Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik termed the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method strange and vouched for Indian counterpart of the rule, the VJD method, after his team lost to Punjab by nine wickets in a rain-interrupted encounter on Saturday.

Speaking to media post-match, Karthik said, "I have always thought that the VJD is an Indian method and it's an Indian domestic tournament, why not think about it in the future? It's been proven that it's a really good method, we have used in domestic tournaments."

"Only for IPL, we use D/L. Why not think about VJD here and promote it?" Karthik added.&nbsp

Asked to bat first, Kolkata rode Chris Lynn's 41-ball 74 to post a challenging total of 191/7.&nbsp

But Punjab opener Chris Gayle and Lokesh Rahul made short work of the chase with their whirlwind knocks. The D/L method also came in their favour by reducing the target.

When play was interrupted by rain, Punjab needed 96 runs to win in 11.4 overs with ten wickets in hand and Gayle, 49, and Rahul, 46, were in full swing.&nbsp

Punjab were 96/0 in 8.2 overs when rain accompanied by a squall hit the Eden garden hard.

But after a 95-minute stoppage, the revised target was 125 in 13 overs, meaning the R Ashwin-led side needed 29 runs for victory off 28 balls.

Punjab breezed to the target with 11 balls to spare as Gayle remained unbeaten on 62 off 38 balls and Rahul had scored a 27-ball 60.

"It is interesting that at the stage rain stopped play, they needed about eight runs an over but after the D/L method, they come back and they need six runs an over, a run a ball," Karthik said.

"That was little surprising, because ideally if it would have been a 20-over game, they would have needed eight an over. If we could have got two quick wickets, the run rate would have kept going up. Suddenly after rain, they needed run-a-ball. I didn`t understand that bit but I am sure people (calculating) Duckworth-Lewis is trying to figure out what it is," he further added.

The VJD method was used in the domestic limited overs matches this season.

Kolkata rode Chris Lynn's 41-ball 74 to post a challenging total of 191/7.

Kolkata skipper Dinesh Karthik termed the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method strange and vouched for Indian counterpart of the rule, the VJD method, after his team lost to Punjab by nine wickets in a rain-interrupted encounter on Saturday. Speaking to media post-match, Karthik said, "I have always thought that the VJD is an Indian method and it's an Indian domestic tournament, why not think about it in the future? It's been proven that it's a really good method, we have used in domestic tournaments." "Only for IPL, we use D/L. Why not think about VJD here and promote it?" Karthik added. Asked to bat first, Kolkata rode Chris Lynn's 41-ball 74 to post a challenging total of 191/7. But Punjab opener Chris Gayle and Lokesh Rahul made short work of the chase with their whirlwind knocks. The D/L method also came in their favour by reducing the target. When play was interrupted by rain, Punjab needed 96 runs to win in 11.4 overs with ten wickets in hand and Gayle, 49, and Rahul, 46, were in full swing. Punjab were 96/0 in 8.2 overs when rain accompanied by a squall hit the Eden garden hard. But after a 95-minute stoppage, the revised target was 125 in 13 overs, meaning the R Ashwin-led side needed 29 runs for victory off 28 balls. Punjab breezed to the target with 11 balls to spare as Gayle remained unbeaten on 62 off 38 balls and Rahul had scored a 27-ball 60. "It is interesting that at the stage rain stopped play, they needed about eight runs an over but after the D/L method, they come back and they need six runs an over, a run a ball," Karthik said. "That was little surprising, because ideally if it would have been a 20-over game, they would have needed eight an over. If we could have got two quick wickets, the run rate would have kept going up. Suddenly after rain, they needed run-a-ball. I didn`t understand that bit but I am sure people (calculating) Duckworth-Lewis is trying to figure out what it is," he further added. The VJD method was used in the domestic limited overs matches this season.

IPL 2018: After Punjab defeat, Dinesh Karthik questions D/L method

R Ashwin's Punjab outclassed Kolkata by nine wickets in a rain-hit IPL encounter at Eden Gardens on Saturday.&nbsp

While Kolkata scored a competitive 191 for 7 in 20 overs, Punjab had a revised target of 125 in 13 overs after DLS meathod was applied.

A sharp spell of shower halted play for 95 minutes.

The 'Universal Boss' Chris Gayle completed a hat-trick of half-centuries with an unbeaten 62 from 38 balls that had five fours and six sixes.

Helping him at other end was opener KL Rahul who slammed 60 runs off only 27 balls.

Having scored the fastest half-century in IPL, Rahul once again underlined his credentials as an opener in shortest format with nine fours and two sixes.

With this win, Punjab climbed to the top of the table with eight points from five games.&nbsp

Before rain interrupted the play, Punjab were 96 for no loss in 8.2 overs, 31 runs ahead of the DLS par score.&nbsp

Earlier, Kolkata's big-hitter Andre Russell was taken off in the fourth over after he seemed to have aggravated his already troubled hamstring.

Earlier, Chris Lynn, who has had a quiet time so far, got into his groove in his 74 off 41 balls en route to his maiden half-century in this IPL to lift Kolkata to a challenging 191/7.&nbsp

A sharp spell of shower halted play for 95 minutes.

R Ashwin's Punjab outclassed Kolkata by nine wickets in a rain-hit IPL encounter at Eden Gardens on Saturday. While Kolkata scored a competitive 191 for 7 in 20 overs, Punjab had a revised target of 125 in 13 overs after DLS meathod was applied. A sharp spell of shower halted play for 95 minutes. The 'Universal Boss' Chris Gayle completed a hat-trick of half-centuries with an unbeaten 62 from 38 balls that had five fours and six sixes. Helping him at other end was opener KL Rahul who slammed 60 runs off only 27 balls. Having scored the fastest half-century in IPL, Rahul once again underlined his credentials as an opener in shortest format with nine fours and two sixes. With this win, Punjab climbed to the top of the table with eight points from five games. Before rain interrupted the play, Punjab were 96 for no loss in 8.2 overs, 31 runs ahead of the DLS par score. Earlier, Kolkata's big-hitter Andre Russell was taken off in the fourth over after he seemed to have aggravated his already troubled hamstring. Earlier, Chris Lynn, who has had a quiet time so far, got into his groove in his 74 off 41 balls en route to his maiden half-century in this IPL to lift Kolkata to a challenging 191/7.

IPL 2018: Gayle, Rahul power Punjab to the top, beat Kolkata by 9 wickets

Opener Chris Lynn single-handedly gave Kolkata a brilliant start in their clash against Punjab at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Lynn smashed 41-ball 74 to help his team set a target of 192 runs. His innings included six fours and four sixes, before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye.

Robin Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik took the responsibility on their shoulders to help Kolkata set a decent target.

While Uthappa contributed 34 of 23 balls, Karthik made 43 runs off 28 balls.&nbsp

For Punjab, bowlers Barinder Sran and Andrew Tye took two wickets each while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Ravichandran Ashwin had one each.

Earlier, Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl.

After winning the toss, Ashwin said, "We are going to bowl first. This is sort of a fortress for the Kolkata and we will try to restrict them to a decent total."

There is just one change in Punjab's squad, Ankit Rajpoot has replaced Mohit Sharma.

For Kolkata, there is not any change in the playing XI.

Dinesh Karthik said, "Looks a good wicket and it will remain same. We have made no changes. It's been a good start and it's important we stay consistent."

Lynn smashed 41-ball 74 to help his team set a target of 192 runs.

Opener Chris Lynn single-handedly gave Kolkata a brilliant start in their clash against Punjab at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. Lynn smashed 41-ball 74 to help his team set a target of 192 runs. His innings included six fours and four sixes, before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye. Robin Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik took the responsibility on their shoulders to help Kolkata set a decent target. While Uthappa contributed 34 of 23 balls, Karthik made 43 runs off 28 balls. For Punjab, bowlers Barinder Sran and Andrew Tye took two wickets each while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Ravichandran Ashwin had one each. Earlier, Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl. After winning the toss, Ashwin said, "We are going to bowl first. This is sort of a fortress for the Kolkata and we will try to restrict them to a decent total." There is just one change in Punjab's squad, Ankit Rajpoot has replaced Mohit Sharma. For Kolkata, there is not any change in the playing XI. Dinesh Karthik said, "Looks a good wicket and it will remain same. We have made no changes. It's been a good start and it's important we stay consistent."

IPL 2018: Lynn, Karthik help Kolkata set 192 runs target

Ravichandran Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl at the Eden Gardens Stadium.&nbsp

After winning the toss, Ashwin said, "We are going to bowl first. This is sort of a fortress for the Kolkata and we will try to restrict them to a decent total."

There is just one change in Punjab's squad, Ankit Rajpoot has replaced Mohit Sharma.

For Kolkata, there is not any change in the playing XI.

Dinesh Karthik said, "Looks a good wicket and it will remain same. We have made no changes. It's been a good start and it's important we stay consistent."

Showers are expected at the Eden Gardens Stadium but let's hope it doesn't affect tonight's match.

Playing XI:

Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Ankit Rajpoot, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Tom Curran, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav

There is just one change in Punjab's squad, Ankit Rajpoot has replaced Mohit Sharma

Ravichandran Ashwin won the toss and opted to bowl at the Eden Gardens Stadium. After winning the toss, Ashwin said, "We are going to bowl first. This is sort of a fortress for the Kolkata and we will try to restrict them to a decent total." There is just one change in Punjab's squad, Ankit Rajpoot has replaced Mohit Sharma. For Kolkata, there is not any change in the playing XI. Dinesh Karthik said, "Looks a good wicket and it will remain same. We have made no changes. It's been a good start and it's important we stay consistent." Showers are expected at the Eden Gardens Stadium but let's hope it doesn't affect tonight's match. Playing XI: Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Ankit Rajpoot, Mujeeb Ur Rahman Kolkata: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Tom Curran, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav

IPL 2018: Ashwin opts to bowl against Kolkata

Kolkata take on Punjab at Eden Gardens. Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata is currently emerging as one of the top contenders for the IPL 2018 title. With a massive bowling strength, Kolkata has proved its abilities in batting department as well.

After Gautam Gambhir's ouster, it was doubtful that whether Dinesh Karthik will be able to fill Gambhir shoes or not, after all, Kolkata won twice under Gautam Gambhir's leadership. But I must say, Dinesh Karthik, who scored last ball sixer to win the Nidahas trophy against Bangladesh, has given his 100 per cent as Kolkata's skipper.

On the other hand, team Punjab is nowhere less than Kolkata. From the day of the auction, till the last game played, they have shown an intent of becoming a champion.

Players like KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal have given very important contributions to the team and also the middle order is quite settled Yuvraj Singh and Aaron Finch.

Let's not forget, even Kolkata also have a massive batting order of Kolkata, Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana and their star batsman, Andre Russell.

The clash is also very interesting as it will be a Russell vs Gayle match. Gayle hit an outstanding unbeaten century, which was also the first century of IPL 2018 and the other hand, Russell has played some splendid knock in the ongoing edition IPL.

Showers are expected at the Eden Gardens Stadium but let's hope it doesn't affect today's match.

Watch the preview here:

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Playing XI (TBC)

Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Tom Curran, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav

Punjab: Lokesh Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

IPL 2018: Match preview of Kolkata vs Punjab

Kolkata take on Punjab at Eden Gardens. Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata is currently emerging as one of the top contenders for the IPL 2018 title. With a massive bowling strength, Kolkata has proved its abilities in batting department as well. After Gautam Gambhir's ouster, it was doubtful that whether Dinesh Karthik will be able to fill Gambhir shoes or not, after all, Kolkata won twice under Gautam Gambhir's leadership. But I must say, Dinesh Karthik, who scored last ball sixer to win the Nidahas trophy against Bangladesh, has given his 100 per cent as Kolkata's skipper. On the other hand, team Punjab is nowhere less than Kolkata. From the day of the auction, till the last game played, they have shown an intent of becoming a champion. Players like KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal have given very important contributions to the team and also the middle order is quite settled Yuvraj Singh and Aaron Finch. Let's not forget, even Kolkata also have a massive batting order of Kolkata, Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana and their star batsman, Andre Russell. The clash is also very interesting as it will be a Russell vs Gayle match. Gayle hit an outstanding unbeaten century, which was also the first century of IPL 2018 and the other hand, Russell has played some splendid knock in the ongoing edition IPL. Showers are expected at the Eden Gardens Stadium but let's hope it doesn't affect today's match. Watch the preview here: × Playing XI (TBC) Kolkata: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Tom Curran, Piyush Chawla, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav Punjab: Lokesh Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and decided to bat first against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday.

"We are going to bat first. I would like to see them chase down a score. We have got a formidable batting line-up that can take on any bowling attack and we would like them to give a license to go out and express themselves," Ashwin said.

"We had a wonderful win in the last match and we would like to keep the momentum going. We are unchanged for this match," he added.

When asked about their strategy for today's game, Hyderabad skipper Williamson said, "There may be a little bit of dew factor in the second innings, so it's important we do the job. Both (their openers) are good players, exciting players, and it's important we execute our plans better."

The Hyderabad team has made one change in their team as they have replaced Jordan with Billy Stanlake.

Teams: 
Hyderabad (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Chris Jordan

Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hyderabad have replaced Jordan with Billy Stanlake

Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and decided to bat first against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday. "We are going to bat first. I would like to see them chase down a score. We have got a formidable batting line-up that can take on any bowling attack and we would like them to give a license to go out and express themselves," Ashwin said. "We had a wonderful win in the last match and we would like to keep the momentum going. We are unchanged for this match," he added. When asked about their strategy for today's game, Hyderabad skipper Williamson said, "There may be a little bit of dew factor in the second innings, so it's important we do the job. Both (their openers) are good players, exciting players, and it's important we execute our plans better." The Hyderabad team has made one change in their team as they have replaced Jordan with Billy Stanlake. Teams: Hyderabad (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Chris Jordan Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

IPL 2018: Punjab win toss, opt to bat against Hyderabad

Chris Gayle smashed the first century of IPL 2018 on Thursday against Hyderabad. He scored an unbeaten 104 runs off 63 balls at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.

'King' Gayle dedicated his outstanding innings to his daughter Krisallyna, he said, "A lot of people thought that I am old. Nothing to prove though. Wherever I go across the globe, just want to earn some respect. This one is dedicated to my daughter Krisallyna though it's her birthday tomorrow. So, yeah, this is for her. Tomorrow she will turn two and it's her second time in India. We're hoping to have a nice time. I am glad to score my century in just my second game at home, feels really good."

Gayle played at a strike rate of 165.08 and his knock included one four and eleven sixes. For his splendid knock, he was awarded 'Man of the Match' and while receiving the award he said, "I think Virender Sehwag saved the IPL by picking me."

After the match, Sehwag tweeted, "I saved the IPL by picking - @henrygayle" and Gayle retweet it with a "yes".

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I saved the IPL by picking - <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@henrygayle</a> ??.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/987041522825691137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Yes! <a href="https://t.co/avqfCTHfEY">https://t.co/avqfCTHfEY</a>
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle/status/987070097675005952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Not to forget, Chris Gayle was purchased in the concluding minutes of the second day of IPL 2018 auction which happened in January. He was ignored on the first and second day but in the third round when some of the franchises asked to bid again for few of the names and Chris Gayle was one of them. Then Virendra Sehwag -- owner of Punjab franchise -- bought his at his base price, INR 2 Cr.

Universal Boss dedicated his century to his daughter Krisallyna for her birthday and today he tweeted to wish her beautiful baby girl.

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Happy birthday my love krisallyna333 - 2nd birthday in India ?? ????Daddy wish you many more ❤️?❣️ <a href="https://t.co/AZgzFahc2l">https://t.co/AZgzFahc2l</a>
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygayle/status/987234651868712960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

While receiving the Man of the Match award, Chris Gayle said, "I think Virender Sehwag saved the IPL by picking me."

Chris Gayle smashed the first century of IPL 2018 on Thursday against Hyderabad. He scored an unbeaten 104 runs off 63 balls at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium. 'King' Gayle dedicated his outstanding innings to his daughter Krisallyna, he said, "A lot of people thought that I am old. Nothing to prove though. Wherever I go across the globe, just want to earn some respect. This one is dedicated to my daughter Krisallyna though it's her birthday tomorrow. So, yeah, this is for her. Tomorrow she will turn two and it's her second time in India. We're hoping to have a nice time. I am glad to score my century in just my second game at home, feels really good." Gayle played at a strike rate of 165.08 and his knock included one four and eleven sixes. For his splendid knock, he was awarded 'Man of the Match' and while receiving the award he said, "I think Virender Sehwag saved the IPL by picking me." After the match, Sehwag tweeted, "I saved the IPL by picking - @henrygayle" and Gayle retweet it with a "yes". I saved the IPL by picking - @henrygayle ??. — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 19, 2018 × Yes! https://t.co/avqfCTHfEY — Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) April 19, 2018 × Not to forget, Chris Gayle was purchased in the concluding minutes of the second day of IPL 2018 auction which happened in January. He was ignored on the first and second day but in the third round when some of the franchises asked to bid again for few of the names and Chris Gayle was one of them. Then Virendra Sehwag -- owner of Punjab franchise -- bought his at his base price, INR 2 Cr. Universal Boss dedicated his century to his daughter Krisallyna for her birthday and today he tweeted to wish her beautiful baby girl. Happy birthday my love krisallyna333 - 2nd birthday in India ?? ????Daddy wish you many more ❤️?❣️ https://t.co/AZgzFahc2l — Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) April 20, 2018 ×

Virender Sehwag saved the IPL by picking me: Chris Gayle

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle is 38 years old, but when he comes to bat, his strokes and the energy he possesses is of a 24-year-old boy, who has debuted recently and can play unpredictable shots.

Every time Gayle enters the ground, he managed to leave the audience stunned, either by hitting runs or by going back to pavilion on a duck.&nbsp

Going on a duck is more shocking for people than hitting big sixes and setting up a huge score single-handedly.

On Thursday, Chris Gayle scored his 21st T20 century and the first century of IPL 2018 as he made 104 runs off 62 balls for Punjab in Mohali.

Gayle, who plays for Punjab, played with caution in the beginning. to reach his half-century off 39 balls.&nbsp

The left-handed batsman was having trouble while running, but that proved more detrimental for Hyderabad as the big man dealt in sixes only.

In one over of spin wizard from Afghanistan Rashid Khan, who is touted to be as World No. 1 T20I bowler, Gayle smashed 4 sixes in a row.&nbsp And in Khan's previous over he smashed 2 consecutive sixes.&nbsp&nbsp

In Punjab's previous match, the colossal batsman smashed a 33-ball 66 and couldn't have had a better debut in this year's edition.&nbsp

If talked about his previous IPL records then the Jamaican cricketer holds the record of hitting the most sixes.&nbsp

In 103 matches of IPL, Gayle has smashed 280 sixes. He has 22 half-centuries and six centuries to his credit.&nbsp

His six centuries is another highest record the player has in his name.&nbspHe also holds the highest individual score record in the cash-rich tournament.&nbsp

The individual score of 175 not out off 66 balls for Bangalore and a century reached in 30 balls, Gayle set records for the fastest century reached in any format of cricket.

After seeing such record, who will believe that this 'run-machine' had no takers in the IPL auctions held in January.

He went unsold twice before Punjab and its management snatched up the whirlwind batsman aka 'Da Universe Boss' for his base price Rs 2 crore.

But as we say 'old is gold' and the sheer power and timing of Gayle's shots currently are, he is one of the most feared batsmen in international cricket.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

He scored first century of IPL 2018 against Hyderabad

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle is 38 years old, but when he comes to bat, his strokes and the energy he possesses is of a 24-year-old boy, who has debuted recently and can play unpredictable shots. Every time Gayle enters the ground, he managed to leave the audience stunned, either by hitting runs or by going back to pavilion on a duck. Going on a duck is more shocking for people than hitting big sixes and setting up a huge score single-handedly. On Thursday, Chris Gayle scored his 21st T20 century and the first century of IPL 2018 as he made 104 runs off 62 balls for Punjab in Mohali. Gayle, who plays for Punjab, played with caution in the beginning. to reach his half-century off 39 balls. The left-handed batsman was having trouble while running, but that proved more detrimental for Hyderabad as the big man dealt in sixes only. In one over of spin wizard from Afghanistan Rashid Khan, who is touted to be as World No. 1 T20I bowler, Gayle smashed 4 sixes in a row. And in Khan's previous over he smashed 2 consecutive sixes. In Punjab's previous match, the colossal batsman smashed a 33-ball 66 and couldn't have had a better debut in this year's edition. If talked about his previous IPL records then the Jamaican cricketer holds the record of hitting the most sixes. In 103 matches of IPL, Gayle has smashed 280 sixes. He has 22 half-centuries and six centuries to his credit. His six centuries is another highest record the player has in his name.&nbspHe also holds the highest individual score record in the cash-rich tournament. The individual score of 175 not out off 66 balls for Bangalore and a century reached in 30 balls, Gayle set records for the fastest century reached in any format of cricket. After seeing such record, who will believe that this 'run-machine' had no takers in the IPL auctions held in January. He went unsold twice before Punjab and its management snatched up the whirlwind batsman aka 'Da Universe Boss' for his base price Rs 2 crore. But as we say 'old is gold' and the sheer power and timing of Gayle's shots currently are, he is one of the most feared batsmen in international cricket.

Why IPL superstar Gayle is world's most valuable T20 player

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle on Thursday smashed the first century of Indian Premier League 2018 against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali.

Gayle brought his ton in only 58 balls to help Punjab surpass 150 runs and aim for 200 at the end of the 20 overs.

Supported by Karun Nair at the other end, Gayle innings included 11 sixes and one four.

"A lot of people thought that I am old. Nothing to prove though. Wherever I go across the globe, just want to earn some respect. This one is dedicated to my daughter Crisalina though; it's her birthday tomorrow. So, yeah, this is for her. Tomorrow she will turn two and it's her second time in India. We're hoping to have a nice time. I am glad to score my century in just my second game at home, feels really good," he said.

"Fantastic innings and I hope we can defend it. (On his work ethics with KXIP) Viru mentioned two good guys to me - the yoga guy and the massage guy, who help me stay flexible. Hopefully, I'll be able to touch my feet in a week's time," he added.

Nair contributed 31 runs off 21 balls before giving away his wicket to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The colossal batsman hit the most belligerent bowling line up in the eleventh season all around the park to bring up hundred.&nbsp;

With this century Gayle brought up his 6th IPL century.

Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and decided to bat first against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday.

"We are going to bat first. I would like to see them chase down a score. We have got a formidable batting line-up that can take on any bowling attack and we would like them to give a license to go out and express themselves," Ashwin said.

"We had a wonderful win in the last match and we would like to keep the momentum going. We are unchanged for this match," he added. 
&nbsp; 
Aaron Finch, who failed to open his account in both previous matches, made 14 runs off 6 balls to help Gayle set a decent total.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle on Thursday smashed the first century of Indian Premier League 2018 against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Gayle brought his ton in only 58 balls to help Punjab surpass 150 runs and aim for 200 at the end of the 20 overs. Supported by Karun Nair at the other end, Gayle innings included 11 sixes and one four. "A lot of people thought that I am old. Nothing to prove though. Wherever I go across the globe, just want to earn some respect. This one is dedicated to my daughter Crisalina though; it's her birthday tomorrow. So, yeah, this is for her. Tomorrow she will turn two and it's her second time in India. We're hoping to have a nice time. I am glad to score my century in just my second game at home, feels really good," he said. "Fantastic innings and I hope we can defend it. (On his work ethics with KXIP) Viru mentioned two good guys to me - the yoga guy and the massage guy, who help me stay flexible. Hopefully, I'll be able to touch my feet in a week's time," he added. Nair contributed 31 runs off 21 balls before giving away his wicket to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The colossal batsman hit the most belligerent bowling line up in the eleventh season all around the park to bring up hundred. With this century Gayle brought up his 6th IPL century. Punjab skipper R Ashwin won the toss and decided to bat first against Hyderabad at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday. "We are going to bat first. I would like to see them chase down a score. We have got a formidable batting line-up that can take on any bowling attack and we would like them to give a license to go out and express themselves," Ashwin said. "We had a wonderful win in the last match and we would like to keep the momentum going. We are unchanged for this match," he added. Aaron Finch, who failed to open his account in both previous matches, made 14 runs off 6 balls to help Gayle set a decent total.

Chris Gayle smashes first century of IPL 2018

Having a ball in IPL after three wins in a row, Hyderabad will face a stern test against the formidable Punjab line-up when the two teams clash at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday.

Ahead of the clash lets take a look at the players to watch out for in today's game

1) Chris Gayle: Gayle announced his arrival to the eleventh edition of the IPL in style. He scored a blistering 22-ball 50 on his debut for Punjab against Chennai in Mohali on Sunday. He did not stop there as he smashed a 33-ball-63 to end his innings. &nbsp;The Jamaican giant was almost ignored by all franchises in the auctions of IPL 2018 before KXIP stepped in bought him for his base price of INR 2 Crore.&nbsp;

2) Shikhar Dhawan: The Hyderabad opener is in the best of his form this season. He has not let the franchise feel the absence of their back-bone David Warner. The southpaw is the leading run scorer with 129 runs in 3 matches at an average of 64.5 and a strike rate of 140. With their middle order being shaky, Hyderabad will mostly rely on Dhawan and Williamson to score the bulk of the runs.&nbsp;

3) KL Rahul: After being roped in by Punjab for a whopping sum of Rs 11 Crore, KL Rahul slammed a fastest fifty of the IPL by registering a 14-ball fifty against Delhi in their season opener at Mohali. His performance has been sensational this season with his text-book yet stylish cricketing shots. The Karnataka batsman scored 135 runs in 3 matches with the strike rate of nearly 200 and at an average of 45.

4) Bhuvneshwar Kumar: The two-time purple cap holder hasn't been at his best this season, though he picked 4 wickets in 2 matches with an impressive economy of 7 for someone who bowls at the death.T hat shows the value he adds to the team. But his figures against Punjab were staggering as he picked up 7 wickets in 2 matches with an economy of 5.75 against them in the last season which also includes his career-best figures of 5/19.

5) Mujeeb Ur Rahman: The 17-year-old Afghanistan cricketer made headlines when he was snapped-up for a hefty price of Rs 4 crore by Punjab. Proving his worth, the wrist-spinner delivered a match-winning spell of 2/28 on his debut. His delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli is a testimony of his growing stature as a bowler. The youngster picked up 3 wickets in 3 matches thus far and his economy rate of 6.82 is the best for Punjab in this season. 
&nbsp;

Gayle announced his arrival to the eleventh edition of the IPL in style

Having a ball in IPL after three wins in a row, Hyderabad will face a stern test against the formidable Punjab line-up when the two teams clash at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday. Ahead of the clash lets take a look at the players to watch out for in today's game 1) Chris Gayle: Gayle announced his arrival to the eleventh edition of the IPL in style. He scored a blistering 22-ball 50 on his debut for Punjab against Chennai in Mohali on Sunday. He did not stop there as he smashed a 33-ball-63 to end his innings. The Jamaican giant was almost ignored by all franchises in the auctions of IPL 2018 before KXIP stepped in bought him for his base price of INR 2 Crore. 2) Shikhar Dhawan: The Hyderabad opener is in the best of his form this season. He has not let the franchise feel the absence of their back-bone David Warner. The southpaw is the leading run scorer with 129 runs in 3 matches at an average of 64.5 and a strike rate of 140. With their middle order being shaky, Hyderabad will mostly rely on Dhawan and Williamson to score the bulk of the runs. 3) KL Rahul: After being roped in by Punjab for a whopping sum of Rs 11 Crore, KL Rahul slammed a fastest fifty of the IPL by registering a 14-ball fifty against Delhi in their season opener at Mohali. His performance has been sensational this season with his text-book yet stylish cricketing shots. The Karnataka batsman scored 135 runs in 3 matches with the strike rate of nearly 200 and at an average of 45. 4) Bhuvneshwar Kumar: The two-time purple cap holder hasn't been at his best this season, though he picked 4 wickets in 2 matches with an impressive economy of 7 for someone who bowls at the death.T hat shows the value he adds to the team. But his figures against Punjab were staggering as he picked up 7 wickets in 2 matches with an economy of 5.75 against them in the last season which also includes his career-best figures of 5/19. 5) Mujeeb Ur Rahman: The 17-year-old Afghanistan cricketer made headlines when he was snapped-up for a hefty price of Rs 4 crore by Punjab. Proving his worth, the wrist-spinner delivered a match-winning spell of 2/28 on his debut. His delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli is a testimony of his growing stature as a bowler. The youngster picked up 3 wickets in 3 matches thus far and his economy rate of 6.82 is the best for Punjab in this season.

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

A video of Bollywood actress and IPL franchise Punjab's owner Preity Zinta went viral which showed her in a heated altercation with a section of crowd at Mohali during her team’s match against Chennai on April 15.

In the video, the actress can be seen angrily warning some people when she was distributing free Punjab t-shirts to fans.

Clearing her stand, Preity took to her Twitter handle to reveal the reason why she lost her cool.

She said that she saw two little girls being trampled by the crowd, which is why she asked people to move and give them space so they could breathe and not cry.

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2 little girls were being trampled by the crowd. I asked the people to move & give them space so they could breathe & not cry. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/safety?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#safety</a> Ting <a href="https://t.co/s7gEithlVP">https://t.co/s7gEithlVP</a>
— Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) <a href="https://twitter.com/realpreityzinta/status/986218044455309314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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On Sunday, the Kings XI Punjab defeated the Chennai Super Kings at home in their IPL 2018 encounter as Chris Gayle produced the goods with the bat and the Mohit Sharma held his nerve in the final over against a rampant MS Dhoni to help his side to the win.&nbsp

During the chase, Chennai lost their openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay cheaply before Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni steadied the ship.&nbsp

The wicketkeeper then launched an incredible attack which proved to be insufficient in the end.

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Dhoni was battling back pain but managed to take the match into last over with a brilliant knock of 79 runs off 44 balls. &nbsp 
&nbsp

In the video, the actress can be seen angrily warning some people

A video of Bollywood actress and IPL franchise Punjab's owner Preity Zinta went viral which showed her in a heated altercation with a section of crowd at Mohali during her team’s match against Chennai on April 15. In the video, the actress can be seen angrily warning some people when she was distributing free Punjab t-shirts to fans. Clearing her stand, Preity took to her Twitter handle to reveal the reason why she lost her cool. She said that she saw two little girls being trampled by the crowd, which is why she asked people to move and give them space so they could breathe and not cry. 2 little girls were being trampled by the crowd. I asked the people to move & give them space so they could breathe & not cry. #safety Ting https://t.co/s7gEithlVP — Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 17, 2018 × On Sunday, the Kings XI Punjab defeated the Chennai Super Kings at home in their IPL 2018 encounter as Chris Gayle produced the goods with the bat and the Mohit Sharma held his nerve in the final over against a rampant MS Dhoni to help his side to the win. During the chase, Chennai lost their openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay cheaply before Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni steadied the ship. The wicketkeeper then launched an incredible attack which proved to be insufficient in the end. × Dhoni was battling back pain but managed to take the match into last over with a brilliant knock of 79 runs off 44 balls.

Watch: Preity Zinta shouts at fans during Punjab's match against Chennai in IPL, reveals truth

R Ashwin's Punjab face a big challenge in the form of Hyderabad, who are yet to face a defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018.

Punjab defeated determined Chennai by mere four runs to give MS Dhoni his first loss in the tournament.&nbsp

Batsman Chris Gayle was mighty effective against Chennai at Mohali on Sunday, where he scored a blistering 63 runs from just 33 balls.

His innings included four sixes and seven fours. Considering that it was his first match in this year's IPL, he showed the world why he is still the most destructive in the world.&nbsp

His form was not less than a warning to other franchises to be aware of the Jamaican cricketer.

Gayle would be looking to continue his sublime form but his past record against Hyderabad in the previous editions, he hasn’t fared very well.&nbsp

He boasts of a strike-rate of 151.72 in nine innings, but has only managed to score 220 runs at an average of 24.44.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad is having a ball in the IPL. Their batsman are in terrific form. In the played three matches, either Shikhar Dhawan or skipper Kane Williamson have managed to stood up for the team in order to set a mammoth target.

The bowling attack of Hyderabad has been outstanding and is capable to deplete any batting attack.&nbsp

The visiting side is unlikely to tinker with the combination that has given them three wins.&nbsp

Sandeep Sharma only got a game against Mumbai Indians due to an injury to Bhuvneshar Kumar.

&nbspHowever, once the lead pacer was fit, Sandeep had to make way despite a good showing. SRH are likely to remain unchanged for the game.

Punjab, on the other hand, may bring Manoj Tiwary to replace Yuvraj Singh, who has looked off colour.&nbsp

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Aaron Finch's golden ducks in the last two matches notwithstanding, he's likely to get another run.

Hyderabad has won all their four games against Punjab in Mohali. The last six head-to-head encounters all went to Hyderabad.

The clash promises to be a high voltage encounter with both the team having 50 per cent chances to clinch the game.&nbsp

Punjab defeated determined Chennai by mere four runs

R Ashwin's Punjab face a big challenge in the form of Hyderabad, who are yet to face a defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. Punjab defeated determined Chennai by mere four runs to give MS Dhoni his first loss in the tournament. Batsman Chris Gayle was mighty effective against Chennai at Mohali on Sunday, where he scored a blistering 63 runs from just 33 balls. His innings included four sixes and seven fours. Considering that it was his first match in this year's IPL, he showed the world why he is still the most destructive in the world. His form was not less than a warning to other franchises to be aware of the Jamaican cricketer. Gayle would be looking to continue his sublime form but his past record against Hyderabad in the previous editions, he hasn’t fared very well. He boasts of a strike-rate of 151.72 in nine innings, but has only managed to score 220 runs at an average of 24.44. Meanwhile, Hyderabad is having a ball in the IPL. Their batsman are in terrific form. In the played three matches, either Shikhar Dhawan or skipper Kane Williamson have managed to stood up for the team in order to set a mammoth target. The bowling attack of Hyderabad has been outstanding and is capable to deplete any batting attack. The visiting side is unlikely to tinker with the combination that has given them three wins. Sandeep Sharma only got a game against Mumbai Indians due to an injury to Bhuvneshar Kumar. &nbspHowever, once the lead pacer was fit, Sandeep had to make way despite a good showing. SRH are likely to remain unchanged for the game. Punjab, on the other hand, may bring Manoj Tiwary to replace Yuvraj Singh, who has looked off colour. × Aaron Finch's golden ducks in the last two matches notwithstanding, he's likely to get another run. Hyderabad has won all their four games against Punjab in Mohali. The last six head-to-head encounters all went to Hyderabad. The clash promises to be a high voltage encounter with both the team having 50 per cent chances to clinch the game.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Hyderabad vs Punjab

Despite setting a mammoth target of 198 runs, Punjab struggled to defeat Chennai as it's skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni returned to form to smash former's bowlers.&nbsp;

Dhoni played a captain's innings to lead his team from the front and lost the match by just 4 runs.&nbsp;

The wicketkeeper-batsman remained unbeaten at 79 runs to reach 193, just 5 runs short of victory. &nbsp;

His 44 balls innings included 6 fours and five sixes. &nbsp;This is Dhoni's highest total in the Indian Premier League.

Apart from him, Ambati Rayudu was the second top scorer for Chennai.

At a point, Rayudu's batting had almost taken the match away from Punjab.

But the hitter lost his wicket after he was run-out by Punjab captain Ashwin.

During Punjab innings, Chris Gayle ended his wait to bat in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) in style as he smashed a 22-ball half-century to give Punjab a rollicking start.

Gayle's 63 off 33 balls helped Punjab set 198 runs target after they were put in to bat by Chennai at home in Mohali.

The Jamaican then unleashed himself against the veteran Indian offspinner Harbhajan Singh's second over in which he hit him for 11 runs in 3 balls, including a four and a six.

In the last Powerplay over bowled by Chahar, Gayle cut loose after his opening partner KL Rahul gave the West Indian strike with a single off the first ball. The next five balls read 6, 4, 4, 1wd, 6, 0.&nbsp;

His innings included seven fours and four sixes.&nbsp;

To support Gayle was opener KL Rahul, who fashioned victory by smashing fastest ever IPL fifty.

Rahul played a superb 22 ball 37 run knock to give a decent start to the team. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Other than the two, the middle and lower order batsmen failed to contribute much.

While Yuvraj was sent back to the pavilion after making just 20 runs, Aaron finch again failed to open his account after being LBW by Tahir.

MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to field first against Ashwin-led Punjab.&nbsp;

Chennai, on the other hand, have clinched wins from the clutches of their opponents twice now, and they will want to put in a much improved performance.&nbsp;

Against Mumbai, Bravo’s end-overs pyrotechnics took them across the line. While against Kolkata, it was Sam Billings who did the rescue job.&nbsp;

Ambati Rayudu was the second top scorer for Chennai.

Despite setting a mammoth target of 198 runs, Punjab struggled to defeat Chennai as it's skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni returned to form to smash former's bowlers. Dhoni played a captain's innings to lead his team from the front and lost the match by just 4 runs. The wicketkeeper-batsman remained unbeaten at 79 runs to reach 193, just 5 runs short of victory. His 44 balls innings included 6 fours and five sixes. This is Dhoni's highest total in the Indian Premier League. Apart from him, Ambati Rayudu was the second top scorer for Chennai. At a point, Rayudu's batting had almost taken the match away from Punjab. But the hitter lost his wicket after he was run-out by Punjab captain Ashwin. During Punjab innings, Chris Gayle ended his wait to bat in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) in style as he smashed a 22-ball half-century to give Punjab a rollicking start. Gayle's 63 off 33 balls helped Punjab set 198 runs target after they were put in to bat by Chennai at home in Mohali. The Jamaican then unleashed himself against the veteran Indian offspinner Harbhajan Singh's second over in which he hit him for 11 runs in 3 balls, including a four and a six. In the last Powerplay over bowled by Chahar, Gayle cut loose after his opening partner KL Rahul gave the West Indian strike with a single off the first ball. The next five balls read 6, 4, 4, 1wd, 6, 0. His innings included seven fours and four sixes. To support Gayle was opener KL Rahul, who fashioned victory by smashing fastest ever IPL fifty. Rahul played a superb 22 ball 37 run knock to give a decent start to the team. Other than the two, the middle and lower order batsmen failed to contribute much. While Yuvraj was sent back to the pavilion after making just 20 runs, Aaron finch again failed to open his account after being LBW by Tahir. MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to field first against Ashwin-led Punjab. Chennai, on the other hand, have clinched wins from the clutches of their opponents twice now, and they will want to put in a much improved performance. Against Mumbai, Bravo’s end-overs pyrotechnics took them across the line. While against Kolkata, it was Sam Billings who did the rescue job.

IPL 2018: In last-over thriller, Chennai lose to Punjab by 4 runs

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai, who have had a four-day break since their thrilling win in Chennai, will today take on Punjab, who lost to Bangalore in their most-recent outing.

Punjab have one win and one loss so far. Despite the loss, one expects they will not make too many changes to the team that took the field on Friday night.&nbsp

The team got off to a blazing start, but suffered setbacks after losing wickets in clusters that’s something they will try to avoid.

Chennai, on the other hand, have clinched wins from the clutches of their opponents twice now, and they will want to put in a much improved performance.&nbsp

Against Mumbai, Bravo’s end-overs pyrotechnics took them across the line. While against Kolkata, it was Sam Billings who did the rescue job.&nbsp

Chennai have been forced to reorganise first Kedar Jadhav suffered an injury and was ruled out of the rest of the season, and now Suresh Raina has been ruled out for at least two matches.&nbsp

The injury to Raina could mean an opening for Murali Vijay – who is now fully fit and available for selection, and possibly a move down the order for Ambati Rayudu.

Chennai also have experienced players like Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu.&nbsp

The bowlers were under the pump in the previous game but that was on a track that offered them little and the team would rather dwell on the better bowling performance against Punjab.

Punjab, on the other hand, have been well-served by the spin duo of Ashwin and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who have picked up key wickets and have also helped in the containment bit.

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Yuvraj Singh's form remains a concern for the team while Mayank Agarwal hasn't been able to replicate his tremendous domestic success. &nbsp

Giving a chance to Chris Gayle may work for the Punjab side.

So overall, Chennai does have an upper hand over Punjab.&nbsp

Probable XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Karun Nair, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.&nbsp

Probable XI: Shane Watson, Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c), Sam Billings, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai, who have had a four-day break since their thrilling win in Chennai, will today take on Punjab, who lost to Bangalore in their most-recent outing. Punjab have one win and one loss so far. Despite the loss, one expects they will not make too many changes to the team that took the field on Friday night. The team got off to a blazing start, but suffered setbacks after losing wickets in clusters that’s something they will try to avoid. Chennai, on the other hand, have clinched wins from the clutches of their opponents twice now, and they will want to put in a much improved performance. Against Mumbai, Bravo’s end-overs pyrotechnics took them across the line. While against Kolkata, it was Sam Billings who did the rescue job. Chennai have been forced to reorganise first Kedar Jadhav suffered an injury and was ruled out of the rest of the season, and now Suresh Raina has been ruled out for at least two matches. The injury to Raina could mean an opening for Murali Vijay – who is now fully fit and available for selection, and possibly a move down the order for Ambati Rayudu. Chennai also have experienced players like Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu. The bowlers were under the pump in the previous game but that was on a track that offered them little and the team would rather dwell on the better bowling performance against Punjab. Punjab, on the other hand, have been well-served by the spin duo of Ashwin and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who have picked up key wickets and have also helped in the containment bit. × Yuvraj Singh's form remains a concern for the team while Mayank Agarwal hasn't been able to replicate his tremendous domestic success. Giving a chance to Chris Gayle may work for the Punjab side. So overall, Chennai does have an upper hand over Punjab. Probable XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Karun Nair, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Probable XI: Shane Watson, Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c), Sam Billings, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Chennai vs Punjab

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team defeated Punjab in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League on Friday night by four wickets.

This is&nbsp;Bangalore's first victory since the IPL 2018 commenced.

Bollywood's leading actress Anushka Sharma visited Chinnaswamy Stadium to support her husband and his&nbsp;team.

Bangalore have lost its first clash against Kolkata&nbsp;at the Eden Gardens Stadium on April 8.

It seems that the lady luck and the fanatic followers at Chinnaswamy Stadium worked for the Bangalore team.

Watch Anushka Sharma cheering for Banglore team:

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(video) Here is the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/virushka?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#virushka</a> moment .. 
Look at Anushka's happiness ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/AnushkaSharma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnushkaSharma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKXIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> <a href="https://t.co/HiVqPzKFaj">pic.twitter.com/HiVqPzKFaj</a>
— Nayana (@im_nayana18) <a href="https://twitter.com/im_nayana18/status/984826099237453824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Picture and Moment of The Day For me from Today RCB Match ? Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma Is giving us Major Couple Goals ? MashaAllah Dono Kee Jodi Salamat aur khush Rahey Hamesha Ameen ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKXIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKXIP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/GxkW8sbxOt">pic.twitter.com/GxkW8sbxOt</a>
— Shehryar Khan (@Pathan_007_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pathan_007_/status/984852032501833729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Anushka cheering for RCB ??❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvKXIP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvKXIP</a> <a href="https://t.co/T10NX81RTa">pic.twitter.com/T10NX81RTa</a>
— Sowmya (@SowmyaVirat18) <a href="https://twitter.com/SowmyaVirat18/status/984816629484683265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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AB de Villiers played a mind-blowing innings to bring Bangalore back into the game after they had almost lost their second IPL match to Punjab on Friday.&nbsp;

The South African hitter smashed 57 runs off 39 balls before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye.

Needing 41 off 4 overs, Bangalore squeezed 19 runs off Mujeeb's final over which proved to be a crucial factor in the game.

Bollywood's leading actress Anushka Sharma visited Chinnaswamy Stadium to watch and support Bangalore team.

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore team defeated Punjab in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League on Friday night by four wickets. This is Bangalore's first victory since the IPL 2018 commenced. Bollywood's leading actress Anushka Sharma visited Chinnaswamy Stadium to support her husband and his team. Bangalore have lost its first clash against Kolkata at the Eden Gardens Stadium on April 8. It seems that the lady luck and the fanatic followers at Chinnaswamy Stadium worked for the Bangalore team. Watch Anushka Sharma cheering for Banglore team: (video) Here is the #virushka moment .. Look at Anushka's happiness ?? @AnushkaSharma @imVkohli #RCBvKXIP @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/HiVqPzKFaj — Nayana (@im_nayana18) April 13, 2018 × Picture and Moment of The Day For me from Today RCB Match ? Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma Is giving us Major Couple Goals ? MashaAllah Dono Kee Jodi Salamat aur khush Rahey Hamesha Ameen ? #RCBvKXIP #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/GxkW8sbxOt — Shehryar Khan (@Pathan_007_) April 13, 2018 × Anushka cheering for RCB ??❤️#RCBvKXIP pic.twitter.com/T10NX81RTa — Sowmya (@SowmyaVirat18) April 13, 2018 × AB de Villiers played a mind-blowing innings to bring Bangalore back into the game after they had almost lost their second IPL match to Punjab on Friday. The South African hitter smashed 57 runs off 39 balls before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye. Needing 41 off 4 overs, Bangalore squeezed 19 runs off Mujeeb's final over which proved to be a crucial factor in the game.

'Lady luck' works for Virat, Bangalore registers its first win in Anushka's presence

Washington Sundar gave Virat Kohli his first win in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018.&nbsp;Sundar smashed a four to Mohit Sharma to defeat Punjab by four wickets.&nbsp;

This is Bangalore's first win since the eleventh edition of IPL commenced.&nbsp;

Earlier, AB de Villiers played a mind-blowing innings to bring Bangalore back into the game after they had almost lost their second IPL match to Punjab on Friday. &nbsp;

The South African hitter smashed 57 runs off 39 balls before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye.&nbsp;

Needing 41 off 4 overs, Bangalore squeezed 19 runs off Mujeeb's final over which proved to be a crucial factor in the game

Earlier, Skipper Ashwin removed de Kock and Sarfraz off consecutive deliveries in the 12th over to bring Punjab back into the game.

Bangalore bowlers on Friday dismissed Punjab for just 155 runs in the 8th match of the Indian Premier League 2018.&nbsp;

Umesh Yadav took three wickets while Woakes, Khejroliya and Sundar claimed two wickets each to restrict Punjab to a low score.

However, Yuzvendra Chahal turned out to be costlier for Bangalore as he took just one wicket after bowling four overs and giving away 38 runs.

For Punjab, KL Rahul again performed above par to give its team a good start. &nbsp;he gave away his wicket just three runs short to half-century.

Rahul scored 47 off just 30 balls which included 2 fours and 4 sixes.&nbsp;

Skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the second top scorer for Punjab. he contributed 33 runs at a very crucial time when the team was reeling under crises.

Aaron Finch, who replaced David Miller, failed to open his account.

Even Yuvraj Singh failed to score any runs and gave away his wicket after making just 4 runs. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL. 
&nbsp; 
talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss."&nbsp;

"Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added.

"The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded.

Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies.

Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure."

"We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said.

Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

Sundar smashed a four to Mohit Sharma to defeat Punjab by four wickets.

Washington Sundar gave Virat Kohli his first win in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. Sundar smashed a four to Mohit Sharma to defeat Punjab by four wickets. This is Bangalore's first win since the eleventh edition of IPL commenced. Earlier, AB de Villiers played a mind-blowing innings to bring Bangalore back into the game after they had almost lost their second IPL match to Punjab on Friday. The South African hitter smashed 57 runs off 39 balls before giving away his wicket to Andrew Tye. Needing 41 off 4 overs, Bangalore squeezed 19 runs off Mujeeb's final over which proved to be a crucial factor in the game Earlier, Skipper Ashwin removed de Kock and Sarfraz off consecutive deliveries in the 12th over to bring Punjab back into the game. Bangalore bowlers on Friday dismissed Punjab for just 155 runs in the 8th match of the Indian Premier League 2018. Umesh Yadav took three wickets while Woakes, Khejroliya and Sundar claimed two wickets each to restrict Punjab to a low score. However, Yuzvendra Chahal turned out to be costlier for Bangalore as he took just one wicket after bowling four overs and giving away 38 runs. For Punjab, KL Rahul again performed above par to give its team a good start. he gave away his wicket just three runs short to half-century. Rahul scored 47 off just 30 balls which included 2 fours and 4 sixes. Skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the second top scorer for Punjab. he contributed 33 runs at a very crucial time when the team was reeling under crises. Aaron Finch, who replaced David Miller, failed to open his account. Even Yuvraj Singh failed to score any runs and gave away his wicket after making just 4 runs. Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL. talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss." "Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added. "The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded. Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies. Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure." "We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said. Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

IPL 2018: AB de Villiers, Umesh star in Bangalore's home win against Punjab

Bangalore bowlers on Friday dismissed Punjab for just 155 runs in the 8th match of the Indian Premier League 2018.&nbsp

Umesh Yadav took three wickets while Woakes, Khejroliya and Sundar claimed two wickets each to restrict Punjab to a low score.

However, Yuzvendra Chahal turned out to be costlier for Bangalore as he took just one wicket after bowling four overs and giving away 38 runs.

For Punjab, KL Rahul again performed above par to give its team a good start. &nbsphe gave away his wicket just three runs short to half-century.

Rahul scored 47 off just 30 balls which included 2 fours and 4 sixes.&nbsp

Skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the second top scorer for Punjab. he contributed 33 runs at a very crucial time when the team was reeling under crises.

Aaron Finch, who replaced David Miller, failed to open his account.

Even Yuvraj Singh failed to score any runs and gave away his wicket after making just 4 runs. &nbsp&nbsp

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL.

Talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss."&nbsp

"Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added.

"The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded.

Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies.

Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure."

"We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said.

Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

Bangalore bowlers on Friday dismissed Punjab for just 155 runs in the 8th match of the Indian Premier League 2018. Umesh Yadav took three wickets while Woakes, Khejroliya and Sundar claimed two wickets each to restrict Punjab to a low score. However, Yuzvendra Chahal turned out to be costlier for Bangalore as he took just one wicket after bowling four overs and giving away 38 runs. For Punjab, KL Rahul again performed above par to give its team a good start. &nbsphe gave away his wicket just three runs short to half-century. Rahul scored 47 off just 30 balls which included 2 fours and 4 sixes. Skipper Ravichandran Ashwin was the second top scorer for Punjab. he contributed 33 runs at a very crucial time when the team was reeling under crises. Aaron Finch, who replaced David Miller, failed to open his account. Even Yuvraj Singh failed to score any runs and gave away his wicket after making just 4 runs. Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL. Talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss." "Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added. "The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded. Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies. Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure." "We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said. Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

IPL 2018: Bangalore bowl Punjab out for 155

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL. 
&nbsp 
talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss."&nbsp

"Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added.

"The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded.

Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies.

Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure."

"We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said.

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Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

Teams: 
Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Bangalore (Playing XI): Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh, Chris Woakes, Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground

Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli on Friday won the toss and decided to bowl against Ashwin-led Punjab in their second match of the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli and corp are playing at their home ground and will be eying to open their account in IPL. talking about his strategy for today, Kohli said, "We are gonna have a bowl. I think the crowd thinks the match is decided on the basis of toss." "Looks like this pitch is back to normal, hence the decision to bowl first. It's the same team that played last match. It's good to be back here and the crowd looks excited like always," he added. "The aim of any good side in the tournament is to play well at home, hopefully we do that," the skipper concluded. Punjab, on the other hand, will be entering the ground to continue their winning momentum as they have a strong batting line-up to counter Bangalore's strategies. Talking about the same, Ashwin said, "I think it's important to start well and put up a par score. It's very important to have wickets in hand while batting first. I think we have enough bowling ammunations to put them under pressure." "We have one team change, Finch comes in the place for Miller. He deserves to come in the team right away," he further said. × Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs. Teams: Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman Bangalore (Playing XI): Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh, Chris Woakes, Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

IPL 2018: Virat Kohli wins toss, to bowl against Punjab

The 8th match of IPL will be played between Virat Kohli-led Bangalore and R Ashwin-led Punjab.&nbsp;

Both sides have two of the strongest squads in the tournament but have begun their respective campaigns on contrasting notes. While Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs.

As Bangalore will be eye to open their account, Punjab will fight to continue their winning momentum.&nbsp;

So, let's take a look at the players to watch out for in today's game.&nbsp;

Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers: The two players were the top scorers for Bangalore in their opening match against Kolkata. While McCullum made 43 runs, de Villers smashed 44 off 27 and 23 balls respectively. The two players are in good form and can deplete the Punjab bowling attack.

Virat Kohli:&nbsp;The Bangalore skipper who was a bit rusty and slow in his innings against Kolkata needs that one innings to get into full flow. After playing the second fiddle in the opening match by scoring just 31 of 33 balls, Kohli will look to have a better outing against Punjab to open their account in the eleventh edition of IPL.

Yuzvendra Chahal: The M.Chinnaswamy Stadium is known to a be a deathbed for bowlers in general- flat pitches, small grounds to go with the big bats. However, Yuzvendra Chahal has managed to make his mark. He is the go-to bowler for Virat Kohli. Though he had an ordinary start to this IPL, he is sure to bounce back against Punjab. The visitors will have to be wary of his spin and control.&nbsp;

KL Rahul: Punjab's KL Rahul had an impressive start to the new edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). The right-handed batsman made history by scoring the fastest fifty in IPL. He took just 14 balls to reach his half-century. his innings reflected his striking capabilities as the player was only considered an option in Indian Cricket team and that too for Test cricket. Bangalore would be wary of this batsman who is sure to put on an unpredictable performance.

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Karun Nair: Apart from KL Rahul, Karun Nair also played a splendid knock of 33-ball fifty to help Punjab register their first win against Delhi. But what makes him the dangerous player for today is his experience at the ground. Nair learned his game in the Chinnaswamy stadium and is well aware of the ground and its conditions. His knowledge will give an advantage to Punjab to claim their second win in IPL.&nbsp;

Chris Gayle: The 'run-machine' Gayle is expected to make his debut for the eleventh edition of IPL today against Bangalore. And if he does then Bangalore surely must plan out a way to send him back to the pavilion soon. If given time to settle, Gayle can destroy any bowling line and can take the franchise to victory single-handedly.&nbsp;

Both sides have two of the strongest squads in the tournament

The 8th match of IPL will be played between Virat Kohli-led Bangalore and R Ashwin-led Punjab. Both sides have two of the strongest squads in the tournament but have begun their respective campaigns on contrasting notes. While Punjab defeated Delhi in their tournament opener, Bangalore lost to the Kolkata in theirs. As Bangalore will be eye to open their account, Punjab will fight to continue their winning momentum. So, let's take a look at the players to watch out for in today's game. Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers: The two players were the top scorers for Bangalore in their opening match against Kolkata. While McCullum made 43 runs, de Villers smashed 44 off 27 and 23 balls respectively. The two players are in good form and can deplete the Punjab bowling attack. Virat Kohli: The Bangalore skipper who was a bit rusty and slow in his innings against Kolkata needs that one innings to get into full flow. After playing the second fiddle in the opening match by scoring just 31 of 33 balls, Kohli will look to have a better outing against Punjab to open their account in the eleventh edition of IPL. Yuzvendra Chahal: The M.Chinnaswamy Stadium is known to a be a deathbed for bowlers in general- flat pitches, small grounds to go with the big bats. However, Yuzvendra Chahal has managed to make his mark. He is the go-to bowler for Virat Kohli. Though he had an ordinary start to this IPL, he is sure to bounce back against Punjab. The visitors will have to be wary of his spin and control. KL Rahul: Punjab's KL Rahul had an impressive start to the new edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). The right-handed batsman made history by scoring the fastest fifty in IPL. He took just 14 balls to reach his half-century. his innings reflected his striking capabilities as the player was only considered an option in Indian Cricket team and that too for Test cricket. Bangalore would be wary of this batsman who is sure to put on an unpredictable performance. × Karun Nair: Apart from KL Rahul, Karun Nair also played a splendid knock of 33-ball fifty to help Punjab register their first win against Delhi. But what makes him the dangerous player for today is his experience at the ground. Nair learned his game in the Chinnaswamy stadium and is well aware of the ground and its conditions. His knowledge will give an advantage to Punjab to claim their second win in IPL. Chris Gayle: The 'run-machine' Gayle is expected to make his debut for the eleventh edition of IPL today against Bangalore. And if he does then Bangalore surely must plan out a way to send him back to the pavilion soon. If given time to settle, Gayle can destroy any bowling line and can take the franchise to victory single-handedly.

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

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore on Friday will face rejuvenated Punjab in their second encounter in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

Bangalore, who will be playing at their home ground - M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, will be keen to open their account after being defeated in their opening match against Kolkata.

The IPL franchise got a few tactics wrong in that match and they will not want to repeat those mistakes.

Punjab will feature three Karnataka players in their line-up, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair. These three represent Karnataka in the Indian domestic circuit and have a fairly better idea of the Bengaluru wicket.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock and Chris Woakes add to Bangalore's firepower, making their batting line-up look top class.

In bowling, Bangalore spinners had a terrible day on the field in their opening fixture as both Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar were milked for runs.

Among the pacers, only Umesh Yadav and Chris Woakes made an impact and with only five bowling options to choose from, this will be a concern for skipper Virat Kohli.

Th team also kept losing wickets in the middle overs against Kolkata and arresting the fall of wickets at regular intervals is something that needs to be addressed.

Meanwhile, Punjab seem a lot more balanced but one area that they will be looking at is to stop leaking runs in the powerplay and the death overs.

Bangalore's line-up features some of the biggest strikers of the game and it is imperative that the inexperienced seamers get their line and lengths right.

There will be several players to watch out for in today's match.

The franchise will have high expectation from KL Rahul, who scored the fastest-fifty in the IPL history.

Then, middle-order batsman Karun Nair who also impressed everyone with his 33-ball fifty.

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The other player to watch out for is Punjab's mystery spinner- Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who became the youngest to play in the IPL and took two wickets against Delhi.

Further, if Chris Gayle opens the batting then his knowledge of the conditions might well make him the deadliest in the lineup.

The toss also plays an important role as four of the last five T20 matches played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have been won by the side that has bowled first.

Virat Kohli-led team will be keen to open their account in the eleventh edition of IPL

Virat Kohli-led Bangalore on Friday will face rejuvenated Punjab in their second encounter in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Bangalore, who will be playing at their home ground - M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, will be keen to open their account after being defeated in their opening match against Kolkata. The IPL franchise got a few tactics wrong in that match and they will not want to repeat those mistakes. Punjab will feature three Karnataka players in their line-up, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair. These three represent Karnataka in the Indian domestic circuit and have a fairly better idea of the Bengaluru wicket. On the other hand, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock and Chris Woakes add to Bangalore's firepower, making their batting line-up look top class. In bowling, Bangalore spinners had a terrible day on the field in their opening fixture as both Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar were milked for runs. Among the pacers, only Umesh Yadav and Chris Woakes made an impact and with only five bowling options to choose from, this will be a concern for skipper Virat Kohli. Th team also kept losing wickets in the middle overs against Kolkata and arresting the fall of wickets at regular intervals is something that needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, Punjab seem a lot more balanced but one area that they will be looking at is to stop leaking runs in the powerplay and the death overs. Bangalore's line-up features some of the biggest strikers of the game and it is imperative that the inexperienced seamers get their line and lengths right. There will be several players to watch out for in today's match. The franchise will have high expectation from KL Rahul, who scored the fastest-fifty in the IPL history. Then, middle-order batsman Karun Nair who also impressed everyone with his 33-ball fifty. × The other player to watch out for is Punjab's mystery spinner- Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who became the youngest to play in the IPL and took two wickets against Delhi. Further, if Chris Gayle opens the batting then his knowledge of the conditions might well make him the deadliest in the lineup. The toss also plays an important role as four of the last five T20 matches played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have been won by the side that has bowled first.

IPL 2018: Match preview of Bangalore vs Punjab

In a blow to Congress leader and Punjab minister&nbsp;Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab government has sought his conviction in the 1988 road rage case.

The lawyer appearing for the Punjab government told the apex court that Sidhu's denial of his involvement in the case was false.&nbsp;

The state government has appealed the Supreme Court to uphold the earlier 3-year imprisonment given to him by Punjab and the Haryana High Court.&nbsp;

While the victim's family has appealed to the Supreme Court to enhance the three years of imprisonment.

The case dates back to a road rage case of December 27, 1988 when Sidhu's vehicle had allegedly hit a 65-year-old&nbsp;person.

Sidhu and his co-accused&nbsp;were initially tried for murder but a trial court later acquitted Sidhu in September 1999.

Sidhu was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2007.

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1988 road rage case involving Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu: Victim family has appealed to the Supreme Court that earlier imprisonment sentence of 3 years given by Punjab & Haryana HC should be enhanced. Punjab government has appealed to the SC to uphold 3-year imprisonment.
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Punjab government seeks conviction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Punjab?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Punjab</a> Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage case. Lawyer appearing for the Punjab government told Supreme Court that the statement given by Sidhu denying his involvement in the case was false. (File pic) <a href="https://t.co/ELRMpwsZkA">pic.twitter.com/ELRMpwsZkA</a>
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&nbsp;

The lawyer appearing for the Punjab government told the apex court that Sidhu's denial of his involvement in the case was false

In a blow to Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab government has sought his conviction in the 1988 road rage case. The lawyer appearing for the Punjab government told the apex court that Sidhu's denial of his involvement in the case was false. The state government has appealed the Supreme Court to uphold the earlier 3-year imprisonment given to him by Punjab and the Haryana High Court. While the victim's family has appealed to the Supreme Court to enhance the three years of imprisonment. The case dates back to a road rage case of December 27, 1988 when Sidhu's vehicle had allegedly hit a 65-year-old person. Sidhu and his co-accused were initially tried for murder but a trial court later acquitted Sidhu in September 1999. Sidhu was granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2007. 1988 road rage case involving Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu: Victim family has appealed to the Supreme Court that earlier imprisonment sentence of 3 years given by Punjab & Haryana HC should be enhanced. Punjab government has appealed to the SC to uphold 3-year imprisonment. — ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2018 × Punjab government seeks conviction of #Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage case. Lawyer appearing for the Punjab government told Supreme Court that the statement given by Sidhu denying his involvement in the case was false. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/ELRMpwsZkA — ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2018 ×

Punjab government seeks Navjot Singh Sidhu's conviction in 30-year-old road rage case

Punjab got off to a winning start after beating Delhi at their opener in the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Mohali on Sunday.

Led-by new skipper R. Ashwin, Punjab successfully vanquished Gautam Gambhir's side by six wickets.

And the major credit of this win goes to talented KL Rahul who opened with Mayank Agarwal and slammed a 14-ball half century to clinch the fastest fifty tag.&nbsp

Their bright start to the tournament left owner Preity Zinta overjoyed as she took to social media to express her happiness. &nbsp

Taking to her Twitter handle, Zinta wrote, “When @ashwinravi99 leads, @klrahul11 sets a new record, @Mujeeb_Zadran debuts at 17, @karun126 packs a punch & I can’t stop smiling #ting.”

Meanwhile, opener KL Rahul credited run-machine Chris Gayle for giving him valuable advice which helped him smash the ball across the park in Mohali.&nbsp

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When <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> leads, <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@klrahul11</a> sets a new record, <a href="https://twitter.com/Mujeeb_Zadran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mujeeb_Zadran</a> debuts at 17, <a href="https://twitter.com/karun126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@karun126</a> packs a punch & I can’t stop smiling ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ting?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ting</a>? <a href="https://t.co/9DZZX9XwK0">pic.twitter.com/9DZZX9XwK0</a>
— Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) <a href="https://twitter.com/realpreityzinta/status/983246844166901760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rahul, who was purchased for Rs 11 crore at the IPL auction, said it’s important to forget this innings and move on to the coming games.

“I just went in there and I just took off. I didn’t plan this innings. I was just watching the ball and getting into good positions. It’s an opener’s responsibility to get the team off to a good start. Really happy that it came off today. I was striking the ball really well, but it’s important to forget this innings and move on to the coming games. I don’t want to be overconfident."

&nbsp"I have been branded as a Test cricketer for 4-5 years, so it’s good for me to be up there creating history and breaking the record (for the fastest IPL fifty),” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

The credit of this win goes to talented KL Rahul

Punjab got off to a winning start after beating Delhi at their opener in the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Mohali on Sunday. Led-by new skipper R. Ashwin, Punjab successfully vanquished Gautam Gambhir's side by six wickets. And the major credit of this win goes to talented KL Rahul who opened with Mayank Agarwal and slammed a 14-ball half century to clinch the fastest fifty tag. Their bright start to the tournament left owner Preity Zinta overjoyed as she took to social media to express her happiness. Taking to her Twitter handle, Zinta wrote, “When @ashwinravi99 leads, @klrahul11 sets a new record, @Mujeeb_Zadran debuts at 17, @karun126 packs a punch & I can’t stop smiling #ting.” Meanwhile, opener KL Rahul credited run-machine Chris Gayle for giving him valuable advice which helped him smash the ball across the park in Mohali. When @ashwinravi99 leads, @klrahul11 sets a new record, @Mujeeb_Zadran debuts at 17, @karun126 packs a punch & I can’t stop smiling ? #ting? pic.twitter.com/9DZZX9XwK0 — Preity zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 9, 2018 × Rahul, who was purchased for Rs 11 crore at the IPL auction, said it’s important to forget this innings and move on to the coming games. “I just went in there and I just took off. I didn’t plan this innings. I was just watching the ball and getting into good positions. It’s an opener’s responsibility to get the team off to a good start. Really happy that it came off today. I was striking the ball really well, but it’s important to forget this innings and move on to the coming games. I don’t want to be overconfident." "I have been branded as a Test cricketer for 4-5 years, so it’s good for me to be up there creating history and breaking the record (for the fastest IPL fifty),” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

Preity Zinta hails 'Punjabi Mundas' for winning start at IPL 2018

A woman's legs were brutally chopped off by her brothers over a property dispute in Khanewal city in Pakistan's Punjab province, a media report said today.

The woman, a local farm worker, had asked her brothers to give her share in an inherited property. When rejected, she had threatened to move the court, The News reported.

But before she could move the court, her brothers attacked her with axes and chopped off her legs, the paper said.

The woman was shifted to the district hospital Khanewal, but later transferred to Multan's Nishtar Hospital, where she is stated to be in a critical condition.

Police have started investigation and are conducting raids to arrest the accused.&nbsp 
&nbsp

The woman, a local farm worker, had asked for a share of the siblings' inherited property. When rejected, she had threatened to move court

A woman's legs were brutally chopped off by her brothers over a property dispute in Khanewal city in Pakistan's Punjab province, a media report said today. The woman, a local farm worker, had asked her brothers to give her share in an inherited property. When rejected, she had threatened to move the court, The News reported. But before she could move the court, her brothers attacked her with axes and chopped off her legs, the paper said. The woman was shifted to the district hospital Khanewal, but later transferred to Multan's Nishtar Hospital, where she is stated to be in a critical condition. Police have started investigation and are conducting raids to arrest the accused.

Brothers chop off sister's legs over property dispute in Pak's Punjab

Kolkata are always one of the teams to watch out for in the Indian Premier League. The team owned by Shah Rukh Khan always has some big names in the line-up, but that’s where its fans will be slightly disappointed as no big Indian players are in the team.&nbsp;

Let's take a look at the strength and weaknesses of the squad

Strengths

Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa will be the likely openers to give Kolkata a good start.&nbsp;

Sunil Narine is another player to be dependent as he is capable enough to clear the boundaries&nbsp;

Narine is Kolkata's biggest strength in bowling department also. He can take wickets in hard moments.

Dinesh Karthik and India U-19 stars Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi are the other performers of the franchise.&nbsp;

Weaknesses

There is over-reliance on young players

Karthik's inexperience in leading a side will also play an important role&nbsp;

The size of the squad is another worry as the franchise will be entering the ground with only 19 players.&nbsp;

Here is the complete squad of Kolkata&nbsp;

Venue: Eden Gardens 
 
Retained: 
Sunil Narine (12.5 cr) 
Andre Russell (8.5 cr) 
 
Purchased: 
Mitchell Starc (9.4 cr), Chris Lynn (9.6 cr), Dinesh Karthik (7.4 cr), Robin Uthappa (6.4 cr), Piyush Chawla (4.2 cr), Kuldeep Yadav (5.8 cr), Shubman Gill (1.8 cr), Ishank Jaggi (20 L), Kamlesh Nagarkotti (3.2 cr), Nitish Rana (3.4 cr), Vinay Kumar (1 cr), Apoorv Wankhade (20 L), Rinku Singh (80 L), Shivam Mavi (3 cr), Mitchell Johnson (2 cr), Javon Searles (30 L), Cameron Delport (30 L)

Dinesh Karthik will be leading the side after Gambhir's exit

Kolkata are always one of the teams to watch out for in the Indian Premier League. The team owned by Shah Rukh Khan always has some big names in the line-up, but that’s where its fans will be slightly disappointed as no big Indian players are in the team. Let's take a look at the strength and weaknesses of the squad Strengths Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa will be the likely openers to give Kolkata a good start. Sunil Narine is another player to be dependent as he is capable enough to clear the boundaries Narine is Kolkata's biggest strength in bowling department also. He can take wickets in hard moments. Dinesh Karthik and India U-19 stars Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi are the other performers of the franchise. Weaknesses There is over-reliance on young players Karthik's inexperience in leading a side will also play an important role The size of the squad is another worry as the franchise will be entering the ground with only 19 players. Here is the complete squad of Kolkata Venue: Eden Gardens Retained: Sunil Narine (12.5 cr) Andre Russell (8.5 cr) Purchased: Mitchell Starc (9.4 cr), Chris Lynn (9.6 cr), Dinesh Karthik (7.4 cr), Robin Uthappa (6.4 cr), Piyush Chawla (4.2 cr), Kuldeep Yadav (5.8 cr), Shubman Gill (1.8 cr), Ishank Jaggi (20 L), Kamlesh Nagarkotti (3.2 cr), Nitish Rana (3.4 cr), Vinay Kumar (1 cr), Apoorv Wankhade (20 L), Rinku Singh (80 L), Shivam Mavi (3 cr), Mitchell Johnson (2 cr), Javon Searles (30 L), Cameron Delport (30 L)

IPL 2018: Strengths and weaknesses of Kolkata

World-renowned Golden Temple, also known as Darbar Sahib, is undergoing gold plating work. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has undertaken the task to gold-plate the main entrance of the holy site.

The temple is covered with 24-karat gold.

The SGPC, earlier this month, introduced eco-friendly compostable carry bags for the distribution of 'Karah Parshad' at the Golden Temple. The move aimed at discouraging the use of polythene bags at the site.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

World-renowned Golden Temple, also known as Darbar Sahib, is undergoing gold plating work. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has undertaken the task to gold-plate the main entrance of the holy site. The temple is covered with 24-karat gold. The SGPC, earlier this month, introduced eco-friendly compostable carry bags for the distribution of 'Karah Parshad' at the Golden Temple. The move aimed at discouraging the use of polythene bags at the site. (With inputs from agencies)

Golden Temple's main entrance to get gold-plating

KL Rahul proved his worth of being bought at Rs 11 crore as the Punjab player smashed the fastest half-century against Delhi&nbsp;in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Let's take a look at top fastest half-centuries in the tournament's history.

1) KL Rahul: The top order batsman became the fastest player to notch up a half-century. He brought up the milestone in just 14 balls after hitting Delhi spinner Amit Mishra for plenty.&nbsp;

2) Sunil Narine: Narine is the player who previously held this record. as per reports. He smashed his half-century in just 15 balls in Bangalore in 2017 while playing for Kolkata.

3) Yusuf Pathan: Kolkata's Yusuf pathan had also taken 15 balls to slam a fifty against Hyderabad in Kolkata in 2014.

4) Suresh Raina: The leading run-scorer in IPL took just 16 balls to reach his half-century against Punjab in Mumbai in 2014.

5) &nbsp;Chris Gayle: The run-machine smashed the fastest T20 hundred off just 30 balls. &nbsp;However, he raced to a half-century in just 17 deliveries in 2013.

6) Adam Gilchrist: &nbsp;The former Australian cricketer also took 17 deliveries to slam the fastest half-century in 2009. 
&nbsp;

Narine is the player who previously held this record

KL Rahul proved his worth of being bought at Rs 11 crore as the Punjab player smashed the fastest half-century against Delhi in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL). Let's take a look at top fastest half-centuries in the tournament's history. 1) KL Rahul: The top order batsman became the fastest player to notch up a half-century. He brought up the milestone in just 14 balls after hitting Delhi spinner Amit Mishra for plenty. 2) Sunil Narine: Narine is the player who previously held this record. as per reports. He smashed his half-century in just 15 balls in Bangalore in 2017 while playing for Kolkata. 3) Yusuf Pathan: Kolkata's Yusuf pathan had also taken 15 balls to slam a fifty against Hyderabad in Kolkata in 2014. 4) Suresh Raina: The leading run-scorer in IPL took just 16 balls to reach his half-century against Punjab in Mumbai in 2014. 5) Chris Gayle: The run-machine smashed the fastest T20 hundred off just 30 balls. However, he raced to a half-century in just 17 deliveries in 2013. 6) Adam Gilchrist: The former Australian cricketer also took 17 deliveries to slam the fastest half-century in 2009.

IPL 2018: KL Rahul smashes fastest-ever IPL 50 off 14 balls

Punjab skipper R Ashwin on Sunday won the toss and opted to field first against Delhi in the second match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 in Mohali.

Both underachievers look to begin the T20 tournament on a winning note.&nbsp

"We will be fielding first. Playing the IPL, which is one of the marquee events, and I am very happy. We have a lot of international experience. It's a new start," Ashwin said.&nbsp

"A decade if IPL is gone by and the franchises are looking to build a new culture and that's where me and Hodge come in. We're playing Stoinis, Miller, Zadran and Tye as our four overseas players," he added.

It will be Ashwin's maiden stint as captain of an IPL team.&nbsp

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has also returned to his franchise Delhi after a successful stint with Kolkata in previous few seasons.&nbsp

Speaking on his homecoming, Gambhir said, "It's great coming back home. Hopefully we can turn it around. Hopefully all of us together can. It's just about trying to implement what we want to do on the field. We're playing Munro, Christian, Morris and Boult."

In the last 10 seasons of IPL, both the teams have failed to impress much near the playoffs and have empty cabinets after a decade.

Here's the full squad of two teams

Delhi Daredevils (Playing XI): Gautam Gambhir(c), Colin Munro, Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Chris Morris, Vijay Shankar, Daniel Christian, Rahul Tewatia, Amit Mishra, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami

Kings XI Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Yuvraj Singh, David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Both underachievers look to begin the T20 tournament on a winning note.

Punjab skipper R Ashwin on Sunday won the toss and opted to field first against Delhi in the second match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 in Mohali. Both underachievers look to begin the T20 tournament on a winning note. "We will be fielding first. Playing the IPL, which is one of the marquee events, and I am very happy. We have a lot of international experience. It's a new start," Ashwin said. "A decade if IPL is gone by and the franchises are looking to build a new culture and that's where me and Hodge come in. We're playing Stoinis, Miller, Zadran and Tye as our four overseas players," he added. It will be Ashwin's maiden stint as captain of an IPL team. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has also returned to his franchise Delhi after a successful stint with Kolkata in previous few seasons. Speaking on his homecoming, Gambhir said, "It's great coming back home. Hopefully we can turn it around. Hopefully all of us together can. It's just about trying to implement what we want to do on the field. We're playing Munro, Christian, Morris and Boult." In the last 10 seasons of IPL, both the teams have failed to impress much near the playoffs and have empty cabinets after a decade. Here's the full squad of two teams Delhi Daredevils (Playing XI): Gautam Gambhir(c), Colin Munro, Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Chris Morris, Vijay Shankar, Daniel Christian, Rahul Tewatia, Amit Mishra, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami Kings XI Punjab (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul(w), Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Yuvraj Singh, David Miller, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

IPL 2018: Punjab skipper Ashwin opts to field first against Delhi

Underachiever Punjab went for a star-studded squad to roar loud at the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The franchise has gone big on experience, especially in the batting department, making them the most dangerous side.

Let's take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Punjabi mundas

Strengths&nbsp

Punjab has a batting line up that can thrash any bowling setup, which includes run-machines like Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch and Yuvraj Singh.

KL Rahul, Manoj Tiwary, David Miller, Karun Nair further strengthen their batting order

The franchise has a powerful middle-order - David Miller and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis,&nbsp

It also posses a good pool of bowlers which include left Left-arm orthodox Axar Patel, veteran spinner R Ashwin and Australian pacer Andrew Tye

Weakness:

The absence of a proven glovesman will cost the franchise a lot.

They have just two keeping options in Aksdeep Nath and KL Rahul.&nbsp

Punjab lacks death bowlers. Apart from Tye, they have no other bowler with any experience in this T20 format.

The age of Yuvraj and Gayle has been at best inconsistent in the previous seasons. &nbsp

Here is the complete squad list&nbsp

Venue: IS Bindra Stadium 
 
Retained:

Axar Patel (12.5 cr) 
 
Purchased:

R Ashwin (7.6 cr), Yuvraj Singh (2 cr), Karun Nair (5.6 cr), KL Rahul (11 cr), David Miller (3 cr), Aaron Finch (6.2 cr), Marcus Stoinis (6.2 cr), Mayank Agarwal (1 cr), Ankit Rajpoot (3 cr), Manoj Tiwary (1 cr), Mohit Sharma (2.4 cr), Mujeeb Zadran (4 cr), Barinder Sran (2.2 cr), Andrew Tye (7.2 cr), Akshdeep Nath (1 cr), Ben Dwarshius (1.4 cr), Pardeep Sahu (20 L), Mayank Dagar (20 L), Chris Gayle (2 cr), Manzoor Dar (20 L)

​​​​​

Punjab in the IPL auctions got some solid buys including Miller, Gayle and Yuvraj

Underachiever Punjab went for a star-studded squad to roar loud at the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise has gone big on experience, especially in the batting department, making them the most dangerous side. Let's take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Punjabi mundas Strengths Punjab has a batting line up that can thrash any bowling setup, which includes run-machines like Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch and Yuvraj Singh. KL Rahul, Manoj Tiwary, David Miller, Karun Nair further strengthen their batting order The franchise has a powerful middle-order - David Miller and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, It also posses a good pool of bowlers which include left Left-arm orthodox Axar Patel, veteran spinner R Ashwin and Australian pacer Andrew Tye Weakness: The absence of a proven glovesman will cost the franchise a lot. They have just two keeping options in Aksdeep Nath and KL Rahul. Punjab lacks death bowlers. Apart from Tye, they have no other bowler with any experience in this T20 format. The age of Yuvraj and Gayle has been at best inconsistent in the previous seasons. Here is the complete squad list Venue: IS Bindra Stadium Retained: Axar Patel (12.5 cr) Purchased: R Ashwin (7.6 cr), Yuvraj Singh (2 cr), Karun Nair (5.6 cr), KL Rahul (11 cr), David Miller (3 cr), Aaron Finch (6.2 cr), Marcus Stoinis (6.2 cr), Mayank Agarwal (1 cr), Ankit Rajpoot (3 cr), Manoj Tiwary (1 cr), Mohit Sharma (2.4 cr), Mujeeb Zadran (4 cr), Barinder Sran (2.2 cr), Andrew Tye (7.2 cr), Akshdeep Nath (1 cr), Ben Dwarshius (1.4 cr), Pardeep Sahu (20 L), Mayank Dagar (20 L), Chris Gayle (2 cr), Manzoor Dar (20 L)

IPL 2018: Strengths and weaknesses of Punjab

The CBSE exams started late at few centres in the national capital today as many of them expressed inability to follow the new "leak-proof" system put in place for the first time after question papers for two subjects were leaked.

Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) also postponed class 12 and class 10 examinations scheduled to be held today in Punjab at the request of the state government in view of 'Bharat bandh' called by several Dalit organisations against the "dilution" of the SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Following the leaks of Economics and Mathematics question papers, the CBSE had announced that the examination centres would henceforth receive an encrypted copy of the question papers on e-mail and they would need to download and print themselves.

The schools were to receive an e-mail link of the question papers, log in using passwords sent for the purpose, and then print over 2,000 sheets of paper until 10:15 AM -- 15 minutes before the exam -- under surveillance.

The process, however, was delayed in some schools.

"We have contacted all regional offices to take account of the situation. In any case, it is a standard procedure that if the exam starts late, students will be given that amount of time to finish it to ensure there is no loss," a senior CBSE official said.

The HRD Ministry also advised students and parents not to rely on rumours and to report to the CBSE if they come across any "hoax leaked papers" floated on social media.

The CBSE had already issued public notices alerting about fake question papers of Hindi Elective, Sanskrit and Political Science, which were circulating on social media, saying they were indicating "hoax leaks".

The CBSE later in the day issued a statement saying at some centres, the exams were delayed by a few minutes to half an hour due to the bandh.

However, the students were facilitated to reach the exam centres and also given additional time to complete the exam without any inconvenience or anxiety, as per standard procedures, it said.

"Amid an atmosphere charged with rumour mongering, the exams went off without a hitch. CBSE would like to thank all its stakeholders, children, parents and schools for their extreme cooperation and for not giving heed to rumours," the statement said.

While the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to HRD secretary, CBSE chairperson and Delhi Police chief seeking report in four weeks, the apex court agreed to hear a batch of petitions challenging the CBSE's decision to re-conduct Mathematics and the Economics examination for Class 10 and 12 respectively after the question papers were allegedly leaked.

In a separate petition, the Delhi High Court asked the CBSE about its plans, if any, to re-conduct the class 10 Maths test the question papers for which had been leaked recently.

The court put the query to the secondary and higher secondary education regulator while issuing notices to the CBSE and the Centre seeking their stands on a plea for a court- monitored probe into the recent leaks of the

Maths and Economics question papers of class 10 and 12, respectively.

The HRD Ministry had last week announced that the re-examination of the CBSE Class 12 economics paper would be held on April 25, while the Class 10 mathematics re-test, if required, would be conducted only for Delhi-NCR and Haryana in July.

The announcement had come after the board received complaints that the question papers for the two subjects were leaked.&nbsp

Following the leaks of Economics and Mathematics question papers, the CBSE had announced that the examination centres would henceforth receive an encrypted copy of the question papers on e-mail and they would need to download and print themselves

The CBSE exams started late at few centres in the national capital today as many of them expressed inability to follow the new "leak-proof" system put in place for the first time after question papers for two subjects were leaked. Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) also postponed class 12 and class 10 examinations scheduled to be held today in Punjab at the request of the state government in view of 'Bharat bandh' called by several Dalit organisations against the "dilution" of the SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following the leaks of Economics and Mathematics question papers, the CBSE had announced that the examination centres would henceforth receive an encrypted copy of the question papers on e-mail and they would need to download and print themselves. The schools were to receive an e-mail link of the question papers, log in using passwords sent for the purpose, and then print over 2,000 sheets of paper until 10:15 AM -- 15 minutes before the exam -- under surveillance. The process, however, was delayed in some schools. "We have contacted all regional offices to take account of the situation. In any case, it is a standard procedure that if the exam starts late, students will be given that amount of time to finish it to ensure there is no loss," a senior CBSE official said. The HRD Ministry also advised students and parents not to rely on rumours and to report to the CBSE if they come across any "hoax leaked papers" floated on social media. The CBSE had already issued public notices alerting about fake question papers of Hindi Elective, Sanskrit and Political Science, which were circulating on social media, saying they were indicating "hoax leaks". The CBSE later in the day issued a statement saying at some centres, the exams were delayed by a few minutes to half an hour due to the bandh. However, the students were facilitated to reach the exam centres and also given additional time to complete the exam without any inconvenience or anxiety, as per standard procedures, it said. "Amid an atmosphere charged with rumour mongering, the exams went off without a hitch. CBSE would like to thank all its stakeholders, children, parents and schools for their extreme cooperation and for not giving heed to rumours," the statement said. While the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to HRD secretary, CBSE chairperson and Delhi Police chief seeking report in four weeks, the apex court agreed to hear a batch of petitions challenging the CBSE's decision to re-conduct Mathematics and the Economics examination for Class 10 and 12 respectively after the question papers were allegedly leaked. In a separate petition, the Delhi High Court asked the CBSE about its plans, if any, to re-conduct the class 10 Maths test the question papers for which had been leaked recently. The court put the query to the secondary and higher secondary education regulator while issuing notices to the CBSE and the Centre seeking their stands on a plea for a court- monitored probe into the recent leaks of the Maths and Economics question papers of class 10 and 12, respectively. The HRD Ministry had last week announced that the re-examination of the CBSE Class 12 economics paper would be held on April 25, while the Class 10 mathematics re-test, if required, would be conducted only for Delhi-NCR and Haryana in July. The announcement had come after the board received complaints that the question papers for the two subjects were leaked.

CBSE's new leak-proof system delays exams at few centres, exams postponed in Punjab due to bandh

The Central Board of Secondary Education&nbsp;exams (CBSE) for Class X and XII which were scheduled for April 2 has been postponed in Punjab.

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CBSE Board Examinations for Class X & XII scheduled for 2nd April 2018, postponed in Punjab due to call of Bharat Bandh <a href="https://t.co/6LlURBkUP6">pic.twitter.com/6LlURBkUP6</a>
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The exams have been postponed due to the call for Bharat bandh against the recent amendment of SC/ST Act, announced by various Dalit organisations in Punjab.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/punjab-dalit-outfits-call-for-bandh-tomorrow-against-scst-act-amendment---127679">Dalit outfits call for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/punjab-dalit-outfits-call-for-bandh-tomorrow-against-scst-act-amendment---127679">bandh</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/punjab-dalit-outfits-call-for-bandh-tomorrow-against-scst-act-amendment---127679"> tomorrow against SC/ST Act amendment</a>

All educational institutions, banks will remain closed tomorrow due&nbsp;to the Bandh call.&nbsp;Transport services will also likely to be affected.

Army and paramilitary forces have been asked to stay on alert.

The Supreme Court on March 20, banned immediate and automatic arrest under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act citing"several occasions" &nbsp;where innocent citizens were being termed as accused and public servants were hindered from performing their duties under the prevailing Act.

&nbsp;

The exams have been postponed due to the call of Bharat bandh against the recent amendment of SC/ST Act announced by various Dalit organisations in Punjab

The Central Board of Secondary Education exams (CBSE) for Class X and XII which were scheduled for April 2 has been postponed in Punjab. CBSE Board Examinations for Class X & XII scheduled for 2nd April 2018, postponed in Punjab due to call of Bharat Bandh pic.twitter.com/6LlURBkUP6 — ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018 × The exams have been postponed due to the call for Bharat bandh against the recent amendment of SC/ST Act, announced by various Dalit organisations in Punjab. Also read: Dalit outfits call for bandh tomorrow against SC/ST Act amendment All educational institutions, banks will remain closed tomorrow due to the Bandh call. Transport services will also likely to be affected. Army and paramilitary forces have been asked to stay on alert. The Supreme Court on March 20, banned immediate and automatic arrest under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act citing"several occasions" where innocent citizens were being termed as accused and public servants were hindered from performing their duties under the prevailing Act.

CBSE exam for Class X and XII postponed in Punjab due to bandh

A bandh has been called by various Dalit organisations on April 2 to protest against the amendments under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

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Punjab Government suspends services of public transport tomorrow (April 2) due to bandh called by several Dalit organisations against the amendment under the SC/ST Act.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/980408074321252353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Punjab: All educational institutions to remain closed and mobile Internet services to be suspended in the state tomorrow in the wake of bandh called by several Dalit organisations against the amendment under the SC/ST Act.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/980409023395753984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Punjab government announced that&nbsp;transport and mobile internet services will be suspended during the bandh.&nbsp;

All educational institutions will also remain closed, the government said.

Following the announcement, the Punjab police have also beefed up security arrangements.&nbsp;Heavy police have been deployed at parts that are considered sensitive in the state.

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Punjab Chief Secy Karan A Singh wrote to Secr Dept of Defence, GoI stating 'Army in Punjab to remain ready for any eventuality as state govt may need their assistance in maintaining law & order' during bandh called by several Dalit organisations against amendment of SC/ST Act.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/980414112403423232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Supreme Court on March 20, banned immediate and automatic arrest under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)&nbsp;Act citing"several occasions" &nbsp;where innocent citizens were being termed as accused and public servants were hindered from performing their duties under the prevailing Act.

The government on Friday decided to file a review petition against the Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Media reports said that the law ministry may approach the apex court soon after discussing the case with the Ministry of Social Justice.

All educational institutions will also remain closed during bandh

A bandh has been called by various Dalit organisations on April 2 to protest against the amendments under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Punjab Government suspends services of public transport tomorrow (April 2) due to bandh called by several Dalit organisations against the amendment under the SC/ST Act. — ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018 × Punjab: All educational institutions to remain closed and mobile Internet services to be suspended in the state tomorrow in the wake of bandh called by several Dalit organisations against the amendment under the SC/ST Act. — ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018 × Punjab government announced that transport and mobile internet services will be suspended during the bandh. All educational institutions will also remain closed, the government said. Following the announcement, the Punjab police have also beefed up security arrangements. Heavy police have been deployed at parts that are considered sensitive in the state. Punjab Chief Secy Karan A Singh wrote to Secr Dept of Defence, GoI stating 'Army in Punjab to remain ready for any eventuality as state govt may need their assistance in maintaining law & order' during bandh called by several Dalit organisations against amendment of SC/ST Act. — ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2018 × The Supreme Court on March 20, banned immediate and automatic arrest under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act citing"several occasions" where innocent citizens were being termed as accused and public servants were hindered from performing their duties under the prevailing Act. The government on Friday decided to file a review petition against the Supreme Court's ruling on the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Media reports said that the law ministry may approach the apex court soon after discussing the case with the Ministry of Social Justice.

Punjab: Dalit outfits call for bandh tomorrow against SC/ST Act amendment

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