Kolkata collapsed for just 108 runs while chasing a mammoth target of 211 set by Mumbai on Thursday.&nbsp;

A couple of run-outs and a few poor shots&nbsp;got Kolkata into deep trouble.

Chris Lynn and Nitish Rana became the top scorers by contributing 21 runs each.

The rest of the team gave away their wickets after playing a few poor shots.&nbsp;

For Mumbai, Pandya brothers clinched four wickets together with each bowler taking two wickets.&nbsp;

Ishan Kishan played an unbelievable knock fo 21 ball 62 runs to help his team set a mammoth target in order to keep their play-off hopes alive.&nbsp;

His innings included five boundaries and six sixes.

Openers Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis gave their team a decent start with the two establishing a partnership of 46 runs before Lewis gave away his wicket to Piyush Chawla.

Chawal struck again from his team to dismiss Yadav at 36 runs.&nbsp;

Skipper Rohit Sharma also contributed 36 runs off 31 balls before giving away his wicket to Prasidh Krishna.

For Kolkata, Piyush Chawl took three crucial wickets in his four overs bowled.&nbsp;

Earlier, Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik on Wednesday won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai.

In their previous encounter, Mumbai won the last game by 13 runs.

Mumbai were on the verge of falling by the wayside after a series of defeat before they managed to pull through in the previous two games.

"We would have bowled first as well. But we are batting now, the last time we played against these guys in Mumbai we posted a decent total. Nothing changes for us and we'll try to do the same against them tonight," Rohit said.

"I think we are playing with the same squad as it's important to back the guys. We have been playing some good cricket of late and hope to come up with a good performance again," he added.

Against Punjab, it was a Rohit and Krunal Pandya blitz that kept them alive in the play-off competition. A challenging 181/4 coupled with well-directed short balls during Kolkata's chase helped Mumbai stay afloat.&nbsp;

Kolkata, on the other hand, were not at full strength against Mumbai in their away game, with young pacer Shivam Mavi's injured finger joining the team's long list of injuries this season.&nbsp;

Talking about their strategy for today, Karthik said, "We are gonna bowl first. It's a good wicket to bat on. Will remain the same. We thought we'll make use of it second time."

"That was a team of the past (about the record against MI). We are starting fresh and we have new set of boys. We are two good teams and we expect a good match. We have two changes, Shubman Gill is injured and Rinku Singh comes in. Tom Curran is in for Mitchell Johnson," he added.

Teams:

Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Mumbai (Playing XI): Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma(c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ishan Kishan(w), Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah 
&nbsp;

A couple of run-outs and a few poor shots got Kolkata into deep trouble

Kolkata collapsed for just 108 runs while chasing a mammoth target of 211 set by Mumbai on Thursday. A couple of run-outs and a few poor shots got Kolkata into deep trouble. Chris Lynn and Nitish Rana became the top scorers by contributing 21 runs each. The rest of the team gave away their wickets after playing a few poor shots. For Mumbai, Pandya brothers clinched four wickets together with each bowler taking two wickets. Ishan Kishan played an unbelievable knock fo 21 ball 62 runs to help his team set a mammoth target in order to keep their play-off hopes alive. His innings included five boundaries and six sixes. Openers Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis gave their team a decent start with the two establishing a partnership of 46 runs before Lewis gave away his wicket to Piyush Chawla. Chawal struck again from his team to dismiss Yadav at 36 runs. Skipper Rohit Sharma also contributed 36 runs off 31 balls before giving away his wicket to Prasidh Krishna. For Kolkata, Piyush Chawl took three crucial wickets in his four overs bowled. Earlier, Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik on Wednesday won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai. In their previous encounter, Mumbai won the last game by 13 runs. Mumbai were on the verge of falling by the wayside after a series of defeat before they managed to pull through in the previous two games. "We would have bowled first as well. But we are batting now, the last time we played against these guys in Mumbai we posted a decent total. Nothing changes for us and we'll try to do the same against them tonight," Rohit said. "I think we are playing with the same squad as it's important to back the guys. We have been playing some good cricket of late and hope to come up with a good performance again," he added. Against Punjab, it was a Rohit and Krunal Pandya blitz that kept them alive in the play-off competition. A challenging 181/4 coupled with well-directed short balls during Kolkata's chase helped Mumbai stay afloat. Kolkata, on the other hand, were not at full strength against Mumbai in their away game, with young pacer Shivam Mavi's injured finger joining the team's long list of injuries this season. Talking about their strategy for today, Karthik said, "We are gonna bowl first. It's a good wicket to bat on. Will remain the same. We thought we'll make use of it second time." "That was a team of the past (about the record against MI). We are starting fresh and we have new set of boys. We are two good teams and we expect a good match. We have two changes, Shubman Gill is injured and Rinku Singh comes in. Tom Curran is in for Mitchell Johnson," he added. Teams: Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav Mumbai (Playing XI): Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma(c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ishan Kishan(w), Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah

IPL 2018: Mumbai bowl out Kolkata for 108, win by 102 runs

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata co-owner Shah Rukh Khan apologised to fans after his team suffered a humiliating 102-run defeat at the hands of Mumbai at Eden Gardens, on Wednesday.&nbsp;

SRK with actress Juhi Chawla had come to Eden Gardens to watch Kolkata's game, yesterday.

Just after their team lost, SRK took to Twitter and wrote an apologetic message to all Kolkata fans.&nbsp;

"Sports is about the spirit and wins/losses don't reflect that. But tonight as the 'Boss' I need to apologise to the fans for the lack of spirit," he wrote.

The win took Rohit Sharma's team to level on points with Kolkata (10 points from 11 games) and fourth in the points table, courtesy to a better net run rate.

Kolkata lost to the same opponents twice in the space of three days, and were dropped to the fifth spot in the league table.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan scored a whirlwind 21-ball 62 to help Mumbai set a mammoth target of 211 runs.

The Dinesh Karthik-led side will next face Punjab on Saturday.&nbsp;

SRK with actress Juhi Chawla had come to Eden Gardens to watch Kolkata's game

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata co-owner Shah Rukh Khan apologised to fans after his team suffered a humiliating 102-run defeat at the hands of Mumbai at Eden Gardens, on Wednesday. SRK with actress Juhi Chawla had come to Eden Gardens to watch Kolkata's game, yesterday. Just after their team lost, SRK took to Twitter and wrote an apologetic message to all Kolkata fans. "Sports is about the spirit and wins/losses don't reflect that. But tonight as the 'Boss' I need to apologise to the fans for the lack of spirit," he wrote. The win took Rohit Sharma's team to level on points with Kolkata (10 points from 11 games) and fourth in the points table, courtesy to a better net run rate. Kolkata lost to the same opponents twice in the space of three days, and were dropped to the fifth spot in the league table. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan scored a whirlwind 21-ball 62 to help Mumbai set a mammoth target of 211 runs. The Dinesh Karthik-led side will next face Punjab on Saturday.

IPL 2018: SRK apologises for Kolkata's 'lack of spirit' against Mumbai

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known for his low profile and reserved nature, does not like to reveal much about himself in public.&nbsp;

However, the Chennai skipper revealed one of his most personal secrets in public.

During a promotional event, he revealed the name of his first ever crush.&nbsp;

Dhoni, who is enjoying his game in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), was first asked to reveal the number of alphabets in his crush's name.&nbsp;

Later the performer, who was doing mind and mental tricks and started to guess the name of Dhoni's first crush.&nbsp;

He asked Dhoni some questions about the name and then guessed the name- Swati.

The wicketkeeper-batsman after some reluctance admitted that the name was right.&nbsp;

The former Indian skipper also jokingly asked everybody not to reveal the same to his wife Sakshi Dhoni.

He also revealed that he last saw Swati back when he was studying in the 12th standard in 1999.

The event was also attended by other Chennai players like Shane Watson, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja. 
&nbsp;

He revealed the name during a promotional event

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known for his low profile and reserved nature, does not like to reveal much about himself in public. However, the Chennai skipper revealed one of his most personal secrets in public. During a promotional event, he revealed the name of his first ever crush. Dhoni, who is enjoying his game in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), was first asked to reveal the number of alphabets in his crush's name. Later the performer, who was doing mind and mental tricks and started to guess the name of Dhoni's first crush. He asked Dhoni some questions about the name and then guessed the name- Swati. The wicketkeeper-batsman after some reluctance admitted that the name was right. The former Indian skipper also jokingly asked everybody not to reveal the same to his wife Sakshi Dhoni. He also revealed that he last saw Swati back when he was studying in the 12th standard in 1999. The event was also attended by other Chennai players like Shane Watson, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja.

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni reveals name of his crush, asks 'not to tell his wife'

Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik on Wednesday won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai.

In their previous encounter, Mumbai won the last game by 13 runs.

Mumbai were on the verge of falling by the wayside after a series of defeat before they managed to pull through in the previous two games.

"We would have bowled first as well. But we are batting now, the last time we played against these guys in Mumbai we posted a decent total. Nothing changes for us and we'll try to do the same against them tonight," Rohit said.

"I think we are playing with the same squad as it's important to back the guys. We have been playing some good cricket of late and hope to come up with a good performance again," he added.

Against Punjab, it was a Rohit and Krunal Pandya blitz that kept them alive in the play-off competition. A challenging 181/4 coupled with well-directed short balls during Kolkata's chase helped Mumbai stay afloat.&nbsp;

Kolkata, on the other hand, were not at full strength against Mumbai in their away game, with young pacer Shivam Mavi's injured finger joining the team's long list of injuries this season.&nbsp;

Talking about their strategy for today,&nbsp;Karthik&nbsp;said, "We are gonna bowl first. It's a good wicket to bat on. Will remain the same. We thought we'll make use of it second time."

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"That was a team of the past (about the record against MI). We are starting fresh and we have new set of boys. We are two good teams and we expect a good match. We have two changes, Shubman Gill is injured and Rinku Singh comes in. Tom Curran is in for Mitchell Johnson," he added.

Teams:

Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Mumbai (Playing XI): Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma(c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ishan Kishan(w), Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah

In their previous encounter, Mumbai won the last game by 13 runs.

Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik on Wednesday won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai. In their previous encounter, Mumbai won the last game by 13 runs. Mumbai were on the verge of falling by the wayside after a series of defeat before they managed to pull through in the previous two games. "We would have bowled first as well. But we are batting now, the last time we played against these guys in Mumbai we posted a decent total. Nothing changes for us and we'll try to do the same against them tonight," Rohit said. "I think we are playing with the same squad as it's important to back the guys. We have been playing some good cricket of late and hope to come up with a good performance again," he added. Against Punjab, it was a Rohit and Krunal Pandya blitz that kept them alive in the play-off competition. A challenging 181/4 coupled with well-directed short balls during Kolkata's chase helped Mumbai stay afloat. Kolkata, on the other hand, were not at full strength against Mumbai in their away game, with young pacer Shivam Mavi's injured finger joining the team's long list of injuries this season. Talking about their strategy for today, Karthik said, "We are gonna bowl first. It's a good wicket to bat on. Will remain the same. We thought we'll make use of it second time." × "That was a team of the past (about the record against MI). We are starting fresh and we have new set of boys. We are two good teams and we expect a good match. We have two changes, Shubman Gill is injured and Rinku Singh comes in. Tom Curran is in for Mitchell Johnson," he added. Teams: Kolkata (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav Mumbai (Playing XI): Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma(c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Jean-Paul Duminy, Ishan Kishan(w), Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah

IPL 2018: Kolkata win toss, opt to field against Mumbai

Timings of Indian Premier League's playoffs and final game have changed to 7&nbsp;PM for the convenience of spectators at the games. According to some media reports, Rajeev Shukla, the chairman of the Indian Premier League, has confirmed that the playoffs will begin at 7 PM instead of 8 PM.

The fans were facing the issues of reaching home late and thanks to the slow over rates, few of the matches have gone on to end at around 12 midnight.

"The IPL is what it is because of its fans and the tournament has over the years been followed avidly both on the ground and on television at homes. So, keeping the interest of the fans in mind, it was decided that the play-off games and the final will start an hour earlier. So, instead of the 8 pm start, the games will start at 7 pm," said IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla.

The first qualifier will be played on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium and the other qualifier (on May 25) and eliminator (on May 23) have been shifted from Pune to Kolkata.

The final game of IPL 2018 will be played on May 27 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

Timings of Indian Premier League's playoffs and final game have changed to 7 PM for the convenience of spectators

Timings of Indian Premier League's playoffs and final game have changed to 7 PM for the convenience of spectators at the games. According to some media reports, Rajeev Shukla, the chairman of the Indian Premier League, has confirmed that the playoffs will begin at 7 PM instead of 8 PM. The fans were facing the issues of reaching home late and thanks to the slow over rates, few of the matches have gone on to end at around 12 midnight. "The IPL is what it is because of its fans and the tournament has over the years been followed avidly both on the ground and on television at homes. So, keeping the interest of the fans in mind, it was decided that the play-off games and the final will start an hour earlier. So, instead of the 8 pm start, the games will start at 7 pm," said IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla. The first qualifier will be played on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium and the other qualifier (on May 25) and eliminator (on May 23) have been shifted from Pune to Kolkata. The final game of IPL 2018 will be played on May 27 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

IPL 2018: Play-off, final game timings changed for spectators' convenience

England fast bowler Mark Wood has returned home from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for Durham in a bid to keep his place in the test side, the 28-year-old has said.

Wood played for the Chennai Super Kings in their opening win against champions Mumbai Indians but was not picked in their next nine matches.

"The decision has been made for me to return home to England to prepare for the English summer," Wood wrote in an Instagram post.

"Having worked so hard to get back in the test team, and because I`m not currently in the CSK side, I am coming home to play for Durham to hopefully put my name in the hat for test match selection."

Wood has played 11 tests for England, the last against New Zealand at Christchurch from March 30-April 3, and has taken 28 wickets.

He will be available for Durham`s County Championship match against Derbyshire this week and will hope to make the England squad for the two-test series against Pakistan starting later this month.

"It`s a massive boost to have Mark available for Friday. On the occasions we`ve had him available to play for us over the last few years, he`s made some great contributions," Durham head coach Jon Lewis said in a statement.

"He comes back to us with a big point to prove and is eager to nail down his spot in the England test side.&nbsp;

"The IPL didn`t give him the playing opportunities he would have liked but he has still learnt from great players and this is a move which suits all parties."

Wood has played 11 tests for England, the last against New Zealand at Christchurch from March 30-April 3, and has taken 28 wickets

England fast bowler Mark Wood has returned home from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) to play for Durham in a bid to keep his place in the test side, the 28-year-old has said. Wood played for the Chennai Super Kings in their opening win against champions Mumbai Indians but was not picked in their next nine matches. "The decision has been made for me to return home to England to prepare for the English summer," Wood wrote in an Instagram post. "Having worked so hard to get back in the test team, and because I`m not currently in the CSK side, I am coming home to play for Durham to hopefully put my name in the hat for test match selection." Wood has played 11 tests for England, the last against New Zealand at Christchurch from March 30-April 3, and has taken 28 wickets. He will be available for Durham`s County Championship match against Derbyshire this week and will hope to make the England squad for the two-test series against Pakistan starting later this month. "It`s a massive boost to have Mark available for Friday. On the occasions we`ve had him available to play for us over the last few years, he`s made some great contributions," Durham head coach Jon Lewis said in a statement. "He comes back to us with a big point to prove and is eager to nail down his spot in the England test side. "The IPL didn`t give him the playing opportunities he would have liked but he has still learnt from great players and this is a move which suits all parties."

England's Mark Wood ends IPL stint

KL Rahul played a spectacular knock to lift Punjab from the early losses while chasing a target of mere 158 set by Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday.

Rahul smashed eleven boundaries and two sixes to reach an unbeaten 95 runs.&nbsp

But the efforts went in vain as Punjab fell 15 runs short to defeat Rajasthan and ended their innings at 143 after 20 overs.

Apart from Rahul no other player contributed.&nbsp

Run machine Chris Gayle was also sent back to the pavilion after making just one run.&nbsp

&nbspKarun Nair and Akshdeep Nath also departed after making 3 and 9 respectively.&nbsp

For Rajasthan, Krishnappa Gowtham took two wickets in three overs bowled and gave just 13 runs to lift his team to victory.

Earlier, Punjab's Andrew Tye 4 wickets for 34 runs came with a clinical bowling show to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 158 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

Bottom-placed Rajasthan struggled to cross the 100-run mark but thanks to a blistering 58-ball 82 by opener Jos Buttler that propelled the hosts to a moderate total.

Opting to bat, Rajasthan were off to a quick start, accumulating 35 runs in the first three overs.

Tye drew the first blood for Punjab as his knuckle-ball played the trick to dismiss opener Ajinkya Rahane for nine in the fourth over.

Buttler however, continued to fully utilise the powerplay to take his side past the 50-run mark in five overs.

In-form Sanju Samson made 22 runs before he joined Butler to forge a 53-run partnership for the third wicket.

Samson departed in the 15th over off a Mujeeb ur Rahman delivery with the Rajasthan scorecard reading 117.

Of the last four wickets, Tye was involved in dismissing three of the Rajasthan batters.

Other than Tye, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb bagged a couple of wickets conceding 21 runs in four overs while Stoinis chipped in with one wicket. 
&nbsp

Rahul smashed eleven boundaries and two sixes to reach an unbeaten 95 runs.

KL Rahul played a spectacular knock to lift Punjab from the early losses while chasing a target of mere 158 set by Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday. Rahul smashed eleven boundaries and two sixes to reach an unbeaten 95 runs. But the efforts went in vain as Punjab fell 15 runs short to defeat Rajasthan and ended their innings at 143 after 20 overs. Apart from Rahul no other player contributed. Run machine Chris Gayle was also sent back to the pavilion after making just one run. &nbspKarun Nair and Akshdeep Nath also departed after making 3 and 9 respectively. For Rajasthan, Krishnappa Gowtham took two wickets in three overs bowled and gave just 13 runs to lift his team to victory. Earlier, Punjab's Andrew Tye 4 wickets for 34 runs came with a clinical bowling show to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 158 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Bottom-placed Rajasthan struggled to cross the 100-run mark but thanks to a blistering 58-ball 82 by opener Jos Buttler that propelled the hosts to a moderate total. Opting to bat, Rajasthan were off to a quick start, accumulating 35 runs in the first three overs. Tye drew the first blood for Punjab as his knuckle-ball played the trick to dismiss opener Ajinkya Rahane for nine in the fourth over. Buttler however, continued to fully utilise the powerplay to take his side past the 50-run mark in five overs. In-form Sanju Samson made 22 runs before he joined Butler to forge a 53-run partnership for the third wicket. Samson departed in the 15th over off a Mujeeb ur Rahman delivery with the Rajasthan scorecard reading 117. Of the last four wickets, Tye was involved in dismissing three of the Rajasthan batters. Other than Tye, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb bagged a couple of wickets conceding 21 runs in four overs while Stoinis chipped in with one wicket.

IPL 2018: KL Rahul's 95* goes in vain as Rajasthan beat Punjab by 15 runs

South African batting great and Royal Challengers player AB de Villiers praised India and&nbspBangalore skipper Virat Kohli. The cricket&nbsplegend called him a "great guy and a great captain".

When asked about his equation with Kohli, De Villiers replied: "Fantastic. He's (Virat) a great guy and I love playing with him. He's become a great captain and an even better friend. So it's been great. He's always been an inspirational character and we have a few leaders in the team that carry the guys in the tough time. We just want to look ahead and try to get better."&nbsp

"No I am batting very well. I am very very happy. Rashid got me out previously. We haven't played a lot against each other but he bowled well and he's a very good bowler. I have a lot of respect for him," added De Villiers.

He admitted that Bangalore, who are on the sixth spot, haven't played well and need to focus on the next games.

"No we haven't played well. It's been very disappointing but four games are left and I would love to not live in the past much and focus on what's coming that is Delhi (against Delhi Daredevils), so we need to win that game and hopefully have a bit of our run by the end of the season," De Villiers signed off.&nbsp

De Villiers praised Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli and termed him a great guy and a great captain

South African batting great and Royal Challengers player AB de Villiers praised India and&nbspBangalore skipper Virat Kohli. The cricket&nbsplegend called him a "great guy and a great captain". When asked about his equation with Kohli, De Villiers replied: "Fantastic. He's (Virat) a great guy and I love playing with him. He's become a great captain and an even better friend. So it's been great. He's always been an inspirational character and we have a few leaders in the team that carry the guys in the tough time. We just want to look ahead and try to get better." "No I am batting very well. I am very very happy. Rashid got me out previously. We haven't played a lot against each other but he bowled well and he's a very good bowler. I have a lot of respect for him," added De Villiers. He admitted that Bangalore, who are on the sixth spot, haven't played well and need to focus on the next games. "No we haven't played well. It's been very disappointing but four games are left and I would love to not live in the past much and focus on what's coming that is Delhi (against Delhi Daredevils), so we need to win that game and hopefully have a bit of our run by the end of the season," De Villiers signed off.

Bangalore haven't played well, need to focus on next games: De Villiers

Punjab's Andrew Tye four wickets for 34 runs came with a clinical bowling show to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 158 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday.

Bottom-placed Rajasthan struggled to cross the 100-run mark but thanks to a blistering 58-ball 82 by opener Jos Buttler that propelled the hosts to a moderate total.

Opting to bat, Rajasthan were off to a quick start, accumulating 35 runs in the first three overs.

Tye drew the first blood for Punjab as his knuckle-ball played the trick to dismiss opener Ajinkya Rahane for nine in the fourth over.

Buttler however, continued to fully utilise the powerplay to take his side past the 50-run mark in five overs.

In-form Sanju Samson made 22 runs before he joined Butler to forge a 53-run partnership for the third wicket.

Samson departed in the 15th over off a Mujeeb ur Rahman delivery with the Rajasthan scorecard reading 117.

Of the last four wickets, Tye was involved in dismissing three of the Rajasthan batters.

Other than Tye, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb bagged a couple of wickets conceding 21 runs in four overs while Stoinis chipped in with one wicket.

Opting to bat, Rajasthan were off to a quick start, accumulating 35 runs in the first three overs.

Punjab's Andrew Tye four wickets for 34 runs came with a clinical bowling show to restrict Rajasthan Royals to 158 in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday. Bottom-placed Rajasthan struggled to cross the 100-run mark but thanks to a blistering 58-ball 82 by opener Jos Buttler that propelled the hosts to a moderate total. Opting to bat, Rajasthan were off to a quick start, accumulating 35 runs in the first three overs. Tye drew the first blood for Punjab as his knuckle-ball played the trick to dismiss opener Ajinkya Rahane for nine in the fourth over. Buttler however, continued to fully utilise the powerplay to take his side past the 50-run mark in five overs. In-form Sanju Samson made 22 runs before he joined Butler to forge a 53-run partnership for the third wicket. Samson departed in the 15th over off a Mujeeb ur Rahman delivery with the Rajasthan scorecard reading 117. Of the last four wickets, Tye was involved in dismissing three of the Rajasthan batters. Other than Tye, Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb bagged a couple of wickets conceding 21 runs in four overs while Stoinis chipped in with one wicket.

IPL 2018: Andrew Tye's four-wicket haul restricts Rajasthan to 158

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Tuesday against Punjab.

After winning the toss, Ajinkya praised his bowling side and said that it will be interesting to put runs on the board and then defend it.

He mentioned about the changes he has made for the game as there are three major replacements, Mahipal Lomror, Stuart Binny and Ish Sodhi have been included in the playing XI.

Punjab's skipper highlighted the wicket condition and said that there won't be a lot of bounce on the pitch and also the chase is not going to be easy.&nbsp

There are two changes for Punjab team, Akshdeep Nath and Mohit Sharma have included in the place of Mayank Agarwal and Ankit Rajpoot.

Playing XI:

Rajasthan: Jos Buttler(w), Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Stuart Binny, Mahipal Lomror, Jofra Archer, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jaydev Unadkat, Ish Sodhi, Anureet Singh

Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Akshdeep Nath, Karun Nair, Axar Patel, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Tuesday against Punjab. After winning the toss, Ajinkya praised his bowling side and said that it will be interesting to put runs on the board and then defend it. He mentioned about the changes he has made for the game as there are three major replacements, Mahipal Lomror, Stuart Binny and Ish Sodhi have been included in the playing XI. Punjab's skipper highlighted the wicket condition and said that there won't be a lot of bounce on the pitch and also the chase is not going to be easy. There are two changes for Punjab team, Akshdeep Nath and Mohit Sharma have included in the place of Mayank Agarwal and Ankit Rajpoot. Playing XI: Rajasthan: Jos Buttler(w), Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Stuart Binny, Mahipal Lomror, Jofra Archer, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jaydev Unadkat, Ish Sodhi, Anureet Singh Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Akshdeep Nath, Karun Nair, Axar Patel, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

IPL 2018: Ajinkya Rahane opts to bat against Punjab

Mahendra Singh Dhoni edged past Chris Gayle to lead the list for most sixes in the ongoing Indian Premier League this season.

The Chennai skipper, who has been in breathtaking form this year, has blasted 27 sixes from ten innings.&nbsp;

While Punjab's Chris Gayle acquires the second spot with 25 sixes.&nbsp;

Bangalore's AB de Villiers and Kolkata's Andre Russell have hit 23 sixes each.

Dhoni has not been in great T20 form in recent years. However, the 36-year-old has batted like a man possessed in IPL 2018.

He walked in to bat in the 12th over when Chennai were seemingly in a spot of bother against Kolkata.&nbsp;

As Chennai had lost all their set batsman including Ambati Rayadu, Dhoni took things in his own hands and smashed four sixes including two off Mitchell Johnson in his third over and remained not out on a 25-ball 43.

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Orange Cap holder Ambati Rayudu and Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer acquire the fifth and sixth position respectively with the two hitting 22 and 21 sixes respectively.&nbsp;

Last season, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner hit 26 sixes and topped the charts.&nbsp;

This time, apart from Dhoni and Gayle, five other batsmen have touched the 20 sixes-mark halfway through the tournament.

Punjab's Chris Gayle acquires the second spot with 25 sixes.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni edged past Chris Gayle to lead the list for most sixes in the ongoing Indian Premier League this season. The Chennai skipper, who has been in breathtaking form this year, has blasted 27 sixes from ten innings. While Punjab's Chris Gayle acquires the second spot with 25 sixes. Bangalore's AB de Villiers and Kolkata's Andre Russell have hit 23 sixes each. Dhoni has not been in great T20 form in recent years. However, the 36-year-old has batted like a man possessed in IPL 2018. He walked in to bat in the 12th over when Chennai were seemingly in a spot of bother against Kolkata. As Chennai had lost all their set batsman including Ambati Rayadu, Dhoni took things in his own hands and smashed four sixes including two off Mitchell Johnson in his third over and remained not out on a 25-ball 43. × Orange Cap holder Ambati Rayudu and Delhi skipper Shreyas Iyer acquire the fifth and sixth position respectively with the two hitting 22 and 21 sixes respectively. Last season, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner hit 26 sixes and topped the charts. This time, apart from Dhoni and Gayle, five other batsmen have touched the 20 sixes-mark halfway through the tournament.

IPL 2018: MS Dhoni surpass Chris Gayle to hit most sixes in ongoing Season 11

Bottom-placed Rajasthan take on Punjab at their home ground Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Tuesday.

On Sunday, May 6, both the team met and Rahane-led Rajasthan faced a tragic defeat by 6 wickets.

The skippers, Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane are not much experienced but both of them have a different set of ideas when it comes to leadership.

One hand, under the guidance of Ravichandran Ashwin team Punjab has become one of the top contenders for IPL 2018 trophy and Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan have failed in all the departments.

Team Punjab is just one win away from the solidifying their place in the play-offs and if Rajasthan team manages to win tonight's clash than it will spark a fight for survival in the ongoing tournament.

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Punjab is riding high on confidence with openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul and the team will be able to dominate the struggling side Rajasthan, unless, Ajinkya Rahane plans and replicate something extraordinary against Punjab.

For Rajasthan, any combination has not worked out well, the team has struggled in all the departments. D'Arcy Short has not been able to perform and Ajinkya might replace him with Heinrich Klassen. Although, any change at this moment is very risky. On the other hand, Punjab's playing XI is massive currently.

Playing XI (TBC):

Rajasthan: Jos Buttler, Ajinkya Rahane, D'Arcy Short, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, K Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat

Punjab: Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Andrew Tye, Ankit Rajpoot

Punjab defeated Rajasthan by six wickets in their previous encounter which was on Sunday, May 6

Bottom-placed Rajasthan take on Punjab at their home ground Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Tuesday. On Sunday, May 6, both the team met and Rahane-led Rajasthan faced a tragic defeat by 6 wickets. The skippers, Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane are not much experienced but both of them have a different set of ideas when it comes to leadership. One hand, under the guidance of Ravichandran Ashwin team Punjab has become one of the top contenders for IPL 2018 trophy and Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan have failed in all the departments. Team Punjab is just one win away from the solidifying their place in the play-offs and if Rajasthan team manages to win tonight's clash than it will spark a fight for survival in the ongoing tournament. × Punjab is riding high on confidence with openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul and the team will be able to dominate the struggling side Rajasthan, unless, Ajinkya Rahane plans and replicate something extraordinary against Punjab. For Rajasthan, any combination has not worked out well, the team has struggled in all the departments. D'Arcy Short has not been able to perform and Ajinkya might replace him with Heinrich Klassen. Although, any change at this moment is very risky. On the other hand, Punjab's playing XI is massive currently. Playing XI (TBC): Rajasthan: Jos Buttler, Ajinkya Rahane, D'Arcy Short, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, K Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat Punjab: Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Andrew Tye, Ankit Rajpoot

IPL 2018: Match preview - Bottom-placed Rajasthan host confident Punjab

Hyderabad once again managed to defend a paltry total of 146 runs, as they defeated Virat Kohli-led Bangalore by five runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday.&nbsp

Skipper Virat Kohli and Colin de Grandhomme were the top scorers for Bangalore.&nbsp

While Kohli made 39 before giving away his wicket to Shakib, de Grandhomme contributed 33 runs before being clean bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Openers Manan Vohra and Parthiv Patel together contributed just 28 runs in which Vohra made 8 while Patel made 20 runs.

AB de Villiers once again failed to leave any mark as he was departed by Rashid Khan after making just 5 runs.&nbsp

Tim Southee and Mohammed Siraj three-wicket haul each restricted Hyderabad to a modest total of 146 runs.

The two bowled with impressive line and length to deplete Hyderabad's batting line-up.

Skipper Kane Williamson again stood up for his team and smashed a half-century to recover from the early loses.&nbsp

Later, Shakib Al Hasan took the driver's seat for the franchise but could not contribute more than 35 runs.&nbsp

Dhawan and hales failed to leave any mark today as the two were sent back to the pavilion by Siraj and Southee respectively.&nbsp

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl at &nbspRajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Monday.

Virat said that the team chasing has done well in the ongoing tournament and the pitch is also good. The bowlers have performed good at this pitch and the team just need to support with better fielding, said skipper Virat Kohli.

There are two changes for Bangalore team, Manan Vohra replaces Murugan Ashwin and Moeen Ali replaces Brendon McCullum.

On the other hand, Kane Williamson has not made any change in the playing XI.

Playing XI:

Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Bangalore: Parthiv Patel(w), Manan Vohra, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal 
&nbsp

Skipper Virat Kohli and Colin de Grandhomme were the top scorers for Bangalore.

Hyderabad once again managed to defend a paltry total of 146 runs, as they defeated Virat Kohli-led Bangalore by five runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday. Skipper Virat Kohli and Colin de Grandhomme were the top scorers for Bangalore. While Kohli made 39 before giving away his wicket to Shakib, de Grandhomme contributed 33 runs before being clean bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Openers Manan Vohra and Parthiv Patel together contributed just 28 runs in which Vohra made 8 while Patel made 20 runs. AB de Villiers once again failed to leave any mark as he was departed by Rashid Khan after making just 5 runs. Tim Southee and Mohammed Siraj three-wicket haul each restricted Hyderabad to a modest total of 146 runs. The two bowled with impressive line and length to deplete Hyderabad's batting line-up. Skipper Kane Williamson again stood up for his team and smashed a half-century to recover from the early loses. Later, Shakib Al Hasan took the driver's seat for the franchise but could not contribute more than 35 runs. Dhawan and hales failed to leave any mark today as the two were sent back to the pavilion by Siraj and Southee respectively. Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl at &nbspRajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Monday. Virat said that the team chasing has done well in the ongoing tournament and the pitch is also good. The bowlers have performed good at this pitch and the team just need to support with better fielding, said skipper Virat Kohli. There are two changes for Bangalore team, Manan Vohra replaces Murugan Ashwin and Moeen Ali replaces Brendon McCullum. On the other hand, Kane Williamson has not made any change in the playing XI. Playing XI: Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma Bangalore: Parthiv Patel(w), Manan Vohra, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

IPL 2018: Hyderabad manages to defend 146, beat Bangalore by 5 runs

The eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is halfway through and three franchises' Bangalore, Chennai and Rajasthan faced a huge blow on Monday.&nbsp

Before the tournament commenced, the teams had to bid adieu to a few remarkable players due to injury and now four more players will take an early exit due to their international commitments.

According to media reports, English cricketers Moeen Ali (Bangalore), Chris Woakes (Bangalore), Mark Wood (Chennai) and Ben Stokes (Rajasthan) have to return home.

&nbspThe players are part of the English Test squad which is scheduled to play Pakistan in a two-match Test series starting May 24.

Considering that ECB will recall its players at least a week before the start of international fixtures, these four might leave the tournament by May 17.

While Stokes, Woakes and Wood are confirmed selection in England Test squad, Moeen Ali might be dropped. But the chances are quite less.&nbsp

Talking about their IPL performance, Woakes failed to impress and got dropped from the playing XI.&nbsp

Wood has played just one game and was dropped after he leaked 49 runs with no success.&nbsp

Moeen Ali is yet to make his IPL debut and has warmed bench till now.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Stokes, the costliest buy in IPL 2018 auction, has been a regular part of playing XI but has failed to impress.&nbsp

He is yet to come up with a match-winning performance for his side.&nbsp

Before the tournament commenced, the teams had to bid adieu to a few remarkable players due to injury

The eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is halfway through and three franchises' Bangalore, Chennai and Rajasthan faced a huge blow on Monday. Before the tournament commenced, the teams had to bid adieu to a few remarkable players due to injury and now four more players will take an early exit due to their international commitments. According to media reports, English cricketers Moeen Ali (Bangalore), Chris Woakes (Bangalore), Mark Wood (Chennai) and Ben Stokes (Rajasthan) have to return home. &nbspThe players are part of the English Test squad which is scheduled to play Pakistan in a two-match Test series starting May 24. Considering that ECB will recall its players at least a week before the start of international fixtures, these four might leave the tournament by May 17. While Stokes, Woakes and Wood are confirmed selection in England Test squad, Moeen Ali might be dropped. But the chances are quite less. Talking about their IPL performance, Woakes failed to impress and got dropped from the playing XI. Wood has played just one game and was dropped after he leaked 49 runs with no success. Moeen Ali is yet to make his IPL debut and has warmed bench till now. Meanwhile, Stokes, the costliest buy in IPL 2018 auction, has been a regular part of playing XI but has failed to impress. He is yet to come up with a match-winning performance for his side.

Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes to leave IPL 2018 midway

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl at &nbspRajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Monday.

Virat said that the team chasing has done well in the ongoing tournament and the pitch is also good. The bowlers have performed good at this pitch and the team just need to support with better fielding, said skipper Virat Kohli.

There are two changes for Bangalore team, Manan Vohra replaces Murugan Ashwin and Moeen Ali replaces Brendon McCullum.

On the other hand, Kane Williamson has not made any change in the playing XI.

Playing XI:

Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Bangalore: Parthiv Patel(w), Manan Vohra, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

There are two changes for Bangalore team, Manan Vohra replaces Murugan Ashwin and Moeen Ali replaces Brendon McCullum

Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl at &nbspRajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Monday. Virat said that the team chasing has done well in the ongoing tournament and the pitch is also good. The bowlers have performed good at this pitch and the team just need to support with better fielding, said skipper Virat Kohli. There are two changes for Bangalore team, Manan Vohra replaces Murugan Ashwin and Moeen Ali replaces Brendon McCullum. On the other hand, Kane Williamson has not made any change in the playing XI. Playing XI: Hyderabad: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma Bangalore: Parthiv Patel(w), Manan Vohra, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

IPL 2018: Virat Kohli opts to bowl against Hyderabad

Skipper Virat Kohli was at local boy Mohammed Siraj's house to enjoy some Hyderabad delicious, a day before Bangalore face the Hyderabad in a must-win clash to keep their playoff hopes alive in the 2018 Indian Premier League.&nbsp

Kohli was accompanied with other Bangalore players including Yuzvendra Chahal, Parthiv Patel, Mandeep Singh at Tolichowki to enjoy some appetizing Hyderabadi biryani for dinner.

A video of the players was also shot where they can be seen gorging on Hyderabadi food and enjoying an IPL match on television.&nbsp

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<a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> & Team <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCB</a> having dinner at M. siraj's house last night ❤?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/cIijcpg64b">pic.twitter.com/cIijcpg64b</a>
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Siraj, who is the son of an autorickshaw driver, used to live in a small, two-room apartment near Khaja Nagar in Banjara Hills before buying a new house in Towli Chowki during 2017.

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[PIC]: Virat Kohli along with Teammates at Siraj's residence last night! ? 
 
Look at that wall frame! ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/782ctWjBh9">pic.twitter.com/782ctWjBh9</a>
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Siraj came into the spotlight last year when Hyderabad spent a mind-boggling Rs 2.6 crore after his impressive run in the domestic circuit. He was rewarded with a national team call-up later on.&nbsp

Ahead of the 2018 IPL season, Bangalore roped in the youngster for the same amount.

However, the 24-year-old pacer has had a minimal impact this season, having picked up only four wickets in six matches for his side.

Yuzvendra Chahal, Parthiv Patel, Mandeep Singh were also present.

Skipper Virat Kohli was at local boy Mohammed Siraj's house to enjoy some Hyderabad delicious, a day before Bangalore face the Hyderabad in a must-win clash to keep their playoff hopes alive in the 2018 Indian Premier League. Kohli was accompanied with other Bangalore players including Yuzvendra Chahal, Parthiv Patel, Mandeep Singh at Tolichowki to enjoy some appetizing Hyderabadi biryani for dinner. A video of the players was also shot where they can be seen gorging on Hyderabadi food and enjoying an IPL match on television. @imVkohli & Team #RCB having dinner at M. siraj's house last night ❤?#ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/cIijcpg64b — Virushka Updates (@VirushkaUpdate_) May 7, 2018 × Siraj, who is the son of an autorickshaw driver, used to live in a small, two-room apartment near Khaja Nagar in Banjara Hills before buying a new house in Towli Chowki during 2017. [PIC]: Virat Kohli along with Teammates at Siraj's residence last night! ? Look at that wall frame! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/782ctWjBh9 — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@TeamVirat) May 7, 2018 × Siraj came into the spotlight last year when Hyderabad spent a mind-boggling Rs 2.6 crore after his impressive run in the domestic circuit. He was rewarded with a national team call-up later on. Ahead of the 2018 IPL season, Bangalore roped in the youngster for the same amount. However, the 24-year-old pacer has had a minimal impact this season, having picked up only four wickets in six matches for his side.

Watch: Virat Kohli, Bangalore players attend dinner party at Mohammed Siraj's house

Virat Kohli's maiden county journey might pave the way for the young Mumbai batsman and current IPL team Delhi's skipper Shreyas Iyer into the Indian squad for the one off-test against Afghanistan.&nbsp;

However, the replacement is yet to be confirmed by BCCI for the test starting June 14.

There are also reports that vice-captain, Ajinkya Rahane, will take over the mantle as the Indian skipper.&nbsp;

While Rohit Sharma will be in-charge of the T20I series against Ireland.&nbsp;

Kohli will then assume leadership of the team for the England-leg.

If received a call, it would be the second time when Shyras Iyer will be called to the Test team.&nbsp;

The last time when he made it to the Test side was in 2017, for the Dharamsala Test against Australia when Kohli was injured.&nbsp;

He could not make it to playing XI, as Kohli was replaced by Kuldeep Yadav.

The historic Test match between India and Afghanistan will be played in Bengaluru from June 14 to 18.

The replacement is yet to be confirmed by BCCI

Virat Kohli's maiden county journey might pave the way for the young Mumbai batsman and current IPL team Delhi's skipper Shreyas Iyer into the Indian squad for the one off-test against Afghanistan. However, the replacement is yet to be confirmed by BCCI for the test starting June 14. There are also reports that vice-captain, Ajinkya Rahane, will take over the mantle as the Indian skipper. While Rohit Sharma will be in-charge of the T20I series against Ireland. Kohli will then assume leadership of the team for the England-leg. If received a call, it would be the second time when Shyras Iyer will be called to the Test team. The last time when he made it to the Test side was in 2017, for the Dharamsala Test against Australia when Kohli was injured. He could not make it to playing XI, as Kohli was replaced by Kuldeep Yadav. The historic Test match between India and Afghanistan will be played in Bengaluru from June 14 to 18.

Shreyas Iyer to replace Virat Kohli for India-Afghanistan Test

Table-toppers Hyderabad will host Virat Kohli-led Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium today. While Kane-Williamson side won their last match against Delhi, Bangalore were defeated by MS Dhoni's Chennai by 6 wickets.&nbsp;

Bangalore currently sits at number six in the league table after winning just three out of nine games played.&nbsp;

Parthiv Patel, who played his first match in IPL 2018 against Chennai, smashed a half-century to prove his worth and calibre. He was also the highest run-scorer for the team as no other player, except Tim Southee, reached the two-digit mark.&nbsp;

Skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers failed to perform in their previous game. Kohli was sent back to the pavilion by Ravindra Jadeja for just eight runs while de Villiers only one run.

The two players have to shed their poor form to bring the team back to the track.&nbsp;

In bowling, Yuzvendra Chahal and Umesh Yadav's performance becomes important for the team to survive. In their previous game against Chennai, Chahal was smashed three sixes in a row by MS Dhoni. He failed to take any wicket for the team. Yadav, on the other hand, took two wickets.&nbsp;

Hyderabad, on the other hand, are in terrific form. Currently sitting at top of the table, they have won seven out of nine games played so far.

Skipper Kane Williamson is the backbone of the team and has performed in every match for his side. In nine games he has scored 354 runs, which includes four half-centuries. &nbsp;

Opener Shikhar Dhawan too shed his poor form to score 33 runs off 30 balls against Delhi.

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The team has found a new performer in Alex Hales as has also played some good strokes and made 90 runs in just two games.

The bowling department has been their strength since IPL 2018 commenced and is surely expected to do the same.&nbsp;

So overall its a do or die situation for Bangalore while Hyderabad will fight to consolidate their top position.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Bangalore currently sits at number six in the league table

Table-toppers Hyderabad will host Virat Kohli-led Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium today. While Kane-Williamson side won their last match against Delhi, Bangalore were defeated by MS Dhoni's Chennai by 6 wickets. Bangalore currently sits at number six in the league table after winning just three out of nine games played. Parthiv Patel, who played his first match in IPL 2018 against Chennai, smashed a half-century to prove his worth and calibre. He was also the highest run-scorer for the team as no other player, except Tim Southee, reached the two-digit mark. Skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers failed to perform in their previous game. Kohli was sent back to the pavilion by Ravindra Jadeja for just eight runs while de Villiers only one run. The two players have to shed their poor form to bring the team back to the track. In bowling, Yuzvendra Chahal and Umesh Yadav's performance becomes important for the team to survive. In their previous game against Chennai, Chahal was smashed three sixes in a row by MS Dhoni. He failed to take any wicket for the team. Yadav, on the other hand, took two wickets. Hyderabad, on the other hand, are in terrific form. Currently sitting at top of the table, they have won seven out of nine games played so far. Skipper Kane Williamson is the backbone of the team and has performed in every match for his side. In nine games he has scored 354 runs, which includes four half-centuries. Opener Shikhar Dhawan too shed his poor form to score 33 runs off 30 balls against Delhi. × The team has found a new performer in Alex Hales as has also played some good strokes and made 90 runs in just two games. The bowling department has been their strength since IPL 2018 commenced and is surely expected to do the same. So overall its a do or die situation for Bangalore while Hyderabad will fight to consolidate their top position.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Hyderabad vs Bangalore

KL Rahul's blistering knock of 84 runs off 54 deliveries helped Punjab defeat Rajasthan at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.

Rahul laced seven boundaries and three sixes to notch up his third half-century in IPL 2018.&nbsp;

Alongside Marcus Stoinis, he stitched a blistering 63-run partnership to keep Punjab well alive in the race for the playoffs.&nbsp;

In starting, Punjab faltered after Chris Gayle departed early on scoring a single-digit figure, while Mayank Agarwal was dismissed off a shorter delivery by Ben Stokes.

Karun Nair then joined in KL Rahul in the middle to lace a crucial 50-run partnership for the fourth-wicket.

Punjab bowlers displayed a class attack to restrict opponent Rajasthan to a paltry total of 152 runs.

The Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost wickets in a heap to the spinners in the middle after Buttler made a fifty as an opener. 
&nbsp; 
Buttler took 39 balls to reach his half-century which included seven fours.

Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Gopal are the only two players to reach the 20 digit mark.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman turned out to be the trump card for Punjab today as he took three crucial wickets in four wickets giving 27 runs.&nbsp;

Andrew Tye also claimed two wickets to reduced Rajasthan's early.&nbsp;

Earlier,&nbsp;Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday.&nbsp;

Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track.&nbsp;

The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. &nbsp;

Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good."

&nbsp;"We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded.&nbsp;

Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum.

When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first."

"We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added.

Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth.

Teams: 
Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat

Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

This is is third half-century in IPL 2018

KL Rahul's blistering knock of 84 runs off 54 deliveries helped Punjab defeat Rajasthan at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Rahul laced seven boundaries and three sixes to notch up his third half-century in IPL 2018. Alongside Marcus Stoinis, he stitched a blistering 63-run partnership to keep Punjab well alive in the race for the playoffs. In starting, Punjab faltered after Chris Gayle departed early on scoring a single-digit figure, while Mayank Agarwal was dismissed off a shorter delivery by Ben Stokes. Karun Nair then joined in KL Rahul in the middle to lace a crucial 50-run partnership for the fourth-wicket. Punjab bowlers displayed a class attack to restrict opponent Rajasthan to a paltry total of 152 runs. The Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost wickets in a heap to the spinners in the middle after Buttler made a fifty as an opener. Buttler took 39 balls to reach his half-century which included seven fours. Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Gopal are the only two players to reach the 20 digit mark. Mujeeb Ur Rahman turned out to be the trump card for Punjab today as he took three crucial wickets in four wickets giving 27 runs. Andrew Tye also claimed two wickets to reduced Rajasthan's early. Earlier, Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track. The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good." "We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded. Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum. When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first." "We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added. Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth. Teams: Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

IPL 2018: KL Rahul's 84* helps Punjab beat Rajasthan by 6 wickets

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team has managed to bounce back in the play-off&nbsp;race after defeating Kolkata by 13 runs on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium.&nbsp;

Earlier, Dinesh Karthik had opted to bowl to take the advantage of a dry pitch but the batsmen of Mumbai foiled all the plans of Kolkata to earn two crucial points.

Batting first, Mumbai set a target of 182 runs as both the openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis played a responsible knock for the team. Though skipper Rohit Sharma again misfired and scored just 11 runs off 11 balls.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose performance has been a bit on and off throughout the tournament scored unbeaten 35 runs off 20 balls. He played at a strike rate of 175.00 and his inning included four 4s and one 6.

Surprisingly, Dinesh Karthik used seven players to bowl in the match but only Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were able to take wickets.

For Kolkata, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana and skipper Dinesh Karthik scored 54, 31 and 36 runs respectively.

Sunil Narine dismissed Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya and on the hand, Andre Russell out bowled the openers Surya Kumar Yadav and Evin Lewis.

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When Kolkata was chasing, there was a moment when it looked like Kolkata might win the way Robin Uthappa was hitting but got out bowled by Mayank Markande.

All the bowlers displayed a good performance especially, Hardik Pandya as he took 2 wickets with 4.75 economy rate.

Rest Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya and Mayank Markande took one wicket each.

Unbeaten Dinesh Karthik tried to push the run rate in the death over but the effort went in vain as Mumbai marked a much-needed victory.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team has managed to bounce back in the play-off race after defeating Kolkata by 13 runs

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team has managed to bounce back in the play-off race after defeating Kolkata by 13 runs on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium. Earlier, Dinesh Karthik had opted to bowl to take the advantage of a dry pitch but the batsmen of Mumbai foiled all the plans of Kolkata to earn two crucial points. Batting first, Mumbai set a target of 182 runs as both the openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis played a responsible knock for the team. Though skipper Rohit Sharma again misfired and scored just 11 runs off 11 balls. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose performance has been a bit on and off throughout the tournament scored unbeaten 35 runs off 20 balls. He played at a strike rate of 175.00 and his inning included four 4s and one 6. Surprisingly, Dinesh Karthik used seven players to bowl in the match but only Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were able to take wickets. For Kolkata, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana and skipper Dinesh Karthik scored 54, 31 and 36 runs respectively. Sunil Narine dismissed Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya and on the hand, Andre Russell out bowled the openers Surya Kumar Yadav and Evin Lewis. × When Kolkata was chasing, there was a moment when it looked like Kolkata might win the way Robin Uthappa was hitting but got out bowled by Mayank Markande. All the bowlers displayed a good performance especially, Hardik Pandya as he took 2 wickets with 4.75 economy rate. Rest Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Krunal Pandya and Mayank Markande took one wicket each. Unbeaten Dinesh Karthik tried to push the run rate in the death over but the effort went in vain as Mumbai marked a much-needed victory.

IPL 2018: Mumbai keep play-off hopes alive after defeating Kolkata by 13 runs

Punjab bowlers displayed a class attack to restrict opponent Rajasthan to a paltry total of 152 runs.

The Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost wickets in a heap to the spinners in the middle after Buttler made a fifty as an opener. 
&nbsp 
Buttler took 39 balls to reach his half-century which included seven fours.

Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Gopal are the only two players to reach the 20 digit mark.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman turned out to be the trump card for Punjab today as he took three crucial wickets in four wickets giving 27 runs.&nbsp

Andrew Tye also claimed two wickets to reduced Rajasthan's early.&nbsp

Earlier,&nbspPunjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday.&nbsp

Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track.&nbsp

The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. &nbsp

Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good."

&nbsp"We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded.&nbsp

Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum.

When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first."

"We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added.

Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth.

Teams: 
Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat

Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

The Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost wickets in a heap to the spinners

Punjab bowlers displayed a class attack to restrict opponent Rajasthan to a paltry total of 152 runs. The Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost wickets in a heap to the spinners in the middle after Buttler made a fifty as an opener. Buttler took 39 balls to reach his half-century which included seven fours. Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Shreyas Gopal are the only two players to reach the 20 digit mark. Mujeeb Ur Rahman turned out to be the trump card for Punjab today as he took three crucial wickets in four wickets giving 27 runs. Andrew Tye also claimed two wickets to reduced Rajasthan's early. Earlier,&nbspPunjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track. The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good." "We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded. Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum. When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first." "We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added. Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth. Teams: Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

IPL 2018: Punjab bowling restricts Rajasthan to 152

Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday.&nbsp;

Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track.&nbsp;

The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. &nbsp;

Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good."

&nbsp;"We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded.&nbsp;

Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum.

When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first."

"We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added.

Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth.

Teams: 
Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat

Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins

Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl against Rajasthan at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances and will be keen on bringing their campaign back on track. The franchise have made an important change in their playing eleven. They have brought in Manoj Tiwary in place of veteran Yuvraj Singh. Speaking after the toss, Ashwin said,""We will bowl first. I think this is going to be a good wicket. Better than the last game, we were expecting a high score in the last match but wicket was not that good." "We are expecting a high scoring match today. Yuvraj misses out and Manoj comes in," he concluded. Rajasthan, on the other hand, are also coming off two straight defeats and would also be looking to regain their lost momentum. When asked about their strategy for today, its skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "It's all about how we think. We are happy to bat first, the preparation has been fantastic and we are looking forward to bat first." "We just got one change. Anureet Singh comes in for Dhawal Kulkarni. It's important for us to do well. Looks a good wicket. Every wicket is important, every run is important, every ball is important throughout the 40 overs and really looking forward to play well tonight," he added. Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth. Teams: Rajasthan (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w), D Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

IPL 2018: R Ashwin wins toss, opts to bowl against Rajasthan

&nbspHeaping praise on skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai&nbspbatting coach Mike Hussey has termed the former India Test wicket-keeper as the man having the fastest draw of as far as stumping off spinners is concerned.

"My observations are he's (Dhoni) got to be the fastest in the world against the spinners in taking the bails off. He's unbelievably quick," said the former Australia player after Chennai had routed Bangalore by six wickets in an IPL match yesterday.

Dhoni had effected quick-silver stumping, taking the bails off in a flash, to send back top South Africa batsman AB de Villiers and Murugan Ashwin of the Bangalore, both off Harbhajan Singh, to help Chennai stop the strong visitors at 127 for 9 that was overhauled by the hosts by 12 balls to spare.

The former India skipper was at his brutal best, smashing three sixes off leggie Yuzvendra Chahal in the 18th over to finish off the game in style.

Dhoni made 31 not out off 23 balls and in the company of seasoned West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo pulled Chennai across the finish line from a tricky 80 for four in the 13th over and has been in superb form with the bat too in this Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Hussey was effusive in his praise for the former India skipper with the bat too.

"He's such an important player for the team. He's a fantastic keeper, has been in unbelievably good form with the bat, probably the best I've seen him play for quite a few years," he said.

Hussey also praised veteran off-spinner Harbhajan and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja who bundled out the strong CSK for a low total.

"Harbhajan has been bowling nicely the last few games. And he's been doing a fantastic job for us though those middle overs," he said.

"He (Jadeja) bowled beautifully today. The skipper has been showing nice faith in him and that's been important, giving him the confidence. It's nice for him to get the rewards today,"Hussey added.

"He's been bowling well but the rewards have just not been coming his way. So, it's nice for him to get the reward (man of the match) today with an excellent performance," the CSK batting coach noted.

Dhoni had effected quick-silver stumping, taking the bails off in a flash to send back top South Africa batsman AB de Villiers

&nbspHeaping praise on skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai&nbspbatting coach Mike Hussey has termed the former India Test wicket-keeper as the man having the fastest draw of as far as stumping off spinners is concerned. "My observations are he's (Dhoni) got to be the fastest in the world against the spinners in taking the bails off. He's unbelievably quick," said the former Australia player after Chennai had routed Bangalore by six wickets in an IPL match yesterday. Dhoni had effected quick-silver stumping, taking the bails off in a flash, to send back top South Africa batsman AB de Villiers and Murugan Ashwin of the Bangalore, both off Harbhajan Singh, to help Chennai stop the strong visitors at 127 for 9 that was overhauled by the hosts by 12 balls to spare. The former India skipper was at his brutal best, smashing three sixes off leggie Yuzvendra Chahal in the 18th over to finish off the game in style. Dhoni made 31 not out off 23 balls and in the company of seasoned West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo pulled Chennai across the finish line from a tricky 80 for four in the 13th over and has been in superb form with the bat too in this Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Hussey was effusive in his praise for the former India skipper with the bat too. "He's such an important player for the team. He's a fantastic keeper, has been in unbelievably good form with the bat, probably the best I've seen him play for quite a few years," he said. Hussey also praised veteran off-spinner Harbhajan and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja who bundled out the strong CSK for a low total. "Harbhajan has been bowling nicely the last few games. And he's been doing a fantastic job for us though those middle overs," he said. "He (Jadeja) bowled beautifully today. The skipper has been showing nice faith in him and that's been important, giving him the confidence. It's nice for him to get the rewards today,"Hussey added. "He's been bowling well but the rewards have just not been coming his way. So, it's nice for him to get the reward (man of the match) today with an excellent performance," the CSK batting coach noted.

Dhoni is fastest stumper against spinners: Mike Hussey

The openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis played&nbspresponsible knocks for the team as Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai set a 182-run target against Kolkata at Wankhede Stadium.

Though skipper Rohit Sharma again misfired and scored just 11 runs off 11 balls.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose performance has been a bit on and off throughout the tournament scored unbeaten 35 runs off 20 balls. He played at a strike rate of 175.00 and his inning included four 4s and one 6.

Krunal Pandya lost his wicket to Sunil Narine after scoring 14 runs and JP Duminy scored 13 runs for the team.

Surprisingly, Dinesh Karthik used seven players to bowl in the match but only Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were able to take wickets.

Sunil Narine dismissed Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya and on the hand, Andre Russell out bowled the openers Surya Kumar Yadav and Evin Lewis.

Considering the high-scoring Wankhede pitch, the total is 20 runs short of the expected score.

Now, the responsibility falls on the bowling department of Mumbai to defend the total as the batting strength of Kolkata is good.

The openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis played responsible knocks for the team and scored 59 and 43 runs respectively

The openers, Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis played&nbspresponsible knocks for the team as Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai set a 182-run target against Kolkata at Wankhede Stadium. Though skipper Rohit Sharma again misfired and scored just 11 runs off 11 balls. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose performance has been a bit on and off throughout the tournament scored unbeaten 35 runs off 20 balls. He played at a strike rate of 175.00 and his inning included four 4s and one 6. Krunal Pandya lost his wicket to Sunil Narine after scoring 14 runs and JP Duminy scored 13 runs for the team. Surprisingly, Dinesh Karthik used seven players to bowl in the match but only Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were able to take wickets. Sunil Narine dismissed Rohit Sharma and Krunal Pandya and on the hand, Andre Russell out bowled the openers Surya Kumar Yadav and Evin Lewis. Considering the high-scoring Wankhede pitch, the total is 20 runs short of the expected score. Now, the responsibility falls on the bowling department of Mumbai to defend the total as the batting strength of Kolkata is good.

IPL 2018: Suryakumar, Evin shine as Mumbai set a 182-run target for Kolkata

R Ashwin-led Punjab will look to get their campaign back on track after a couple of defeats when they lock horns with bottom-placed Rajasthan in the Indian Premier League today.

While Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances, Rajasthan are last with three victories and five defeats.

Like Punjab, Rajasthan too are coming off two straight defeats, but the red outfit is placed much better than its next opponents and is pretty much in with a chance to qualify for the playoffs.

Punjab would hope opening duo of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul get them off to a strong start again and on the other side, Jos Buttler would look to replicate his 18-ball fifty.

Punjab's batting mostly relies on opener Chris Gayle, who has accumulated 302 runs from just five games.

Even in their last encounter against Mumbai, Gayle slammed a 40-ball 50, laced with six boundaries and couple of sixes.&nbsp

In-form opener Lokesh Rahul, who faultered in the game against Mumbai, has been in good form, amassing 292 runs from eight games.&nbsp

The Punjab openers have been a major reason behind their success as the duo have handed a perfect start to their side on several occasions in this year's edition.&nbsp

Karun Nair has also been impressive after 209 runs from seven innings but veteran Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch and Mayank Agarwal are yet to make their presence felt in the middle-order.&nbsp

The trio's poor form could be a cause of concern for the team management and this is high time for them to come out with their best.&nbsp

In the bowling department, skipper Ravichandran Ashwin, along with medium-pacer Mohit Sharma add depth to the line-up.&nbsp

For Rajasthan, Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane have scored the bulk of the runs for the team. &nbsp

Jos Buttler and D'Arcy Short are also fresh off blazing knocks.

In the bowling department, Jofra Archer's presence will be a key factor for the franchise going up against Punjab's top-heavy batting line-up.&nbsp

Rajasthan will also be banking on their all-rounders like K Gowtham and Ben Stokes to deliver in their dual roles.

Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth.

Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses

R Ashwin-led Punjab will look to get their campaign back on track after a couple of defeats when they lock horns with bottom-placed Rajasthan in the Indian Premier League today. While Punjab are placed fourth in the table with five wins and three losses from eight appearances, Rajasthan are last with three victories and five defeats. Like Punjab, Rajasthan too are coming off two straight defeats, but the red outfit is placed much better than its next opponents and is pretty much in with a chance to qualify for the playoffs. Punjab would hope opening duo of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul get them off to a strong start again and on the other side, Jos Buttler would look to replicate his 18-ball fifty. Punjab's batting mostly relies on opener Chris Gayle, who has accumulated 302 runs from just five games. Even in their last encounter against Mumbai, Gayle slammed a 40-ball 50, laced with six boundaries and couple of sixes. In-form opener Lokesh Rahul, who faultered in the game against Mumbai, has been in good form, amassing 292 runs from eight games. The Punjab openers have been a major reason behind their success as the duo have handed a perfect start to their side on several occasions in this year's edition. Karun Nair has also been impressive after 209 runs from seven innings but veteran Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch and Mayank Agarwal are yet to make their presence felt in the middle-order. The trio's poor form could be a cause of concern for the team management and this is high time for them to come out with their best. In the bowling department, skipper Ravichandran Ashwin, along with medium-pacer Mohit Sharma add depth to the line-up. For Rajasthan, Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane have scored the bulk of the runs for the team. Jos Buttler and D'Arcy Short are also fresh off blazing knocks. In the bowling department, Jofra Archer's presence will be a key factor for the franchise going up against Punjab's top-heavy batting line-up. Rajasthan will also be banking on their all-rounders like K Gowtham and Ben Stokes to deliver in their dual roles. Rajasthan cannot afford another defeat from here as it would almost crush their dream of a play-off berth.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Punjab vs Rajasthan

This will be the first time when Punjab and Rajasthan will come face to face in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018.&nbsp&nbsp

The Ravichandran Ashwin-led team stands at number four with five wins, while the Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan are currently placed at the last position with just three win.&nbsp &nbsp

As the two teams will lock horns today, so, let's take a look at the players expected to perform.

1. Chris Gayle - 'The Universal Boss' has proved that he still has a lot of cricket left in him as he smashed a century and three half-centuries in a total of five IPL games he has played so far for Punjab. Also, he is the second player to hit most sixes, 23, so far. In his last game, he scored 40-ball-50 which included six fours and two sixes. Today the 'Gayle storm' is expected to bring spread his charisma to help his team get back to the winning momentum.&nbsp

2. Jos Buttler - The Rajasthan opener returned to his form in his last game against Delhi. He slammed 67 runs off just 26 balls which included huge seven sixes. Though the team failed to defeat Delhi, still his previous inning definitely makes him a player to watch out for.&nbsp

3. KL Rahul - He is among the top run scorers in IPL so far. But still, he has a long way to go to achieve the orange cap. Today is the day when this opening batsman can score well to make his team win and jump up to top three, as they currently stand at number four. In six games Rahul has scored 292 runs with 60 being his highest.&nbsp

4. D'Arcy Short - The Rajasthan opener scored 25-ball-44 including two fours and four sixes against Delhi. His great innings went in vain as the team couldn't turn in into a win. Today, he'll step down on the ground to lift his team from the bottom in the league table.&nbsp

5. Jaydev Unadkant - So far his performance in IPL has not been at par. But in his previous game, he managed to take three crucial wickets of Delhi. Purchased at a whopping price of Rs 11.5 crore, it is important for him to stand to his billing. His attack and length is good but needs to play with a different technique today to swing wickets in his team's favour.&nbsp

So overall, Punjab, which has an upper hand over Rajasthan, will fight to reach the top three, while Royals will be prepared to defeat the Kings coming their way.&nbsp &nbsp

The two teams will face each other for first time in IPL 2018

This will be the first time when Punjab and Rajasthan will come face to face in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. The Ravichandran Ashwin-led team stands at number four with five wins, while the Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan are currently placed at the last position with just three win. As the two teams will lock horns today, so, let's take a look at the players expected to perform. 1. Chris Gayle - 'The Universal Boss' has proved that he still has a lot of cricket left in him as he smashed a century and three half-centuries in a total of five IPL games he has played so far for Punjab. Also, he is the second player to hit most sixes, 23, so far. In his last game, he scored 40-ball-50 which included six fours and two sixes. Today the 'Gayle storm' is expected to bring spread his charisma to help his team get back to the winning momentum. 2. Jos Buttler - The Rajasthan opener returned to his form in his last game against Delhi. He slammed 67 runs off just 26 balls which included huge seven sixes. Though the team failed to defeat Delhi, still his previous inning definitely makes him a player to watch out for. 3. KL Rahul - He is among the top run scorers in IPL so far. But still, he has a long way to go to achieve the orange cap. Today is the day when this opening batsman can score well to make his team win and jump up to top three, as they currently stand at number four. In six games Rahul has scored 292 runs with 60 being his highest. 4. D'Arcy Short - The Rajasthan opener scored 25-ball-44 including two fours and four sixes against Delhi. His great innings went in vain as the team couldn't turn in into a win. Today, he'll step down on the ground to lift his team from the bottom in the league table. 5. Jaydev Unadkant - So far his performance in IPL has not been at par. But in his previous game, he managed to take three crucial wickets of Delhi. Purchased at a whopping price of Rs 11.5 crore, it is important for him to stand to his billing. His attack and length is good but needs to play with a different technique today to swing wickets in his team's favour. So overall, Punjab, which has an upper hand over Rajasthan, will fight to reach the top three, while Royals will be prepared to defeat the Kings coming their way.

IPL 2018: Players to watch out for in Punjab vs Rajasthan clash

Dinesh Karthik has won the toss and opted to bowl&nbsp;at the Wankhede Stadium against host Mumbai.

Both the franchises - Mumbai and Kolkata - are face to face for the first time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. &nbsp;

There are two changes for the team Kolkata, Nitish Rana has replaced Rinku Singh and Shivam Mavi is injured, hence, Prasidh Krishna&nbsp;makes the debut to fill in.

On the other hand, Mumbai has entered the field without any change, same team and same intent.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2018-players-to-watch-out-for-in-mumbai-vs-kolkata-clash-134944">Players to watch out for in Mumbai vs Kolkata clash</a>

Playing XI:

Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah

Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

Star pacer of Kolkata, Shivam Mavi is injured so Prasidh Krishna has been added in the squad

Dinesh Karthik has won the toss and opted to bowl at the Wankhede Stadium against host Mumbai. Both the franchises - Mumbai and Kolkata - are face to face for the first time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. There are two changes for the team Kolkata, Nitish Rana has replaced Rinku Singh and Shivam Mavi is injured, hence, Prasidh Krishna makes the debut to fill in. On the other hand, Mumbai has entered the field without any change, same team and same intent. Players to watch out for in Mumbai vs Kolkata clash Playing XI: Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav

IPL 2018: Dinesh Karthik opt to bowl against Mumbai; Prasidh Krishna makes debut for Kolkata

Mahendra Singh Dhoni&nbsp;played a magnificent 31-run knock off 23 balls with the help of&nbsp;massive hittings that helped the team to reach the set target of 128 runs&nbsp;against Bangalore on Saturday, April 4.

36-year old MS Dhoni has inspired thousands of youngsters to take up cricket as their profession and even on the field, Mahi has been guiding the newcomers to improve their skills.

One of the most popular cricketing icons and former captain of men's cricket team, MS Dhoni is known for his humble and cool attitude. He earned many trophies for India including&nbsp;ICC World Cup.

His fans and followers never fail to show their love and affection, recently an incident happened that will prove that fans' love for MSD is unconditional.

In the match against Kolkata, a fan violated the security parameters to meet MS Dhoni in the Chennai's dugout.

Watch the video:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
ROHIT is just a word. But DHONI is emotion....... <a href="https://t.co/iva5sFlCbb">pic.twitter.com/iva5sFlCbb</a>
— Murali (@murali_csk_fan) <a href="https://twitter.com/murali_csk_fan/status/993036071158956032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Again the incident was repeated when MS Dhoni was shaking hands with the opponent team after hitting the winning runs. When he was congratulating the other team members, a fan came running to meet MSD and touched his feet.

Watch the video:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
As <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> climb to the top of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> points table, yet another fan rushes to meet his idol <a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvRCB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/p14RVjGFs9">pic.twitter.com/p14RVjGFs9</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/992766925183664128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

MS Dhoni's fans and followers never fail to show their love and affection and recently an incident happened that will prove that fans' love for MSD is unconditional

Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a magnificent 31-run knock off 23 balls with the help of massive hittings that helped the team to reach the set target of 128 runs against Bangalore on Saturday, April 4. 36-year old MS Dhoni has inspired thousands of youngsters to take up cricket as their profession and even on the field, Mahi has been guiding the newcomers to improve their skills. One of the most popular cricketing icons and former captain of men's cricket team, MS Dhoni is known for his humble and cool attitude. He earned many trophies for India including ICC World Cup. His fans and followers never fail to show their love and affection, recently an incident happened that will prove that fans' love for MSD is unconditional. In the match against Kolkata, a fan violated the security parameters to meet MS Dhoni in the Chennai's dugout. Watch the video: ROHIT is just a word. But DHONI is emotion....... pic.twitter.com/iva5sFlCbb — Murali (@murali_csk_fan) May 6, 2018 × Again the incident was repeated when MS Dhoni was shaking hands with the opponent team after hitting the winning runs. When he was congratulating the other team members, a fan came running to meet MSD and touched his feet. Watch the video: As @ChennaiIPL climb to the top of the #VIVOIPL points table, yet another fan rushes to meet his idol @msdhoni. #CSKvRCB #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/p14RVjGFs9 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2018 ×

Watch: Another fan breaches security to meet MS Dhoni, touches feet

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai face Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata on Sunday, May 6 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Mumbai is coming off from a victory against Punjab and by winning the clash, team Mumbai has moved up on the league's table following a better run rate.

For Mumbai, the batsmen have done a good job in previous matches and especially Krunal Pandya by making crucial contributions to the team.

In the last match, he scored 31 runs off just 12 balls.

On the other hand, team Kolkata too is appearing very balanced and skipper Dinesh Karthik is leading from the front.

Well both the teams need to work on collaborative effort and teamwork to win tonight's clash and book a berth in the playoffs.

Rohit Sharma might consider adding Mustafizur Rahman or Ben Cutting at the place of Kieron Pollard to strengthen the bowling department.

On the other hand, for Kolkata, Nitish Rana has spent some time in the nets and there are chances that he might play tonight.

Playing XI (TBC)

Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, JP Duminy, Ben Cutting/Mustafizur Rahman, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah.

Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Nitish Rana, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik (c&wk), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Kuldeep Yadav.

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&nbsp

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai face Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata on Sunday, May 6 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai face Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata on Sunday, May 6 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Mumbai is coming off from a victory against Punjab and by winning the clash, team Mumbai has moved up on the league's table following a better run rate. For Mumbai, the batsmen have done a good job in previous matches and especially Krunal Pandya by making crucial contributions to the team. In the last match, he scored 31 runs off just 12 balls. On the other hand, team Kolkata too is appearing very balanced and skipper Dinesh Karthik is leading from the front. Well both the teams need to work on collaborative effort and teamwork to win tonight's clash and book a berth in the playoffs. Rohit Sharma might consider adding Mustafizur Rahman or Ben Cutting at the place of Kieron Pollard to strengthen the bowling department. On the other hand, for Kolkata, Nitish Rana has spent some time in the nets and there are chances that he might play tonight. Playing XI (TBC) Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, JP Duminy, Ben Cutting/Mustafizur Rahman, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah. Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Nitish Rana, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik (c&wk), Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Tom Curran, Kuldeep Yadav. ×

IPL 2018: Match preview of Mumbai vs Kolkata

Yusuf Pathan played a blistering knock of 27 runs in just 12 balls to help Hyderabad register victory over Delhi at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. &nbsp;

Pathan's innings included two fours and two sixes, but the runs came at a crucial time.&nbsp;

Skipper Kane Williamson once again proved his worth and calibre as he made crucial 32 runs in 30 balls to defeat his opponents. &nbsp;

Hyderabad openers Alex Hales and Shikha Dhawan gave their team the required start while chasing a decent total set by Delhi&nbsp;

Hales fell just five runs short of his half-century and was sent back to the pavilion on 45 by Amit Mishra.

Mishra struck for his team second time when he dismissed Dhawan, who made 33 runs in 30 balls.

Young cricketing sensation Prithvi Shaw's 65-run knock followed by skipper Shreyas Iyer's 44 helped Delhi post a moderate 163/5 against Hyderabad.

The two played great knocks to overcome a poor start.&nbsp;

They both had together put 86 runs for the second wicket after Delhi lost off-Glenn Maxwell cheaply.

While Shaw's knock had six fours and three sixes, Iyer faced 36 deliveries, hitting three fours and two sixes.&nbsp;

Just when Delhi were inching closer to the triple-digit score, Rashid Khan came with a much-needed breakthrough for the hosts.

Incoming batter Rishabh Pant then forged a 30-run stand for the third wicket with his skipper before pacer Siddharth Kaul dismissed Iyer in the 16th over.

Pant, 18, and Naman Ojha, 1, fell cheaply in the 17th over, with the visitor's scorecard reading 134/5.

While it was Khan, who struck again to pack back Pant, Ojha fell short of the crease to be run out.

Vijay Shankar and Daniel Christian, who remained unbeaten, chipped in with 23 and 7 runs respectively to help Delhi reach some sort of respectability.

For Hyderabad, Khan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/23 while Kaul bagged a wicket for 37 runs.

Yusuf Pathan played a blistering knock of 27 runs in just 12 balls

Yusuf Pathan played a blistering knock of 27 runs in just 12 balls to help Hyderabad register victory over Delhi at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. Pathan's innings included two fours and two sixes, but the runs came at a crucial time. Skipper Kane Williamson once again proved his worth and calibre as he made crucial 32 runs in 30 balls to defeat his opponents. Hyderabad openers Alex Hales and Shikha Dhawan gave their team the required start while chasing a decent total set by Delhi Hales fell just five runs short of his half-century and was sent back to the pavilion on 45 by Amit Mishra. Mishra struck for his team second time when he dismissed Dhawan, who made 33 runs in 30 balls. Young cricketing sensation Prithvi Shaw's 65-run knock followed by skipper Shreyas Iyer's 44 helped Delhi post a moderate 163/5 against Hyderabad. The two played great knocks to overcome a poor start. They both had together put 86 runs for the second wicket after Delhi lost off-Glenn Maxwell cheaply. While Shaw's knock had six fours and three sixes, Iyer faced 36 deliveries, hitting three fours and two sixes. Just when Delhi were inching closer to the triple-digit score, Rashid Khan came with a much-needed breakthrough for the hosts. Incoming batter Rishabh Pant then forged a 30-run stand for the third wicket with his skipper before pacer Siddharth Kaul dismissed Iyer in the 16th over. Pant, 18, and Naman Ojha, 1, fell cheaply in the 17th over, with the visitor's scorecard reading 134/5. While it was Khan, who struck again to pack back Pant, Ojha fell short of the crease to be run out. Vijay Shankar and Daniel Christian, who remained unbeaten, chipped in with 23 and 7 runs respectively to help Delhi reach some sort of respectability. For Hyderabad, Khan was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/23 while Kaul bagged a wicket for 37 runs.

IPL 2018: Hyderabad beat Delhi by 7 wickets, reclaim top spot

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai displaced Hyderabad to reclaim the top spot in IPL league table after they defeated Bangalore by six wickets on Saturday.

Dhoni once again became the architect of Chennai's win as he made 31 runs in 23 balls, which included three sixes and one four.&nbsp;

While achieving a paltry total of 127 runs, Chennai got a decent start with opener Ambati Rayadu contributing 32 runs in 25 balls.&nbsp;

Suresh Raina too made his presence felt by hitting one six and two fours to inch Chennai closer to victory.

But it was Dhoni and Bravo who took the team to victory.

Earlier, Virat Kohli-led Bangalore fell like nine pins after the powerplay as the team ended their innings at just 127, their lowest total in this year's IPL.

At one point Bangalore were 47 for the loss of one wicket, but then lost Kohli, AB and Mandeep to spin in the space of five overs.

Parthiv Patel, who played his first game in IPL 2018, smashed a half-century and also became the top scorer for the team by making 53 runs off 41 balls.&nbsp;

The team could have ended their innings with the lowest score in this year's league before Tim Southee came to their rescue.&nbsp;

He made 36 runs in 26 balls to save his team from drowning and set a decent score on board.&nbsp;

Apart from Patel and Southee, no other player scored in two digits.&nbsp;

Skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers fell succumbed to Chennai's spin attack as Bangalore were put into bat at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Saturday.

Kohli was clean bowled by Ravindra Jadeja while de Villiers gave away his wicket to Harbhajan Singh.

Kohli was departed for eight runs and de Villiers made just one.

Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl.

Chennai is coming off from a tragic defeat against Kolkata in their previous encounter and must have worked on their loopholes and rectified the errors in order to earn two crucial points.

On the other hand, team Bangalore is high on spirit as they have won the previous match against Mumbai.

The competition between the teams which are placed at the fourth, fifth and sixth position at the league's table is very tough now.&nbsp;

Chennai have lost its two previous clashes out of three and looked a bit off but with a well-balanced team, it requires just one win to prove caliber of the entire team.

On the other hand, confidence Virat Kohli is leading the batting department from the front but still, team Bangalore is dealing with the problems of bowling unit, which has been very expensive especially in death overs.

The current team of Chennai is very sorted and any change at this moment is not required.

On the other hand, the good news for Bangalore is that their star player, AB de Villiers is fit and back in the squad but opener Quinton de Kock has flown back home due to some personal reasons and skipper Virat Kohli might replace him by Manan Vohra.

In the absence of wicket-keeper, the best replacement for team Bangalore is Parthiv Patel. 
&nbsp;

Dhoni once again became the architect of Chennai's win

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai displaced Hyderabad to reclaim the top spot in IPL league table after they defeated Bangalore by six wickets on Saturday. Dhoni once again became the architect of Chennai's win as he made 31 runs in 23 balls, which included three sixes and one four. While achieving a paltry total of 127 runs, Chennai got a decent start with opener Ambati Rayadu contributing 32 runs in 25 balls. Suresh Raina too made his presence felt by hitting one six and two fours to inch Chennai closer to victory. But it was Dhoni and Bravo who took the team to victory. Earlier, Virat Kohli-led Bangalore fell like nine pins after the powerplay as the team ended their innings at just 127, their lowest total in this year's IPL. At one point Bangalore were 47 for the loss of one wicket, but then lost Kohli, AB and Mandeep to spin in the space of five overs. Parthiv Patel, who played his first game in IPL 2018, smashed a half-century and also became the top scorer for the team by making 53 runs off 41 balls. The team could have ended their innings with the lowest score in this year's league before Tim Southee came to their rescue. He made 36 runs in 26 balls to save his team from drowning and set a decent score on board. Apart from Patel and Southee, no other player scored in two digits. Skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers fell succumbed to Chennai's spin attack as Bangalore were put into bat at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, on Saturday. Kohli was clean bowled by Ravindra Jadeja while de Villiers gave away his wicket to Harbhajan Singh. Kohli was departed for eight runs and de Villiers made just one. Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and opted to bowl. Chennai is coming off from a tragic defeat against Kolkata in their previous encounter and must have worked on their loopholes and rectified the errors in order to earn two crucial points. On the other hand, team Bangalore is high on spirit as they have won the previous match against Mumbai. The competition between the teams which are placed at the fourth, fifth and sixth position at the league's table is very tough now. Chennai have lost its two previous clashes out of three and looked a bit off but with a well-balanced team, it requires just one win to prove caliber of the entire team. On the other hand, confidence Virat Kohli is leading the batting department from the front but still, team Bangalore is dealing with the problems of bowling unit, which has been very expensive especially in death overs. The current team of Chennai is very sorted and any change at this moment is not required. On the other hand, the good news for Bangalore is that their star player, AB de Villiers is fit and back in the squad but opener Quinton de Kock has flown back home due to some personal reasons and skipper Virat Kohli might replace him by Manan Vohra. In the absence of wicket-keeper, the best replacement for team Bangalore is Parthiv Patel.

IPL 2018: Chennai register 6-wicket win over Bangalore

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