The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way. <o:p></o:p>

Ashwin, who plays for IPL 2021 runners-up Delhi Capitals, decided to withdraw from the T20 tournament to be with his family. While Ashwin didn’t reveal the reason for his exit initially, his wife disclosed that as many as 10 people at their home had tested positive for COVID-19.<o:p></o:p>

Now, the veteran spinner has opened up about the phase during IPL 2021 as he said that while almost everyone contracted the dreaded virus in his home, a few of his family members’ health deteriorated and were admitted to the hospital.<o:p></o:p>

As things developed, Ashwin failed to be at peach inside IPL’s bio-secure bubble and the 34-year-old said that he couldn’t sleep due to the tension and stress for eight to 10 days.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-intention-is-to-give-guys-a-break-not-for-them-to-play-elsewhere-ashley-giles-on-england-players-in-remainder-of-ipl-2021-387855" hreflang="en">Cricket: Intention is to give guys a break, not for them to play elsewhere: Ashley Giles on England players in remainder of IPL 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

Ashwin further revealed that he doubted whether he would be able to return to cricket.<o:p></o:p>

“Almost everyone from my place had got affected due to COVID. In fact, a few of my cousins also got admitted and were serious and they somehow recovered. I couldn’t sleep for almost 8-9 days,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.<o:p></o:p>

“Since I couldn’t sleep, it was really stressful for me. I was playing matches without getting any sleep. And since I found it really taxing, I had to quit IPL and go home midway. In fact, when I left, around that time, I had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter. But still, I did what was required at that point of time,” Ashwin stated.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-isnt-the-highest-paid-captain-in-international-cricket-check-full-list-of-skippers-and-salaries-in-2021-386865" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

Ashwin will be back in action when he takes the field for India in the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England. <o:p></o:p>

The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way.

The BCCI indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 owing to positive cases across multiple teams inside the bio-secure bubble. While all the players and staff participating in IPL 2021 have now returned back to their respective homes, Ravichandran Ashwin was one Indian player who pulled out of IPL 2021 mid-way. Ashwin, who plays for IPL 2021 runners-up Delhi Capitals, decided to withdraw from the T20 tournament to be with his family. While Ashwin didn’t reveal the reason for his exit initially, his wife disclosed that as many as 10 people at their home had tested positive for COVID-19. Now, the veteran spinner has opened up about the phase during IPL 2021 as he said that while almost everyone contracted the dreaded virus in his home, a few of his family members’ health deteriorated and were admitted to the hospital. As things developed, Ashwin failed to be at peach inside IPL’s bio-secure bubble and the 34-year-old said that he couldn’t sleep due to the tension and stress for eight to 10 days. ALSO READ: Cricket: Intention is to give guys a break, not for them to play elsewhere: Ashley Giles on England players in remainder of IPL 2021 Ashwin further revealed that he doubted whether he would be able to return to cricket. “Almost everyone from my place had got affected due to COVID. In fact, a few of my cousins also got admitted and were serious and they somehow recovered. I couldn’t sleep for almost 8-9 days,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “Since I couldn’t sleep, it was really stressful for me. I was playing matches without getting any sleep. And since I found it really taxing, I had to quit IPL and go home midway. In fact, when I left, around that time, I had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter. But still, I did what was required at that point of time,” Ashwin stated. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021 Ashwin will be back in action when he takes the field for India in the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England.

‘Had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter’ – R Ashwin on pulling out from IPL 2021

Sunrisers Hyderabad and India wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has opened up on his fight against COVID-19 after getting infected with the dreaded virus during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Saha tested positive for COVID-19 after two Kolkata Knight Riders returned positive – the same day IPL 2021 was postponed indefinitely.<o:p></o:p>

Saha said that he was tested twice after feeling tired and complaining of cold but both the reports came negative. He underwent another test after getting a fever and the report returned positive. <o:p></o:p>

“I felt tired after finishing the practice on the first day of May. I felt cold. Cold &amp; mild cough. I informed the team doctor that day. Arrangements were made for me to stay in seclusion without any risk,” Saha told Anandbazar Patrika.<o:p></o:p>

“Covid test was taken on the same day. The next day the report came negative. The second day I was also tested. The result was negative. Yet I was not allowed to leave the seclusion. Because by then fever had started coming. After the test on the third day, the result was positive,” Saha added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-england-players-stand-together-they-will-play-in-ipl-2021-kevin-pietersen-384497" hreflang="en">If England players stand together, they will play in IPL 2021: Kevin Pietersen</a><o:p></o:p>

The veteran cricketer further revealed that he felt scared along with his family given the present situation surrounding the virus in India.<o:p></o:p>

“I was certainly scared,” Saha said. “A virus that has brought the Earth to a standstill, after being infected by it, I was bound to feel scared. Everyone in the family was very worried. We reassured them through video calls that there is no reason to be afraid. I am being taken care of enough.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/revealed-how-much-australian-players-will-earn-if-they-dont-return-for-ipl-2021-384487" hreflang="en">Revealed: How much Australian players will earn if they don't return for IPL 2021</a>

Saha further revealed that he is on the road to recovery and is improving with each passing day.<o:p></o:p>

“There is no more discomfort in the body. The fever is not coming. Colds and coughs have also decreased. It goes without saying that there is no pain in the body. I don’t understand if there is fatigue at all. As long as I don’t start practicing, it is not possible to understand. I want to tell the supporters, don’t worry. I’m almost healthy,” Saha said.<o:p></o:p>

Saha has been named in the India squad for the World Test Championship final and England series pending a fitness test.<o:p></o:p>

Sunrisers Hyderabad and India wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has opened up on his fight against COVID-19 after getting infected with the dreaded virus during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and India wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has opened up on his fight against COVID-19 after getting infected with the dreaded virus during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Saha tested positive for COVID-19 after two Kolkata Knight Riders returned positive – the same day IPL 2021 was postponed indefinitely. Saha said that he was tested twice after feeling tired and complaining of cold but both the reports came negative. He underwent another test after getting a fever and the report returned positive. “I felt tired after finishing the practice on the first day of May. I felt cold. Cold & mild cough. I informed the team doctor that day. Arrangements were made for me to stay in seclusion without any risk,” Saha told Anandbazar Patrika. “Covid test was taken on the same day. The next day the report came negative. The second day I was also tested. The result was negative. Yet I was not allowed to leave the seclusion. Because by then fever had started coming. After the test on the third day, the result was positive,” Saha added. ALSO READ: If England players stand together, they will play in IPL 2021: Kevin Pietersen The veteran cricketer further revealed that he felt scared along with his family given the present situation surrounding the virus in India. “I was certainly scared,” Saha said. “A virus that has brought the Earth to a standstill, after being infected by it, I was bound to feel scared. Everyone in the family was very worried. We reassured them through video calls that there is no reason to be afraid. I am being taken care of enough.” ALSO READ: Revealed: How much Australian players will earn if they don't return for IPL 2021 Saha further revealed that he is on the road to recovery and is improving with each passing day. “There is no more discomfort in the body. The fever is not coming. Colds and coughs have also decreased. It goes without saying that there is no pain in the body. I don’t understand if there is fatigue at all. As long as I don’t start practicing, it is not possible to understand. I want to tell the supporters, don’t worry. I’m almost healthy,” Saha said. Saha has been named in the India squad for the World Test Championship final and England series pending a fitness test.

'Was certainly scared': Wriddhiman Saha openes up on his battle with COVID-19

There are plenty of talks surrounding the postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 when it comes to the availability of overseas players if the T20 tournament resumes later in the year. While managing director of England men’s team, Ashley Giles had hinted that English players might not be available for the remainder of IPL 2021, former skipper Kevin Pietersen feels England players can play in IPL 2021 if they stand together.<o:p></o:p>

The BCCI and IPL Governing Council in an emergency meeting had unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 last week and is now working on finding a window for the remainder of the tournament. While BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has already said that it won’t be possible to conduct IPL 2021 in India this year considering the COVID-19 situation in the country, the likes of Sri Lanka, UAE and England have emerged as potential venues.<o:p></o:p>

Taking to social media platform Kevin Pietersen said that it would be interesting to see how the ECB handle the issue and not allow its best players for IPL 2021 while adding if the players stand together, they will go on to play in the remainder of the tournament.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/revealed-how-much-australian-players-will-earn-if-they-dont-return-for-ipl-2021-384487" hreflang="en">Revealed: How much Australian players will earn if they don't return for IPL 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

"It's going to be v interesting to watch how the ECB handle this issue around not allowing its best players to play IPL if it's rescheduled. When I went up against ENG, I was alone. This time, it's all their best-branded players! If they stand together, they'll play IPL," Pietersen tweeted.

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It’s going to be v interesting to watch how the ECB handle this issue around not allowing it’s best players to play IPL, if it’s rescheduled. 
When I went up against ENG, I was alone. 
This time, it’s all their best branded players! 
If they stand together, they’ll play IPL!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1392395680853991427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-is-going-on-kuldeep-yadav-talks-about-his-thoughts-after-being-benched-384481" hreflang="en">'What is going on?': Kuldeep Yadav talks about his thoughts after being benched</a>

IPL 2021 was indefinitely postponed after multiple cases of COVID-19 emerged inside the bio-secure bubble. While there has been no reports of breach of the bubble, reports have pointed towards travelling to be one of the potential reasons for players and staff contracting the dreaded virus.<o:p></o:p>

There are plenty of talks surrounding the postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 when it comes to the availability of overseas players if the T20 tournament resumes later in the year.

There are plenty of talks surrounding the postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 when it comes to the availability of overseas players if the T20 tournament resumes later in the year. While managing director of England men’s team, Ashley Giles had hinted that English players might not be available for the remainder of IPL 2021, former skipper Kevin Pietersen feels England players can play in IPL 2021 if they stand together. The BCCI and IPL Governing Council in an emergency meeting had unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 last week and is now working on finding a window for the remainder of the tournament. While BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has already said that it won’t be possible to conduct IPL 2021 in India this year considering the COVID-19 situation in the country, the likes of Sri Lanka, UAE and England have emerged as potential venues. Taking to social media platform Kevin Pietersen said that it would be interesting to see how the ECB handle the issue and not allow its best players for IPL 2021 while adding if the players stand together, they will go on to play in the remainder of the tournament. ALSO READ: Revealed: How much Australian players will earn if they don't return for IPL 2021 "It's going to be v interesting to watch how the ECB handle this issue around not allowing its best players to play IPL if it's rescheduled. When I went up against ENG, I was alone. This time, it's all their best-branded players! If they stand together, they'll play IPL," Pietersen tweeted. It’s going to be v interesting to watch how the ECB handle this issue around not allowing it’s best players to play IPL, if it’s rescheduled. When I went up against ENG, I was alone. This time, it’s all their best branded players! If they stand together, they’ll play IPL! — Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 12, 2021 × ALSO READ: 'What is going on?': Kuldeep Yadav talks about his thoughts after being benched IPL 2021 was indefinitely postponed after multiple cases of COVID-19 emerged inside the bio-secure bubble. While there has been no reports of breach of the bubble, reports have pointed towards travelling to be one of the potential reasons for players and staff contracting the dreaded virus.

If England players stand together, they will play in IPL 2021: Kevin Pietersen

Even though the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been postponed for the time being but the performances in the lucrative T20 tournament continue to be a talking point in the cricketing world. While many players impressed with their outings in IPL 2021, Prithvi Shaw’s resurgence was one of the biggest highlights of the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

The Delhi Capitals opener, who struggled to make a mark in IPL 2020, was back to his best as he gave solid starts to his franchise in the 14 th edition of the tournament. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has now opined that watching Shaw bat felt like a virus has been removed from his batting as he compared his struggles from the last season. <o:p></o:p>

"Like a computer has a virus, it's like a virus has been removed from his batting. Last year, a little virus had crept in his mind or technique, whichever way you want to put it. But when a player emerges from a shock – Shaw is an exceptional player – but even an ordinary player at any level finds it easy in his first year, but when the second year comes – if he can surpass it, he can leave everyone behind," Jadeja told Cricbuzz.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/david-warners-captaincy-was-the-biggest-problem-irfan-pathan-points-out-srhs-downfall-in-ipl-2021-384114" hreflang="en">'David Warner's captaincy was the biggest problem': Irfan Pathan points out SRH's downfall in IPL 2021</a><o:p></o:p>

While Shaw’s performance was a disappointment in IPL 2020, which was played in the UAE, the youngster went on to lose his Test spot from the Indian team following India’s hammering to Australia in Adelaide.<o:p></o:p>

In IPL 2021, Shaw looked in sublime touch as he scored 72, 32, 53, 21, 82, 37 and 7 runs respectively and amassed 308 runs in just eight matches at an impressive average of 38.50.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-names-one-player-who-could-have-merited-selection-for-england-vs-india-series-384112" hreflang="en">Rahul Dravid names one player ‘who could have merited selection’ for England vs India series</a><o:p></o:p>

However, Shaw was not named in the Indian Test squad for the series against England but could be back in Indian colours when the Men in Blue visit Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series in July.<o:p></o:p>

Even though the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been postponed for the time being but the performances in the lucrative T20 tournament continue to be a talking point in the cricketing world.

Even though the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been postponed for the time being but the performances in the lucrative T20 tournament continue to be a talking point in the cricketing world. While many players impressed with their outings in IPL 2021, Prithvi Shaw’s resurgence was one of the biggest highlights of the tournament. The Delhi Capitals opener, who struggled to make a mark in IPL 2020, was back to his best as he gave solid starts to his franchise in the 14 th edition of the tournament. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja has now opined that watching Shaw bat felt like a virus has been removed from his batting as he compared his struggles from the last season. "Like a computer has a virus, it's like a virus has been removed from his batting. Last year, a little virus had crept in his mind or technique, whichever way you want to put it. But when a player emerges from a shock – Shaw is an exceptional player – but even an ordinary player at any level finds it easy in his first year, but when the second year comes – if he can surpass it, he can leave everyone behind," Jadeja told Cricbuzz. ALSO READ: 'David Warner's captaincy was the biggest problem': Irfan Pathan points out SRH's downfall in IPL 2021 While Shaw’s performance was a disappointment in IPL 2020, which was played in the UAE, the youngster went on to lose his Test spot from the Indian team following India’s hammering to Australia in Adelaide. In IPL 2021, Shaw looked in sublime touch as he scored 72, 32, 53, 21, 82, 37 and 7 runs respectively and amassed 308 runs in just eight matches at an impressive average of 38.50. ALSO READ: Rahul Dravid names one player ‘who could have merited selection’ for England vs India series However, Shaw was not named in the Indian Test squad for the series against England but could be back in Indian colours when the Men in Blue visit Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series in July.

A virus has been removed from his batting: Ajay Jadeja on Indian youngster's return to form in IPL 2021

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was indefinitely postponed on Tuesday due to the multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. While fans and pundits have questions the BCCI for keeping multiple venues for the T20 tournament at a time when India is fighting the second wave of the coronavirus, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that they would have held the IPL 2021 overseas had they knew this situation was going to arise. <o:p></o:p>

Dhumal said that the series between India and England boosted the confidence that IPL 2021 could be held in multiple venues in India and the board wanted to boost the spirit of the country through the IPL. <o:p></o:p>

The BCCI treasurer further said that no one imagined such a situation would arise and everyone was quite confident of pulling off the tournament. <o:p></o:p>

“In a normal scenario, we would have had more venues, like Indore and Pune. They also used to host IPL games. When we were conducting the England series, everything went so smoothly that we thought that it’s time to take cricket back to each zone. At least, the main centres of India,” Dhumal told the Indian Express.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-a-national-disaster-shoaib-akhtar-agrees-with-bccis-decision-to-suspend-ipl-383021" hreflang="en">'It’s a national disaster': Shoaib Akhtar agrees with BCCI's decision to suspend IPL</a>

“The IPL should have been played in all areas. We all thought that after what the country went through in 2020, the IPL will boost the spirit of the country. We conducted a dummy run and planned out things. When the England series was conducted in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Pune, the situation was far better. As things went so smoothly, we all were quite confident that we will be able to conduct the IPL smoothly. Who would have imagined such a situation will arise? Had we known, we could have held the IPL overseas. It was during the time when things were getting normal that we took the call. We were quite confident that we will pull it off,” he added.<o:p></o:p>

Since the postponement, the biggest question being asked to the BCCI is what was the need of conducting the IPL in multiple venues? Could it have been played in a single venue?

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-padikkal-to-hussey-people-from-ipl-who-tested-positive-for-covid-19-383015" hreflang="en">From Padikkal to Hussey: IPL members who tested positive for COVID-19</a>

“It was never discussed then because nobody knew what was coming. What was the guarantee that if we had hosted it in one city like Mumbai, there would have been no cases? When we started, Mumbai was the worst- affected city. Then too, there would have been criticism. At that point of time, this was the best option we had,” Dhumal explained.<o:p></o:p>

While some of the players have already returned back to their bases, there are a few still waiting for the quarantine to be over. Dhumal said the BCCI is still standing by its word that IPL isn’t over until the participants reach their homes safe and secure.<o:p></o:p>

“We stand by our word that for us, the IPL is not complete until our players and officials reach their homes safe and secure. We are working on that and will come out with a detailed plan in two days,” Dhumal quipped.<o:p></o:p>

When asked when the fans can expect the IPL 2021 to resume, Dhumal said they haven’t discussed anything about a potential window in future and want to focus on players’ return.<o:p></o:p>

“We haven’t discussed anything as all our focus is now on ensuring players, support staff and officials reach home safely. When a window is available, we will hold it,” Dhumal said.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was indefinitely postponed on Tuesday due to the multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. While fans and pundits have questions the BCCI for keeping multiple venues for the T20 tournament at a time when India is fighting the second wave of the coronavirus, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that they would have held the IPL 2021 overseas had they knew this situation was going to arise.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was indefinitely postponed on Tuesday due to the multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. While fans and pundits have questions the BCCI for keeping multiple venues for the T20 tournament at a time when India is fighting the second wave of the coronavirus, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that they would have held the IPL 2021 overseas had they knew this situation was going to arise. Dhumal said that the series between India and England boosted the confidence that IPL 2021 could be held in multiple venues in India and the board wanted to boost the spirit of the country through the IPL. The BCCI treasurer further said that no one imagined such a situation would arise and everyone was quite confident of pulling off the tournament. “In a normal scenario, we would have had more venues, like Indore and Pune. They also used to host IPL games. When we were conducting the England series, everything went so smoothly that we thought that it’s time to take cricket back to each zone. At least, the main centres of India,” Dhumal told the Indian Express. ALSO READ: 'It’s a national disaster': Shoaib Akhtar agrees with BCCI's decision to suspend IPL “The IPL should have been played in all areas. We all thought that after what the country went through in 2020, the IPL will boost the spirit of the country. We conducted a dummy run and planned out things. When the England series was conducted in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Pune, the situation was far better. As things went so smoothly, we all were quite confident that we will be able to conduct the IPL smoothly. Who would have imagined such a situation will arise? Had we known, we could have held the IPL overseas. It was during the time when things were getting normal that we took the call. We were quite confident that we will pull it off,” he added. Since the postponement, the biggest question being asked to the BCCI is what was the need of conducting the IPL in multiple venues? Could it have been played in a single venue? IN PICS | From Padikkal to Hussey: IPL members who tested positive for COVID-19 “It was never discussed then because nobody knew what was coming. What was the guarantee that if we had hosted it in one city like Mumbai, there would have been no cases? When we started, Mumbai was the worst- affected city. Then too, there would have been criticism. At that point of time, this was the best option we had,” Dhumal explained. While some of the players have already returned back to their bases, there are a few still waiting for the quarantine to be over. Dhumal said the BCCI is still standing by its word that IPL isn’t over until the participants reach their homes safe and secure. “We stand by our word that for us, the IPL is not complete until our players and officials reach their homes safe and secure. We are working on that and will come out with a detailed plan in two days,” Dhumal quipped. When asked when the fans can expect the IPL 2021 to resume, Dhumal said they haven’t discussed anything about a potential window in future and want to focus on players’ return. “We haven’t discussed anything as all our focus is now on ensuring players, support staff and officials reach home safely. When a window is available, we will hold it,” Dhumal said.

‘Had we known, we could have held IPL overseas’: BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been suspended indefinitely after multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. The decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came on Tuesday after another couple of players tested positive for the dreaded virus. While the 14th edition of IPL isn’t cancelled, it wasn’t the first time there were COVID-19 cases in the bubble.<o:p></o:p>

The BCCI said that it will do everything to arrange for the secure and safe passage for the return of all participants in IPL 2021.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">With IPL 2021 suspended indefinitely, let us take a look at the timeline of events that led to the postponement of the cash-rich T20 tournament. <o:p></o:p></h2>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/didnt-wish-to-compromise-on-safety-of-all-involved-in-ipl-2021-bcci-secretary-jay-shah-382716" hreflang="en">Didn’t wish to compromise on safety of all involved in IPL 2021: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah</a>

March 22: Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal tests positive in Bangalore.<o:p></o:p>

March 22:&nbsp;Kolkata Knight Riders’ Nitish Rana tests positive. However, he tested negative soon, and began to practice on April 3 and didn’t miss any matches.<o:p></o:p>

April 3: Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel tests positive while quarantining upon reaching the team hotel. He later went on to play for DC and was impressive with the ball.<o:p></o:p>

April 5: Numerous members, reportedly 14, from the broadcast team tested positive on April 5.<o:p></o:p>

April 6: Mumbai Indians head of talent scout Kiran More tests positive<o:p></o:p>

April 7: Royal Challengers Bangalore and Australia pacer Daniel Sams tests positive. He had arrived from Australia and tested positive during quarantine.<o:p></o:p>

April 16: DC pacer Anrich Nortje tests negative after a false positive earlier during isolation. He had arrived to India from South Africa.<o:p></o:p>

April 19: Rajasthan Royals’ Liam Livingstone flies back to the UK citing bubble fatigue.<o:p></o:p>

April 25: RR’s Andrew Tye flies back home to Australia due to COVID-19 related concerns.<o:p></o:p>

April 26: RCB’s Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson pull out, citing COVID-19 related concerns.<o:p></o:p>

April 26: Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a break from IPL after family members tested positive for the virus.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-was-inevitable-twitter-blows-up-as-ipl-2021-gets-postponed-indefinitely-382714" hreflang="en">'It was inevitable': Twitter blows up as IPL 2021 gets postponed indefinitely</a>

April 29: Umpire Nitin Menon pulls out citing personal reasons. Umpire Paul Reiffel wanted to withdraw but had no travel options with borders being closed.<o:p></o:p>

April 30: Match referee Manu Nayyar pulls out after family members returned positive.<o:p></o:p>

May 3: KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier test positive in Ahmedabad, forcing the BCCI to reschedule KKR vs RCB match.<o:p></o:p>

CSK bowling coach L Balaji and a travel staff test positive as well. A number of DDCA ground staff tested positive as well. <o:p></o:p>

May 4: Wriddhiman Saha (SRH) and Amit Mishra (DC) test positive. <o:p></o:p>

IPL is suspended indefinitely, announces BCCI.<o:p></o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been suspended indefinitely after multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. The decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came on Tuesday after another couple of players tested positive for the dreaded virus.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been suspended indefinitely after multiple COVID-19 cases across teams. The decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came on Tuesday after another couple of players tested positive for the dreaded virus. While the 14th edition of IPL isn’t cancelled, it wasn’t the first time there were COVID-19 cases in the bubble. The BCCI said that it will do everything to arrange for the secure and safe passage for the return of all participants in IPL 2021. With IPL 2021 suspended indefinitely, let us take a look at the timeline of events that led to the postponement of the cash-rich T20 tournament. ALSO READ: Didn’t wish to compromise on safety of all involved in IPL 2021: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah March 22: Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal tests positive in Bangalore. March 22: Kolkata Knight Riders’ Nitish Rana tests positive. However, he tested negative soon, and began to practice on April 3 and didn’t miss any matches. April 3: Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel tests positive while quarantining upon reaching the team hotel. He later went on to play for DC and was impressive with the ball. April 5: Numerous members, reportedly 14, from the broadcast team tested positive on April 5. April 6: Mumbai Indians head of talent scout Kiran More tests positive April 7: Royal Challengers Bangalore and Australia pacer Daniel Sams tests positive. He had arrived from Australia and tested positive during quarantine. April 16: DC pacer Anrich Nortje tests negative after a false positive earlier during isolation. He had arrived to India from South Africa. April 19: Rajasthan Royals’ Liam Livingstone flies back to the UK citing bubble fatigue. April 25: RR’s Andrew Tye flies back home to Australia due to COVID-19 related concerns. April 26: RCB’s Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson pull out, citing COVID-19 related concerns. April 26: Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a break from IPL after family members tested positive for the virus. ALSO READ: 'It was inevitable': Twitter blows up as IPL 2021 gets postponed indefinitely April 29: Umpire Nitin Menon pulls out citing personal reasons. Umpire Paul Reiffel wanted to withdraw but had no travel options with borders being closed. April 30: Match referee Manu Nayyar pulls out after family members returned positive. May 3: KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier test positive in Ahmedabad, forcing the BCCI to reschedule KKR vs RCB match. CSK bowling coach L Balaji and a travel staff test positive as well. A number of DDCA ground staff tested positive as well. May 4: Wriddhiman Saha (SRH) and Amit Mishra (DC) test positive. IPL is suspended indefinitely, announces BCCI.

From blockbuster start to postponement - Complete timeline of COVID-19 crisis in IPL 2021

England have said that their players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 must make their own minds whether to carry playing the tournament as COVID-19 continues to ravage the nation. At least two franchises have been affected by the virus after KKR players – Varun Chakaravarthy and Sandeep Warrier – and CSK staff – L Balaji and bus cleaner – tested positive for COVID-19.<o:p></o:p>

The T20 tournament headed into turmoil on Monday with the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore being postponed after positive results.<o:p></o:p>

However, the IPL 2021 will, in all likelihood, continue and ECB remains concrete with their decision to not withdraw any of the 11 English players in the lucrative tournament. <o:p></o:p>

Instead, the ECB has given an option to carry on with the IPL 2021 or quit and face 10 days in quarantine before they can return to their homeland. <o:p></o:p>

“We continue to monitor and communicate with our players and staff currently in India,” said an ECB spokesperson as quoted by DailyMail.<o:p></o:p>

“In terms of continued participation it will be a decision taken by each individual. We acknowledge these are challenging times and our thoughts are with the people of India.”<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Chakaravarthy recently left KKR’s bubble in Ahmedabad via the IPL ‘green channel’ to have a shoulder scan and it is being assumed that the spinner contracted the virus there.<o:p></o:p>

The match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, on Tuesday, is on as scheduled.<o:p></o:p>

There has been no indication of any of England's 11 – Morgan, Buttler, Sam and Tom Curran, Moeen, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Chris Jordan, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan – flying back before the end of the tournament on May 30

England have said that their players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 must make their own minds whether to carry playing the tournament as COVID-19 continues to ravage the nation.

England have said that their players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 must make their own minds whether to carry playing the tournament as COVID-19 continues to ravage the nation. At least two franchises have been affected by the virus after KKR players – Varun Chakaravarthy and Sandeep Warrier – and CSK staff – L Balaji and bus cleaner – tested positive for COVID-19. The T20 tournament headed into turmoil on Monday with the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore being postponed after positive results. However, the IPL 2021 will, in all likelihood, continue and ECB remains concrete with their decision to not withdraw any of the 11 English players in the lucrative tournament. Instead, the ECB has given an option to carry on with the IPL 2021 or quit and face 10 days in quarantine before they can return to their homeland. “We continue to monitor and communicate with our players and staff currently in India,” said an ECB spokesperson as quoted by DailyMail. “In terms of continued participation it will be a decision taken by each individual. We acknowledge these are challenging times and our thoughts are with the people of India.” Meanwhile, reports suggest that Chakaravarthy recently left KKR’s bubble in Ahmedabad via the IPL ‘green channel’ to have a shoulder scan and it is being assumed that the spinner contracted the virus there. The match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, on Tuesday, is on as scheduled. There has been no indication of any of England's 11 – Morgan, Buttler, Sam and Tom Curran, Moeen, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Chris Jordan, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan – flying back before the end of the tournament on May 30

IPL 2021: England players given choice to quit or carry on playing - Report

Bangladesh players Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman might have to return to their country from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 sooner than planned. The development comes due to the quarantine rule imposed by the Bangladesh health ministry, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board chief said on Monday. <o:p></o:p>

The new quarantine rule by the Bangladesh health ministry, which came into effect from May 1, states that travelers coming from India and South Africa will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period before resuming work. BCB will need special permission from the Directorate General of Health Services to avail any relaxation on the new rule.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

Earlier, BCB had reduced the quarantine for their foreign coaching staff and cricketers but the scale of the second COVID-19 wave reduces the chances of the same happening this time.

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The Bangladesh cricket team is expected to return from Sri Lanka soon and they are unlikely to follow the same quarantine rule. <o:p></o:p>

"We have asked them (Shakib and Mustafizur) to let us know what is their plan for the next 15 days while we have also asked the health ministry to know what kind of quarantine protocol the two players will need to follow,'' BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told Cricbuzz on Monday.<o:p></o:p>

Shakib and Mustafizur were expected to return on May 19 and would have joined the Bangladesh team upon completing a mandatory three-day quarantine for the ODI series against Sri Lanka.

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"If the health ministry suggests that they will have to follow seven or 14 days quarantine, they will have to return earlier than scheduled from IPL. But before that, we have to know what rules will be in place for them," he said. "We are bound by the Bangladesh Government rules, and will take decisions according to the guideline provided by the government."<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Bangladesh players Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman might have to return to their country from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 sooner than planned.

Bangladesh players Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman might have to return to their country from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 sooner than planned. The development comes due to the quarantine rule imposed by the Bangladesh health ministry, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the Bangladesh Cricket Board chief said on Monday. The new quarantine rule by the Bangladesh health ministry, which came into effect from May 1, states that travelers coming from India and South Africa will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period before resuming work. BCB will need special permission from the Directorate General of Health Services to avail any relaxation on the new rule. Earlier, BCB had reduced the quarantine for their foreign coaching staff and cricketers but the scale of the second COVID-19 wave reduces the chances of the same happening this time. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: No plans for Cricket Australia charter flight for IPL players: Nick Hockley The Bangladesh cricket team is expected to return from Sri Lanka soon and they are unlikely to follow the same quarantine rule. "We have asked them (Shakib and Mustafizur) to let us know what is their plan for the next 15 days while we have also asked the health ministry to know what kind of quarantine protocol the two players will need to follow,'' BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told Cricbuzz on Monday. Shakib and Mustafizur were expected to return on May 19 and would have joined the Bangladesh team upon completing a mandatory three-day quarantine for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: 'Blood on your hands PM' - Michael Slater slams Australian government for banning citizens returning from India "If the health ministry suggests that they will have to follow seven or 14 days quarantine, they will have to return earlier than scheduled from IPL. But before that, we have to know what rules will be in place for them," he said. "We are bound by the Bangladesh Government rules, and will take decisions according to the guideline provided by the government."

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman likely to leave IPL 2021 early

Delhi Capitals on Sunday continued their dominating run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as they defeated Punjab Kings by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. DC, with the win, move atop the IPL 2021 standings as they impress yet again under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant.<o:p></o:p>

Batting first, Punjab Kings, without KL Rahul, lost opener Prabhsimran Singh for 12 early in the innings. Chris Gayle, who smashed a six and four, was sent packing by Kagiso Rabada for 13. Making his IPL debut, world number one T20I batsman Dawid Malan struggled during his stay on the pitch and was dismissed by Axar Patel after a watchful 26 off 26 balls. <o:p></o:p>

The middle-order and lower-middle order for PBKS failed with the likes of Deepak Hooda (1), Shahrukh Khan (4), Chris Jordan (2) falling cheaply as DC bowlers ran riot. However, Mayank continued to flourish and scored a breathtaking 99 not-out off 58 deliveries laced by eight boundaries and four sixes, to take Punjab Kings to a competitive total of 166/6 in 20 overs.

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Chasing 169, Delhi Capitals lost Prithvi Shaw after a brisk start with the right-handed batsman continuing his good run of form with a 22-ball 39. Steven Smith, at number 3, scored 24 off 22 before Riley Meredith sent him packing back to the hut. Rishabh Pant looked to finish the chase early and was dismissed looking for a big hit for an 11-ball 14. However, Shikhar Dhawan, now the highest run-scorer in IPL 2021, finished the chase for DC along with Shimron Hetmyer.

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DC now have six wins in eight matches and are sitting atop the IPL 2021 points table whereas PBKS have three wins in eight games in the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

Delhi Capitals on Sunday continued their dominating run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as they defeated Punjab Kings by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Delhi Capitals on Sunday continued their dominating run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as they defeated Punjab Kings by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. DC, with the win, move atop the IPL 2021 standings as they impress yet again under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant. Batting first, Punjab Kings, without KL Rahul, lost opener Prabhsimran Singh for 12 early in the innings. Chris Gayle, who smashed a six and four, was sent packing by Kagiso Rabada for 13. Making his IPL debut, world number one T20I batsman Dawid Malan struggled during his stay on the pitch and was dismissed by Axar Patel after a watchful 26 off 26 balls. The middle-order and lower-middle order for PBKS failed with the likes of Deepak Hooda (1), Shahrukh Khan (4), Chris Jordan (2) falling cheaply as DC bowlers ran riot. However, Mayank continued to flourish and scored a breathtaking 99 not-out off 58 deliveries laced by eight boundaries and four sixes, to take Punjab Kings to a competitive total of 166/6 in 20 overs. ALSO READ: Just breathtaking: Kevin Pietersen lauds Mayank Agarwal's 99-run knock on IPL captaincy debut Chasing 169, Delhi Capitals lost Prithvi Shaw after a brisk start with the right-handed batsman continuing his good run of form with a 22-ball 39. Steven Smith, at number 3, scored 24 off 22 before Riley Meredith sent him packing back to the hut. Rishabh Pant looked to finish the chase early and was dismissed looking for a big hit for an 11-ball 14. However, Shikhar Dhawan, now the highest run-scorer in IPL 2021, finished the chase for DC along with Shimron Hetmyer. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Rassie van der Dussen unlikely to join Rajasthan Royals DC now have six wins in eight matches and are sitting atop the IPL 2021 points table whereas PBKS have three wins in eight games in the tournament.

IPL 2021: Shikhar Dhawan dominates again as Delhi Capitals defeat Punjab Kings

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday continued their torrid run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the franchise lost their match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Kane Williamson replaced David Warner as the captain of SRH but it didn’t change the fortune of the side as they suffered a 55-run defeat to RR.<o:p></o:p>

SRH dropped Warner from the playing XI but the batting line-up still failed to live up to the expectations. Kane Williamson was asked about whether Warner will be seen playing as a pure batsman in the upcoming matches in IPL 2021, to which the Kiwi said that they will have conversations around including him in the team while adding the Aussie is a world-class batsman. <o:p></o:p>

Rajasthan Royals, riding on Jos Buttler’s maiden T20 century, posted a 220/3 in 20 overs as the Englishman hammered the highest score by a RR batsman in IPL. However, SRH were dull in their chase and could manage just 165/8 in 20 overs.<o:p></o:p>

“A tough day. A very competitive total from RR. It was Jos' day and he was outstanding. With the bat, you do need to get a few things to go your way and when you're losing wickets it makes it all the harder to chase 220. We have had a lot of challenges over the last three weeks, but we need to make small adjustments and put in improved performances. Jos and Sanju were key, so we wanted Rashid to bowl as many deliveries as possible against them. It is a bit of character building for us, so we just need to swallow it and move ahead,” Williamson said in the post-match presentation on Star Sports.<o:p></o:p>

“This game can change quickly and it is a game of fine lines. We just need to be clear of what we want to do each day. [On leaving the fifth bowler for the end] It wasn't the initial plan, but we wanted to use our resources and it was a decision we had to make. Those are the risks you need to take and not let the game just unfold. Exceptional batting from Rajasthan, you just have to tip your hats off to them. There are a number of leaders in the group. It's important we stay tight. And for us it about building as a side and make adjustments. Rather than over-search for the win, we just have to be clear about how we need to operate. Warner is a world-class player, the cards are on the table and I am sure there are a number of conversations to be had,” he added.<o:p></o:p>

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday continued their torrid run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the franchise lost their match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday continued their torrid run of form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the franchise lost their match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Kane Williamson replaced David Warner as the captain of SRH but it didn’t change the fortune of the side as they suffered a 55-run defeat to RR. SRH dropped Warner from the playing XI but the batting line-up still failed to live up to the expectations. Kane Williamson was asked about whether Warner will be seen playing as a pure batsman in the upcoming matches in IPL 2021, to which the Kiwi said that they will have conversations around including him in the team while adding the Aussie is a world-class batsman. Rajasthan Royals, riding on Jos Buttler’s maiden T20 century, posted a 220/3 in 20 overs as the Englishman hammered the highest score by a RR batsman in IPL. However, SRH were dull in their chase and could manage just 165/8 in 20 overs. “A tough day. A very competitive total from RR. It was Jos' day and he was outstanding. With the bat, you do need to get a few things to go your way and when you're losing wickets it makes it all the harder to chase 220. We have had a lot of challenges over the last three weeks, but we need to make small adjustments and put in improved performances. Jos and Sanju were key, so we wanted Rashid to bowl as many deliveries as possible against them. It is a bit of character building for us, so we just need to swallow it and move ahead,” Williamson said in the post-match presentation on Star Sports. “This game can change quickly and it is a game of fine lines. We just need to be clear of what we want to do each day. [On leaving the fifth bowler for the end] It wasn't the initial plan, but we wanted to use our resources and it was a decision we had to make. Those are the risks you need to take and not let the game just unfold. Exceptional batting from Rajasthan, you just have to tip your hats off to them. There are a number of leaders in the group. It's important we stay tight. And for us it about building as a side and make adjustments. Rather than over-search for the win, we just have to be clear about how we need to operate. Warner is a world-class player, the cards are on the table and I am sure there are a number of conversations to be had,” he added.

'World-class player': Kane Williamson opens up on David Warner's exclusion from SRH playing XI

Delhi Capitals will look to keep up their momentum when they take on each of the franchises for the second time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The Delhi Capitals, who defeated&nbsp;Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in their previous game on Thursday, have won five out of seven matches in the ongoing season.

Speaking about the team's performance in the competition so far, the JSW and GMR co-owned franchise&nbsp;opening batsman&nbsp;Shikhar Dhawan said, "We are performing very well as a team this season. We have won five out of seven matches, so we are in a pretty good position at the moment. The good thing is that the entire team is doing well, and we are not depending on any one individual. There has always been someone who has taken the responsibility to win matches for us. We have a strong side, and I am glad that we are in this position at the moment."

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Dhawan had the best seat in the house when his opening partner&nbsp;Prithvi Shaw struck six fours in an over against KKR. The 35-year-old said that&nbsp;Prithvi showed a lot of courage during his innings of 82 runs from 41 balls, "It was lovely to see Prithvi strike six boundaries in one over in the last game. We got 25 runs in the first over and the game was over there itself. He made the game easy for me as I didn't have to take any risks. Prithvi was in a good flow, and he backed himself to continue scoring runs in that flow, which I think shows a lot of courage he has as a batsman. His innings of 80-odd is bigger than many centuries because the manner in which he got the runs was of a different class altogether.

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The Delhi Capitals are set to take on Punjab Kings in their next match here at the&nbsp;Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, 02 May 2021. Dhawan expressed that the Delhi franchise is looking forward to registering another win in the competition, "The Punjab Kings are a good side. We cannot take any team in the IPL lightly. We have to make sure that we give our best and implement our plans properly every time we step on the field. They are playing well at the moment, and we respect that, but at the same time we are looking forward to beating them and win another match in our campaign."

&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals will look to keep up their momentum when they take on each of the franchises for the second time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The Delhi Capitals, who defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in their previous game on Thursday, have won five out of seven matches in the ongoing season.

Delhi Capitals will look to keep up their momentum when they take on each of the franchises for the second time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The Delhi Capitals, who defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in their previous game on Thursday, have won five out of seven matches in the ongoing season. Speaking about the team's performance in the competition so far, the JSW and GMR co-owned franchise opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan said, "We are performing very well as a team this season. We have won five out of seven matches, so we are in a pretty good position at the moment. The good thing is that the entire team is doing well, and we are not depending on any one individual. There has always been someone who has taken the responsibility to win matches for us. We have a strong side, and I am glad that we are in this position at the moment." ALSO READ: Kane Williamson replaces David Warner as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain for rest of IPL 2021 Dhawan had the best seat in the house when his opening partner Prithvi Shaw struck six fours in an over against KKR. The 35-year-old said that Prithvi showed a lot of courage during his innings of 82 runs from 41 balls, "It was lovely to see Prithvi strike six boundaries in one over in the last game. We got 25 runs in the first over and the game was over there itself. He made the game easy for me as I didn't have to take any risks. Prithvi was in a good flow, and he backed himself to continue scoring runs in that flow, which I think shows a lot of courage he has as a batsman. His innings of 80-odd is bigger than many centuries because the manner in which he got the runs was of a different class altogether. ALSO READ: Watch: Virat Kohli shares light-hearted moment with PBKS match-winner Harpreet Brar The Delhi Capitals are set to take on Punjab Kings in their next match here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, 02 May 2021. Dhawan expressed that the Delhi franchise is looking forward to registering another win in the competition, "The Punjab Kings are a good side. We cannot take any team in the IPL lightly. We have to make sure that we give our best and implement our plans properly every time we step on the field. They are playing well at the moment, and we respect that, but at the same time we are looking forward to beating them and win another match in our campaign."

Prithvi Shaw showed lot of courage against Kolkata Knight Riders, says Shikhar Dhawan

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Tuesday came back to winning ways as they narrowly defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 1 run in what was a last-ball thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. RCB move atop the table after Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer fell short of taking DC over the winning line.<o:p></o:p>

Batting first, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal enjoyed a brisk start but the Delhi Capitals bowlers were quick to correct their line and lengths as they sent both the openers packing for 30. While Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar stitched a brief partnership, the Aussie was dismissed by veteran Amit Mishra for 25.

Patidar, who looked impressive with the willow, soon followed after a 31-ball 22. However, it was the majestic AB de Villiers again as he whacked an unbeaten 75 off just 42 deliveries laced by five sixes and three boundaries to help RCB post 171-5. De Villiers’ knock includes a 23-run last over where he hammered Marcus Stoinis for fun. The South African, in the process, crossed the 5,000-run mark in IPL. <o:p></o:p>

In between both the innings, Ahmedabad witnessed a dust storm which caused a brief delay.&nbsp;

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Delhi capitals, chasing 172, lost the in-form opener, Shikhar Dhawan, for six as the southpaw was caught off Kyle Jamieson. Steve Smith was next to depart as Mohammed Siraj continued his good run of form while reminding everyone of his dismissal against smith in historic India's tour of Australia. Prithvi shaw played a couple of delightful strokes in his 21-run knock but edged a Harshal Patel delivery, which ideally should have been left. <o:p></o:p>

Rishabh Pant and Marcus Stoinis dealt&nbsp;with a few boundaries but the latter perished after a 17-ball 22. However, it was Shimron Hetmyer, who delivered with the bat as he scored a quickfire half-century with four sixes and two boundaries.&nbsp;

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With 14 needed off six in the last over, Pant and Hetmyer failed to take DC over the winning line as they lost by 1 run. RCB, with the win, go atop the IPL 2021 points table with five wins and 10 points under their belt.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Tuesday came back to winning ways as they narrowly defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 1 run in what was a last-ball thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Tuesday came back to winning ways as they narrowly defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 1 run in what was a last-ball thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. RCB move atop the table after Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer fell short of taking DC over the winning line. Batting first, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal enjoyed a brisk start but the Delhi Capitals bowlers were quick to correct their line and lengths as they sent both the openers packing for 30. While Glenn Maxwell and Rajat Patidar stitched a brief partnership, the Aussie was dismissed by veteran Amit Mishra for 25. Patidar, who looked impressive with the willow, soon followed after a 31-ball 22. However, it was the majestic AB de Villiers again as he whacked an unbeaten 75 off just 42 deliveries laced by five sixes and three boundaries to help RCB post 171-5. De Villiers’ knock includes a 23-run last over where he hammered Marcus Stoinis for fun. The South African, in the process, crossed the 5,000-run mark in IPL. In between both the innings, Ahmedabad witnessed a dust storm which caused a brief delay. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Play a brand of cricket to give people some respite, says KKR's Brendon McCullum Delhi capitals, chasing 172, lost the in-form opener, Shikhar Dhawan, for six as the southpaw was caught off Kyle Jamieson. Steve Smith was next to depart as Mohammed Siraj continued his good run of form while reminding everyone of his dismissal against smith in historic India's tour of Australia. Prithvi shaw played a couple of delightful strokes in his 21-run knock but edged a Harshal Patel delivery, which ideally should have been left. Rishabh Pant and Marcus Stoinis dealt with a few boundaries but the latter perished after a 17-ball 22. However, it was Shimron Hetmyer, who delivered with the bat as he scored a quickfire half-century with four sixes and two boundaries. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: After Pat Cummins, Brett Lee donates 1 Bitcoin to India in fight against COVID-19 pandemic With 14 needed off six in the last over, Pant and Hetmyer failed to take DC over the winning line as they lost by 1 run. RCB, with the win, go atop the IPL 2021 points table with five wins and 10 points under their belt.

IPL 2021: Royal Challengers Bangalore edge out Delhi Capitals in last-ball thriller, go atop the table

Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday ended their four-match losing streak by defeating Punjab Kings by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. KKR now have two wins in six matches in IPL 2021 as they move a spot up from the bottom of the table. &nbsp;

After being invited to bat first, Punjab Kings were off to a watchful start but lost skipper Rahul (19) just before the end of the powerplay. Shivam Mavi was quick to remove Chris Gayle for a golden duck after KKR before Sunil Narine and Prasidh Krishna stuck to remove Mayank Agarwal and Deepak Hooda respectively.&nbsp;

Moises Henriques was also sent packing for two as Narine used his experience to fire a quicker delivery to the Aussie. The likes of Nicholas Pooran (19), Shahrukh Khan (13) added a few handy runs to save PBKS from humiliation.

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However, it was Chris Jordan who smashed 30 off 18 to take the Punjab outfit to a respectable total of 123/9 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

“The pitch is definitely keeping low, that's how it started and didn't come on well to the bat. In the last ten overs, dew really starting setting in and there's a lot of dew. It was really tough to grip the ball, few balls were slipping and we had to dry the ball each and every ball,” Varun Chakaravarthy told the host broadcasters during the mid-innings break.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-with-four-overseas-players-left-rajasthan-royals-seek-for-player-loans-380533" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: With four overseas players left, Rajasthan Royals seek for player loans</a>

Chasing 124, Kolkata Knight Riders were off to a shaky start as they lost openers Nitish Rana (0) and Shubman Gill (9) for cheap. Sunil Narine, sent to bat at number four, was also sent packing for a four-ball duck. However, skipper Eoin Morgan found some form with the willow and stitched a partnership with Rahul Tripathi to steady the chase. KKR lost Andre Russel after a miscommunication with Morgan. But the southpaw, along with Dinesh Karthik, finished the match for KKR.

Even though it wasn’t an explosive chase by any means, KKR made sure they left the baggage of defeat behind and start the Ahmedabad leg with a much-needed win.

Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday ended their four-match losing streak by defeating Punjab Kings by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. KKR now have two wins in six matches in IPL 2021 as they move a spot up from the bottom of the table.

Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday ended their four-match losing streak by defeating Punjab Kings by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. KKR now have two wins in six matches in IPL 2021 as they move a spot up from the bottom of the table. After being invited to bat first, Punjab Kings were off to a watchful start but lost skipper Rahul (19) just before the end of the powerplay. Shivam Mavi was quick to remove Chris Gayle for a golden duck after KKR before Sunil Narine and Prasidh Krishna stuck to remove Mayank Agarwal and Deepak Hooda respectively. Moises Henriques was also sent packing for two as Narine used his experience to fire a quicker delivery to the Aussie. The likes of Nicholas Pooran (19), Shahrukh Khan (13) added a few handy runs to save PBKS from humiliation. ALSO READ: IPL 2021 to go ahead as scheduled, says Sourav Ganguly However, it was Chris Jordan who smashed 30 off 18 to take the Punjab outfit to a respectable total of 123/9 in 20 overs. “The pitch is definitely keeping low, that's how it started and didn't come on well to the bat. In the last ten overs, dew really starting setting in and there's a lot of dew. It was really tough to grip the ball, few balls were slipping and we had to dry the ball each and every ball,” Varun Chakaravarthy told the host broadcasters during the mid-innings break. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: With four overseas players left, Rajasthan Royals seek for player loans Chasing 124, Kolkata Knight Riders were off to a shaky start as they lost openers Nitish Rana (0) and Shubman Gill (9) for cheap. Sunil Narine, sent to bat at number four, was also sent packing for a four-ball duck. However, skipper Eoin Morgan found some form with the willow and stitched a partnership with Rahul Tripathi to steady the chase. KKR lost Andre Russel after a miscommunication with Morgan. But the southpaw, along with Dinesh Karthik, finished the match for KKR. Even though it wasn’t an explosive chase by any means, KKR made sure they left the baggage of defeat behind and start the Ahmedabad leg with a much-needed win.

Morgan finds form as KKR end losing streak, defeat Punjab Kings by five wickets

Batting, Bowling, Fielding - it was Ravindra Jadeja all the way against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match.&nbsp;What a 37 run last-over record-breaking pasting that was from Ravindra Jadeja!

Harshal Patel had his 3/14 figure destroyed to read 3/51 as CSK set up 191/4 after being 111/3 in the 14th over. As if that wasn’t enough he came up with a brilliant bowling performance racking up 3/13 and added a brilliant run out for good measure. RCB started off well with 44 runs in the first 3 overs when Kolhi got out. At 6.2 overs they were 65/3 and then it was a one-way procession to the dressing room.

As Gautam Bhimani put it while anchoring the post-match&nbsp;analysis on Cricbuzz live it was: "Jadeja 1 Bangalore 0 today. It was the Jadeja Show all the way!"

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-teammates-extensive-backing-helped-me-in-my-comeback-match-says-axar-patel-380538" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Teammates' extensive backing helped me in my comeback match, says Axar Patel</a>

Harsha Bhogle waxed eloquent about Jadeja,“I think Jadeja is at his peak as a cricketer, at the peak of his game.

“There is Chandrayan, there is Mangalyaan and there is Jadejayaan. How many times in a cricketer’s life do you get days like this where whatever he touches turns to gold, turns to a Jadeja. He is more valuable and higher-priced than gold or bitcoin today. He gets 62 off 28, gets 3 wickets and one run out. I will be surprised if his performance is bettered in this tournament.”

“I think he has given us one of the 2 balls of the tournament so far, the best final over of the tournament so far and he has been a standout fielder. I really don’t think one player can do more than that.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-harshal-patel-concedes-37-runs-in-an-over-to-ravindra-jadeja-equals-an-unwanted-record-380145" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Harshal Patel concedes 37 runs in an over to Ravindra Jadeja, equals an unwanted record</a>

Simon Doull drooled as well over Jadeja’s superlative all-round performance, “It was an unbelievable performance. a partnership of 47 runs with Dhoni who got 2. He is just a special special cricketer.”

Talking about the next game Harsha said “RCB were 65/3 at the end of powerplay and scored only 46 runs off the next 13.”

“One bad day and RCB may go to third place if DC wins today. That’s the nature of these games.”

Batting, Bowling, Fielding - it was Ravindra Jadeja all the way against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match. What a 37 run last-over record-breaking pasting that was from Ravindra Jadeja!

Batting, Bowling, Fielding - it was Ravindra Jadeja all the way against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match. What a 37 run last-over record-breaking pasting that was from Ravindra Jadeja! Harshal Patel had his 3/14 figure destroyed to read 3/51 as CSK set up 191/4 after being 111/3 in the 14th over. As if that wasn’t enough he came up with a brilliant bowling performance racking up 3/13 and added a brilliant run out for good measure. RCB started off well with 44 runs in the first 3 overs when Kolhi got out. At 6.2 overs they were 65/3 and then it was a one-way procession to the dressing room. As Gautam Bhimani put it while anchoring the post-match analysis on Cricbuzz live it was: "Jadeja 1 Bangalore 0 today. It was the Jadeja Show all the way!" ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Teammates' extensive backing helped me in my comeback match, says Axar Patel Harsha Bhogle waxed eloquent about Jadeja,“I think Jadeja is at his peak as a cricketer, at the peak of his game. “There is Chandrayan, there is Mangalyaan and there is Jadejayaan. How many times in a cricketer’s life do you get days like this where whatever he touches turns to gold, turns to a Jadeja. He is more valuable and higher-priced than gold or bitcoin today. He gets 62 off 28, gets 3 wickets and one run out. I will be surprised if his performance is bettered in this tournament.” “I think he has given us one of the 2 balls of the tournament so far, the best final over of the tournament so far and he has been a standout fielder. I really don’t think one player can do more than that.” ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Harshal Patel concedes 37 runs in an over to Ravindra Jadeja, equals an unwanted record Simon Doull drooled as well over Jadeja’s superlative all-round performance, “It was an unbelievable performance. a partnership of 47 runs with Dhoni who got 2. He is just a special special cricketer.” Talking about the next game Harsha said “RCB were 65/3 at the end of powerplay and scored only 46 runs off the next 13.” “One bad day and RCB may go to third place if DC wins today. That’s the nature of these games.”

IPL 2021, RCB vs CSK: 'Jadeja 1 Bangalore 0', quips Gautam Bhimani as experts drool over all-round performance

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday ended Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) unbeaten run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning by 69 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.<o:p></o:p>

With the win, CSK replace RCB at the top of the IPL 2021 points table and have now won four out of the five matches in the T20 tournament so far this season. Whereas this was the first defeat for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021.<o:p></o:p>

Batting first, Chennai Super Kings were off to a flyer as openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (33) and Faf du Plessis (50) gave them a blistering start. Suresh Raina chipped in with handy runs (24) and Rayudu was dismissed for 14.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-ravindra-jadeja-smashes-37-runs-in-an-over-against-harshal-patel-twitterati-go-crazy-380140" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Ravindra Jadeja smashes 37 runs in an over against Harshal Patel, Twitterati go crazy</a>

However, the pick of the player for CSK was Ravindra Jadeja as he smoked 37 runs in the final over of the match, off Harshal Patel to take Chennai to 191/4 in 20 overs. Jadeja returned with 62 not-out off just 28 deliveries as he equaled Chris Gayle’s record of scoring most runs in an IPL over (37).<o:p></o:p>

For RCB, Harshal Patel picked up three wickets while Yuzvendra Chahal returned with a solitary scalp.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-maxwell-to-dhawan-five-players-who-have-rocked-ipl-2021-so-far-379570" hreflang="en">From Maxwell to Dhawan: Five players who have rocked IPL 2021 so far</a>

Chasing 192, RCB were off to a brisk start with Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli stitching a good 44-run stand. However, RCB lost quick wickets as pressure mounted on the middle order. It was Jadeja once again, who was the destructor in chief for CSK, as he picked up three wickets in his four-over quota including the scalps of Washington Sundar, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers. Moreover, he connected a direct hit to send Dan Christian packing back to the hut. <o:p></o:p>

RCB were restricted to 122/9 in 20 overs as CSK registered a comfortable 69-run win.<o:p></o:p>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday ended Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) unbeaten run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning by 69 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday ended Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) unbeaten run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning by 69 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With the win, CSK replace RCB at the top of the IPL 2021 points table and have now won four out of the five matches in the T20 tournament so far this season. Whereas this was the first defeat for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021. Batting first, Chennai Super Kings were off to a flyer as openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (33) and Faf du Plessis (50) gave them a blistering start. Suresh Raina chipped in with handy runs (24) and Rayudu was dismissed for 14. ALSO READ: IPL 2021- Ravindra Jadeja smashes 37 runs in an over against Harshal Patel, Twitterati go crazy However, the pick of the player for CSK was Ravindra Jadeja as he smoked 37 runs in the final over of the match, off Harshal Patel to take Chennai to 191/4 in 20 overs. Jadeja returned with 62 not-out off just 28 deliveries as he equaled Chris Gayle’s record of scoring most runs in an IPL over (37). For RCB, Harshal Patel picked up three wickets while Yuzvendra Chahal returned with a solitary scalp. ALSO READ: From Maxwell to Dhawan: Five players who have rocked IPL 2021 so far Chasing 192, RCB were off to a brisk start with Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli stitching a good 44-run stand. However, RCB lost quick wickets as pressure mounted on the middle order. It was Jadeja once again, who was the destructor in chief for CSK, as he picked up three wickets in his four-over quota including the scalps of Washington Sundar, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers. Moreover, he connected a direct hit to send Dan Christian packing back to the hut. RCB were restricted to 122/9 in 20 overs as CSK registered a comfortable 69-run win.

Ravindra Jadeja the ultimate hero as CSK end RCB's unbeaten streak in IPL 2021

IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals defeat Mumbai Indians in a last-over thriller

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni on Monday admitted that his slow knock in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai could have cost his side the game on another day. Dhoni played a cautious knock of 18 off 17 as the former Indian captain struggled to time the ball to perfection. He could manage only two boundaries and look&nbsp;adrift of his natural game. <o:p></o:p>

However, CSK managed to post 188 after a late blitz by Dwayne Bravo and went on to win the match by an impressive 45-run margin.<o:p></o:p>

"Glad we scored 180, I thought we could have got more. The first six balls I played could have cost us in another game," Dhoni told host broadcaster Star Sports.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-harbhajan-sreesanth-slap-gate-to-ms-dhonis-anger-top-ipl-controversies-through-the-years-378405" hreflang="en">From Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap gate to MS Dhoni's anger: Top IPL controversies through the years</a>

Dhoni, 40, is setting fresh benchmarks on fitness with every passing day. His lightning-quick reflexes and running between the wicket still put the cricket fans in awe. The veteran gave an insight into how fitness is important to him and how he manages to compete at the highest level. <o:p></o:p>

"Getting old and being fit -- those are two difficult things! When you're playing you don't want anyone to call you unfit. I have to keep up with younger guys, they run a lot, but it's always challenging," said Dhoni.<o:p></o:p>

Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja spun a web around the RR batters as they scalped five wickets among themselves to defend the 188-run target. With the win, CSK jump to second place in the IPL 2021 points table.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/chennai-super-kings-all-round-show-downs-rajasthan-royals-in-mumbai-378690" hreflang="en">Chennai Super Kings' all-round show downs Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai</a>

Earlier, Faf du Plessis and Ambati Rayudu scored at a firing rate before Dwayne Bravo's 20 off 8 balls came handy in the death overs. For CSK, Faf top-scored with an innings of 33 while for Rajasthan Royals, Chetan Sakariya returned with three wickets.

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni on Monday admitted that his slow knock in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai could have cost his side the game on another day.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni on Monday admitted that his slow knock in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai could have cost his side the game on another day. Dhoni played a cautious knock of 18 off 17 as the former Indian captain struggled to time the ball to perfection. He could manage only two boundaries and look adrift of his natural game. However, CSK managed to post 188 after a late blitz by Dwayne Bravo and went on to win the match by an impressive 45-run margin. "Glad we scored 180, I thought we could have got more. The first six balls I played could have cost us in another game," Dhoni told host broadcaster Star Sports. ALSO READ: From Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap gate to MS Dhoni's anger: Top IPL controversies through the years Dhoni, 40, is setting fresh benchmarks on fitness with every passing day. His lightning-quick reflexes and running between the wicket still put the cricket fans in awe. The veteran gave an insight into how fitness is important to him and how he manages to compete at the highest level. "Getting old and being fit -- those are two difficult things! When you're playing you don't want anyone to call you unfit. I have to keep up with younger guys, they run a lot, but it's always challenging," said Dhoni. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja spun a web around the RR batters as they scalped five wickets among themselves to defend the 188-run target. With the win, CSK jump to second place in the IPL 2021 points table. ALSO READ: Chennai Super Kings' all-round show downs Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai Earlier, Faf du Plessis and Ambati Rayudu scored at a firing rate before Dwayne Bravo's 20 off 8 balls came handy in the death overs. For CSK, Faf top-scored with an innings of 33 while for Rajasthan Royals, Chetan Sakariya returned with three wickets. ×

My first six balls could have cost us in another match, says CSK's MS Dhoni after slow knock vs RR

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Both CSK and RR bounced back in the T20 tournament after losing their respective season openers and would be looking to gain momentum.

While CSK comfortably defeated Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals defeated Delhi Capitals in a final-over thriller. A win for either CSK or RR would give them a massive boost and momentum heading into the busy phase of the tournament.&nbsp;

CSK have won 14 matches as compared to Rajasthan Royals' 9 when the two teams have faced each other in IPL.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-virat-kohli-to-rashid-khan-top-7-ipl-2021-stars-and-their-cricketing-idols-378258" hreflang="en">From Virat Kohli to Rashid Khan: Top 7 IPL 2021 stars and their cricketing idols</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">CSK vs RR,&nbsp;IPL 2021 Live Streaming Details<o:p></o:p></h2>

TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network. <o:p></o:p>

Online Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar.

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>CSK vs RR, IPL 2021: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - Pitch report</o:p></h2>

The Wankhede Stadium’s pitch in Mumbai has always assisted the batsmen but the recent trend has suggested that there’s plenty on offer for bowlers. While batsmen are expected to get big runs on the scoreboard, it won’t be surprising to see bowlers get a bit of assistance from the surface. Anything over 185 is competitive in Mumbai.

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>CSK vs RR, IPL 2021: Mumbai weather forecast</o:p></h2>

No rain or weather interruptions are expected during the CSK vs RR, IPL 2021 match and the game is expected to go ahead without any hitch.

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<h2 class="MsoNormal">CSK vs RR, IPL 2021 SQUADS<o:p></o:p></h2>

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (wk/C), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Robin Uthappa, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, Jason Behrendorff.<o:p></o:p>

Rajasthan Royals: Manan Vohra, Sanju Samson (wk/C), Jos Buttler, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman, Jaydev Unadkat, David Miller, Andrew Tye, Liam Livingstone, KC Cariappa, Mahipal Lomror, Jofra Archer, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Kuldip Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Singh.<o:p></o:p>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to take on Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Both CSK and RR bounced back in the T20 tournament after losing their respective season openers and would be looking to gain momentum. While CSK comfortably defeated Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals defeated Delhi Capitals in a final-over thriller. A win for either CSK or RR would give them a massive boost and momentum heading into the busy phase of the tournament. CSK have won 14 matches as compared to Rajasthan Royals' 9 when the two teams have faced each other in IPL. ALSO READ: From Virat Kohli to Rashid Khan: Top 7 IPL 2021 stars and their cricketing idols CSK vs RR, IPL 2021 Live Streaming Details TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network. Online Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar. CSK vs RR, IPL 2021: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - Pitch report The Wankhede Stadium’s pitch in Mumbai has always assisted the batsmen but the recent trend has suggested that there’s plenty on offer for bowlers. While batsmen are expected to get big runs on the scoreboard, it won’t be surprising to see bowlers get a bit of assistance from the surface. Anything over 185 is competitive in Mumbai. CSK vs RR, IPL 2021: Mumbai weather forecast No rain or weather interruptions are expected during the CSK vs RR, IPL 2021 match and the game is expected to go ahead without any hitch. ALSO READ: From Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap gate to MS Dhoni's anger: Top IPL controversies through the years CSK vs RR, IPL 2021 SQUADS Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (wk/C), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Robin Uthappa, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karn Sharma, Imran Tahir, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, Jason Behrendorff. Rajasthan Royals: Manan Vohra, Sanju Samson (wk/C), Jos Buttler, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman, Jaydev Unadkat, David Miller, Andrew Tye, Liam Livingstone, KC Cariappa, Mahipal Lomror, Jofra Archer, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Kuldip Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Akash Singh.

CSK vs RR, IPL 2021: Head-to-head stats, Mumbai weather forecast, Wankhede pitch report - All you need to know

Delhi Capitals will be looking to build on their comprehensive six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings, when they take on Mumbai Indians here at the&nbsp;MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Shikhar Dhawan, who blazed his way to a score of 92 runs from 49 balls to help his team chase down 195/4 against Punjab Kings on Sunday, expressed that the JSW and GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals will have to play with a positive mindset against Mumbai Indians, "The Mumbai Indians have played three games in Chennai, so they know the conditions there. For us the challenge will be to switch on mentally according to the wicket and prepare our plan. Then we just have to go out there and implement the plan and play with a positive mindset and look to win the game."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-harbhajan-sreesanth-slap-gate-to-ms-dhonis-anger-top-ipl-controversies-through-the-years-378405" hreflang="en">From Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap gate to MS Dhoni's anger: Top IPL controversies through the years</a>

While speaking about the Delhi franchise's win over Punjab Kings, Dhawan said that a good start by the opening batsmen was crucial for the side, "We needed a good start according to the situation today. Prithvi (Shaw) played really well in the first two, three overs, and I was timing the ball well. I am glad that we strung a partnership of 50 runs. We scored 50-odd runs in five overs, so we were ahead of the game in the first six overs."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2021-mumbai-indians-top-the-standings-as-srh-witness-winless-start-378308" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Mumbai Indians top the standings as SRH witness winless start</a>

When asked about how he produces consistent performances at the top of the order for the Delhi Capitals, Dhawan said, "I just look to take it easy. In my mind, I tell myself that I am very fit and strong, and my journey will be very easy."

Delhi Capitals will be looking to build on their comprehensive six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings, when they take on Mumbai Indians here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

Delhi Capitals will be looking to build on their comprehensive six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings, when they take on Mumbai Indians here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday. Shikhar Dhawan, who blazed his way to a score of 92 runs from 49 balls to help his team chase down 195/4 against Punjab Kings on Sunday, expressed that the JSW and GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals will have to play with a positive mindset against Mumbai Indians, "The Mumbai Indians have played three games in Chennai, so they know the conditions there. For us the challenge will be to switch on mentally according to the wicket and prepare our plan. Then we just have to go out there and implement the plan and play with a positive mindset and look to win the game." ALSO READ: From Harbhajan-Sreesanth slap gate to MS Dhoni's anger: Top IPL controversies through the years While speaking about the Delhi franchise's win over Punjab Kings, Dhawan said that a good start by the opening batsmen was crucial for the side, "We needed a good start according to the situation today. Prithvi (Shaw) played really well in the first two, three overs, and I was timing the ball well. I am glad that we strung a partnership of 50 runs. We scored 50-odd runs in five overs, so we were ahead of the game in the first six overs." ALSO READ: IPL 2021- Mumbai Indians top the standings as SRH witness winless start When asked about how he produces consistent performances at the top of the order for the Delhi Capitals, Dhawan said, "I just look to take it easy. In my mind, I tell myself that I am very fit and strong, and my journey will be very easy."

'Positive mindset' key to defeat Mumbai Indians, feels DC's Shikhar Dhawan

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has been left unimpressed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team selection in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Manjrekar expressed his disappointment after Hyderabad crumbled in the 151-run chase against MI and fell short by 13 runs despite a blistering start by openers.<o:p></o:p>

Manjrekar took a swipe at the SRH middle order as he said the team playing Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad together don’t deserve to win. The likes of Virat, Abhishek and Samad could manage just 11, 2 and 7 respectively which led to a middle-order collapse for SRH.<o:p></o:p>

"Sorry to say, but anyone that picks Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad all together in one playing XI does not deserve to win," Manjrekar tweeted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-vvs-laxman-reveals-why-t-natarajan-missed-mumbai-indians-match-378363" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: VVS Laxman reveals why T Natarajan missed Mumbai Indians match</a>

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Sorry to say, but anyone that picks Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad all together in one playing XI does not deserve to win.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) <a href="https://twitter.com/sanjaymanjrekar/status/1383476062705754114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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While Virat, who made his IPL debut, and Abhishek struggled to middle the ball, Samad was caught up with the pressure wave and ended up getting dismissed for 7. Manjrekar has even suggested SRH to play Kedar Jadhav over the inexperienced batsmen.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Indians bowlers hunted the inexperienced SRH middle order down with the likes of Bumrah, Rahul Chahar and Trent Boult starring with the ball.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-of-the-best-boult-lauds-jasprit-bumrah-after-splendid-show-in-death-overs-vs-srh-378372" hreflang="en">'One of the best': Boult lauds Jasprit Bumrah after splendid show in death overs vs SRH</a>

The Hyderabad outfit lose eight wickets for 47 runs and were bundled out for 137. With the win, Mumbai Indians now have four points in three matches after losing their IPL 2021 opener against RCB.<o:p></o:p>

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has been left unimpressed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team selection in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has been left unimpressed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team selection in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Manjrekar expressed his disappointment after Hyderabad crumbled in the 151-run chase against MI and fell short by 13 runs despite a blistering start by openers. Manjrekar took a swipe at the SRH middle order as he said the team playing Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad together don’t deserve to win. The likes of Virat, Abhishek and Samad could manage just 11, 2 and 7 respectively which led to a middle-order collapse for SRH. "Sorry to say, but anyone that picks Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad all together in one playing XI does not deserve to win," Manjrekar tweeted. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: VVS Laxman reveals why T Natarajan missed Mumbai Indians match Sorry to say, but anyone that picks Abhishek Sharma, Virat Singh and Abdul Samad all together in one playing XI does not deserve to win. — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 17, 2021 × While Virat, who made his IPL debut, and Abhishek struggled to middle the ball, Samad was caught up with the pressure wave and ended up getting dismissed for 7. Manjrekar has even suggested SRH to play Kedar Jadhav over the inexperienced batsmen. Mumbai Indians bowlers hunted the inexperienced SRH middle order down with the likes of Bumrah, Rahul Chahar and Trent Boult starring with the ball. ALSO READ: 'One of the best': Boult lauds Jasprit Bumrah after splendid show in death overs vs SRH The Hyderabad outfit lose eight wickets for 47 runs and were bundled out for 137. With the win, Mumbai Indians now have four points in three matches after losing their IPL 2021 opener against RCB.

'Does not deserve to win': Sanjay Manjrekar left unimpressed by Hyderabad's team combination vs Mumbai

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are all set to take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. While MI have lost and won one match each, SRH suffered defeat in their IPL 2021 opener.<o:p></o:p>

SRH would be desperate to win the contest and open their account in the IPL 2021 season. However, Mumbai Indians would be looking to continue their winning momentum against SRH. The defending champions outclassed Kolkata Knight Riders in what was a brilliant last five-over tactical masterclass by MI.

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>SRH vs MI, head-to-head stats:</o:p></h2>

Talking about head-to-head stats between SRH and MI matches, the Rohit Sharma-led outfit has won 19 matches as compared to Sunrisers Hyderabad’ 10 in 29 matches between the two sides. Given Mumbai’s dominance in IPL, the stat doesn’t come as surprise. The David Warner-led side would be looking to break the pattern and get one over MI on Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-host-broadcaster-enjoy-blockbuster-viewership-for-opening-match-fails-to-break-ipl-2020-record-378133" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Host broadcaster enjoy blockbuster viewership for opening match, fails to break IPL 2020 record</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>SRH vs MI - Chennai pitch report and weather forecast</o:p></h2>

Chennai has offered slow and sticky tracks so far in IPL 2021 and both teams would be wary of the conditions. While pacers have picked up more wickets in Chennai in IPL 2021, spinners and slower deliveries have dominated the proceedings the most. A score of 170 could be a winning total. There are no chances of rain.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/heartbeat-flemings-special-praise-for-ms-dhoni-after-200th-csk-appearance-in-ipl-378124" hreflang="en">'Heartbeat': Fleming's special praise for MS Dhoni after 200th CSK appearance in IPL</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p>SRH vs MI: Approaching milestones</o:p></h2>

Moreover, a few players are approaching landmarks and could take the center stage by storm:<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">David Warner is one half-century away from completing 50 half-centuries in IPL and if he achieves the feat against MI then he would be the first player to do so.<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Warner needs five sixes to complete 200 sixes in IPL.<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Kieron Pollard needs two sixes to complete 200 sixes in IPL.<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Manish Pandey needs two sixes to complete 100 sixes in IPL.<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Krunal Pandya and Shahbaz Nadeen need two wickets each to complete 500 wickets in IPL.</li>
</ul>

<o:p></o:p>

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&nbsp;

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are all set to take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are all set to take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. While MI have lost and won one match each, SRH suffered defeat in their IPL 2021 opener. SRH would be desperate to win the contest and open their account in the IPL 2021 season. However, Mumbai Indians would be looking to continue their winning momentum against SRH. The defending champions outclassed Kolkata Knight Riders in what was a brilliant last five-over tactical masterclass by MI. SRH vs MI, head-to-head stats: Talking about head-to-head stats between SRH and MI matches, the Rohit Sharma-led outfit has won 19 matches as compared to Sunrisers Hyderabad’ 10 in 29 matches between the two sides. Given Mumbai’s dominance in IPL, the stat doesn’t come as surprise. The David Warner-led side would be looking to break the pattern and get one over MI on Saturday. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Host broadcaster enjoy blockbuster viewership for opening match, fails to break IPL 2020 record SRH vs MI - Chennai pitch report and weather forecast Chennai has offered slow and sticky tracks so far in IPL 2021 and both teams would be wary of the conditions. While pacers have picked up more wickets in Chennai in IPL 2021, spinners and slower deliveries have dominated the proceedings the most. A score of 170 could be a winning total. There are no chances of rain. ALSO READ: 'Heartbeat': Fleming's special praise for MS Dhoni after 200th CSK appearance in IPL SRH vs MI: Approaching milestones Moreover, a few players are approaching landmarks and could take the center stage by storm: David Warner is one half-century away from completing 50 half-centuries in IPL and if he achieves the feat against MI then he would be the first player to do so. Warner needs five sixes to complete 200 sixes in IPL. Kieron Pollard needs two sixes to complete 200 sixes in IPL. Manish Pandey needs two sixes to complete 100 sixes in IPL. Krunal Pandya and Shahbaz Nadeen need two wickets each to complete 500 wickets in IPL. ×

MI vs SRH, IPL 2021: Head-to-head stats, Chennai pitch report, weather forecast - All you need to know

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ended up choking in the final five overs of the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to suffer a crushing 10-run defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, after the defeat, questioned experienced campaigners Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik’s approach in the chase in what he termed as a “shameful” defeat for KKR.<o:p></o:p>

Despite needing just 31 runs off the last 30 deliveries with six wickets in hand, KKR ended up losing the match by 10 runs and failed to finish the match despite dominating for 35 overs. Two of the famed finishers in the game, Russell and Karthik, got stuck in the middle and their failure to hit boundaries and rotate the strike led to a heartbreaking defeat.<o:p></o:p>

While Russell scored 9 off 15 balls, Karthik was unbeaten on 8 off 11 balls. Sehwag opined that both Russell and Karthik wanted to stay there till the final ball but failed to finish the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-the-end-of-world-andre-russell-reacts-to-shah-rukh-khans-apology-tweet-after-mi-defeat-377454" hreflang="en">Not the end of world: Andre Russell reacts to Shah Rukh Khan's apology tweet after MI defeat</a>

“Eoin Morgan had given a statement that they will play that way (with positive intent) after the first game but it didn't look like that when Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik came in to bat. The way Russell and Karthik batted, it felt like they planned to take the game till the end and win it. But that didn’t happen. The batters who came before them – be it Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Shubman Gill or Nitish Rana – all of them played with positive intent,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.<o:p></o:p>

Sehwag further said that either Rana or Gill should have finished the game for KKR.

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"Either Rana or Gill should have batted till the end. They had seen what had happened in the MI innings, despite getting off to a good start they could only manage 152," he said.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

The likes of Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult executed the plans to perfection and managed to restrict KKR to just 20 runs in last five overs to win the match for MI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/brian-lara-gives-his-verdict-on-sanju-samsons-decision-to-refuse-morris-a-single-vs-pbks-377322" hreflang="en">Brian Lara gives his verdict on Sanju Samson's decision to refuse Morris a single vs PBKS</a>

Sehwag further took a jibe at KKR and said the Morgan-led outfit defined how to lose a game from a winning position while labeling it a “shameful defeat”.<o:p></o:p>

“Kolkata Knight Riders just lost the game which was almost won at one stage. When Russell came into bat, KKR needed 30 runs in 27-odd balls. Dinesh Karthik batted till the end but couldn’t win the game. That’s a shameful defeat,” he said.<o:p></o:p>

“The runs per ball difference wasn’t much except for the last couple of overs. We saw how to lose a game that is almost won. You hardly get any game where you are chasing 152 and you need to score 36-odd runs in 6 overs with 6-7 wickets in hand. In such scenarios, teams prefer to end the game quickly to improve their net run rate. But KKR failed to do that and hampered their net-run rate,” he added.<o:p></o:p>

KKR will next face Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday in Chennai.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ended up choking in the final five overs of the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to suffer a crushing 10-run defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ended up choking in the final five overs of the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to suffer a crushing 10-run defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, after the defeat, questioned experienced campaigners Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik’s approach in the chase in what he termed as a “shameful” defeat for KKR. Despite needing just 31 runs off the last 30 deliveries with six wickets in hand, KKR ended up losing the match by 10 runs and failed to finish the match despite dominating for 35 overs. Two of the famed finishers in the game, Russell and Karthik, got stuck in the middle and their failure to hit boundaries and rotate the strike led to a heartbreaking defeat. While Russell scored 9 off 15 balls, Karthik was unbeaten on 8 off 11 balls. Sehwag opined that both Russell and Karthik wanted to stay there till the final ball but failed to finish the match. ALSO READ: Not the end of world: Andre Russell reacts to Shah Rukh Khan's apology tweet after MI defeat “Eoin Morgan had given a statement that they will play that way (with positive intent) after the first game but it didn't look like that when Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik came in to bat. The way Russell and Karthik batted, it felt like they planned to take the game till the end and win it. But that didn’t happen. The batters who came before them – be it Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Shubman Gill or Nitish Rana – all of them played with positive intent,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. Sehwag further said that either Rana or Gill should have finished the game for KKR. × "Either Rana or Gill should have batted till the end. They had seen what had happened in the MI innings, despite getting off to a good start they could only manage 152," he said. The likes of Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult executed the plans to perfection and managed to restrict KKR to just 20 runs in last five overs to win the match for MI. ALSO READ: Brian Lara gives his verdict on Sanju Samson's decision to refuse Morris a single vs PBKS Sehwag further took a jibe at KKR and said the Morgan-led outfit defined how to lose a game from a winning position while labeling it a “shameful defeat”. “Kolkata Knight Riders just lost the game which was almost won at one stage. When Russell came into bat, KKR needed 30 runs in 27-odd balls. Dinesh Karthik batted till the end but couldn’t win the game. That’s a shameful defeat,” he said. “The runs per ball difference wasn’t much except for the last couple of overs. We saw how to lose a game that is almost won. You hardly get any game where you are chasing 152 and you need to score 36-odd runs in 6 overs with 6-7 wickets in hand. In such scenarios, teams prefer to end the game quickly to improve their net run rate. But KKR failed to do that and hampered their net-run rate,” he added. KKR will next face Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday in Chennai.

'Shameful defeat': Sehwag questions Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik's intent after KKR collapse

Delhi Capitals and South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of DC’s second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. <o:p></o:p>

Nortje and Kagiso Rabada arrived in India on April 6 and were undergoing a mandatory seven-day quarantine. While Nortje came in with a negative report, he tested positive while undergoing quarantine.<o:p></o:p>

Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that the pacer tested positive while undergoing quarantine. "He came in with a negative report, but has unfortunately tested positive now while undergoing quarantine," the source said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shameful-defeat-sehwag-questions-andre-russell-and-dinesh-karthiks-intent-after-kkr-collapse-377468" hreflang="en">'Shameful defeat': Sehwag questions Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik's intent after KKR collapse</a>

The BCCI SOP states that a member of the squad, who tests positive for the dreaded virus, must isolate in the designated area outside the bio-secure environment for a minimum of 10 days from the first day of symptoms or collection of the sample. <o:p></o:p>

Nortje participated in the ODI series against Pakistan. After playing the first two ODIs, the Proteas pacer started his journey to IPL 2021.<o:p></o:p>

Delhi Capitals now have been dealt with a triple blow in IPL 2021. While regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out before the tournament started with a shoulder injury, all-rounder Axar Patel tested positive for COVID-19 followed by Nortje's positive report for the virus.&nbsp;

(With ANI inputs)

<o:p></o:p>

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&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals and South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of DC’s second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Delhi Capitals and South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of DC’s second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Nortje and Kagiso Rabada arrived in India on April 6 and were undergoing a mandatory seven-day quarantine. While Nortje came in with a negative report, he tested positive while undergoing quarantine. Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments said that the pacer tested positive while undergoing quarantine. "He came in with a negative report, but has unfortunately tested positive now while undergoing quarantine," the source said. ALSO READ: 'Shameful defeat': Sehwag questions Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik's intent after KKR collapse The BCCI SOP states that a member of the squad, who tests positive for the dreaded virus, must isolate in the designated area outside the bio-secure environment for a minimum of 10 days from the first day of symptoms or collection of the sample. Nortje participated in the ODI series against Pakistan. After playing the first two ODIs, the Proteas pacer started his journey to IPL 2021. Delhi Capitals now have been dealt with a triple blow in IPL 2021. While regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out before the tournament started with a shoulder injury, all-rounder Axar Patel tested positive for COVID-19 followed by Nortje's positive report for the virus. (With ANI inputs) ×

IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals pacer Anrich Nortje tests positive for COVID-19

IPL 2021: Deepak Hooda, KL Rahul onslaught help Punjab Kings defeat Rajasthan Royals

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda were the stars for PBKS as they smashed 91 off 50 and 62 off 28 respectively to help Punjab Kings reach a mammoth total of 221/6 in 20 overs.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings were invited to bat first and were off to a shaky start as they lost opener Mayank Agarwal early in the innings. While Chris Gayle and KL Rahul brought in the fireworks and stitched a crucial partnership, it was Deepak Hooda who stole the show with his blistering knock of 62 runs in just 28 deliveries laced with four boundaries and six 6s. <o:p></o:p>

Courtesy of some brilliant hitting by Rahul and Hooda, PBKS posted 221/6 in 20 overs.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-riyan-parag-brings-out-right-arm-perpendicular-delivery-vs-punjab-kings-in-ipl-2021-377140" hreflang="en">Watch: Riyan Parag brings out 'right-arm perpendicular' delivery vs Punjab Kings in IPL 2021</a>

With a pitch assisting batsmen, Rajasthan Royals started the 222-run chase on a torrid note as they lost opener Ben Stokes for a three-ball duck while Manan Vohra was dismissed for 12. Jos Buttler started promisingly as he smashed Riley Meredith for four consecutive boundaries but was soon sent packing by Jhye Richardson. <o:p></o:p>

Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube stitched a mini-partnership but the latter perished after a 15-ball 23. <o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chris-gayle-becomes-first-player-to-smash-350-sixes-in-ipl-history-377119" hreflang="en">Chris Gayle becomes first player to smash 350 sixes in IPL history</a>

Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag put the pressure back on Punjab Kings bowlers with some expansive shots in the middle overs as the duo took the chase deep. While Parag played a blistering knock, he was sent back to the hut by Mohammed Shami after a 11-ball 25-run knock. <o:p></o:p>

Samson played a blinder of a knock and became the first debutant captain to score a century in IPL. However, his was dismissed in the last ball of the match when RR required six runs to win. Samson ended up with 119 runs off just 63 deliveries but wasn’t enough to take his team over the winning line.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Punjab Kings on Monday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign with a thumping four-run win over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda were the stars for PBKS as they smashed 91 off 50 and 62 off 28 respectively to help Punjab Kings reach a mammoth total of 221/6 in 20 overs. Punjab Kings were invited to bat first and were off to a shaky start as they lost opener Mayank Agarwal early in the innings. While Chris Gayle and KL Rahul brought in the fireworks and stitched a crucial partnership, it was Deepak Hooda who stole the show with his blistering knock of 62 runs in just 28 deliveries laced with four boundaries and six 6s. Courtesy of some brilliant hitting by Rahul and Hooda, PBKS posted 221/6 in 20 overs. TRENDING: Watch: Riyan Parag brings out 'right-arm perpendicular' delivery vs Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 With a pitch assisting batsmen, Rajasthan Royals started the 222-run chase on a torrid note as they lost opener Ben Stokes for a three-ball duck while Manan Vohra was dismissed for 12. Jos Buttler started promisingly as he smashed Riley Meredith for four consecutive boundaries but was soon sent packing by Jhye Richardson. Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube stitched a mini-partnership but the latter perished after a 15-ball 23. ALSO READ: Chris Gayle becomes first player to smash 350 sixes in IPL history Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag put the pressure back on Punjab Kings bowlers with some expansive shots in the middle overs as the duo took the chase deep. While Parag played a blistering knock, he was sent back to the hut by Mohammed Shami after a 11-ball 25-run knock. Samson played a blinder of a knock and became the first debutant captain to score a century in IPL. However, his was dismissed in the last ball of the match when RR required six runs to win. Samson ended up with 119 runs off just 63 deliveries but wasn’t enough to take his team over the winning line.

Sanju Samson's century in vain as KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda steer Punjab Kings to thrilling win

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming on Saturday confirmed that pacers Lungi Ngidi and Jason Behrendorff are not available for the team’s next match in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 against Punjab Kings on April 16 (Friday). Fleming also heaped praise on Suresh Raina after the former Indian cricketer marked his IPL comeback with a terrific half-century. <o:p></o:p>

Fleming acknowledged that CSK are short in the bowling area but said that he will look at the Indian bowlers and the likes of Sam Curran to do better in their next IPL 2021 match.<o:p></o:p>

"Ngidi won't be available. He won't be arriving for the next game. So losing Josh Hazlewood, which was the plan to have him available for these games is a blow simply as an option up front. Ngidi will be arriving soon. Behrendorff would be following that. [Bowling] it's an area that we are probably short on. But we still look at the Indian bowlers and we have international bowler Sam Curran," Fleming said in a post-match press conference.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2021-dhawan-and-shaw-star-as-delhi-capitals-beat-chennai-super-kings-376734" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Dhawan and Shaw star as Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings</a>

CSK suffered a seven-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals in their first match of the campaign on Saturday. Delhi Capitals comfortably chased the target after openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave a cracking start before skipper Rishabh Pant finished the chase to register DC’s first win of the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

Courtesy tremendous knocks by Raina, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, CSK posted 188/7 in 20 overs. "It wasn't bad when you lose wickets a little bit early and still manages to get to 188, that's pretty good going. So, the intent with the bat was pretty good. The conditions changed, dew and a little bit of rain made things difficult in the second innings. They played really well but 190 on this ground is still reasonably competitive we just needed to bowl better," he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-fined-after-csks-ipl-2021-opener-versus-delhi-capitals-376768" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni fined after CSK's IPL 2021 opener versus Delhi Capitals</a>

CSK coach heaped praises on Raina and said his form is a positive side for the side. "It's really good, considering the cricket and where he has come from. It was an outstanding innings. We put Moeen Ali up as an aggressor and also used Suresh's aggressive role to get to play some cricket and find some form. But after playing 2-3 shots, he really got going. It's a really positive sign for us. I liked the way we turned it on after losing wickets when the wicket was tacky. We just weren't able to create chances with the ball, which is really disappointing," Fleming said.

<o:p></o:p>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming on Saturday confirmed that pacers Lungi Ngidi and Jason Behrendorff are not available for the team’s next match in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 against Punjab Kings on April 16 (Friday).

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming on Saturday confirmed that pacers Lungi Ngidi and Jason Behrendorff are not available for the team’s next match in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 against Punjab Kings on April 16 (Friday). Fleming also heaped praise on Suresh Raina after the former Indian cricketer marked his IPL comeback with a terrific half-century. Fleming acknowledged that CSK are short in the bowling area but said that he will look at the Indian bowlers and the likes of Sam Curran to do better in their next IPL 2021 match. "Ngidi won't be available. He won't be arriving for the next game. So losing Josh Hazlewood, which was the plan to have him available for these games is a blow simply as an option up front. Ngidi will be arriving soon. Behrendorff would be following that. [Bowling] it's an area that we are probably short on. But we still look at the Indian bowlers and we have international bowler Sam Curran," Fleming said in a post-match press conference. IN PICS | IPL 2021- Dhawan and Shaw star as Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings CSK suffered a seven-wicket loss against Delhi Capitals in their first match of the campaign on Saturday. Delhi Capitals comfortably chased the target after openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave a cracking start before skipper Rishabh Pant finished the chase to register DC’s first win of the tournament. Courtesy tremendous knocks by Raina, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, CSK posted 188/7 in 20 overs. "It wasn't bad when you lose wickets a little bit early and still manages to get to 188, that's pretty good going. So, the intent with the bat was pretty good. The conditions changed, dew and a little bit of rain made things difficult in the second innings. They played really well but 190 on this ground is still reasonably competitive we just needed to bowl better," he said. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni fined after CSK's IPL 2021 opener versus Delhi Capitals CSK coach heaped praises on Raina and said his form is a positive side for the side. "It's really good, considering the cricket and where he has come from. It was an outstanding innings. We put Moeen Ali up as an aggressor and also used Suresh's aggressive role to get to play some cricket and find some form. But after playing 2-3 shots, he really got going. It's a really positive sign for us. I liked the way we turned it on after losing wickets when the wicket was tacky. We just weren't able to create chances with the ball, which is really disappointing," Fleming said.

IPL 2021: Two key overseas bowlers to miss CSK's next match, confirms Stephen Fleming

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined INR 12 lakh after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>

As it was CSK’s first offence in IPL 2021 under IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to&nbsp;minimum over-rate offences, Dhoni was fined INR 12 lakh.<o:p></o:p>

“Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 10,” IPL said in a statement.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2021-dhawan-and-shaw-star-as-delhi-capitals-beat-chennai-super-kings-376734" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Dhawan and Shaw star as Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings</a>

“As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr Dhoni was fined Rs 12 lakh,” it added.<o:p></o:p>

Earlier, Suresh Raina scored a brilliant half-century in his comeback game in IPL before Sam Curran’s blistering knock helped CSK reach 188/7 in 20 overs. However, Delhi Capitals openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan took the game away from the Dhoni-led outfit before Rishabh Pant finished it off to start their IPL 2021 campaign with a win.<o:p></o:p>

After the game, Dhoni said that "a lot depended on dew" before praising his side's batsmen for taking the team's score to 188.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/here-are-some-major-records-csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-can-shatter-in-ipl-2021-376648" hreflang="en">Here are some major records CSK skipper MS Dhoni can shatter in IPL 2021</a>

"A lot depended on dew, and that factor played on our mind from the start and that's why we wanted to get as many runs as possible. The batters did a good job to reach 188 because it was tacky until dew settled in 50 minutes later. We could have bowled slightly better, and if batters are hitting you over the fields, that's fair enough," Dhoni told hosts broadcasters Star Sports after the match. <o:p></o:p>

"The execution of the bowlers was poor and there were boundary balls that they bowled, but the bowlers will have learned and they will apply that in the future games. The opposition has half an hour in a 7:30 start when the pitch is really tacky and the ball stops a bit, so we need to get 15-20 runs extra to be safe. If we get dew consistently, then 200 will be a must on a pitch like this. Their (Delhi) bowlers bowled a great line when it was stopping and seaming a bit, and the openers got really good balls in which they got out and that can happen in a game like this," he added.<o:p></o:p>

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined INR 12 lakh after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has been fined INR 12 lakh after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. As it was CSK’s first offence in IPL 2021 under IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Dhoni was fined INR 12 lakh. “Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 10,” IPL said in a statement. IN PICS | IPL 2021- Dhawan and Shaw star as Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings “As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr Dhoni was fined Rs 12 lakh,” it added. Earlier, Suresh Raina scored a brilliant half-century in his comeback game in IPL before Sam Curran’s blistering knock helped CSK reach 188/7 in 20 overs. However, Delhi Capitals openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan took the game away from the Dhoni-led outfit before Rishabh Pant finished it off to start their IPL 2021 campaign with a win. After the game, Dhoni said that "a lot depended on dew" before praising his side's batsmen for taking the team's score to 188. IN PICS | Here are some major records CSK skipper MS Dhoni can shatter in IPL 2021 "A lot depended on dew, and that factor played on our mind from the start and that's why we wanted to get as many runs as possible. The batters did a good job to reach 188 because it was tacky until dew settled in 50 minutes later. We could have bowled slightly better, and if batters are hitting you over the fields, that's fair enough," Dhoni told hosts broadcasters Star Sports after the match. "The execution of the bowlers was poor and there were boundary balls that they bowled, but the bowlers will have learned and they will apply that in the future games. The opposition has half an hour in a 7:30 start when the pitch is really tacky and the ball stops a bit, so we need to get 15-20 runs extra to be safe. If we get dew consistently, then 200 will be a must on a pitch like this. Their (Delhi) bowlers bowled a great line when it was stopping and seaming a bit, and the openers got really good balls in which they got out and that can happen in a game like this," he added.

MS Dhoni fined after CSK's IPL 2021 opener versus Delhi Capitals

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli was full of praises for his team-mates, especially Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell, as the Bengaluru outfit got off to a rollicking start in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 by defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by two wickets in Chennai on Friday.

RCB roped in Maxwell at the auction for a whopping INR 14.25 crore despite the Aussie having a torrid IPL 2020 with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). However, Maxwell answered his critics in style while showing why the RCB management was spot on to spend heavily for his acquisition.

After the IPL 2021 season opener against MI, RCB captain Kohli said that Maxwell’s knock of 39 runs off 28 deliveries was the game-changer as he put the pressure back on the bowlers. Kohli revealed that RCB wanted to allow Maxwell to play a few deliveries before bringing his array of shots into the game rather than slogging from the word go while adding it was important to play the strongest side in the tournament (MI) and test themselves against the best.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/first-game-could-be-my-last-chris-lynn-on-running-out-captain-rohit-sharma-in-ipl-2021-opener-376596" hreflang="en">First game could be my last: Chris Lynn on running out captain Rohit Sharma in IPL 2021 opener</a>

“We won the first match last year as well that we played. It was important to play against the strongest side in the competition and test our side. Everyone was involved in this game, and when you win by two wickets, it means that everyone has gone in and played. A lot of options for me as well that helped bringing the game back. The pitch was looking decent in the first half, but to be honest, with the old ball the length ball was difficult to get away. That is why those partnerships between Maxi and me and then between AB and Maxi was really important. It's not a pitch where you can just hit through the line. You have to be smart with picking the gaps and running hard. Playing in Chennai you have to be respectful of that. The shot that Pollard got out to, in Wankhde it would've sailed into the crowds,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation on Friday.

“We came back well and used the conditions well. They came back well too after losing Rohit early and those last six overs for us were probably the best six we've ever had. We brought Harshal in a trade from Delhi. He is relishing the responsibility and is clear with his plans. He was the difference today. He is going to be our death bowler. As a captain you want players with clarity, and he has that. Jamieson started off well, Yuzi was good, Siraj was good too. In T20 cricket, clarity at the top of your mark is all you as for as a captain. Harshal was very clear with that and it was his day today.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2021-harshal-patel-and-abd-shine-as-rcb-beat-mumbai-indians-in-season-opener-376541" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Harshal Patel and ABD shine as RCB beat Mumbai Indians in season opener</a>

“We wanted Maxi to bat at four. Rajat is a very solid player. He is an exciting player, plays spin well too. The thinking was that we wanted to give Maxi some balls at the start and not get him slogging right away. You saw the result today of him playing 10-15 balls. His innings was the game-changer. Had he stayed in we would've finished a couple of overs earlier. The opposition then gets nervous about AB. We have depth in the batting which we want to utilize. AB is probably the only one in the team who is so versatile. And he does it on slow wickets what not many can do. In a tricky chase you need experience at the back, and the opposition knows that if he doesn't get out, the bowlers get in a different headspace,” the RCB skipper added.

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Harshal Patel Press Conference | MI v RCB 
 
Man of the Match for RCB, <a href="https://twitter.com/HarshalPatel23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarshalPatel23</a> gives us insights into his bowling after a brilliant performance against MI in the first match of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> in Chennai.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvRCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/VaRWykTbRe">pic.twitter.com/VaRWykTbRe</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1380709619429998592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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While AB de Villiers stole the thunders with his terrific knock of 48 off 27 balls, it was Maxwell and Kohli who set the stage for the middle-order batters to finish the game for RCB. While Kohli scored 33 off 29, Maxwell posted 39 off 28.

Earlier, Harshal Patel picked up five wickets and became the first bowler to scalp a five-fer against Mumbai Indians.

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RCB will next be in action against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on April 14.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli was full of praises for his team-mates, especially Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell, as the Bengaluru outfit got off to a rollicking start in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 by defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by two wickets in Chennai on Friday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli was full of praises for his team-mates, especially Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell, as the Bengaluru outfit got off to a rollicking start in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 by defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by two wickets in Chennai on Friday. RCB roped in Maxwell at the auction for a whopping INR 14.25 crore despite the Aussie having a torrid IPL 2020 with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). However, Maxwell answered his critics in style while showing why the RCB management was spot on to spend heavily for his acquisition. After the IPL 2021 season opener against MI, RCB captain Kohli said that Maxwell’s knock of 39 runs off 28 deliveries was the game-changer as he put the pressure back on the bowlers. Kohli revealed that RCB wanted to allow Maxwell to play a few deliveries before bringing his array of shots into the game rather than slogging from the word go while adding it was important to play the strongest side in the tournament (MI) and test themselves against the best. ALSO READ: First game could be my last: Chris Lynn on running out captain Rohit Sharma in IPL 2021 opener “We won the first match last year as well that we played. It was important to play against the strongest side in the competition and test our side. Everyone was involved in this game, and when you win by two wickets, it means that everyone has gone in and played. A lot of options for me as well that helped bringing the game back. The pitch was looking decent in the first half, but to be honest, with the old ball the length ball was difficult to get away. That is why those partnerships between Maxi and me and then between AB and Maxi was really important. It's not a pitch where you can just hit through the line. You have to be smart with picking the gaps and running hard. Playing in Chennai you have to be respectful of that. The shot that Pollard got out to, in Wankhde it would've sailed into the crowds,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation on Friday. “We came back well and used the conditions well. They came back well too after losing Rohit early and those last six overs for us were probably the best six we've ever had. We brought Harshal in a trade from Delhi. He is relishing the responsibility and is clear with his plans. He was the difference today. He is going to be our death bowler. As a captain you want players with clarity, and he has that. Jamieson started off well, Yuzi was good, Siraj was good too. In T20 cricket, clarity at the top of your mark is all you as for as a captain. Harshal was very clear with that and it was his day today. IN PICS | IPL 2021- Harshal Patel and ABD shine as RCB beat Mumbai Indians in season opener “We wanted Maxi to bat at four. Rajat is a very solid player. He is an exciting player, plays spin well too. The thinking was that we wanted to give Maxi some balls at the start and not get him slogging right away. You saw the result today of him playing 10-15 balls. His innings was the game-changer. Had he stayed in we would've finished a couple of overs earlier. The opposition then gets nervous about AB. We have depth in the batting which we want to utilize. AB is probably the only one in the team who is so versatile. And he does it on slow wickets what not many can do. In a tricky chase you need experience at the back, and the opposition knows that if he doesn't get out, the bowlers get in a different headspace,” the RCB skipper added. Harshal Patel Press Conference | MI v RCB Man of the Match for RCB, @HarshalPatel23 gives us insights into his bowling after a brilliant performance against MI in the first match of #IPL2021 in Chennai.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/VaRWykTbRe — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 10, 2021 × While AB de Villiers stole the thunders with his terrific knock of 48 off 27 balls, it was Maxwell and Kohli who set the stage for the middle-order batters to finish the game for RCB. While Kohli scored 33 off 29, Maxwell posted 39 off 28. Earlier, Harshal Patel picked up five wickets and became the first bowler to scalp a five-fer against Mumbai Indians. × RCB will next be in action against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on April 14.

His innings was game-changer: Virat Kohli praises Glenn Maxwell after winning start in IPL 2021

Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 with a two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Chris Lynn, who made his Mumbai Indians debut in the tournament opener on Friday, was involved in a mix-up with skipper Rohit Sharma which resulted in the latter getting run-out early in the first innings.<o:p></o:p>

After the match, Lynn jokingly said that it is not an ideal scenario running out your captain in the first game while adding that his first game for Mumbai Indians could be his last. Lynn admitted that he was a bit nervous going into the match but cleared out that there were plenty of other factors that led to MI losing the match and not just the run-out. <o:p></o:p>

Lynn further said that he would have sacrificed his wicket instead of running out Rohit if he was able to cross the pitch. <o:p></o:p>

The hard-hitting Australian slashed the ball towards the covers and called for a run before immediately pulling out. However, Rohit was halfway down the track by then and Virat Kohli was quick to get the throw to the non-striker’s end to dismiss the MI captain. While Rohit departed early, Lynn ended up with a 35-ball 49.<o:p></o:p>

"Look, obviously I was a bit nervous, no doubt about it. (It was my) first game for Mumbai and it was the first time I was batting with Rohit as well. It happens in the game of cricket as well. I thought there was a run, and then obviously there wasn't a run. But yeah, if I had been able to run past him and sacrifice my wicket, I definitely would have done that, but it wasn't the case.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2021-harshal-patel-and-abd-shine-as-rcb-beat-mumbai-indians-in-season-opener-376541" hreflang="en">IPL 2021- Harshal Patel and ABD shine as RCB beat Mumbai Indians in season opener</a>

"As I said, it happens, but yeah, I put just a little bit more pressure on myself. It's not ideal, running out your captain in the first game. The first game could be my last, who knows? (laughs). But anyhow, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, happens in the game. It would have been nice (if the runout didn't happen); he was striking the ball nicely, and we were 10 or 15 runs short in the end. He would have definitely made a difference, but there were plenty of factors in this game tonight, not just the run-out," Chris Lynn answered to WION's query in the post-match press conference.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-australia-pacer-behrendorff-absolutely-pumped-to-join-csk-376511" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Australia pacer Behrendorff 'absolutely pumped' to join CSK</a>

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Lynn started the match in place of South African Quinton de Kock, who is undergoing the mandatory seven-day quarantine period. He is expected to be back in the MI playing XI in their next match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday in Chennai.

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Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 with a two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 with a two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Chris Lynn, who made his Mumbai Indians debut in the tournament opener on Friday, was involved in a mix-up with skipper Rohit Sharma which resulted in the latter getting run-out early in the first innings. After the match, Lynn jokingly said that it is not an ideal scenario running out your captain in the first game while adding that his first game for Mumbai Indians could be his last. Lynn admitted that he was a bit nervous going into the match but cleared out that there were plenty of other factors that led to MI losing the match and not just the run-out. Lynn further said that he would have sacrificed his wicket instead of running out Rohit if he was able to cross the pitch. The hard-hitting Australian slashed the ball towards the covers and called for a run before immediately pulling out. However, Rohit was halfway down the track by then and Virat Kohli was quick to get the throw to the non-striker’s end to dismiss the MI captain. While Rohit departed early, Lynn ended up with a 35-ball 49. "Look, obviously I was a bit nervous, no doubt about it. (It was my) first game for Mumbai and it was the first time I was batting with Rohit as well. It happens in the game of cricket as well. I thought there was a run, and then obviously there wasn't a run. But yeah, if I had been able to run past him and sacrifice my wicket, I definitely would have done that, but it wasn't the case. IN PICS | IPL 2021- Harshal Patel and ABD shine as RCB beat Mumbai Indians in season opener "As I said, it happens, but yeah, I put just a little bit more pressure on myself. It's not ideal, running out your captain in the first game. The first game could be my last, who knows? (laughs). But anyhow, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, happens in the game. It would have been nice (if the runout didn't happen); he was striking the ball nicely, and we were 10 or 15 runs short in the end. He would have definitely made a difference, but there were plenty of factors in this game tonight, not just the run-out," Chris Lynn answered to WION's query in the post-match press conference. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Australia pacer Behrendorff 'absolutely pumped' to join CSK × Lynn started the match in place of South African Quinton de Kock, who is undergoing the mandatory seven-day quarantine period. He is expected to be back in the MI playing XI in their next match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday in Chennai.

First game could be my last: Chris Lynn on running out captain Rohit Sharma in IPL 2021 opener

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials have been asked to submit a negative COVID-19 report in a bid to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Taking strict measures, MCA has asked all MCA apex council members and staff members, even those who have been vaccinated, to produce a negative report to get inside the Wankhede Stadium.

According to a report in ANI, MCA secretary Sanjay Naik has written to all MCA apex council member to submit a negative COVID-19 report to get an entry inside the iconic Wankhede Stadium for IPL 2021 matches.

&nbsp;"As per BCCI's protocol, all the officials who would be attending the IPL 2021 matches at Wankhede Stadium are required to produce a negative report of RT-PCR test conducted within 48 hours of the match day," Naik wrote in his letter.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watching-cricket-from-home-twitter-brings-an-extravagant-experience-with-new-features-376633" hreflang="en">Watching cricket from home? Twitter brings an extravagant experience with new features</a>

"The tests are mandatory even for those who have been vaccinated. The report will have to be produced at the time of entry to the stadium on each match day. Hence you are requested to get yourself tested at your end and carry the negative report to the stadium on match day," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/guru-vs-chela-ravi-shastri-expresses-his-excitement-for-dhoni-vs-pant-clash-in-ipl-2021-376637" hreflang="en">'Guru vs Chela': Ravi Shastri expresses his excitement for Dhoni vs Pant clash in IPL 2021</a>

Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is set to host 10 IPL 2021 matches from April 10-25. The first match at the stadium is set to be played between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.

On Friday, the state of Maharashtra recorded 58,993 new COVID-19 cases, 45,391 recoveries, and 301 deaths. Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 tally hit a record daily high since the outbreak of the pandemic with over 1.45 lakh new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, taking the cumulative count to 1,32,05,926, according to the Union Health Ministry.

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Last week, several members of the Wankhede groundstaff returned with positive Covid-19 reports. On Sunday, the Maharashtra government announced a weekend lockdown from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am to curb the spread of Covid-19.

(With ANI inputs)

<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials have been asked to submit a negative COVID-19 report in a bid to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials have been asked to submit a negative COVID-19 report in a bid to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 matches at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Taking strict measures, MCA has asked all MCA apex council members and staff members, even those who have been vaccinated, to produce a negative report to get inside the Wankhede Stadium. According to a report in ANI, MCA secretary Sanjay Naik has written to all MCA apex council member to submit a negative COVID-19 report to get an entry inside the iconic Wankhede Stadium for IPL 2021 matches. "As per BCCI's protocol, all the officials who would be attending the IPL 2021 matches at Wankhede Stadium are required to produce a negative report of RT-PCR test conducted within 48 hours of the match day," Naik wrote in his letter. ALSO READ: Watching cricket from home? Twitter brings an extravagant experience with new features "The tests are mandatory even for those who have been vaccinated. The report will have to be produced at the time of entry to the stadium on each match day. Hence you are requested to get yourself tested at your end and carry the negative report to the stadium on match day," he added. ALSO READ: 'Guru vs Chela': Ravi Shastri expresses his excitement for Dhoni vs Pant clash in IPL 2021 Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is set to host 10 IPL 2021 matches from April 10-25. The first match at the stadium is set to be played between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings. On Friday, the state of Maharashtra recorded 58,993 new COVID-19 cases, 45,391 recoveries, and 301 deaths. Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 tally hit a record daily high since the outbreak of the pandemic with over 1.45 lakh new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, taking the cumulative count to 1,32,05,926, according to the Union Health Ministry. × Last week, several members of the Wankhede groundstaff returned with positive Covid-19 reports. On Sunday, the Maharashtra government announced a weekend lockdown from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am to curb the spread of Covid-19. (With ANI inputs)

IPL 2021: Vaccinated officials, staff asked to carry COVID-19 negative reports for matches in Wankhede Stadium

Twitter is what’s happening in the world, and this cricket season, it will enable fans to have a larger-than-life experience from the comforts of their couch through a range of features that will allow them to follow and participate in conversations a lot more intimately.

In 2020, the absence of on-ground cricket action prompted more fans to turn to Twitter, converting the service into a virtual stadium. Fans came to the service to discuss match moments, cheer their favourite teams and interact with their cricket idols. As a result, the conversations during the cricket season in 2020 increased by 23% in comparison to the 2019 season. This year, as cricket fans gear up for another exciting year, Twitter has curated a host of innovative, interactive experiences for fans to celebrate and participate in conversations as they happen in real-time on the service.&nbsp;

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<h2>Here’s how fans can follow the upcoming tournament on social media platform&nbsp;Twitter:</h2>

1. Spaces: Spaces, Twitter’s newest offering, allows people to come together to have live audio conversations. Spaces is a great feature for people to have conversations about things that they’re passionate about, or just gather in an intimate environment to chat using their voice. With cricket being such a huge passion point on Twitter, teams have already started making the most of Spaces to connect with and engage fans on the service. Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) recently hosted a Twitter Space with Zaheer Khan (@ImZaheer) - #TwitterSpaceWithZak - becoming the first sports club in the country to do so. The Space had Zaheer interacting with fans and sharing plans for the upcoming season.&nbsp;

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How to join <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TwitterSpaceWithZak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TwitterSpaceWithZak</a> 👇 
 
🔹 Open the Twitter app on your smartphone 🤳 
🔹 Check the fleets section at 12 PM ⏰ 
🔹 Click the purple button that has the MI Logo 🟣 
🔹 Za-hear, enjoy, interact 😁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImZaheer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImZaheer</a> <a href="https://t.co/vxlhp7pLcM">pic.twitter.com/vxlhp7pLcM</a>
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1376376064138752000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indiranagarkagunda-rahul-dravids-angry-avatar-takes-twitter-by-storm-check-best-reactions-376624" hreflang="en">#IndiraNagarKaGunda: Rahul Dravid's 'angry' avatar takes Twitter by storm - Check best reactions</a>

2. Emojis: Twitter has launched eight new jersey emojis for all the teams in English and six Indic languages. Fans can simply Tweet with the team hashtags to unlock these emojis and participate in live conversations. Here are some of the hashtags that will unlock the team emojis: #IPL2021, #MumbaiIndians, #OneFamily, #WhistlePodu, #WeAreChallengers, #HallaBol, #RoyalsFamily, #PunjabKings, #SaddaPunjab, #KKRHaiTaiyaar, #KorboLorboJeetbo, #YehHaiNayiDilli, #OrangeArmy, and more.

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It's almost that time of year - so what are you waiting for? Get your jersey on! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> <a href="https://t.co/T86X8rYzkR">pic.twitter.com/T86X8rYzkR</a>
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia/status/1378378919858950146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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3. Topics: Twitter Topics allow people to follow conversations on specific subjects. Using machine learning, Topics pull out related Tweets on a subject, letting people follow numerous interest categories. When you follow a Topic, you will see Tweets from a number of accounts - whether you follow them or not - on the shared interest. Last year, Twitter introduced several Topics for the cricket - one for the series and several others for all of the teams &nbsp;- so people can stay up-to-date with all conversations around cricket.&nbsp;

4. Twitter Lists: Twitter Lists - a compilation of Twitter accounts - let people put together their favourite accounts to follow for Tweets on a specific subject and populate a separate timeline for the List. When you view this List timeline, you will see Tweets from all of the accounts in that List. To let people keep a close eye on what their favourites from the cricket season are saying and doing, Twitter has created Lists of accounts to follow for each team - including the squads as well as their coaches.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/first-game-could-be-my-last-chris-lynn-on-running-out-captain-rohit-sharma-in-ipl-2021-opener-376596" hreflang="en">First game could be my last: Chris Lynn on running out captain Rohit Sharma in IPL 2021 opener</a>

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Ahead of the opening game of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> between <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mipaltan</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> in Chennai on Friday, keep up with the action right here with the help of these lists:
— Twitter Moments India (@MomentsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MomentsIndia/status/1380180659797422084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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5. Live shows: Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will be hosting live shows to bring fans closer together. The shows will involve commentary and watching the game virtually along with a select group of fans every match day.

6. Events Page and Scorecard: Fans can simply go to an events page to follow all the live updates and real-time conversations on Twitter. Additionally, fans can also check out the live scores on the Scorecard which will be featured on the top of the Events page and follow the match on the go. For all the real time conversations around the opening match #MIvRCB, just follow the below events page:

Through these innovations, audiences on the social media platform will get more opportunities than before to get closer to their favourite teams and players and show their instant support.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Check WION's full coverage on IPL 2021 here!</a>

Twitter is what’s happening in the world, and this cricket season, it will enable fans to have a larger-than-life experience from the comforts of their couch through a range of features that will allow them to follow and participate in conversations a lot more intimately.

Twitter is what’s happening in the world, and this cricket season, it will enable fans to have a larger-than-life experience from the comforts of their couch through a range of features that will allow them to follow and participate in conversations a lot more intimately. In 2020, the absence of on-ground cricket action prompted more fans to turn to Twitter, converting the service into a virtual stadium. Fans came to the service to discuss match moments, cheer their favourite teams and interact with their cricket idols. As a result, the conversations during the cricket season in 2020 increased by 23% in comparison to the 2019 season. This year, as cricket fans gear up for another exciting year, Twitter has curated a host of innovative, interactive experiences for fans to celebrate and participate in conversations as they happen in real-time on the service. × Here’s how fans can follow the upcoming tournament on social media platform Twitter: 1. Spaces: Spaces, Twitter’s newest offering, allows people to come together to have live audio conversations. Spaces is a great feature for people to have conversations about things that they’re passionate about, or just gather in an intimate environment to chat using their voice. With cricket being such a huge passion point on Twitter, teams have already started making the most of Spaces to connect with and engage fans on the service. Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) recently hosted a Twitter Space with Zaheer Khan (@ImZaheer) - #TwitterSpaceWithZak - becoming the first sports club in the country to do so. The Space had Zaheer interacting with fans and sharing plans for the upcoming season. How to join #TwitterSpaceWithZak 👇 🔹 Open the Twitter app on your smartphone 🤳 🔹 Check the fleets section at 12 PM ⏰ 🔹 Click the purple button that has the MI Logo 🟣 🔹 Za-hear, enjoy, interact 😁#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPL2021 @ImZaheer pic.twitter.com/vxlhp7pLcM — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 29, 2021 × ALSO READ: #IndiraNagarKaGunda: Rahul Dravid's 'angry' avatar takes Twitter by storm - Check best reactions 2. Emojis: Twitter has launched eight new jersey emojis for all the teams in English and six Indic languages. Fans can simply Tweet with the team hashtags to unlock these emojis and participate in live conversations. Here are some of the hashtags that will unlock the team emojis: #IPL2021, #MumbaiIndians, #OneFamily, #WhistlePodu, #WeAreChallengers, #HallaBol, #RoyalsFamily, #PunjabKings, #SaddaPunjab, #KKRHaiTaiyaar, #KorboLorboJeetbo, #YehHaiNayiDilli, #OrangeArmy, and more. It's almost that time of year - so what are you waiting for? Get your jersey on! #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/T86X8rYzkR — Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) April 3, 2021 × 3. Topics: Twitter Topics allow people to follow conversations on specific subjects. Using machine learning, Topics pull out related Tweets on a subject, letting people follow numerous interest categories. When you follow a Topic, you will see Tweets from a number of accounts - whether you follow them or not - on the shared interest. Last year, Twitter introduced several Topics for the cricket - one for the series and several others for all of the teams - so people can stay up-to-date with all conversations around cricket. 4. Twitter Lists: Twitter Lists - a compilation of Twitter accounts - let people put together their favourite accounts to follow for Tweets on a specific subject and populate a separate timeline for the List. When you view this List timeline, you will see Tweets from all of the accounts in that List. To let people keep a close eye on what their favourites from the cricket season are saying and doing, Twitter has created Lists of accounts to follow for each team - including the squads as well as their coaches. ALSO READ: First game could be my last: Chris Lynn on running out captain Rohit Sharma in IPL 2021 opener Ahead of the opening game of #IPL2021 between @mipaltan and @RCBTweets in Chennai on Friday, keep up with the action right here with the help of these lists: — Twitter Moments India (@MomentsIndia) April 8, 2021 × 5. Live shows: Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals will be hosting live shows to bring fans closer together. The shows will involve commentary and watching the game virtually along with a select group of fans every match day. 6. Events Page and Scorecard: Fans can simply go to an events page to follow all the live updates and real-time conversations on Twitter. Additionally, fans can also check out the live scores on the Scorecard which will be featured on the top of the Events page and follow the match on the go. For all the real time conversations around the opening match #MIvRCB, just follow the below events page: Through these innovations, audiences on the social media platform will get more opportunities than before to get closer to their favourite teams and players and show their instant support. Check WION's full coverage on IPL 2021 here!

Watching cricket from home? Twitter brings an extravagant experience with new features

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