistering half-century as Delhi defeated Bangalore by four wickets to hand the Virat Kohli-led side their sixth defeat on the trot of the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Iyer smashed 67 runs off 50 balls, including eight boundaries and two sixes, as Delhi crossed the mark with seven balls to spare despite losing three quick wickets by the end.

Put in to bat, the Delhi bowlers restricted Bangalore to a score of 149/8 in 20 overs.&nbsp;The batsmen found the going tough on a tough wicket with Kohli being the highest scorer with 41 runs off 33 balls.&nbsp;

Moeen Ali, who performed well with ball also, contributed with 32 runs. Apart from these two, no other batsman has reached the 20 digit mark.

South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada ended with figures 4 for 21 runs and accounted for four Bangalore batsmen to lead Delhi's bowling attack.&nbsp;

The attack also comprised with Chris Morris (2/28), Axar Patel (1/22) and Sandeep Lamichhane (1/46).&nbsp;

For Bangalore, only Navdeep Saini and Moeen Ali performed well with the ball and took two and one wickets respectively.&nbsp;

Chahal went wicketless in his four overs while the other bowlers managed to take one wicket when the damage was already done by Delhi team.&nbsp;

By virtue of this win, Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping a two-match losing streak where they lost to Punjab and Hyderabad in the last two games.

Kohli's Bangalore are sitting at the last on the points table and are on the verge of being knocked out of the tournament.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer Sunday struck a blistering half-century as Delhi defeated Bangalore by four wickets to hand the Virat Kohli-led side their sixth defeat on the trot of the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) at M.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer Sunday struck a blistering half-century as Delhi defeated Bangalore by four wickets to hand the Virat Kohli-led side their sixth defeat on the trot of the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Iyer smashed 67 runs off 50 balls, including eight boundaries and two sixes, as Delhi crossed the mark with seven balls to spare despite losing three quick wickets by the end. Put in to bat, the Delhi bowlers restricted Bangalore to a score of 149/8 in 20 overs. The batsmen found the going tough on a tough wicket with Kohli being the highest scorer with 41 runs off 33 balls. Moeen Ali, who performed well with ball also, contributed with 32 runs. Apart from these two, no other batsman has reached the 20 digit mark. South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada ended with figures 4 for 21 runs and accounted for four Bangalore batsmen to lead Delhi's bowling attack. The attack also comprised with Chris Morris (2/28), Axar Patel (1/22) and Sandeep Lamichhane (1/46). For Bangalore, only Navdeep Saini and Moeen Ali performed well with the ball and took two and one wickets respectively. Chahal went wicketless in his four overs while the other bowlers managed to take one wicket when the damage was already done by Delhi team. By virtue of this win, Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping a two-match losing streak where they lost to Punjab and Hyderabad in the last two games. Kohli's Bangalore are sitting at the last on the points table and are on the verge of being knocked out of the tournament.

IPL 2019: Virat Kohli's Bangalore lose sixth match in a row; Delhi win by 4 wickets

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out five matches in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a>, but the way he managed to defend a modest total of 135 against Hyderabad, Twitterati were all praise for the batsman.

They also insisted that he should lead India in the upcoming ICC Men's cricket World Cup. Meanwhile, India skipper Virat Kohli is on a losing streak with Bangalore facing back-to-back five defeats to be placed at the bottom of the points table.

Even after setting a target of 206, Bangalore failed to defend as Kolkata chased down the target and won the match by five wickets. All these incidents have led Twitter users asking Rohit Sharma to lead the 'Men In Blue' in the World Cup, starting May 30.&nbsp;

In Pics: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/12-years-12-controversies-ipl-has-seen-it-all-208463">12 years, 12 controversies: IPL has seen it all</a>&nbsp;

One user tweeted, "Rohit Sharma knows how to win matches. He should replace Kohli as captain for the #CWC2019 #IPL #mi."

Another user tweeted, "He (Kohli) is a phenomenal batsman no doubt. But cannot balance captaining a team. He needs to get street smart. Rohit Sharma instead is a better captain."

A user questioned, "Is it just me that thinks @ImRo45 should captain team India too !!! #MumbaiIndians #TeamIndia."

One Twitter user requested BCCI and wrote, "@BCCI time to appoint @ImRo45 as a captain for #ICC2019 World Cup."Even former England player also praised the Hitman Rohit Sharma and tweeted "Rohit Sharma is a very very good captain .... #IPL2019."

Mumbai will next host R Ashwin's Punjab on April 10.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out five matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), but the way he managed to defend a modest total of 135 against Hyderabad, Twitterati were all praise for the batsman.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out five matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), but the way he managed to defend a modest total of 135 against Hyderabad, Twitterati were all praise for the batsman. They also insisted that he should lead India in the upcoming ICC Men's cricket World Cup. Meanwhile, India skipper Virat Kohli is on a losing streak with Bangalore facing back-to-back five defeats to be placed at the bottom of the points table. Even after setting a target of 206, Bangalore failed to defend as Kolkata chased down the target and won the match by five wickets. All these incidents have led Twitter users asking Rohit Sharma to lead the 'Men In Blue' in the World Cup, starting May 30. In Pics: 12 years, 12 controversies: IPL has seen it all One user tweeted, "Rohit Sharma knows how to win matches. He should replace Kohli as captain for the #CWC2019 #IPL #mi." Another user tweeted, "He (Kohli) is a phenomenal batsman no doubt. But cannot balance captaining a team. He needs to get street smart. Rohit Sharma instead is a better captain." A user questioned, "Is it just me that thinks @ImRo45 should captain team India too !!! #MumbaiIndians #TeamIndia." One Twitter user requested BCCI and wrote, "@BCCI time to appoint @ImRo45 as a captain for #ICC2019 World Cup."Even former England player also praised the Hitman Rohit Sharma and tweeted "Rohit Sharma is a very very good captain .... #IPL2019." Mumbai will next host R Ashwin's Punjab on April 10.

Twitterati say Rohit Sharma better captain than Virat Kohli, want him to lead India at ICC World Cup

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-spinners-help-chennai-defend-160-against-punjab-reclaim-top-spot-208398">22-run win over Punjab</a> in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.&nbsp;

After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere,&nbsp;the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids.&nbsp;

He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line.&nbsp;

The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!"&nbsp;

Watch the video here:

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Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustThalaThings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustThalaThings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/bIGEgedZYW">pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114542024256962560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> picks wickets and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> picks Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParasakthiExpress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParasakthiExpress</a> and runs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellove</a> 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/3LWXza38ie">pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1114561373336301569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral.&nbsp;

Recently he was&nbsp;talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhoni-interacting-with-ziva-in-six-different-languages-is-cutest-thing-on-internet-today-205407">watch</a>.&nbsp;

In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;

The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

It's not wrong to call Mahendra Singh Dhoni a 7-year-old kid as he joined Imran Tahir and Shane Watson's sons for a playful sprint at the Chepauk stadium after Chennai's 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday. After the match, a video went viral in which Jr Tahir and Jr Watson were getting ready for a sprint challenge assisted by their fathers and from nowhere, the 37-year-old entered the frame and started running with the kids. He later lifted Tahir's son and run back to the finishing line. The video was posted by the franchise's official account with the caption, "Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless!" Watch the video here: Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and Jr. Watto having a sprint face-off and a lightning joins them! Priceless! @msdhoni #JustThalaThings #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/bIGEgedZYW — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × #ParasakthiExpress picks wickets and runs! #Thala picks Jr. #ParasakthiExpress and runs! #OdinenOdinenCuteAagaOdinen #WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/3LWXza38ie — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 6, 2019 × It is well-known that India's two-time World Cup-winning skipper is comfortable around kids and his videos with daughter Ziva Dhoni often go viral. Recently he was talking with daughter Ziva in six different languages, watch. In the match, defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.

Watch: Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons

MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team.&nbsp;

However, maybe for the first time, Dhoni committed an unexpected error on the field in an Indian Premier League match in which Chennai registered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-spinners-help-chennai-defend-160-against-punjab-reclaim-top-spot-208398">a 22-run win over Punjab</a>.&nbsp;

Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-chennai-skipper-ms-dhonis-sprint-competition-with-shane-watson-and-imran-tahirs-sons-208503">Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons</a>&nbsp;

The incident happened when Punjab's batsman KL Rahul made the luckiest escape when MS Dhoni failed to run him out.&nbsp;

In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. &nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

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KXIP's KL Rahul survived a close run out after MS Dhoni's direct hit fails to dislodge the bails from their groo . <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/lionsdenkxip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lionsdenkxip</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/pUj4ZMnkXs">pic.twitter.com/pUj4ZMnkXs</a>
— Rakesh sharma (@rk11official) <a href="https://twitter.com/rk11official/status/1114802470742421504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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MS Dhoni Gets Unlucky With No-Look Throw, KL Rahul Survives –&nbsp;Watch <a href="https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc">https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc</a> <a href="https://t.co/1xBeUnfb9u">pic.twitter.com/1xBeUnfb9u</a>
— Top Trending (@TopTrending18) <a href="https://twitter.com/TopTrending18/status/1114803959204597760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In the match, however, led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab.&nbsp;

Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;

The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team.

MS Dhoni is known for his brilliant accuracy while stumping and he is often termed as one of the best wicketkeepers in the world. It is believed that he will keep the stumps in the upcoming cricket World Cup in England and Wales for India as he remains the trusted and efficient wicketkeeper for the team. However, maybe for the first time, Dhoni committed an unexpected error on the field in an Indian Premier League match in which Chennai registered a 22-run win over Punjab. Also Watch: Chennai skipper MS Dhoni's sprint competition with Shane Watson and Imran Tahir's sons The incident happened when Punjab's batsman KL Rahul made the luckiest escape when MS Dhoni failed to run him out. In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. Watch the video: KXIP's KL Rahul survived a close run out after MS Dhoni's direct hit fails to dislodge the bails from their groo . #dhoni #IPL2019 #VIVOIPL #VIVOIPL2019 @lionsdenkxip @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/pUj4ZMnkXs — Rakesh sharma (@rk11official) April 7, 2019 × MS Dhoni Gets Unlucky With No-Look Throw, KL Rahul Survives – Watch https://t.co/EFRPYTZZQc pic.twitter.com/1xBeUnfb9u — Top Trending (@TopTrending18) April 7, 2019 × In the match, however, led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab. Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from KL Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.

Watch: How MS Dhoni missed KL Rahul's stumping in IPL match

Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, owing to Andre Russell's crucial knock.&nbsp;

With this loss, Bangalore have now suffered defeats in their first five matches of this year's edition of the IPL.

Chasing a mammoth score of 206, Kolkata got off to a flying start as openers Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine scored 17 runs off the first over.&nbsp;

But Bangalore staged a comeback as they dismissed Narine (10) in the second over of the innings.

Robin Uthappa joined Lynn in scoring continuous boundaries in the powerplay overs.&nbsp;Kolkata managed to score 59 runs in the first six overs.

The duo kept the pressure going on Bangalore's bowlers and they did not let any bowler settle.&nbsp;

Both these batsmen stitched together a partnership of 65 runs. Pawan Negi provided Bangalore with the key breakthrough as he dismissed Uthappa (33) in the 10th over of the innings.

Lynn (43) was also sent back to the pavilion by Negi in the 12th over of the innings with Kolkata still requiring 98 more runs for the win.&nbsp;

After Lynn's wicket, Bangalore bowlers were able to maintain a tight grip on the match which enabled the asking rate to go higher for the Kolkata batsmen.

Nitish Rana (37) was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal. The batsman was looking to go big but he just managed to hand a simple catch to the substitute fielder Heinrich Klaasen.

Kolkata lost wickets at regular wickets and they suffered a big blow as they lost their skipper Dinesh Karthik (19) in the 17th over, as he was dismissed by Navdeep Saini.

53 runs were required off the final three overs by Kolkata and their hopes were stacked with the all-rounder Russell.

Russell, however, did not disappoint. His match-winning knock of 43 runs off just 18 balls helped Kolkata gain a thrilling victory by five wickets with five balls to spare.

Earlier, Virat Kohli's and Ab de Villiers' knocks of 84 and 63, respectively, enabled Bangalore post 205 runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted twenty overs.

Bangalore&nbsp;got off to a good start in the first six overs as the openers Kohli and Parthiv Patel hammered the visitors with regular boundaries. The team was able to score 53 runs in the powerplay overs.

The duo stitched together a 64-run partnership before Parthiv (25) was dismissed by Rana.&nbsp;

Parthiv failed to read the ball out of Rana's hands and he was adjudged LBW.

De Villiers, who came out to bat at number three, looked to play with an aggressive mindset from the start. Kohli brought up his fifty in the 11th over.&nbsp;

Both de Villiers and Kohli kept the pressure going on Kolkata's bowlers, hammering them all around the park. The duo added 108 runs which saw ABD bringing up his half-century in the 16th over of the innings.

Kohli was finally dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav in the 17th over while he was searching for quick runs.&nbsp;

With this knock of 84, Kohli surpassed Chennai's batsman Suresh Raina to become the highest run-getter in IPL.

De Villiers (63) also perished in the 19th over of the innings as he was dismissed by Narine.&nbsp;

Marcus Stonis (28*) provided Bangalore with some big blows in the final over, allowing the team to post 205 runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted twenty overs.&nbsp;

Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, owing to Andre Russell's crucial knock.

Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, owing to Andre Russell's crucial knock. With this loss, Bangalore have now suffered defeats in their first five matches of this year's edition of the IPL. Chasing a mammoth score of 206, Kolkata got off to a flying start as openers Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine scored 17 runs off the first over. But Bangalore staged a comeback as they dismissed Narine (10) in the second over of the innings. Robin Uthappa joined Lynn in scoring continuous boundaries in the powerplay overs. Kolkata managed to score 59 runs in the first six overs. The duo kept the pressure going on Bangalore's bowlers and they did not let any bowler settle. Both these batsmen stitched together a partnership of 65 runs. Pawan Negi provided Bangalore with the key breakthrough as he dismissed Uthappa (33) in the 10th over of the innings. Lynn (43) was also sent back to the pavilion by Negi in the 12th over of the innings with Kolkata still requiring 98 more runs for the win. After Lynn's wicket, Bangalore bowlers were able to maintain a tight grip on the match which enabled the asking rate to go higher for the Kolkata batsmen. Nitish Rana (37) was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal. The batsman was looking to go big but he just managed to hand a simple catch to the substitute fielder Heinrich Klaasen. Kolkata lost wickets at regular wickets and they suffered a big blow as they lost their skipper Dinesh Karthik (19) in the 17th over, as he was dismissed by Navdeep Saini. 53 runs were required off the final three overs by Kolkata and their hopes were stacked with the all-rounder Russell. Russell, however, did not disappoint. His match-winning knock of 43 runs off just 18 balls helped Kolkata gain a thrilling victory by five wickets with five balls to spare. Earlier, Virat Kohli's and Ab de Villiers' knocks of 84 and 63, respectively, enabled Bangalore post 205 runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted twenty overs. Bangalore got off to a good start in the first six overs as the openers Kohli and Parthiv Patel hammered the visitors with regular boundaries. The team was able to score 53 runs in the powerplay overs. The duo stitched together a 64-run partnership before Parthiv (25) was dismissed by Rana. Parthiv failed to read the ball out of Rana's hands and he was adjudged LBW. De Villiers, who came out to bat at number three, looked to play with an aggressive mindset from the start. Kohli brought up his fifty in the 11th over. Both de Villiers and Kohli kept the pressure going on Kolkata's bowlers, hammering them all around the park. The duo added 108 runs which saw ABD bringing up his half-century in the 16th over of the innings. Kohli was finally dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav in the 17th over while he was searching for quick runs. With this knock of 84, Kohli surpassed Chennai's batsman Suresh Raina to become the highest run-getter in IPL. De Villiers (63) also perished in the 19th over of the innings as he was dismissed by Narine. Marcus Stonis (28*) provided Bangalore with some big blows in the final over, allowing the team to post 205 runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted twenty overs.

IPL 2019: Andre Russell steers Kolkata to 5-wicket victory over Bangalore

Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> match on Saturday.&nbsp;

Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from K L Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67).&nbsp;

The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz.&nbsp;

Harbhajan was the best bowler for the hosts with the figures of 4-1-17-2. In a brilliant spell, he bowled a maiden and grabbed two wickets, including that of the 'universal boss' Chris Gayle.&nbsp;

Ravindra Jadeja (4-0-24-0) and Imran Tahir (4-0-20-0) also helped team put the brakes on the rival batsmen. They, along with Harbhajan, conceded only 61 runs in 12 overs even as the required run-rate kept mounting.&nbsp;

Kuggeleijn did not start very well, being hit for a six off his very first ball, but did well to finish with 2 for 37 in his 4 overs.&nbsp;

Harbhajan struck a huge blow to rivals by dismissing the Gayle, having him caught behind by MS Dhoni for 5 in the second over. &nbsp;

Two balls later, he had the stylish Mayank Agarwal, caught by Faf du Plessis near the boundary with the batsman going for a big hit. Harbhajan started off with a double wicket maiden to put Punjab on the back foot early. &nbsp;

In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease.&nbsp;

The century partnership for the third wicket between Rahul and Sarfaraz was a productive one but they consumed a lot of balls and stymied the Punjab chase as the Chennai bowlers kept things tight.&nbsp;

Earlier, du Plessis hit a fine half-century up the order while skipper Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu provided the late flourish to help Chennai post a competitive 160 for three.&nbsp;

Du Plessis made 54 off 38 balls with the help of two fours and four hits over the fence and together with Shane Watson (26) added 56 runs for the first wicket after opting to bat.&nbsp;

But it was some late hitting by Dhoni (37 not out) and Rayudu (21 not out) and their unbeaten 60-run fourth wicket partnership in 30 balls helped the defending champions reach a respectable total.&nbsp;

Thanks to Dhoni and Rayudu, Chennai scored 52 runs in the last five overs after a rather quiet middle period.&nbsp;

Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the best bowler for the visitors, picking up three wickets for 23 runs from his four overs. He was on a hat-trick in the 14th over after getting half-centurion Du Plessis and Suresh Raina off successive deliveries.&nbsp;

Watson fell against the run of play, attempting a big shot off Punjab captain Ashwin to be well caught by Sam Curran in the deep.&nbsp;

Raina (17), who came in at No.3, strung together an useful 44-run partnership with Du Plessis, who kept the scoreboard ticking with a mix of attacking shots and judicious running between the wickets. &nbsp;

The partnership was broken when Du Plessis perished while going for a big hit off Ashwin, caught at long-on by David Miller and then a ball later the off-spinner cleaned up Raina as the batsman went for a sweep.

Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.

Led by seasoned Harbhajan Singh, Chennai spinners put on a dominating show to help the side reclaim the top position with a 22-run win over Punjab in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday. Defending 160 for three, Chennai restricted Punjab to 138 for 5 despite half-centuries from K L Rahul (55) and Sarfaraz Khan (67). The visitors scored at a low pace and required to score 26 off the last over, bowled by IPL debutant Scott Kuggeleijn. The Kiwi paceman had no trouble defending those runs and also dismissed Sarfaraz. Harbhajan was the best bowler for the hosts with the figures of 4-1-17-2. In a brilliant spell, he bowled a maiden and grabbed two wickets, including that of the 'universal boss' Chris Gayle. Ravindra Jadeja (4-0-24-0) and Imran Tahir (4-0-20-0) also helped team put the brakes on the rival batsmen. They, along with Harbhajan, conceded only 61 runs in 12 overs even as the required run-rate kept mounting. Kuggeleijn did not start very well, being hit for a six off his very first ball, but did well to finish with 2 for 37 in his 4 overs. Harbhajan struck a huge blow to rivals by dismissing the Gayle, having him caught behind by MS Dhoni for 5 in the second over. Two balls later, he had the stylish Mayank Agarwal, caught by Faf du Plessis near the boundary with the batsman going for a big hit. Harbhajan started off with a double wicket maiden to put Punjab on the back foot early. In the 13th over, Rahul's missed sweep saw Dhoni flick the ball on to the stumps but the bails didn't come off though the LED lights lit up, ensuring the batsman survived despite being short of his crease. The century partnership for the third wicket between Rahul and Sarfaraz was a productive one but they consumed a lot of balls and stymied the Punjab chase as the Chennai bowlers kept things tight. Earlier, du Plessis hit a fine half-century up the order while skipper Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu provided the late flourish to help Chennai post a competitive 160 for three. Du Plessis made 54 off 38 balls with the help of two fours and four hits over the fence and together with Shane Watson (26) added 56 runs for the first wicket after opting to bat. But it was some late hitting by Dhoni (37 not out) and Rayudu (21 not out) and their unbeaten 60-run fourth wicket partnership in 30 balls helped the defending champions reach a respectable total. Thanks to Dhoni and Rayudu, Chennai scored 52 runs in the last five overs after a rather quiet middle period. Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the best bowler for the visitors, picking up three wickets for 23 runs from his four overs. He was on a hat-trick in the 14th over after getting half-centurion Du Plessis and Suresh Raina off successive deliveries. Watson fell against the run of play, attempting a big shot off Punjab captain Ashwin to be well caught by Sam Curran in the deep. Raina (17), who came in at No.3, strung together an useful 44-run partnership with Du Plessis, who kept the scoreboard ticking with a mix of attacking shots and judicious running between the wickets. The partnership was broken when Du Plessis perished while going for a big hit off Ashwin, caught at long-on by David Miller and then a ball later the off-spinner cleaned up Raina as the batsman went for a sweep.

IPL 2019: Spinners help Chennai defend 160 against Punjab; reclaim top spot

England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes says the Bristol bar brawl and the ensuing chain of events, which dogged his career for 15 months, maybe the "best thing that could have happened" to him.

The ugly episode brought about a change in his lifestyle.

Following the incident in September 2017, Stokes was acquitted of affray at Bristol Crown Court in August last year, before the England and Wales Cricket Board's Discipline Commission concluded his 15-month exile after a hearing in December last year.&nbsp;

"It sounds silly but, could Bristol have been the best thing that could have happened to me? Who knows. But maybe in terms of my way of thinking," Stokes said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stokes, who is playing for Rajasthan&nbsp;in this year's IPL, said he was determined to win the upcoming World Cup at home.

"I don't want to be remembered as the guy who had a fight in the street. I want to do things on the field to be remembered for. If we win the World Cup, that becomes the first paragraph... Doesn't it?"

"I was that close to my career ending and being thrown away just like that. Maybe that is it," the New Zealand-born cricketer added.

He missed the 2017-18 Ashes series against Australia after being suspended by the ECB pending the police investigation.

"No matter what happens in life with me now, the Bristol thing will always be there.

"It's something I'll always carry with me. It'll always be there. Always."

He said that his off-field activities had changed since his arrest outside a Bristol nightclub, in the wake of England's victory over West Indies in an ODI.

"I don't go out anymore. I mean, I might go out for dinner, but I don't go out-out (for long night and drinks) anymore in England," he said.

"I used to love going out and celebrating with the lads. But we can do that in the hotel and I don't miss it. I don't feel that urge any more. Once you make the transition to not doing it then you don't miss it," Stokes said.&nbsp;

England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes says the Bristol bar brawl and the ensuing chain of events, which dogged his career for 15 months, maybe the "best thing that could have happened" to him.

England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes says the Bristol bar brawl and the ensuing chain of events, which dogged his career for 15 months, maybe the "best thing that could have happened" to him. The ugly episode brought about a change in his lifestyle. Following the incident in September 2017, Stokes was acquitted of affray at Bristol Crown Court in August last year, before the England and Wales Cricket Board's Discipline Commission concluded his 15-month exile after a hearing in December last year. "It sounds silly but, could Bristol have been the best thing that could have happened to me? Who knows. But maybe in terms of my way of thinking," Stokes said. Stokes, who is playing for Rajasthan in this year's IPL, said he was determined to win the upcoming World Cup at home. "I don't want to be remembered as the guy who had a fight in the street. I want to do things on the field to be remembered for. If we win the World Cup, that becomes the first paragraph... Doesn't it?" "I was that close to my career ending and being thrown away just like that. Maybe that is it," the New Zealand-born cricketer added. He missed the 2017-18 Ashes series against Australia after being suspended by the ECB pending the police investigation. "No matter what happens in life with me now, the Bristol thing will always be there. "It's something I'll always carry with me. It'll always be there. Always." He said that his off-field activities had changed since his arrest outside a Bristol nightclub, in the wake of England's victory over West Indies in an ODI. "I don't go out anymore. I mean, I might go out for dinner, but I don't go out-out (for long night and drinks) anymore in England," he said. "I used to love going out and celebrating with the lads. But we can do that in the hotel and I don't miss it. I don't feel that urge any more. Once you make the transition to not doing it then you don't miss it," Stokes said.

Bristol bar brawl may be the 'best thing' that could have happened to me, says Ben Stokes

Kolkata's Andre Russell smashed an unbeaten 13-ball 48 as Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> match on Friday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.&nbsp;

Russell came out to bat with Kolkata needing 67 off 26 balls. Skipper Dinesh Karthik (19) got out in the next over and in the last three overs, the away side needed 53 runs off 18 balls.&nbsp;

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli even slammed the "unacceptable" effort of his pacers after the hosts suffered their fifth straight loss in the ongoing edition of IPL.&nbsp;

Chasing 206, Kolkata team was able to score 66 runs off the last 24 balls to snatch a sensational win from Bangalore, who are yet to win this season.&nbsp;

After the match, Twitterati came up with several hilarious memes that can be related to Bangalore's current situation.&nbsp;

Here are some Twitter reactions:

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Virat Kohli is waiting for Marcus Stoinis and Tim Southee. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKKR</a> <a href="https://t.co/QUlA0vuc22">pic.twitter.com/QUlA0vuc22</a>
— Kamal Sharma (@kamal25_sharma) <a href="https://twitter.com/kamal25_sharma/status/1114232885928693760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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After losing continuously ........<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Virat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Virat</a> Kohli be like - <a href="https://t.co/9bd1dCR1xU">pic.twitter.com/9bd1dCR1xU</a>
— Ronit Rao (@clownprince1777) <a href="https://twitter.com/clownprince1777/status/1114236104310513664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Virat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kohli</a> after losing 5 consecutive matches 😂😂<a href="https://twitter.com/EliteEvilQueen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliteEvilQueen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKKR</a> <a href="https://t.co/yQgxhRQlxQ">pic.twitter.com/yQgxhRQlxQ</a>
— SIDDHANT (SÎD) (@shivamsngh20) <a href="https://twitter.com/shivamsngh20/status/1114232856086110208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Post match Virat kohli chasing siraj be like this 😡😡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvsKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvsKKR</a> <a href="https://t.co/uIQECIWiSd">pic.twitter.com/uIQECIWiSd</a>
— Karan.Gill (@KaranGill66) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaranGill66/status/1114231303296233474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> Reaction on <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> Bowlers 😆😆😆 <a href="https://t.co/UDzeCuSWcB">pic.twitter.com/UDzeCuSWcB</a>
— F A N (@RAM_Sayss) <a href="https://twitter.com/RAM_Sayss/status/1114232276848484352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Earlier,&nbsp;Virat had said that the team will discuss to get the right balance of the team as there is still time left and now he will experiment with team combinations. &nbsp;

Kolkata's Andre Russell smashed an unbeaten 13-ball 48 as Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in an Indian Premier League match on Friday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Kolkata's Andre Russell smashed an unbeaten 13-ball 48 as Kolkata defeated Bangalore by five wickets in an Indian Premier League match on Friday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Russell came out to bat with Kolkata needing 67 off 26 balls. Skipper Dinesh Karthik (19) got out in the next over and in the last three overs, the away side needed 53 runs off 18 balls. Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli even slammed the "unacceptable" effort of his pacers after the hosts suffered their fifth straight loss in the ongoing edition of IPL. Chasing 206, Kolkata team was able to score 66 runs off the last 24 balls to snatch a sensational win from Bangalore, who are yet to win this season. After the match, Twitterati came up with several hilarious memes that can be related to Bangalore's current situation. Here are some Twitter reactions: Virat Kohli is waiting for Marcus Stoinis and Tim Southee. #RCBvKKR pic.twitter.com/QUlA0vuc22 — Kamal Sharma (@kamal25_sharma) April 5, 2019 × After losing continuously ........#Virat Kohli be like - pic.twitter.com/9bd1dCR1xU — Ronit Rao (@clownprince1777) April 5, 2019 × Virat #kohli after losing 5 consecutive matches 😂😂@EliteEvilQueen #RCBvKKR pic.twitter.com/yQgxhRQlxQ — SIDDHANT (SÎD) (@shivamsngh20) April 5, 2019 × Post match Virat kohli chasing siraj be like this 😡😡#IPL2019 #RCBvsKKR pic.twitter.com/uIQECIWiSd — Karan.Gill (@KaranGill66) April 5, 2019 × @imVkohli Reaction on @RCBTweets Bowlers 😆😆😆 pic.twitter.com/UDzeCuSWcB — F A N (@RAM_Sayss) April 5, 2019 × Earlier, Virat had said that the team will discuss to get the right balance of the team as there is still time left and now he will experiment with team combinations.

IPL 2019: Funny Twitter reactions after Virat Kohli-led Bangalore's defeat to Kolkata

Virat Kohli slammed Bangalore's bowling department for conceding too many runs in the last four overs after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-andre-russell-steers-kolkata-to-5-wicket-victory-over-bangalore-208257">his side's defeat to Kolkata</a> on Friday at Chinnaswamy Stadium.&nbsp;

Chasing 206, Kolkata team was able to score 66 runs off the last 24 balls to snatch a sensational win from Virat's side, who are yet to win this season.&nbsp;

In the post-match presentation, Virat said, "There is no guessing there (about where we lost the game), the last 4 four overs that we bowled was just unacceptable. We needed to be more clever, nothing came off and we just cracked under pressure. That's been our story this season so far."&nbsp;

"If you bowl with not enough bravery in the crucial overs, it's always going to be difficult against power-hitters like Russell," Kohli said.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-funny-twitter-reactions-after-virat-kohli-led-bangalores-defeat-to-kolkata-208255">Funny Twitter reactions after Virat Kohli-led Bangalore's defeat to Kolkata</a>&nbsp;

Talking about his own innings of 84, Kohli said, "I wasn't really happy getting out at that moment, could've got 20-25 more. AB didn't get much strike in the end. I thought the runs were enough on the board, we didn't have enough composure."

He further added, "If you can't defend 75 in the last four overs, then I don't know if you can defend 100. We can have a bit of chat about what went wrong, apart from that nothing much you can say. I don't think talking enough helps all the time.&nbsp;

"You need to give the guys some space and come back stronger in the next game. It's been a disappointing season so far, but we are still optimistic about our chances," added Kohli.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli slammed Bangalore's bowling department for conceding too many runs in the last four overs after his side's defeat to Kolkata on Friday at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Virat Kohli slammed Bangalore's bowling department for conceding too many runs in the last four overs after his side's defeat to Kolkata on Friday at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing 206, Kolkata team was able to score 66 runs off the last 24 balls to snatch a sensational win from Virat's side, who are yet to win this season. In the post-match presentation, Virat said, "There is no guessing there (about where we lost the game), the last 4 four overs that we bowled was just unacceptable. We needed to be more clever, nothing came off and we just cracked under pressure. That's been our story this season so far." "If you bowl with not enough bravery in the crucial overs, it's always going to be difficult against power-hitters like Russell," Kohli said. Also Read: Funny Twitter reactions after Virat Kohli-led Bangalore's defeat to Kolkata Talking about his own innings of 84, Kohli said, "I wasn't really happy getting out at that moment, could've got 20-25 more. AB didn't get much strike in the end. I thought the runs were enough on the board, we didn't have enough composure." He further added, "If you can't defend 75 in the last four overs, then I don't know if you can defend 100. We can have a bit of chat about what went wrong, apart from that nothing much you can say. I don't think talking enough helps all the time. "You need to give the guys some space and come back stronger in the next game. It's been a disappointing season so far, but we are still optimistic about our chances," added Kohli.

IPL 2019: Here's what Virat Kohli has to say after losing to Kolkata

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams.&nbsp;

Hyderabad comfortably <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-hyderabad-beat-delhi-by-five-wickets-to-top-points-table-208025">beat Delhi by five wickets</a> on a track where run-scoring was difficult and suited the visiting team bowlers even more.&nbsp;

In fact, the former Australian captain made it a point to mention that inputs provided by the groundsmen was completely opposite to how the pitch played out.&nbsp;

"I think it is fair to say that the wicket surprised us a lot. Talking to the groundsmen before the match, we thought this would be the best pitch that we had by far but it was the worse. You saw how little it bounced and how slow it was," Ponting told reporters after the match.&nbsp;

Hyderabad's Afghan spin duo of Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan took three wickets amongst them, giving away only 39 runs in their combined eight overs.&nbsp;

"Look, at the end of the day, it is the same pitch for both teams but if you would have asked me, would I have wanted to play Sunrisers on that type of pitch? I mean, there couldn't have been a different wicket where you would have wanted to play Sunrisers on," Ponting smiled as he answered but his anger was palpable.&nbsp;

He then explained that how the slowness of nature took his team's pacers like Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada out of the equation and in turn helped their seamers, Sandeep Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.&nbsp;

"It (Pitch) absolutely suited their game. They have great spinners and all their seamers just bowled slower balls. And on that wicket, when you bowl slower balls it is near impossible to hit," he reasoned.&nbsp;

The coach then said that if the nature of the Kotla track remains same during the remaining four home games, he will have to seriously think about his team combination.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"But if the wicket is going to remain like this, then we have to think about our selection in our team as well. Maybe our bowlers were not suited to that wicket today but it was not what we expected so we are as surprised as anybody else."&nbsp;

However, Ponting put up a brave face after the team's third defeat and expected the talented bunch of players to bounce back.&nbsp;

"It is not the end of the world by any stretch of imagination. We have a good mix of experience with Shikhar and Morris. Even Rishabh (Pant) and Shreyas (Iyer) have played 4-6 editions of IPL, so they are not inexperienced," he said.&nbsp;

Even though he was livid with the track on offer, Ponting admitted that his team has not "played the conditions better" with visiting teams dominating them.&nbsp;

"This is our home ground and we need to play these conditions better than the opposition and two of three games our opposition has played better than us, so we definitely have to improve there. We will leave no stones unturned to make sure we are well prepared for the next game."&nbsp;

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams.

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams. Hyderabad comfortably beat Delhi by five wickets on a track where run-scoring was difficult and suited the visiting team bowlers even more. In fact, the former Australian captain made it a point to mention that inputs provided by the groundsmen was completely opposite to how the pitch played out. "I think it is fair to say that the wicket surprised us a lot. Talking to the groundsmen before the match, we thought this would be the best pitch that we had by far but it was the worse. You saw how little it bounced and how slow it was," Ponting told reporters after the match. Hyderabad's Afghan spin duo of Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan took three wickets amongst them, giving away only 39 runs in their combined eight overs. "Look, at the end of the day, it is the same pitch for both teams but if you would have asked me, would I have wanted to play Sunrisers on that type of pitch? I mean, there couldn't have been a different wicket where you would have wanted to play Sunrisers on," Ponting smiled as he answered but his anger was palpable. He then explained that how the slowness of nature took his team's pacers like Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada out of the equation and in turn helped their seamers, Sandeep Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. "It (Pitch) absolutely suited their game. They have great spinners and all their seamers just bowled slower balls. And on that wicket, when you bowl slower balls it is near impossible to hit," he reasoned. The coach then said that if the nature of the Kotla track remains same during the remaining four home games, he will have to seriously think about his team combination. "But if the wicket is going to remain like this, then we have to think about our selection in our team as well. Maybe our bowlers were not suited to that wicket today but it was not what we expected so we are as surprised as anybody else." However, Ponting put up a brave face after the team's third defeat and expected the talented bunch of players to bounce back. "It is not the end of the world by any stretch of imagination. We have a good mix of experience with Shikhar and Morris. Even Rishabh (Pant) and Shreyas (Iyer) have played 4-6 editions of IPL, so they are not inexperienced," he said. Even though he was livid with the track on offer, Ponting admitted that his team has not "played the conditions better" with visiting teams dominating them. "This is our home ground and we need to play these conditions better than the opposition and two of three games our opposition has played better than us, so we definitely have to improve there. We will leave no stones unturned to make sure we are well prepared for the next game."

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting blasts Feroz Shah Kotla track

IPL 2019: Match preview Chennai vs Punjab and Hyderabad vs Mumbai

India captain Virat Kohli does not want performance at the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> to determine team composition for this year's World Cup but selectors have little choice after a series of candidates failed to nail down the number four slot.

Twice 50-over champions India have an otherwise settled batting line-up with a formidable top order consisting of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli himself.

The selectors, however, continue to fret over who should walk out to bat after the fall of the second wicket during the May 30-July 14 showpiece tournament in England and Wales.

Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu have all been trialled for the number four spot and found wanting.

With the ongoing IPL the only form of cricket left before Kohli's team embarks on their World Cup campaign, the selectors maybe forced to consider the form of the players in the T20 tournament before picking the squad ahead of the April 23 deadline.

"They have maintained that they won't look at IPL but it's going to be very hard," former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar told Reuters in a recent interview.

"There are some borderline cases, like if they are looking at Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu and Vijay Shankar or a Manish Pandey or an Ajinkya Rahane. So all these people are there and thereabout."

"And if somebody has a great IPL season, it will be hard to ignore him, but they (selectors) should not actually get too carried away with what happens in the IPL."

Rayudu, 33, emerged as the most likely choice to fill the void but scores of 13, 18 and two in the first three matches of the recent home series against world champions Australia hurt his cause.

Pressure is only mounting on the selectors with Rayudu, who plays for IPL champions Chennai, scoring 28, five, one and zero in the first four matches of the tournament.

Manjrekar felt India were back to square one with no more ODIs scheduled before the World Cup in England and Wales, where the team will be looking to add to their 1983 and 2011 triumphs.

India's limited-overs vice-captain, Rohit, believes inputs from Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri should determine the selection of the final 15.

"With their inputs, the selectors will keep an eye on what is happening with those guys during the IPL," Rohit, who leads the Mumbai&nbsp;side in the IPL, told reporters at the launch of cricket.com website on Thursday.

"Although I feel IPL shouldn't be the criterion for team selection. We have played enough international matches to see where each individual stands.

"You can't select a 50-overs format team based on a 20-overs franchise competition. IPL is a different ball game, it's franchise cricket.

"Yes form matters a lot. But in this last four years we have played enough ODI matches, we have played enough T20 Internationals. So that should be enough to understand that these are the players we want."

India captain Virat Kohli does not want performance at the ongoing Indian Premier League to determine team composition for this year's World Cup but selectors have little choice after a series of candidates failed to nail down the number four slot.

India captain Virat Kohli does not want performance at the ongoing Indian Premier League to determine team composition for this year's World Cup but selectors have little choice after a series of candidates failed to nail down the number four slot. Twice 50-over champions India have an otherwise settled batting line-up with a formidable top order consisting of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli himself. The selectors, however, continue to fret over who should walk out to bat after the fall of the second wicket during the May 30-July 14 showpiece tournament in England and Wales. Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu have all been trialled for the number four spot and found wanting. With the ongoing IPL the only form of cricket left before Kohli's team embarks on their World Cup campaign, the selectors maybe forced to consider the form of the players in the T20 tournament before picking the squad ahead of the April 23 deadline. "They have maintained that they won't look at IPL but it's going to be very hard," former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar told Reuters in a recent interview. "There are some borderline cases, like if they are looking at Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu and Vijay Shankar or a Manish Pandey or an Ajinkya Rahane. So all these people are there and thereabout." "And if somebody has a great IPL season, it will be hard to ignore him, but they (selectors) should not actually get too carried away with what happens in the IPL." Rayudu, 33, emerged as the most likely choice to fill the void but scores of 13, 18 and two in the first three matches of the recent home series against world champions Australia hurt his cause. Pressure is only mounting on the selectors with Rayudu, who plays for IPL champions Chennai, scoring 28, five, one and zero in the first four matches of the tournament. Manjrekar felt India were back to square one with no more ODIs scheduled before the World Cup in England and Wales, where the team will be looking to add to their 1983 and 2011 triumphs. India's limited-overs vice-captain, Rohit, believes inputs from Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri should determine the selection of the final 15. "With their inputs, the selectors will keep an eye on what is happening with those guys during the IPL," Rohit, who leads the Mumbai side in the IPL, told reporters at the launch of cricket.com website on Thursday. "Although I feel IPL shouldn't be the criterion for team selection. We have played enough international matches to see where each individual stands. "You can't select a 50-overs format team based on a 20-overs franchise competition. IPL is a different ball game, it's franchise cricket. "Yes form matters a lot. But in this last four years we have played enough ODI matches, we have played enough T20 Internationals. So that should be enough to understand that these are the players we want."

IPL not ideal yardstick, but little choice for India selectors

Hardik Pandya was characteristically quirky as well as breathtaking and the highlight was the helicopter shot in front of its synonym, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as Mumbai humbled Chennai by 37 runs in the IPL on Wednesday.

Invited to bat on a track that offered good bounce, Mumbai creamed 29 runs in final over with Hardik doing the bulk of scoring, his eight-ball 25-run blitzkrieg bringing the high-flying visitors to earth.

Struggling at 50 for three at one point, Mumbai raked in 45 runs in the last two overs to post 170 for five and then halted their rivals at 133 for eight to post their second win in four games. This was Chennai's maiden defeat and they remained on top of the table with six points.

Mumbai were indebted to a fine knock of 59 in 43 balls by Suryakumar Yadav, who hit eight fours and a six while putting on a half-century stand with Krunal Pandya (42 in 32 balls).

Towards the end, Hardik and Kieron Pollard (17 in 7 balls) struck big to remain unbeaten and boosted the total, with the former striking three sixes and one four and the latter hitting twice over the ropes.

The title holders made a poor start in the run chase by losing their top three batsmen Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina within the power play period, with just 33 on the board.

Watson and Raina were both caught square off the wicket by big West Indian Kieron Pollard, the bowlers to benefit being Lasith Malinga and Jason Behrendorff.

Raina was caught off a full-blooded slash by Pollard who took a spectacular one-handed leaping catch just inside the boundary line to send back the free-stroking left-hander for 16 in 15 balls.

Kedar Jadhav, who looked good in making 58 in 54 balls, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12), repaired the damage with a stand of 54.

Hardik struck big by having Dhoni caught at square leg and then sent back Ravindra Jadeja, too, in the same over to reduce Chennai to 89 for five in the 15th over.

The dismissals of Jadhav, who struck 8 fours and a six, and Dwayne Bravo in quick succession ended the slim hopes of the visitors.

For MI, Malinga and Hardik bagged three wickets apiece while Behrendorff secured two.

Earlier, Mumbai had a slow start and also lost the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the third over with only eight runs on the board.

The arrival of Yadav to the crease increased the run rate as he played handsome drives in front of the wicket on both sides off Deepak Chahar, who he hit for three fours in one over, and Shardul Thakur, who gave away three boundaries in his second over.

Thanks to the stroke-filled start by Yadav, Mumbai ended with 40 on the board at the end of power play, but then lost skipper Rohit Sharma off the first ball of the 8th over, caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja for 13.

Yuvraj Singh, too, flopped, caught just inside the boundary line to leave MI at 50 for three in the 9th over before Yadav and Krunal revived the sagging innings with their half-century stand.&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya was characteristically quirky as well as breathtaking and the highlight was the helicopter shot in front of its synonym, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as Mumbai humbled Chennai by 37 runs in the IPL on Wednesday.

Hardik Pandya was characteristically quirky as well as breathtaking and the highlight was the helicopter shot in front of its synonym, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, as Mumbai humbled Chennai by 37 runs in the IPL on Wednesday. Invited to bat on a track that offered good bounce, Mumbai creamed 29 runs in final over with Hardik doing the bulk of scoring, his eight-ball 25-run blitzkrieg bringing the high-flying visitors to earth. Struggling at 50 for three at one point, Mumbai raked in 45 runs in the last two overs to post 170 for five and then halted their rivals at 133 for eight to post their second win in four games. This was Chennai's maiden defeat and they remained on top of the table with six points. Mumbai were indebted to a fine knock of 59 in 43 balls by Suryakumar Yadav, who hit eight fours and a six while putting on a half-century stand with Krunal Pandya (42 in 32 balls). Towards the end, Hardik and Kieron Pollard (17 in 7 balls) struck big to remain unbeaten and boosted the total, with the former striking three sixes and one four and the latter hitting twice over the ropes. The title holders made a poor start in the run chase by losing their top three batsmen Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina within the power play period, with just 33 on the board. Watson and Raina were both caught square off the wicket by big West Indian Kieron Pollard, the bowlers to benefit being Lasith Malinga and Jason Behrendorff. Raina was caught off a full-blooded slash by Pollard who took a spectacular one-handed leaping catch just inside the boundary line to send back the free-stroking left-hander for 16 in 15 balls. Kedar Jadhav, who looked good in making 58 in 54 balls, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12), repaired the damage with a stand of 54. Hardik struck big by having Dhoni caught at square leg and then sent back Ravindra Jadeja, too, in the same over to reduce Chennai to 89 for five in the 15th over. The dismissals of Jadhav, who struck 8 fours and a six, and Dwayne Bravo in quick succession ended the slim hopes of the visitors. For MI, Malinga and Hardik bagged three wickets apiece while Behrendorff secured two. Earlier, Mumbai had a slow start and also lost the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the third over with only eight runs on the board. The arrival of Yadav to the crease increased the run rate as he played handsome drives in front of the wicket on both sides off Deepak Chahar, who he hit for three fours in one over, and Shardul Thakur, who gave away three boundaries in his second over. Thanks to the stroke-filled start by Yadav, Mumbai ended with 40 on the board at the end of power play, but then lost skipper Rohit Sharma off the first ball of the 8th over, caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja for 13. Yuvraj Singh, too, flopped, caught just inside the boundary line to leave MI at 50 for three in the 9th over before Yadav and Krunal revived the sagging innings with their half-century stand.

IPL 2019: Showman Hardik stars as Mumbai defeat Chennai by 37 runs

IPL 2019: In pursuit of first win, Virat Kohli-led Bangalore set to take on Kolkata