Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Several fans and former cricketers had lashed out the KKR team management for allowing the CEO to interfere in cricketing decisions.

After the backlash, Iyer issued a clarification following the conclusion of KKR's next game and said he only meant that the CEO motivated players who were sitting out and didn't find a spot in the playing XI for a particular game. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes KKR CEO was indeed involved in team selection.

"When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer had said issuing a clarification over his statement on Mysore.

KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022 after enduring an inconsistent campaign. The team blew hot and cold throughout the season and struggled to find the balance in their playing XI due to injuries and poor form of several players. KKR finished the season with 12 points from 14 matches which were not enough to secure a spot in the top four.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-youve-brought-karthik-in-suresh-raina-questions-veteran-batters-exclusion-from-indias-t20i-squad-481498">'If you've brought Karthik in..':&nbsp;Raina questions veteran batter's exclusion from India's T20I squad</a>

Speaking about Iyer's comments on KKR CEO, Chopra said the skipper might have been asked to change his statement by the team management after intense criticism from all corners.

"Shreyas Iyer once said in a press conference that the KKR CEO is also involved in team selection. I think he got a rap on his knuckles and maybe he was told to change his statement. He then clarified that he had meant that the CEO motivates players when they get dropped and consoles them, but he isn't involved in the team selection," Chopra said&nbsp;in a video on his YouTube channel.

"But I am not sure about that because we saw in one game that he visibly looked upset while talking to Brendon McCullum after getting out against RR," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-umran-malik-make-his-india-debut-against-south-africa-former-head-coach-ravi-shastri-gives-his-take-481473">Can Umran Malik make his India debut against South Africa? Former head coach Ravi Shastri gives his take</a>

With Brendon McCullum set to take over as England's new Test coach, he will no longer serve as the head coach of the KKR from next season. KKR&nbsp;are certain to ring in changes in the coaching department ahead of the next season and it remains to be seen who will replace McCullum as the head coach of the side.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's comments had caused a stir on social media when he revealed that the franchise CEO - Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Several fans and former cricketers had lashed out the KKR team management for allowing the CEO to interfere in cricketing decisions. After the backlash, Iyer issued a clarification following the conclusion of KKR's next game and said he only meant that the CEO motivated players who were sitting out and didn't find a spot in the playing XI for a particular game. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes KKR CEO was indeed involved in team selection. "When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer had said issuing a clarification over his statement on Mysore. KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022 after enduring an inconsistent campaign. The team blew hot and cold throughout the season and struggled to find the balance in their playing XI due to injuries and poor form of several players. KKR finished the season with 12 points from 14 matches which were not enough to secure a spot in the top four. Also Read: 'If you've brought Karthik in..': Raina questions veteran batter's exclusion from India's T20I squad Speaking about Iyer's comments on KKR CEO, Chopra said the skipper might have been asked to change his statement by the team management after intense criticism from all corners. "Shreyas Iyer once said in a press conference that the KKR CEO is also involved in team selection. I think he got a rap on his knuckles and maybe he was told to change his statement. He then clarified that he had meant that the CEO motivates players when they get dropped and consoles them, but he isn't involved in the team selection," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. "But I am not sure about that because we saw in one game that he visibly looked upset while talking to Brendon McCullum after getting out against RR," he added. Also Read: Can Umran Malik make his India debut against South Africa? Former head coach Ravi Shastri gives his take With Brendon McCullum set to take over as England's new Test coach, he will no longer serve as the head coach of the KKR from next season. KKR are certain to ring in changes in the coaching department ahead of the next season and it remains to be seen who will replace McCullum as the head coach of the side.

'Maybe he was told to change his statement': Ex-India opener on Shreyas Iyer's clarification on KKR CEO

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.

Riding on South Africa's Quinton de Kock's mammoth 140 not out and captain KL Rahul's well-compiled 51-ball unbeaten 68, LSG put KKR on the back foot on a batting-friendly track to take the team total to 210-0 in 20 overs. While De Kock was the aggressor, scoring 71 runs alone since the start of the 16th over, with 10 fours and sixes each -- at a whopping strike rate of 200 -- Rahul played his part and also struck at 133.33

Courtesy De Kock-Rahul's brilliance, the duo also entered the record books by registering the highest-ever opening partnership in IPL history. The pair went past Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) former opening partners&nbsp;Jonny Bairstow-David Warner's 185-run stand versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2019.

This also became the first time a team has batted the entire 20 overs in IPL without losing a single wicket. Here are some other records achieved by the LSG openers and De Kock, in particular, who slammed his second IPL hundred:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/being-dropped-isnt-always-bad-ishan-kishan-defends-mi-management-for-initially-dropping-tim-david-480158">'Being dropped isn't always bad' - Ishan Kishan defends MI management for initially dropping Tim David</a>

Highest partnerships for any wicket in IPL 
229 Kohli - De Villiers RCB v GL Bengaluru 2016 
215*Kohli - De Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 
210*Rahul - De Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022

Highest individual scores in IPL 
175* C Gayle RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2013 
158* B McCullum KKR v RCB Bengaluru 2008 
140* Q de Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 
133* AB de Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 
132* KL Rahul PK v RCB Dubai 2020

Meanwhile, Rahul also became the first-ever Indian batter to cross the 500-run mark for the fifth successive IPL season. He is now only behind Delhi Capitals' (DC) opener David Warner, who has done this in six consecutive seasons.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-jasprit-bumrah-becomes-first-indian-pacer-to-achieve-elusive-feat-in-t20s-480160">IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to achieve elusive feat in T20s</a>

At the mid-innings, LSG head coach Andy Flower told the broadcasters, "It's a helluva score, they batted beautifully. We've been seeing some special batting from both of them this season and again that was brilliant to watch. They are both beautiful batters to watch. At the end of the 18th over, we sent a message on saying, 'If you guys are too tired hitting the ball hard, you can retire and we'll send some of our big-hitters in." These boys, all of them, from 1 to 9 can hit the ball hard like that. One boundary is a big boundary, so Quinton hitting balls like that, who's not renowned for his big-hitting actually, that'd have given him a lot of satisfaction."

KKR need to chase down the total in 16.5 overs to bolster their NRR (and go past DC's NRR, i.e.&nbsp;+0.255) and also remain in the playoffs race. Meanwhile, LSG already have one foot in the playoffs and will like to win big to not only confirm a last-four berth but also help them to ensure a&nbsp;top-two finish eventually.

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr.

It was raining sixes and runs for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after they opted to bat first versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition, on Wednesday evening (May 18), at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai. Riding on South Africa's Quinton de Kock's mammoth 140 not out and captain KL Rahul's well-compiled 51-ball unbeaten 68, LSG put KKR on the back foot on a batting-friendly track to take the team total to 210-0 in 20 overs. While De Kock was the aggressor, scoring 71 runs alone since the start of the 16th over, with 10 fours and sixes each -- at a whopping strike rate of 200 -- Rahul played his part and also struck at 133.33 Courtesy De Kock-Rahul's brilliance, the duo also entered the record books by registering the highest-ever opening partnership in IPL history. The pair went past Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) former opening partners Jonny Bairstow-David Warner's 185-run stand versus Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2019. This also became the first time a team has batted the entire 20 overs in IPL without losing a single wicket. Here are some other records achieved by the LSG openers and De Kock, in particular, who slammed his second IPL hundred: ALSO READ | 'Being dropped isn't always bad' - Ishan Kishan defends MI management for initially dropping Tim David Highest partnerships for any wicket in IPL 229 Kohli - De Villiers RCB v GL Bengaluru 2016 215*Kohli - De Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 210*Rahul - De Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 Highest individual scores in IPL 175* C Gayle RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2013 158* B McCullum KKR v RCB Bengaluru 2008 140* Q de Kock LSG v KKR Mumbai DYP 2022 133* AB de Villiers RCB v MI Mumbai WS 2015 132* KL Rahul PK v RCB Dubai 2020 Meanwhile, Rahul also became the first-ever Indian batter to cross the 500-run mark for the fifth successive IPL season. He is now only behind Delhi Capitals' (DC) opener David Warner, who has done this in six consecutive seasons. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to achieve elusive feat in T20s At the mid-innings, LSG head coach Andy Flower told the broadcasters, "It's a helluva score, they batted beautifully. We've been seeing some special batting from both of them this season and again that was brilliant to watch. They are both beautiful batters to watch. At the end of the 18th over, we sent a message on saying, 'If you guys are too tired hitting the ball hard, you can retire and we'll send some of our big-hitters in." These boys, all of them, from 1 to 9 can hit the ball hard like that. One boundary is a big boundary, so Quinton hitting balls like that, who's not renowned for his big-hitting actually, that'd have given him a lot of satisfaction." KKR need to chase down the total in 16.5 overs to bolster their NRR (and go past DC's NRR, i.e. +0.255) and also remain in the playoffs race. Meanwhile, LSG already have one foot in the playoffs and will like to win big to not only confirm a last-four berth but also help them to ensure a top-two finish eventually.

LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday. De Kock gave a batting masterclass enroute to an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls as he and Rahul (68 not out off 51) fired LSG to 210 for no loss, the highest opening stand in IPL history. 
It was a steep chase but KKR stayed in the game through Nitish Rana (42) and captain Shreyas Iyer (50) but it was too big a task for the lower-order. Their innings ended 208 for eight in 20 overs.

Just when it looked KKR were down and out, Sunil Narine (21 not out off) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15) started smashing the LSG bowlers around the ground to reignite hopes of the dug out. KKR needed 38 runs off the last two overs and they both brought the equation down to 21 off the final over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-updated-points-table-lucknow-super-giants-move-to-2nd-spot-with-win-over-kolkata-knight-riders-480232">IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders</a>

Rinku came up with couple of sixes and a four to make it five off the last three balls but he fell to a special one-handed catch from Evin Lewis to bring LSG back into the game. With three needed off the final ball, Marcus Stoinis landed a yorker to dismiss Umesh Yadav and help his team win a humdinger. The loss knocked KKR out of the competition, while LSG, who had lost their last two matches, moved back into the top-two with the win.

Earlier, Rahul and de Kock got the measure of the wicket in the powerplay, reaching 44 for no loss, before flaunting their wide range of strokes on way to the third highest stand in tournament history. The South African hammered 10 sixes and as many fours in his whirlwind innings, while Rahul collected four sixes and three fours in his 51-ball 68 not out.

De Kock, who was dropped by Abhijeet Tomar off Umesh Yadav in the third over, made KKR pay heavily by getting the highest score of the season. His memorable innings was also third highest individual score in tournament history. The South African was in his elements smashing the spinners and pacers with equal disdain.

He used the pull shot against the faster bowlers and was at his innovative best against the seasoned spin duo of Sunil Narine and off coloured Varun Chakaravarthy. Out of the sixes he hit, de Kock's reverse sweep off Narine stood out. Anything short from the pacers, de Kock was happy to put it away over deep square leg region.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-kkr-kl-rahul-centurion-quinton-de-kock-enter-record-books-put-on-highest-opening-stand-in-ipl-480204">ALSO READ |&nbsp;LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL</a>

De Kock cruised to his hundred in the 18th over with a cut shot off Russell and the innings meant a lot to him, something that was visibly by his down on knees celebration. The southpaw was in no mood to stop even after reaching three figures. Tim Southee was poor in the death overs as he fed balls after balls in the slot for de Kock to deposit it into the stands.

His 19th over yielded as many as 27 runs with de Kock finding the boundary at will. Rahul watched de Kock's breathtaking knock from the best seat in the house. The skipper did not have much to do in the slog overs but he too played some sublime strokes on way to his third half century of the season. Rahul also completed 500 runs in the tournament for the fifth season in a row.&nbsp;

KKR bowlers leaked 88 runs in the last five overs with Southee and Russell proving to be the most expensive bowlers.

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday.

Quinton de Kock struck a sensational hundred and shared a record opening stand with skipper K L Rahul as Lucknow Super Giants pipped Kolkata Knight Riders by two runs in a last-ball IPL thriller to seal their play-off spot here on Wednesday. De Kock gave a batting masterclass enroute to an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls as he and Rahul (68 not out off 51) fired LSG to 210 for no loss, the highest opening stand in IPL history. It was a steep chase but KKR stayed in the game through Nitish Rana (42) and captain Shreyas Iyer (50) but it was too big a task for the lower-order. Their innings ended 208 for eight in 20 overs. Just when it looked KKR were down and out, Sunil Narine (21 not out off) and Rinku Singh (40 off 15) started smashing the LSG bowlers around the ground to reignite hopes of the dug out. KKR needed 38 runs off the last two overs and they both brought the equation down to 21 off the final over. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders Rinku came up with couple of sixes and a four to make it five off the last three balls but he fell to a special one-handed catch from Evin Lewis to bring LSG back into the game. With three needed off the final ball, Marcus Stoinis landed a yorker to dismiss Umesh Yadav and help his team win a humdinger. The loss knocked KKR out of the competition, while LSG, who had lost their last two matches, moved back into the top-two with the win. Earlier, Rahul and de Kock got the measure of the wicket in the powerplay, reaching 44 for no loss, before flaunting their wide range of strokes on way to the third highest stand in tournament history. The South African hammered 10 sixes and as many fours in his whirlwind innings, while Rahul collected four sixes and three fours in his 51-ball 68 not out. De Kock, who was dropped by Abhijeet Tomar off Umesh Yadav in the third over, made KKR pay heavily by getting the highest score of the season. His memorable innings was also third highest individual score in tournament history. The South African was in his elements smashing the spinners and pacers with equal disdain. He used the pull shot against the faster bowlers and was at his innovative best against the seasoned spin duo of Sunil Narine and off coloured Varun Chakaravarthy. Out of the sixes he hit, de Kock's reverse sweep off Narine stood out. Anything short from the pacers, de Kock was happy to put it away over deep square leg region. ALSO READ | LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL De Kock cruised to his hundred in the 18th over with a cut shot off Russell and the innings meant a lot to him, something that was visibly by his down on knees celebration. The southpaw was in no mood to stop even after reaching three figures. Tim Southee was poor in the death overs as he fed balls after balls in the slot for de Kock to deposit it into the stands. His 19th over yielded as many as 27 runs with de Kock finding the boundary at will. Rahul watched de Kock's breathtaking knock from the best seat in the house. The skipper did not have much to do in the slog overs but he too played some sublime strokes on way to his third half century of the season. Rahul also completed 500 runs in the tournament for the fifth season in a row. KKR bowlers leaked 88 runs in the last five overs with Southee and Russell proving to be the most expensive bowlers.

IPL 2022: Quinton de Kock's 140*, Mohsin Khan's 3-fer take LSG to playoffs as KKR eliminated

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co. had to win to remain alive in the top-four race.&nbsp;In a high-scoring affair, at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18), LSG beat KKR by two runs to progress to the playoffs whereas last edition's runners-up now stand eliminated, joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Batting first, KL Rahul's 68&nbsp;and Quinton de Kock's 140 not out went bonkers -- especially towards the end -- as LSG posted 210 for no loss in 20 overs. In reply, KKR were 9 for 2 but valuable knocks from Nitish Rana, Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sam Billings and Sunil Narine led to the franchise's top-class fight right till the end before they eventually fell short by two runs, managing 208 for 8.

Here's the IPL 2022 updated points table after the LSG-KKR clash:

<img alt="Updated IPL 2022 points table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5e3afe9-716a-4916-ac4b-ddf3e1879b2b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/PT%20kkr%20-%20lsg%20contest.png" />

LSG now take the second spot and have a strong chance to finish in the top-two. Their closest contender, who can finish at the second position, is currently third-ranked Rajasthan Royals (RR). The 2008 winners have one game left.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lsg-vs-kkr-kl-rahul-centurion-quinton-de-kock-enter-record-books-put-on-highest-opening-stand-in-ipl-480204">LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL</a>

At the post-match presentation, the now-eliminated KKR team's skipper Iyer told, "I am not feeling sad at all. That was one of the best games of cricket I have played. The way we should our character and attitude was simply outstanding. I love the way Rinku got us till the end but unfortunately couldn't time it when two balls were remaining, he was really sad. I was hoping he could finish the game for us and could have been the hero, but still played a fantastic knock and I am really happy for him. When we came in, I never thought it would play this way because it was dry and the grass wasn't that wet. I thought there would be little help for the spinners but once they started going.. LSG took on the bowlers and got a par total. It was a do or die situation for us, even after losing two wickets in the powerplay our mindset was to go for the chase and take it close as possible and put them under pressure. It was a volatile season for us, we started great but lost five games in a row and I personally feel we did a lot of chopping and changing, we had to do that because of the niggles and form, but we also got to know the players such as Rinku."

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer & Co.

Match 66 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) face the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the former had a playoffs spot up for grabs whereas Shreyas Iyer & Co. had to win to remain alive in the top-four race. In a high-scoring affair, at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (May 18), LSG beat KKR by two runs to progress to the playoffs whereas last edition's runners-up now stand eliminated, joining Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Batting first, KL Rahul's 68 and Quinton de Kock's 140 not out went bonkers -- especially towards the end -- as LSG posted 210 for no loss in 20 overs. In reply, KKR were 9 for 2 but valuable knocks from Nitish Rana, Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sam Billings and Sunil Narine led to the franchise's top-class fight right till the end before they eventually fell short by two runs, managing 208 for 8. Here's the IPL 2022 updated points table after the LSG-KKR clash: LSG now take the second spot and have a strong chance to finish in the top-two. Their closest contender, who can finish at the second position, is currently third-ranked Rajasthan Royals (RR). The 2008 winners have one game left. ALSO READ | LSG vs KKR: KL Rahul, centurion Quinton de Kock enter record books, put on highest opening stand in IPL At the post-match presentation, the now-eliminated KKR team's skipper Iyer told, "I am not feeling sad at all. That was one of the best games of cricket I have played. The way we should our character and attitude was simply outstanding. I love the way Rinku got us till the end but unfortunately couldn't time it when two balls were remaining, he was really sad. I was hoping he could finish the game for us and could have been the hero, but still played a fantastic knock and I am really happy for him. When we came in, I never thought it would play this way because it was dry and the grass wasn't that wet. I thought there would be little help for the spinners but once they started going.. LSG took on the bowlers and got a par total. It was a do or die situation for us, even after losing two wickets in the powerplay our mindset was to go for the chase and take it close as possible and put them under pressure. It was a volatile season for us, we started great but lost five games in a row and I personally feel we did a lot of chopping and changing, we had to do that because of the niggles and form, but we also got to know the players such as Rinku."

IPL 2022 updated points table: Lucknow Super Giants move to 2nd spot with win over Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise.

His comments soon went viral as fans and experts slammed the KKR team management for not letting the captain and coaches take control of the cricketing matters in the team. Many also felt the CEO's involvement in selection has played a role in KKR's poor show so far this season.

KKR have not enjoyed the best of campaigns in IPL 2022 as they currently lie at the sixth spot on the points table with six wins and seven losses in the tournament so far. The two-time champions have just one game remaining this season and have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they manage to win it.

Reacting to Iyer's revelations about KKR CEO's involvement in team selection, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt slammed KKR head coach Brendon McCullum calling his style of cricket 'senseless'. He also asserted that McCullum should treat the skipper with respect and not like a 'peon' who is there to follow all his commands.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wish-we-had-one-more-day-andrew-symonds-sister-heartbroken-leaves-note-on-his-accident-site-479567">Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site</a>

"McCullum has some issues. He knows one way. He won't look at the pitch, the venue, what can we score, how much we need for a particular opposition. He just says play freely, score quickly. He starts senseless cricket in the garb of fearless cricket at times," Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"You need to give leverage to the team. When you make someone a captain, he is allowed to make mistakes. Captain is not your peon, who will follow all your commands," he added.

Butt recalled McCullum's stint with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and revealed former New Zealand&nbsp;captain's tactics didn't work out for the franchise. Butt said McCullum insisted on playing attacking cricket irrespective of the team's situation which more often than not resulted in failure.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ms-dhonis-csk-achieves-new-low-after-gt-defeat-on-cusp-of-finishing-bottom-of-the-table-479537">MS Dhoni's CSK achieves new low after GT defeat, on cusp of finishing bottom of the table</a>

"We saw a lot of that in Lahore Qalandars. The meaning of McCullum's fearless cricket was to keep your brains aside and just keep on hitting without looking back. If you have lost 7 out of 10 wickets with 15 overs remaining, he still wanted the team to play that attacking way," Butt recalled.

"Lahore gave a lot of chances to him but his method didn't work out. That kind of tactic can work on good pitches but it's not a remedy for all conditions. As a coach, you must plan for all conditions," he added.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer's recent revelations had sparked a massive debate on social media. In the post-match interview after KKR's win over Mumbai Indians (MI) earlier this month, Iyer revealed that KKR's CEO Venky Mysore is also involved in team selection at the franchise. His comments soon went viral as fans and experts slammed the KKR team management for not letting the captain and coaches take control of the cricketing matters in the team. Many also felt the CEO's involvement in selection has played a role in KKR's poor show so far this season. KKR have not enjoyed the best of campaigns in IPL 2022 as they currently lie at the sixth spot on the points table with six wins and seven losses in the tournament so far. The two-time champions have just one game remaining this season and have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they manage to win it. Reacting to Iyer's revelations about KKR CEO's involvement in team selection, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt slammed KKR head coach Brendon McCullum calling his style of cricket 'senseless'. He also asserted that McCullum should treat the skipper with respect and not like a 'peon' who is there to follow all his commands. Also Read: Wish we had one more day: Andrew Symonds' sister 'heartbroken', leaves note on his accident site "McCullum has some issues. He knows one way. He won't look at the pitch, the venue, what can we score, how much we need for a particular opposition. He just says play freely, score quickly. He starts senseless cricket in the garb of fearless cricket at times," Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel. "You need to give leverage to the team. When you make someone a captain, he is allowed to make mistakes. Captain is not your peon, who will follow all your commands," he added. Butt recalled McCullum's stint with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and revealed former New Zealand captain's tactics didn't work out for the franchise. Butt said McCullum insisted on playing attacking cricket irrespective of the team's situation which more often than not resulted in failure. Also Read: MS Dhoni's CSK achieves new low after GT defeat, on cusp of finishing bottom of the table "We saw a lot of that in Lahore Qalandars. The meaning of McCullum's fearless cricket was to keep your brains aside and just keep on hitting without looking back. If you have lost 7 out of 10 wickets with 15 overs remaining, he still wanted the team to play that attacking way," Butt recalled. "Lahore gave a lot of chances to him but his method didn't work out. That kind of tactic can work on good pitches but it's not a remedy for all conditions. As a coach, you must plan for all conditions," he added.

'Captain is not your peon': Former Pakistan captain slams KKR head coach after Shreyas Iyer's revelations

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win.

Following his side's victory, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer issued a clarification regarding his statement on the franchise's CEO being involved in team selection. After KKR's win over Mumbai Indians earlier this week, Iyer had revealed KKR CEO Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection.

Iyer's comments soon became one of the major talking points among cricket fans on social media as the KKR management was slammed by many for not letting the captain and coaching staff be in control of cricketing matters. However, Iyer issued a clarification on Saturday and said the KKR CEO was there to console players.

"When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer said clarifying his earlier statement on Mysore.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kolkata-knight-riders-stay-alive-on-paper-after-54-run-win-against-sunrisers-hyderabad-478990">Kolkata Knight Riders 'stay alive' on paper after 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

Following Iyer's revelation about the CEO being involved in team selection, several former cricketers had also criticised the team management. Former India cricketer Madan Lal had said it's the job of the captain and the coaches to decide the team, not the CEO.&nbsp;

"If that’s true, then what are the coaches and support staff doing? It is the job of coaches and captains to decide on the team, not the CEO. That’s the reason why the team is performing so badly on the field. Something is fundamentally wrong within the team," Madan Lal had said reacting to Iyer's statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/started-to-drink-heavily-when-andrew-symonds-opened-up-on-his-downhill-slide-after-monkeygate-scandal-479034">'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal</a>

KKR moved to the fifth spot on the points table with the win against SRH as they now have 12 points from 13 matches so far this season. KKR have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they can win their final league game which will take them to 14 points from as many matches.

KKR will play their last game against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday (May 18) and will be hoping to continue their winning run.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday (May 14) to keep their playoffs hopes alive. KKR rode on Andre Russell's all-round heroics to post a fighting total of 177 runs on the board before restricting SRH on a paltry 123 runs to bag a crucial win. Following his side's victory, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer issued a clarification regarding his statement on the franchise's CEO being involved in team selection. After KKR's win over Mumbai Indians earlier this week, Iyer had revealed KKR CEO Venky Mysore was also involved in team selection. Iyer's comments soon became one of the major talking points among cricket fans on social media as the KKR management was slammed by many for not letting the captain and coaching staff be in control of cricketing matters. However, Iyer issued a clarification on Saturday and said the KKR CEO was there to console players. "When I took the CEO's name, I wanted to say that he's there to console the players who've been sitting out. It's tough for us as well while picking teams," Iyer said clarifying his earlier statement on Mysore. Also Read: Kolkata Knight Riders 'stay alive' on paper after 54-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad Following Iyer's revelation about the CEO being involved in team selection, several former cricketers had also criticised the team management. Former India cricketer Madan Lal had said it's the job of the captain and the coaches to decide the team, not the CEO. "If that’s true, then what are the coaches and support staff doing? It is the job of coaches and captains to decide on the team, not the CEO. That’s the reason why the team is performing so badly on the field. Something is fundamentally wrong within the team," Madan Lal had said reacting to Iyer's statement. Also Read: 'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal KKR moved to the fifth spot on the points table with the win against SRH as they now have 12 points from 13 matches so far this season. KKR have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs if they can win their final league game which will take them to 14 points from as many matches. KKR will play their last game against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday (May 18) and will be hoping to continue their winning run.

Shreyas Iyer issues clarification on 'CEO is involved in team selection' statement after KKR thrash SRH

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches. Iyer has scored 336 runs in 12 appearances for the KKR and although KKR are seventh in the IPL points table, Iyer’s captaincy has received a lot of praise.

"Shreyas Iyer is a premier player for KKR, he's been a premier player for whichever franchise he's played for. It's good to see that Shreyas doesn't have to share all the burden in the batting department. The recent exploits of Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh will give him the confidence to bat freely and play those big shots early in the innings", Gavaskar said on Star Sports Cricket Live.

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Gavaskar’s fellow expert – Mohammed Kaif – also praised Shreyas Iyer for his performances in the tournament this year and said that he is the right person to take KKR in the right direction.

"Shreyas Iyer is a class batsman. He loves to play under pressure and knows how to score runs consistently. He likes playing long and impactful innings. He is a brilliant captain and can put KKR in the right direction with his batting," said the former Indian cricket team player.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ambati-rayudu-not-retiring-from-ipl-says-csk-ceo-after-star-batter-deletes-retirement-tweet-478850" hreflang="en">Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after he deletes retirement tweet</a>

"Shreyas has one weakness though. He doesn't play leg spinners well and tends to get deceived by the turn and flight from the leggies. It is surprising to see an Indian batter struggle consistently against leg-spin. He's been dismissed by leg-spinners quite a few times in this season too," he added.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches.

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar picked Shreyas Iyer as the ‘premier player’ for Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he can play freely right now with Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh getting runs in the last few matches. Iyer has scored 336 runs in 12 appearances for the KKR and although KKR are seventh in the IPL points table, Iyer’s captaincy has received a lot of praise. "Shreyas Iyer is a premier player for KKR, he's been a premier player for whichever franchise he's played for. It's good to see that Shreyas doesn't have to share all the burden in the batting department. The recent exploits of Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh will give him the confidence to bat freely and play those big shots early in the innings", Gavaskar said on Star Sports Cricket Live. Also read | Virat Kohli becomes first batsman in history to claim massive IPL milestone Gavaskar’s fellow expert – Mohammed Kaif – also praised Shreyas Iyer for his performances in the tournament this year and said that he is the right person to take KKR in the right direction. "Shreyas Iyer is a class batsman. He loves to play under pressure and knows how to score runs consistently. He likes playing long and impactful innings. He is a brilliant captain and can put KKR in the right direction with his batting," said the former Indian cricket team player. Also read | Rayudu not retiring from IPL, says CSK CEO after he deletes retirement tweet "Shreyas has one weakness though. He doesn't play leg spinners well and tends to get deceived by the turn and flight from the leggies. It is surprising to see an Indian batter struggle consistently against leg-spin. He's been dismissed by leg-spinners quite a few times in this season too," he added.

Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Kaif pick 'premier player' for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their playoffs hopes alive with a comfortable 52-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday (May 09). It was a brilliant all-round performance from the Shreyas Iyer-led side as they went on to successfully defend the total of 165 runs to bag their fifth win of the season and moved to the seventh spot on the points table.

While there were a number of talking points from the game with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Rinku Singh impressing for their respective teams, Iyer's startling revelation post the conclusion of the game took many by surprise. Following his side's victory, the KKR skipper was asked why KKR have been chopping and changing too much and don't yet have a settled playing XI this season.

On Monday, KKR had made as many as five changes in their playing XI against Mumbai Indians as the likes of openers Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane along with Cummins returned to the team. KKR's unstable combination has been one of the major reasons behind their inconsistent run this season as they lie in the bottom half of the points table in IPL 2022.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-explained-how-ms-dhonis-csk-and-kkr-can-still-qualify-for-the-playoffs-477792">IPL 2022 - EXPLAINED! How MS Dhoni's CSK and KKR can still qualify for the playoffs</a>

While many would expect the decisions pertaining to the frequent changes in the team are being taken by the captain and the coaches, that has not been the case at KKR. Iyer revealed franchise's CEO Venky Mysore has also been involved in team selections, an admission that left many in shock.

“It’s really difficult. I was also in that position once when I started playing IPl," Iyer said at the post-match presentation on Monday when asked how difficult was it to inform the players that they are not playing on a particular day. He then went on to reveal how KKR CEO is also involved in the selection process along with him and head coach Brendon McCullum.

"We discuss with the coaches, obviously CEO (Venky Mysore) is also involved in team selection. Especially, Baz (Brendon McCullum) goes to the players and tells them if they are not playing. All of them are very supportive of the decision-making. The way they turn up to the ground, support each and every individual in the playing eleven, it’s something to be proud of as a captain. I am really happy that we came today with good spirits and played with all the energy," said Iyer.

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Iyer's comments left many in shock on Twitter as fans lashed out at the KKR team management. While CEOs are integral members of any franchise, the cricketing decisions are left to the captain, players and the coaching staff in the majority of teams.

KKR have so far managed five wins in eleven matches this season and have an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs if they can win their remaining three matches in a row and maintain a good net run rate. 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their playoffs hopes alive with a comfortable 52-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday (May 09).

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their playoffs hopes alive with a comfortable 52-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday (May 09). It was a brilliant all-round performance from the Shreyas Iyer-led side as they went on to successfully defend the total of 165 runs to bag their fifth win of the season and moved to the seventh spot on the points table. While there were a number of talking points from the game with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Rinku Singh impressing for their respective teams, Iyer's startling revelation post the conclusion of the game took many by surprise. Following his side's victory, the KKR skipper was asked why KKR have been chopping and changing too much and don't yet have a settled playing XI this season. On Monday, KKR had made as many as five changes in their playing XI against Mumbai Indians as the likes of openers Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane along with Cummins returned to the team. KKR's unstable combination has been one of the major reasons behind their inconsistent run this season as they lie in the bottom half of the points table in IPL 2022. Also Read: IPL 2022 - EXPLAINED! How MS Dhoni's CSK and KKR can still qualify for the playoffs While many would expect the decisions pertaining to the frequent changes in the team are being taken by the captain and the coaches, that has not been the case at KKR. Iyer revealed franchise's CEO Venky Mysore has also been involved in team selections, an admission that left many in shock. “It’s really difficult. I was also in that position once when I started playing IPl," Iyer said at the post-match presentation on Monday when asked how difficult was it to inform the players that they are not playing on a particular day. He then went on to reveal how KKR CEO is also involved in the selection process along with him and head coach Brendon McCullum. "We discuss with the coaches, obviously CEO (Venky Mysore) is also involved in team selection. Especially, Baz (Brendon McCullum) goes to the players and tells them if they are not playing. All of them are very supportive of the decision-making. The way they turn up to the ground, support each and every individual in the playing eleven, it’s something to be proud of as a captain. I am really happy that we came today with good spirits and played with all the energy," said Iyer. Also Read: Fans slam 3rd umpire as ultra edge glitch leads to Rohit Sharma's controversial dismissal against KKR Iyer's comments left many in shock on Twitter as fans lashed out at the KKR team management. While CEOs are integral members of any franchise, the cricketing decisions are left to the captain, players and the coaching staff in the majority of teams. KKR have so far managed five wins in eleven matches this season and have an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs if they can win their remaining three matches in a row and maintain a good net run rate.

'CEO is involved in team selections': KKR captain Shreyas Iyer's revelation raises eyebrows

The race for the IPL 2022 playoffs is getting intense and a bit complicated with each passing day and match. With 56 matches done and dusted in the league stage, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and&nbsp;Gujarat Titans (GT) hold the top-two spots, respectively, and one of them are set to book a slot in the playoffs on Tuesday evening (May 10).

While Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- both tied on 14 points -- also&nbsp;look set to be the other two teams to enter the playoffs, one can expect some more twists and turns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all tied on 10 points. On the other hand, defending champions and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are also somehow alive in the competition with 8 points from 11 games. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are the only team confirmed to be out of the race.

As there is total chaos in the mid-table, here's how KKR and CSK -- who have lesser chances compared to the other teams stranded in the middle -- can qualify for the playoffs:

KKR's scenario:

With 5 wins in 12 matches, Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co.&nbsp;have 10 points. They are set to play two more matches in the league stage. The franchise can earn two more victories, at the maximum, to take their overall points tally to 14.&nbsp;

<section>
KKR's NRR&nbsp;is presently at -0.057. Since 4 teams are already of 14 points, the two-time winners need a miracle. They&nbsp;would hope for the above teams&nbsp;to lose all of their matches handsomely.&nbsp;Seems unlikely!

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-kolkata-knight-riders-beat-mumbai-indans-by-52-runs-477706">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by 52 runs</a>

CSK's scenario:

The Dhoni-led Yellow Army's case isn't much different. While CSK need to win all of their remaining three matches to remain alive, their NRR is better (+0.028) --&nbsp;following the big victory over DC --&nbsp;and gives them a better chance in comparison to KKR to progress ahead.
</section>

The race for the IPL 2022 playoffs is getting intense and a bit complicated with each passing day and match. With 56 matches done and dusted in the league stage, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) hold the top-two spots, respectively, and one of them are set to book a slot in the playoffs on Tuesday evening (May 10).

The race for the IPL 2022 playoffs is getting intense and a bit complicated with each passing day and match. With 56 matches done and dusted in the league stage, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) hold the top-two spots, respectively, and one of them are set to book a slot in the playoffs on Tuesday evening (May 10). While Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- both tied on 14 points -- also look set to be the other two teams to enter the playoffs, one can expect some more twists and turns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all tied on 10 points. On the other hand, defending champions and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are also somehow alive in the competition with 8 points from 11 games. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are the only team confirmed to be out of the race. As there is total chaos in the mid-table, here's how KKR and CSK -- who have lesser chances compared to the other teams stranded in the middle -- can qualify for the playoffs: KKR's scenario: With 5 wins in 12 matches, Shreyas Iyer & Co. have 10 points. They are set to play two more matches in the league stage. The franchise can earn two more victories, at the maximum, to take their overall points tally to 14. KKR's NRR is presently at -0.057. Since 4 teams are already of 14 points, the two-time winners need a miracle. They would hope for the above teams to lose all of their matches handsomely. Seems unlikely! ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians by 52 runs CSK's scenario: The Dhoni-led Yellow Army's case isn't much different. While CSK need to win all of their remaining three matches to remain alive, their NRR is better (+0.028) -- following the big victory over DC -- and gives them a better chance in comparison to KKR to progress ahead.

IPL 2022: EXPLAINED! How MS Dhoni's CSK and KKR can still qualify for the playoffs

Mumbai Indians (MI) became the first team to be knocked out of the race for playoffs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 last week after Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings. MI have managed only two wins in ten matches in what has been a disastrous campaign for them in IPL 2022.&nbsp;

The five-time champions went on a record-breaking losing streak of 8 matches at the start of the season before winning their last two games in a row to regain some lost momentum. While the Rohit Sharma-led side will now be playing for pride, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have everything to play for as they desperately aim to keep their playoffs hopes alive.

Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (May 09). It is a must-win game for KKR, who are just one spot above Mumbai Indians on the points table with 8 points from eleven matches so far this season. KKR will be hoping MI don't spoil their party after bowing out of the tournament.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-big-fan-of-maths-ms-dhoni-gives-cheeky-response-on-csks-chances-of-qualifying-for-ipl-2022-playoffs-477567">&nbsp;'Not a big fan of maths': MS Dhoni on CSK's chances of qualifying for IPL 2022 playoffs</a>

KKR have a fair share of concerns in their line-up as their openers have failed to fire while the middle-order has struggled to get them over the line on a few occasions. The bowlers too have been taken to the cleaners more often than not and need to step up against MI, who will be looking to finish the season on a high after a disappointing exit.

Here is all you need to know about MI vs KKR clash in IPL 2022:

Head-to-head:&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians have dominated Kolkata Knight Riders consistently over the years in the IPL. Mumbai Indians have 22 wins compared to KKR's 8 in 30 meetings between the two teams.

Stats:

Rohit Sharma has a terrific record against KKR and is the highest run-getter against the franchise in IPL history. However, he has been dismissed nine times by Sunil Narine in 170 deliveries against the spinner. It will be an interesting duel to watch between the two.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/156-will-go-for-256-off-the-bat-ravi-shastri-issues-warning-to-umran-malik-as-rcb-thrash-srh-in-ipl-2022-477598">'156 will go for 256 off the bat': Shastri issues warning to Umran Malik as RCB thrash SRH in IPL 2022</a>

Trivia:

Kolkata Knight Riders are the only team so far this season who haven't had a fifty-plus opening stand. KKR openers have failed to see off the Powerplay together in all eleven matches in IPL 2022.

Predicted playing XIs:

KKR: Aaron Finch, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Baba Indrajith (wk), Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi

Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Basil Thampi, Jasprit Bumrah, Riley Meredith

Mumbai Indians (MI) became the first team to be knocked out of the race for playoffs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 last week after Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings.

Mumbai Indians (MI) became the first team to be knocked out of the race for playoffs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 last week after Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings. MI have managed only two wins in ten matches in what has been a disastrous campaign for them in IPL 2022. The five-time champions went on a record-breaking losing streak of 8 matches at the start of the season before winning their last two games in a row to regain some lost momentum. While the Rohit Sharma-led side will now be playing for pride, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have everything to play for as they desperately aim to keep their playoffs hopes alive. Mumbai Indians will lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (May 09). It is a must-win game for KKR, who are just one spot above Mumbai Indians on the points table with 8 points from eleven matches so far this season. KKR will be hoping MI don't spoil their party after bowing out of the tournament. Also Read: 'Not a big fan of maths': MS Dhoni on CSK's chances of qualifying for IPL 2022 playoffs KKR have a fair share of concerns in their line-up as their openers have failed to fire while the middle-order has struggled to get them over the line on a few occasions. The bowlers too have been taken to the cleaners more often than not and need to step up against MI, who will be looking to finish the season on a high after a disappointing exit. Here is all you need to know about MI vs KKR clash in IPL 2022: Head-to-head: Mumbai Indians have dominated Kolkata Knight Riders consistently over the years in the IPL. Mumbai Indians have 22 wins compared to KKR's 8 in 30 meetings between the two teams. Stats: Rohit Sharma has a terrific record against KKR and is the highest run-getter against the franchise in IPL history. However, he has been dismissed nine times by Sunil Narine in 170 deliveries against the spinner. It will be an interesting duel to watch between the two. Also Read: '156 will go for 256 off the bat': Shastri issues warning to Umran Malik as RCB thrash SRH in IPL 2022 Trivia: Kolkata Knight Riders are the only team so far this season who haven't had a fifty-plus opening stand. KKR openers have failed to see off the Powerplay together in all eleven matches in IPL 2022. Predicted playing XIs: KKR: Aaron Finch, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Baba Indrajith (wk), Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Murugan Ashwin, Basil Thampi, Jasprit Bumrah, Riley Meredith

Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2022: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XIs

Match 56 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the two bottom-ranked sides face each other at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (May 10). Both sides have had a tough ride in the 15th season and, hence, occupy the last two spots in the points table.&nbsp;

Talking about the MI franchise, they became the first team to be out of competition from the playoffs race when Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS), on Saturday (May 07), in match 52 of the 15th season. With nothing to lose and an eye on the future, the Rohit Sharma-led franchise will aim to now play spoilsport to KKR's chances of advancing ahead, who have been a pale shadow of themselves this season.&nbsp;

MI are coming into this fixture on the back of two successive wins, after eight failures on the trot. Beating RR and Gujarat Titans (GT), they will be confident to dent KKR's chances, against whom they enjoy a superior head-to-head record (22-8).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-ms-dhoni-play-another-ipl-season-shoaib-akhtar-opens-up-on-csk-skippers-future-477531">Will MS Dhoni play another IPL season? Shoaib Akhtar opens up on CSK skipper's future</a>

KKR, on the other hand, are coming into this fixture following a whopping 75-run margin defeat at the hands of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Chasing a competitive 177, KKR folded for 101 as their big guns have continued to disappoint with the bat. The bowling department&nbsp;has fared&nbsp;better for the Kolkata franchise but the onus remains on Umesh Yadav (who missed the last match), Tim Southee and Sunil Narine. They don't have a fixed fifth-bowling option, which has been a cause of concern for the two-time winners.

Match prediction for KKR vs MI clash:&nbsp;While KKR are far behind MI in head-to-head, they beat them in the earlier fixture this season. Pat Cummins, Venky Iyer were the star performers and it will be interesting to see if both the benched players will find a place in the playing XI.&nbsp;

Both sides might still prefer to chase despite Delhi Capitals (DC) folding for 117 in pursuit of 209 set by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last evening. Will MI make it three wins in a row?

Match 56 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the two bottom-ranked sides face each other at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (May 10). Both sides have had a tough ride in the 15th season and, hence, occupy the last two spots in the points table.

Match 56 of the IPL 2022 edition will see the two bottom-ranked sides face each other at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (May 10). Both sides have had a tough ride in the 15th season and, hence, occupy the last two spots in the points table. Talking about the MI franchise, they became the first team to be out of competition from the playoffs race when Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS), on Saturday (May 07), in match 52 of the 15th season. With nothing to lose and an eye on the future, the Rohit Sharma-led franchise will aim to now play spoilsport to KKR's chances of advancing ahead, who have been a pale shadow of themselves this season. MI are coming into this fixture on the back of two successive wins, after eight failures on the trot. Beating RR and Gujarat Titans (GT), they will be confident to dent KKR's chances, against whom they enjoy a superior head-to-head record (22-8). ALSO READ | Will MS Dhoni play another IPL season? Shoaib Akhtar opens up on CSK skipper's future KKR, on the other hand, are coming into this fixture following a whopping 75-run margin defeat at the hands of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Chasing a competitive 177, KKR folded for 101 as their big guns have continued to disappoint with the bat. The bowling department has fared better for the Kolkata franchise but the onus remains on Umesh Yadav (who missed the last match), Tim Southee and Sunil Narine. They don't have a fixed fifth-bowling option, which has been a cause of concern for the two-time winners. Match prediction for KKR vs MI clash: While KKR are far behind MI in head-to-head, they beat them in the earlier fixture this season. Pat Cummins, Venky Iyer were the star performers and it will be interesting to see if both the benched players will find a place in the playing XI. Both sides might still prefer to chase despite Delhi Capitals (DC) folding for 117 in pursuit of 209 set by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last evening. Will MI make it three wins in a row?

MI vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) met one-time winners and in-form Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of IPL 2022 edition on Monday evening (May 02), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Being winless in their last five encounters, the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit made a few changes and chased down a moderate 153 by seven wickets to claim two important points.

Opting to bowl first, KKR restricted RR to 152-5 and later chase down the score with cautious knocks from skipper Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh's 23-ball 42 not out. Despite KKR returning to winning ways, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja isn't impressed with Kolkata's tactics and slammed the Brendon McCullum-led team management for their selection process after dropping Venkatesh Iyer.

"It's like while trying to save your life, you are ready to (sacrifice) Indian cricket because you come from different nations here for two months you run the team the way you want and then leave according to the contract."&nbsp;Jadeja made a big remark on&nbsp;Cricbuzz.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wrote-50-not-out-on-left-hand-rinku-singh-reveals-he-had-an-intuition-of-winning-kkr-the-match-vs-rr-476105">'Wrote 50 not out on left hand' - Rinku Singh reveals he had an intuition of winning KKR the match vs RR</a>

<section>Talking about Venky Iyer, he has been groomed as an all-rounder and finisher for Team India in recent times, in Hardik Pandya's absence. However, he has not been able to replicate his heroics from the last year's edition so far. The retained player only has&nbsp;132 runs in 9 matches at a below-par average of 16.50. In addition, he has bowled only three overs in the 15th season.</section>

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) met one-time winners and in-form Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of IPL 2022 edition on Monday evening (May 02), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) met one-time winners and in-form Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of IPL 2022 edition on Monday evening (May 02), at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Being winless in their last five encounters, the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR unit made a few changes and chased down a moderate 153 by seven wickets to claim two important points. Opting to bowl first, KKR restricted RR to 152-5 and later chase down the score with cautious knocks from skipper Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh's 23-ball 42 not out. Despite KKR returning to winning ways, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja isn't impressed with Kolkata's tactics and slammed the Brendon McCullum-led team management for their selection process after dropping Venkatesh Iyer. "It's like while trying to save your life, you are ready to (sacrifice) Indian cricket because you come from different nations here for two months you run the team the way you want and then leave according to the contract." Jadeja made a big remark on Cricbuzz. ALSO READ | 'Wrote 50 not out on left hand' - Rinku Singh reveals he had an intuition of winning KKR the match vs RR Talking about Venky Iyer, he has been groomed as an all-rounder and finisher for Team India in recent times, in Hardik Pandya's absence. However, he has not been able to replicate his heroics from the last year's edition so far. The retained player only has 132 runs in 9 matches at a below-par average of 16.50. In addition, he has bowled only three overs in the 15th season.

'You are ready to sacrifice Indian cricket' - Ajay Jadeja slams KKR's tactics after Venkatesh Iyer's ouster

Rinku Singh hasn't been a regular in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp in IPL 2022. With a five-match losing streak, the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR camp met Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of the 15th season and Rinku got a chance to feature in the playing XI.

After KKR bowlers, led by Tim Southee and Umesh Yadav, restricted the Sanju Samson-led RR line-up to 153-5 in 20 overs, asking them to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Kolkata were in a spot of bother at 32-2 in the run-chase. Nonetheless, Iyer and Nitish Rana's sedate and cautious knocks along with Rinku's match-winning 23-ball 42 not out led KKR to a seven-wicket win in the last over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sanju-samson-shares-his-first-ever-experience-of-batting-alongside-rahul-dravid-during-rr-debut-476066">Sanju Samson shares his first-ever experience of batting alongside Rahul Dravid during RR debut</a>

Talking to Nitish after the game, Rinku revealed he had an intuition that he would end with being the Player-of-the-Match (which he did) and score a fifty (was unbeaten on 42) prior to the game. "Since morning, I had a feeling that I'd be the Player of the Match and score runs for my team. So I wrote 50 runs not out on my (left) hand,” Singh was quoted as saying during an interview with Nitish.

“I was waiting for my opportunity for a long time. I’ve been with KKR for the last five years, but due to lack of chances, I couldn’t contribute much. But instead of giving up, I kept working hard. I only had the thought that I’ll try my best to help my team win if I get a chance to perform,” he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kkr-skipper-shreyas-iyer-lauds-rinku-singh-after-rr-tie-calls-him-a-great-asset-for-future-476023">IPL 2022: KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer lauds Rinku Singh after RR tie, calls him a great asset for future</a>

At the post-match presensation, Rinku told the broadcasters, "A lot of players have played Ranji from Aligarh, but I am the first to play the IPL. This is a big league and there is a lot of pressure obviously. I have been waiting for the last five years to get a chance. I worked very hard, came back from injury and did well in the domestic circuit as well. When I was batting, Bhaiyya (Rana) and Baz (McCullum) told me to stay till the end and finish it."

Courtesy of his knock, KKR remain alive in the playoffs race with four wins from ten games.

Rinku Singh hasn't been a regular in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp in IPL 2022. With a five-match losing streak, the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR camp met Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of the 15th season and Rinku got a chance to feature in the playing XI.

Rinku Singh hasn't been a regular in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp in IPL 2022. With a five-match losing streak, the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR camp met Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 47 of the 15th season and Rinku got a chance to feature in the playing XI. After KKR bowlers, led by Tim Southee and Umesh Yadav, restricted the Sanju Samson-led RR line-up to 153-5 in 20 overs, asking them to bat first at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Kolkata were in a spot of bother at 32-2 in the run-chase. Nonetheless, Iyer and Nitish Rana's sedate and cautious knocks along with Rinku's match-winning 23-ball 42 not out led KKR to a seven-wicket win in the last over. ALSO READ | Sanju Samson shares his first-ever experience of batting alongside Rahul Dravid during RR debut Talking to Nitish after the game, Rinku revealed he had an intuition that he would end with being the Player-of-the-Match (which he did) and score a fifty (was unbeaten on 42) prior to the game. "Since morning, I had a feeling that I'd be the Player of the Match and score runs for my team. So I wrote 50 runs not out on my (left) hand,” Singh was quoted as saying during an interview with Nitish. “I was waiting for my opportunity for a long time. I’ve been with KKR for the last five years, but due to lack of chances, I couldn’t contribute much. But instead of giving up, I kept working hard. I only had the thought that I’ll try my best to help my team win if I get a chance to perform,” he added. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer lauds Rinku Singh after RR tie, calls him a great asset for future At the post-match presensation, Rinku told the broadcasters, "A lot of players have played Ranji from Aligarh, but I am the first to play the IPL. This is a big league and there is a lot of pressure obviously. I have been waiting for the last five years to get a chance. I worked very hard, came back from injury and did well in the domestic circuit as well. When I was batting, Bhaiyya (Rana) and Baz (McCullum) told me to stay till the end and finish it." Courtesy of his knock, KKR remain alive in the playoffs race with four wins from ten games.

'Wrote 50 not out on left hand' - Rinku Singh reveals he had an intuition of winning KKR the match vs RR

Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lost five games on the trot after a fine start in IPL 2022. On Monday evening (May 02), the two-time winners locked horns in-form one-time champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in match 47.

Opting to bowl first, KKR rode on Tim Southee's two-fer and one wicket apiece from Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi and Anukul Roy to restrict Jos Buttler-starrer RR to a moderate 152-5. Only skipper Sanju Samson's 54 was the stand-out performance among the Rajasthani batters. In reply, KKR were 32-2 but Iyer and Nitish Rana's cautious knocks and Rinku Singh's swashbuckling 23-ball 42, studded with 6 fours and a six at a strike rate of 182.61, propelled them past the finish line by seven wickets.

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After Rinku's top performance, Iyer lauded him and said post the end of proceedings, "I was talking to my teammates in the dressing room and was like, the way he's maintaining his calm even in such pressure situations playing his second or third game, it's outstanding. Building that partnership with Nitish Rana in that situation is something we have to praise and he's a great asset for the future of the franchise. The way he has given starts right from the first game, he doesn't look like a newcomer in the team,” Iyer said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rinku-singh-and-nitish-rana-shine-as-kkr-beat-rr-by-seven-wickets-to-snap-5-match-losing-streak-475862">IPL 2022: Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana shine as KKR beat RR by seven wickets to snap 5-match losing streak</a>

After this much-needed victory, KKR remain alive in the playoffs race with 8 points from ten encounters. RR, on the other hand, succumbed to their second successive loss but remain in the top-four, at the third position, with 12 points from equal number of games.

Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lost five games on the trot after a fine start in IPL 2022. On Monday evening (May 02), the two-time winners locked horns in-form one-time champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in match 47.

Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lost five games on the trot after a fine start in IPL 2022. On Monday evening (May 02), the two-time winners locked horns in-form one-time champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in match 47. Opting to bowl first, KKR rode on Tim Southee's two-fer and one wicket apiece from Umesh Yadav, Shivam Mavi and Anukul Roy to restrict Jos Buttler-starrer RR to a moderate 152-5. Only skipper Sanju Samson's 54 was the stand-out performance among the Rajasthani batters. In reply, KKR were 32-2 but Iyer and Nitish Rana's cautious knocks and Rinku Singh's swashbuckling 23-ball 42, studded with 6 fours and a six at a strike rate of 182.61, propelled them past the finish line by seven wickets. ALSO READ | WATCH: MS Dhoni-starrer CSK celebrate EID with family members ahead of Yellow Army's next clash After Rinku's top performance, Iyer lauded him and said post the end of proceedings, "I was talking to my teammates in the dressing room and was like, the way he's maintaining his calm even in such pressure situations playing his second or third game, it's outstanding. Building that partnership with Nitish Rana in that situation is something we have to praise and he's a great asset for the future of the franchise. The way he has given starts right from the first game, he doesn't look like a newcomer in the team,” Iyer said. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana shine as KKR beat RR by seven wickets to snap 5-match losing streak After this much-needed victory, KKR remain alive in the playoffs race with 8 points from ten encounters. RR, on the other hand, succumbed to their second successive loss but remain in the top-four, at the third position, with 12 points from equal number of games.

IPL 2022: KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer lauds Rinku Singh after RR tie, calls him a great asset for future

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief.

Nitish Rana (48 not out) anchored the chase, while Rinku Singh played a 23-ball unbeaten 42-run cameo to help KKR overwhelm the target with consummate ease. Aaron Finch's poor run continued as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep Sen early on as KKR made a sedate start to their chase.

KKR batters found the going tough on a slow-paced Wankhede pitch, where shot-making wasn't easy at all. 
Baba Indrajith (15) was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna soon but captain Shreyas Iyer (34 off 32) and Nitish Rana batted sensibly to help KKR reach fifty in nine overs.

It was Rana who finally managed to free his arms in the 11th over, and used the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect to hit R Ashwin for a 4-6-4 to pick up 16 runs. Iyer then clobbered Yuzvendra Chahal over wide long-on boundary to bring up the half-century stand for the third wicket with Rana.

Just when it seemed Iyer was breaking loose, he edged a Trent Boult delivery to Samson behind the stumps in the next over. Iyer struck three boundaries and one six during his knock. New man Singh marked his arrival at the crease with a boundary of the first ball.

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Needing 46 off 30 balls, Singh played the shot of the day, a paddle scoop to a 141 kmph Sen delivery on his legs high and mighty over the fine leg fence. Singh meant business as he found the fence at crucial junctures to first bring down the equation to 31 runs off 18 balls.

Samson's decision to bring Chahal back into the attack in the 18th over backfired as Singh took his chances against the spinner and struck consecutive fours to make it 18 off last 12 balls. Singh continued his onslaught against Prasidh, who conceded 17 runs in the penultimate over, which included two boundaries from the left-hander's blade, as KKR wrapped up the match in style.

Earlier, KKR restricted RR to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Samson's half-century. For RR, Samson's 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

KKR bowlers justified skipper Iyer's decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets. A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark.

RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over. 
Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn't allow RR batters to free their arms.

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Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one. Samson and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs. The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them.

Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play. The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary.

But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on. Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners. He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19).

Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three. 
While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy's only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at the deep-mid wicket off Southee. 
Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Singh at deep-midwicket.

Hetmyer and Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR's total beyond the 150-run mark.

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief.

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief. Nitish Rana (48 not out) anchored the chase, while Rinku Singh played a 23-ball unbeaten 42-run cameo to help KKR overwhelm the target with consummate ease. Aaron Finch's poor run continued as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep Sen early on as KKR made a sedate start to their chase. KKR batters found the going tough on a slow-paced Wankhede pitch, where shot-making wasn't easy at all. Baba Indrajith (15) was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna soon but captain Shreyas Iyer (34 off 32) and Nitish Rana batted sensibly to help KKR reach fifty in nine overs. It was Rana who finally managed to free his arms in the 11th over, and used the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect to hit R Ashwin for a 4-6-4 to pick up 16 runs. Iyer then clobbered Yuzvendra Chahal over wide long-on boundary to bring up the half-century stand for the third wicket with Rana. Just when it seemed Iyer was breaking loose, he edged a Trent Boult delivery to Samson behind the stumps in the next over. Iyer struck three boundaries and one six during his knock. New man Singh marked his arrival at the crease with a boundary of the first ball. Also Read: Updated IPL 2022 points table after Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets Needing 46 off 30 balls, Singh played the shot of the day, a paddle scoop to a 141 kmph Sen delivery on his legs high and mighty over the fine leg fence. Singh meant business as he found the fence at crucial junctures to first bring down the equation to 31 runs off 18 balls. Samson's decision to bring Chahal back into the attack in the 18th over backfired as Singh took his chances against the spinner and struck consecutive fours to make it 18 off last 12 balls. Singh continued his onslaught against Prasidh, who conceded 17 runs in the penultimate over, which included two boundaries from the left-hander's blade, as KKR wrapped up the match in style. Earlier, KKR restricted RR to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Samson's half-century. For RR, Samson's 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals. KKR bowlers justified skipper Iyer's decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets. A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark. RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over. Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn't allow RR batters to free their arms. Also Read: Kieron Pollard to Jonny Bairstow: Top 5 overseas superstars who have flopped so far in IPL 2022 Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one. Samson and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs. The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them. Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play. The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary. But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on. Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners. He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19). Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three. While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy's only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at the deep-mid wicket off Southee. Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Singh at deep-midwicket. Hetmyer and Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR's total beyond the 150-run mark.

IPL 2022: Rinku Singh and Nitish Rana shine as KKR beat RR by seven wickets to snap 5-match losing streak

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be desperately looking to bring an end to their five-match losing streak when they lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday. The match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Shreyas Iyer &amp; Co. had started the season on a bright note with a win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings before bagging two more wins in their next three matches. However, they have since suffered five consecutive defeats and are staring at an early exit from the tournament.

While KKR's bowling woes have been left exposed with Varun Chakravarthy struggling with form and Umesh Yadav failing to deliver after the success in the initial few games, their batting line-up has also been under the scanner. Aaron Finch has struggled as an opener while Venkatesh Iyer has found it difficult to get going.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana have also failed to make an impact with the willow barring a few innings. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have been enjoying a phenomenal run so far this season with opener Jos Buttler and their bowlers firing all cylinders.

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While Buttler has been in the form of his life having already amassed over 500 runs this season, the likes of Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin have been among the wickets for RR. The Sanju Samson-led side are currently placed third on the points table with 12 points from nine games and have a chance to go on the second spot with a win on Monday.

Here is all you need to know about the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals clash in IPL 2022:

Head-to-head:

Kolkata Knight Riders have a slight edge over Rajasthan Royals when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams. KKR have 13 wins compared to RR's 12 in 25 meetings between the two sides.

Stats:

Jos Buttler has been in sensational form for Rajasthan Royals this season and currently has 556 runs to his name in 9 matches this season. Buttler looks set to break Virat Kohli's record of most runs (973) in an IPL season.

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Trivia:

In 14 matches played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Rajasthan Royals have managed only three wins at the iconic venue. The Royals will be looking to bag their fourth win at the Wankhede on Monday.

Predicted playing XIs:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Aaron Finch, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Baba Indrajith (wk), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Shivam Mavi

Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c &amp; wk), Daryl Mitchell, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be desperately looking to bring an end to their five-match losing streak when they lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be desperately looking to bring an end to their five-match losing streak when they lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Monday. The match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Shreyas Iyer & Co. had started the season on a bright note with a win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings before bagging two more wins in their next three matches. However, they have since suffered five consecutive defeats and are staring at an early exit from the tournament. While KKR's bowling woes have been left exposed with Varun Chakravarthy struggling with form and Umesh Yadav failing to deliver after the success in the initial few games, their batting line-up has also been under the scanner. Aaron Finch has struggled as an opener while Venkatesh Iyer has found it difficult to get going. Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana have also failed to make an impact with the willow barring a few innings. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have been enjoying a phenomenal run so far this season with opener Jos Buttler and their bowlers firing all cylinders. Also Read: 'Go to the non-striker's end': Gavaskar's hilarious advice to batters on how to tackle fiery Umran Malik While Buttler has been in the form of his life having already amassed over 500 runs this season, the likes of Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin have been among the wickets for RR. The Sanju Samson-led side are currently placed third on the points table with 12 points from nine games and have a chance to go on the second spot with a win on Monday. Here is all you need to know about the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals clash in IPL 2022: Head-to-head: Kolkata Knight Riders have a slight edge over Rajasthan Royals when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams. KKR have 13 wins compared to RR's 12 in 25 meetings between the two sides. Stats: Jos Buttler has been in sensational form for Rajasthan Royals this season and currently has 556 runs to his name in 9 matches this season. Buttler looks set to break Virat Kohli's record of most runs (973) in an IPL season. Also Read: 'I think Faf would be jealous': CSK star Gaikwad takes a dig at his former opening partner - WATCH Trivia: In 14 matches played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Rajasthan Royals have managed only three wins at the iconic venue. The Royals will be looking to bag their fourth win at the Wankhede on Monday. Predicted playing XIs: Kolkata Knight Riders: Aaron Finch, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Baba Indrajith (wk), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Shivam Mavi Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Daryl Mitchell, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2022: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XIs

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28). With both teams struggling in the bottom half&nbsp;of the points table, amid&nbsp;the playoffs race intensifying with each passing game, both sides fought hard in a modest-scoring affair before DC completed a double over KKR.

Opting to bowl first, Pant &amp; Co. got off to a dream start. The pair of Mustafizur Rahman-Chetan Sakariya delivered the goods -- keeping things tight and sharing a wicket among each other in the early overs -- as KKR openers Aaron Finch and Venkatesh Iyer got out for cheap. Skipper Shreyas Iyer got going and pushed the scoreboard forward, he didn't get much help from the inexperienced middle-order with Baba Indrajit and Sunil Narine being dismissed early.

The pressure was felt by Iyer as he also threw his scalp for a 37-ball 42. DC's leading wicket-taker Kuldeep Yadav once again led the charge against his previous franchise by getting rid of the middle order and danger man Andre Russell -- for a 3-ball duck -- he surprisingly didn't complete his full quota of overs (3-0-14-3). Pant received some flak for opting to go ahead with Lalit Yadav instead as Nitish Rana's 56 and Rinku Singh's cameo propelled KKR to a modest 146-9.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-has-lifetimes-worth-of-credit-in-bank-shane-watson-opines-on-rcb-stars-batting-struggles-474729">'Virat Kohli has lifetime's worth of credit in bank' - Shane Watson opines on RCB star's batting struggles</a>

In reply, DC opener Prithvi Shaw got dismissed for a first-ball duck as Umesh Yadav struck early. He dismissed Shaw with a low one-handed stunner of his own bowling. Later, he&nbsp;also&nbsp;removed David Warner, who returned with a 26-ball 42. Mitchell Marsh, who returned after recovering from Covid-19, contributed with a chancy 7-ball 13 whereas Lalit Yadav got a start before Sunil Narine sent him back.&nbsp;

Despite some setbacks, DC's lower order stood tall with all-rounders Axar Patel, Rovman Powell (33&nbsp;not out) and Shardul Thakur (unbeaten 8) maintaining&nbsp;their composure and taking on the likes of Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer to take Delhi past the finish line. Shreyas' captaincy was a bit of a letdown as he preferred Venky Iyer in the 17th over, with the game still not completely out of hand, despite overs available from Russell-Tim Southee. Injury to debutant pacer Harshit Rana also didn't help his cause as they continue their winless streak (which is now stretched to five).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-ms-dhoni-to-parthiv-patel-wicketkeepers-with-most-dismissals-in-ipl-474665">From MS Dhoni to Parthiv Patel: Wicketkeepers with most dismissals in IPL</a>

For DC, they remain alive in the playoffs race and move to the sixth spot, replacing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the points table.

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28).

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28). With both teams struggling in the bottom half of the points table, amid the playoffs race intensifying with each passing game, both sides fought hard in a modest-scoring affair before DC completed a double over KKR. Opting to bowl first, Pant & Co. got off to a dream start. The pair of Mustafizur Rahman-Chetan Sakariya delivered the goods -- keeping things tight and sharing a wicket among each other in the early overs -- as KKR openers Aaron Finch and Venkatesh Iyer got out for cheap. Skipper Shreyas Iyer got going and pushed the scoreboard forward, he didn't get much help from the inexperienced middle-order with Baba Indrajit and Sunil Narine being dismissed early. The pressure was felt by Iyer as he also threw his scalp for a 37-ball 42. DC's leading wicket-taker Kuldeep Yadav once again led the charge against his previous franchise by getting rid of the middle order and danger man Andre Russell -- for a 3-ball duck -- he surprisingly didn't complete his full quota of overs (3-0-14-3). Pant received some flak for opting to go ahead with Lalit Yadav instead as Nitish Rana's 56 and Rinku Singh's cameo propelled KKR to a modest 146-9. ALSO READ | 'Virat Kohli has lifetime's worth of credit in bank' - Shane Watson opines on RCB star's batting struggles In reply, DC opener Prithvi Shaw got dismissed for a first-ball duck as Umesh Yadav struck early. He dismissed Shaw with a low one-handed stunner of his own bowling. Later, he also removed David Warner, who returned with a 26-ball 42. Mitchell Marsh, who returned after recovering from Covid-19, contributed with a chancy 7-ball 13 whereas Lalit Yadav got a start before Sunil Narine sent him back. Despite some setbacks, DC's lower order stood tall with all-rounders Axar Patel, Rovman Powell (33 not out) and Shardul Thakur (unbeaten 8) maintaining their composure and taking on the likes of Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer to take Delhi past the finish line. Shreyas' captaincy was a bit of a letdown as he preferred Venky Iyer in the 17th over, with the game still not completely out of hand, despite overs available from Russell-Tim Southee. Injury to debutant pacer Harshit Rana also didn't help his cause as they continue their winless streak (which is now stretched to five). ALSO READ | From MS Dhoni to Parthiv Patel: Wicketkeepers with most dismissals in IPL For DC, they remain alive in the playoffs race and move to the sixth spot, replacing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the points table.

IPL 2022: Kuldeep Yadav, all-rounders shine as Rishabh Pant-led DC complete a double over KKR

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots. Amid this, Delhi Capitals (DC) take on a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 41 of the ongoing 15th season on Thursday evening (April 28).&nbsp;

Both teams have not had a great run in IPL 2022. Talking about the Rishabh Pant-led DC unit, they have been plagued with injuries, players' unavailabilities, Covid cases, and were hit by a no-ball controversy in their last encounter, versus Rajasthan Royals (RR). They are languishing at the seventh spot with three wins from seven games.&nbsp;

On the other hand, things haven't been smooth for the KKR franchise ever since they faced DC earlier this season. Prior to the DC clash, they had three wins from four games and have now lost four on the trot. Their bowling is an issue and many key players need to rise up and perform consistently (such as skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, etc.).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-sunrisers-hyderabad-fast-bowler-umran-malik-enters-history-books-with-maiden-five-wicket-haul-474579">IPL 2022: Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler Umran Malik enters history books with maiden five-wicket haul</a>

Talking about the last time both sides faced each other, DC rode on openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw's respective half-centuries to post 215-5. In reply, KKR were all-out for 171, losing by 44 runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed did the job for Delhi with the ball in hand.

Match prediction for DC vs KKR clash:&nbsp;Given that both sides are in the bottom half, they will come hard against each other. Playing at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai has been a tricky affair for sides. Earlier, teams batting second were winning easily before chasing became difficult (although Gujarat Titans pulled off a hiest versus Sunrisers Hyderabad yesterday). DC will be hoping for Mitchell Marsh and Anrich Nortje's return. With their bowling being better than KKR at present, they have an edge. Above all, toss will remain crucial at the Wankhede.

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots.

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots. Amid this, Delhi Capitals (DC) take on a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 41 of the ongoing 15th season on Thursday evening (April 28). Both teams have not had a great run in IPL 2022. Talking about the Rishabh Pant-led DC unit, they have been plagued with injuries, players' unavailabilities, Covid cases, and were hit by a no-ball controversy in their last encounter, versus Rajasthan Royals (RR). They are languishing at the seventh spot with three wins from seven games. On the other hand, things haven't been smooth for the KKR franchise ever since they faced DC earlier this season. Prior to the DC clash, they had three wins from four games and have now lost four on the trot. Their bowling is an issue and many key players need to rise up and perform consistently (such as skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, etc.). ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler Umran Malik enters history books with maiden five-wicket haul Talking about the last time both sides faced each other, DC rode on openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw's respective half-centuries to post 215-5. In reply, KKR were all-out for 171, losing by 44 runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed did the job for Delhi with the ball in hand. Match prediction for DC vs KKR clash: Given that both sides are in the bottom half, they will come hard against each other. Playing at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai has been a tricky affair for sides. Earlier, teams batting second were winning easily before chasing became difficult (although Gujarat Titans pulled off a hiest versus Sunrisers Hyderabad yesterday). DC will be hoping for Mitchell Marsh and Anrich Nortje's return. With their bowling being better than KKR at present, they have an edge. Above all, toss will remain crucial at the Wankhede.

DC vs KKR, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders clash?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be looking to bring an end to their three-match losing streak when they go up against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Saturday (April 23). After a brilliant start to their campaign with three wins in their first four games, KKR's campaign has hit the roadblock with three defeats in a row.

Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, have enjoyed a stellar campaign so far in IPL 2022 as they sit at the second spot on the points table with ten points from six matches. Captain Hardik Pandya had missed GT's last game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but they still managed to secure a thrilling three-wicket win in the game.

Chasing a target of 170 runs, GT looked all but out of the game after being reduced to 16/3 inside the first four overs against CSK. However, David Miller slammed a stunning unbeaten 94 while stand-in skipper Rashid Khan played a sensational cameo of 21-ball 40 to turn the game in their favour and take them home with a ball to spare.

Gujarat Titans will be looking to bag their third win on the trot against Iyer-led KKR at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. KKR, on the other hand, came close but lost by 7 runs in their last game against Rajasthan Royals as they failed to chase down the target of 218 runs.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-gt-ipl-2022-today-match-prediction-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-gujarat-titans-clash-473139">KKR vs GT, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans clash?</a>

Aaron Finch and Shreyas Iyer scored half-centuries apiece and their return to form will please KKR. However, they will expect a better show from their bowlers as the likes of Pat Cummins and Varun Chakaravarthy have failed to impress with the ball so far this season.

Here is all you need to know about KKR vs GT clash in IPL 2022:

Head to head

Gujarat Titans will be up against Kolkata Knight Riders for the first time in their debut IPL campaign this year. The two teams have never faced each other so far in the competition.

Stats

Gujarat Titans spinner Rashid Khan, who also led the side in his last game, is just one wicket away from becoming the second overseas spinner after Sunil Narine to take 100 wickets in the IPL.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-shardul-thakur-fined-pravin-amre-banned-for-one-game-after-no-ball-controversy-473123">Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur fined, Pravin Amre banned for one game after no-ball controversy</a>

Trivia

KKR spinner Varun Chakravarthy has struggled immensely in the last few games for his side. The spinner has given away as many as 75 runs in just 5 overs in his last two games while failing to pick up a wicket.

Predicted playing XIs:

Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade (wk), Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal

Kolkata Knight Riders: Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy 
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be looking to bring an end to their three-match losing streak when they go up against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Saturday (April 23).

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be looking to bring an end to their three-match losing streak when they go up against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Saturday (April 23). After a brilliant start to their campaign with three wins in their first four games, KKR's campaign has hit the roadblock with three defeats in a row. Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, have enjoyed a stellar campaign so far in IPL 2022 as they sit at the second spot on the points table with ten points from six matches. Captain Hardik Pandya had missed GT's last game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but they still managed to secure a thrilling three-wicket win in the game. Chasing a target of 170 runs, GT looked all but out of the game after being reduced to 16/3 inside the first four overs against CSK. However, David Miller slammed a stunning unbeaten 94 while stand-in skipper Rashid Khan played a sensational cameo of 21-ball 40 to turn the game in their favour and take them home with a ball to spare. Gujarat Titans will be looking to bag their third win on the trot against Iyer-led KKR at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. KKR, on the other hand, came close but lost by 7 runs in their last game against Rajasthan Royals as they failed to chase down the target of 218 runs. Also Read: KKR vs GT, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans clash? Aaron Finch and Shreyas Iyer scored half-centuries apiece and their return to form will please KKR. However, they will expect a better show from their bowlers as the likes of Pat Cummins and Varun Chakaravarthy have failed to impress with the ball so far this season. Here is all you need to know about KKR vs GT clash in IPL 2022: Head to head Gujarat Titans will be up against Kolkata Knight Riders for the first time in their debut IPL campaign this year. The two teams have never faced each other so far in the competition. Stats Gujarat Titans spinner Rashid Khan, who also led the side in his last game, is just one wicket away from becoming the second overseas spinner after Sunil Narine to take 100 wickets in the IPL. Also Read: Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur fined, Pravin Amre banned for one game after no-ball controversy Trivia KKR spinner Varun Chakravarthy has struggled immensely in the last few games for his side. The spinner has given away as many as 75 runs in just 5 overs in his last two games while failing to pick up a wicket. Predicted playing XIs: Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade (wk), Shubman Gill, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal Kolkata Knight Riders: Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sheldon Jackson (wk), Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2022: Head-to-head, stats, trivia and predicted playing XIs

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. While Jos Buttler's 103 and rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson-Shimron Hetmyer set it up for RR as they posted 217-5, after being asked to bat first, Yuzvendra Chahal's five-fer and&nbsp;Obed McCoy's twin strikes helped Rajasthan beat KKR by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller.

Apart from Chahal, Buttler and the likes, R Ashwin also contributed to RR's famous win over KKR. While Ashwin returned with 4-0-38-1, he accounted for the wicket of danger man Andre Russell. The West Indian came out to bat at No. 5 with more than six overs left in KKR's run-chase. With skipper Shreyas Iyer going well from the other end, Russell could've easily completed the run-chase with a few overs to spare had he got his eye in.

Nonetheless, Samson decided to end Ashwin's spell by making him bowl the 14th over as the wily off-spinner aimed to send off&nbsp;Russell. The 35-year-old succeeded and bamboozled the all-rounder for a golden duck. Here's the magical delivery from Ashwin which led to Russell's dismissal and spun RR back into the contest:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuzvendra-chahal-is-most-experienced-lasith-malinga-heaps-praise-on-rr-star-after-kkr-win-472093">'Yuzvendra Chahal is most experienced....': Lasith Malinga heaps praise on RR star after KKR win</a>

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What a superb delivery from ashwin to dismiss Andre Russell for a duck and the celebration 🔥🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvsKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvsKKR</a> <a href="https://t.co/GEsewsIls2">pic.twitter.com/GEsewsIls2</a>
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Highlighting Ashwin's contribution to RR's win over KKR, captain Samson said in the post-match presentation, "I think I don’t need to talk much about Chahal and Buttler. Their performances are there for the world to see. We are lucky to have great players. Special mention to (Ravichandran) Ashwin for his delivery to (Andre) Russell."

With a victory over KKR, RR have now moved to the second spot in the overall standings with 8 points under their belt.

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. While Jos Buttler's 103 and rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson-Shimron Hetmyer set it up for RR as they posted 217-5, after being asked to bat first, Yuzvendra Chahal's five-fer and Obed McCoy's twin strikes helped Rajasthan beat KKR by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller. Apart from Chahal, Buttler and the likes, R Ashwin also contributed to RR's famous win over KKR. While Ashwin returned with 4-0-38-1, he accounted for the wicket of danger man Andre Russell. The West Indian came out to bat at No. 5 with more than six overs left in KKR's run-chase. With skipper Shreyas Iyer going well from the other end, Russell could've easily completed the run-chase with a few overs to spare had he got his eye in. Nonetheless, Samson decided to end Ashwin's spell by making him bowl the 14th over as the wily off-spinner aimed to send off Russell. The 35-year-old succeeded and bamboozled the all-rounder for a golden duck. Here's the magical delivery from Ashwin which led to Russell's dismissal and spun RR back into the contest: ALSO READ | 'Yuzvendra Chahal is most experienced....': Lasith Malinga heaps praise on RR star after KKR win What a superb delivery from ashwin to dismiss Andre Russell for a duck and the celebration 🔥🔥#IPL2022 #RRvsKKR pic.twitter.com/GEsewsIls2 — Rahul Choudhary (@Rahulc7official) April 18, 2022 × ALSO READ | Watch: Shreyas Iyer loses cool at Venkatesh Iyer after latter denied a double to KKR skipper vs RR Highlighting Ashwin's contribution to RR's win over KKR, captain Samson said in the post-match presentation, "I think I don’t need to talk much about Chahal and Buttler. Their performances are there for the world to see. We are lucky to have great players. Special mention to (Ravichandran) Ashwin for his delivery to (Andre) Russell." With a victory over KKR, RR have now moved to the second spot in the overall standings with 8 points under their belt.

WATCH: Ravichandran Ashwin bamboozles Andre Russell with a peach of a delivery in RR vs KKR clash

Match 30 of IPL 2022 edition saw a high-scoring thriller between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The match had everything for the cricket fans, with 427 runs being scored along with 15 wickets falling in the course of the game.

After KKR decided to bowl first, they were in for a leather hunt as Jos Buttler slammed his second ton of the season, third overall, to take RR to 217/5 in 20 overs, along with rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer. In reply, KKR were in the hunt with respective fifties from Aaron Finch and captain Shreyas Iyer before a lower-order collapse, triggered by Yuzvendra Chahal's hattrick (5 for 40), dismissed Kolkata for 210 all-out in 19.4&nbsp;overs.

At the time Shreyas was in the middle, it seemed that he would take his side home. Just then, Venkatesh Iyer joined&nbsp;him at No. 6 to try and keep up with the required run-rate (just over 10 RPO). In the last ball of the 16th over, Venky smashed one off Trent Boult's bowling but the duo Shreyas-Venky managed only a single. Shreyas was keen for another run but was denied a double by Venky as the KKR captain lost his cool on the southpaw. Here's the video:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jos-buttlers-ton-yuzvendra-chahals-hat-trick-guide-rr-to-thrilling-7-run-win-over-kkr-in-ipl-2022-471992">Jos Buttler's ton, Yuzvendra Chahal's hat-trick guide RR to thrilling 7-run win over KKR in IPL 2022</a>

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With Shreyas falling for 85, Kolkata lost the plot in the tall run-chase. From 178 for 4 in 16 overs, KKR slipped to 180 for 8 before being bundled out for 210 with two balls left in the contest. Eventually, the franchise lost by seven runs to lose their third game in a row.

Match 30 of IPL 2022 edition saw a high-scoring thriller between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The match had everything for the cricket fans, with 427 runs being scored along with 15 wickets falling in the course of the game.

Match 30 of IPL 2022 edition saw a high-scoring thriller between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The match had everything for the cricket fans, with 427 runs being scored along with 15 wickets falling in the course of the game. After KKR decided to bowl first, they were in for a leather hunt as Jos Buttler slammed his second ton of the season, third overall, to take RR to 217/5 in 20 overs, along with rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer. In reply, KKR were in the hunt with respective fifties from Aaron Finch and captain Shreyas Iyer before a lower-order collapse, triggered by Yuzvendra Chahal's hattrick (5 for 40), dismissed Kolkata for 210 all-out in 19.4 overs. At the time Shreyas was in the middle, it seemed that he would take his side home. Just then, Venkatesh Iyer joined him at No. 6 to try and keep up with the required run-rate (just over 10 RPO). In the last ball of the 16th over, Venky smashed one off Trent Boult's bowling but the duo Shreyas-Venky managed only a single. Shreyas was keen for another run but was denied a double by Venky as the KKR captain lost his cool on the southpaw. Here's the video: ALSO READ | Jos Buttler's ton, Yuzvendra Chahal's hat-trick guide RR to thrilling 7-run win over KKR in IPL 2022 pic.twitter.com/M9DFJR0LUq — Addicric (@addicric) April 18, 2022 × ALSO READ | Yuzvendra Chahal bags his maiden IPL hat-trick, takes 4 wickets in a single over against KKR With Shreyas falling for 85, Kolkata lost the plot in the tall run-chase. From 178 for 4 in 16 overs, KKR slipped to 180 for 8 before being bundled out for 210 with two balls left in the contest. Eventually, the franchise lost by seven runs to lose their third game in a row.

Watch: Shreyas Iyer loses cool at Venkatesh Iyer after latter denied a double to KKR skipper vs RR

Rajasthan Royals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday. 
Put into bat, RR rode on Jos Buttler's 61-ball 103 innings, which was studded with nine boundaries and five maximums, to post a challenging 217 for five.

Sanju Samson (38 off 19 balls), Shimron Hetmyer (26 not out off 13 balls), and Devdutt Padikkal (24 off 18 balls) also chipped with useful contributions.

In reply, Shreyas Iyer blasted 85 off 51 balls and Aaron Finch scored 58 off 28 balls but KKR were eventually bowled out for 210 in 19.4 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal was the most successful bowler for RR, claiming five wickets for 40 in his quota of four overs, while Obed McCoy (2/41) snapped two wickets in the decisive final over.

Earlier, Sunil Narine (2/21), Pat Cummins (1/50), Shivam Mavi (1/34) and Andre Russell (1/29 in 2 overs) were among wickets for KKR.

Brief Score:

Rajasthan Royals: 217 for 5 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 103, Sunile Narine 2/21) 
Kolkata Knight Riders: 210 all-out in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 85, Aaron Finch 58; Yuzvendra Chahal 5/40).&nbsp;

Rajasthan Royals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday. Put into bat, RR rode on Jos Buttler's 61-ball 103 innings, which was studded with nine boundaries and five maximums, to post a challenging 217 for five.

Rajasthan Royals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday. Put into bat, RR rode on Jos Buttler's 61-ball 103 innings, which was studded with nine boundaries and five maximums, to post a challenging 217 for five. Sanju Samson (38 off 19 balls), Shimron Hetmyer (26 not out off 13 balls), and Devdutt Padikkal (24 off 18 balls) also chipped with useful contributions. In reply, Shreyas Iyer blasted 85 off 51 balls and Aaron Finch scored 58 off 28 balls but KKR were eventually bowled out for 210 in 19.4 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal was the most successful bowler for RR, claiming five wickets for 40 in his quota of four overs, while Obed McCoy (2/41) snapped two wickets in the decisive final over. Earlier, Sunil Narine (2/21), Pat Cummins (1/50), Shivam Mavi (1/34) and Andre Russell (1/29 in 2 overs) were among wickets for KKR. Brief Score: Rajasthan Royals: 217 for 5 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 103, Sunile Narine 2/21) Kolkata Knight Riders: 210 all-out in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 85, Aaron Finch 58; Yuzvendra Chahal 5/40).

Jos Buttler's ton, Yuzvendra Chahal's hat-trick guide RR to thrilling 7-run win over KKR in IPL 2022

Team India star Shreyas Iyer has been enjoying a great start to his stint as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Iyer, who led Delhi Capitals to their first-ever final in IPL 2020, was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction this year.

Iyer was roped in by KKR for a sum of Rs 12.25 crore (Rs 122.5 million) at the mega auction and was subsequently appointed as their new captain ahead of the ongoing season. Iyer might be one of the youngest captains in the league at present but has significant experience behind his back when it comes to leading an IPL team.

Recently, former India head coach Ravi Shastri lavished praise on the KKR skipper and said captaincy comes naturally to the 27-year-old, who he feels has been clear in his thoughts as captain and has not made it feel like he is leading KKR for the first time in his career.

"Captaincy comes naturally to him. Look at his aggressive captaincy; you don't feel like he's leading KKR for the first time. It looks like he's been captaining them for the last 3 to 4 seasons and it is visible through his clarity of thoughts," Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports.

"His mindset is clear about what brand of cricket he needs to play as a batter. At the same time, he's aware of what he, as a captain, needs to do to take his team to the playoffs and win the title," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/memes-galore-as-cancel-ipl-trends-on-twitter-after-covid-19-scare-in-delhi-capitals-camp-471881">Memes galore as 'Cancel IPL' trends on Twitter after COVID-19 scare in Delhi Capitals camp</a>

Under their new skipper, KKR kicked off their IPL 2022 campaign with a win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in their season-opener before slipping to a defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next game. KKR have since managed two wins in their last four matches and are currently placed at the sixth place on the table with six points from as many matches.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-csk-skipper-jadeja-bravo-fume-at-shivam-dube-after-he-fails-to-take-david-millers-catch-against-gt-471850">WATCH: CSK skipper Jadeja, Bravo fume at&nbsp;Dube after he fails to take David Miller's catch against GT</a>

Shastri has high hopes for Iyer as captain and believes he has the potential to go a long way with KKR. Iyer will be looking to help his side get back to winning ways when KKR take on Rajasthan Royals in their seventh game of the season at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (April 18).

"I've liked the way he's spoken during the pre and post-match conferences; that shows he's clear with his plans. I am convinced he'll go a long way," said Shastri as he lauded Iyer.

Team India star Shreyas Iyer has been enjoying a great start to his stint as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Team India star Shreyas Iyer has been enjoying a great start to his stint as the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Iyer, who led Delhi Capitals to their first-ever final in IPL 2020, was released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction this year. Iyer was roped in by KKR for a sum of Rs 12.25 crore (Rs 122.5 million) at the mega auction and was subsequently appointed as their new captain ahead of the ongoing season. Iyer might be one of the youngest captains in the league at present but has significant experience behind his back when it comes to leading an IPL team. Recently, former India head coach Ravi Shastri lavished praise on the KKR skipper and said captaincy comes naturally to the 27-year-old, who he feels has been clear in his thoughts as captain and has not made it feel like he is leading KKR for the first time in his career. "Captaincy comes naturally to him. Look at his aggressive captaincy; you don't feel like he's leading KKR for the first time. It looks like he's been captaining them for the last 3 to 4 seasons and it is visible through his clarity of thoughts," Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports. "His mindset is clear about what brand of cricket he needs to play as a batter. At the same time, he's aware of what he, as a captain, needs to do to take his team to the playoffs and win the title," he added. Also Read: Memes galore as 'Cancel IPL' trends on Twitter after COVID-19 scare in Delhi Capitals camp Under their new skipper, KKR kicked off their IPL 2022 campaign with a win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in their season-opener before slipping to a defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next game. KKR have since managed two wins in their last four matches and are currently placed at the sixth place on the table with six points from as many matches. Also Read: WATCH: CSK skipper Jadeja, Bravo fume at Dube after he fails to take David Miller's catch against GT Shastri has high hopes for Iyer as captain and believes he has the potential to go a long way with KKR. Iyer will be looking to help his side get back to winning ways when KKR take on Rajasthan Royals in their seventh game of the season at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday (April 18). "I've liked the way he's spoken during the pre and post-match conferences; that shows he's clear with his plans. I am convinced he'll go a long way," said Shastri as he lauded Iyer.

'Captaincy comes naturally to him': Ravi Shastri heaps praise on KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be looking to continue their winning run as they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. On the other hand, KKR were looking quite dominant with back-to-back wins in the tournament but succumbed to an overwhelming defeat against Delhi Capitals.

Abhishek Sharma was the top performer for SRH in the last two games while Kane Williamson found his form during the win against Gujarat Titans. The SRH bowlers were able to restrict the GT batsmen to a decent score with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan with the best figures.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/joe-root-steps-down-as-england-cricket-team-test-captain-following-west-indies-defeat-471144">Joe Root steps down as England Test captain following West Indies defeat</a>

It has been quite a turnaround for Williamson &amp; Co as they lost their two opening matches but with a fine run of form in the next two, they have bounced back in the tournament with four points.

On the other hand, KKR were looking quite comfortable with the bowling attack performing extremely well but it did not click against Delhi Capitals. The bowlers were taken to the cleaners by the DC openers and although Shreyas Iyer did try to fight back with a gritty half century, KKR fell well short of the target and were handed their second defeat of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-will-shreyas-iyer-make-any-changes-kolkata-knight-riders-predicted-xi-against-sunrisers-hyderabad-471139" hreflang="en">Will Shreyas make any changes? KKR predicted XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

Match prediction for SRH vs KKR clash: With SRH finding a fresh lease of form in the last couple of games, they will certainly start the encounter with a slight advantage. The weak point for KKR in their last match was the bowling attack and with SRH mainly taking a cautious approach towards the opponents in the powerplay overs, it may prove difficult for KKR to take early wickets in the game.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be looking to continue their winning run as they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. On the other hand, KKR were looking quite dominant with back-to-back wins in the tournament but succumbed to an overwhelming defeat against Delhi Capitals.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be looking to continue their winning run as they take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. On the other hand, KKR were looking quite dominant with back-to-back wins in the tournament but succumbed to an overwhelming defeat against Delhi Capitals. Abhishek Sharma was the top performer for SRH in the last two games while Kane Williamson found his form during the win against Gujarat Titans. The SRH bowlers were able to restrict the GT batsmen to a decent score with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan with the best figures. Also read | Joe Root steps down as England Test captain following West Indies defeat It has been quite a turnaround for Williamson & Co as they lost their two opening matches but with a fine run of form in the next two, they have bounced back in the tournament with four points. On the other hand, KKR were looking quite comfortable with the bowling attack performing extremely well but it did not click against Delhi Capitals. The bowlers were taken to the cleaners by the DC openers and although Shreyas Iyer did try to fight back with a gritty half century, KKR fell well short of the target and were handed their second defeat of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). Also read | Will Shreyas make any changes? KKR predicted XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad Match prediction for SRH vs KKR clash: With SRH finding a fresh lease of form in the last couple of games, they will certainly start the encounter with a slight advantage. The weak point for KKR in their last match was the bowling attack and with SRH mainly taking a cautious approach towards the opponents in the powerplay overs, it may prove difficult for KKR to take early wickets in the game.

SRH vs KKR, IPL 2022 match prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash?

Former England cricket team skipper believes that Shreyas Iyer to Kolkata Knight Riders was the ‘best deal’ of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season thanks to his batting and captaincy skills.<o:p></o:p>

“I think, of all the manoeuvres in the auction, Shreyas to KKR was the best deal. I think it's a tremendous switch for KKR. He has already shown to be a very good captain for Delhi. But it's his batting. I like his manner. He knows how to control people, which is a lot of what captaincy is all about,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz while analysing the performance of franchises in the mega auction.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-trent-boult-leaves-kl-rahul-gobsmacked-with-an-absolute-jaffa-in-lsgs-run-chase-versus-rr-watch-470143" hreflang="en">Trent Boult leaves KL Rahul gobsmacked with an absolute jaffa in LSG's run-chase versus RR - WATCH</a>

Kolkata Knight Riders went into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction with a clear intention of picking up a captain for the side. <o:p></o:p>

With the team not retaining Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik, the message was clear that they were in the hunt for a new leader and they found the perfect answer in Shreyas Iyer who also entered the auction after parting ways with Delhi Capitals.<o:p></o:p>

Shreyas was part of the Delhi Capitals side for quite some time and he also led them before suffering an injury in 2021.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-questions-over-umran-malik-sunrisers-hyderabad-predicted-xi-against-gujarat-titans-470148" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Questions over Umran Malik? Sunrisers Hyderabad predicted XI against Gujarat Titans</a>

He was replaced by Rishabh Pant and although he had a good show in the later half of the tournament, the need for captaincy led to the parting of ways with the franchise.<o:p></o:p>

KKR picked Shreyas Iyer for a sum of INR 122.5 million which made him the second most expensive player in the auction and under his leadership, the side has won three out of their five matches this season. <o:p></o:p>

Shreyas was also able to find his batting form with a gritty half century against Delhi Capitals.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Former England cricket team skipper believes that Shreyas Iyer to Kolkata Knight Riders was the ‘best deal’ of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season thanks to his batting and captaincy skills.

Former England cricket team skipper believes that Shreyas Iyer to Kolkata Knight Riders was the ‘best deal’ of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season thanks to his batting and captaincy skills. “I think, of all the manoeuvres in the auction, Shreyas to KKR was the best deal. I think it's a tremendous switch for KKR. He has already shown to be a very good captain for Delhi. But it's his batting. I like his manner. He knows how to control people, which is a lot of what captaincy is all about,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz while analysing the performance of franchises in the mega auction. Also read | Trent Boult leaves KL Rahul gobsmacked with an absolute jaffa in LSG's run-chase versus RR - WATCH Kolkata Knight Riders went into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction with a clear intention of picking up a captain for the side. With the team not retaining Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik, the message was clear that they were in the hunt for a new leader and they found the perfect answer in Shreyas Iyer who also entered the auction after parting ways with Delhi Capitals. Shreyas was part of the Delhi Capitals side for quite some time and he also led them before suffering an injury in 2021. Also read | IPL 2022: Questions over Umran Malik? Sunrisers Hyderabad predicted XI against Gujarat Titans He was replaced by Rishabh Pant and although he had a good show in the later half of the tournament, the need for captaincy led to the parting of ways with the franchise. KKR picked Shreyas Iyer for a sum of INR 122.5 million which made him the second most expensive player in the auction and under his leadership, the side has won three out of their five matches this season. Shreyas was also able to find his batting form with a gritty half century against Delhi Capitals.

'Tremendous switch' - Former England skipper picks India youngster as best transfer of IPL 2022

Delhi Capitals (DC) rode on impressive knocks from Prithvi Shaw and David Warner to thrash Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday. Shaw and Warner combined to get DC off to a flying start after the Rishabh Pant-led side were put to bat first by KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Shaw and Warner slammed half-centuries apiece as they added a brilliant stand of 93 runs for the first wicket. Shaw slammed a quickfire 51 off 29 deliveries laced with seven fours and two sixes, Warner scored 61 off 45 balls. After Shaw's departure in the 9th over, DC skipper Rishabh Pant promoted himself at number three and scored 27 off just 14 balls to carry the momentum.

Shaw was on top of his game as he went after the KKR bowlers right from the word go and played fearlessly in the Powerplay to help DC get off to a brilliant start. The fifties from him and Warner set up the stage for a big total for the Capitals as they ended up posting 215 runs on the bard in 20 overs after cameos from Shardul Thakur (29 off 11) and Axar Patel (22 off 14) towards the end.

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After setting up a huge target of 216 runs for KKR, DC bowlers went on to capitalise early during the run-chase as Khaleel Ahmed struck twice in successive overs to get rid of openers Venkatesh Iyer (18) and Ajinkya Rahane (8) cheaply. After the duo's dismissal, Kuldeep Yadav ran through DC's lower-middle order as the spinner came back to haunt his former side.

Kuldeep picked up the wickets of KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine and Umesh Yadav to finish with excellent figures of 4/35 in his 4 overs while Khaleel picked up three wickets for just 25 runs off his four overs. Khaleel dismissed Iyer, Rahane and Sam Billings in his spell to set up a comfortable win for DC.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer top-scored for KKR with his 54 off 33 balls and added 69 runs for the third wicket with Nitish Rana, who looked in good touch during his 20-ball 30 but the duo failed to stay out in the middle for long to see their side home. KKR did have power-hitter Andre Russell till the 20th over but the West Indies all-rounder failed to middle the ball properly and could only score 24 off 21 balls.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ive-never-yelled-like-that-when-ravi-shastri-scolded-ms-dhoni-for-playing-football-before-asia-cup-final-469998">'I’ve never yelled like that': When Ravi Shastri scolded Dhoni for playing football before Asia Cup final</a>

With the win, Delhi Capitals snapped their losing streak of two matches to bounce back to winning ways with their second win in four matches so far this season. KKR, on the other hand, too have now lost two out of their first five games and are currently placed on top of the points table with sox points from five matches.

Delhi Capitals (DC) rode on impressive knocks from Prithvi Shaw and David Warner to thrash Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday.

Delhi Capitals (DC) rode on impressive knocks from Prithvi Shaw and David Warner to thrash Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 44 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday. Shaw and Warner combined to get DC off to a flying start after the Rishabh Pant-led side were put to bat first by KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Shaw and Warner slammed half-centuries apiece as they added a brilliant stand of 93 runs for the first wicket. Shaw slammed a quickfire 51 off 29 deliveries laced with seven fours and two sixes, Warner scored 61 off 45 balls. After Shaw's departure in the 9th over, DC skipper Rishabh Pant promoted himself at number three and scored 27 off just 14 balls to carry the momentum. Shaw was on top of his game as he went after the KKR bowlers right from the word go and played fearlessly in the Powerplay to help DC get off to a brilliant start. The fifties from him and Warner set up the stage for a big total for the Capitals as they ended up posting 215 runs on the bard in 20 overs after cameos from Shardul Thakur (29 off 11) and Axar Patel (22 off 14) towards the end. Also Read: Delhi Capitals' Shardul Thakur completes incredible catch to dismiss KKR's Ajinkya Rahane - WATCH After setting up a huge target of 216 runs for KKR, DC bowlers went on to capitalise early during the run-chase as Khaleel Ahmed struck twice in successive overs to get rid of openers Venkatesh Iyer (18) and Ajinkya Rahane (8) cheaply. After the duo's dismissal, Kuldeep Yadav ran through DC's lower-middle order as the spinner came back to haunt his former side. Kuldeep picked up the wickets of KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine and Umesh Yadav to finish with excellent figures of 4/35 in his 4 overs while Khaleel picked up three wickets for just 25 runs off his four overs. Khaleel dismissed Iyer, Rahane and Sam Billings in his spell to set up a comfortable win for DC. Skipper Shreyas Iyer top-scored for KKR with his 54 off 33 balls and added 69 runs for the third wicket with Nitish Rana, who looked in good touch during his 20-ball 30 but the duo failed to stay out in the middle for long to see their side home. KKR did have power-hitter Andre Russell till the 20th over but the West Indies all-rounder failed to middle the ball properly and could only score 24 off 21 balls. Also Read: 'I’ve never yelled like that': When Ravi Shastri scolded Dhoni for playing football before Asia Cup final With the win, Delhi Capitals snapped their losing streak of two matches to bounce back to winning ways with their second win in four matches so far this season. KKR, on the other hand, too have now lost two out of their first five games and are currently placed on top of the points table with sox points from five matches.

IPL 2022: Prithvi Shaw, Khaleel Ahmed shine as Delhi Capitals register thumping win over KKR

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday (April 10). DC, who got off to a winning start with a 4-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians in their opening game, have faced back-to-back defeats in their last two games.

Delhi Capitals suffered a heartbreaking six-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants in their last game after failing to defend a total of 149 runs. Despite getting a good start in the game, DC's middle-order failed to score quickly as they could only manage a moderate total on the board.

However, Pant &amp; Co. were touted as favourites to defend the total with the return of pacer Anrich Nortje. But Quinton de Kock went on to play a sensational knock of 52-ball 80 and took Nortje to the cleaners to help his side get over the line. DC will be hoping to not repeat the mistakes with the bat and the ball against KKR on Sunday.

While DC have lost their last two games, KKR have managed back-to-back wins in their last two matches. Australian pacer Pat Cummins'&nbsp;return has not only bolstered KKR's pace attack but has also strengthened their batting line-up significantly. KKR will be hoping to continue their winning run against DC on Sunday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-dc-ipl-2022-today-match-prediction-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-delhi-capitals-clash-469886">KKR vs DC, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals clash?</a>

KKR skipper Iyer will be up against Delhi Capitals for the first time in charge of his new side. Iyer, who led DC from 2018 to 2020, was the first captain to take DC to an IPL final in 2020. He was replaced by Pant as captain last year and will have a point to prove against his former team.

Here is all you need to know about KKR vs DC clash in IPL 2022:

Head to head:

Kolkata Knight Riders have an edge over Delhi Capitals when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams in IPL. KKR have 16 wins compared to DC's 12 in total 28 meetings between the two teams.

Stats

The strike rate of openers Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer in the Powerplay has been a huge concern for KKR this season. While Rahane has strck at 101.85 in the Powerplay, Iyer has scored at a poor rate of 87.04 in the first six overs. However, with a fifty in the last game, Iyer will be high on confidence against DC.

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Trivia&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals have taken the fewest wickets in the Powerplay among all teams this season. They have managed only 1 wicket in the Powerplay so far in their first three games in IPL 2022.

Predicted playing XIs

DC: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Anrich Nortje

KKR: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Sam Billings (w), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Rasikh Salam, Varun Chakravarthy 
&nbsp;

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday (April 10).

Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) will be desperately looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Sunday (April 10). DC, who got off to a winning start with a 4-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians in their opening game, have faced back-to-back defeats in their last two games. Delhi Capitals suffered a heartbreaking six-wicket defeat against Lucknow Super Giants in their last game after failing to defend a total of 149 runs. Despite getting a good start in the game, DC's middle-order failed to score quickly as they could only manage a moderate total on the board. However, Pant & Co. were touted as favourites to defend the total with the return of pacer Anrich Nortje. But Quinton de Kock went on to play a sensational knock of 52-ball 80 and took Nortje to the cleaners to help his side get over the line. DC will be hoping to not repeat the mistakes with the bat and the ball against KKR on Sunday. While DC have lost their last two games, KKR have managed back-to-back wins in their last two matches. Australian pacer Pat Cummins' return has not only bolstered KKR's pace attack but has also strengthened their batting line-up significantly. KKR will be hoping to continue their winning run against DC on Sunday. Also Read: KKR vs DC, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals clash? KKR skipper Iyer will be up against Delhi Capitals for the first time in charge of his new side. Iyer, who led DC from 2018 to 2020, was the first captain to take DC to an IPL final in 2020. He was replaced by Pant as captain last year and will have a point to prove against his former team. Here is all you need to know about KKR vs DC clash in IPL 2022: Head to head: Kolkata Knight Riders have an edge over Delhi Capitals when it comes to the head-to-head record between the two teams in IPL. KKR have 16 wins compared to DC's 12 in total 28 meetings between the two teams. Stats The strike rate of openers Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer in the Powerplay has been a huge concern for KKR this season. While Rahane has strck at 101.85 in the Powerplay, Iyer has scored at a poor rate of 87.04 in the first six overs. However, with a fifty in the last game, Iyer will be high on confidence against DC. Also Read: Glenn Maxwell pulls off sensational run out to dismiss N Tilak Verma during RCB vs MI clash - WATCH Trivia Delhi Capitals have taken the fewest wickets in the Powerplay among all teams this season. They have managed only 1 wicket in the Powerplay so far in their first three games in IPL 2022. Predicted playing XIs DC: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Anrich Nortje KKR: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Sam Billings (w), Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Umesh Yadav, Rasikh Salam, Varun Chakravarthy

IPL 2022: KKR vs DC - Head to head record, trivia, stats and predicted playing XIs

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise.

Billings has been showing glimpses of form with the bat in the last couple of games and his sharp reflexes behind the stumps has added a lot of value to his regular selection.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview with WION, Billings opened up about his impressions of the KKR franchise this season and his experience of playing under newly appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-him-for-life-send-him-to-rehab-ravi-shastri-on-cricketer-who-bullied-yuzvendra-chahal-at-mi-in-2013-469664">After Chahal's shocking revelations, Shastri demands life ban for offender</a>

“I have had the pleasure of playing with Shreyas for quite a few years now starting with Delhi. His captaincy style is extremely cool, calm and collected. He also has a lot of experience considering his age. So, he has done a fantastic job and I am sure he will continue to grow,” he said.&nbsp;

“As a team, we have all bases covered. There is no reason why we cannot win the IPL this year.”&nbsp;

Billings started the season as a specialist middle order batsman for KKR with Sheldon Jackson keeping wickets. But the change in team composition meant that KKR went with an extra fast bowling option and that meant that Billings had to take over the wicket-keeping role for the team.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravindra-jadeja-makes-150th-appearance-joins-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-in-elite-list-469670" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list</a>

“I have kind of gotten used to both keeping wickets and being an outfield player. I have had to field a lot for England. I like fielding on the ground but I also like to keep wickets specially against mystery spinners like Varun and Narine,” Billings explained when asked about his preferred role.&nbsp;

“It is very hard to keep against them. But it takes a bit of practice and concentration but I think that makes it even more enjoyable as you are feeling the game every single ball,” he further explained.&nbsp;

Billings has been contributing regularly with his bat for KKR and he is currently the second top scorer in the competition for his team. The England cricketer has been stitching together valuable partnerships in the middle overs and he was on the other end of the crease as West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell slammed 70 off just 31 deliveries to guide KKR to victory over Punjab Kings.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-no-ms-dhoni-now-ravi-shastri-backs-rcb-star-to-return-as-a-finisher-in-indias-t20-wc-2022-squad-469601" hreflang="en">'There is no Dhoni': Shastri backs RCB star to return in India's squad</a>

Billings was all praise for Russell and said that any team will love to have a cricketer in their ranks.&nbsp;

“Any team loves to have Andre Russell. The power that he has is absolutely phenomenal and he can win a game on his own. I would never complain about having Russell in my team,” he concluded.&nbsp;

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise.

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise. Billings has been showing glimpses of form with the bat in the last couple of games and his sharp reflexes behind the stumps has added a lot of value to his regular selection. In an exclusive interview with WION, Billings opened up about his impressions of the KKR franchise this season and his experience of playing under newly appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer. Also read | After Chahal's shocking revelations, Shastri demands life ban for offender “I have had the pleasure of playing with Shreyas for quite a few years now starting with Delhi. His captaincy style is extremely cool, calm and collected. He also has a lot of experience considering his age. So, he has done a fantastic job and I am sure he will continue to grow,” he said. “As a team, we have all bases covered. There is no reason why we cannot win the IPL this year.” Billings started the season as a specialist middle order batsman for KKR with Sheldon Jackson keeping wickets. But the change in team composition meant that KKR went with an extra fast bowling option and that meant that Billings had to take over the wicket-keeping role for the team. Also read | IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list “I have kind of gotten used to both keeping wickets and being an outfield player. I have had to field a lot for England. I like fielding on the ground but I also like to keep wickets specially against mystery spinners like Varun and Narine,” Billings explained when asked about his preferred role. “It is very hard to keep against them. But it takes a bit of practice and concentration but I think that makes it even more enjoyable as you are feeling the game every single ball,” he further explained. Billings has been contributing regularly with his bat for KKR and he is currently the second top scorer in the competition for his team. The England cricketer has been stitching together valuable partnerships in the middle overs and he was on the other end of the crease as West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell slammed 70 off just 31 deliveries to guide KKR to victory over Punjab Kings. Also read | 'There is no Dhoni': Shastri backs RCB star to return in India's squad Billings was all praise for Russell and said that any team will love to have a cricketer in their ranks. “Any team loves to have Andre Russell. The power that he has is absolutely phenomenal and he can win a game on his own. I would never complain about having Russell in my team,” he concluded.

Exclusive | No reason why Kolkata Knight Riders cannot win the IPL this year, says Sam Billings

Not many would have thought that the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) would be struggling to open their account in IPL 2022 edition. After three games, the Mumbai Paltan are winless and occupy the penultimate spot in the overall standings.

With two back-to-back defeats, MI faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 14 of the 15th edition on Wednesday evening (April 06), in a bid to open their account in their third fixture. Nonetheless, third-time lucky didn't prove to be the case for the MI line-up, who lost to the Shreyas Iyer-led unit by five wickets at the MCA Stadium, Pune.

Being asked to bat first, Rohit &amp; Co. rode on Suryakumar Yadav's 36-ball 52, Tilak Verma's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball unbeaten 22 to post a competitive 161-4 in 20 overs. After a slow and sluggish start, they recovered in style but all efforts went in vain with Pat Cummins' stunning fireworks and Venkatesh Iyer's 50 not out in KKR's run-chase.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-how-kkrs-pat-cummins-trained-at-the-nets-ahead-of-his-joint-fastest-ipl-fifty-in-mi-tie-469139">Watch: How KKR's Pat Cummins trained at the nets ahead of his joint-fastest IPL fifty in MI tie</a>

While Iyer held one end with a calculative 50*, Cummins smashed the MI bowlers -- after joining the run-chase at 103 for 5 -- to close the match in the 16th over; slamming the joint-fastest IPL fifty (in 14 balls). He, thus, returned with a blazing 15-ball 56* to keep MI winless.

Thus, head coach Mahela Jayawardene has broken his silence on MI's indifferent start to the ongoing season.&nbsp;

“I think we knew that they have a strategy where they bowl their spinners at the backend as well. So we needed to make sure that we had guys to take them on. Suryakumar Yadav was one of them. But initially it was a tough wicket. There was steep bounce, and there was little bit in it. We felt that we got stuck a little bit, and we were behind, and needed a par course," Jayawardene said at the post-match press conference.

"That was the plan in the 13th over, and I thought with the couple of big overs at the end, we got that par score, and we were in the game for pretty much all the way. In the past few games we’ve not ruthless enough to close games off," he added.

Reflecting on MI's journey ahead after a tough start, Jayawardene further opined, "It’s always tough when you have a start like this, but we need to look at the positives. We’ve been playing some really good cricket, but we’re not closing games off. All three games we were in it, but we’re not able to finish it off. These are concerns, especially with the ball that we’re not executing at the back-end under pressure.. some of the execution has been poor. We need to brush up on that."

“It’s a long tournament, three games, yeah it is tough but we need to make sure that we get a win and get into those habits. Anything can happen with 10 teams. There are a lot of teams that’s gonna beat each other so we have to make sure we’re in it midway through the season," he concluded.

Not many would have thought that the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) would be struggling to open their account in IPL 2022 edition. After three games, the Mumbai Paltan are winless and occupy the penultimate spot in the overall standings.

Not many would have thought that the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) would be struggling to open their account in IPL 2022 edition. After three games, the Mumbai Paltan are winless and occupy the penultimate spot in the overall standings. With two back-to-back defeats, MI faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 14 of the 15th edition on Wednesday evening (April 06), in a bid to open their account in their third fixture. Nonetheless, third-time lucky didn't prove to be the case for the MI line-up, who lost to the Shreyas Iyer-led unit by five wickets at the MCA Stadium, Pune. Being asked to bat first, Rohit & Co. rode on Suryakumar Yadav's 36-ball 52, Tilak Verma's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball unbeaten 22 to post a competitive 161-4 in 20 overs. After a slow and sluggish start, they recovered in style but all efforts went in vain with Pat Cummins' stunning fireworks and Venkatesh Iyer's 50 not out in KKR's run-chase. ALSO READ | Watch: How KKR's Pat Cummins trained at the nets ahead of his joint-fastest IPL fifty in MI tie While Iyer held one end with a calculative 50*, Cummins smashed the MI bowlers -- after joining the run-chase at 103 for 5 -- to close the match in the 16th over; slamming the joint-fastest IPL fifty (in 14 balls). He, thus, returned with a blazing 15-ball 56* to keep MI winless. Thus, head coach Mahela Jayawardene has broken his silence on MI's indifferent start to the ongoing season. “I think we knew that they have a strategy where they bowl their spinners at the backend as well. So we needed to make sure that we had guys to take them on. Suryakumar Yadav was one of them. But initially it was a tough wicket. There was steep bounce, and there was little bit in it. We felt that we got stuck a little bit, and we were behind, and needed a par course," Jayawardene said at the post-match press conference. "That was the plan in the 13th over, and I thought with the couple of big overs at the end, we got that par score, and we were in the game for pretty much all the way. In the past few games we’ve not ruthless enough to close games off," he added. Reflecting on MI's journey ahead after a tough start, Jayawardene further opined, "It’s always tough when you have a start like this, but we need to look at the positives. We’ve been playing some really good cricket, but we’re not closing games off. All three games we were in it, but we’re not able to finish it off. These are concerns, especially with the ball that we’re not executing at the back-end under pressure.. some of the execution has been poor. We need to brush up on that." “It’s a long tournament, three games, yeah it is tough but we need to make sure that we get a win and get into those habits. Anything can happen with 10 teams. There are a lot of teams that’s gonna beat each other so we have to make sure we’re in it midway through the season," he concluded.

MI not ruthless enough: Mahela Jayawardene breaks silence on Rohit & Co.'s winless run in IPL 2022

Pat Cummins produced one of the best innings in IPL history as he slammed the joint-fastest fifty (joining KL Rahul at the top) in the cash-rich league, off 14 balls, during Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) 162-run chase versus the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday (April 06).

Coming out to bat at No. 7, with the score being 101 for 5, the Aussie all-rounder was on song from the word go. He took on the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Tymal Mills before going bonkers versus Daniel Sams to churn out 35 runs, in the 16th over,&nbsp;and finish off the proceedings at one go. While it seemed the run-chase would go down the wire when the Aussie Test captain came out to bat, the 28-year-old pulled off a stunning display to make heads turn worldwide.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-ms-dhoni-or-ravindra-jadeja-robin-uthappa-names-csk-star-who-played-a-role-in-his-transfer-from-rr-469122">Not MS Dhoni or Ravindra Jadeja! Robin Uthappa names CSK star who played a role in his transfer from RR</a>

Here's a look at how Cummins prepared for the onslaught versus MI with his batting session at the KKR nets a day before the face-off:

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-daniel-joins-harshal-in-unwanted-list-after-being-hammered-by-pat-cummins-in-kkr-mi-match-468995">IPL 2022: Daniel joins Harshal in unwanted list after being hammered by Pat Cummins in KKR-MI match</a>

At the post-match presentation, Cummins reflected on his match-winning knock and said, "I probably think I'm most surprised by that innings. I'm glad that it came off. I was thinking of having a swing if it was in my area. Wasn't trying to overthink it. Very satisfying to do it on my first game this season. Was just trying to pepper the shorter boundary. The hard thing after a big auction is that there are a lot of changes from last year. It's a good mix of talent out there and quite relaxed with the boys."

Pat Cummins produced one of the best innings in IPL history as he slammed the joint-fastest fifty (joining KL Rahul at the top) in the cash-rich league, off 14 balls, during Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) 162-run chase versus the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday (April 06).

Pat Cummins produced one of the best innings in IPL history as he slammed the joint-fastest fifty (joining KL Rahul at the top) in the cash-rich league, off 14 balls, during Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) 162-run chase versus the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Wednesday (April 06). Coming out to bat at No. 7, with the score being 101 for 5, the Aussie all-rounder was on song from the word go. He took on the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Tymal Mills before going bonkers versus Daniel Sams to churn out 35 runs, in the 16th over, and finish off the proceedings at one go. While it seemed the run-chase would go down the wire when the Aussie Test captain came out to bat, the 28-year-old pulled off a stunning display to make heads turn worldwide. ALSO READ | Not MS Dhoni or Ravindra Jadeja! Robin Uthappa names CSK star who played a role in his transfer from RR Here's a look at how Cummins prepared for the onslaught versus MI with his batting session at the KKR nets a day before the face-off: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) × ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Daniel joins Harshal in unwanted list after being hammered by Pat Cummins in KKR-MI match At the post-match presentation, Cummins reflected on his match-winning knock and said, "I probably think I'm most surprised by that innings. I'm glad that it came off. I was thinking of having a swing if it was in my area. Wasn't trying to overthink it. Very satisfying to do it on my first game this season. Was just trying to pepper the shorter boundary. The hard thing after a big auction is that there are a lot of changes from last year. It's a good mix of talent out there and quite relaxed with the boys."

Watch: How KKR's Pat Cummins trained at the nets ahead of his joint-fastest IPL fifty in MI tie

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). Facing the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR outfit with no win after their first two games in the 15th season, MI had their back against the wall but ran into Pat Cummins' mouth-watering 15-ball 56* and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50 to lose their third game on the trot.

Opting to bowl first, Iyer &amp; Co. started off with a bang. Umesh Yadav, KKR's in-form pacer, started off sharply whereas debutant Rasikh Salam also kept it tight with the ball. As a result, captain Rohit Sharma fell for an uninspiring 12-ball 3. Ishan Kishan, who had two successive fifties so far, also failed to get going on a sticky wicket. He hung around for a bit before departing for a 21-ball 14. Dewald Brevis, baby AB de Villiers, looked good in his brief stay on his maiden appearance&nbsp;before returning for a good-looking 19-ball 29, at 152.63.

From thereon, MI's recovery took place as Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma led the counterattack. The duo stitched a vital 83-run fourth-wicket stand to rescue the Mumbai Paltan. SKY, playing his first-ever game of the&nbsp;season, looked in sublime form and upped the ante effortlessly. He returned with a stunning 36-ball 52, at 144.44, before Tilak's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out propelled MI to 161-4&nbsp;in 20 overs.

In reply, KKR started slowly and steadily and were 67 for 3 at the halfway stage. While Venky Iyer held one end, he lost partners at regular intervals with plenty left to do. Murugan Ashwin and Tymal Mills struck regularly to keep MI in the hunt before they were blown away by&nbsp;Cummins' storm.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-suryakumar-lights-up-the-atmosphere-with-a-glorious-upper-cut-six-during-mi-vs-kkr-clash-watch-468913">IPL 2022: Suryakumar lights up the atmosphere with a glorious upper-cut six during MI vs KKR clash - WATCH</a>

Cummins came out to bat at No. 7 and took the game&nbsp;away from the opposition from the word go. Replacing Andre Russell in the middle, the Aussie all-rounder -- also playing his first game in this edition -- went berserk to slam the MI bowlers left, right and centre. He took on Jasprit Bumrah, Mills and slammed Daniel Sams for as many as 35 runs in the 16th over to finish off the proceedings in style. Before his 35-run over, Sams had figures of 1 for 15 in two overs.&nbsp;

Thus, Cummins' joint-fastest IPL fifty, coming at par with KL Rahul, ended the match in the 16th over to guide the two-time winners to a 5-wicket win.

With this, KKR top the points table whereas MI are at the penultimate position with three back-to-back defeats.

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06).

Match 14 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the five-time winners Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). Facing the Shreyas Iyer-led KKR outfit with no win after their first two games in the 15th season, MI had their back against the wall but ran into Pat Cummins' mouth-watering 15-ball 56* and Venkatesh Iyer's 41-ball 50 to lose their third game on the trot. Opting to bowl first, Iyer & Co. started off with a bang. Umesh Yadav, KKR's in-form pacer, started off sharply whereas debutant Rasikh Salam also kept it tight with the ball. As a result, captain Rohit Sharma fell for an uninspiring 12-ball 3. Ishan Kishan, who had two successive fifties so far, also failed to get going on a sticky wicket. He hung around for a bit before departing for a 21-ball 14. Dewald Brevis, baby AB de Villiers, looked good in his brief stay on his maiden appearance before returning for a good-looking 19-ball 29, at 152.63. From thereon, MI's recovery took place as Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma led the counterattack. The duo stitched a vital 83-run fourth-wicket stand to rescue the Mumbai Paltan. SKY, playing his first-ever game of the season, looked in sublime form and upped the ante effortlessly. He returned with a stunning 36-ball 52, at 144.44, before Tilak's 38* and Kieron Pollard's 5-ball 22 not out propelled MI to 161-4 in 20 overs. In reply, KKR started slowly and steadily and were 67 for 3 at the halfway stage. While Venky Iyer held one end, he lost partners at regular intervals with plenty left to do. Murugan Ashwin and Tymal Mills struck regularly to keep MI in the hunt before they were blown away by Cummins' storm. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Suryakumar lights up the atmosphere with a glorious upper-cut six during MI vs KKR clash - WATCH Cummins came out to bat at No. 7 and took the game away from the opposition from the word go. Replacing Andre Russell in the middle, the Aussie all-rounder -- also playing his first game in this edition -- went berserk to slam the MI bowlers left, right and centre. He took on Jasprit Bumrah, Mills and slammed Daniel Sams for as many as 35 runs in the 16th over to finish off the proceedings in style. Before his 35-run over, Sams had figures of 1 for 15 in two overs. Thus, Cummins' joint-fastest IPL fifty, coming at par with KL Rahul, ended the match in the 16th over to guide the two-time winners to a 5-wicket win. With this, KKR top the points table whereas MI are at the penultimate position with three back-to-back defeats.

IPL 2022: Pat Cummins slams joint-fastest fifty, Venkatesh Iyer shines as KKR thrash MI by 5 wickets

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