Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) gain an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj led the way with figures of 3/8 as RCB strangled KKR to 84/8 in their 20 overs. They chased down the target with a whopping 39 balls to spare.

Siraj bowled two successive maiden overs - the first ever in the IPL - of his four to keep Kolkata down to this season's lowest score of 84 for eight in Abu Dhabi.

Skipper Virat Kohli, who made 18, and Gurkeerat Singh, 21 not out, took Bangalore home in 13.3 overs as the side went level on 14 points with table toppers Delhi Capitals.

After electing to bat first, KKR had the worst start possible as the side lost three wickets with just three runs on the board. Chris Morris bowled the first over for RCB and just gave three runs off it.&nbsp;

Mohammed Siraj came to bowl the second over and changed the momentum of the game as he scalped Rahul Tripathi (1) and Nitish Rana (0) and his over finished as a double-wicket maiden.

Along the course of this match, Siraj also became the first bowler to bowl two maiden overs in an IPL game.KKR was left reeling at 14-4 and it was left up to Eoin Morgan to help the side gain a respectable total.&nbsp;

However, the KKR skipper did not find any support at the other end as Dinesh Karthik (4) and Pat Cummins (4) also disappointed with the bat. Morgan played a knock of 30 runs but his innings was cut short by Washington Sundar in the 16th over. Lockie Ferguson scored 19 runs while Kuldeep Yadav played a knock of 12-run before getting run out on the last ball of the innings.&nbsp;

In the end, KKR were restricted to 84/8 in their 20 overs. For RCB, Siraj returned with the figures of 3-8 while Chahal clinched two wickets.

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 85/2 (Devdutt Padikkal 25, Gurkeerat Singh Mann 21*, Lockie Ferguson 1-17) defeat Kolkata Knight Riders 84/8 (Eoin Morgan 30, Lockie Ferguson 19, Mohammad Siraj 3-8) by eight wickets.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) gain an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj led the way with figures of 3/8 as RCB strangled KKR to 84/8 in their 20 overs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) gain an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj led the way with figures of 3/8 as RCB strangled KKR to 84/8 in their 20 overs. They chased down the target with a whopping 39 balls to spare. Siraj bowled two successive maiden overs - the first ever in the IPL - of his four to keep Kolkata down to this season's lowest score of 84 for eight in Abu Dhabi. Skipper Virat Kohli, who made 18, and Gurkeerat Singh, 21 not out, took Bangalore home in 13.3 overs as the side went level on 14 points with table toppers Delhi Capitals. After electing to bat first, KKR had the worst start possible as the side lost three wickets with just three runs on the board. Chris Morris bowled the first over for RCB and just gave three runs off it. Mohammed Siraj came to bowl the second over and changed the momentum of the game as he scalped Rahul Tripathi (1) and Nitish Rana (0) and his over finished as a double-wicket maiden. Along the course of this match, Siraj also became the first bowler to bowl two maiden overs in an IPL game.KKR was left reeling at 14-4 and it was left up to Eoin Morgan to help the side gain a respectable total. However, the KKR skipper did not find any support at the other end as Dinesh Karthik (4) and Pat Cummins (4) also disappointed with the bat. Morgan played a knock of 30 runs but his innings was cut short by Washington Sundar in the 16th over. Lockie Ferguson scored 19 runs while Kuldeep Yadav played a knock of 12-run before getting run out on the last ball of the innings. In the end, KKR were restricted to 84/8 in their 20 overs. For RCB, Siraj returned with the figures of 3-8 while Chahal clinched two wickets. Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 85/2 (Devdutt Padikkal 25, Gurkeerat Singh Mann 21*, Lockie Ferguson 1-17) defeat Kolkata Knight Riders 84/8 (Eoin Morgan 30, Lockie Ferguson 19, Mohammad Siraj 3-8) by eight wickets. (With inputs from agencies)

Siraj, Gurkeerat lead RCB's eight-wicket rout of Kolkata in IPL 

New Zealand's wicketkeeper and batsman Tim Seifert will be replacing USA's paceman Ali Khan, who was injured at the Kolkata Knight Riders.&nbsp;

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-record-david-warner-fastest-to-enter-the-5000-runs-club-joins-the-elite-list-336242" hreflang="en">IPL Record: David Warner fastest to enter the 5,000 runs club; joins the elite list</a>

According to ESPNcricinfo, Seifert has been roped in as a replacement for USA fast bowler Khan, whose maiden stint at the lucrative league ended without any game time due to a side strain that he suffered while playing in the Caribbean Premier League.

As per the report, Seifert's team, Northern Districts, had "confirmed," that the cricketer "was another absentee" (for the upcoming Plunket Shield).

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Ali Khan had become the first American to be a part of the Indian Premier League after he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders. However, he was ruled out of the tournament after being struck by an injury on October 7. Khan was signed as a replacement for the injured English seamer Harry Gurney ahead of the tournament.

Ali was also a part of KKR's sister club Trinbago Knight Riders, who went on to win the Caribbean Premier League, which was played in August-September. He scalped eight wickets in the tournament.

New Zealand's wicketkeeper and batsman Tim Seifert will be replacing USA's paceman Ali Khan, who was injured at the Kolkata Knight Riders. IN PICS: IPL Record: David Warner fastest to enter the 5,000 runs club; joins the elite list According to ESPNcricinfo, Seifert has been roped in as a replacement for USA fast bowler Khan, whose maiden stint at the lucrative league ended without any game time due to a side strain that he suffered while playing in the Caribbean Premier League.

New Zealand's wicketkeeper and batsman Tim Seifert will be replacing USA's paceman Ali Khan, who was injured at the Kolkata Knight Riders. IN PICS: IPL Record: David Warner fastest to enter the 5,000 runs club; joins the elite list According to ESPNcricinfo, Seifert has been roped in as a replacement for USA fast bowler Khan, whose maiden stint at the lucrative league ended without any game time due to a side strain that he suffered while playing in the Caribbean Premier League. As per the report, Seifert's team, Northern Districts, had "confirmed," that the cricketer "was another absentee" (for the upcoming Plunket Shield). IN PICS: IPL Trivia: Bowlers who scalped 50 wickets in fewest matches Ali Khan had become the first American to be a part of the Indian Premier League after he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders. However, he was ruled out of the tournament after being struck by an injury on October 7. Khan was signed as a replacement for the injured English seamer Harry Gurney ahead of the tournament. Ali was also a part of KKR's sister club Trinbago Knight Riders, who went on to win the Caribbean Premier League, which was played in August-September. He scalped eight wickets in the tournament.

IPL 2020: Kiwi's Tim Seifert to join KKR as a replacement for injured Ali Khan

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been handed a major boost ahead of their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday as Sunil Narine has been cleared by the IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee.

Narine was reported for a suspect bowling action during KKR’s IPL 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab in Abu Dhabi on October 10. Since then, KKR haven’t played Narine in any of their matches.&nbsp;

The IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee noted that Narine’s elbow-bend appears to be within the range of permissible limits while further adding that the West Indies bowler can continue to reproduce the same action going forward in IPL 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-by-keeping-things-simple-arshdeep-singh-taking-giant-strides-with-kings-xi-punjab-336022" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'By keeping things simple', Arshdeep taking giant strides with KXIP</a>

<h2>Statement by IPL:</h2>

“Sunil Narine, the Kolkata Knight Riders player, has been cleared by the IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee. Mr Narine was reported for bowling with a Suspected Illegal Bowling Action during his team’s Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab at Abu Dhabi on October 10. Following the report, Mr Narine was placed on the IPL Warning List.

“KKR requested for an Official Assessment of Mr Narine’s action from the IPL Suspect Bowling Action Committee, submitting action footage in slow motion with back and side angles. The Committee carefully reviewed all the deliveries of action footage sent of Mr Narine with the naked eye and has come to the conclusion that the elbow-bend appears to be within the range of permissible limits. The Committee also noted that Mr. Narine should reproduce the same action going forward in the IPL 2020 matches as presented to the Committee in the video footage.

“Mr Narine has now been removed from the IPL Suspect Action Warning List.” 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been handed a major boost ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday as Sunil Narine has been cleared by the IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been handed a major boost ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday as Sunil Narine has been cleared by the IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee. Narine was reported for a suspect bowling action during KKR’s IPL 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab in Abu Dhabi on October 10. Since then, KKR haven’t played Narine in any of their matches. The IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee noted that Narine’s elbow-bend appears to be within the range of permissible limits while further adding that the West Indies bowler can continue to reproduce the same action going forward in IPL 2020. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'By keeping things simple', Arshdeep taking giant strides with KXIP Statement by IPL: “Sunil Narine, the Kolkata Knight Riders player, has been cleared by the IPL’s Suspect Bowling Action Committee. Mr Narine was reported for bowling with a Suspected Illegal Bowling Action during his team’s Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab at Abu Dhabi on October 10. Following the report, Mr Narine was placed on the IPL Warning List. “KKR requested for an Official Assessment of Mr Narine’s action from the IPL Suspect Bowling Action Committee, submitting action footage in slow motion with back and side angles. The Committee carefully reviewed all the deliveries of action footage sent of Mr Narine with the naked eye and has come to the conclusion that the elbow-bend appears to be within the range of permissible limits. The Committee also noted that Mr. Narine should reproduce the same action going forward in the IPL 2020 matches as presented to the Committee in the video footage. “Mr Narine has now been removed from the IPL Suspect Action Warning List.”

Sunil Narine's bowling action gets green signal, taken off IPL warning list

Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard have been crucial for the Mumbai Indians' since a very long time. Pollard joined the Mumbai Indians in 2010, and Rohit joined the franchise the very next year. These two have been vital for winning four IPL trophies for Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-mi-vs-kkr-preview-eoin-morgan-led-kolkata-look-to-end-mumbai-domination-335752" hreflang="en">IPL 2020, MI vs KKR Preview: Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata look to end Mumbai domination</a>

This season Mumbai Indians led by Rohit Sharma have been dominant, and they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard near a major milestone as they play KKR tonight.&nbsp;

Skipper Rohit Sharma, who is MI’s highest scorer, needs 56 more runs to breach the 4,000 mark. If he is successful in doing so, he will become the first player to achieve this feat.

Kieron Pollard, on the other hand, needs 71 runs to get 3000 runs in the Indian Premier League and become the second Mumbai Indians player after this captain Rohit to get to the feat.

However, KKR would be hoping for a fresh start under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan after Dinesh Karthik on Friday handed over the captaincy duties to the World Cup-winning English captain. In the previous encounter between MI and KKR, Mumbai Indians came victorious.&nbsp;

Talking about head-to-head encounters, MI have won a staggering 20 matches of the 26 clashes against KKR with the Kolkata Knight Riders winning just six of the matches. MI boast the maximum winning percentage against KKR (76.92%) and would be eager to continue their domination with two more points on Friday.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard have been crucial for the Mumbai Indians' since a very long time. Pollard joined the Mumbai Indians in 2010, and Rohit joined the franchise the very next year.

Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard have been crucial for the Mumbai Indians' since a very long time. Pollard joined the Mumbai Indians in 2010, and Rohit joined the franchise the very next year. These two have been vital for winning four IPL trophies for Mumbai Indians. Also read: IPL 2020, MI vs KKR Preview: Eoin Morgan-led Kolkata look to end Mumbai domination This season Mumbai Indians led by Rohit Sharma have been dominant, and they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard near a major milestone as they play KKR tonight. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who is MI’s highest scorer, needs 56 more runs to breach the 4,000 mark. If he is successful in doing so, he will become the first player to achieve this feat. Kieron Pollard, on the other hand, needs 71 runs to get 3000 runs in the Indian Premier League and become the second Mumbai Indians player after this captain Rohit to get to the feat. However, KKR would be hoping for a fresh start under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan after Dinesh Karthik on Friday handed over the captaincy duties to the World Cup-winning English captain. In the previous encounter between MI and KKR, Mumbai Indians came victorious. Talking about head-to-head encounters, MI have won a staggering 20 matches of the 26 clashes against KKR with the Kolkata Knight Riders winning just six of the matches. MI boast the maximum winning percentage against KKR (76.92%) and would be eager to continue their domination with two more points on Friday.

IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard near records as they face KKR

IPL 2020: Dinesh Karthik quits as KKR skipper, let's take a look at their captains in the past

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan believes that "leaders without title" play an equally important part as the designated one if a team intends to travel in the right direction in its pursuit of greatness.

Morgan is one of the key figures in the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up under Dinesh Karthik's captaincy and he feels it has worked out well in the first three weeks of Indian Premier League.

So as a distinguished international captain, does he volunteer giving inputs to his skipper or wait for Karthik to approach him as a sounding board?

"I think it has worked really well so far. I think DK and Brendon McCullum lead extremely well within the team," Morgan told PTI in an exclusive interview.

"Within aspect of the rest of the players, we have a number of senior leaders that take on roles that don't have a title.

"And within the team, that plays a pivotal part because when other seniors players, apart from captain and coach and vice-captain, lead or take on directions or decisions, it gives absolute clarity for the rest of the team." 
KKR is currently placed fourth on the points table with six points for their three wins.

"Embodying that moving forward is so powerful that it creates intangible things that great teams talk about. Feeling the moment, the sacrifices that you make, it's all worthwhile. So far we have made it work," Morgan put forth his view point eloquently.

For an Irishman who has established himself as a respected captain while leading one of the most ethnically diverse cricket teams to global glory, Morgan enjoys that multi-cultural fabric which an IPL dressing room brings with players from different background, different languages, converging to create lasting memories.

"I feel sport is always transient but the language you speak when you are playing that sport tends to stay with you.

"It's fascinating to watch guys talk about cricket in different languages in the change room and people who don't know that language tend to understand and get the gist of what they are trying to achieve."

Like many others, the 34-year-old Morgan also agreed that evolution of franchise cricket has brought players from different walks of life closer in a dressing room environment which promotes friendship.

"...Evolution of franchise cricket has made coming into a change room that has different culture with potentially a different language or two or three different languages a lot more easier to gel."

He loves the fact that the English cricket fraternity, which looked at IPL as an "after-thought" seven-eight years ago, has come to accept that it now has players who are the most sought-after in this format.

"I think compared to previous seasons, certainly (I) not having played in IPL for a number of seasons, difference between an England player coming in now and an England player coming seven-eight years ago is even more.

"Because now some of our players who play in that England shirt are sought after players. Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, these guys have genuine chances of becoming MVPs every year.

"That's the level of confidence that now an English player brings as opposed to before, when it was almost an after-thought because of the conflict within somewhere and English players being deterred to come in many ways.

"It's a completely different aspect, one that we love coming to town," 'Captain' Morgan said, setting the record straight. 
With 2240 runs in 94 T20 Internationals, Morgan has been one of the fine end-game players in shorter formats, a skill that he consciously developed to fit into flexible batting orders.

"I think, over the years, that is something that I have always aspired to do and throughout your career, probably through young age from mid 20s, particularly in international cricket where it is very difficult, standard is always high and there is always a counter to everything that you are trying to do.

"The more you play, the less bad or common mistakes you are going to make. Experience is worth its weight in gold and I have made most of my experience in probably the last two and half to three years," he said.

Asked about his batting role in KKR line-up, Morgan said that it's "flexible", depending on conditions and opposition.

"I think middle-order is quite flexible at the moment, depending on what team we play and type of attack we come up against.

"Different batters are suited to different bowlers and DK and coach are very good at reading what's the right way to move forward in that regard. We have lot of options which are flexible."

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan believes that "leaders without title" play an equally important part as the designated one if a team intends to travel in the right direction in its pursuit of greatness.

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan believes that "leaders without title" play an equally important part as the designated one if a team intends to travel in the right direction in its pursuit of greatness. Morgan is one of the key figures in the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up under Dinesh Karthik's captaincy and he feels it has worked out well in the first three weeks of Indian Premier League. So as a distinguished international captain, does he volunteer giving inputs to his skipper or wait for Karthik to approach him as a sounding board? "I think it has worked really well so far. I think DK and Brendon McCullum lead extremely well within the team," Morgan told PTI in an exclusive interview. "Within aspect of the rest of the players, we have a number of senior leaders that take on roles that don't have a title. "And within the team, that plays a pivotal part because when other seniors players, apart from captain and coach and vice-captain, lead or take on directions or decisions, it gives absolute clarity for the rest of the team." KKR is currently placed fourth on the points table with six points for their three wins. "Embodying that moving forward is so powerful that it creates intangible things that great teams talk about. Feeling the moment, the sacrifices that you make, it's all worthwhile. So far we have made it work," Morgan put forth his view point eloquently. For an Irishman who has established himself as a respected captain while leading one of the most ethnically diverse cricket teams to global glory, Morgan enjoys that multi-cultural fabric which an IPL dressing room brings with players from different background, different languages, converging to create lasting memories. "I feel sport is always transient but the language you speak when you are playing that sport tends to stay with you. "It's fascinating to watch guys talk about cricket in different languages in the change room and people who don't know that language tend to understand and get the gist of what they are trying to achieve." Like many others, the 34-year-old Morgan also agreed that evolution of franchise cricket has brought players from different walks of life closer in a dressing room environment which promotes friendship. "...Evolution of franchise cricket has made coming into a change room that has different culture with potentially a different language or two or three different languages a lot more easier to gel." He loves the fact that the English cricket fraternity, which looked at IPL as an "after-thought" seven-eight years ago, has come to accept that it now has players who are the most sought-after in this format. "I think compared to previous seasons, certainly (I) not having played in IPL for a number of seasons, difference between an England player coming in now and an England player coming seven-eight years ago is even more. "Because now some of our players who play in that England shirt are sought after players. Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, these guys have genuine chances of becoming MVPs every year. "That's the level of confidence that now an English player brings as opposed to before, when it was almost an after-thought because of the conflict within somewhere and English players being deterred to come in many ways. "It's a completely different aspect, one that we love coming to town," 'Captain' Morgan said, setting the record straight. With 2240 runs in 94 T20 Internationals, Morgan has been one of the fine end-game players in shorter formats, a skill that he consciously developed to fit into flexible batting orders. "I think, over the years, that is something that I have always aspired to do and throughout your career, probably through young age from mid 20s, particularly in international cricket where it is very difficult, standard is always high and there is always a counter to everything that you are trying to do. "The more you play, the less bad or common mistakes you are going to make. Experience is worth its weight in gold and I have made most of my experience in probably the last two and half to three years," he said. Asked about his batting role in KKR line-up, Morgan said that it's "flexible", depending on conditions and opposition. "I think middle-order is quite flexible at the moment, depending on what team we play and type of attack we come up against. "Different batters are suited to different bowlers and DK and coach are very good at reading what's the right way to move forward in that regard. We have lot of options which are flexible."

Leaders without title play pivotal role in direction that team travels: Eoin Morgan

Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has lavished high praise on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) youngster Shubman Gill following his sensational knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Doull, who is currently commentating in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, has predicted that Gill will soon become the captain of an IPL franchise.

Gill, who is hailed as the one of the best young batsmen in India, has already proved his batting ability in the IPL and the youngster was praised for showing maturity and class at a tender age of 21. The youngster from Punjab hammered an unbeaten 70 off 62 against SRH where he faced the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi with ease.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rr-vs-kkr-preview-can-dk-and-co-stop-high-flying-rajasthan-royals-331422">IPL 2020, RR vs KKR Preview: Can DK and Co. stop high-flying Rajasthan Royals?</a>

“It was a perfect score for Shubman to get into this tournament. He didn’t score much in the first match. He needed a score to get started and when you are chasing only 143, you could play your natural game. It will hold him in good stead moving forward. In the match against SRH, he timed the innings superbly. He needed to be there and show the maturity that he can bat through and win for his team,” Doull told Cricbuzz.

Doull is of the view that Gill must spend time with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik and Brendon McCullum to grasp captaincy skills and tricks.

“I think Eoin Morgan had the best ally on the other end in Shubman. So, the experience and calm nature of Morgan was supported well by the youthful exuberance of Shubman. He kept his head in place and I think it was a very very fine innings," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-13-if-samson-has-consistent-season-he-will-represent-india-feels-warne-331459" hreflang="en">IPL 13: If Samson has consistent season he will represent India, feels Warne</a>

"I won’t be surprised if we see him leading an IPL side two years down the line at the ripe age of 22-23. I think he should spend a lot of time with Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan and pick their brains. He also has Brendon McCullum, one of the most innovative captains in the last 7-9 years. I think he can learn a lot if he is around these guys," said the former New Zealand cricketer.

KKR will be in action against RR on Wednesday at the Dubai International Stadium. 
&nbsp;

Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has lavished high praise on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) youngster Shubman Gill following his sensational knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has lavished high praise on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) youngster Shubman Gill following his sensational knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Doull, who is currently commentating in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, has predicted that Gill will soon become the captain of an IPL franchise. Gill, who is hailed as the one of the best young batsmen in India, has already proved his batting ability in the IPL and the youngster was praised for showing maturity and class at a tender age of 21. The youngster from Punjab hammered an unbeaten 70 off 62 against SRH where he faced the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi with ease. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, RR vs KKR Preview: Can DK and Co. stop high-flying Rajasthan Royals? “It was a perfect score for Shubman to get into this tournament. He didn’t score much in the first match. He needed a score to get started and when you are chasing only 143, you could play your natural game. It will hold him in good stead moving forward. In the match against SRH, he timed the innings superbly. He needed to be there and show the maturity that he can bat through and win for his team,” Doull told Cricbuzz. Doull is of the view that Gill must spend time with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik and Brendon McCullum to grasp captaincy skills and tricks. “I think Eoin Morgan had the best ally on the other end in Shubman. So, the experience and calm nature of Morgan was supported well by the youthful exuberance of Shubman. He kept his head in place and I think it was a very very fine innings," he added. ALSO READ: IPL 13: If Samson has consistent season he will represent India, feels Warne "I won’t be surprised if we see him leading an IPL side two years down the line at the ripe age of 22-23. I think he should spend a lot of time with Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan and pick their brains. He also has Brendon McCullum, one of the most innovative captains in the last 7-9 years. I think he can learn a lot if he is around these guys," said the former New Zealand cricketer. KKR will be in action against RR on Wednesday at the Dubai International Stadium.

Simon Doull backs KKR star Shubman Gill to lead an IPL side in two years

Former English captain Michael Vaughan has donned the predictor's hat and has said that Kolkata Knight Riders will win this year's Indian Premier League.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bravo-to-miss-another-couple-of-games-says-csk-coach-fleming-328843" hreflang="en">Bravo to miss another couple of games, says CSK coach Fleming</a>

KKR, led by Dinesh Karthik, will begin their IPL 2020 campaign on September 23. &nbsp;According to Vaughan, the squad have a great mix of Indian and overseas talent this time which makes them a top contender for this year's IPL.

Vaughan lauded KKR's head coach Brendon McCullum, who led the TKR franchise to title glory in the CPL.

“Kolkata Knight Riders (will win the IPL). Baz McCullum as a coach. I just think they’ve got enough, and with him coaching, he’s just won the Caribbean Premier League, as a coach. I just think he’s going to to have enough,” he said.

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🗣️ “Kolkata Knight Riders, they are your IPL champions.” 
<a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MichaelVaughan</a> has made his predictions for the new IPL season… 🏏 <a href="https://t.co/Oo2jCFzjzt">pic.twitter.com/Oo2jCFzjzt</a>
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamHill/status/1306993889522249728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“There’s plenty there for them to be competitive. Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Pat Cummins, probably won’t play all games, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana. Lots of quality in there. It might be that they don’t have enough power in their batting. But there you go. Kolkata Knight Riders are your IPL champions,” Vaughan signed off.

IN PICS|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-action-in-pictures-as-grand-festival-of-cricket-starts-in-uae-328877" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE</a>

The Indian Premier League kicked off on Saturday with Chennai Super Kings squaring up against the Mumbai Indians. The finals will be held on November 10.

Former English captain Michael Vaughan has donned the predictor's hat and has said that Kolkata Knight Riders will win this year's Indian Premier League. Also read: Bravo to miss another couple of games, says CSK coach Fleming KKR, led by Dinesh Karthik, will begin their IPL 2020 campaign on September 23.

Former English captain Michael Vaughan has donned the predictor's hat and has said that Kolkata Knight Riders will win this year's Indian Premier League. Also read: Bravo to miss another couple of games, says CSK coach Fleming KKR, led by Dinesh Karthik, will begin their IPL 2020 campaign on September 23. According to Vaughan, the squad have a great mix of Indian and overseas talent this time which makes them a top contender for this year's IPL. Vaughan lauded KKR's head coach Brendon McCullum, who led the TKR franchise to title glory in the CPL. “Kolkata Knight Riders (will win the IPL). Baz McCullum as a coach. I just think they’ve got enough, and with him coaching, he’s just won the Caribbean Premier League, as a coach. I just think he’s going to to have enough,” he said. 🗣️ “Kolkata Knight Riders, they are your IPL champions.” @MichaelVaughan has made his predictions for the new IPL season… 🏏 pic.twitter.com/Oo2jCFzjzt — William Hill (@WilliamHill) September 18, 2020 × “There’s plenty there for them to be competitive. Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Pat Cummins, probably won’t play all games, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan, Dinesh Karthik, Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana. Lots of quality in there. It might be that they don’t have enough power in their batting. But there you go. Kolkata Knight Riders are your IPL champions,” Vaughan signed off. IN PICS| IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE The Indian Premier League kicked off on Saturday with Chennai Super Kings squaring up against the Mumbai Indians. The finals will be held on November 10.

'Kolkata Knight Riders are your IPL 2020 champions', predicts Michael Vaughan

Pacer spearhead Ali Khan has become the first American to join the Indian Premier League. The Pakistan-born Khan is included in Kolkata Knight Riders after England's Harry Gurney was sidelined by a shoulder injury.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-batsman-ruturaj-gaikwad-continues-to-be-covid-19-positive-remains-in-quarantine-327699" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: CSK batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to be COVID-19 positive, remains in quarantine</a>

"Welcome to the #KKRfamily @IamAlikhan23 ! Enjoy @IPL &amp; the experience. Tough luck @gurneyhf . Get well soon. You will be missed," Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore wrote on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRfamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRfamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IamAlikhan23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IamAlikhan23</a>! Enjoy <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IPL</a> &amp; the experience. Tough luck <a href="https://twitter.com/gurneyhf?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gurneyhf</a>. Get well soon. You will be missed. <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TKRiders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRHaiTaiyaar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRHaiTaiyaar</a> <a href="https://t.co/h8baamtMnJ">pic.twitter.com/h8baamtMnJ</a>
— Venky Mysore (@VenkyMysore) <a href="https://twitter.com/VenkyMysore/status/1305189288875823104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Left-arm pacer Gurney has played 10 ODIs and two T20 internationals pulled out of the IPL and England's T20 Blast due to surgery on his shoulder. Khan, on the other hand, won the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders -- the same parent company as the Kolkata Knight Riders.&nbsp;

West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo spotted the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders -- the same parent company as the Kolkata Knight Riders.

The 29-year-old &nbsp;played a key role in the US gaining ODI status at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia last year.

Pacer spearhead Ali Khan has become the first American to join the Indian Premier League. The Pakistan-born Khan is included in Kolkata Knight Riders after England's Harry Gurney was sidelined by a shoulder injury.

Pacer spearhead Ali Khan has become the first American to join the Indian Premier League. The Pakistan-born Khan is included in Kolkata Knight Riders after England's Harry Gurney was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Also read: IPL 2020: CSK batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to be COVID-19 positive, remains in quarantine "Welcome to the #KKRfamily @IamAlikhan23 ! Enjoy @IPL & the experience. Tough luck @gurneyhf . Get well soon. You will be missed," Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore wrote on Twitter. Welcome to the #KKRfamily @IamAlikhan23! Enjoy @IPL & the experience. Tough luck @gurneyhf. Get well soon. You will be missed. @KKRiders @TKRiders #KKRHaiTaiyaar pic.twitter.com/h8baamtMnJ — Venky Mysore (@VenkyMysore) September 13, 2020 × Left-arm pacer Gurney has played 10 ODIs and two T20 internationals pulled out of the IPL and England's T20 Blast due to surgery on his shoulder. Khan, on the other hand, won the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders -- the same parent company as the Kolkata Knight Riders. West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo spotted the Caribbean Premier League with the Trinbago Knight Riders -- the same parent company as the Kolkata Knight Riders. The 29-year-old played a key role in the US gaining ODI status at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia last year.

Paceman Ali Khan becomes first American to join IPL; will play for KKR

England and Australian players will be available for selection for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) first match in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, franchise CEO Venky Mysore has said.&nbsp;

KKR start their IPL 2020 campaign on September 23 and England and Australian players are set to arrive in the UAE on September 17 and even if they undergo six-day quarantine period as per BCCI SOP, they will be available to participate in KKR’s season opener.&nbsp;

The English and Australian players are set to be flown into the UAE on a chartered flight and as per many, it won’t be breach of the bio-secure bubble.&nbsp;

"While they are still negotiating with the authorities, we are reconciled to the fact that we may have to quarantine our three players," ESPNcricinfo quoted Mysore as saying.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-predicting-mvps-from-each-franchise-326829" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise</a>

"They arrive on September 17, but our first game is on September 23, by which time they would've finished their [concessional six-day] quarantine. So it's worked out well, and it's good for the tournament," he added.

KKR have three players in their squad who are participating in the ongoing England vs Australia limited-overs series – Eoin Morgan, Tom Banton and Pat Cummins.&nbsp;

"What we did was put a plan together and shared it with the medical team at the IPL. We told them, 'they're in a bio-secure bubble in the UK," Mysore said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-dawid-malan-to-replace-suresh-raina-csk-ceo-clears-the-air-326804" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Dawid Malan to replace Suresh Raina? CSK CEO clears the air</a>

"What if we brought them on a sanitised charter flight and we took care of all the elements of immigration, testing, contactless stuff and everything to allow them to come right into a bubble here?' To give credit to IPL, they took it very constructively and they have a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for that, which says if you're coming from a bubble to another bubble, you don't need the mandatory quarantine period," he added.

Indian Premier League 2020 is set to commence from September 19 with the final scheduled for November 10 in the UAE. 
&nbsp;

England and Australian players will be available for selection for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) first match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, franchise CEO Venky Mysore has said.

England and Australian players will be available for selection for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) first match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, franchise CEO Venky Mysore has said. KKR start their IPL 2020 campaign on September 23 and England and Australian players are set to arrive in the UAE on September 17 and even if they undergo six-day quarantine period as per BCCI SOP, they will be available to participate in KKR’s season opener. The English and Australian players are set to be flown into the UAE on a chartered flight and as per many, it won’t be breach of the bio-secure bubble. "While they are still negotiating with the authorities, we are reconciled to the fact that we may have to quarantine our three players," ESPNcricinfo quoted Mysore as saying. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise "They arrive on September 17, but our first game is on September 23, by which time they would've finished their [concessional six-day] quarantine. So it's worked out well, and it's good for the tournament," he added. KKR have three players in their squad who are participating in the ongoing England vs Australia limited-overs series – Eoin Morgan, Tom Banton and Pat Cummins. "What we did was put a plan together and shared it with the medical team at the IPL. We told them, 'they're in a bio-secure bubble in the UK," Mysore said. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Dawid Malan to replace Suresh Raina? CSK CEO clears the air "What if we brought them on a sanitised charter flight and we took care of all the elements of immigration, testing, contactless stuff and everything to allow them to come right into a bubble here?' To give credit to IPL, they took it very constructively and they have a written Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for that, which says if you're coming from a bubble to another bubble, you don't need the mandatory quarantine period," he added. Indian Premier League 2020 is set to commence from September 19 with the final scheduled for November 10 in the UAE.

IPL 2020: England, Australia players to be available for KKR from first match, says CEO Venky Mysore

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League</a>&nbsp;(IPL) franchises Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are set to commence their training camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Friday after relaxation of quarantine rules for both the franchises. Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in Abu Dhabi, the quarantine rules are stricter in comparison to Dubai norms.

While Dubai has only seven-day quarantine period, Abu Dhabi has a 14-day phase of self-isolation, which worried both KKR and MI. However, the quarantine period was given relaxation by KKR and MI after consultation between the BCCI and Emirates Cricket Board.&nbsp;

Six franchises are staying in Dubai hotels and MI and KKR have found base in Abu Dhabi. Many teams have started their practice sessions in Dubai with MI and KKR set to commence their practice from Friday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/morgan-voices-england-t20-world-cup-concerns-ahead-of-pakistan-series-323618" hreflang="en">Morgan voices England T20 World Cup concerns ahead of Pakistan series</a>

On Wednesday, one of the MI staff had appealed to the BCCI to allow them to train after completion of a seven-day quarantine phase.

The two teams – KKR and MI – can now conduct their first practice session in Abu Dhabi on Friday evening. Mumbai Indians are staying in the St Regis Saadiyatisland Resort.

The likes of Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals were the first franchises to start their training sessions are teams gear up for the much-awaited IPL 2020 in UAE.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-looking-forward-to-learn-from-russell-says-kkrs-tom-banton-323514" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Looking forward to learn from Russell, says KKR's Tom Banton</a>

Interestingly, the schedule for IPL 2020 is yet to be announced and there is much anticipation surrounding the fixture list. However, going by Rohit Sharma’s congratulatory message on MS Dhoni’s retirement post, Chennai Super Kings might face Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 season opener on September 19. The final of IPL 2020 is scheduled to be held on November 10.

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are set to commence their training camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Friday after relaxation of quarantine rules for both the franchises.

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are set to commence their training camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE on Friday after relaxation of quarantine rules for both the franchises. Due to rising cases of COVID-19 in Abu Dhabi, the quarantine rules are stricter in comparison to Dubai norms. While Dubai has only seven-day quarantine period, Abu Dhabi has a 14-day phase of self-isolation, which worried both KKR and MI. However, the quarantine period was given relaxation by KKR and MI after consultation between the BCCI and Emirates Cricket Board. Six franchises are staying in Dubai hotels and MI and KKR have found base in Abu Dhabi. Many teams have started their practice sessions in Dubai with MI and KKR set to commence their practice from Friday. ALSO READ: Morgan voices England T20 World Cup concerns ahead of Pakistan series On Wednesday, one of the MI staff had appealed to the BCCI to allow them to train after completion of a seven-day quarantine phase. The two teams – KKR and MI – can now conduct their first practice session in Abu Dhabi on Friday evening. Mumbai Indians are staying in the St Regis Saadiyatisland Resort. The likes of Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals were the first franchises to start their training sessions are teams gear up for the much-awaited IPL 2020 in UAE. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Looking forward to learn from Russell, says KKR's Tom Banton Interestingly, the schedule for IPL 2020 is yet to be announced and there is much anticipation surrounding the fixture list. However, going by Rohit Sharma’s congratulatory message on MS Dhoni’s retirement post, Chennai Super Kings might face Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 season opener on September 19. The final of IPL 2020 is scheduled to be held on November 10.

IPL 2020: KKR and MI to start training after relaxation of Abu Dhabi quarantine norms

Talented English batsman Tom Banton, who impressed with his performances for Somerset in last year's T20 Blast, is looking forward to learn from star West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell during his Kolkata Knight Riders stint in the upcoming IPL.

Banton, who scored 549 runs from 13 matches at a strike rate of 161.47 in 2019 Vitality Blast, was bought by the Kolkata franchise for Rs 1 crore for the IPL which begins in the UAE on September 19.

"I'm particularly excited to play alongside Andre Russell and Pat Cummins. I watched Andre last year, and he played really well. Learning from someone like him will be really cool," Banton, who made his England debut in New Zealand and played in three T20Is, was quoted as saying in kkr.In.

Russell was the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2019, scoring 510 runs from 13 innings, averaging 56.66. He also picked up 11 wickets. 
The 21-year-old Banton said he's also excited to be with the likes of Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shubman Gill, whom he has played against in his U-19 days.

"There are a few guys of my age ? (Shivam) Mavi, (Kamlesh) Nagarkoti and Shubman (Gill) - whom I have played against when I was younger. It would be great to see them again."

Banton played in the same U-19 World Cup in which Shubman was adjudged Man of the Tournament.

"I remember the Indians were a lot better than all of us in the (2018 Under-19) World Cup. I look up to those guys even now, and I am still good friends with some of them. Playing alongside Shubman at KKR will be pretty nice and I am really looking forward to it," he said.

"Honestly, just being part of the IPL is something I have been dreaming of since a very young age. I have been watching IPL every year. I have literally been glued to the IPL from the very first games in the years when it started."

The hockey player-turned cricketer loves to play innovative shots like reverse-slaps and scoops. He showed one such shot against Sam Curran in the Vitality Blast when he switched his grip and reverse-scooped for a six.

"I guess it probably comes from playing hockey. I was a drag flicker and used to play reverse there quite often. My dad used to play hockey and I kind of followed his footsteps," Banton, who played hockey from the age of three, said.

"I was 16-year-old, when things were getting more serious and I had to pick one sport and that's when I chose cricket."

The tall youngster has drawn regular comparisons with former England captain Kevin Pietersen.

"He (Pietersen) is one of the greatest players to have played from England. I have watched him while growing up and he was definitely an idol of mine. But honestly, I don't like to think so much, otherwise you get too far ahead of yourself," he said.

Talented English batsman Tom Banton, who impressed with his performances for Somerset in last year's T20 Blast, is looking forward to learn from star West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell during his Kolkata Knight Riders stint in the upcoming IPL.

Talented English batsman Tom Banton, who impressed with his performances for Somerset in last year's T20 Blast, is looking forward to learn from star West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell during his Kolkata Knight Riders stint in the upcoming IPL. Banton, who scored 549 runs from 13 matches at a strike rate of 161.47 in 2019 Vitality Blast, was bought by the Kolkata franchise for Rs 1 crore for the IPL which begins in the UAE on September 19. "I'm particularly excited to play alongside Andre Russell and Pat Cummins. I watched Andre last year, and he played really well. Learning from someone like him will be really cool," Banton, who made his England debut in New Zealand and played in three T20Is, was quoted as saying in kkr.In. Russell was the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2019, scoring 510 runs from 13 innings, averaging 56.66. He also picked up 11 wickets. The 21-year-old Banton said he's also excited to be with the likes of Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shubman Gill, whom he has played against in his U-19 days. "There are a few guys of my age ? (Shivam) Mavi, (Kamlesh) Nagarkoti and Shubman (Gill) - whom I have played against when I was younger. It would be great to see them again." Banton played in the same U-19 World Cup in which Shubman was adjudged Man of the Tournament. "I remember the Indians were a lot better than all of us in the (2018 Under-19) World Cup. I look up to those guys even now, and I am still good friends with some of them. Playing alongside Shubman at KKR will be pretty nice and I am really looking forward to it," he said. "Honestly, just being part of the IPL is something I have been dreaming of since a very young age. I have been watching IPL every year. I have literally been glued to the IPL from the very first games in the years when it started." The hockey player-turned cricketer loves to play innovative shots like reverse-slaps and scoops. He showed one such shot against Sam Curran in the Vitality Blast when he switched his grip and reverse-scooped for a six. "I guess it probably comes from playing hockey. I was a drag flicker and used to play reverse there quite often. My dad used to play hockey and I kind of followed his footsteps," Banton, who played hockey from the age of three, said. "I was 16-year-old, when things were getting more serious and I had to pick one sport and that's when I chose cricket." The tall youngster has drawn regular comparisons with former England captain Kevin Pietersen. "He (Pietersen) is one of the greatest players to have played from England. I have watched him while growing up and he was definitely an idol of mine. But honestly, I don't like to think so much, otherwise you get too far ahead of yourself," he said.

IPL 2020: Looking forward to learn from Russell, says KKR's Tom Banton

IPL Lookback: List of winners from 2008 to 2019!

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore on Wednesday said that getting players ready after a long lockdown will be one of the biggest challenges his support staff will face.

The Indian Premier league, which was scheduled to start on March 29, stands indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCCI is looking at the September-October window for hosting the cash-rich tournament.

"These are unusual times. One of the challenges which was identified by support staff during these unusual times is how to get players ready as they have gone completely cold," Mysore said in a webinar organised by FICCI.

Countries all across the world started going into lockdown mid-March to stem the growth of the cornavirus outbreak.

All sporting action including international and domestic cricket was either called-off or postponed, leaving the players to rely on home workouts to keep themselves fit.

"The support staff and back staff are all ready. A lot of discussions have happened from a support staff point, from a team stand point, on what we have to do," Mysore said.

"So a lot of one on one conversations are happening to get the players ready despite some of the limitations like not even having access to a gym. There is a lot of enthusiasm. We'll all be tested but I think is cautiously optimistic."

Even when sport resumes, matches will be held inside empty stadiums with no fans. Asked about players playing behind closed doors, Mysore said the stakeholders have an interesting opportunity in hand.

"This is a huge opportunity. The barriers that a stadium used to offer in terms of capacity to now when we can open it up to the universe.

"Now fans can have virtual presence, now we have to think in a different paradigm. Crowd noise can be real with the virtual presence of fans there. We have an interesting opportunity in hand," he added.

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore on Wednesday said that getting players ready after a long lockdown will be one of the biggest challenges his support staff will face.

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore on Wednesday said that getting players ready after a long lockdown will be one of the biggest challenges his support staff will face. The Indian Premier league, which was scheduled to start on March 29, stands indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCCI is looking at the September-October window for hosting the cash-rich tournament. "These are unusual times. One of the challenges which was identified by support staff during these unusual times is how to get players ready as they have gone completely cold," Mysore said in a webinar organised by FICCI. Countries all across the world started going into lockdown mid-March to stem the growth of the cornavirus outbreak. All sporting action including international and domestic cricket was either called-off or postponed, leaving the players to rely on home workouts to keep themselves fit. "The support staff and back staff are all ready. A lot of discussions have happened from a support staff point, from a team stand point, on what we have to do," Mysore said. "So a lot of one on one conversations are happening to get the players ready despite some of the limitations like not even having access to a gym. There is a lot of enthusiasm. We'll all be tested but I think is cautiously optimistic." Even when sport resumes, matches will be held inside empty stadiums with no fans. Asked about players playing behind closed doors, Mysore said the stakeholders have an interesting opportunity in hand. "This is a huge opportunity. The barriers that a stadium used to offer in terms of capacity to now when we can open it up to the universe. "Now fans can have virtual presence, now we have to think in a different paradigm. Crowd noise can be real with the virtual presence of fans there. We have an interesting opportunity in hand," he added.

Getting players ready will be biggest challenge: KKR CEO Venky Mysore

Two-time Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders announced to plant 5000 trees and also committed to contribute to the West Bengal Chief Minister's Relief Fund in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan.

The severe cyclone, something which has not been witnessed in decades, had barrelled through West Bengal on Ma 20 amid the COVID-19 lockdown, affecting lakhs of people and claiming 86 lives, besides leaving a trail of destruction in Kolkata and surrounding areas.

"We must stay strong through these testing times until we can smile together again," KKR principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has stated in a message.

"KKR has committed to contribute to the cause. Under KKR's Plant A 6 initiative, we pledge to work with the authorities and plant 5000 trees in the Kolkata," a statement from KKR said.

The Kolkata franchise will also go around the state and help affected people in satellite towns and districts.

"Ration and essential hygiene items to be distributed to the needy across four most-affected regions -- Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur."

With the tropical cyclone hitting during the COVID-19 pandemic, KKR volunteers have been trained in in hygiene and safety requirements and will be using all necessary safety equipment, it added.

Two-time Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders announced to plant 5000 trees and also committed to contribute to the West Bengal Chief Minister's Relief Fund in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan.

Two-time Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders announced to plant 5000 trees and also committed to contribute to the West Bengal Chief Minister's Relief Fund in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan. The severe cyclone, something which has not been witnessed in decades, had barrelled through West Bengal on Ma 20 amid the COVID-19 lockdown, affecting lakhs of people and claiming 86 lives, besides leaving a trail of destruction in Kolkata and surrounding areas. "We must stay strong through these testing times until we can smile together again," KKR principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has stated in a message. "KKR has committed to contribute to the cause. Under KKR's Plant A 6 initiative, we pledge to work with the authorities and plant 5000 trees in the Kolkata," a statement from KKR said. The Kolkata franchise will also go around the state and help affected people in satellite towns and districts. "Ration and essential hygiene items to be distributed to the needy across four most-affected regions -- Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur." With the tropical cyclone hitting during the COVID-19 pandemic, KKR volunteers have been trained in in hygiene and safety requirements and will be using all necessary safety equipment, it added.

Kolkata Knight Riders to plant trees, aid in relief work in Amphan aftermath

Live sport is slowly crawling its way back to life albeit with no fans in the stadiums. However, given the lockdown measures and travel restrictions in India, there are major doubts over the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which stands suspended indefinitely. Matches with empty stands can be a tough take for players and even the fans, who are used to the jam-packed atmosphere during matches. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has suggested an interesting idea to make sure there is some sort of crowd atmosphere in the stadium while also keeping the social-distancing norms in mind.&nbsp;

Mysore has said that organisers and stakeholders will face some challenges if IPL 2020 takes place later in the year. He said that with no crowd allowed in the stadium, revenues will take a major hit while adding technology will play a massive role in bringing some sort of crowd excitement into the matches. The KKR CEO has suggested the introduction of LED walls in the stands to allow fans to get involved in matches through VR sets.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-bcci-to-suffer-loss-to-the-tune-of-rs-4000-crore-if-ipl-2020-is-cancelled-wont-go-for-pay-cuts-298823" hreflang="en">Sourav Ganguly: BCCI to suffer loss to the tune of Rs 4000 crore if IPL 2020 is cancelled; won't go for pay cuts</a>

"We're definitely going to have some challenges," Mysore said during an ESPNcricinfo Stump Mic podcast. "If we're lucky enough that things will settle down or the tournament will take place later this year, it's clearly going to be in what they'll call as a stadium lockdown mode. Which means straightaway the ticket revenues are affected, your food and beverage revenue is affected, the merchandising sales at the stadium is affected. The challenge to us is how do you activate the sponsors? Are there ways in which you can compensate for this?"

"Technology is going to play a massive role," Mysore said. "I am just saying, if you're thinking out of the box - an LED wall in stands where, through social media, [fans] can virtually be present there. There are people who'll be reacting the same way if they were physically at the ground. People have said something about simulation too.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-players-may-start-training-in-coming-weeks-but-with-option-of-pulling-out-298724" hreflang="en">England players may start training in coming weeks but with option of "pulling out"</a>

Mysore, further cited examples of America football, as he discussed the importance of home and away crowds during a tournament. However, he is strictly against the idea of calling IPL a glorified domestic tournament because the world acknowledges the quality of the tournament and it is the best of the best.&nbsp;

"I lived in the US for several years and became an American football fan. Home games and away games are big events there because the crowd becomes your twelfth man. So what visiting teams used to do when they practised was blast the crowd noise on the speakers, just to get used it. The noise can be deafening in matches," he said.

"Why [IPL] has caught the imagination of the country and the world is the quality of the product. The best of the best - this is the pinnacle," Mysore said. "So I'm of the strong view that the format of the tournament should not be tinkered with. It should not be a glorified domestic tournament." 
&nbsp;

Live sport is slowly crawling its way back to life albeit with no fans in the stadiums. However, given the lockdown measures and travel restrictions in India, there are major doubts over the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which stands suspended indefinitely.

Live sport is slowly crawling its way back to life albeit with no fans in the stadiums. However, given the lockdown measures and travel restrictions in India, there are major doubts over the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which stands suspended indefinitely. Matches with empty stands can be a tough take for players and even the fans, who are used to the jam-packed atmosphere during matches. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has suggested an interesting idea to make sure there is some sort of crowd atmosphere in the stadium while also keeping the social-distancing norms in mind. Mysore has said that organisers and stakeholders will face some challenges if IPL 2020 takes place later in the year. He said that with no crowd allowed in the stadium, revenues will take a major hit while adding technology will play a massive role in bringing some sort of crowd excitement into the matches. The KKR CEO has suggested the introduction of LED walls in the stands to allow fans to get involved in matches through VR sets. ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly: BCCI to suffer loss to the tune of Rs 4000 crore if IPL 2020 is cancelled; won't go for pay cuts "We're definitely going to have some challenges," Mysore said during an ESPNcricinfo Stump Mic podcast. "If we're lucky enough that things will settle down or the tournament will take place later this year, it's clearly going to be in what they'll call as a stadium lockdown mode. Which means straightaway the ticket revenues are affected, your food and beverage revenue is affected, the merchandising sales at the stadium is affected. The challenge to us is how do you activate the sponsors? Are there ways in which you can compensate for this?" "Technology is going to play a massive role," Mysore said. "I am just saying, if you're thinking out of the box - an LED wall in stands where, through social media, [fans] can virtually be present there. There are people who'll be reacting the same way if they were physically at the ground. People have said something about simulation too.” ALSO READ: England players may start training in coming weeks but with option of "pulling out" Mysore, further cited examples of America football, as he discussed the importance of home and away crowds during a tournament. However, he is strictly against the idea of calling IPL a glorified domestic tournament because the world acknowledges the quality of the tournament and it is the best of the best. "I lived in the US for several years and became an American football fan. Home games and away games are big events there because the crowd becomes your twelfth man. So what visiting teams used to do when they practised was blast the crowd noise on the speakers, just to get used it. The noise can be deafening in matches," he said. "Why [IPL] has caught the imagination of the country and the world is the quality of the product. The best of the best - this is the pinnacle," Mysore said. "So I'm of the strong view that the format of the tournament should not be tinkered with. It should not be a glorified domestic tournament."

LED walls in stadiums with VR fans during IPL 2020? KKR CEO Venky Mysore comes up with unique idea

Mumbai thrashed Kolkata by nine wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Sunday. Mumbai dominated the visitors throughout the match and with this defeat, Kolkata's campaign for this season of IPL came to an end.

Chasing a modest total of 134 runs, Mumbai got off to a decent start as the openers, Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma, stitched a 46-run partnership. De Kock in the fourth overcame vehemently as he hammered two sixes and a boundary to Andre Russell.

However, in the seventh over bowled by Prasidh Krishna De Kock tried to smack the ball but got a top edge and Dinesh Karthik caught a brilliant diving catch which ended De Kock's 30-run inning.

Suryakumar Yadav then joined the skipper and both played safely and did not play risky shots. However, they kept on adding scores and both Sharma (55*) and Yadav (46*) clinched an easy nine-wicket victory over the visitors.

Earlier, Kolkata were sent to bat first as Mumbai won the toss and opted to bowl first. Kolkata had a decent start as both the openers, Shubman Gill and Chris Lynn, stitched a 49-run partnership.

However, it was Lynn who kept the scoreboard running as Gill was finding it difficult to find a gap. Mumbai's Hardik Pandya provided his team with their first breakthrough in the name of Gill, who scored 9 runs off 16 balls.

Hardik Pandya then sent the other opener, Lynn (41), back to the pavilion in his next over. Robin Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik then came out to bat. However, their partnership did not last long as Karthik (3) became a victim of Lasith Malinga.

Kolkata's most destructive batsman Andre Russell then came out to bat but he failed to put up a good show as he was sent back to the pavilion on a duck.

Nitish Rana then accompanied Uthappa and both played opted to play fearlessly and struck some astounding shots. Both formed a 47-run partnership before Malinga got hold of Rana (26).

Jasprit Bumrah continuing his great form with the ball bowled the last over of the inning and took two wickets which included the wicket of the set batsman Uthappa (40) while conceding just three runs, which helped the hosts to restrict Kolkata to just 133 runs after a loss of seven wickets.

Mumbai thrashed Kolkata by nine wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Sunday. Mumbai dominated the visitors throughout the match and with this defeat, Kolkata's campaign for this season of IPL came to an end.

Mumbai thrashed Kolkata by nine wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Sunday. Mumbai dominated the visitors throughout the match and with this defeat, Kolkata's campaign for this season of IPL came to an end. Chasing a modest total of 134 runs, Mumbai got off to a decent start as the openers, Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma, stitched a 46-run partnership. De Kock in the fourth overcame vehemently as he hammered two sixes and a boundary to Andre Russell. However, in the seventh over bowled by Prasidh Krishna De Kock tried to smack the ball but got a top edge and Dinesh Karthik caught a brilliant diving catch which ended De Kock's 30-run inning. Suryakumar Yadav then joined the skipper and both played safely and did not play risky shots. However, they kept on adding scores and both Sharma (55*) and Yadav (46*) clinched an easy nine-wicket victory over the visitors. Earlier, Kolkata were sent to bat first as Mumbai won the toss and opted to bowl first. Kolkata had a decent start as both the openers, Shubman Gill and Chris Lynn, stitched a 49-run partnership. However, it was Lynn who kept the scoreboard running as Gill was finding it difficult to find a gap. Mumbai's Hardik Pandya provided his team with their first breakthrough in the name of Gill, who scored 9 runs off 16 balls. Hardik Pandya then sent the other opener, Lynn (41), back to the pavilion in his next over. Robin Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik then came out to bat. However, their partnership did not last long as Karthik (3) became a victim of Lasith Malinga. Kolkata's most destructive batsman Andre Russell then came out to bat but he failed to put up a good show as he was sent back to the pavilion on a duck. Nitish Rana then accompanied Uthappa and both played opted to play fearlessly and struck some astounding shots. Both formed a 47-run partnership before Malinga got hold of Rana (26). Jasprit Bumrah continuing his great form with the ball bowled the last over of the inning and took two wickets which included the wicket of the set batsman Uthappa (40) while conceding just three runs, which helped the hosts to restrict Kolkata to just 133 runs after a loss of seven wickets.

IPL 2019: Mumbai vanquish Kolkata to secure nine wickets victory

Punjab&nbsp;captain R Ashwin maintained that the reason for not finishing in the top-four of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was the inability to perform in the powerplays throughout the tournament.

"One of the areas we have definitely lacked is the powerplay, both with the ball and the bat -- in hindsight if we look at it. Because last year we had a great powerplay batting with Chris (Gayle) and KL (Rahul) but this year we could not get off to great starts obviously because the pressure was on them and they had to do a job. But we have to address this going into the next year because we have lost most games on powerplay battles," Ashwin told media.

After facing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-kolkata-defeat-punjab-by-seven-wickets-215766">an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Kolkata</a> on Friday, Ashwin said the absence of Varun Chakravarthy and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who suffered a finger and shoulder injury, respectively; forced Punjab&nbsp;to look beyond their set plans.

"We have not been up to the ball-mark this year. We had a few challenges going into this year from last year, we had a few options, we picked up a few people (at the auction) and they have got injured. So that is not ideally how we had liked to look at it. We definitely put our best team we could in the park and we have tried our best and there have been a lot of positives that have come out of this season," he added.

The off-spinner said that Punjab&nbsp;were banking on Australia pacer Andrew Tye, the Purple-cap winner in 2018, to come in the destructive form in the ongoing edition.

However, Tye returned with just three wickets in his five outings at an economy of more than 10.

"AJ (Tye) had a fantastic IPL last year but it is also about batsmen coming after him in different methods. He has definitely tried hard. It is not lack of efforts that he has not been very good this year. But I am sure he will definitely get better as a cricketer, he is quite a smart cricketer, and he tries to give everything on the field. These sorts of phases are quite common in a cricket career but I am sure he will learn from this," Ashwin&nbsp;said.

Punjab captain R Ashwin maintained that the reason for not finishing in the top-four of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was the inability to perform in the powerplays throughout the tournament.

Punjab captain R Ashwin maintained that the reason for not finishing in the top-four of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was the inability to perform in the powerplays throughout the tournament. "One of the areas we have definitely lacked is the powerplay, both with the ball and the bat -- in hindsight if we look at it. Because last year we had a great powerplay batting with Chris (Gayle) and KL (Rahul) but this year we could not get off to great starts obviously because the pressure was on them and they had to do a job. But we have to address this going into the next year because we have lost most games on powerplay battles," Ashwin told media. After facing an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Kolkata on Friday, Ashwin said the absence of Varun Chakravarthy and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who suffered a finger and shoulder injury, respectively; forced Punjab to look beyond their set plans. "We have not been up to the ball-mark this year. We had a few challenges going into this year from last year, we had a few options, we picked up a few people (at the auction) and they have got injured. So that is not ideally how we had liked to look at it. We definitely put our best team we could in the park and we have tried our best and there have been a lot of positives that have come out of this season," he added. The off-spinner said that Punjab were banking on Australia pacer Andrew Tye, the Purple-cap winner in 2018, to come in the destructive form in the ongoing edition. However, Tye returned with just three wickets in his five outings at an economy of more than 10. "AJ (Tye) had a fantastic IPL last year but it is also about batsmen coming after him in different methods. He has definitely tried hard. It is not lack of efforts that he has not been very good this year. But I am sure he will definitely get better as a cricketer, he is quite a smart cricketer, and he tries to give everything on the field. These sorts of phases are quite common in a cricket career but I am sure he will learn from this," Ashwin said.

Inability to perform in powerplays knocked Punjab out, says captain R Ashwin

The head coach of Kolkata,&nbsp;Jacques Kallis, said that the omission of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the team was done keeping in mind the team's balance and he's quite sure that it would not affect his performance in the upcoming World Cup.

"The wickets we have played on at Eden Gardens this year, it hasn't spun at all and it has been tough for spinners. It has been a tough year for him but he will learn from this. You have got to understand 50-over format is quite different from the 20-over format," Kallis told reporters.

"I don't think it will affect him, it's just a different format and unfortunately looking at the makeup of the side, he has not played the last couple of games. He has been working quite hard in the nets and seems to be getting it right again, so I am sure he will be okay for the World Cup," he added.

Kolkata's decision to drop Kuldeep from the playing XI in the last two matches&nbsp;against Rajasthan and Mumbai&nbsp;made many heads turn and many people criticised the team's decision to drop the spinner from the team before the upcoming World Cup.

The team suffered six straight defeats after registering four wins out of their opening five matches.

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-andre-russell-shines-as-kolkata-beat-mumbai-by-34-runs-214242&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwic_uzl4_7hAhXEmeYKHUOCDLMQFjADegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3QK4lbv7dCc7-egybj-Phw">Kolkata&nbsp;was able to win their last match against Mumbai on Sunday at Eden Gardens</a> in Kolkata and as a result of that win, the team still remains in the hunt for playoffs.

Kolkata currently stands at the sixth position in the IPL league standings with 10 points from 12 matches.

The team next takes on Punjab on May 3 at Mohali.

The head coach of Kolkata, Jacques Kallis, said that the omission of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the team was done keeping in mind the team's balance and he's quite sure that it would not affect his performance in the upcoming World Cup.

The head coach of Kolkata, Jacques Kallis, said that the omission of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the team was done keeping in mind the team's balance and he's quite sure that it would not affect his performance in the upcoming World Cup. "The wickets we have played on at Eden Gardens this year, it hasn't spun at all and it has been tough for spinners. It has been a tough year for him but he will learn from this. You have got to understand 50-over format is quite different from the 20-over format," Kallis told reporters. "I don't think it will affect him, it's just a different format and unfortunately looking at the makeup of the side, he has not played the last couple of games. He has been working quite hard in the nets and seems to be getting it right again, so I am sure he will be okay for the World Cup," he added. Kolkata's decision to drop Kuldeep from the playing XI in the last two matches against Rajasthan and Mumbai made many heads turn and many people criticised the team's decision to drop the spinner from the team before the upcoming World Cup. The team suffered six straight defeats after registering four wins out of their opening five matches. Kolkata was able to win their last match against Mumbai on Sunday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and as a result of that win, the team still remains in the hunt for playoffs. Kolkata currently stands at the sixth position in the IPL league standings with 10 points from 12 matches. The team next takes on Punjab on May 3 at Mohali.

IPL 2019: Kolkata coach opens up on Kuldeep Yadav's omission from the team's last two games

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday.

Mumbai are currently placed at the second position in the league standings with 16 points, whereas Hyderabad are placed at the fourth position with 12 points.

Chasing a score of 163, Hyderabad got off to a flying start as their openers Wriddhiman Saha and Martin Guptill scored 40 runs in the first four overs.

But their exploits were cut short as Jasprit Bumrah gave Mumbai much-needed breakthroughs by dismissing Saha (25) and Guptill (15), reducing Hyderabad to 57 for two in the sixth over.&nbsp;

Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson (3) once again failed to put up a significant score as he was dismissed cheaply by Krunal Pandya in the seventh over. &nbsp;

Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar put up a brief 33-run stand but their stay was cut short as Krunal dismissed Shankar (12) at a time when Hyderabad required 65 runs off 40 balls to win. &nbsp;

But Pandey kept playing in his trademark style with the support of Mohammad Nabi.&nbsp;

The duo gave Hyderabad some firepower in the death overs. With 7 runs required off the final ball, Pandey hit a six and the match went to the super over.

In the super over, Hyderabad was able to score just eight runs and Mumbai made light work of the target and chased down the total in just three balls.

Earlier, Quinton de Kock's knock of 69 runs off just 58 deliveries enabled Mumbai to post 162 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets in the allotted twenty overs after opting to bat first.

Mumbai got off to a flying start as openers Rohit Sharma and de Kock hammered the visitors with regular boundaries in the opening two overs.&nbsp;

But Hyderabad came back into the match as their bowler Khaleel Ahmed dismissed the skipper Sharma (24) in the sixth over of the innings. &nbsp;

Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat at number three and he, along with de Kock, ensured that the team does not lose momentum in the middle overs.&nbsp;

The duo stitched together a partnership of 54 runs, raising the team's hopes of posting a challenging total in front of the visitors.

However, Hyderabad managed to dismiss Yadav (23) and Ewin Lewis (1) in quick succession, reducing the team to 91 for three in the 13th over.&nbsp;

Yadav was dismissed by Ahmed whereas Lewis was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nabi.

Hardik Pandya (18) was not able to repeat his heroics from the last match against KKR and he was sent back to the pavilion by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over of the innings.

De Kock, however, kept the momentum going and ensured that the team posts a challenging total on the board.&nbsp;

Hyderabad will next take on Bangalore on May 4 whereas Mumbai will face Kolkata on May 5.

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday.

Mumbai booked their place in the playoffs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League as they defeated Hyderabad in a super over here at the Wankhede stadium on Friday. Mumbai are currently placed at the second position in the league standings with 16 points, whereas Hyderabad are placed at the fourth position with 12 points. Chasing a score of 163, Hyderabad got off to a flying start as their openers Wriddhiman Saha and Martin Guptill scored 40 runs in the first four overs. But their exploits were cut short as Jasprit Bumrah gave Mumbai much-needed breakthroughs by dismissing Saha (25) and Guptill (15), reducing Hyderabad to 57 for two in the sixth over. Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson (3) once again failed to put up a significant score as he was dismissed cheaply by Krunal Pandya in the seventh over. Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar put up a brief 33-run stand but their stay was cut short as Krunal dismissed Shankar (12) at a time when Hyderabad required 65 runs off 40 balls to win. But Pandey kept playing in his trademark style with the support of Mohammad Nabi. The duo gave Hyderabad some firepower in the death overs. With 7 runs required off the final ball, Pandey hit a six and the match went to the super over. In the super over, Hyderabad was able to score just eight runs and Mumbai made light work of the target and chased down the total in just three balls. Earlier, Quinton de Kock's knock of 69 runs off just 58 deliveries enabled Mumbai to post 162 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets in the allotted twenty overs after opting to bat first. Mumbai got off to a flying start as openers Rohit Sharma and de Kock hammered the visitors with regular boundaries in the opening two overs. But Hyderabad came back into the match as their bowler Khaleel Ahmed dismissed the skipper Sharma (24) in the sixth over of the innings. Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat at number three and he, along with de Kock, ensured that the team does not lose momentum in the middle overs. The duo stitched together a partnership of 54 runs, raising the team's hopes of posting a challenging total in front of the visitors. However, Hyderabad managed to dismiss Yadav (23) and Ewin Lewis (1) in quick succession, reducing the team to 91 for three in the 13th over. Yadav was dismissed by Ahmed whereas Lewis was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nabi. Hardik Pandya (18) was not able to repeat his heroics from the last match against KKR and he was sent back to the pavilion by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over of the innings. De Kock, however, kept the momentum going and ensured that the team posts a challenging total on the board. Hyderabad will next take on Bangalore on May 4 whereas Mumbai will face Kolkata on May 5.

IPL 2019: Mumbai defeat Hyderabad in super over, book play-off berth

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-52-punjab-vs-kolkata-at-is-bindra-stadium-215712">Kolkata defeated Punjab by seven wickets</a> in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Friday.&nbsp;

With this win, Kolkata has now moved on to the fifth position in the league standings with 12 points whereas Punjab is placed at the seventh position with 10 points.&nbsp;

Chasing a challenging total of 184, Kolkata got off to a good start as their opener Chris Lynn hammered the hosts for regular boundaries. Lynn (46) was at his fluent best but his innings was cut short by his fellow countrymen Andrew Tye.&nbsp;

Kolkata had scored 62 runs for the loss of one wicket after the completion of six overs.&nbsp;

Shubhman Gill and Robin Uthappa did not let the momentum slip away and they continued to pile on the misery on Punjab's bowlers.

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The duo stitched together a partnership of 38 runs but their resistance was cut short by Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin as he dismissed Uthappa (22).&nbsp;

Gill kept on going on his merry way and he brought up his half-century in the 13th over of the innings. He found support in the big-hitting Andre Russell and the duo put up a 50-run stand taking Kolkata closer to victory.&nbsp;

Russell (24) was dismissed by Shami in the 15th over with Kolkata requiring another 34 runs to win.&nbsp;

The skipper Dinesh Karthik came out to bat next for Kolkata and he, along with Gill ensured that the team does not suffer from any more hiccups.

The duo stitched together a partnership of ensuring Kolkata's victory by seven wickets and with 12 balls to spare. Gill and Karthik remained unbeaten on 65 and 21 respectively.&nbsp;

Earlier, Sam Curran's knock of 55 runs off just 24 balls helped Punjab post 183 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets in the allotted twenty overs.&nbsp;

Punjab got off to the worst start possible as they lost both their openers KL Rahul (2) and Chris Gayle (14) inside the first five overs. Sandeep Warrier sent both the batsmen back into the pavilion, reducing Punjab to 22 for two.&nbsp;

Nicholas Pooran came out to bat at number four and he started to play with an aggressive mindset from the very start.

He along with Mayank Agarwal retrieved the innings for Punjab as the duo put on a quickfire 69-run stand, but the partnership was cut short as Nitish Rana dismissed Pooran (48) in the 11th over.&nbsp;

Agarwal (36) was also sent back to the pavilion via a run-out and Punjab was reduced to 115 for four at the end of fourteen overs.&nbsp;

Sam Curran gave Punjab some firepower in the death overs and he hammered the visitors for regular boundaries.&nbsp;

Although Kolkata kept scalping wickets at the other end, they were not able to bog down Curran and he ensured that Punjab posts a challenging total on the board. Curran remained unbeaten on 55 at the end of the innings.&nbsp;

Punjab will next play against Chennai whereas Kolkata will take on Mumbai on May 5.&nbsp;

Kolkata defeated Punjab by seven wickets in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Friday. With this win, Kolkata has now moved on to the fifth position in the league standings with 12 points whereas Punjab is placed at the seventh position with 10 points.

Kolkata defeated Punjab by seven wickets in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Friday. With this win, Kolkata has now moved on to the fifth position in the league standings with 12 points whereas Punjab is placed at the seventh position with 10 points. Chasing a challenging total of 184, Kolkata got off to a good start as their opener Chris Lynn hammered the hosts for regular boundaries. Lynn (46) was at his fluent best but his innings was cut short by his fellow countrymen Andrew Tye. Kolkata had scored 62 runs for the loss of one wicket after the completion of six overs. Shubhman Gill and Robin Uthappa did not let the momentum slip away and they continued to pile on the misery on Punjab's bowlers. 🤜🤛#KKR pic.twitter.com/yGnu8enbYU — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2019 × The duo stitched together a partnership of 38 runs but their resistance was cut short by Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin as he dismissed Uthappa (22). Gill kept on going on his merry way and he brought up his half-century in the 13th over of the innings. He found support in the big-hitting Andre Russell and the duo put up a 50-run stand taking Kolkata closer to victory. Russell (24) was dismissed by Shami in the 15th over with Kolkata requiring another 34 runs to win. The skipper Dinesh Karthik came out to bat next for Kolkata and he, along with Gill ensured that the team does not suffer from any more hiccups. The duo stitched together a partnership of ensuring Kolkata's victory by seven wickets and with 12 balls to spare. Gill and Karthik remained unbeaten on 65 and 21 respectively. Earlier, Sam Curran's knock of 55 runs off just 24 balls helped Punjab post 183 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets in the allotted twenty overs. Punjab got off to the worst start possible as they lost both their openers KL Rahul (2) and Chris Gayle (14) inside the first five overs. Sandeep Warrier sent both the batsmen back into the pavilion, reducing Punjab to 22 for two. Nicholas Pooran came out to bat at number four and he started to play with an aggressive mindset from the very start. He along with Mayank Agarwal retrieved the innings for Punjab as the duo put on a quickfire 69-run stand, but the partnership was cut short as Nitish Rana dismissed Pooran (48) in the 11th over. Agarwal (36) was also sent back to the pavilion via a run-out and Punjab was reduced to 115 for four at the end of fourteen overs. Sam Curran gave Punjab some firepower in the death overs and he hammered the visitors for regular boundaries. Although Kolkata kept scalping wickets at the other end, they were not able to bog down Curran and he ensured that Punjab posts a challenging total on the board. Curran remained unbeaten on 55 at the end of the innings. Punjab will next play against Chennai whereas Kolkata will take on Mumbai on May 5.

IPL 2019: Kolkata defeat Punjab by seven wickets

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). &nbsp;

The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players. The best part is they haven't disappointed.&nbsp;

In the 12 games so far, Rahul has scored 550 runs to become the most dependent batsman of the franchise.&nbsp;

When asked what is the mantra behind his superb form and how does he see himself hitting such big scores, Rahul in an exclusive interview to WION, said it's not the individual score that matters&nbsp;to him but the games he can win for the team.

"I always aim very very high. So, for me, I don't start the season thinking 400-500 or 600 runs is good enough for me because that's not a goal or achievement for me. It's always about how many games in a season I win for my team, so that's is what my focus is always on."

Rahul was quick to add that he doesn't care even if he scores 300 runs in one season, provided he plays a role in helping Punjab win the games.

"It doesn't matter even if I get 300 runs in a season or 800 runs in the season. But if I do not win games for my team then I feel like I am not doing my job. So, that's is what I focus on. In a tournament like IPL, it is important that you start well and when you start well you get some confidence and form. And if you stay focussed then the confidence and form just carry&nbsp;on for the rest of the tournament. So, it has been the key for me in the last two seasons," the Punjab opener added.

In most of the games, Rahul has made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end.&nbsp;

However, the scenario has been different till Gayle is on the crease with him.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
When asked if there is any set plan they follow when they enter the crease, Rahul said they just give it some time and access the conditions.

"We don't really go in with a set plan, because as opening batsmen we have the responsibility to go out there and access the conditions, especially when we are batting first, to see what would be a par score and how much we should get on a wicket like that and also see the opposition, see who are the guys we have to target."

"So for that, we go that first couple of overs we are going to look to play cricketing shots and just look to take our time. Moreover, we all know if Chris starts over then there is no worry about the run rate. We will always get 20 runs extra than the par score. So we just look to give ourselves a little time and access the conditions," the 27-year-old said.&nbsp;

Punjab had decent outings in the first half of the tournament before losing the plot in the all-important second phase.&nbsp;

The team have 10 points from 12 matches and are desperately eyeing a victory to remain in the contention for the IPL 2019 playoffs.

The performance of the team has degraded in the second phase, however, Kl Rahul stressed that just because the results haven't gone their way, it doesn' mean they have been outplayed.&nbsp;

"The passion, the determination has always been there to go out and give it our best. Ashwin said in his last interview that we have not been outplayed even once we have hung in there. We have scrapped all through and we have put up a great show and all are games have been gone down to the wire and the crowds have enjoyed it."

"And at the end of the day, it is about putting up a great show. But results haven't gone our way. Again that a habit, if you win a couple of games you get on a roll and it keeps going that way. We are hoping that we will find that rhythm."

Punjab will next lock horns with Kolkata in a do-or-die encounter at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday.&nbsp;

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players.

KL Rahul and Chris Gayle are the two names that pop up immediately whenever Punjab comes to the field in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The responsibility of chasing the mammoth target or setting a fighting total have always fallen on these two players. The best part is they haven't disappointed. In the 12 games so far, Rahul has scored 550 runs to become the most dependent batsman of the franchise. When asked what is the mantra behind his superb form and how does he see himself hitting such big scores, Rahul in an exclusive interview to WION, said it's not the individual score that matters to him but the games he can win for the team. "I always aim very very high. So, for me, I don't start the season thinking 400-500 or 600 runs is good enough for me because that's not a goal or achievement for me. It's always about how many games in a season I win for my team, so that's is what my focus is always on." Rahul was quick to add that he doesn't care even if he scores 300 runs in one season, provided he plays a role in helping Punjab win the games. "It doesn't matter even if I get 300 runs in a season or 800 runs in the season. But if I do not win games for my team then I feel like I am not doing my job. So, that's is what I focus on. In a tournament like IPL, it is important that you start well and when you start well you get some confidence and form. And if you stay focussed then the confidence and form just carry on for the rest of the tournament. So, it has been the key for me in the last two seasons," the Punjab opener added. In most of the games, Rahul has made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end. However, the scenario has been different till Gayle is on the crease with him. When asked if there is any set plan they follow when they enter the crease, Rahul said they just give it some time and access the conditions. "We don't really go in with a set plan, because as opening batsmen we have the responsibility to go out there and access the conditions, especially when we are batting first, to see what would be a par score and how much we should get on a wicket like that and also see the opposition, see who are the guys we have to target." "So for that, we go that first couple of overs we are going to look to play cricketing shots and just look to take our time. Moreover, we all know if Chris starts over then there is no worry about the run rate. We will always get 20 runs extra than the par score. So we just look to give ourselves a little time and access the conditions," the 27-year-old said. Punjab had decent outings in the first half of the tournament before losing the plot in the all-important second phase. The team have 10 points from 12 matches and are desperately eyeing a victory to remain in the contention for the IPL 2019 playoffs. The performance of the team has degraded in the second phase, however, Kl Rahul stressed that just because the results haven't gone their way, it doesn' mean they have been outplayed. "The passion, the determination has always been there to go out and give it our best. Ashwin said in his last interview that we have not been outplayed even once we have hung in there. We have scrapped all through and we have put up a great show and all are games have been gone down to the wire and the crowds have enjoyed it." "And at the end of the day, it is about putting up a great show. But results haven't gone our way. Again that a habit, if you win a couple of games you get on a roll and it keeps going that way. We are hoping that we will find that rhythm." Punjab will next lock horns with Kolkata in a do-or-die encounter at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday.

Not the individual score but games I can win for Punjab matter: KL Rahul to WION

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Needing 22 off the final 10 balls, Royals were favourites to pocket two points but showers lashed Chinnaswamy again and both teams had to share a point each.

The no result keeps Rajasthan&nbsp;mathematically alive in the tournament as they have 11 points from 13 games with one match to go. The visitors were 41 for one in 3.2 overs when the rain returned to the Chinnaswamy with Sanju Samson (28 off 13) being their top-scorer.

Bangalore got a point from the called off game, taking them to nine points from 13 games, ending all their hopes of progressing in the tournament.&nbsp;

Rajasthan limited RCB to 62 for seven in five overs following Gopal's hat-trick.

Rajasthan had won the toss and opted to field but rain arrived and delayed the start of the game by three hours and thirty minutes.&nbsp;

The game finally began after a long delay, courtesy a commendable effort from the ground staff which readied the ground following multiple spells of heavy rain.&nbsp;

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli (25 off 7) was on fire from ball one, depositing pacer Varun Aaron for a straight six. The loyal fans of the hosts, who stayed back for hours in the hope of a game, managed to get their money's worth with Kohli smashing Aaron for another six before AB de Villiers (10 off 4) got into the act as the first over went for 23 runs.&nbsp;

However, Gopal brought Rajasthan right back into the game in the following over by removing Kohli and de Villiers off successive balls before sending back Marcus Stoinis for a memorable hat-trick.&nbsp;

With the following batsmen going for the big hits from the word go, Bangalore did manage to cross the 50-run mark.&nbsp;

Rajasthan pacer Oshane Thomas too made instant impact by taking two wickets in one over.&nbsp;

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday.

Rajasthan leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal took a memorable hat-trick in a five overs a side contest that was eventually called off due to intermittent rain, pushing Bangalore out of the IPL play-off race here on Tuesday. Needing 22 off the final 10 balls, Royals were favourites to pocket two points but showers lashed Chinnaswamy again and both teams had to share a point each. The no result keeps Rajasthan mathematically alive in the tournament as they have 11 points from 13 games with one match to go. The visitors were 41 for one in 3.2 overs when the rain returned to the Chinnaswamy with Sanju Samson (28 off 13) being their top-scorer. Bangalore got a point from the called off game, taking them to nine points from 13 games, ending all their hopes of progressing in the tournament. Rajasthan limited RCB to 62 for seven in five overs following Gopal's hat-trick. Rajasthan had won the toss and opted to field but rain arrived and delayed the start of the game by three hours and thirty minutes. The game finally began after a long delay, courtesy a commendable effort from the ground staff which readied the ground following multiple spells of heavy rain. Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli (25 off 7) was on fire from ball one, depositing pacer Varun Aaron for a straight six. The loyal fans of the hosts, who stayed back for hours in the hope of a game, managed to get their money's worth with Kohli smashing Aaron for another six before AB de Villiers (10 off 4) got into the act as the first over went for 23 runs. However, Gopal brought Rajasthan right back into the game in the following over by removing Kohli and de Villiers off successive balls before sending back Marcus Stoinis for a memorable hat-trick. With the following batsmen going for the big hits from the word go, Bangalore did manage to cross the 50-run mark. Rajasthan pacer Oshane Thomas too made instant impact by taking two wickets in one over.

Shreyas Gopal takes 'dream' hat-trick in rain-hit tie as Bangalore knocked out of IPL 2019

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.

With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi&nbsp;are placed at the second position with 16 points.

Chasing a challenging score of 180, Delhi got off to the worst start possible as they lost their opener Prithvi Shaw (4) in the very first over.&nbsp;He was dismissed by Deepak Chahar.

Shikhar Dhawan along with skipper Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings for Delhi and the duo stitched together a 48-run stand.

But Harbhajan Singh cut short Dhawan's (19) resistance as he clean bowled him in the fifth over.

The big-hitting Rishabh Pant (5) also failed to leave a mark as he was dismissed pretty early by Imran Tahir. Colin Ingram (1) also fell cheaply off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja reducing Delhi 66 for four.

Chennai kept scalping wickets and with Iyer`s (44) dismissal in the 12th over it was just a matter of time for Delhi and in the end, Chennai easily secured a win by 80 runs.

Earlier, knocks of 59 and 44* respectively by Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni enabled Chennai to post 179 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets in the allotted twenty overs.

Delhi bowlers maintained a tight grip initially, not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. Chennai was able to score just three runs in the opening three overs and the pressure finally got to Shane Watson (0) as he was dismissed by Jagadeesha Suchith.

The batsman was looking to score a boundary but he just managed to find the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

Raina and Faf du Plessis retrieved the innings for Chennai and they staged an 83-run partnership bringing the hosts back into the match. But their resistance was cut short as both du Plessis (39) and Raina (59) were dismissed in quick succession.

Faf was dismissed by Axar Patel whereas Raina was dismissed by Suchith.

Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja gave some firepower to the team in the death overs and stitched together a partnership of 43 runs of just 22 balls to take the team past the 140-run mark.

Jadeja (25) perished in the penultimate over but Dhoni kept on going on his merry way enabling the team to post a challenging total in front of the visitors. Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu remained unbeaten on 44 and 5 respectively.

Delhi&nbsp;will next play against Rajasthan on May 4 whereas Chennai will take on Punjab on May 5.

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi are placed at the second position with 16 points.

Chennai thrashed Delhi by 80 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. With this win, Chennai has moved on to the top of the league standings with 18 points whereas Delhi are placed at the second position with 16 points. Chasing a challenging score of 180, Delhi got off to the worst start possible as they lost their opener Prithvi Shaw (4) in the very first over. He was dismissed by Deepak Chahar. Shikhar Dhawan along with skipper Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings for Delhi and the duo stitched together a 48-run stand. But Harbhajan Singh cut short Dhawan's (19) resistance as he clean bowled him in the fifth over. The big-hitting Rishabh Pant (5) also failed to leave a mark as he was dismissed pretty early by Imran Tahir. Colin Ingram (1) also fell cheaply off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja reducing Delhi 66 for four. Chennai kept scalping wickets and with Iyer`s (44) dismissal in the 12th over it was just a matter of time for Delhi and in the end, Chennai easily secured a win by 80 runs. Earlier, knocks of 59 and 44* respectively by Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni enabled Chennai to post 179 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets in the allotted twenty overs. Delhi bowlers maintained a tight grip initially, not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. Chennai was able to score just three runs in the opening three overs and the pressure finally got to Shane Watson (0) as he was dismissed by Jagadeesha Suchith. The batsman was looking to score a boundary but he just managed to find the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Raina and Faf du Plessis retrieved the innings for Chennai and they staged an 83-run partnership bringing the hosts back into the match. But their resistance was cut short as both du Plessis (39) and Raina (59) were dismissed in quick succession. Faf was dismissed by Axar Patel whereas Raina was dismissed by Suchith. Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja gave some firepower to the team in the death overs and stitched together a partnership of 43 runs of just 22 balls to take the team past the 140-run mark. Jadeja (25) perished in the penultimate over but Dhoni kept on going on his merry way enabling the team to post a challenging total in front of the visitors. Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu remained unbeaten on 44 and 5 respectively. Delhi will next play against Rajasthan on May 4 whereas Chennai will take on Punjab on May 5.

IPL 2019: Chennai thrash Delhi by huge 80 runs

Andre Russell's wife Jassym Lora lashed out on the social media and gave a befitting reply to users who tried to troll and even body-shamed her. Being a model and an Instagram Fashion Lifestyle Influencer, Lora herself is very popular but in India, she created a fan base after her husband's outstanding performance in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League.

Andre Russell's wife Jassym Lora lashed out on the social media and gave a befitting reply to users who tried to troll and even body-shamed her. Being a model and an Instagram Fashion Lifestyle Influencer, Lora herself is very popular but in India, she created a fan base after her husband's outstanding performance in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League. Russell, so far, amassed 486 runs playing at a strike rate of 207.69 including 50 sixes and became a cricket sensation among Indian fans. Jassym replied to online trolls and said that such users should get punched in the mouth for disrespecting others. Also Read: Like being hailed as superhero, says Andre Russell On her Instagram account, where she has over 126 thousand followers, posted a photo with a note, saying, "Social Media has made too many of you comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the mouth for it." View this post on Instagram keyboard warrior.! A post shared by Jassym Lora Russell (@jassymloraru) on Apr 25, 2019 at 4:15am PDT × Lora married to the 30-year-old cricketer in 2016 and the couple often share adorable pictures on their Instagram account. Also Read: David Warner's wife writes emotional message for husband after he ends IPL 2019 campaign After Kolkata's win over Mumbai on Sunday, Russell in a special interview to his wife said that her presence comes as a massive boost for the Jamaican cricketer and she is his "lucky charm". A special interview of a special man by his special woman. A video which will make you go all Awww 💜💜💜@28anand brings @Russell12A & his wife @JAssymLOra11 in one frame after @KKRiders' win last night at the Eden Gardens. #KKRvMI Watch the full 📹 - https://t.co/hNRctwAiRs pic.twitter.com/NNxfP5w7tE — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 29, 2019 × View this post on Instagram Oh my sweet husband, I’m not just wishing for you to have a great birthday, I’m praying that you’re blessed with your heart’s desires.! Happy birthday Mi Amor! #happybirthdayhusband ❤️🎂 A post shared by Jassym Lora Russell (@jassymloraru) on Apr 28, 2019 at 7:47pm PDT × View this post on Instagram IPL 2019 #KKR #India #Dreruss A post shared by Jassym Lora Russell (@jassymloraru) on Apr 21, 2019 at 1:24am PDT × Andre Russell is currently playing for Kolkata team in the IPL 2019.

Cricketer Andre Russell's wife Jassym Lora lashes out at online trolls

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Playing his last match of the season before heading home for World Cup preparations, Warner struck a belligerent 81 off 56 balls with seven fours and two sixes to complete his IPL 2019 campaign with 692 runs, the highest so far in the tournament.

Chasing the imposing total, K L Rahul (79 off 56, 4x4s, 5x6s) made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end as Punjab were restricted to 167 for eight.

By virtue of this win, Hyderabad have consolidated their fourth position in the table with 12 points from 12 games, while Punjab are at 10 points from as many matches.

Both the teams have two more matches to go with Punjab still in the hunt.&nbsp;

Punjab needed a brisk start but they didn't get one, losing explosive Chris Gayle early.

Gayle departed in the first ball of the third over, brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey off Khaleel Ahmed (3/40) with Punjab scoreboard reading 11.

Thereafter, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18) added 60 off 39 balls to take Punjab forward.

But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Agarwal was holed by Vijay Shankar off Rashid Khan (3/21) in the ninth over.

New man in Nicholas Pooran (21 off 10) played a short breezy knock before Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a beautiful catch at long-leg boundary off Ahmed to sent packing the batsman.

Rashid then came to the party and picked up two wickets -- David Miller (11 off 11) and skipper Ravichandran Ashwin -- in consecutive balls in the 13th over to stand in chance of registering a hat-trick which didn't materialise.

From there on, the asking was tall for Rahul and debutant Prabhsimran Singh (16) and the former finally perished in the 19th over after a beautiful knock to shut the doors for Punjab. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier, Warner and Wriddhiman Saha (28 off 13) got Hyderabad off to a brisk start after being sent into bat. The duo took the Punjab bowlers to the cleaners to pile up 77 runs of the first six overs of powerplay.

Warner made his intentions clear from the onset, hitting young Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in the opening over and then followed it up with a six over long-off in Mujeeb Ur Rahman's next over.

Mujeeb was in for some treatment as Warner hit two more boundaries in the spinner's next over and then Saha also found the fence to bring up Hyderabad' fifty in the fourth over.

Saha then went after Mohammed Shami (2/36) and hit the pacer for a boundary and six off consecutive balls.

Saha's innings came to an end when he under-edged a Murugan Ashwin delivery to debutant Prabhsimran Singh behind the stumps. Saha shared 78 runs off 6.2 overs with Warner for the opening stand.

Warner continued in the same vein and notched up his eight fifty of the season with a boundary off Shami in the 12th over.

Then came in in-form Manish Pandey (36 off 25) and he too played a quick knock in Warner's company.

Pandey, who struck three fours and a six, added 82 off 55 balls along with Warner before Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (2/20) struck twin blows in the 16th over to remove both the set batsmen.

First Ashwin accounted for Pandey and then two balls later dismissed Warner, caught by Mujeeb at point of what was a tired-looking shot. 
Then skipper Kane Williamson (14 off 7) and Mohammad Nabi (20 off 10) also played short cameos towards the end.

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday.

David Warner signed off his IPL 2019 campaign in style, notching up his eight fifty of the season to help Hyderabad take a step closer towards qualifying for the play-offs with a comfortable 45-run win over Punjab here Monday. Playing his last match of the season before heading home for World Cup preparations, Warner struck a belligerent 81 off 56 balls with seven fours and two sixes to complete his IPL 2019 campaign with 692 runs, the highest so far in the tournament. Chasing the imposing total, K L Rahul (79 off 56, 4x4s, 5x6s) made a valiant effort with the bat but lacked support from the other end as Punjab were restricted to 167 for eight. By virtue of this win, Hyderabad have consolidated their fourth position in the table with 12 points from 12 games, while Punjab are at 10 points from as many matches. Both the teams have two more matches to go with Punjab still in the hunt. Punjab needed a brisk start but they didn't get one, losing explosive Chris Gayle early. Gayle departed in the first ball of the third over, brilliantly caught by Manish Pandey off Khaleel Ahmed (3/40) with Punjab scoreboard reading 11. Thereafter, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal (27 off 18) added 60 off 39 balls to take Punjab forward. But just when the partnership was looking threatening, Agarwal was holed by Vijay Shankar off Rashid Khan (3/21) in the ninth over. New man in Nicholas Pooran (21 off 10) played a short breezy knock before Bhuvneshwar Kumar took a beautiful catch at long-leg boundary off Ahmed to sent packing the batsman. Rashid then came to the party and picked up two wickets -- David Miller (11 off 11) and skipper Ravichandran Ashwin -- in consecutive balls in the 13th over to stand in chance of registering a hat-trick which didn't materialise. From there on, the asking was tall for Rahul and debutant Prabhsimran Singh (16) and the former finally perished in the 19th over after a beautiful knock to shut the doors for Punjab. Earlier, Warner and Wriddhiman Saha (28 off 13) got Hyderabad off to a brisk start after being sent into bat. The duo took the Punjab bowlers to the cleaners to pile up 77 runs of the first six overs of powerplay. Warner made his intentions clear from the onset, hitting young Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries in the opening over and then followed it up with a six over long-off in Mujeeb Ur Rahman's next over. Mujeeb was in for some treatment as Warner hit two more boundaries in the spinner's next over and then Saha also found the fence to bring up Hyderabad' fifty in the fourth over. Saha then went after Mohammed Shami (2/36) and hit the pacer for a boundary and six off consecutive balls. Saha's innings came to an end when he under-edged a Murugan Ashwin delivery to debutant Prabhsimran Singh behind the stumps. Saha shared 78 runs off 6.2 overs with Warner for the opening stand. Warner continued in the same vein and notched up his eight fifty of the season with a boundary off Shami in the 12th over. Then came in in-form Manish Pandey (36 off 25) and he too played a quick knock in Warner's company. Pandey, who struck three fours and a six, added 82 off 55 balls along with Warner before Kings XI skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (2/20) struck twin blows in the 16th over to remove both the set batsmen. First Ashwin accounted for Pandey and then two balls later dismissed Warner, caught by Mujeeb at point of what was a tired-looking shot. Then skipper Kane Williamson (14 off 7) and Mohammad Nabi (20 off 10) also played short cameos towards the end.

IPL 2019: Brilliant David Warner hands Hyderabad 45-run win over Punjab

Mumbai's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed the fastest fifty of the ongoing edition if Indian Premier League while playing against Kolkata at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya scored 91 runs off 34 balls playing at a strike rate of 267.65 and his splendid innings included six 4s and nine 6s.&nbsp;

Previously, the record was held by Delhi's wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, who smashed fifty off 18 balls against Mumbai team on March 24.&nbsp;

Hardik has so far completed 62 half-centuries in his IPL career.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation, Hardik said, "I am just holding my shape pretty well and the confidence makes a huge difference."

"My plan was to get close to the total so that the run rate doesn't get effected," he added.&nbsp;

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FIFTY comes up for <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a>. This is his fastest half-century in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/usrYW2CMwq">pic.twitter.com/usrYW2CMwq</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1122556457684090880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In the match,&nbsp;Kolkata snapped their six-match losing streak with a 34-run win over Mumbai in a high-scoring game that saw brutal stroke play from power-hitters of both teams. &nbsp;

Kolkata batsmen fired on all cylinders to post the season's highest total, 232 for two, after sensational knocks from Shubman Gill (75 off 45) and Andre Russell (80 not out off 40). &nbsp;

At 58 for four, Mumbai were down and out but&nbsp;Hardik Pandya&nbsp;reignited their hopes with a breathtaking 91 off 34 balls. In the end, Pandya's dismissal in the 18th over sealed the game in Kolkata's favour as Mumbai ended at 198 for seven. The Indian all-rounder's cracking innings comprised nine sixes and six fours. &nbsp;

The much-needed win keeps Kolkata alive in the tournament as they now have 10 points from 12 matches. Mumbai remain in the third spot with 14 points from 12 games. &nbsp;

Mumbai's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed the fastest fifty of the ongoing edition if Indian Premier League while playing against Kolkata at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Mumbai's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed the fastest fifty of the ongoing edition if Indian Premier League while playing against Kolkata at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. Hardik Pandya scored 91 runs off 34 balls playing at a strike rate of 267.65 and his splendid innings included six 4s and nine 6s. Previously, the record was held by Delhi's wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, who smashed fifty off 18 balls against Mumbai team on March 24. Hardik has so far completed 62 half-centuries in his IPL career. During the post-match presentation, Hardik said, "I am just holding my shape pretty well and the confidence makes a huge difference." "My plan was to get close to the total so that the run rate doesn't get effected," he added. FIFTY comes up for @hardikpandya7. This is his fastest half-century in #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/usrYW2CMwq — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2019 × In the match, Kolkata snapped their six-match losing streak with a 34-run win over Mumbai in a high-scoring game that saw brutal stroke play from power-hitters of both teams. Kolkata batsmen fired on all cylinders to post the season's highest total, 232 for two, after sensational knocks from Shubman Gill (75 off 45) and Andre Russell (80 not out off 40). At 58 for four, Mumbai were down and out but Hardik Pandya reignited their hopes with a breathtaking 91 off 34 balls. In the end, Pandya's dismissal in the 18th over sealed the game in Kolkata's favour as Mumbai ended at 198 for seven. The Indian all-rounder's cracking innings comprised nine sixes and six fours. The much-needed win keeps Kolkata alive in the tournament as they now have 10 points from 12 matches. Mumbai remain in the third spot with 14 points from 12 games.

Hardik Pandya smashes fastest fifty of IPL 2019

Kolkata snapped their six-match losing streak with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-47-kolkata-vs-mumbai-at-eden-gardens-214169">a 34-run win over Mumbai</a> in a high-scoring Indian Premier League game that saw brutal stroke play from power-hitters of both teams. &nbsp;

Kolkata batsmen fired on all cylinders to post the season's highest total, 232 for two, after sensational knocks from Shubman Gill (75 off 45) and Andre Russell (80 not out off 40).&nbsp;

At 58 for four, Mumbai were down and out but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-smashes-fastest-fifty-of-ipl-2019-214239">Hardik Pandya</a> reignited their hopes with a breathtaking 91 off 34 balls. In the end, Pandya's dismissal in the 18th over sealed the game in Kolkata's favour as Mumbai ended at 198 for seven. The Indian all-rounder's cracking innings comprised nine sixes and six fours. &nbsp;

The much-needed win keeps Kolkata alive in the tournament as they now have 10 points from 12 matches. Mumbai remain in third spot with 14 points from 12 games. &nbsp;

Staring at elimination, the embattled Kolkata got off to a fiery start with Shubman Gill (76) and Chris Lynn (54) putting on a 96-run opening stand, their highest this season, after Rohit Sharma opted to bowl in his 100th match as captain.&nbsp;

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Two <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Playoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Playoffs</a> spots still up for grabs. Who do you reckon will make it?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/vGcHYOfq43">pic.twitter.com/vGcHYOfq43</a>
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Russell, Kolkata's biggest impact player of the season, was finally seen higher up the order at No 3. The West Indies power-hitter ensured that Kolkata finished on a high with an unbeaten effort.&nbsp;

Russell hammered six fours and eight sixes including one off the last ball after he denied a couple of singles to skipper Dinesh Karthik in the last over as Kolkata creamed 75 runs from the last five overs and scored 135 in the final 10.&nbsp;

Fielding let down Mumbai big time with both Lynn and Russell dropped early in their innings by Kieron Pollard and Evin Lewis respectively.&nbsp;

The top-order batting was all about the sheer class of the 19-year-old Gill, who showed why he is billed as the future star of Indian cricket.&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> win by 34 runs and register their 100th Victory in IPL 👌👌 <a href="https://t.co/zAl5lMBW8O">pic.twitter.com/zAl5lMBW8O</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1122564809629655040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Gill smashed six fours and four sixes en route to his second half-century of the season and forged a crucial stand with Russell. The duo shared 62 runs from 35 balls of which Gill had a share of 34, while Russell scored 24.&nbsp;

Gill was at his best against Rahul Chahar and three of his four sixes came against the leg-spinner.&nbsp;

Such was the sheer class of Gill that Russell was glad to play second fiddle and was six off 12 balls after being dropped on one. &nbsp;

On a belter of a track, Kolkata openers got off to a sensational start and survived the powerplay without losing a wicket for their highest opening stand -- 96 -- this season.&nbsp;

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DRE RUSS is adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant 80* and bowling figures of 2/25 👏👏 <a href="https://t.co/rY5uWxvWDa">pic.twitter.com/rY5uWxvWDa</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1122569215662125056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Slow to start with, Lynn was 18 off 15 balls when Kieron Pollard spilled a chance from the Aussie at mid-off.&nbsp;

Lynn took off from there on, hammering the spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Chahar to race to his fourth IPL fifty this season off just 27 balls.

Kolkata snapped their six-match losing streak with a 34-run win over Mumbai in a high-scoring Indian Premier League game that saw brutal stroke play from power-hitters of both teams.

Kolkata snapped their six-match losing streak with a 34-run win over Mumbai in a high-scoring Indian Premier League game that saw brutal stroke play from power-hitters of both teams. Kolkata batsmen fired on all cylinders to post the season's highest total, 232 for two, after sensational knocks from Shubman Gill (75 off 45) and Andre Russell (80 not out off 40). At 58 for four, Mumbai were down and out but Hardik Pandya reignited their hopes with a breathtaking 91 off 34 balls. In the end, Pandya's dismissal in the 18th over sealed the game in Kolkata's favour as Mumbai ended at 198 for seven. The Indian all-rounder's cracking innings comprised nine sixes and six fours. The much-needed win keeps Kolkata alive in the tournament as they now have 10 points from 12 matches. Mumbai remain in third spot with 14 points from 12 games. Staring at elimination, the embattled Kolkata got off to a fiery start with Shubman Gill (76) and Chris Lynn (54) putting on a 96-run opening stand, their highest this season, after Rohit Sharma opted to bowl in his 100th match as captain. Two #Playoffs spots still up for grabs. Who do you reckon will make it?#VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/vGcHYOfq43 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2019 × Russell, Kolkata's biggest impact player of the season, was finally seen higher up the order at No 3. The West Indies power-hitter ensured that Kolkata finished on a high with an unbeaten effort. Russell hammered six fours and eight sixes including one off the last ball after he denied a couple of singles to skipper Dinesh Karthik in the last over as Kolkata creamed 75 runs from the last five overs and scored 135 in the final 10. Fielding let down Mumbai big time with both Lynn and Russell dropped early in their innings by Kieron Pollard and Evin Lewis respectively. The top-order batting was all about the sheer class of the 19-year-old Gill, who showed why he is billed as the future star of Indian cricket. The @KKRiders win by 34 runs and register their 100th Victory in IPL 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/zAl5lMBW8O — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2019 × Gill smashed six fours and four sixes en route to his second half-century of the season and forged a crucial stand with Russell. The duo shared 62 runs from 35 balls of which Gill had a share of 34, while Russell scored 24. Gill was at his best against Rahul Chahar and three of his four sixes came against the leg-spinner. Such was the sheer class of Gill that Russell was glad to play second fiddle and was six off 12 balls after being dropped on one. On a belter of a track, Kolkata openers got off to a sensational start and survived the powerplay without losing a wicket for their highest opening stand -- 96 -- this season. DRE RUSS is adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant 80* and bowling figures of 2/25 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/rY5uWxvWDa — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2019 × Slow to start with, Lynn was 18 off 15 balls when Kieron Pollard spilled a chance from the Aussie at mid-off. Lynn took off from there on, hammering the spin duo of Krunal Pandya and Chahar to race to his fourth IPL fifty this season off just 27 balls.

IPL 2019: Andre Russell shines as Kolkata beat Mumbai by 34 runs

Andre Russell, aka 'Dre Russ', said that he like being hailed as a superhero by the fans. Russell has been magnificent in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League, amassing 486 runs playing at a strike rate of 207.69, what makes his form extraordinary is the number of sixes he hit, which is 50.&nbsp;

He became only the second player to hit 50 sixes in an IPL season, matching the achievement of compatriot Chris Gayle.&nbsp;

Gayle smashed 59 sixes in the 2012 season before hitting 51 the following year while playing for Bangalore and Russell listed the attributes that have left him with a chance of bettering those figures.&nbsp;

With his match-winning and entertaining knocks, Russell has become a cricket sensation among Indian fans and Twitter users have compared him with several Bollywood's reel icons, like 'Baahubali'.&nbsp;

Russell was even hailed as one of the Avengers superheroes.&nbsp;

After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-andre-russell-shines-as-kolkata-beat-mumbai-by-34-runs-214242">Kolkata's win over Mumbai</a> on Sunday, "Yes, I am a fan of (Avengers), I am watching it for a while," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony. &nbsp;

"If the fans say that I am a (superhero) I am happy."&nbsp;

"Eye and hand coordination. Balance and then good bat speed as well. I generate a lot power from the shoulders and then the core. So everything goes together," man-of-the-match Russell said.&nbsp;

"As an all-rounder, you have to make sure your body is fit and strong. To play awkward shots in those moments when a bowler tries to outsmart you with a wide slower ball... to hit the ball over covers cleanly."&nbsp;

Russell made 80 off 40 balls, hitting eight sixes and six fours at the iconic Eden Gardens, and no matter what the MI bowlers tried, they failed.&nbsp;

The win snapped a six-match losing streak for the three-time former champions in the ongoing edition.&nbsp;

Andre Russell, aka 'Dre Russ', said that he like being hailed as a superhero by the fans. Russell has been magnificent in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League, amassing 486 runs playing at a strike rate of 207.

Andre Russell, aka 'Dre Russ', said that he like being hailed as a superhero by the fans. Russell has been magnificent in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League, amassing 486 runs playing at a strike rate of 207.69, what makes his form extraordinary is the number of sixes he hit, which is 50. He became only the second player to hit 50 sixes in an IPL season, matching the achievement of compatriot Chris Gayle. Gayle smashed 59 sixes in the 2012 season before hitting 51 the following year while playing for Bangalore and Russell listed the attributes that have left him with a chance of bettering those figures. With his match-winning and entertaining knocks, Russell has become a cricket sensation among Indian fans and Twitter users have compared him with several Bollywood's reel icons, like 'Baahubali'. Russell was even hailed as one of the Avengers superheroes. After Kolkata's win over Mumbai on Sunday, "Yes, I am a fan of (Avengers), I am watching it for a while," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony. "If the fans say that I am a (superhero) I am happy." "Eye and hand coordination. Balance and then good bat speed as well. I generate a lot power from the shoulders and then the core. So everything goes together," man-of-the-match Russell said. "As an all-rounder, you have to make sure your body is fit and strong. To play awkward shots in those moments when a bowler tries to outsmart you with a wide slower ball... to hit the ball over covers cleanly." Russell made 80 off 40 balls, hitting eight sixes and six fours at the iconic Eden Gardens, and no matter what the MI bowlers tried, they failed. The win snapped a six-match losing streak for the three-time former champions in the ongoing edition.

Like being hailed as superhero, says Andre Russell

Star Kolkata all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=andre+russell">Andre Russell</a> lamented the "bad decisions" taken by his team in a disappointing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> campaign which has seen the side lose six games in a row.&nbsp;

Russell has been the biggest impact player for Kolkata with three man-of-the-match performances from their four wins but his team has let him down.

"We have a good team but if you make bad decisions then you will always lose games and that's what we've been doing. If we had enough time, I could pinpoint a few games where if we just looked to bowl tighter in areas or bring in right bowlers at the right time, we could have won," Russell said.

"As a professional cricketer, to be in this position is not the most healthiest position. In terms of decision, we have been bowling wrongly at the wrong time, that's what been causing for us to keep losing in simple ways," Russell said on the eve of the game against Mumbai.

The Jamaican who has amassed 406 runs from 10 innings at an outrageous strike rate of 209.27 was particularly pained at Kolkata's failure to defend 176 against a "weak" Rajasthan.

"I'm disappointed that we get defeated by a team Rajasthan with the weak batting order. If we can't restrict a team for under 170 with our bowling attack then we will need miracles against a strong team like Mumbai.

"They said we have been struggling in batting. But the batting has not been struggling really. We are getting the totals that we should have defended.&nbsp;

"But when you bowl as bad as our bowlers, you don't really take catches -- we have been the worst fielding team so far."

Russell said the atmosphere in the team is not healthy as he likes to keep himself confined to his room.

"We have to make sure that we have a good practice session, do whatever it takes, put our body on the line and make sure that we take Kolkata over the line for next three games.&nbsp;

"I find myself just been in my room for the last couple of days losing games after games. I'm not the type of guy to do the walking around... It's hard to do the walk around losing six games in a row.&nbsp;

"It's not healthy, to be honest. I'm feeling down at the moment but tomorrow when we cross the rope my energy level will be 150. As cricketers, we have to have the passion inside, and not just to show it on the TV," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Star Kolkata all-rounder Andre Russell lamented the "bad decisions" taken by his team in a disappointing Indian Premier League campaign which has seen the side lose six games in a row.

Star Kolkata all-rounder Andre Russell lamented the "bad decisions" taken by his team in a disappointing Indian Premier League campaign which has seen the side lose six games in a row. Russell has been the biggest impact player for Kolkata with three man-of-the-match performances from their four wins but his team has let him down. "We have a good team but if you make bad decisions then you will always lose games and that's what we've been doing. If we had enough time, I could pinpoint a few games where if we just looked to bowl tighter in areas or bring in right bowlers at the right time, we could have won," Russell said. "As a professional cricketer, to be in this position is not the most healthiest position. In terms of decision, we have been bowling wrongly at the wrong time, that's what been causing for us to keep losing in simple ways," Russell said on the eve of the game against Mumbai. The Jamaican who has amassed 406 runs from 10 innings at an outrageous strike rate of 209.27 was particularly pained at Kolkata's failure to defend 176 against a "weak" Rajasthan. "I'm disappointed that we get defeated by a team Rajasthan with the weak batting order. If we can't restrict a team for under 170 with our bowling attack then we will need miracles against a strong team like Mumbai. "They said we have been struggling in batting. But the batting has not been struggling really. We are getting the totals that we should have defended. "But when you bowl as bad as our bowlers, you don't really take catches -- we have been the worst fielding team so far." Russell said the atmosphere in the team is not healthy as he likes to keep himself confined to his room. "We have to make sure that we have a good practice session, do whatever it takes, put our body on the line and make sure that we take Kolkata over the line for next three games. "I find myself just been in my room for the last couple of days losing games after games. I'm not the type of guy to do the walking around... It's hard to do the walk around losing six games in a row. "It's not healthy, to be honest. I'm feeling down at the moment but tomorrow when we cross the rope my energy level will be 150. As cricketers, we have to have the passion inside, and not just to show it on the TV," he added.

Kolkata's Andre Russell says team atmosphere not 'healthy'

After Jonny Bairstow's and David Warner's scintillating performance, Hyderabad <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-38-sunrisers-hyderabad-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-212276">defeated Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata by nine wickets</a> with five overs remaining in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday.&nbsp;

With the win, Hyderabad are now at number fourth position on the points table with 10 points in nine games they have played so far.&nbsp;

The openers Warner and Bairstow gave a steady start to the team in their 160-run chase at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.&nbsp;

Bairstow scored and unbeaten 80 runs off 43 balls and his innings included seven 4s and four 6s. His strike was 186.05.&nbsp;

On the other hand, David Warner scored 67 runs off 38 balls before losing his wicket to Kolkata's Harry Gurney.&nbsp;

Earlier, young left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed grabbed three wickets in an impressive spell to help Hyderabad restrict Kolkata 159 for 8.&nbsp;

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A look at the Points Table after Match 38 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a>. <a href="https://t.co/T4nTWEgV09">pic.twitter.com/T4nTWEgV09</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1119968849401507840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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For his outstanding performance, he was awarded with the man of the match award.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old speedster removed Sunil Narine (25 off 7 balls), who was looking dangerous in his first spell and then came back to dismiss Shubman Gill (3) and Chris Lynn (51) in his corresponding spells to keep Kolkata in check.&nbsp;

Senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with the figures of 2/35 while leg-spinner Rashid Khan (1/23) and seamer Sandeep Sharma (1/37) took a wicket apiece with the Hyderabad's bowlers making life difficult for the Kolkata batsmen.&nbsp;

For Kolkata, Lynn was the top-scored with a dogged 47-ball 51. Rinku Singh was the other notable contributor with a 25-ball 30.

Put in to bat, Lynn and Sunil Narine took the opposition to the cleaners. Both openers hitting boundaries of their first balls. The duo quickly stitched a 42-run partnership before Ahmed dismissed Narine in the third over. &nbsp;

Narine's blistering innings of 24 runs off eight balls was laced with three boundaries and two maximums.&nbsp;

With the wicket of Narine, the momentum shifted in Hyderabad's favour. In Khaleel's next over, he dismissed Gill (3). Nitish Rana (11) and captain Dinesh Karthik (6) also returned to the dressing room in quick succession.&nbsp;

Rinku and Lynn shared a 51-run stand for the fifth wicket to stabilise the innings before Sandeep Sharma dismissed the 21-year-old Indian. Big-hitter Andre Russel scored 15 off 9 balls. &nbsp;

He hit two sixes off Kumar before the right-arm seamer dismissed the Jamaican in the penultimate over.

After Jonny Bairstow's and David Warner's scintillating performance, Hyderabad defeated Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata by nine wickets with five overs remaining in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday.

After Jonny Bairstow's and David Warner's scintillating performance, Hyderabad defeated Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata by nine wickets with five overs remaining in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday. With the win, Hyderabad are now at number fourth position on the points table with 10 points in nine games they have played so far. The openers Warner and Bairstow gave a steady start to the team in their 160-run chase at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Bairstow scored and unbeaten 80 runs off 43 balls and his innings included seven 4s and four 6s. His strike was 186.05. On the other hand, David Warner scored 67 runs off 38 balls before losing his wicket to Kolkata's Harry Gurney. Earlier, young left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed grabbed three wickets in an impressive spell to help Hyderabad restrict Kolkata 159 for 8. A look at the Points Table after Match 38 of the #VIVOIPL. pic.twitter.com/T4nTWEgV09 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 21, 2019 × For his outstanding performance, he was awarded with the man of the match award. The 21-year-old speedster removed Sunil Narine (25 off 7 balls), who was looking dangerous in his first spell and then came back to dismiss Shubman Gill (3) and Chris Lynn (51) in his corresponding spells to keep Kolkata in check. Senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with the figures of 2/35 while leg-spinner Rashid Khan (1/23) and seamer Sandeep Sharma (1/37) took a wicket apiece with the Hyderabad's bowlers making life difficult for the Kolkata batsmen. For Kolkata, Lynn was the top-scored with a dogged 47-ball 51. Rinku Singh was the other notable contributor with a 25-ball 30. Put in to bat, Lynn and Sunil Narine took the opposition to the cleaners. Both openers hitting boundaries of their first balls. The duo quickly stitched a 42-run partnership before Ahmed dismissed Narine in the third over. Narine's blistering innings of 24 runs off eight balls was laced with three boundaries and two maximums. With the wicket of Narine, the momentum shifted in Hyderabad's favour. In Khaleel's next over, he dismissed Gill (3). Nitish Rana (11) and captain Dinesh Karthik (6) also returned to the dressing room in quick succession. Rinku and Lynn shared a 51-run stand for the fifth wicket to stabilise the innings before Sandeep Sharma dismissed the 21-year-old Indian. Big-hitter Andre Russel scored 15 off 9 balls. He hit two sixes off Kumar before the right-arm seamer dismissed the Jamaican in the penultimate over.

IPL 2019: Hyderabad register a nine-wicket victory over Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata

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