Cricket

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a playoff berth and a likely top-two finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 with an 18-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in a rain-affected match in Kolkata.Despite losing their openers early, KKR posted a competitive 157 for 7 in 16 overs, thanks to Venkatesh Iyer's 42 and some late hitting from the lower order.In response, MI's chase was stifled by KKR's spin twins, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. The duo conceded just 22 runs in the five overs after the powerplay, claiming two wickets and mounting pressure on the visitors.Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David attempted to accelerate the chase but fell to Andre Russell's variations. MI stumbled to 92 for 5, and despite a late cameo from Tilak Varma, they were unable to recover.Varma reduced the equation to 22 required from six balls, but his dismissal early in the last over sealed MI's ninth loss in 13 matches.KKR's victory was built on a solid bowling performance, with Chakravarthy and Russell claiming two wickets each. Harshit Rana also chipped in with two wickets.For MI, Ishan Kishan top-scored with 40, while Varma's 32 provided some late hope. However, the team's batting lineup failed to fire consistently, leading to their defeat.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis has expressed concerns despite his team's fourth consecutive win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While acknowledging the team's recent success, du Plessis emphasized the need for improvement and learning from recurring mistakes.RCB's latest victory came against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday. Virat Kohli's spectacular 92 off 47 deliveries, combined with a united bowling performance, propelled RCB to a commanding 60-run victory. This crucial win keeps RCB's playoff aspirations alive, marking their fourth successive triumph.However, du Plessis is not satisfied with the team's performance and believes there is room for improvement. "We have scored 200-plus in the last 5-6 games, but we have been making the same mistakes over and over again," he said after the match. "We need more aggression with the bat and we need to take more wickets."Du Plessis highlighted the importance of addressing these concerns promptly. "We have 6-7 options in the bowling department, and we need some form in our side," he said. "We also need a bit of luck, but the boys have shown character to turn it around."The RCB captain is confident that the team can overcome its challenges and perform well in the remaining matches. "We want to stick to the style of play that we want to do," he said. "If we do that, it'll prove that we are a really good team."