Tuesday, May 14
MS Dhoni's legendary status in Chennai as a demi-god is praised by Navjot Singh Sidhu, emphasizing the impact of positive thoughts. Defending champions CSK rose to the third spot with the victory over the Royals and are in the running to make the playoffs and ended their highly successful home leg, winning five out of their seven matches at the Chepauk.
The talented wicket-keeper batsman, Jos Buttler, has bid farewell to the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as he prepares to join the England squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Ahead of the highly anticipated tournament, England is set to engage in a four-match T20I series against Pakistan, commencing on May 22, with Buttler assuming the role of captain for the Three Lions against the Green Shirts.
Virat Kohli, currently the leading run-scorer in the ongoing IPL, has amassed 661 runs from 13 innings at an impressive strike rate of 155.16. Despite being placed fifth in the table with 12 points, RCB remain in contention for the playoffs. Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh's endorsement of Kohli's leadership stems from his exceptional performance on the field, coupled with his qualities as a leader.
Lucknow Super Giants assistant coach Lance Klusener on Monday played down team owner Sanjiv Goenka's public outburst on their skipper KL Rahul, terming it "storm in a tea cup" and said he didn't find any issue in a "robust discussion between two cricket lovers".
Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma engage in light-hearted banter during an IPL match, with playoffs implications. The friendly exchange includes humorous comments from former cricketers Sidhu and Kaif, showcasing the long-standing friendship between Kohli and Ishant. First Kohli hit Ishant for a four and a six, but the pacer had his revenge by dismissing the former captain and even tugged at Kohli who just smiled back.
Securing five wins on the trot, RCB are right back in the hunt for a play-off spot, and the rampant side looks like a serious threat to other teams vying for the third and fourth slots. The RCB's winning run has been lauded by many and former India pacer Zaheer Khan also joined the bandwagon, hailing the side for an unbelievable turnaround in the second half of the league.
Gujarat Titans' aspirations for qualifying for the Indian Premier League playoffs were dashed on Monday when rain forced their must-win match against Kolkata Knight Riders to be abandoned without a single ball being bowled. As a result, KKR secured a top-two finish with 19 points from 13 games and a spot in the Qualifier 1. Meanwhile, GT, the runners-up from last year and champions of 2022, are eliminated from playoff contention, accumulating 11 points from 13 matches.
Pakistan rebounded from their unexpected defeat in the series opener to clinch a convincing seven-wicket win against Ireland in the second Twenty20 match held in Dublin, setting the stage for a decisive showdown. Ireland's victory by five wickets in the T20 opener on Friday stunned Pakistan, marking Ireland's inaugural T20 triumph over their opponents.
