Cricket

A disappointing Rajasthan Royals will face a highly inconsistent yet capable Punjab Kings in their Indian Premier League match on April 13. The Royals had an excellent chance to register their fifth win on the trot and consolidate their totem pole position, but Rashid Khan's daring assault helped Gujarat Titans snatch a last-ball victory on Wednesday.The Royals lost to the Titans because of the below-par effort from Kuldip Sen (19th over) and Avesh Khan (20th over) at a vital passage, when they conceded 35 runs across 12 balls. Here, the Royals made a slight tactical error by not letting Trent Boult complete his quota in that match as the veteran left-arm pacer ended the match at 2-0-8-0.The Shikhar Dhawan-captained Punjab side has blown hot and cold so far in the tournament, winning two and losing three out of five matches. The primary reason for their middling run this year is the patchy form of their fancied batsmen as Punjab relied on cameos by uncapped Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma to boost their batting.Opener Jonny Bairstow (5 matches, 81 runs) and middle-order batter Jitesh Sharma (5 matches, 77 runs) are the most underwhelming of the lot, and it has robbed them of momentum upfront and in the business end of their innings. Sam Curran has been above average with the ball, taking six wickets from five matches but the England all-rounder's needle has fallen behind from the halfway mark with the bat, despite scoring a 63.The absence of injured Liam Livingstone from the middle-order too has reduced their firepower, and Kings will hope to have the Englishman back in their ranks at the earliest. On the contrary, the Punjab bowlers have done marginally better, but their propensity to concede big runs while bowling first will be a concern. A group consisting of bowlers such as Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh has given away 199, 199 and 182 runs in their last three matches and they will have to break the pattern against the Royals.It's easier said than done as the Royals' batting unit has been in good shape as 185 is the lowest total it posted while batting first. Outside the match calculations, the Royals will have another bigger worry to nullify. Over the last few editions of the IPL, the Royals had begun strongly, just as they did this year, before tapering off after the mid-season. As a result, they have managed to qualify for the play-offs only twice across the last six seasons. Royals would dearly hope that the defeat against GT was not the beginning of another meltdown.

Ashutosh Sharma, the rising star of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has had a remarkable journey to the top. Before his recent exploits for Punjab Kings, he made headlines by breaking Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket by an Indian.Born in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, Sharma's cricketing dreams took flight in Indore. Despite facing financial hardships, he persevered, earning money through umpiring and washing clothes. His childhood coach, Amay Khurasiya, played a pivotal role in his development, providing guidance and support.Sharma's breakthrough came in the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, where he smashed an 11-ball half-century for Railways. This feat earned him a spot in the Punjab Kings squad for the IPL.In the IPL, Sharma has showcased his explosive batting, scoring crucial runs in pressure situations. His innings of 31 off 17 balls against Gujarat Titans and 33* off 15 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad were instrumental in Punjab's victories.However, Sharma's path to success was not without its challenges. In 2020, he fell out of favor with Madhya Pradesh head coach Chandrakant Pandit, who dropped him from the team despite his strong performances. This setback left Sharma depressed and questioning his abilities.Fortunately, Sharma found solace in a job with the Railways, which provided him with financial stability and an opportunity to continue playing cricket. In the 2023 Mushtaq Ali tournament, he excelled for Railways, earning him a recall to the Punjab Kings squad.Sharma's story is a testament to his resilience and determination. Despite facing adversity, he never gave up on his dream of playing cricket at the highest level. His recent performances in the IPL have not only showcased his talent but also inspired countless young cricketers who aspire to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abdul Samad has lauded Nitish Kumar Reddy's remarkable transformation in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Reddy's batting has evolved significantly, showcasing a more aggressive and unconventional approach compared to last year.In Sunrisers' two-run victory over Punjab Kings, Reddy played a pivotal role with a maiden IPL fifty (64 off 37 balls), featuring four boundaries and five sixes. Samad attributed Reddy's success to his improved practice performances and the team's confidence in his abilities."Last year, Nitish was not batting like this. He used to play conventional shots. This time, he has become completely different," Samad said at the post-match press conference. "I think he has practiced very well. And he had a very good impact in our practice matches as well. So, everyone was very impressed with him. That's why we are backing him."Samad also highlighted the importance of Reddy's promotion to the No. 4 batting position, which allowed him to carry the momentum from his previous match against Chennai Super Kings."I think he has been promoted (from No. 6 to No. 4) today (on Tuesday) to carry the confidence of the last game (vs. Chennai Super Kings). And everyone had confidence in him that he will deliver today."Despite the close finish, Samad believes that Sunrisers could have won more comfortably had they held onto two crucial catches in the final over."We thought the match was a bit close because we missed two catches. Otherwise, we would have won the match by 15 runs or so."Samad also acknowledged the contributions of openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who have consistently provided Sunrisers with solid starts."When you get a start of 70-80 runs in the PowerPlay, then it becomes easy for you. So, that is helping us a lot in winning the match."

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their second Indian Premier League (IPL) match on March 30 in Lucknow. LSG, led by KL Rahul, will aim to improve their all-round performance after losing their opening game against Rajasthan Royals by 20 runs.LSG's bowling unit struggled in their first match, with all bowlers except Krunal Pandya leaking runs. The absence of Mark Wood and David Willey has left LSG's pace attack thin, with Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Yash Thakur expected to carry the load. Ravi Bishnoi, who is vying for a place in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad, also had an ordinary outing in the team's tournament opener.Skipper Rahul, who has decided to play as a wicketkeeper-batter with the T20 World Cup in mind, scored 58 in his comeback game and will be looking to build on that. He will hope that his opening partner Quinton de Kock returns to his belligerent best against Punjab after missing out against Royals. The team will also rely on the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, and Krunal to deliver down the order.LSG's success will also depend on the form of Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who was the leading run-getter for the team last year with 408 runs.PBKS, on the other hand, have a 50-50 record so far, winning one and losing one. The Shikhar Dhawan-led side needs more fluency in the powerplay, which will come if Jonny Bairstow gets going after failing in the first two games. Dhawan, who only plays IPL to IPL, needs to up his strike rate going forward. He himself admitted to batting a bit "slowly" against RCB.Prabhsimran Singh, who came of age last season, has not been able to capitalize on his starts yet. While all-rounder Sam Curran has shown his prowess with the bat in the two matches, the left-arm seamer has been wayward with the ball. Vice-captain Jitesh Sharma, who is in the running for a World Cup berth, needs to have a stellar season to convince the national selectors.In the pace bowling department, Kagiso Rabada will look for more support from Curran, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshal Patel. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar has been impressive, while leg-spinner Rahul Chahar needs to up his game.

Former England and Punjab Kings all-rounder Ravi Bopara has shared fond memories of his time with the franchise during the 2009-10 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Bopara, who played for Punjab Kings for two seasons, participated in 15 matches for the team.One of the most memorable moments for Bopara was when team owner Preity Zinta personally prepared delicious paranthas for him. "Those were the early days in the IPL, when it was a party, those were the great days," said Bopara in FanCode's IPL show 'The Super Over'.Bopara, who scored 386 runs for Punjab Kings, went on to share a heartwarming anecdote. "The standout moment apart from winning, and getting my highest score, was when Preity Zinta cooked parathas for me. She made them with her own hands. When she asked me what I wanted for breakfast, I mentioned aloo parathas, and she graciously made them herself. I am forever thankful for that gesture," Bopara said.Apart from his culinary experiences, Bopara also had high praise for Jasprit Bumrah, saying he is amongst the best T20 fast bowlers in the world, and is likely to be the greatest ever whenever he calls time on his career. He also called on SRH to promote Heinrich Klassen up to no.3 spot based on his impressive form in the tournament so far.Apart from Punjab Kings, Bopara also represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (in 2015) in his IPL career. He played 9 matches for the Orange Army.

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan's Heartfelt Reunion After RCB's IPL VictoryFormer Delhi teammates and Indian cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan shared a poignant moment after Royal Challengers Bangalore's triumph over Punjab Kings in the IPL 2024 season opener.Following RCB's victory at home, Kohli was seen consoling Dhawan, who is currently captaining the Punjab Kings side. The two shared warm embraces and laughter, capturing the depth of their bond both on and off the field.Dhawan's recent struggles to meet his son Zoravar have been well-documented. In December 2023, he revealed that he had been blocked from contacting his nine-year-old son for the past five to six months.In an emotional Instagram post on his son's birthday, Dhawan shed light on the challenges he faced following his unsuccessful marriage with Aesha Mukerji. In October 2023, a Delhi court granted divorce to Dhawan, citing "cruelty" inflicted by his estranged wife.Despite his personal challenges, Dhawan has remained a formidable force on the cricket field. He has played a key role in Punjab Kings' early success in the IPL 2024 season, leading the team to one victory and one defeat in their first two matches.Kohli's gesture of support towards Dhawan highlights the camaraderie and empathy that exists within the Indian cricket fraternity. The two players have shared countless memorable moments on the field, and their friendship continues to endure off the field as well.

Virender Sehwag, the former Indian opener known for his witty remarks, recently made headlines with his hilarious commentary during the IPL 2024 match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In a video that went viral on social media, Sehwag took a humorous jab at his former IPL team, Punjab Kings."When I joined Punjab, my strike rate dropped," Sehwag said on Star Sports. "They say you behave like the company you keep. And the company there was like that. They didn't win, they didn't play well, so my game also suffered."Sehwag played for Punjab Kings for two seasons before retiring after IPL 2015. During his IPL career, he scored 2728 runs in 104 matches at an impressive strike rate of 155.44. He was part of the Punjab team that finished runners-up in 2014 under the captaincy of George Bailey. Sehwag also served as Punjab's mentor from 2016 to 2018.Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and RCB are the only teams in IPL history yet to win the title. In their second match of the season, Punjab suffered a four-wicket defeat against RCB in Bengaluru, with Virat Kohli scoring a match-winning 77 off 49 balls.Sehwag's comments sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many fans praising his wit and humor. The video has been widely shared and has become a talking point among cricket enthusiasts.

RCB Celebrates First IPL 2024 Win with Dressing Room FestivitiesRoyal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) erupted in jubilation after securing their maiden victory of IPL 2024 in front of their home crowd. The dressing room transformed into a symphony of cheers, motivational speeches, and a rousing team song.Virat Kohli's scintillating 77, adorned with 11 boundaries and two maximums, propelled RCB to a thrilling four-wicket triumph over Punjab Kings on Monday. The former Indian skipper reached his 100th T20 half-century in just 31 deliveries, showcasing his impeccable form.RCB shared a captivating video of the post-match celebrations on their official Twitter handle, capturing the team's camaraderie and elation. The video highlighted the contributions of key players, including Dinesh Karthik's match-winning 28 off 10 deliveries, Mahipal Lomror's impactful innings, Mohammed Siraj's promising performance, and Yashasvi Jaiswal's consistent batting.Punjab Kings, batting first, were restricted to 176/6. RCB's bowlers, led by Siraj's two wickets, kept the opposition in check. The home team then chased down the target with four balls to spare, thanks to Kohli's masterclass and Karthik's finishing prowess.The victory marked a significant milestone for RCB, who had endured a disappointing start to the season. The team's performance was a testament to their resilience and determination, and the dressing room celebrations reflected their collective joy and relief.

Virat Kohli's scintillating knock of 77 propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday. This triumph marked RCB's first win in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, following their defeat in the opener against Chennai Super Kings.Kohli, the former Indian captain, played a pivotal role in RCB's successful chase. His 49-ball innings was studded with 11 boundaries and two towering sixes. He single-handedly led the charge, anchoring the chase before Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomror sealed the deal with an unbeaten 48-run partnership. RCB reached the target of 178 with four balls to spare.Kohli's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award and the Orange Cap for being the leading run-scorer in the tournament so far. In the post-match presentation, he expressed his gratitude for the recognition but emphasized the importance of team success over individual achievements."It's just two games, so let's not get overexcited," Kohli said. "I understand the significance of the Orange Cap, but at the end of the day, it's the memories that matter. As Rahul Dravid always says, it's the friendships, love, and support that we'll cherish."Kohli acknowledged the challenges he faced during the chase, particularly after RCB lost quick wickets. He stressed the need to adapt to the situation and expressed disappointment at not finishing the match himself."In T20 cricket, I'm opening the batting and trying to give a blazing start," Kohli explained. "But when wickets start falling, you have to play according to the situation. The wicket wasn't as flat as usual, so I couldn't hit the ball across the line. I'm disappointed not to have finished it off, but it's not a bad start considering we lost early wickets."Despite the setback, Kohli remains confident in his abilities in the T20 format. "I know my name is often used to promote T20 cricket worldwide, but I still believe I have the skills to excel in this format," he asserted.