Mumbai team players celebrate IPL 2019 win at Ambani's residence Antilia

It was a funny game in which the two teams kept passing the trophy to each other is how Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni described <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-lift-4th-ipl-trophy-with-1-run-win-over-chennai-218193">the IPL final,</a> in which Mumbai prevailed by one run.

The see-saw game kept the fans enthralled as the winner-takes-all contest went to the wire and was decided in the last ball of the tournament on Sunday.

Initially, it was Chennai which had an edge but Mumbai came back in middle overs. Again it was Shane Watson who seemed to have tilted it in Chennai's favour but incredible pace bowling by Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga finally swung it in Mumbai's favour.

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Lasith Malinga showing his true class in the last over 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZzVK0KHx5O">pic.twitter.com/ZzVK0KHx5O</a>
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"Today was one game we should've done slightly better. It was quite a funny game, we were passing the trophy to each other. Both committed mistakes, and eventually, the winning team was the one that committed one mistake less," said Dhoni after Chennai fell short by just one run, chasing 150. 
Dhoni has led the Chennai to eight finals but he was far from a contended skipper.

"As a team, we had a good season. But we need to go back and reflect. Wasn't one of those years where we played very good cricket. Middle order never clicked, but somehow we managed," he said.

"Our bowlers did really well. It was not a 150 wicket, but the bowlers kept us in the hunt. They kept getting wickets when it was really needed.Batting, someone kept chipping in and we kept winning. To be consistent next year, we will have to really think hard," he added.

The charismatic Dhoni said the focus will now shift to World Cup in England.

"It's too early to say right now (about next year's plans). Up next is the World Cup. That's the first priority. After that, we will chat about Chennai.Nothing against the bowlers, but the batsmen could've done better. Hopefully yes, we'll see you next year," he said.

It was a funny game in which the two teams kept passing the trophy to each other is how Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni described the IPL final, in which Mumbai prevailed by one run.

It was a funny game in which the two teams kept passing the trophy to each other is how Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni described the IPL final, in which Mumbai prevailed by one run. The see-saw game kept the fans enthralled as the winner-takes-all contest went to the wire and was decided in the last ball of the tournament on Sunday. Initially, it was Chennai which had an edge but Mumbai came back in middle overs. Again it was Shane Watson who seemed to have tilted it in Chennai's favour but incredible pace bowling by Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga finally swung it in Mumbai's favour. Unprecedented scenes from Hyderabad as @mipaltan became #VIVOIPL champs for the 4⃣th time! Lasith Malinga showing his true class in the last over 😎#MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/ZzVK0KHx5O — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 12, 2019 × "Today was one game we should've done slightly better. It was quite a funny game, we were passing the trophy to each other. Both committed mistakes, and eventually, the winning team was the one that committed one mistake less," said Dhoni after Chennai fell short by just one run, chasing 150. Dhoni has led the Chennai to eight finals but he was far from a contended skipper. "As a team, we had a good season. But we need to go back and reflect. Wasn't one of those years where we played very good cricket. Middle order never clicked, but somehow we managed," he said. "Our bowlers did really well. It was not a 150 wicket, but the bowlers kept us in the hunt. They kept getting wickets when it was really needed.Batting, someone kept chipping in and we kept winning. To be consistent next year, we will have to really think hard," he added. The charismatic Dhoni said the focus will now shift to World Cup in England. "It's too early to say right now (about next year's plans). Up next is the World Cup. That's the first priority. After that, we will chat about Chennai.Nothing against the bowlers, but the batsmen could've done better. Hopefully yes, we'll see you next year," he said.

IPL 2019 final: Chennai and Mumbai were passing the trophy to each other, says MS Dhoni

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final.&nbsp;

Rohit's side <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-lift-4th-ipl-trophy-with-1-run-win-over-chennai-218193">defeated Chennai by one run</a>&nbsp;to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.&nbsp;

Chennai's Shane Watson almost took his team over the line. In the last over, Watson got run out which ended his knock of 59-ball 80. With two runs needed off the final ball, Lasith Malinga trapped Shardul Thakur leg-before to secure Mumbai's win by one run.&nbsp;

Rohit was ready to carry the cross had the decision to use Malinga backfired but had a gut feeling that the Sri Lankan will be able to pull it off as Mitchell Johnson did in the 2017 IPL final.&nbsp;

Malinga repaid the faith his skipper showed in him defending nine runs off the final over.&nbsp;

Rohit said, "Malinga is a champion, he has been doing it for many years for us. I was thinking of Hardik for the final over, but I wanted to back someone who has been in that situation for us before, and Malinga has been there many times."

"When the decision comes off, it looks all nice. It can backfire also. At that stage, I wanted to go with experience and Malinga has been in that situation a million times," the four-time IPL champion skipper said at the post-match media interaction.

"I am learning in every game, every time I take the field. I have to credit the team as well, it is up to the boys to step up otherwise the captain is made to look foolish," Rohit added.&nbsp;

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The 🏆 is back in Hitman's closet 💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneFamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketMeriJaan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketMeriJaan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvCSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvCSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/i36At6BBUC">pic.twitter.com/i36At6BBUC</a>
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The situation was eerily similar to Rohit had faced in 2017 final when Mumbai&nbsp;beat the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants by one run in another thrilling finish.

Then it was former Australian pacer Johnson, who defended 11 runs in the final over to pull-off a one-run victory.&nbsp;

It was that deja vu moment for the Rohit Sharma.

"I clearly remember when we won here in 2017, it was Mitchell Johnson who bowled that last over and defended only 10 (sic) runs. So yes, sometimes you've got to go with only instincts, sometimes you've got to go a little backwards and think what these experienced players have done and what they bring to the table," Rohit said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final. Rohit's side defeated Chennai by one run to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma has explained why he picked Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Indian Premier League 2019 final. Rohit's side defeated Chennai by one run to lift the glorious trophy on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Chennai's Shane Watson almost took his team over the line. In the last over, Watson got run out which ended his knock of 59-ball 80. With two runs needed off the final ball, Lasith Malinga trapped Shardul Thakur leg-before to secure Mumbai's win by one run. Rohit was ready to carry the cross had the decision to use Malinga backfired but had a gut feeling that the Sri Lankan will be able to pull it off as Mitchell Johnson did in the 2017 IPL final. Malinga repaid the faith his skipper showed in him defending nine runs off the final over. Rohit said, "Malinga is a champion, he has been doing it for many years for us. I was thinking of Hardik for the final over, but I wanted to back someone who has been in that situation for us before, and Malinga has been there many times." "When the decision comes off, it looks all nice. It can backfire also. At that stage, I wanted to go with experience and Malinga has been in that situation a million times," the four-time IPL champion skipper said at the post-match media interaction. "I am learning in every game, every time I take the field. I have to credit the team as well, it is up to the boys to step up otherwise the captain is made to look foolish," Rohit added. The 🏆 is back in Hitman's closet 💙#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #MIvCSK @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/i36At6BBUC — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 13, 2019 × Reactions on bagging the @IPL championship, straight from the 💙 of #OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #IPL2019Final #MIvCSK https://t.co/69UQP3sFsF — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) May 13, 2019 × The situation was eerily similar to Rohit had faced in 2017 final when Mumbai beat the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants by one run in another thrilling finish. Then it was former Australian pacer Johnson, who defended 11 runs in the final over to pull-off a one-run victory. It was that deja vu moment for the Rohit Sharma. "I clearly remember when we won here in 2017, it was Mitchell Johnson who bowled that last over and defended only 10 (sic) runs. So yes, sometimes you've got to go with only instincts, sometimes you've got to go a little backwards and think what these experienced players have done and what they bring to the table," Rohit said. (With inputs from PTI)

IPL 2019 Final: Rohit Sharma explains his gamble of picking Lasith Malinga over Hardik Pandya in last over

Lasith Malinga kept his nerve with the final ball as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-final-chennai-vs-mumbai-at-rajiv-gandhi-international-stadium-218116">Mumbai beat Chennai by one run</a> to clinch a record fourth Indian Premier League title Sunday.

After Shane Watson hit a blistering 80, Chennai needed two runs off the last ball to overtake Mumbai's 149-8. But the Sri Lankan veteran trapped Shardul Thakur lbw to claim the landmark win.

Malinga gave away 49 runs in his four overs but the last two overs by the Sri Lankan and fellow pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who took 2-14, were decisive.

The wicket extended the 35-year-old Malinga's record as the all-time best&nbsp;IPL&nbsp;bowler with 170 wickets from 122 games.

"About Malinga, that's what champions do," said Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma.

"I had confidence in him despite a poor third over. He also had confidence he could do it," Sharma said of his veteran paceman who is an expert at bowling yorkers in the death overs.

"I thought we could use Hardik Pandya for the 20th over, but I wanted to back someone who has done it for us and Malinga has been in that situation and done it."

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Sharma bowled over

Sharma said Mumbai's bowling played a key role throughout the tournament.

"At different stages, our bowlers put their hands up and brought us back in the game.

"We backed our ability and our skills, and that's probably why we got rewards."

West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard smashed an unbeaten 41 off 25 balls to set up the Mumbai total after they elected to bat first.

South African captain Faf du Plessis came out all guns blazing to give Chennai a brisk start with his 26 off 13 deliveries.

But Ishan Kishan sent Chennai dangerman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-ms-dhoni-became-most-successful-keeper-in-ipl-history-218182">MS&nbsp;Dhoni</a> back to the dugout with a direct throw at the bowlers' end to put the defending champions in trouble at 82-4. Dhoni made just two.

Watson batted through the Chennai innings until he was run out in the final over going for an unlikely second run. He smashed four sixes and eight fours in his 59-ball knock.

Chennai leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 2-23 to surpass fellow South African Kagiso Rabada at the top of this year's&nbsp;IPL&nbsp;bowlers chart with 26 wickets. Tahir was also the first 40-year-old to appear in an&nbsp;IPL&nbsp;final.

Deepak Chahar took three wickets while fellow quick Shardul Thakur took two.

"It was not a 150 wicket, but the bowlers kept us in the hunt. They kept getting wickets when it was really needed," said Dhoni, whose team has won three titles from eight finals.

The Chennai captain indicated that changes could be made in the batting line-up for next season.

"To be consistent next year, we will have to really think hard. There is nothing against the bowlers, but the batsmen could've done better."

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, an advisor to the Mumbai team, nervously watched the finale, frequently burying his head in his hands.

"The key moment was Dhoni's run-out," he said.

"But also in patches when Bumrah bowled those critical balls to even out Malinga's one poor over was also crucial.

"And the last over, I thought Malinga finished the game out beautifully."

Mumbai won the&nbsp;IPL&nbsp;in 2013 and 2015 -- both against Chennai -- and again in 2017 when they beat Rising Pune Supergiant by one run.

Australia's David Warner topped the tournament's batting chart with 692 runs, including eight fifties and a 100 not out in 12&nbsp;IPL&nbsp;games this season.

West Indian allrounder Andre Russell was named most valuable player as he amassed 510 runs to single-handedly drive Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign. Kolkata ended fifth in the eight-team table.

Lasith Malinga kept his nerve with the final ball as Mumbai beat Chennai by one run to clinch a record fourth Indian Premier League title Sunday. After Shane Watson hit a blistering 80, Chennai needed two runs off the last ball to overtake Mumbai's 149-8.

Lasith Malinga kept his nerve with the final ball as Mumbai beat Chennai by one run to clinch a record fourth Indian Premier League title Sunday. After Shane Watson hit a blistering 80, Chennai needed two runs off the last ball to overtake Mumbai's 149-8. But the Sri Lankan veteran trapped Shardul Thakur lbw to claim the landmark win. Malinga gave away 49 runs in his four overs but the last two overs by the Sri Lankan and fellow pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who took 2-14, were decisive. The wicket extended the 35-year-old Malinga's record as the all-time best IPL bowler with 170 wickets from 122 games. "About Malinga, that's what champions do," said Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma. "I had confidence in him despite a poor third over. He also had confidence he could do it," Sharma said of his veteran paceman who is an expert at bowling yorkers in the death overs. "I thought we could use Hardik Pandya for the 20th over, but I wanted to back someone who has done it for us and Malinga has been in that situation and done it." Unprecedented scenes from Hyderabad as @mipaltan became #VIVOIPL champs for the 4⃣th time! Lasith Malinga showing his true class in the last over 😎#MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/ZzVK0KHx5O — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 12, 2019 × Sharma bowled over Sharma said Mumbai's bowling played a key role throughout the tournament. "At different stages, our bowlers put their hands up and brought us back in the game. "We backed our ability and our skills, and that's probably why we got rewards." West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard smashed an unbeaten 41 off 25 balls to set up the Mumbai total after they elected to bat first. South African captain Faf du Plessis came out all guns blazing to give Chennai a brisk start with his 26 off 13 deliveries. But Ishan Kishan sent Chennai dangerman MS Dhoni back to the dugout with a direct throw at the bowlers' end to put the defending champions in trouble at 82-4. Dhoni made just two. Watson batted through the Chennai innings until he was run out in the final over going for an unlikely second run. He smashed four sixes and eight fours in his 59-ball knock. Chennai leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 2-23 to surpass fellow South African Kagiso Rabada at the top of this year's IPL bowlers chart with 26 wickets. Tahir was also the first 40-year-old to appear in an IPL final. Deepak Chahar took three wickets while fellow quick Shardul Thakur took two. "It was not a 150 wicket, but the bowlers kept us in the hunt. They kept getting wickets when it was really needed," said Dhoni, whose team has won three titles from eight finals. The Chennai captain indicated that changes could be made in the batting line-up for next season. "To be consistent next year, we will have to really think hard. There is nothing against the bowlers, but the batsmen could've done better." Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, an advisor to the Mumbai team, nervously watched the finale, frequently burying his head in his hands. "The key moment was Dhoni's run-out," he said. "But also in patches when Bumrah bowled those critical balls to even out Malinga's one poor over was also crucial. "And the last over, I thought Malinga finished the game out beautifully." Mumbai won the IPL in 2013 and 2015 -- both against Chennai -- and again in 2017 when they beat Rising Pune Supergiant by one run. Australia's David Warner topped the tournament's batting chart with 692 runs, including eight fifties and a 100 not out in 12 IPL games this season. West Indian allrounder Andre Russell was named most valuable player as he amassed 510 runs to single-handedly drive Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign. Kolkata ended fifth in the eight-team table.

Mumbai lift 4th IPL trophy with 1-run win over Chennai

MS Dhoni-led Chennai will clash with Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai in the final of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League 2019</a> on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015.&nbsp;

For three-time champions Chennai, who have entered their eighth final, it has been another remarkable season after last year when they made a triumphant return having served a two-year suspension.&nbsp;

Having won three titles each, the two most successful franchises will square off in a mouth-watering contest and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title.&nbsp;

Along with the IPL trophy, the winner will also get a purse of INR 20 crore while the loser of this match will take home a cheque of INR 12.5 crore.&nbsp;

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MS Dhoni-led Chennai will clash with Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai in the final of Indian Premier League 2019 on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015.

MS Dhoni-led Chennai will clash with Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai in the final of Indian Premier League 2019 on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015. For three-time champions Chennai, who have entered their eighth final, it has been another remarkable season after last year when they made a triumphant return having served a two-year suspension. Having won three titles each, the two most successful franchises will square off in a mouth-watering contest and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title. Along with the IPL trophy, the winner will also get a purse of INR 20 crore while the loser of this match will take home a cheque of INR 12.5 crore. Which trophy cabinet will this shine at tonight?#IPLFinal #MIvCSK pic.twitter.com/MIDMfRuxiq — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 12, 2019 × Click here to get live updates of the final match between Chennai and Mumbai.

IPL 2019 Final: How much the winner and runner-up will get as prize money

The stage is set for the final clash of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League 2019</a>, there couldn't be&nbsp;a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off&nbsp;in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title.&nbsp;

Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11.&nbsp;

Since 2015, they have played a total of nine&nbsp;matches and Chennai have defeated Mumbai just two times and Mumbai emerged victorious on seven occasions.&nbsp;

They have met three times in IPL finals, and Rohit &amp; Co defeated Dhoni's side twice.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai can certainly take confidence out of the fact that they have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015.&nbsp;

Previously, eight of the 11 finals have been won by the team that won the toss.&nbsp;

If Imran Tahir makes the Chennai's&nbsp;playing XI, he will be the first 40-year old to compete in an IPL Final.

Imran Tahir needs two more wickets to become only the second spinner in IPL history to bag the Purple Cap; the only spinner to finish as the season’s highest wicket-taker was Pragyan Ojha, back in 2010.&nbsp;

It can't be disputed that Mumbai go into the final as the favourites, having beaten Chennai as many as three times earlier in the tournament including in the Qualifier 1.&nbsp;

However, statistics count for little going into the title fight with both teams being in the situation before multiple times.&nbsp;

The stage is set for the final clash of Indian Premier League 2019, there couldn't be a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title.

The stage is set for the final clash of Indian Premier League 2019, there couldn't be a better ending of the tournament as the two most successful franchises will square off in what promises to be another thrilling clash and it will be interesting to see which team goes home with its fourth title. Mumbai and Chennai have played a total of 27 matches out of which Mumbai won 16 and Chennai managed to win 11. Since 2015, they have played a total of nine matches and Chennai have defeated Mumbai just two times and Mumbai emerged victorious on seven occasions. They have met three times in IPL finals, and Rohit & Co defeated Dhoni's side twice. Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai can certainly take confidence out of the fact that they have won three out of the four finals they have been part of, including the two against Chennai in 2013 and 2015. Previously, eight of the 11 finals have been won by the team that won the toss. If Imran Tahir makes the Chennai's playing XI, he will be the first 40-year old to compete in an IPL Final. Imran Tahir needs two more wickets to become only the second spinner in IPL history to bag the Purple Cap; the only spinner to finish as the season’s highest wicket-taker was Pragyan Ojha, back in 2010. It can't be disputed that Mumbai go into the final as the favourites, having beaten Chennai as many as three times earlier in the tournament including in the Qualifier 1. However, statistics count for little going into the title fight with both teams being in the situation before multiple times.

IPL 2019 Final: The Mumbai-Chennai rivalry in records and stats

IPL 2019: Players to watch out for in final clash between Chennai and Mumbai

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title.&nbsp;

The first Qualifier is between defending champions Chennai and table-toppers Mumbai, which is scheduled for May 7.&nbsp;

Chennai team has been patchy after a strong start and finished its league engagements with a six-wicket defeat to Punjab at Mohali on Sunday. &nbsp;

But Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will be happy to return to their den to take on Mumbai, probably its biggest IPL rival, to decide which team seals a spot in the May 12 final. &nbsp;

Chennai boasts of a tremendous record at home this season, winning six of its seven games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.&nbsp;

A defeat, however, will provide both the teams a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 10. &nbsp;

The Chennai top-order has fired in fits and starts in the league phase and will need to come out all guns blazing against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets), Lasith Malinga (15 wickets), the Pandya brothers (Hardik 14 wickets and Krunal 10 wickets), leggie Rahul Chahar (10 wickets) and possibly Mitchell McClenaghan. &nbsp;

Skipper Dhoni (Chennai's highest run-getter with 368 runs from 12 matches, 3 fifties) has been the mainstay of a rather inconsistent Chennai batting unit and along with openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis and Suresh Raina holds the key in Saturday's game as the usually fluent Ambati Rayudu has struggled to get going. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Chennai, however, will miss the services of the Kedar Jadhav, who sustained a freak shoulder injury in the match against Punjab. &nbsp;

But Jadhav wasn't in the best of form and his absence would open up a spot for either Murali Vijay or Dhruv Shorey.&nbsp;

Bowling has been Chennai's strong point so far this season and becomes even more potent on Chidambaram's sluggish wicket. &nbsp;

Imran Tahir (21 scalps), the second highest wicket-taker this season after Kagiso Rabada (25), has been at the forefront of an effective Chennai spin trio, also including veteran Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja (both with 13 wickets each).&nbsp;

And the success of Tahir &amp; Co against the powerful Mumbai batting line-up could very well determine the course of the match. &nbsp;

Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (386 runs), the impressive Quinton De Kock (492, third leading run-scorer), Hardik Pandya (380) and Kieron Pollard will be hard to stop once they get going and Chennai's bowlers have a tough task at hand. &nbsp;

The onus would also be on the ever-improving Deepak Chahar, who has taken 16 scalps so far, to pick up early wickets for Chennai and stifle the rival batting line-up.&nbsp;

Going by the head-to-head record this year, Mumbai holds an upperhand having won both its encounters against Chennai in the preliminary phase. &nbsp;

Mumabi's head coach Mahela Jayawardene would be aware of the job at hand and won't take Chennai lightly despite the Lions' recent wobbly form.&nbsp;

Chennai will certainly receive a boost by playing the Qualifier 1 at home with the crowd fully backing the team in what promises to be a cracker of a contest.

There is hardly anything to differentiate between the two sides as both CSK and MI have won the title three times earlier.&nbsp;

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title.

The league stage is over and now the fight to book a finale berth will start as four teams, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, will clash against each other to with the Indian Premier League 2019 title. The first Qualifier is between defending champions Chennai and table-toppers Mumbai, which is scheduled for May 7. Chennai team has been patchy after a strong start and finished its league engagements with a six-wicket defeat to Punjab at Mohali on Sunday. But Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will be happy to return to their den to take on Mumbai, probably its biggest IPL rival, to decide which team seals a spot in the May 12 final. Chennai boasts of a tremendous record at home this season, winning six of its seven games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. A defeat, however, will provide both the teams a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 10. The Chennai top-order has fired in fits and starts in the league phase and will need to come out all guns blazing against a formidable Mumbai bowling attack that includes Jasprit Bumrah (17 wickets), Lasith Malinga (15 wickets), the Pandya brothers (Hardik 14 wickets and Krunal 10 wickets), leggie Rahul Chahar (10 wickets) and possibly Mitchell McClenaghan. Skipper Dhoni (Chennai's highest run-getter with 368 runs from 12 matches, 3 fifties) has been the mainstay of a rather inconsistent Chennai batting unit and along with openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis and Suresh Raina holds the key in Saturday's game as the usually fluent Ambati Rayudu has struggled to get going. Chennai, however, will miss the services of the Kedar Jadhav, who sustained a freak shoulder injury in the match against Punjab. But Jadhav wasn't in the best of form and his absence would open up a spot for either Murali Vijay or Dhruv Shorey. Bowling has been Chennai's strong point so far this season and becomes even more potent on Chidambaram's sluggish wicket. Imran Tahir (21 scalps), the second highest wicket-taker this season after Kagiso Rabada (25), has been at the forefront of an effective Chennai spin trio, also including veteran Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja (both with 13 wickets each). And the success of Tahir & Co against the powerful Mumbai batting line-up could very well determine the course of the match. Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (386 runs), the impressive Quinton De Kock (492, third leading run-scorer), Hardik Pandya (380) and Kieron Pollard will be hard to stop once they get going and Chennai's bowlers have a tough task at hand. The onus would also be on the ever-improving Deepak Chahar, who has taken 16 scalps so far, to pick up early wickets for Chennai and stifle the rival batting line-up. Going by the head-to-head record this year, Mumbai holds an upperhand having won both its encounters against Chennai in the preliminary phase. Mumabi's head coach Mahela Jayawardene would be aware of the job at hand and won't take Chennai lightly despite the Lions' recent wobbly form. Chennai will certainly receive a boost by playing the Qualifier 1 at home with the crowd fully backing the team in what promises to be a cracker of a contest. There is hardly anything to differentiate between the two sides as both CSK and MI have won the title three times earlier.

Eying finale berth, MS Dhoni-led Chennai to take on Mumbai in Qualifier 1

Match preview: MS Dhoni-led Chennai will take on Punjab while Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata will face Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium.

IPL 2019: Match preview of Chennai vs Punjab and Kolkata vs Mumbai

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the absence of David Warner, Hyderabad will clash with Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai in a must win contest.

IPL 2019: Eying playoff berth, Mumbai to take on Warner-less Hyderabad

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IPL 2019: Chennai thrash Delhi by huge 80 runs

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

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

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

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

Rohit Sharma, the skipper Mumbai team was fined 15 per cent of his match fees for breaching the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League's</a> (IPL) code of conduct during his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-andre-russell-shines-as-kolkata-beat-mumbai-by-34-runs-214242">team's 34-run defeat to Kolkata</a> at the Eden Garden stadium.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma hit the stumps with his bat following his dismissal in a highly charged contest against Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata on Sunday.&nbsp;

The India batsman smashed three boundaries before being adjudged lbw in Mumbai's mammoth chase of 233 and vented his frustration on the stumps at the non-striker's end.&nbsp;

Sharma admitted to the Level 1 offence 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction.&nbsp;

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Sharma, who has led Mumbai to three IPL titles, believed he had edged the incoming delivery from paceman Harry Gurney and reviewed the umpire's call.&nbsp;

But the 'snickometer' technology, which analyses noise, suggested the ball missed the bat and the decision was upheld, with a dejected Sharma having words with the umpire as well as hitting the stumps.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma, the skipper Mumbai team was fined 15 per cent of his match fees for breaching the Indian Premier League's (IPL) code of conduct during his team's 34-run defeat to Kolkata at the Eden Garden stadium.

Rohit Sharma, the skipper Mumbai team was fined 15 per cent of his match fees for breaching the Indian Premier League's (IPL) code of conduct during his team's 34-run defeat to Kolkata at the Eden Garden stadium. Rohit Sharma hit the stumps with his bat following his dismissal in a highly charged contest against Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata on Sunday. The India batsman smashed three boundaries before being adjudged lbw in Mumbai's mammoth chase of 233 and vented his frustration on the stumps at the non-striker's end. Sharma admitted to the Level 1 offence 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction. Rohit demonstrating his test career to the umpire. pic.twitter.com/2MhBo1RFJO — vinodh (@vinodh_mvk) April 28, 2019 × Sharma, who has led Mumbai to three IPL titles, believed he had edged the incoming delivery from paceman Harry Gurney and reviewed the umpire's call. But the 'snickometer' technology, which analyses noise, suggested the ball missed the bat and the decision was upheld, with a dejected Sharma having words with the umpire as well as hitting the stumps.

IPL 2019: Rohit Sharma fined 15 per cent match fees for code of conduct breach

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-rohit-sharma-led-mumbai-beat-chennai-by-46-runs-213798">46-run win in an IPL match</a> on Friday.&nbsp;

Sans Dhoni, Chennai failed to chase down a 156-run target set by Mumbai, bundling out for 109, their lowest total at home.&nbsp;

"It was a massive boost that MSD (Dhoni) wasn't around. Because his presence does a lot for their team. When you don't have Dhoni when they're chasing the score, then it becomes difficult for them," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony. &nbsp;

"I'm sure his presence was missed by CSK. But he was sick, it's not in his control either," added the right-handed batsman, who struck 67, his first fifty of the season. &nbsp;

Rohit said it was a blessing in disguise for him to lose the toss as they too would wanted to chase on what eventually turned out to be another slow Chepauk surface. "I thought it was better to lose the toss since we wanted to chase as well. But we knew whether we bat first or bowl first, we'll still have to play good cricket. We spoke about that at the start of the game, but it was a great effort by the boys since it's not easy to come here and play," he said. &nbsp;

Rohit too was mighty relived to have scored his first half-century of the season Friday.&nbsp;

"It was a satisfying innings. I was getting 30s and 40s but not getting half-centuries. At no point was I worried about my form because I was hitting the ball well. I knew the day will come, and I guess today was the day," he said.&nbsp;

Chennai stand-in skipper Suresh Raina blamed the team's batting department for the loss. &nbsp;

"We didn't bat well. We kept losing wickets every 2-3 overs, so our batsmen need to take more responsibility. Our bowling has always been good this season. We thought 155 was chaseable. But we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and middle overs," he said. &nbsp;

"We didn't rotate the strike well either. It is important to go out there and see a few balls out, and then decide which bowler you want to go after. We need to sit as a batting unit and see where we're doing wrong. We have power hitters, we have experienced batsmen, we just need to relax as a batting unit."&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their 46-run win in an IPL match on Friday.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Friday didn't turn up for Chennai due to fever and Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said the veteran stumper's absence came as a "massive boost" for his side en route to their 46-run win in an IPL match on Friday. Sans Dhoni, Chennai failed to chase down a 156-run target set by Mumbai, bundling out for 109, their lowest total at home. "It was a massive boost that MSD (Dhoni) wasn't around. Because his presence does a lot for their team. When you don't have Dhoni when they're chasing the score, then it becomes difficult for them," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony. "I'm sure his presence was missed by CSK. But he was sick, it's not in his control either," added the right-handed batsman, who struck 67, his first fifty of the season. Rohit said it was a blessing in disguise for him to lose the toss as they too would wanted to chase on what eventually turned out to be another slow Chepauk surface. "I thought it was better to lose the toss since we wanted to chase as well. But we knew whether we bat first or bowl first, we'll still have to play good cricket. We spoke about that at the start of the game, but it was a great effort by the boys since it's not easy to come here and play," he said. Rohit too was mighty relived to have scored his first half-century of the season Friday. "It was a satisfying innings. I was getting 30s and 40s but not getting half-centuries. At no point was I worried about my form because I was hitting the ball well. I knew the day will come, and I guess today was the day," he said. Chennai stand-in skipper Suresh Raina blamed the team's batting department for the loss. "We didn't bat well. We kept losing wickets every 2-3 overs, so our batsmen need to take more responsibility. Our bowling has always been good this season. We thought 155 was chaseable. But we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and middle overs," he said. "We didn't rotate the strike well either. It is important to go out there and see a few balls out, and then decide which bowler you want to go after. We need to sit as a batting unit and see where we're doing wrong. We have power hitters, we have experienced batsmen, we just need to relax as a batting unit."

MS Dhoni's absence was a massive boost for us: Rohit Sharma

IPL 2019: Match preview of Delhi vs Bangalore and Kolkata vs Mumbai

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai have signed South African pace bowler Beuran Hendricks as an injury replacement for West Indian Alzarri Joseph for the remainder of the season, the IPL franchise said on Tuesday.

Joseph, who was a replacement for injured New Zealand pacer Adam Milne, had a stellar IPL debut this month when he recorded figures of six wickets for 12 runs against Hyderabad, the best bowling figures in the competition's history.

However, he failed to build on that performance and did not pick up a single wicket in his next two matches, leaking runs at a rate around 10 per over.

Joseph, 22, dislocated his right arm while fielding in the five-wicket loss to Rajasthan over the weekend.

Hendricks, who previously played for IPL side Punjab in 2014 and 2015, has played 10 Twenty20 internationals for South Africa, picking up 16 wickets.

Mumbai, who are third in the standings, next play Chennai away on Friday.

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai have signed South African pace bowler Beuran Hendricks as an injury replacement for West Indian Alzarri Joseph for the remainder of the season, the IPL franchise said on Tuesday.

Indian Premier League (IPL) side Mumbai have signed South African pace bowler Beuran Hendricks as an injury replacement for West Indian Alzarri Joseph for the remainder of the season, the IPL franchise said on Tuesday. Joseph, who was a replacement for injured New Zealand pacer Adam Milne, had a stellar IPL debut this month when he recorded figures of six wickets for 12 runs against Hyderabad, the best bowling figures in the competition's history. However, he failed to build on that performance and did not pick up a single wicket in his next two matches, leaking runs at a rate around 10 per over. Joseph, 22, dislocated his right arm while fielding in the five-wicket loss to Rajasthan over the weekend. Hendricks, who previously played for IPL side Punjab in 2014 and 2015, has played 10 Twenty20 internationals for South Africa, picking up 16 wickets. Mumbai, who are third in the standings, next play Chennai away on Friday.

IPL 2019: Mumbai sign Beuran Hendricks to replace injured pacer Alzarri Joseph

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-steve-smith-replaces-ajinkya-rahane-as-rajasthans-captain-212026">Steve Smith</a>-led Rajasthan <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-ipl-2019-match-36-rajasthan-royals-vs-mumbai-indians-at-sawai-mansingh-stadium-212022">defeated Mumbai by five wickets</a> in an Indian Premier League match at their home turf on Saturday. It's Rajasthan's third win of the season.&nbsp;

Australian cricketer Smith, who replaced Ajinkya Rahane as the captain of Rajasthan franchise, played skipper's knock to achieve the target set by Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai.&nbsp;

Smith scored an unbeaten 59 off 48 and he was well supported by Riyan Parag (43) and Sanju Samson (35). &nbsp;

For his match-winning knock, Smith won Man of the Match award.

While reciving the award, he said, "I haven't contributed as much as I would've liked through the tournament and it feels really nice to have gotten the boys over the line."

"Hopefully we can carry it forward from here," he added.&nbsp;

Earlier, batting first, Mumbai put up a decent 161 for 5 against thanks to Quinton de Kock's splendid knock. &nbsp;&nbsp;

De Kock smashed 65 off 47 balls with six fours and two sixes, adding 97 runs off 68 balls for the second wicket with Suryakumar Yadav (34 off 33 balls) that helped MI total gain a semblance of respectability.&nbsp;

Reinstated as skipper in place of Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith introduced leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal (2/21 in 4 overs) in the third over. &nbsp;

He deceived rival skipper Rohit Sharma( 5), who stepped out only to offer a return catch after failing to read a googly. &nbsp;

Gopal could have got rid of De Kock off the last ball of the over but Jofra Archer dropped a difficult chance at long on.&nbsp;

Making most out of this reprieve De Kock helped his team reach 50-run mark in 6.5 overs.&nbsp;

He reached his own half-century in 34 balls and his partnership with Suryakumar was broken when latter was caught in deep off Stuart Binny in the 14th over.&nbsp;

A few balls later Quinton de Kock too was holed out in long-on as Hardik Pandya and Pollard joined forces with scorboard reading 112 for 3 in 15 overs.&nbsp;

Pollard(10 runs 7 balls) was dropped by Archer once again. Hardik played another of his cameos scoring 23 off 15 balls.

Steve Smith-led Rajasthan defeated Mumbai by five wickets in an Indian Premier League match at their home turf on Saturday. It's Rajasthan's third win of the season.

Steve Smith-led Rajasthan defeated Mumbai by five wickets in an Indian Premier League match at their home turf on Saturday. It's Rajasthan's third win of the season. Australian cricketer Smith, who replaced Ajinkya Rahane as the captain of Rajasthan franchise, played skipper's knock to achieve the target set by Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai. Smith scored an unbeaten 59 off 48 and he was well supported by Riyan Parag (43) and Sanju Samson (35). For his match-winning knock, Smith won Man of the Match award. While reciving the award, he said, "I haven't contributed as much as I would've liked through the tournament and it feels really nice to have gotten the boys over the line." "Hopefully we can carry it forward from here," he added. Earlier, batting first, Mumbai put up a decent 161 for 5 against thanks to Quinton de Kock's splendid knock. De Kock smashed 65 off 47 balls with six fours and two sixes, adding 97 runs off 68 balls for the second wicket with Suryakumar Yadav (34 off 33 balls) that helped MI total gain a semblance of respectability. Reinstated as skipper in place of Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith introduced leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal (2/21 in 4 overs) in the third over. He deceived rival skipper Rohit Sharma( 5), who stepped out only to offer a return catch after failing to read a googly. Gopal could have got rid of De Kock off the last ball of the over but Jofra Archer dropped a difficult chance at long on. Making most out of this reprieve De Kock helped his team reach 50-run mark in 6.5 overs. He reached his own half-century in 34 balls and his partnership with Suryakumar was broken when latter was caught in deep off Stuart Binny in the 14th over. A few balls later Quinton de Kock too was holed out in long-on as Hardik Pandya and Pollard joined forces with scorboard reading 112 for 3 in 15 overs. Pollard(10 runs 7 balls) was dropped by Archer once again. Hardik played another of his cameos scoring 23 off 15 balls.

IPL 2019: Steve Smith-led Rajasthan beat Mumbai by 5 wickets

Jos Buttler laid the platform with a rampaging 89 while Shreyas Gopal held his nerve at the death to power Rajasthan to a four-wicket victory over Mumbai in an Indian Premier League encounter on Saturday.

This was Rajasthan's second victory of the season in seven games after losing the last ball thriller to Chennai less than 48 hours back.

Put into bat, Mumbai rode on an aggressive 81 by South Africa's Quinton De Kock to post an imposing 187/5, but Buttler's 43-ball knock studded with eight fours and seven sixes set the tone before Royals survived a scare to finish the game in 19.3 overs.

The match will be forever remembered by young West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph (0/53 in 3 overs), who was hammered for eight fours and three sixes and then was injured trying to save a boundary.

The 13th over changed the game's complexion as Buttler smashed two sixes and four fours off Joseph to bring down the equation to a manageable run-a-ball.&nbsp;

Buttler first conjured a 60-run opening stand with skipper Ajinkya Rahane (37 off 21 balls, 6x 4; 1x6) to lay the foundation and then added 87 runs for the second wicket with Sanju Samson (31 off 26 balls; 2x4, 1x6).

Buttler initially played second fiddle to Rahane but then upped his ante once skipper was gone. The Englishman in the eighth over hit Rahul Chahar for a six, and then in next over, smashed two sixes off Krunal Pandya as he raced to 50 off 29 balls.

When Buttler departed in the 14th over, Rajasthan needed 41 runs. But then came the twist in the tale when Mumbai did make a comeback of sorts sending four batsmen -- Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi (1), Steve Smith (12 ) and Liam Livingstone (1) -- back to the pavilion as Rajasthan slumped to 174.6 from 147/2.

However, Shreyas Gopal (13 not out) and K Gowtham (0 not out) held their nerves to take the side home in a tense situation. Gopal hit the winning boundary off Hardik Pandya as celebrations erupted in the Rajasthan camp.

Joseph was the costliest bowler having conceded 53 runs in three overs.&nbsp; 
Earlier, Quinton de Kock hit a belligerent 81 as he powered Mumbai to an imposing 187 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League game here Saturday.&nbsp;

South African De Kock was the wrecker-in-chief as he hammered six fours and four sixes in his 52-ball knock and got able support from skipper Rohit Sharma (47 off 32 balls), who made a comeback after missing out the last Mumbai game due to a leg injury.

A late cameo from Hardik Pandya (28 off 11 balls), in which he smashed three sixes and one four ensured Mumbai neared the 190-run mark.

Earlier, Rohit and De Kock took the opposition attack to the cleaners as the two added 96 for the first wicket. They started the onslaught in the third over amassing 18 runs with the South African hitting a six and four off Krishnappa Gowtham.

Then Rohit ripped apart pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, striking three fours, including a splendid cover drive, as Mumbai gathered 14 runs from it.

De Kock kept playing shots at will even as Mumbai reached 57/0 after Powerplay period. Then De Kock dispatched spinner Liam Livingstone for two sixes over deep mid-wicket as runs came thick and fast. He raced to his fifty in 34 balls.

Rohit, who struck six fours and a lone six, threw his wicket away giving a sitter to Jos Buttler off Jofra Archer.&nbsp;

And then Rajasthan made a good comeback removing Surya Kumar Yadav (16) and Kieron Pollard (6) to reduce the hosts to 136/3.

Rajasthan bowlers made a splendid comeback as they removed De Kock and Ishan Kishan before the Hardik show.

Meanwhile, it was Rohit's 100th match as captain for Mumbai (including the now-defunct Champions League T20 games) and it was Mumbai's overall 200th match.

Jos Buttler laid the platform with a rampaging 89 while Shreyas Gopal held his nerve at the death to power Rajasthan to a four-wicket victory over Mumbai in an Indian Premier League encounter on Saturday.

Jos Buttler laid the platform with a rampaging 89 while Shreyas Gopal held his nerve at the death to power Rajasthan to a four-wicket victory over Mumbai in an Indian Premier League encounter on Saturday. This was Rajasthan's second victory of the season in seven games after losing the last ball thriller to Chennai less than 48 hours back. Put into bat, Mumbai rode on an aggressive 81 by South Africa's Quinton De Kock to post an imposing 187/5, but Buttler's 43-ball knock studded with eight fours and seven sixes set the tone before Royals survived a scare to finish the game in 19.3 overs. The match will be forever remembered by young West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph (0/53 in 3 overs), who was hammered for eight fours and three sixes and then was injured trying to save a boundary. The 13th over changed the game's complexion as Buttler smashed two sixes and four fours off Joseph to bring down the equation to a manageable run-a-ball. Buttler first conjured a 60-run opening stand with skipper Ajinkya Rahane (37 off 21 balls, 6x 4; 1x6) to lay the foundation and then added 87 runs for the second wicket with Sanju Samson (31 off 26 balls; 2x4, 1x6). Buttler initially played second fiddle to Rahane but then upped his ante once skipper was gone. The Englishman in the eighth over hit Rahul Chahar for a six, and then in next over, smashed two sixes off Krunal Pandya as he raced to 50 off 29 balls. When Buttler departed in the 14th over, Rajasthan needed 41 runs. But then came the twist in the tale when Mumbai did make a comeback of sorts sending four batsmen -- Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi (1), Steve Smith (12 ) and Liam Livingstone (1) -- back to the pavilion as Rajasthan slumped to 174.6 from 147/2. However, Shreyas Gopal (13 not out) and K Gowtham (0 not out) held their nerves to take the side home in a tense situation. Gopal hit the winning boundary off Hardik Pandya as celebrations erupted in the Rajasthan camp. Joseph was the costliest bowler having conceded 53 runs in three overs. Earlier, Quinton de Kock hit a belligerent 81 as he powered Mumbai to an imposing 187 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League game here Saturday. South African De Kock was the wrecker-in-chief as he hammered six fours and four sixes in his 52-ball knock and got able support from skipper Rohit Sharma (47 off 32 balls), who made a comeback after missing out the last Mumbai game due to a leg injury. A late cameo from Hardik Pandya (28 off 11 balls), in which he smashed three sixes and one four ensured Mumbai neared the 190-run mark. Earlier, Rohit and De Kock took the opposition attack to the cleaners as the two added 96 for the first wicket. They started the onslaught in the third over amassing 18 runs with the South African hitting a six and four off Krishnappa Gowtham. Then Rohit ripped apart pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, striking three fours, including a splendid cover drive, as Mumbai gathered 14 runs from it. De Kock kept playing shots at will even as Mumbai reached 57/0 after Powerplay period. Then De Kock dispatched spinner Liam Livingstone for two sixes over deep mid-wicket as runs came thick and fast. He raced to his fifty in 34 balls. Rohit, who struck six fours and a lone six, threw his wicket away giving a sitter to Jos Buttler off Jofra Archer. And then Rajasthan made a good comeback removing Surya Kumar Yadav (16) and Kieron Pollard (6) to reduce the hosts to 136/3. Rajasthan bowlers made a splendid comeback as they removed De Kock and Ishan Kishan before the Hardik show. Meanwhile, it was Rohit's 100th match as captain for Mumbai (including the now-defunct Champions League T20 games) and it was Mumbai's overall 200th match.

IPL 2019: Buttler, Gopal guide Rajasthan to four-wicket victory over Mumbai

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team will take on Ravichandran Ashwin-led in the first return fixture of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a> 2019. The two teams met in Mohali earlier, when Punjab defeated Mumbai as they chased down 177 quite convincingly.&nbsp;

Both the teams are high on confidence as coming off wins against Hyderabad in their respective previous matches.&nbsp;

When we see their head-to-head clashes in IPL, they have played 23 matches and Mumbai have won 12 and Punjab won 11.&nbsp;

At the Wankhede Stadium, they have played eight matches and both the teams have won equal wins.&nbsp;

Mumbai team is blessed with splendid batting firepower in the end overs from West Indian Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya and Punjab but have a problem at the top. The top order, comprising Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, is capable of hitting runs but they failed to leave an impact so far.&nbsp;

Mumbai don't even have anyone in the top-20 run-scorers' list this season, an indication of the depth in their batting, and have a superior fast bowling attack bolstered by the inclusion of West Indian pacer, Alzarri Joseph, who blew away Hyderabad with his record-breaking haul of 6/12 in their previous game. &nbsp;

The hosts have a formidable pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm Jason Behrendorff also there, along with Joseph and Hardik, to utilise the bounce and carry on the Wankhede track.&nbsp;

Punjab, third on the table with eight points, have been top heavy in batting with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal leading the way with 200-plus aggregates and the indomitable Gayle too not far behind.&nbsp;

In bowling, skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (7 wickets) has done well in five out of six games that the team has played and has got good support from the likes of Sam Curran, Mohammed Shami and Murugan Ashwin.&nbsp;

Watch the preview:

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Teams:

Mumbai: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jason Behrendorff, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Alzarri Joseph, Anmolpreet Singh, Siddhesh Lad, Ankul Roy, Evin Lewis, Pankaj Jaiswal, Ben Cutting, Ishan Kishan (wk), Aditya Tare, Rasikh Salam, Barinder Sran, Jayant Yadav.

Punjab: Lokesh Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, Mandeep Singh, Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Karun Nair, Moises Henriques, Varun Chakravarthi, Harpreet Brar, Simran Singh, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Hardus Viljoen, Ankit Rajpoot, Arshdeep Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Agnivesh Ayachi.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team will take on Ravichandran Ashwin-led in the first return fixture of Indian Premier League 2019. The two teams met in Mohali earlier, when Punjab defeated Mumbai as they chased down 177 quite convincingly.

Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai team will take on Ravichandran Ashwin-led in the first return fixture of Indian Premier League 2019. The two teams met in Mohali earlier, when Punjab defeated Mumbai as they chased down 177 quite convincingly. Both the teams are high on confidence as coming off wins against Hyderabad in their respective previous matches. When we see their head-to-head clashes in IPL, they have played 23 matches and Mumbai have won 12 and Punjab won 11. At the Wankhede Stadium, they have played eight matches and both the teams have won equal wins. Mumbai team is blessed with splendid batting firepower in the end overs from West Indian Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya and Punjab but have a problem at the top. The top order, comprising Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, is capable of hitting runs but they failed to leave an impact so far. Mumbai don't even have anyone in the top-20 run-scorers' list this season, an indication of the depth in their batting, and have a superior fast bowling attack bolstered by the inclusion of West Indian pacer, Alzarri Joseph, who blew away Hyderabad with his record-breaking haul of 6/12 in their previous game. The hosts have a formidable pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah and left-arm Jason Behrendorff also there, along with Joseph and Hardik, to utilise the bounce and carry on the Wankhede track. Punjab, third on the table with eight points, have been top heavy in batting with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal leading the way with 200-plus aggregates and the indomitable Gayle too not far behind. In bowling, skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (7 wickets) has done well in five out of six games that the team has played and has got good support from the likes of Sam Curran, Mohammed Shami and Murugan Ashwin. Watch the preview: × Teams: Mumbai: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jason Behrendorff, Mayank Markande, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Alzarri Joseph, Anmolpreet Singh, Siddhesh Lad, Ankul Roy, Evin Lewis, Pankaj Jaiswal, Ben Cutting, Ishan Kishan (wk), Aditya Tare, Rasikh Salam, Barinder Sran, Jayant Yadav. Punjab: Lokesh Rahul (wk), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, Mandeep Singh, Sam Curran, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Karun Nair, Moises Henriques, Varun Chakravarthi, Harpreet Brar, Simran Singh, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Hardus Viljoen, Ankit Rajpoot, Arshdeep Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Agnivesh Ayachi.

Preview and head-to-head: Mumbai take on Punjab in first return fixture of IPL 2019

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in red-hot form, Chennai will start favourites against the slightly off-colour Mumbai when the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a>'s two most successful teams have their first showdown of the season on Wednesday.

Chennai, three-time winners of the T20 League like the hosts, have been on a roll with three wins on the trot that have boosted them to the top of the table.

Mumbai, on the other hand, had a familiar stuttering start with a victory sandwiched between two defeats.

Recent history in head-to-head clashes is in Mumbai's favour, as the Rohit Sharma-led home team has beaten their rivals in four out of the last five contests.

Overall too Mumbai holds a 14-12 advantage over Chennai, including once in the defunct Champions T20 League.

However, Chennai seem to hold the edge this time around, especially with Dhoni rolling back the years with a typically robust 75 off 46 balls that lifted his team from 27 for three to 175 for five against Rajasthan at home in their last match.

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And with Dwayne Bravo holding off Rajasthan's charge at the end with the ball, Chennai maintained their 100 per cent record.

Chennai&nbsp;have the edge in batting depth and in spin bowling variety, while Mumbai have the better pace attack on a pitch that is bound to offer bounce and carry.

Mumbai are over-dependent on openers Rohit and South African Quinton de Kock. The rest need to step up.

The hosts will have the option of fielding new recruit, West Indian fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, or all-rounder Ben Cutting in place of the off-boil Lasith Malinga.

In the spin department, Mumbai are behind their opponents who have Harbhajan Singh, South African Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja to bank on after the power play.

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in red-hot form, Chennai will start favourites against the slightly off-colour Mumbai when the Indian Premier League's two most successful teams have their first showdown of the season on Wednesday.

With skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in red-hot form, Chennai will start favourites against the slightly off-colour Mumbai when the Indian Premier League's two most successful teams have their first showdown of the season on Wednesday. Chennai, three-time winners of the T20 League like the hosts, have been on a roll with three wins on the trot that have boosted them to the top of the table. Mumbai, on the other hand, had a familiar stuttering start with a victory sandwiched between two defeats. Recent history in head-to-head clashes is in Mumbai's favour, as the Rohit Sharma-led home team has beaten their rivals in four out of the last five contests. Overall too Mumbai holds a 14-12 advantage over Chennai, including once in the defunct Champions T20 League. However, Chennai seem to hold the edge this time around, especially with Dhoni rolling back the years with a typically robust 75 off 46 balls that lifted his team from 27 for three to 175 for five against Rajasthan at home in their last match. × And with Dwayne Bravo holding off Rajasthan's charge at the end with the ball, Chennai maintained their 100 per cent record. Chennai have the edge in batting depth and in spin bowling variety, while Mumbai have the better pace attack on a pitch that is bound to offer bounce and carry. Mumbai are over-dependent on openers Rohit and South African Quinton de Kock. The rest need to step up. The hosts will have the option of fielding new recruit, West Indian fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, or all-rounder Ben Cutting in place of the off-boil Lasith Malinga. In the spin department, Mumbai are behind their opponents who have Harbhajan Singh, South African Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja to bank on after the power play.

IPL 2019: Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai to take on MS Dhoni-led Chennai at Wankhede Stadium

IPL 2019: Match preview of Mumbai vs Chennai

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