Sai Sudharsan had a bumper IPL 2025, having scored 759 runs in 15 contested matches while averaging over 54 and striking at 156.17. Although he stayed at the top of the run-scoring sheet this season, his exploits failed to guide his team, Gujarat Titans (GT), deeper into the tournament. Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat by 20 runs in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30), knocking them out of the final race. Sudharsan, however, vows to take plenty out of it.&nbsp;Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash. Chasing 229, Sai had GT on the front despite losing his partner, Shubman Gill, early inside the first over. The left-handed batter continued his ominous touch, hitting a crucial 80 off 49 balls, including a six and 10 fours. &nbsp;Although Sai has made his white-ball debut for India and was later picked in the 18-man squad for the upcoming England Tests, he still wishes to work on his T20 game before he plays this format again. He even addressed his chances of playing at next year’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-england-lions-vs-india-a-day-1-karun-nair-stays-unbeaten-on-186-test-hopefuls-among-runs-dhruv-jurel-sarfaraz-khan-1748671225027">England Lions vs India-A, Day 1: Karun Nair stays unbeaten on 186, Test hopefuls among runs</a> &nbsp;"I mean, playing for the country is obviously a dream for everybody, so I would love to do that," Sai said of his chances for the T20 World Cup next year.&nbsp; &nbsp;"But I'm not thinking on those lines because if you see about the season, I have a lot of things to improve as a T20 batter. There are so many facets of the game, or so many sectors, I should improve when I play T20 again. So, I'm focusing more on that. Of course, when I get an opportunity, I will give my best for the country,” he continued.&nbsp; &nbsp;Looking in hindsight, Sai and every GT dressing room member were deeply disappointed with the result despite leading the points table for a major part of the tournament. &nbsp;"It's good to see that I had a good season or I was consistent enough for my team, but I think when the job is not finished, you don't get the ultimate satisfaction when you get back home.&nbsp; &nbsp;“So, definitely, there's a lot of disappointment in the [team] environment because of the way we played the first 12 or 13 games, which was fantastic to see as a group or as a team from outside. Even when, in hindsight, you look at a season like this, I think our team was so good they did a lot of jobs really well.&nbsp; &nbsp;“So, finishing a tournament like this, definitely it doesn't give that complete satisfaction. But, yeah, appreciating the performances and, of course, learning from it is the is the thing forward,” he added. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sai will now link up with the India-A squad in England for the second warm-up game against England Lions in Northampton, starting June 10. Should he impress the selectors in his limited red-ball outing during the shadow tour, Sai could make his Test debut sometime during the five-match Test series.&nbsp;

GT opener Sai Sudharsan takes plenty from bumper IPL 2025 amid elimination disappointment

Sai Sudharsan had a bumper IPL 2025, having scored 759 runs in 15 contested matches while averaging over 54 and striking at 156.17. Although he stayed at the top of the run-scoring sheet this season, his exploits failed to guide his team, Gujarat Titans (GT), deeper into the tournament. Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat by 20 runs in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30), knocking them out of the final race. Sudharsan, however, vows to take plenty out of it. Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash. Chasing 229, Sai had GT on the front despite losing his partner, Shubman Gill, early inside the first over. The left-handed batter continued his ominous touch, hitting a crucial 80 off 49 balls, including a six and 10 fours. Although Sai has made his white-ball debut for India and was later picked in the 18-man squad for the upcoming England Tests, he still wishes to work on his T20 game before he plays this format again. He even addressed his chances of playing at next year’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Also read | England Lions vs India-A, Day 1: Karun Nair stays unbeaten on 186, Test hopefuls among runs "I mean, playing for the country is obviously a dream for everybody, so I would love to do that," Sai said of his chances for the T20 World Cup next year. "But I'm not thinking on those lines because if you see about the season, I have a lot of things to improve as a T20 batter. There are so many facets of the game, or so many sectors, I should improve when I play T20 again. So, I'm focusing more on that. Of course, when I get an opportunity, I will give my best for the country,” he continued. Looking in hindsight, Sai and every GT dressing room member were deeply disappointed with the result despite leading the points table for a major part of the tournament. "It's good to see that I had a good season or I was consistent enough for my team, but I think when the job is not finished, you don't get the ultimate satisfaction when you get back home. “So, definitely, there's a lot of disappointment in the [team] environment because of the way we played the first 12 or 13 games, which was fantastic to see as a group or as a team from outside. Even when, in hindsight, you look at a season like this, I think our team was so good they did a lot of jobs really well. “So, finishing a tournament like this, definitely it doesn't give that complete satisfaction. But, yeah, appreciating the performances and, of course, learning from it is the is the thing forward,” he added. Meanwhile, Sai will now link up with the India-A squad in England for the second warm-up game against England Lions in Northampton, starting June 10. Should he impress the selectors in his limited red-ball outing during the shadow tour, Sai could make his Test debut sometime during the five-match Test series.

Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash.

Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma rode on luck to steer his team into Qualifier 2 following a 20-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Eliminator in Mullanpur on Friday (May 30). Rohit scored four fifties this season thus far, with all coming in wins; however, his latest – 81 off 50 balls, including four sixes and five fours, was impactful yet lucky.&nbsp;After being dropped twice in the first three overs, Rohit slammed a quickfire 81 to help Mumbai cross 200 in New Chandigarh, taking early advantage in the game. During the game, he also completed 300 sixes in the IPL, becoming only the second batter after Chris Gayle to achieve this feat. &nbsp;"I definitely would have liked to get more [fifties]. But today was a good day for us as a team," Rohit said after winning the Player-of-the-Match award.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I do understand the importance of playing this Eliminator and going through this next step, taking that step forward. Again, a complete team performance, which we are really, really proud of." &nbsp;"To be honest, I've played all those shots in the game before, and unfortunately, I found fielders," Rohit said.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Somewhere down the line, you know, you've got to be lucky, and today was that day for me. I got lucky. &nbsp;"You know, those catches were dropped. But again, like I said, even after the drops, you still have to play well to get those runs. And that is what I was focusing on, how I can keep that momentum going, keep that tempo going, which was brilliant from our entire batting unit to get that score. And then, like I said, it was a good bowling effort as well,” he continued.&nbsp;<h2>Rohit praises new partner Bairstow &nbsp;</h2>Rohit had a new opening partner in Jonny Bairstow for the Eliminator after Ryan Rickelton returned home to honour international commitments. Having played against Bairstow for over a decade, Rohit knows how dangerous he could be on a given day, and as life had it, it was Bairstow’s day to enjoy. &nbsp;The English cricketer scored 47 off 22 balls, stitching an 84-run stand with Rohit for the first wicket. &nbsp;"I've watched him over the years being on the other side," Rohit said of Bairstow. &nbsp;"But it was nice to be on the same side and have a crack at it. We know the quality that he has; a lot of experience playing this format. And we know what he can do upfront with the bat. That is exactly what he did. It never looked like he was playing his first game for this franchise. You know, got settled in pretty well, took his chances, and it came off. And it was a good start. We always look for that start. We got that start, and we then obviously capitalised on it,” he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians will now face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1), with the winner of that game advancing to the IPL 2025 final.&nbsp;

IPL 2025: Rohit Sharma ‘rides on luck’ to see Mumbai Indians through to Qualifier 2

Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma rode on luck to steer his team into Qualifier 2 following a 20-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Eliminator in Mullanpur on Friday (May 30). Rohit scored four fifties this season thus far, with all coming in wins; however, his latest – 81 off 50 balls, including four sixes and five fours, was impactful yet lucky. After being dropped twice in the first three overs, Rohit slammed a quickfire 81 to help Mumbai cross 200 in New Chandigarh, taking early advantage in the game. During the game, he also completed 300 sixes in the IPL, becoming only the second batter after Chris Gayle to achieve this feat. "I definitely would have liked to get more [fifties]. But today was a good day for us as a team," Rohit said after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. "I do understand the importance of playing this Eliminator and going through this next step, taking that step forward. Again, a complete team performance, which we are really, really proud of." "To be honest, I've played all those shots in the game before, and unfortunately, I found fielders," Rohit said. "Somewhere down the line, you know, you've got to be lucky, and today was that day for me. I got lucky. "You know, those catches were dropped. But again, like I said, even after the drops, you still have to play well to get those runs. And that is what I was focusing on, how I can keep that momentum going, keep that tempo going, which was brilliant from our entire batting unit to get that score. And then, like I said, it was a good bowling effort as well,” he continued. Rohit praises new partner Bairstow Rohit had a new opening partner in Jonny Bairstow for the Eliminator after Ryan Rickelton returned home to honour international commitments. Having played against Bairstow for over a decade, Rohit knows how dangerous he could be on a given day, and as life had it, it was Bairstow’s day to enjoy. The English cricketer scored 47 off 22 balls, stitching an 84-run stand with Rohit for the first wicket. "I've watched him over the years being on the other side," Rohit said of Bairstow. "But it was nice to be on the same side and have a crack at it. We know the quality that he has; a lot of experience playing this format. And we know what he can do upfront with the bat. That is exactly what he did. It never looked like he was playing his first game for this franchise. You know, got settled in pretty well, took his chances, and it came off. And it was a good start. We always look for that start. We got that start, and we then obviously capitalised on it,” he said. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians will now face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1), with the winner of that game advancing to the IPL 2025 final.

After being dropped twice in the first three overs, Rohit slammed a quickfire 81 to help Mumbai cross 200 in New Chandigarh, taking early advantage in the game.

Mumbai Indians will play for a spot in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after they clinched a thrilling contest against Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30). Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Mumbai beat Gujarat by 20 runs and will now play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 for a place in the IPL 2025 final. The win is also Mumbai Indians’ first in an Eliminator contest as they now set their eyes on a sixth IPL title.<h2>GT miss out on Qualifier 2</h2>Needing 229 runs to win and proceed to the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, Gujarat Titans had a poor start as they lost skipper Shubman Gill in the first over of the innings. However, that did not stop the 2022 IPL champions from serving a thriller as Sai Sudharsan scored 80 off 49. The Orange Cap holder kept GT in the chase despite wickets falling at the other end. He was well supported by Washington Sundar (48 off 24) and Sherfane Rutherford (24 off 15).&nbsp;However, Mumbai kept their nerves at crucial moments and scalped the wickets of Sudharsan and Sundar to gain the upper hand in the death overs.In the end, Ashwini Kumar kept his nerves as Mumbai defended 24 runs in the final over to win the match.<h2>Rohit shines for Mumbai Indians</h2>Having opted to bat first, Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a well-made 47 off 22 before he was dismissed by Sai Kishore. He and Rohit Sharma put together an opening stand of 84 runs as Mumbai made a fantastic start. Later Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit as they continued the batting onslaught. The pair stitched a stand of 59 runs for the second wicket before Suryakumar fell to Sai Kishore on a sweep shot with him scoring 33 off 20.&nbsp;Tilak Varma also played a crucial knock with a score of 25 off 11. However, it was Rohit who made the headlines having scored 81 off 50 which included 4 sixes and 9 fours.&nbsp;As a result of the great start, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with Hardik Pandya also playing a cameo of unbeaten 22 runs in the end.&nbsp;Mumbai will next face Punjab on Sunday (June 1) in Qualifier 2 with the winner playing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final on June 3.

Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Mumbai beat Gujarat by 20 runs and will now play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 for a place in the IPL 2025 final.

Mumbai Indians will play for a spot in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) after they clinched a thrilling contest against Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30). Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Mumbai beat Gujarat by 20 runs and will now play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 for a place in the IPL 2025 final. The win is also Mumbai Indians’ first in an Eliminator contest as they now set their eyes on a sixth IPL title. GT miss out on Qualifier 2 Needing 229 runs to win and proceed to the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, Gujarat Titans had a poor start as they lost skipper Shubman Gill in the first over of the innings. However, that did not stop the 2022 IPL champions from serving a thriller as Sai Sudharsan scored 80 off 49. The Orange Cap holder kept GT in the chase despite wickets falling at the other end. He was well supported by Washington Sundar (48 off 24) and Sherfane Rutherford (24 off 15). However, Mumbai kept their nerves at crucial moments and scalped the wickets of Sudharsan and Sundar to gain the upper hand in the death overs. In the end, Ashwini Kumar kept his nerves as Mumbai defended 24 runs in the final over to win the match. Rohit shines for Mumbai Indians Having opted to bat first, Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a well-made 47 off 22 before he was dismissed by Sai Kishore. He and Rohit Sharma put together an opening stand of 84 runs as Mumbai made a fantastic start. Later Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit as they continued the batting onslaught. The pair stitched a stand of 59 runs for the second wicket before Suryakumar fell to Sai Kishore on a sweep shot with him scoring 33 off 20. Tilak Varma also played a crucial knock with a score of 25 off 11. However, it was Rohit who made the headlines having scored 81 off 50 which included 4 sixes and 9 fours. As a result of the great start, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with Hardik Pandya also playing a cameo of unbeaten 22 runs in the end. Mumbai will next face Punjab on Sunday (June 1) in Qualifier 2 with the winner playing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final on June 3.

Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Mumbai beat Gujarat by 20 runs and will now play Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 for a place in the IPL 2025 final.

IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians clinch last-over thriller to down Gujarat Titans in Eliminator; set to face PBKS in Q2

Rohit Sharma is aging like a fine wine as he wreaked havoc in the Eliminator clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday (May 30). Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Rohit narrowly missed out on his IPL ton as he scored 81 runs for Mumbai Indians. In doing so he joined the unique clubs of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle with Mumbai Indians taking a giant step towards the IPL Qualifier 2 at the time of writing.<h2>Rohit joins Virat, Gayle's unique club</h2>Scoring 81 runs, Rohit completed 7000 runs in the IPL, joining Virat on the unique list. He is already the second-highest scorer in IPL history after Virat, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter scoring more than 8000 runs. Rohit also has a stellar record in the IPL with six titles, five of them as captain of Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;His 81-run knock included 4 sixes and 9 fours and was scoring at the rate of knots in the Eliminator clash. With the four sixes, he also joined Chris Gayle’s unique club of 300 IPL sixes. While the West Indies batter has 357 sixes, Rohit sits second to him on the all-time list of batters.<h2>Mumbai set 229-run target for GT</h2>Having opted to bat first, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with their batters in top form. Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a well-made 47 off 22 before he was dismissed by Sai Kishore. He and Rohit Sharma put together an opening stand of 84 runs as Mumbai made a fantastic start. Later Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit as they continued the batting onslaught. The pair stitched a stand of 59 runs for the second wicket before Suryakumar fell to Sai Kishore on a sweep shot with him scoring 33 off 20.&nbsp;Tilak Varma also played a crucial knock with a score of 25 off 11. However, it was Rohit who made the headlines having scored 81 off 50 which included 4 sixes and 9 fours.&nbsp;As a result of the great start, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with Hardik Pandya also playing a cameo of unbeaten 22 runs in the end.

Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Rohit Sharma narrowly missed out on his IPL ton as he scored 81 runs for Mumbai Indians.

Rohit Sharma is aging like a fine wine as he wreaked havoc in the Eliminator clash of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday (May 30). Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Rohit narrowly missed out on his IPL ton as he scored 81 runs for Mumbai Indians. In doing so he joined the unique clubs of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle with Mumbai Indians taking a giant step towards the IPL Qualifier 2 at the time of writing. Rohit joins Virat, Gayle's unique club Scoring 81 runs, Rohit completed 7000 runs in the IPL, joining Virat on the unique list. He is already the second-highest scorer in IPL history after Virat, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter scoring more than 8000 runs. Rohit also has a stellar record in the IPL with six titles, five of them as captain of Mumbai Indians. His 81-run knock included 4 sixes and 9 fours and was scoring at the rate of knots in the Eliminator clash. With the four sixes, he also joined Chris Gayle’s unique club of 300 IPL sixes. While the West Indies batter has 357 sixes, Rohit sits second to him on the all-time list of batters. Mumbai set 229-run target for GT Having opted to bat first, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with their batters in top form. Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a well-made 47 off 22 before he was dismissed by Sai Kishore. He and Rohit Sharma put together an opening stand of 84 runs as Mumbai made a fantastic start. Later Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit as they continued the batting onslaught. The pair stitched a stand of 59 runs for the second wicket before Suryakumar fell to Sai Kishore on a sweep shot with him scoring 33 off 20. Tilak Varma also played a crucial knock with a score of 25 off 11. However, it was Rohit who made the headlines having scored 81 off 50 which included 4 sixes and 9 fours. As a result of the great start, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with Hardik Pandya also playing a cameo of unbeaten 22 runs in the end.

Playing at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, Rohit Sharma narrowly missed out on his IPL ton as he scored 81 runs for Mumbai Indians.

IPL 2025: Rohit Sharma joins Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle's unique club with 81-run knock against GT in Eliminator

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a memorable moment on Friday (May 30) as Mumbai Indians met Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator clash at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur. While Mumbai made a brilliant start to their innings, it was the catches that made the headlines. Rohit Sharma was dropped twice during his innings but it was Jonny Bairstow’s wicket that had the netizens on their heel.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Top teamwork 🫡 Sai Sudharsan 🤝 Gerald Coetzee Jonny Bairstow departs after an entertaining 47(22). Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/R4RTzjQfph">https://t.co/R4RTzjQfph</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eliminator?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Eliminator</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheLastMile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheLastMile</a> <a href="https://t.co/Om1nYyNDAT">pic.twitter.com/Om1nYyNDAT</a>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1928463995658252586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Sudharsan-Coetzee combine for sensational relay catch</h2>On the second ball of the eighth over, Jonny Bairstow attempted a sweep shoot, something that had earned him four runs on the previous delivery. Hungry for runs, Bairstow again attempted the same shoot but found Sai Sudharsan at point who attempted to clutch the ball. While he was unable to catch the ball cleanly he managed to pass the ball to Gerarld Coetzee, who was fielding at the short third man, in the process completing a sensational relay catch.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-why-history-favours-rcb-and-virat-kohli-to-win-maiden-title-here-s-what-stats-say-1748609780632">IPL 2025: Why history favours RCB and Virat Kohli to win maiden title? Here's what stats say</a>&nbsp;Having made a great start to the innings, Bairstow was dismissed for a well-made 47 off 22. He and Rohit Sharma put together an opening stand of 84 runs as Mumbai made a fantastic start. Later Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit as they continued the batting onslaught. The pair stitched a stand of 59 runs for the second wicket before Suryakumar fell to Sai Kishore on a sweep shot with him scoring 33 off 20.&nbsp;Tilak Varma also played a crucial knock with a score of 25 off 11. However, it was Rohit who made the headlines having scored 81 off 50 which included 4 sixes and 9 fours. &nbsp;As a result of the great start, Mumbai scored 228/5 in their 20 overs with Hardik Pandya also playing a cameo of unbeaten 22 runs in the end.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a memorable moment on Friday (May 30) as Mumbai Indians met Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator clash at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a memorable moment on Friday (May 30) as Mumbai Indians met Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator clash at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur. While Mumbai made a brilliant start to their innings, it was the catches that made the headlines. Rohit Sharma was dropped twice during his innings but it was Jonny Bairstow’s wicket that had the netizens on their heel.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a memorable moment on Friday (May 30) as Mumbai Indians met Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator clash at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur.

IPL 2025: Sudharsan-Coetzee combine for sensational relay catch to dismiss Jonny Bairstow | Watch

Indian Prime Minister<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/narendra-modi"> Narendra Modi</a> meets 14-year-old IPL sensation, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi">Vaibhav Suryavasnhi </a>at the Jayprakash Narayan Airport in Bihar on Friday (May 30). Vaibhav was accompanied by his parents at the Patna airport.&nbsp;PM Modi shared his meeting moments with Vaibhav Suryavanshi on social media. He hailed Vaibhav's batting skills and wished him good luck in his cricketing career. In a post on X, he expressed, “At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavors.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavours. <a href="https://t.co/pvUrbzdyU6">pic.twitter.com/pvUrbzdyU6</a>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1928365755839476062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This visit comes as PM Modi is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Bihar. On Thursday (May 29),&nbsp;PM Modi inaugurated the new terminal building of Jayprakash Narayan International Airport, also known as Patna Airport and even held a roadshow in Patna, the capital city of Bihar.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-eliminator-mi-vs-gt-match-preview-no-second-chance-as-gujarat-mumbai-prepare-1748588333787">Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator</a>&nbsp;Earlier, Rajasthan Royals (RR) opening batter had a tremendous outing in his debut IPL season. In seven matches, he amassed 252 runs with an average of 36. The young gun smashed all around the park with an electric strike of over 200.&nbsp;Hailing from Samastipur, Vaibhav broke the IPL records by smashing a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans. He hit premium bowlers like Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Rashid Khan, bringing them on their feet. With that ton, he became the youngest Indian to score a century in the IPL. Additionally, he overpassed Yusuf Pathan to smash the fastest century by an Indian in the history of the league.&nbsp;Meanwhile in IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans will be facing Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator clash on Friday (May 30) in New Chandigarh stadium. The winner of this game will play PBKS in the Qualifier 2, who lost to Rajat Patidar-led RCB in Qualifier 1 clash.&nbsp;Vaibhav Suryavanshi IPL 2025 stats

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Matches</td><td>Runs</td><td>Average</td><td>Strike Rate</td><td>Best score</td><td>Hundreds</td><td>Fifties</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>252</td><td>36</td><td>206.55</td><td>101</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

Hailing from Samastipur, Vaibhav broke the IPL records by smashing a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans. He smashed premium bowlers like Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma and Rashid bringing them on their feet.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets 14-year-old IPL sensation, Vaibhav Suryavasnhi at the Jayprakash Narayan Airport in Bihar on Friday (May 30). Vaibhav was accompanied by his parents at the Patna airport. PM Modi shared his meeting moments with Vaibhav Suryavanshi on social media. He hailed Vaibhav's batting skills and wished him good luck in his cricketing career. In a post on X, he expressed, “At Patna airport, met the young cricketing sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and his family. His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation! My best wishes to him for his future endeavors.”

Hailing from Samastipur, Vaibhav broke the IPL record by smashing a 35-ball century against Gujarat Titans.

'His cricketing skills are being admired all over the nation': PM Modi hails IPL sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is not ready to drop the guard despite his team suffering an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. The table toppers were a pale shadow of themselves in the first playoff game this season, getting all out on a mere 101 inside 15 overs. Though they had their moments in the second innings, the hosts failed to defend the total as RCB won the match and qualified for the final.&nbsp;Punjab batted first on a tricky Mullanpur pitch, losing four wickets inside the Powerplay, including their captain, Iyer. RCB seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal and returning Josh Hazlewood all made light work of all PBKS run-getters before spinner Suyesh Sharma broke their back with three wickets in his first two overs.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-eliminator-mi-vs-gt-match-preview-no-second-chance-as-gujarat-mumbai-prepare-1748588333787">Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator</a> &nbsp;Overseas all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai tried saving Punjab’s sinking ship but failed, as they got out cheaply in front of their home crowd. In the second innings, they picked two wickets but conceded the result inside 11 overs. &nbsp;However, they are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. &nbsp;“Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings. There’s a lot to go back and study on,” Iyer reflected on his side’s eight-wicket loss against RCB. &nbsp;He, however, backed his planning for this clash but admitted that failed execution led to this outcome, which they need to work on before the next game. &nbsp;“I am not doubting my decisions, to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn’t execute it on the field,” Iyer continued.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Can’t even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend. We’ve got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce.” &nbsp;He concluded by saying, “We can’t give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation and we have to live up to it.”

‘We have lost the battle but not the war’: PBKS captain Iyer not ready to drop guard despite Qualifier 1 thrashing

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is not ready to drop the guard despite his team suffering an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. The table toppers were a pale shadow of themselves in the first playoff game this season, getting all out on a mere 101 inside 15 overs. Though they had their moments in the second innings, the hosts failed to defend the total as RCB won the match and qualified for the final. Punjab batted first on a tricky Mullanpur pitch, losing four wickets inside the Powerplay, including their captain, Iyer. RCB seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal and returning Josh Hazlewood all made light work of all PBKS run-getters before spinner Suyesh Sharma broke their back with three wickets in his first two overs. Also read | Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator Overseas all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai tried saving Punjab’s sinking ship but failed, as they got out cheaply in front of their home crowd. In the second innings, they picked two wickets but conceded the result inside 11 overs. However, they are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. “Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings. There’s a lot to go back and study on,” Iyer reflected on his side’s eight-wicket loss against RCB. He, however, backed his planning for this clash but admitted that failed execution led to this outcome, which they need to work on before the next game. “I am not doubting my decisions, to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn’t execute it on the field,” Iyer continued. “Can’t even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend. We’ve got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce.” He concluded by saying, “We can’t give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation and we have to live up to it.”

PBKS are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.

Gujarat Titans (GT) and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians">Mumbai Indians (MI)</a> are set to clash in the high-stakes <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eliminator">Eliminator</a> of IPL 2025 at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Friday (May 30). Both teams had strong phases in the league stage where GT had started as table-toppers and MI had everyone bite their nails after a poor start in the initial five games.&nbsp;But neither of them could maintain consistency and missed out on the top two spots. Now, both teams will look to win this one and advance ahead in the tournament. The winner of this match will go on to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2 on Sunday (June 1) in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;Pitch Report&nbsp;&nbsp;The Mullanpur pitch has shown a mixed nature so far. Out of five games played here, teams batting first have won three times. But the recent match between PBKS and RCB for Qualifier 1, suggests early pace can dominate. In that match, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Yash Dayal ripped through the PBKS top order during the powerplay. Later, Suyash Sharma’s spin took control of the remaining batters.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2025-gt-vs-mi-eliminator-head-to-head-in-playoff-records-and-iconic-performances-1748524107177">IPL 2025 | GT vs MI Eliminator: Head-to-head, playoff records and iconic performances</a>&nbsp;The fact that neither GT nor MI have played in Mullanpur this season makes this clash more fascinating. The team that adapts early to the conditions will be ahead in the game..&nbsp;Weather Report&nbsp;Chandigarh has seen warm and dry days recently, and Thursday will be no different. The temperature is expected to be around 30°C during the match. There is no rain forecast, so we’re all set for a full game.&nbsp;As per the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD), the weather in Mullanpur will be slightly cloudy, and there is a 10 per cent chance of rain. However, it will most likely be passing showers, but won't affect the course of the game as additional 120 minutes have been allotted to the fixture to complete a full 40-over match.&nbsp;The last time when GT and MI had met, it was a rain-affected match, where GT had won a last-ball thriller in Mumbai.

The Mullanpur pitch has shown a mixed nature so far. Out of five games played here, teams batting first have won three times. But the recent match between PBKS and RCB for Qualifier 1, suggests early pace bowling can dominate.

Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to clash in the high-stakes Eliminator of IPL 2025 at the New Chandigarh Stadium on Friday (May 30). Both teams had strong phases in the league stage where GT had started as table-toppers and MI had everyone bite their nails after a poor start in the initial five games. But neither of them could maintain consistency and missed out on the top two spots. Now, both teams will look to win this one and advance ahead in the tournament. The winner of this match will go on to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2 on Sunday (June 1) in Ahmedabad. Pitch Report The Mullanpur pitch has shown a mixed nature so far. Out of five games played here, teams batting first have won three times. But the recent match between PBKS and RCB for Qualifier 1, suggests early pace can dominate. In that match, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Yash Dayal ripped through the PBKS top order during the powerplay. Later, Suyash Sharma’s spin took control of the remaining batters. Also Read | IPL 2025 | GT vs MI Eliminator: Head-to-head, playoff records and iconic performances The fact that neither GT nor MI have played in Mullanpur this season makes this clash more fascinating. The team that adapts early to the conditions will be ahead in the game.. Weather Report Chandigarh has seen warm and dry days recently, and Thursday will be no different. The temperature is expected to be around 30°C during the match. There is no rain forecast, so we’re all set for a full game. As per the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD), the weather in Mullanpur will be slightly cloudy, and there is a 10 per cent chance of rain. However, it will most likely be passing showers, but won't affect the course of the game as additional 120 minutes have been allotted to the fixture to complete a full 40-over match. The last time when GT and MI had met, it was a rain-affected match, where GT had won a last-ball thriller in Mumbai.

The Mullanpur pitch has shown a mixed nature so far. Out of five games played here, teams batting first have won three times. But the recent match between PBKS and RCB for Qualifier 1, suggests early pace can dominate.

GT vs MI Eliminator | Check weather forecast, pitch report. All you need to know before the big game

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will face off in a crucial IPL 2025 Eliminator on Friday (May 30) in Mullanpur, with both aiming to cross this playoff hurdle and win back the coveted trophy. While the winner faces Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1), the loser gets knocked out of the tournament, making it a do-or-die game. Here is the match preview of the IPL 2025 Eliminator between MI and GT.<h2>Preview – &nbsp;</h2>Starting with the former five-time champions Mumbai Indians, the Hardik Pandya-led star-studded franchise repeated past heroics to reach the final four this season. Following another shallow start to the season, Mumbai picked up pace after Jasprit Bumrah’s return, winning matches on the trot and sealing the playoff berth. Though they failed to finish inside the top two, they managed to keep their place intact, aiming to chase the ultimate glory – an IPL trophy. &nbsp;However, owing to the revised schedule caused by prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan early this month, several first-team players have returned to honour international commitments, with a few new faces joining the franchise just ahead of the playoffs. Their absence could likely hurt the plans heading into this Eliminator. &nbsp;Moreover, the focus remains on the bowling attack led by Bumrah.<h3>GT’s power run till the playoffs &nbsp;</h3>For the longest time this season, Gujarat stayed at the top of the points table. They looked like an unstoppable force unless the tournament resumed following a short break, where they lost matches in clusters and conceded the chance of bagging the top two spot.&nbsp; &nbsp;Despite having all the arsenal with them, they failed to get past the winning line, even losing to the bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last league game. However, barring Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada, GT has secured their overseas players for the remaining matches this season.&nbsp; &nbsp;Also, considering they have their replacements ready for the playoffs, GT would bank on its run-scoring top-order to get the job done against high-flying Mumbai Indians. &nbsp;Here are the predicted playing XIs of both teams – &nbsp;Mumbai Indians - Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Suryakumar Yadav, Charith Asalanka, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and Ashwani Kumar/Karn&nbsp;Sharma &nbsp;Gujarat Titans - Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Kusal Mendis, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna

Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will face off in a crucial IPL 2025 Eliminator on Friday (May 30) in Mullanpur, with both aiming to cross this playoff hurdle and win back the coveted trophy. While the winner faces Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1), the loser gets knocked out of the tournament, making it a do-or-die game. Here is the match preview of the IPL 2025 Eliminator between MI and GT. Preview – Starting with the former five-time champions Mumbai Indians, the Hardik Pandya-led star-studded franchise repeated past heroics to reach the final four this season. Following another shallow start to the season, Mumbai picked up pace after Jasprit Bumrah’s return, winning matches on the trot and sealing the playoff berth. Though they failed to finish inside the top two, they managed to keep their place intact, aiming to chase the ultimate glory – an IPL trophy. However, owing to the revised schedule caused by prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan early this month, several first-team players have returned to honour international commitments, with a few new faces joining the franchise just ahead of the playoffs. Their absence could likely hurt the plans heading into this Eliminator. Moreover, the focus remains on the bowling attack led by Bumrah. GT’s power run till the playoffs For the longest time this season, Gujarat stayed at the top of the points table. They looked like an unstoppable force unless the tournament resumed following a short break, where they lost matches in clusters and conceded the chance of bagging the top two spot. Despite having all the arsenal with them, they failed to get past the winning line, even losing to the bottom-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last league game. However, barring Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada, GT has secured their overseas players for the remaining matches this season. Also, considering they have their replacements ready for the playoffs, GT would bank on its run-scoring top-order to get the job done against high-flying Mumbai Indians. Here are the predicted playing XIs of both teams – Mumbai Indians - Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Suryakumar Yadav, Charith Asalanka, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah and Ashwani Kumar/Karn Sharma Gujarat Titans - Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Kusal Mendis, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna

While the winner faces Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1), the loser gets knocked out of the tournament, making it a do-or-die game.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a dramatic evening on Thursday (May 29) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) booked their place in the fourth final in a one-sided contest. While the weather was kind to RCB, that may not be the case on Friday ahead of the Eliminator clash between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. So what happens to the GT vs MI Eliminator clash if the match gets washed out?<h2>Who will advance to Qualifier 2?</h2>As things stand, the weather in Chandigarh has changed overnight with rain playing a crucial role. While there was no rain during Qualifier 1 on Thursday, the overnight showers could play a role. If the theme remains the same and it rains during the Eliminator clash, then overs could be trimmed to get at least a five-over per side match.&nbsp;&nbsp;For a five-over per side match, the cut-off time is 11:56 PM meaning a game could take place. However, if no ball is bowled the match will abandoned.<h2>Is there a reserve day for the Eliminator clash?</h2>&nbsp;No, there is no reserve day for the Eliminator clash between Mumbai and Gujarat. The reserve day is only in place for the IPL final which takes place on June 3.<h2>Who will advance to Q2 if Eliminator is washed out?</h2>In case the Eliminator clash is called off, Gujarat Titans will advance to the Qualifier 2 as they finished above Mumbai in the IPL league stage standings. While the head-to-head clash won’t be part of the equation, Gujarat beat Mumbai on both occasions.&nbsp;&nbsp;If this is the case, Gujarat will face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 as the latter lost to RCB on Thursday in Qualifier 1. RCB beat PBKs by eight wickets and booked their place in the summit clash for the fourth time and now stand a step closer to the maiden IPL title.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a dramatic evening on Thursday (May 29) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) booked their place in the fourth final in a one-sided contest. 

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a dramatic evening on Thursday (May 29) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) booked their place in the fourth final in a one-sided contest. While the weather was kind to RCB, that may not be the case on Friday ahead of the Eliminator clash between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. So what happens to the GT vs MI Eliminator clash if the match gets washed out? Who will advance to Qualifier 2? As things stand, the weather in Chandigarh has changed overnight with rain playing a crucial role. While there was no rain during Qualifier 1 on Thursday, the overnight showers could play a role. If the theme remains the same and it rains during the Eliminator clash, then overs could be trimmed to get at least a five-over per side match. For a five-over per side match, the cut-off time is 11:56 PM meaning a game could take place. However, if no ball is bowled the match will abandoned. Is there a reserve day for the Eliminator clash? No, there is no reserve day for the Eliminator clash between Mumbai and Gujarat. The reserve day is only in place for the IPL final which takes place on June 3. Who will advance to Q2 if Eliminator is washed out? In case the Eliminator clash is called off, Gujarat Titans will advance to the Qualifier 2 as they finished above Mumbai in the IPL league stage standings. While the head-to-head clash won’t be part of the equation, Gujarat beat Mumbai on both occasions. If this is the case, Gujarat will face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 as the latter lost to RCB on Thursday in Qualifier 1. RCB beat PBKs by eight wickets and booked their place in the summit clash for the fourth time and now stand a step closer to the maiden IPL title.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) had a dramatic evening on Thursday (May 29) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) booked their place in the fourth final in a one-sided contest.&nbsp;

IPL 2025: What happens if GT vs MI Eliminator clash gets washed out, is there a reserve day? - Check all details

Virat Kohli signalled ‘one more to go’ to his wife, Anushka Sharma, after his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), beat hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29), punching their ticket for the tournament final. RCB reached their fourth IPL final to date, after having lost the previous three (2009, 2011 and 2016), with Virat, his teammates, and all franchise fans in attendance in Mullanpur celebrating this statement win over table-toppers PBKS.&nbsp;Virat looked elated with RCB’s eight-wicket win inside 11 overs. Though he contributed with a couple of fours in his brief stay (12) at the crease, Kohli remained an integral part of the team’s success this season, having amassed 626 runs in 15 contested matches. With his team now playing the summit clash, Kohli and RCB are just one win away from realising their dream of winning an IPL final.<h3>Watch Video –</h3>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From doubted to destined. RCB’s in the IPL 2025 FINAL after a lot of grit, grind and glorious cricket! 🔥👑 <a href="https://t.co/vohcGJzbsg">pic.twitter.com/vohcGJzbsg</a>&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1928141556436840698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Besides, RCB maintained their away win record this season. After creating history by becoming the first team ever to win all away matches in a season, RCB stretched its streak with one more in Qualifier 1, stamping its authority this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-watch-suyash-sharma-wreaks-havoc-with-dream-spell-as-rcb-narrow-pbks-in-qualifier-1-of-ipl-2025-playoffs-1748530439909">Watch: Suyash Sharma wreaks havoc with dream spell as RCB narrow PBKS in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 Playoffs</a> &nbsp;Unlike how it panned out in the previous game, RCB bowlers did an incredible job in New Chandigarh by reducing batting-heavy PBKS to just 101 in the first innings. Sending them to bat first after winning the toss, RCB seamers picked four wickets inside the Powerplay, including removing their captain Shreyas Iyer and star batter Josh Inglis; two openers – Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh got out inside the first six overs too. &nbsp;Marcus Stoinis tried saving Punjab’s sinking ship but failed, as spinner Suyash Sharma wreaked havoc with three wickets in the middle overs. Returning Josh Hazlewood picked as many as PBKS were all out inside 15 overs.<h2>Salt rubs salt on Punjab’s wounds &nbsp;</h2>Phil Salt was the star of the second innings, hitting an unbeaten and match-winning fifty (56 off 27 balls).&nbsp;&nbsp;However, Punjab found early success in Kohli’s wicket, with Kyle Jamieson accounting for the Indian great; the debutant Musheer Khan removed RCB’s Impact Sub Mayank Agarwal on 19.&nbsp; &nbsp;Those two were the only wickets that fell in the second innings, as RCB completed the run chase with utter ease. &nbsp;They will now face the winner of the Qualifier 2 (Sunday) on Tuesday (May 3) in the IPL 2025 final.

IPL 2025 Kohli signals one more to go to wife Anushka as RCB fans celebrate lop sided win in Qualifier 1

Virat Kohli signalled ‘one more to go’ to his wife, Anushka Sharma, after his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), beat hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29), punching their ticket for the tournament final. RCB reached their fourth IPL final to date, after having lost the previous three (2009, 2011 and 2016), with Virat, his teammates, and all franchise fans in attendance in Mullanpur celebrating this statement win over table-toppers PBKS. Virat looked elated with RCB’s eight-wicket win inside 11 overs. Though he contributed with a couple of fours in his brief stay (12) at the crease, Kohli remained an integral part of the team’s success this season, having amassed 626 runs in 15 contested matches. With his team now playing the summit clash, Kohli and RCB are just one win away from realising their dream of winning an IPL final. Watch Video –

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will now face the winner of the Qualifier 2 (Sunday) on Tuesday (May 3) in the IPL 2025 final.&nbsp;

IPL 2025: Kohli signals ‘one more to go’ to wife Anushka, as RCB fans celebrate lop-sided win in Qualifier 1

As the IPL playoff are all set to commence from Thursday (May 29), let us  have a look at the top five batters who struck the most sixes in IPL 2025 league stage

As the IPL playoff are all set to commence from Thursday (May 29), let's have a look at the top five batters who struck the most sixes in IPL 2025 league stage.

IPL 2025 | Top 5 batters with most sixes in league stage:  No. 4 is an IPL winning captain. Check others

Former India batter Virender Sehwag questioned BCCI’s double standards in punishing players over similar offences over time. Sehwag pointed out how certain top cricketers, including MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, have escaped suspensions for breaching IPL’s code of conduct before, while the apex body has charged someone new like LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi for a celebration.&nbsp;All unfolded during the LSG vs SRH game in IPL 2025 when, after dismissing centurion Abhishek Sharma, caught in the deep, Digvesh gave him a fiery send-off, adding up his ‘notebook celebration’ that made things worse. As he began celebrating, Abhishek confronted him, leading to a verbal brawl. The on-field umpires and LSG players had to rush in to separate the two, with the BCCI and IPL taking strict actions against both.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-it-got-me-so-angry-ab-de-villiers-lashes-out-at-tv-commentators-for-negative-remarks-on-rcb-s-bowling-against-lsg-1748503182471">‘It got me so angry’: AB de Villiers lashes out at TV commentators for ‘negative remarks’ on RCB’s bowling against LSG</a> &nbsp;While the IPL fined Abhishek for his loud reaction to Digvesh’s celebration, further slapping him with demerit points, they suspended the leg-spinner for a game. That, however, happened because the LSG spinner had already collected a few demerits points (five) this season, particularly for his notebook celebration.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I thought that the ban was a bit harsh. The boy is playing in his first year in the IPL. MS Dhoni had barged into the ground; he was not banned then. Virat Kohli has spoken to umpires in that tone, who knows how many times, he was also not banned. So, Digvesh Rathi could have been spared, because he is a young player, just coming into the scene, could have let that one go," Sehwag said, speaking on Cricbuzz.<h2>The instances &nbsp;</h2>During a game between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2019 in Jaipur, Dhoni barred into the ground midway into the game, leading to tense chats between the players and officials. Although none of the players picked in the XI, dismissed or yet to bat, were and are allowed to enter the ground anytime during the match, Dhoni got away with a minute punishment.&nbsp; &nbsp;On the other hand, Virat has had his share of verbal brawls with several players and even match officials during his IPL career but never faced a suspension for the same.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, LSG is knocked out of the IPL 2025 playoff race, finishing seventh on the points table with six wins and eight losses in 14 contested matches.&nbsp;

Sehwag questions BCCI’s double standards in punishing players, picks out Dhoni’s, Kohli’s instances in Digvesh Rathi’s defence

Former India batter Virender Sehwag questioned BCCI’s double standards in punishing players over similar offences over time. Sehwag pointed out how certain top cricketers, including MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, have escaped suspensions for breaching IPL’s code of conduct before, while the apex body has charged someone new like LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi for a celebration. All unfolded during the LSG vs SRH game in IPL 2025 when, after dismissing centurion Abhishek Sharma, caught in the deep, Digvesh gave him a fiery send-off, adding up his ‘notebook celebration’ that made things worse. As he began celebrating, Abhishek confronted him, leading to a verbal brawl. The on-field umpires and LSG players had to rush in to separate the two, with the BCCI and IPL taking strict actions against both. Also read | ‘It got me so angry’: AB de Villiers lashes out at TV commentators for ‘negative remarks’ on RCB’s bowling against LSG While the IPL fined Abhishek for his loud reaction to Digvesh’s celebration, further slapping him with demerit points, they suspended the leg-spinner for a game. That, however, happened because the LSG spinner had already collected a few demerits points (five) this season, particularly for his notebook celebration. "I thought that the ban was a bit harsh. The boy is playing in his first year in the IPL. MS Dhoni had barged into the ground; he was not banned then. Virat Kohli has spoken to umpires in that tone, who knows how many times, he was also not banned. So, Digvesh Rathi could have been spared, because he is a young player, just coming into the scene, could have let that one go," Sehwag said, speaking on Cricbuzz. The instances During a game between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2019 in Jaipur, Dhoni barred into the ground midway into the game, leading to tense chats between the players and officials. Although none of the players picked in the XI, dismissed or yet to bat, were and are allowed to enter the ground anytime during the match, Dhoni got away with a minute punishment. On the other hand, Virat has had his share of verbal brawls with several players and even match officials during his IPL career but never faced a suspension for the same. Meanwhile, LSG is knocked out of the IPL 2025 playoff race, finishing seventh on the points table with six wins and eight losses in 14 contested matches.

All unfolded during the LSG vs SRH game in IPL 2025 when, after dismissing centurion Abhishek Sharma, caught in the deep, Digvesh gave him a fiery send-off, adding up his ‘notebook celebration’ that made things worse.

TV commentators have left AB de Villiers angry and unhappy with their negative remarks on his former IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) bowling against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) this season. RCB conceded 227 runs in the first innings in their last league game in Lucknow, with LSG captain Rishabh Pant hitting a maiden hundred for his new team; the visitors, however, completed the run chase - their highest-successful and won the game, sealing the Qualifier 1 spot.&nbsp;In Josh Hazlewood’s absence, who missed a few games leading up to the playoffs due to a shoulder niggle, RCB bowlers faced flak both on the field and off it. While Pant punished them with his almost-match-winning 118* off 61 balls, the commentators criticised the bowling attack throughout the 20 overs.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-pbks-vs-rcb-cricket-seamer-qualifier-1-arshdeep-singh-urges-punjabis-to-support-team-chasing-their-dream-rcb-1748500819247">Qualifier 1: Arshdeep Singh urges ‘Punjabis’ to support PBKS in chasing their IPL dream</a> &nbsp;Meanwhile, despite the win and inching closer to realising their dream of winning an IPL title, RCB’s legend and former batting giant wasn’t happy with how the commentators called out the game. Speaking his heart out on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers urged the TV commentators to remain neutral in their stance on any team. &nbsp;“I listened to the commentators last night, and honestly, it got me so angry,” AB de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.&nbsp; &nbsp;“They were so negative when we were bowling. They kept saying, ‘RCB’s bowling is under pressure. They don’t look like they’re going to manage it. Once again, an in-form team is starting to lose momentum.’ But what about this- maybe it was just a really good batting wicket, guys? To all you very clever and sharp commentators out there, how about considering the possibility that it was an excellent surface for batting?” he continued.<h2>Commentators set the narratives &nbsp;</h2>AB de Villiers said the commentators sometimes stick to a narrative.&nbsp; &nbsp;Backing his team’s bowling that leaked over 220 runs, AB de Villiers said perhaps the wicket played well and should it have been a tricky surface, Rishabh wouldn’t have scored a hundred as he did on this. &nbsp;“They went on about how RCB’s bowling unit was once again in poor form. As I watched the match, I thought that sometimes commentators get fixated on a narrative. Yes, RCB have never won a title, but it’s lazy to keep saying, ‘Here we go again. The bowlers are failing, they’re useless,’ without properly analysing what’s happening on the field. Rishabh Pant is not going to score 118 off 60-odd balls on a tricky, very difficult pitch. All the LSG batters were fluent out there. &nbsp;“Yes, there was some poor bowling at times. But ultimately, one must look at the bigger picture- 227 runs on a wicket that typically doesn’t support such batting suggests it was simply a very good surface. RCB were still in the contest; they weren’t blown away, and they proved that,” he added.

It got me so angry AB de Villiers lashes out at TV commentators for negative remarks on RCB’s bowling against LSG

TV commentators have left AB de Villiers angry and unhappy with their negative remarks on his former IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) bowling against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) this season. RCB conceded 227 runs in the first innings in their last league game in Lucknow, with LSG captain Rishabh Pant hitting a maiden hundred for his new team; the visitors, however, completed the run chase - their highest-successful and won the game, sealing the Qualifier 1 spot. In Josh Hazlewood’s absence, who missed a few games leading up to the playoffs due to a shoulder niggle, RCB bowlers faced flak both on the field and off it. While Pant punished them with his almost-match-winning 118* off 61 balls, the commentators criticised the bowling attack throughout the 20 overs. Also read | Qualifier 1: Arshdeep Singh urges ‘Punjabis’ to support PBKS in chasing their IPL dream Meanwhile, despite the win and inching closer to realising their dream of winning an IPL title, RCB’s legend and former batting giant wasn’t happy with how the commentators called out the game. Speaking his heart out on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers urged the TV commentators to remain neutral in their stance on any team. “I listened to the commentators last night, and honestly, it got me so angry,” AB de Villiers said on his YouTube channel. “They were so negative when we were bowling. They kept saying, ‘RCB’s bowling is under pressure. They don’t look like they’re going to manage it. Once again, an in-form team is starting to lose momentum.’ But what about this- maybe it was just a really good batting wicket, guys? To all you very clever and sharp commentators out there, how about considering the possibility that it was an excellent surface for batting?” he continued. Commentators set the narratives AB de Villiers said the commentators sometimes stick to a narrative. Backing his team’s bowling that leaked over 220 runs, AB de Villiers said perhaps the wicket played well and should it have been a tricky surface, Rishabh wouldn’t have scored a hundred as he did on this. “They went on about how RCB’s bowling unit was once again in poor form. As I watched the match, I thought that sometimes commentators get fixated on a narrative. Yes, RCB have never won a title, but it’s lazy to keep saying, ‘Here we go again. The bowlers are failing, they’re useless,’ without properly analysing what’s happening on the field. Rishabh Pant is not going to score 118 off 60-odd balls on a tricky, very difficult pitch. All the LSG batters were fluent out there. “Yes, there was some poor bowling at times. But ultimately, one must look at the bigger picture- 227 runs on a wicket that typically doesn’t support such batting suggests it was simply a very good surface. RCB were still in the contest; they weren’t blown away, and they proved that,” he added.

In Josh Hazlewood’s absence, who missed a few games leading up to the playoffs due to a shoulder niggle, RCB bowlers faced flak both on the field and off it.

‘It got me so angry’: AB de Villiers lashes out at TV commentators for ‘negative remarks’ on RCB’s bowling against LSG

As the stage is all set for an epic Qualifier 1 clash between PBKS and RCB in New Chandigarh stadium, let us have a look at their previous stats.

As the stage is all set for an epic Qualifier 1 clash between PBKS and RCB in New Chandigarh stadium, let's have a look at their previous stats.

IPL 2025 | PBKS vs RCB Qualifier 1: Head-to-head, records, playoff stats and iconic performances

India and Punjab Kings (PBKS) seamer Arshdeep Singh has urged all Punjabis to support their IPL franchise in helping them chase their dream of winning an IPL title. Arshdeep’s PBKS topped the IPL 2025 points table with nine wins from 14 contested matches and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.&nbsp;&nbsp;PBKS sealed their Qualifier 1 ticket and will face off against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a top-of-the-line clash on Thursday (May 29) in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Unlike previous seasons, where Punjab languished in the second half of the table, sometimes narrowly missing out on the top-four spot, they stamped their authority this time under the new leadership.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-pbks-vs-rcb-mullanpur-gears-up-for-iyer-kohli-face-off-in-qualifier-1-match-preview-1748494470539">IPL 2025, PBKS vs RCB: Mullanpur gears up for Iyer-Kohli face-off in Qualifier 1 – Preview</a> &nbsp;With Ricky Ponting as the new head coach and Shreyas Iyer as the skipper, Punjab unlocked their beast mode this season, looking strong to put its hands on an IPL trophy for the first time. For them to reach the IPL 2025 final, they must utilise their home advantage against the RCB and beat them; however, should they lose, they will get another chance to reach the summit clash in Qualifier 2.<h2>Arshdeep’s message for fans &nbsp;</h2>Punjab is closing in on winning their maiden IPL title, a monumental feat for any team, and it’s not possible without their fans’ support.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Arshdeep replied to one of the fans on Snapchat, thanking the person, who happened to be a non-Punjabi and staying afar, for backing PBKS in the playoffs. While he acknowledged it, he also urged all Punjabis to back the team.&nbsp; &nbsp;Picking on those homegrown fans who support other teams outside of Punjab Kings, Arshdeep asked them to come together and back his team in the Qualifier 1 and later in the mega final, should they qualify. &nbsp;“Thank you for supporting us. You’re not Punjabi, but you’re still supporting Punjab, whereas there are a lot of people who don’t support Punjab and have different favourite teams. I would like to urge them to support Punjab, their state, their team, and come in big numbers to see us win,” Arshdeep responded to a fan. &nbsp;WATCH VIDEO -&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sorry Arshdeep Singh, I have always supported you. But fans are earned not begged. Jammu Kashmir doesn&#39;t have a IPL team, doesn&#39;t means that we will not support anyone. Similarly if someone from Punjab is supporting CSK, it&#39;s because CSK has earned them. <a href="https://t.co/wueGh5xEWZ">pic.twitter.com/wueGh5xEWZ</a>&mdash; Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SelflessCricket/status/1927752027880280215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal’s return to the playing XI will boost Punjab’s confidence heading into the Qualifier 1. Though he returns from a wrist injury, for which he had to miss a couple of games, Punjab would miss its overseas all-rounder Marco Jansen, who returned home to prepare for the WTC Final against Australia.

Arshdeep Singh urges Punjabis to support PBKS in chasing their IPL dream

India and Punjab Kings (PBKS) seamer Arshdeep Singh has urged all Punjabis to support their IPL franchise in helping them chase their dream of winning an IPL title. Arshdeep’s PBKS topped the IPL 2025 points table with nine wins from 14 contested matches and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. PBKS sealed their Qualifier 1 ticket and will face off against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a top-of-the-line clash on Thursday (May 29) in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Unlike previous seasons, where Punjab languished in the second half of the table, sometimes narrowly missing out on the top-four spot, they stamped their authority this time under the new leadership. Also read | IPL 2025, PBKS vs RCB: Mullanpur gears up for Iyer-Kohli face-off in Qualifier 1 – Preview With Ricky Ponting as the new head coach and Shreyas Iyer as the skipper, Punjab unlocked their beast mode this season, looking strong to put its hands on an IPL trophy for the first time. For them to reach the IPL 2025 final, they must utilise their home advantage against the RCB and beat them; however, should they lose, they will get another chance to reach the summit clash in Qualifier 2. Arshdeep’s message for fans Punjab is closing in on winning their maiden IPL title, a monumental feat for any team, and it’s not possible without their fans’ support. Meanwhile, Arshdeep replied to one of the fans on Snapchat, thanking the person, who happened to be a non-Punjabi and staying afar, for backing PBKS in the playoffs. While he acknowledged it, he also urged all Punjabis to back the team. Picking on those homegrown fans who support other teams outside of Punjab Kings, Arshdeep asked them to come together and back his team in the Qualifier 1 and later in the mega final, should they qualify. “Thank you for supporting us. You’re not Punjabi, but you’re still supporting Punjab, whereas there are a lot of people who don’t support Punjab and have different favourite teams. I would like to urge them to support Punjab, their state, their team, and come in big numbers to see us win,” Arshdeep responded to a fan. WATCH VIDEO -

Arshdeep’s PBKS topped the IPL 2025 points table with nine wins from 14 contested matches and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.&nbsp;

Qualifier 1: Arshdeep Singh urges ‘Punjabis’ to support PBKS in chasing their IPL dream

Mullanpur in New Chandigarh gears up for IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 between hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the travelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday (May 29). The top two teams this season will face off for a place in the tournament final, with both chasing a common dream – a maiden IPL title. Here is the match preview of IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 between Punjab and Bengaluru.<h2>Preview &nbsp;</h2>Beginning with the Qualifier 1 hosts, PBKS, the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit has played some incredible cricket thus far this season, winning nine out of the 14 matches contested and staying at the top of the points table for the second time in tournament history.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-ravi-ashwin-defends-digvesh-rathi-in-jitesh-sharma-run-out-incident-1748453549227">IPL 2025: Ravi Ashwin defends Digvesh Rathi in Jitesh Sharma run-out incident</a> &nbsp;Despite lagging big names on the team sheet, Iyer’s Punjab stamped its authority with local talent, with as many as half a dozen uncapped cricketers making the right noises in IPL 2025. While their punt on Shashank Singh paid dividends, throwing weight behind players like Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera has done wonders for them.&nbsp; &nbsp;Besides, with an effective Indian bowling attack at its disposal, including two expensive purchases in Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, Punjab tasted enormous success in IPL 2025. Although they will miss seamer Marco Jansen for the playoffs as he returned home to prepare for the WTC Final, Chahal’s return to the XI should boost their confidence against high-flying RCB.<h3>RCB – the wonder team &nbsp;</h3>On the other hand, the RCB side has done the unthinkable, becoming the first team ever to win all away matches in an IPL edition. After completing their highest successful run chase in IPL in their last league game against LSG, RCB finished inside the top two, ahead of Gujarat Titans, who, for the longest time this season, stayed at the top of the table. &nbsp;They have their worries in their batters, including their captain’s form, but considering how well Virat Kohli is scoring runs and what Jitesh Sharma did in their last game, RCB would bank on them to replicate past form. &nbsp;Besides, the return of Josh Hazlewood will boost their chances, as RCB aim to maintain their winning run on away venues this season. &nbsp;Predicted Playing XIs of both teams – &nbsp;PBKS - Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh &nbsp;RCB - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (c), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara/Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma

IPL 2025, PBKS vs RCB Mullanpur gears up for Iyer-Kohli face-off in Qualifier 1 – Preview

Mullanpur in New Chandigarh gears up for IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 between hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the travelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday (May 29). The top two teams this season will face off for a place in the tournament final, with both chasing a common dream – a maiden IPL title. Here is the match preview of IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 between Punjab and Bengaluru. Preview Beginning with the Qualifier 1 hosts, PBKS, the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit has played some incredible cricket thus far this season, winning nine out of the 14 matches contested and staying at the top of the points table for the second time in tournament history. Also read | IPL 2025: Ravi Ashwin defends Digvesh Rathi in Jitesh Sharma run-out incident Despite lagging big names on the team sheet, Iyer’s Punjab stamped its authority with local talent, with as many as half a dozen uncapped cricketers making the right noises in IPL 2025. While their punt on Shashank Singh paid dividends, throwing weight behind players like Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera has done wonders for them. Besides, with an effective Indian bowling attack at its disposal, including two expensive purchases in Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal, Punjab tasted enormous success in IPL 2025. Although they will miss seamer Marco Jansen for the playoffs as he returned home to prepare for the WTC Final, Chahal’s return to the XI should boost their confidence against high-flying RCB. RCB – the wonder team On the other hand, the RCB side has done the unthinkable, becoming the first team ever to win all away matches in an IPL edition. After completing their highest successful run chase in IPL in their last league game against LSG, RCB finished inside the top two, ahead of Gujarat Titans, who, for the longest time this season, stayed at the top of the table. They have their worries in their batters, including their captain’s form, but considering how well Virat Kohli is scoring runs and what Jitesh Sharma did in their last game, RCB would bank on them to replicate past form. Besides, the return of Josh Hazlewood will boost their chances, as RCB aim to maintain their winning run on away venues this season. Predicted Playing XIs of both teams – PBKS - Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh RCB - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Mayank Agarawal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (c), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara/Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma

The top two teams this season will face off for a place in the tournament final, with both chasing a common dream – a maiden IPL title.

IPL 2025, PBKS vs RCB: Mullanpur gears up for Iyer-Kohli face-off in Qualifier 1 – Preview

Former India spinner and Chennai Super Kings’ ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Digvesh Rathi trying to dismiss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Jitesh Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Playing in an important clash for a place in Qualifier 1, RCB’s stand-in skipper Jitesh was dismissed by Rathi, but the appeal was withdrawn by Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant. However, Ashwin has defended Rathi, stating Pant should not have withdrawn his appeal.&nbsp;<h2>What was the incident?</h2>In the final ball of the 17th over, Rathi took off the bails at the non-striker's end, thereby dismissing Jitesh while he was out of the crease. According to ICC rules, Jitesh was deemed out and an appeal had been made to the umpire by the bowler. However, that appeal was withdrawn by Pant, thereby giving a lifeline to Jitesh as a gesture of sportsmanship.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, according to Ashwin that appeal should not have been withdrawn. The decision had huge consequences on the outcome of the match as Jitesh would help RCB win the match and thereby book their place in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025.&nbsp;"Digvesh Rathi is not my relative. He is not my friend. I don't know who he is. But I am saying… You will scar a bowler so much that it will really affect him," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "But because nobody really cares about a bowler, so in front of crores of people, should we withdraw his appeal and insult him?"&nbsp;Bengaluru chased down 228 to go second in the 10-team table in the last league match of this season and set up a meeting with table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday.&nbsp;The result pushed the Gujarat Titans into the third spot. They will face Mumbai Indians in the eliminator on Friday.&nbsp;The winners of Qualifier 1 go straight to the final on June 3 but the losers have a second chance of joining them as they will face the winner of the eliminator in Qualifier 2 to decide who will head to Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant signed off with an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls in his team's 227-3, but Bengaluru knocked off the target with eight balls to spare.

Former India spinner and Chennai Super Kings ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Digvesh Rathi trying to dismiss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Jitesh Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025).

Former India spinner and Chennai Super Kings’ ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Digvesh Rathi trying to dismiss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Jitesh Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Playing in an important clash for a place in Qualifier 1, RCB’s stand-in skipper Jitesh was dismissed by Rathi, but the appeal was withdrawn by Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant. However, Ashwin has defended Rathi, stating Pant should not have withdrawn his appeal. What was the incident? In the final ball of the 17th over, Rathi took off the bails at the non-striker's end, thereby dismissing Jitesh while he was out of the crease. According to ICC rules, Jitesh was deemed out and an appeal had been made to the umpire by the bowler. However, that appeal was withdrawn by Pant, thereby giving a lifeline to Jitesh as a gesture of sportsmanship. However, according to Ashwin that appeal should not have been withdrawn. The decision had huge consequences on the outcome of the match as Jitesh would help RCB win the match and thereby book their place in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025. "Digvesh Rathi is not my relative. He is not my friend. I don't know who he is. But I am saying… You will scar a bowler so much that it will really affect him," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. "But because nobody really cares about a bowler, so in front of crores of people, should we withdraw his appeal and insult him?" Bengaluru chased down 228 to go second in the 10-team table in the last league match of this season and set up a meeting with table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday. The result pushed the Gujarat Titans into the third spot. They will face Mumbai Indians in the eliminator on Friday. The winners of Qualifier 1 go straight to the final on June 3 but the losers have a second chance of joining them as they will face the winner of the eliminator in Qualifier 2 to decide who will head to Ahmedabad. Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant signed off with an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls in his team's 227-3, but Bengaluru knocked off the target with eight balls to spare.

Former India spinner and Chennai Super Kings’ ace bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has defended Digvesh Rathi trying to dismiss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Jitesh Sharma in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025).

IPL 2025: Ravi Ashwin defends Digvesh Rathi in Jitesh Sharma run-out incident

From Prasidh Krishna to Arshdeep Singh, here is a look at 5 bowlers with the most wickets in the IPL 2025 league stage also including Noor Ahmad, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood. 

From Prasidh Krishna to Arshdeep Singh, here is a look at 5 bowlers with the most wickets in the IPL 2025 league stage also including Noor Ahmad, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood.&nbsp;

From Prasidh Krishna to Arshdeep Singh, 5 bowlers with the most wickets in the IPL 2025 league stage

From Virat Kohli to Shubman Gill, here is a look at 5 batters with the most runs in the IPL 2025 league stage also featuring Sai Sudharsan, Suryakumar Yadav and Mitchell Marsh.

From Virat Kohli to Shubman Gill, here's look at 5 batters with the most runs in the IPL 2025 league stage also featuring Sai Sudharsan, Suryakumar Yadav and Mitchell Marsh.

From Virat Kohli to Shubman Gill, 5 batters with the most runs in the IPL 2025 league stage

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 league stage is over and the tournament has its poster mischievous boy in Digvesh Rathi. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner got the fame not only for his Narine-like bowling skills but the 'notebook' celebration as well.The LSG spinner was bought in the IPL 2025 auction for his base price of INR 30 lakh ($40,000) but has paid about INR 9.37 lakh ($10,000) in fines. He also served one-match suspension during the season but still ended up as LSG's highest wicket taker with 14 scalps in 13 games.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-abhishek-141-to-starc-5-35-check-out-all-stats-from-ipl-2025-league-stage-1748420007434">From Abhishek's 141 to Starc's 5/35 - Check out all stats from IPL 2025 league stage</a>Rathi is also the highest wicket-taker among the uncapped bowlers in IPL 2025 - which clearly shows he backs his show off with skills.Rathi was first fined for the notebook celebration during the match against Punjab Kings after dismissing Priyansh Arya on April 1. He paid 25 percent of his match fees as a fine and accumulated one demerit point.The next incident came against Mumbai Indian after dismissing Naman Dhir. This incident costed Rathi 50 percent of match fee and two demerit points.The biggest of the fauda happened in the match against SRH towards the end of league stage when he got involved in a heated confrontation with Abhishek Sharma. This costed Rathi a further 50 percent of the match fee and one game suspension.What is IPL player's match fee?Before the beginning of this season, the BCCI announced INR 7.5 lakh ($8,800) as match fee for IPL players for each match played. As per the calculations, Rathi lost 25 percent for first breach of policy which is INR 187,500 ($2,197) and INR 325,000 for second and third incidents.The total fine Rathi ended up paying comes around INR 937,500 ($10,000 approx) which is nearly one third of his IPL salary.During a recent fan interaction, Rathi revealed why he does the 'notebook' celebration and said: 'Whenever there's a tournament, I carry a notebook and note all the names in it.'&nbsp;

Rathi was bought in the IPL 2025 auction for his base price of INR 30 lakh ($40,000) but has paid about INR 9.37 lakh ($10,000) in fines. He also served one-match suspension during the season but still ended up as LSG's highest wicket taker with 14 scalps in 13 games.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 league stage is over and the tournament has its poster mischievous boy in Digvesh Rathi. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner got the fame not only for his Narine-like bowling skills but the 'notebook' celebration as well. The LSG spinner was bought in the IPL 2025 auction for his base price of INR 30 lakh ($40,000) but has paid about INR 9.37 lakh ($10,000) in fines. He also served one-match suspension during the season but still ended up as LSG's highest wicket taker with 14 scalps in 13 games. Also Read - From Abhishek's 141 to Starc's 5/35 - Check out all stats from IPL 2025 league stage Rathi is also the highest wicket-taker among the uncapped bowlers in IPL 2025 - which clearly shows he backs his show off with skills. Rathi was first fined for the notebook celebration during the match against Punjab Kings after dismissing Priyansh Arya on April 1. He paid 25 percent of his match fees as a fine and accumulated one demerit point. The next incident came against Mumbai Indian after dismissing Naman Dhir. This incident costed Rathi 50 percent of match fee and two demerit points. The biggest of the fauda happened in the match against SRH towards the end of league stage when he got involved in a heated confrontation with Abhishek Sharma. This costed Rathi a further 50 percent of the match fee and one game suspension. What is IPL player's match fee? Before the beginning of this season, the BCCI announced INR 7.5 lakh ($8,800) as match fee for IPL players for each match played. As per the calculations, Rathi lost 25 percent for first breach of policy which is INR 187,500 ($2,197) and INR 325,000 for second and third incidents. The total fine Rathi ended up paying comes around INR 937,500 ($10,000 approx) which is nearly one third of his IPL salary. During a recent fan interaction, Rathi revealed why he does the 'notebook' celebration and said: 'Whenever there's a tournament, I carry a notebook and note all the names in it.'

Rathi was bought in the IPL 2025 auction for his base price of INR 30 lakh ($40,000) but has paid about INR 9.37 lakh ($10,000) in fines. He also served one-match suspension during the season but still ended up as LSG's highest wicket taker with 14 scalps in 13 games.

Bought for INR 3 million, LSG's Rathi pays nearly INR 1 million in fines for 'notebook' celebration and reveals why he does it

As the IPL playoffs are scheduled to begin on Friday (30 May) with RCB locking horns with PBKS for the Qualifier 1 game. Let us relive the top performances from the league stage.

As the IPL playoffs are scheduled to begin on Friday (30 May) with RCB locking horns with PBKS for the Qualifier 1 game. Let's relive the top stats from the league stage.

IPL 2025 league stage stats: Most runs, wickets, highest scores and more. Check everything inside

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 league stage is over and the top four teams are decided for the playoff games. The 70 league stage games saw many records being broken and new ones being set.<h2>Have a look at the top stats from IPL 2025 league stage games</h2>Highest Team TotalSunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) posted 286/6 in only second match of the season and it remained the highest total by a team for rest of the IPL 2025. They posted this total against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad.Most RunsGujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan racked up 679 runs in 14 matches - the highest by any player in league stage. He scored these runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 155 with five fifties and a hundred.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jitesh-survives-rathi-run-out-appeal-at-non-striker-end-heres-what-the-rule-says-1748412723483">Jitesh survives Rathi's run-out appeal at non-striker end. Here's what the rule says</a>Highest Individual ScoreSRH opener Abhishek Sharma scored a belligerent 141 off just 55 balls - the highest individual score in IPL 2025. Abhishek also hit 14 fours and 10 sixes in his swashbuckling innings.Most WicketsChennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Noor Ahmed picked up 24 wickets in 14 games - the highest by any bowler in IPL 2025 league stage. He picked those wickets at an average of 17 with a best of 4/18.Best Bowling in an InningsDelhi Capitals pacer Mitchell Starc took 5/35 against SRH - the best bowling performance in an innings by a bowler in IPL 2025 league stage.Highest Partnership by RunsGT openers Shubman Gill and Sudharsan added unbeaten 205 runs for the first wicket vs DC - this is not only the highest opening partnership of IPL 2025 league stage but the highest by runs across wickets as well.With four playoff games left in the season, some of these records might change but so far IPL 2025 has been a blockbuster season for batters at least.

With four playoff games left in the season, some of these records might change but so far IPL 2025 has been a blockbuster season for batters at least.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 league stage is over and the top four teams are decided for the playoff games. The 70 league stage games saw many records being broken and new ones being set. Have a look at the top stats from IPL 2025 league stage games Highest Team Total SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) posted 286/6 in only second match of the season and it remained the highest total by a team for rest of the IPL 2025. They posted this total against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad. Most Runs Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan racked up 679 runs in 14 matches - the highest by any player in league stage. He scored these runs at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 155 with five fifties and a hundred. Also Read - Jitesh survives Rathi's run-out appeal at non-striker end. Here's what the rule says Highest Individual Score SRH opener Abhishek Sharma scored a belligerent 141 off just 55 balls - the highest individual score in IPL 2025. Abhishek also hit 14 fours and 10 sixes in his swashbuckling innings. Most Wickets Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Noor Ahmed picked up 24 wickets in 14 games - the highest by any bowler in IPL 2025 league stage. He picked those wickets at an average of 17 with a best of 4/18. Best Bowling in an Innings Delhi Capitals pacer Mitchell Starc took 5/35 against SRH - the best bowling performance in an innings by a bowler in IPL 2025 league stage. Highest Partnership by Runs GT openers Shubman Gill and Sudharsan added unbeaten 205 runs for the first wicket vs DC - this is not only the highest opening partnership of IPL 2025 league stage but the highest by runs across wickets as well. With four playoff games left in the season, some of these records might change but so far IPL 2025 has been a blockbuster season for batters at least.

With four playoff games left in the season, some of these records might change but so far IPL 2025 has been a blockbuster season for batters at least.

From Abhishek's 141 to Starc's 5/35 - Check out all stats from IPL 2025 league stage

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma played the innings of his IPL career during the last league match of ongoing season on Tuesday (May 27). Jitesh smashed unbeaten 85 runs off 33 balls but the innings was not without much deserved luck.Jitesh first survived a caught out decision after the first delivery of the 17th over by LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi was deemed a no-ball by the TV umpire. The potential game-changing moment, however, came before the last ball.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-does-backflip-on-poor-form-in-last-game-of-the-season-with-ton-vs-rcb-watch-1748362523983">Rishabh Pant does backflip on poor form in last game of IPL 2025 but Jitesh takes RCB in top two</a>Rathi was about to deliver the ball but stopped and attempted to run-out Jitesh at non-striker. The on-field umpire asked if he wanted to continue the appeal, given the debatable nature of dismissal which some claim goes against spirit of the game, and it was referred to the TV umpire once Rathi gave affirmation.The decision, however, once again was in Jitesh's favour as Rathi had completed his bowling stride as informed by the umpire on live telecast which rendered the appeal null and void.Here's what the rule says about running out non-striker"If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out by the bowler attempting to run him/her out. In these circumstances, the non- striker will be out run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is broken by the bowler throwing the ball at the wicket or by the bowler's hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered," notes IPL's playing conditions 38.3.1.Jitesh made full use of the twin opportunities and RCB scored remaining 28 runs in the next 10 balls to secure a top two finish and set up qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings on Thursday (May 29).

The decision, however, once again was in Jitesh's favour as Rathi had completed his bowling stride as informed by the umpire on live telecast which rendered the appeal null and void.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma played the innings of his IPL career during the last league match of ongoing season on Tuesday (May 27). Jitesh smashed unbeaten 85 runs off 33 balls but the innings was not without much deserved luck. Jitesh first survived a caught out decision after the first delivery of the 17th over by LSG spinner Digvesh Rathi was deemed a no-ball by the TV umpire. The potential game-changing moment, however, came before the last ball. Also Read - Rishabh Pant does backflip on poor form in last game of IPL 2025 but Jitesh takes RCB in top two Rathi was about to deliver the ball but stopped and attempted to run-out Jitesh at non-striker. The on-field umpire asked if he wanted to continue the appeal, given the debatable nature of dismissal which some claim goes against spirit of the game, and it was referred to the TV umpire once Rathi gave affirmation. The decision, however, once again was in Jitesh's favour as Rathi had completed his bowling stride as informed by the umpire on live telecast which rendered the appeal null and void. Here's what the rule says about running out non-striker "If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out by the bowler attempting to run him/her out. In these circumstances, the non- striker will be out run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is broken by the bowler throwing the ball at the wicket or by the bowler's hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered," notes IPL's playing conditions 38.3.1. Jitesh made full use of the twin opportunities and RCB scored remaining 28 runs in the next 10 balls to secure a top two finish and set up qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings on Thursday (May 29).

The decision, however, once again was in Jitesh's favour as Rathi had completed his bowling stride as informed by the umpire on live telecast which rendered the appeal null and void.

Jitesh survives Rathi's run-out appeal at non-striker end. Here's what the rule says

Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant finally did a backflip on his poor form throughout the IPL 2025 in the last match of the season. Pant scored unbeaten 118 off 61 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday (May 27) - his second fifty-plus score of the season.Pant reached the century - his second of the IPL history - with a four towards the long off area on one leg. He then went on to perform a backflip and jumping lightly on the ground as if coming to rest. Have a look at the video:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">When he hits, they stay as hit 😍 A 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 💯 Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/h5KnqyuYZE">https://t.co/h5KnqyuYZE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvRCB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> <a href="https://t.co/Hka9HBgpFy">pic.twitter.com/Hka9HBgpFy</a>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1927393059504824372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

LSG are already out of the playoff race and this no pressure game might have helped Pant to play more freely. he also came to bat a number three instead of Nicholas Pooran - leaving fans with the question why he didn't come to bat the same position throughout the season.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-retirement-news-ex-india-pacer-says-dhoni-known-as-captain-cool-doesn-t-have-patience-to-become-coach-1748359418551">Ex-India pacer says MS Dhoni, known as Captain Cool, 'doesn't have patience' to become coach</a>Thanks to Pant's blitzkrieg, LSG posted 227/3 in 20 overs - leaving RCB too much to do if they were to fancy a finish in two two.RCB started well and added 61 runs for the first wicket before the powerplay was over. Virat Kohli looked in good touch and scored 30-ball 54 before losing two partners on two balls as RCB slumped to 90/3 in eight overs.After Kohli was dismissed in the 12th over with the target still more than 100 runs away - stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma joined Mayank Agarwal on the crease.The duo added the remaining runs and were left with eight balls to spare as RCB finished on second place with 19 points from 14 games. Jitesh finished unbeaten on 85 off 33 balls which included eight fours and six sixes while Mayank remained not out on 41 off 23 balls.RCB now face Punjab Kings in the qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29) at Mullanpur while third and fourth place Gujarat Titans &amp; Mumbai Indians play in the eliminator on May 30.&nbsp;

Pant reached the century - his second of the IPL history - with a four towards the long off area on one leg. He then went on to perform a backflip and jumping lightly on the ground as if coming to rest.

Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant finally did a backflip on his poor form throughout the IPL 2025 in the last match of the season. Pant scored unbeaten 118 off 61 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday (May 27) - his second fifty-plus score of the season. Pant reached the century - his second of the IPL history - with a four towards the long off area on one leg. He then went on to perform a backflip and jumping lightly on the ground as if coming to rest. Have a look at the video:

Pant reached the century - his second of the IPL history - with a four towards the long off area on one leg. He then went on to perform a backflip and jumping lightly on the ground as if coming to rest.

Rishabh Pant does backflip on poor form in last game of IPL 2025 but Jitesh takes RCB in top two

Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer has lauded the camaraderie between him and coach Ricky Ponting as the team ended IPL 2025 regular season at top of the points table. Punjab, under skipper Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played."The camaraderie has been there for the past few years between Ricky and I, he gives me a lot of freedom. He lets me be decisive on the field, all these things have culminated in a great way," Iyer said post-match after their win against Mumbai Indians on May 26.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/shreyas-iyer-punjab-kings-ipl-2025-real-reason-why-pbks-skipper-shreyas-iyer-left-kkr-despite-winning-ipl-2024-1748347356816">'Felt underappreciated,' Ex-player on why PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer left KKR despite winning IPL 2024</a>"Every individual stepped up at the right time. Starting from game one, we've been in the mindset of wanting to win despite the situation. We've had players putting their hands up when we were in the dumps. Kudos to support staff and management too."Ricky has been fantastic with player management, it's important for me to get trust too. That happened with the wins early on. Had conversations with them too. You have to maintain good relationships throughout. I feel the dressing room has been top notch throughout. When you are down in the dumps, it is easy to backstab each other," he added.Iyer has led from the front in the ongoing season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well.Iyer has worked Ponting in the past at Delhi Capitals where he played from 2015 to 2021 before being with KKR for three seasons from 2022 onwards. The batter was let go by KKR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction was bought by PBKS for a record price of INR 27 crore.

Punjab, under skipper Shreyas Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played.

Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer has lauded the camaraderie between him and coach Ricky Ponting as the team ended IPL 2025 regular season at top of the points table. Punjab, under skipper Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played. "The camaraderie has been there for the past few years between Ricky and I, he gives me a lot of freedom. He lets me be decisive on the field, all these things have culminated in a great way," Iyer said post-match after their win against Mumbai Indians on May 26. Also Read - 'Felt underappreciated,' Ex-player on why PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer left KKR despite winning IPL 2024 "Every individual stepped up at the right time. Starting from game one, we've been in the mindset of wanting to win despite the situation. We've had players putting their hands up when we were in the dumps. Kudos to support staff and management too. "Ricky has been fantastic with player management, it's important for me to get trust too. That happened with the wins early on. Had conversations with them too. You have to maintain good relationships throughout. I feel the dressing room has been top notch throughout. When you are down in the dumps, it is easy to backstab each other," he added. Iyer has led from the front in the ongoing season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well. Iyer has worked Ponting in the past at Delhi Capitals where he played from 2015 to 2021 before being with KKR for three seasons from 2022 onwards. The batter was let go by KKR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction was bought by PBKS for a record price of INR 27 crore.

Punjab, under skipper Shreyas Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played.

'When we were in the dumps...,' Skipper Iyer speaks on PBK finishing top of IPL 2025 points table

Former India player Robin Uthappa believes that Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer was 'underappreciated' at his previous team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The statement comes a day after Punjab finished as the table toppers of IPL 2025 and secured a place in Qualifier 1."Shreyas has always been an exceptional captain. You always sensed that he felt underappreciated at KKR despite adding value there," Uthappa said while talking to JioHotstar. "He moved to a franchise where not much had been achieved historically, and then went on to win it for them. That says a lot about his leadership and belief," he added.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/elegance-over-power-the-rise-of-sai-sudharsan-in-india-cricket-set-up-1748326266888">Elegance over Power: The rise of Sai Sudharsan in India cricket set-up</a>Iyer has led from the front in the season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well.Punjab, under skipper Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played. They lost the last match by six wickets against DC and looked to lose momentum at the wrong time but the win against a resurgent MI gives them confidence going into the playoffs."You want momentum at the right point in the tournament and the right kind of impetus going into the play-offs. Punjab started the tournament exceptionally well, lost a bit of steam towards the back end of the league stage, but regained momentum just before the play-offs," said Uthappa."Granted, they're losing a player or two to national duty, but even within the squad, the batting line-up looks really solid. For me, Arshdeep Singh hasn't quite fired yet, and that actually augurs well for Punjab. It means he's due for a big performance and will be raring to go in crucial games," he added.

Iyer has led from the front in the season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well.

Former India player Robin Uthappa believes that Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer was 'underappreciated' at his previous team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The statement comes a day after Punjab finished as the table toppers of IPL 2025 and secured a place in Qualifier 1. "Shreyas has always been an exceptional captain. You always sensed that he felt underappreciated at KKR despite adding value there," Uthappa said while talking to JioHotstar. "He moved to a franchise where not much had been achieved historically, and then went on to win it for them. That says a lot about his leadership and belief," he added. Also Read - Elegance over Power: The rise of Sai Sudharsan in India cricket set-up Iyer has led from the front in the season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well. Punjab, under skipper Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played. They lost the last match by six wickets against DC and looked to lose momentum at the wrong time but the win against a resurgent MI gives them confidence going into the playoffs. "You want momentum at the right point in the tournament and the right kind of impetus going into the play-offs. Punjab started the tournament exceptionally well, lost a bit of steam towards the back end of the league stage, but regained momentum just before the play-offs," said Uthappa. "Granted, they're losing a player or two to national duty, but even within the squad, the batting line-up looks really solid. For me, Arshdeep Singh hasn't quite fired yet, and that actually augurs well for Punjab. It means he's due for a big performance and will be raring to go in crucial games," he added.

Iyer has led from the front in the season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well.

'Felt underappreciated,' Ex-player on why PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer left KKR despite winning IPL 2024

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (May 27) decided that the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will be dedicated to honuring the Indian Armed Forces.&nbsp;&nbsp;Scheduled for June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the 45-minute ceremony will pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of military personnel, particularly in recognition of their successful execution of Operation Sindoor.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/al-nassr-ronaldo-leaving-where-is-cristiano-ronaldo-going-next-team-1748340430235">Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Al Nassr after two and a half years. Where's he headed?</a>&nbsp;“The BCCI salutes the bravery, courage, and selfless service of our armed forces, whose heroic efforts under Operation Sindoor continue to protect and inspire the nation. As a tribute, we have decided to dedicate the closing ceremony to the armed forces and honour our heroes. While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country. We are proud of our armed forces and thankful to them for ensuring our security and safety at all times,” Saikia was quoted saying to TOI.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-proves-you-ll-never-walk-alone-is-more-than-just-a-song-1748332397900">Liverpool proves 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is more than just a song</a>&nbsp;“We have sent out invitations to senior armed forces officials for the ceremony. We have also decided to dedicate a few stands in the stadium during the match for the armed forces personnel. The closing ceremony will feature some patriotic songs being played out. It will be a solemn occasion," he added.&nbsp;The IPL 2025 got suspended for a week amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the tournament resumed on May 17 after the two countries came to a ceasefire agreement.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-you-come-at-the-king-you-best-not-miss-magnus-carlsen-after-beating-gukesh-in-nerve-wracking-opening-round-of-norway-chess-1748317950667">‘You come at the king, you best not miss’: Magnus Carlsen after beating Gukesh in nerve-wracking opening round of Norway Chess</a>

BCCI to honour Indian armed forces at IPL 2025 closing ceremony

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (May 27) decided that the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will be dedicated to honuring the Indian Armed Forces. Scheduled for June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the 45-minute ceremony will pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of military personnel, particularly in recognition of their successful execution of Operation Sindoor. Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Al Nassr after two and a half years. Where's he headed? “The BCCI salutes the bravery, courage, and selfless service of our armed forces, whose heroic efforts under Operation Sindoor continue to protect and inspire the nation. As a tribute, we have decided to dedicate the closing ceremony to the armed forces and honour our heroes. While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country. We are proud of our armed forces and thankful to them for ensuring our security and safety at all times,” Saikia was quoted saying to TOI. Also Read: Liverpool proves 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is more than just a song “We have sent out invitations to senior armed forces officials for the ceremony. We have also decided to dedicate a few stands in the stadium during the match for the armed forces personnel. The closing ceremony will feature some patriotic songs being played out. It will be a solemn occasion," he added. The IPL 2025 got suspended for a week amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the tournament resumed on May 17 after the two countries came to a ceasefire agreement. Also Read: ‘You come at the king, you best not miss’: Magnus Carlsen after beating Gukesh in nerve-wracking opening round of Norway Chess

The IPL 2025 final will be played in Ahmedabad on June 3 at the Narendra Modi stadium

After missing out on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/t20-worldcup">T20 World Cup </a>last year, wicketkeeper batter<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kl-rahul"> KL Rahul</a> has his eyes set on making a comeback to India’s T20I squad. And his performance in the ongoing IPL 2025 makes a strong statement of his return in the shortest format for India.&nbsp;Rahul had last played a T20I game in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England. At the Adelaide Oval, where India faced a 10-wicket defeat.&nbsp;However, this time he has let his bat do the talk. Rahul has been in superb form this season for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals">Delhi Capitals</a> (DC). In 13 outings, he has scored 539 runs at an average of 53 and an impressive strike rate of 149.72. He already has one century and three half-centuries to his name, making him the leading run-getter for DC.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/where-i-went-wrong-reveals-klaasen-after-ending-ipl-2025-for-srh-with-a-ton-1748238872304">'That's where I went wrong,' reveals Klaasen after ending IPL 2025 for SRH with a ton</a>&nbsp;With India set to host the T20 World Cup in 2026, Rahul is determined to be a part of the squad. “Yes, I want to get back in the T20 team and the World Cup is in my mind, but for now it’s just trying to enjoy how I’m playing right now," Rahul was quoted saying to Sky Sports.&nbsp;Reflecting on his career, Rahul shared how he has always prioritised the team’s needs over personal preferences. “If you have seen how my career has gone, I don’t think I really had a choice. I just want to be in the team and whatever challenge is thrown at me, I have found that’s better for me to adapt to,” he said.&nbsp;Known for his flexibility and versatility, Rahul has batted across positions from opener to No.7. “When the role is given to me and the coaches and the captain and the selectors tell me that look this is what we are expecting from you, maybe No.5, maybe No.6, open the batting. Yeah, that sort of gives me clarity and then I work around my game,” he signed off.&nbsp;KL Rahul's batting stats in T20I cricket (as of May 27, 2025)

<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Matches</td><td>Total runs</td><td>Average</td><td>Strike rate</td><td>Best score</td><td>Centuries</td><td>Half-centuries</td></tr><tr><td>72</td><td>2265</td><td>37.75</td><td>139.12</td><td>110*</td><td>1</td><td>22</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

Rahul last played a T20I in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal against England. At the Adelaide Oval, where India had faced a thumping 10-wicket defeat, since then Rahul was dropped from the side.

After missing out on the T20 World Cup last year, wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul has his eyes set on making a comeback to India’s T20I squad. And his performance in the ongoing IPL 2025 makes a strong statement of his return in the shortest format for India. Rahul had last played a T20I game in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England. At the Adelaide Oval, where India faced a 10-wicket defeat. However, this time he has let his bat do the talk. Rahul has been in superb form this season for Delhi Capitals (DC). In 13 outings, he has scored 539 runs at an average of 53 and an impressive strike rate of 149.72. He already has one century and three half-centuries to his name, making him the leading run-getter for DC. Also Read | 'That's where I went wrong,' reveals Klaasen after ending IPL 2025 for SRH with a ton With India set to host the T20 World Cup in 2026, Rahul is determined to be a part of the squad. “Yes, I want to get back in the T20 team and the World Cup is in my mind, but for now it’s just trying to enjoy how I’m playing right now," Rahul was quoted saying to Sky Sports. Reflecting on his career, Rahul shared how he has always prioritised the team’s needs over personal preferences. “If you have seen how my career has gone, I don’t think I really had a choice. I just want to be in the team and whatever challenge is thrown at me, I have found that’s better for me to adapt to,” he said. Known for his flexibility and versatility, Rahul has batted across positions from opener to No.7. “When the role is given to me and the coaches and the captain and the selectors tell me that look this is what we are expecting from you, maybe No.5, maybe No.6, open the batting. Yeah, that sort of gives me clarity and then I work around my game,” he signed off. KL Rahul's batting stats in T20I cricket (as of May 27, 2025)

Rahul last played a T20I in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England. At the Adelaide Oval, where India faced a 10-wicket defeat

'I want to get back in T20 team': KL Rahul makes BOLD statement after stellar IPL 2025 season

Punjab Kings (PBKS) booked their place in the Qualifier 1 of the ongoing IPL 2025 with a dominating seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on Monday (May 26).&nbsp;&nbsp;With this win, PBKS ensured a top-two finish, giving them two chances to qualify for the IPL 2025 final.&nbsp;Following the win, PBKS batter Shashank Singh credited head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer for steering the team to its first playoffs appearance since 2014. Shreyas, who joined PBKS for a record ₹26.75 crore after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)—whom he had led to the title last season—has made an instant impact.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-you-come-at-the-king-you-best-not-miss-magnus-carlsen-after-beating-gukesh-in-nerve-wracking-opening-round-of-norway-chess-1748317950667">‘You come at the king, you best not miss’: Magnus Carlsen after beating Gukesh in nerve-wracking opening round of Norway Chess</a>&nbsp;Ponting, arriving after a high-profile stint with Delhi Capitals (DC), has teamed up with Shreyas to transform the franchise's culture and mindset. Shashank said that Ponting and Shreyas have fostered an inclusive environment where respect is paramount, regardless of hierarchy.&nbsp;“From Day 1, Ricky Ponting and Shreyas told us they would treat Yuzvendra Chahal the same as our bus driver. And they’ve lived up to that. It says so much about the team spirit,” Shashank said after the match.&nbsp;He also lauded Ponting for instilling belief and confidence across the squad. “Ricky has completely changed our team culture, our mindset, and our belief system. The credit goes to him—he’s transformed our perspective on the game. It’s about building respect and care for one another, and while it’s easy to say these things, actually creating that environment is much harder. Ricky made sure that culture was built in the dressing room,” he added.&nbsp;Shreyas Iyer now stands on the cusp of history, with a chance to become the first captain to win back-to-back IPL titles with different teams.

IPL 2025 Will treat Chahal and bus driver same way reveals THIS PBKS batting all rounder

Punjab Kings (PBKS) booked their place in the Qualifier 1 of the ongoing IPL 2025 with a dominating seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on Monday (May 26). With this win, PBKS ensured a top-two finish, giving them two chances to qualify for the IPL 2025 final. Following the win, PBKS batter Shashank Singh credited head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer for steering the team to its first playoffs appearance since 2014. Shreyas, who joined PBKS for a record ₹26.75 crore after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)—whom he had led to the title last season—has made an instant impact. Also Read: ‘You come at the king, you best not miss’: Magnus Carlsen after beating Gukesh in nerve-wracking opening round of Norway Chess Ponting, arriving after a high-profile stint with Delhi Capitals (DC), has teamed up with Shreyas to transform the franchise's culture and mindset. Shashank said that Ponting and Shreyas have fostered an inclusive environment where respect is paramount, regardless of hierarchy. “From Day 1, Ricky Ponting and Shreyas told us they would treat Yuzvendra Chahal the same as our bus driver. And they’ve lived up to that. It says so much about the team spirit,” Shashank said after the match. He also lauded Ponting for instilling belief and confidence across the squad. “Ricky has completely changed our team culture, our mindset, and our belief system. The credit goes to him—he’s transformed our perspective on the game. It’s about building respect and care for one another, and while it’s easy to say these things, actually creating that environment is much harder. Ricky made sure that culture was built in the dressing room,” he added. Shreyas Iyer now stands on the cusp of history, with a chance to become the first captain to win back-to-back IPL titles with different teams.

Punjab Kings sealed a spot in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 with a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians

IPL 2025: 'Will treat Chahal and bus driver same way', big revelation from THIS PBKS player

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have sealed the Qualifier 1 spot in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> playoffs after a statement win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians">Mumbai Indians (MI)</a> in Jaipur on Monday (May 26). Punjab beat Mumbai by seven wickets to finish among the top two on the points table with 19 points from 14 contested matches. Winning nine league games means they qualified for the tournament knockout for the first time since 2014.&nbsp;Brilliant fifties by opener Priyansh Arya and keeper-batter Josh Inglis helped Punjab complete the run chase within 19 overs and seal the Qualifier 1 spot.&nbsp;Punjab won the toss and elected to field first. Backing their bowlers to deliver the first punch, PBKS found success inside the Powerplay with Ryan Rickelton’s wicket. Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma departed quickly later on before seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak accounted for dangerous-looking Will Jacks on 17.&nbsp;&nbsp;Captain Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav held the innings together by taking the attack to the opposition. The pair accelerated the scoring rate, and despite losing Pandya in the 17th over, they kept going about their business. An expensive penultimate over saw MI cross the 180-run-mark but failed to make it big in the last one, with Arshdeep Singh winning the battle and returning with two wickets.<h2>Punjab batters go big</h2>&nbsp;The dynamite batting pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh began with the onslaught from the word go, adding 34 for the first wicket. It was when the real action began; Inglis joined Arya in the middle, and the pair went bonkers. Both kept hammering fours and sixes for fun, sparing none. The left-right combination helped Punjab sit in the driver’s seat, making the most of the momentum.&nbsp;Though Arya lost his wicket soon after completing his impressive fifty, Inglis decided against slowing down and instead looked to hit all balls across the boundary line. However, before he could wrap up the run chase, Mitchell Santner dismissed him, trapped in the front on a well-made 73.&nbsp;Nehal Wadhera and Iyer completed the formalities and helped the team win this blockbuster contest by seven wickets. &nbsp;While Punjab will play the Qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29), Mumbai will play the Eliminator the next day, with both games taking place in Mullanpur.

IPL 2025: Punjab Kings seal Qualifier 1 spot with statement win over Mumbai Indians

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have sealed the Qualifier 1 spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs after a statement win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on Monday (May 26). Punjab beat Mumbai by seven wickets to finish among the top two on the points table with 19 points from 14 contested matches. Winning nine league games means they qualified for the tournament knockout for the first time since 2014. Brilliant fifties by opener Priyansh Arya and keeper-batter Josh Inglis helped Punjab complete the run chase within 19 overs and seal the Qualifier 1 spot. Punjab won the toss and elected to field first. Backing their bowlers to deliver the first punch, PBKS found success inside the Powerplay with Ryan Rickelton’s wicket. Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma departed quickly later on before seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak accounted for dangerous-looking Will Jacks on 17. Captain Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav held the innings together by taking the attack to the opposition. The pair accelerated the scoring rate, and despite losing Pandya in the 17th over, they kept going about their business. An expensive penultimate over saw MI cross the 180-run-mark but failed to make it big in the last one, with Arshdeep Singh winning the battle and returning with two wickets. Punjab batters go big The dynamite batting pair of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh began with the onslaught from the word go, adding 34 for the first wicket. It was when the real action began; Inglis joined Arya in the middle, and the pair went bonkers. Both kept hammering fours and sixes for fun, sparing none. The left-right combination helped Punjab sit in the driver’s seat, making the most of the momentum. Though Arya lost his wicket soon after completing his impressive fifty, Inglis decided against slowing down and instead looked to hit all balls across the boundary line. However, before he could wrap up the run chase, Mitchell Santner dismissed him, trapped in the front on a well-made 73. Nehal Wadhera and Iyer completed the formalities and helped the team win this blockbuster contest by seven wickets. While Punjab will play the Qualifier 1 on Thursday (May 29), Mumbai will play the Eliminator the next day, with both games taking place in Mullanpur.

Brilliant fifties by opener Priyansh Arya and keeper-batter Josh Inglis helped Punjab complete the run chase within 19 overs and seal the Qualifier 1 spot.&nbsp;

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