Cricket

Mumbai Indians (MI) have finally found their winning rhythm in the ongoing IPL 2024, registering their second consecutive victory with a comfortable triumph over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday. This win comes as a much-needed respite for the team, which had endured a disappointing start to the tournament, losing their first three matches.The victory was orchestrated by a collective effort from the MI squad, with several players stepping up to make significant contributions. Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian pace spearhead, once again proved his mettle, claiming his second five-wicket haul in the IPL. His exceptional bowling performance restricted RCB to a total of 196/8, despite impressive batting displays from Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik.In response, MI openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan provided a solid foundation for the run chase, setting the tone for a successful pursuit. Suryakumar Yadav, returning from injury, played a pivotal role in the middle order, smashing an explosive half-century to propel MI towards victory.Hardik Pandya, the MI skipper, played a crucial role in finishing off the game in style, earning praise from team mentor Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar took to social media to express his delight at the team's turnaround, highlighting the contributions of Bumrah, Sharma, Kishan, Yadav, and Pandya."Two wins on the trot now for @mipaltan after a tricky start to the tournament," Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "It was good to see @surya_14kumar hitting the ball so sweetly after his injury layoff. Lovely to have him back in the team, playing in top gear. @hardikpandya7 finishing the game off in style was the icing on the cake."This victory marks a significant turning point for MI, who have now won two consecutive matches after a disappointing start. The team's performance against RCB showcased their resilience and determination, and they will be looking to build on this momentum in their upcoming matches.

Gloucestershire's bowlers made an impressive start to their Vitality County Championship Second Division clash with Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, reducing the visitors to 90 for five in the first session. However, Yorkshire skipper Shan Masood rescued his team with a magnificent 140, his 26th first-class century, to guide them to a respectable total of 326 all out.Masood's innings was a masterclass in resilience and composure. He weathered the early storm and gradually built his innings, reaching his century off 140 balls with 15 boundaries. His partnership with Jonny Tattersall (56) for the sixth wicket was crucial in Yorkshire's recovery, adding 100 runs to the total.Matt Milnes also contributed a valuable 51, while Zaman Akhter claimed a career-best five for 85 for Gloucestershire. By the close of play, Gloucestershire had slipped to 28 for two in reply, with Chris Dent and Ollie Price dismissed cheaply.Masood's century was a timely reminder of his class and experience. The Pakistan Test captain has been in excellent form for Yorkshire this season, and his innings on the opening day of this match was a testament to his ability to lead from the front.Yorkshire will be hoping that Masood can continue his good form in the second innings and help them to build a substantial lead. Gloucestershire, on the other hand, will need to find a way to dismiss Masood early and put pressure on the Yorkshire batting lineup.

Delhi Capitals' Jake Fraser-McGurk Explodes on IPL Debut with Stunning FiftyIn a thrilling encounter at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, Delhi Capitals (DC) batter Jake Fraser-McGurk announced his arrival in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a blistering half-century on his debut against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).The young Australian, known for his explosive batting, wasted no time in making his presence felt. Facing LSG's left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya in the 13th over, Fraser-McGurk unleashed a barrage of sixes, hitting three consecutive deliveries over the boundary. He had earlier gotten off the mark with two sixes, showcasing his fearless approach.Fraser-McGurk's 55 off 35 balls, studded with two fours and five sixes, played a pivotal role in DC's six-wicket victory. Skipper Rishabh Pant also contributed with a quickfire 41 off 24 balls, including four fours and two sixes.Earlier, Ayush Badoni played a crucial innings for LSG, guiding his team to a respectable total of 167/7 with an unbeaten half-century. However, DC's left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav made a remarkable comeback after missing three matches due to injury. He claimed three wickets while conceding no boundaries in his four overs, including the key wickets of KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran.Fraser-McGurk's impressive debut has not only boosted DC's batting lineup but also sent a strong message to the rest of the IPL teams. His ability to clear the boundary with ease and his fearless approach make him a dangerous batsman to watch out for.

Ishan Kishan's blistering 69 off 34 balls for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has reignited his hopes of a T20 World Cup berth. Prior to this match, Kishan had struggled with just 92 runs in four innings, but his explosive knock has boosted his confidence.However, a fan's question to former SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) head coach Tom Moody raised an intriguing auction-related query. The fan asked if Moody regretted not bidding more than 15 crore for Kishan during the IPL 2022 mega auction.MI had released Kishan ahead of the auction, but they reacquired him for a staggering Rs 15.25 crore. SRH engaged in a bidding war with MI, but they withdrew once the price exceeded Rs 15 crore.Moody's response to the fan's question was humorous: "Gentleman, I wasn't holding the paddle."Kishan's performance in this IPL season is crucial for his World Cup aspirations. He was recently dropped from the BCCI's central contract due to his reluctance to play in the Ranji Trophy. This followed his withdrawal from the South Africa Tests last year, citing fatigue.The 25-year-old has not been considered for any subsequent national assignments, and India head coach Rahul Dravid has advised him to play domestic cricket to earn a recall.Regarding his World Cup chances, Kishan said, "It is not in my hands and I am taking things very easy right now. You have to take one match at a time. One needs to understand that a lot is not in the hands of the players."Kishan's resurgence in the IPL has put him back in contention for the World Cup squad. His ability to score quickly and consistently makes him a valuable asset to any team.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) spinner Keshav Maharaj has attributed the team's impressive start to the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season to the positive atmosphere within the squad, where inputs from not only captain Sanju Samson but also other experienced players are being valued.Maharaj, who has played a key role in RR's four wins out of five matches so far, highlighted the significant contributions of Jos Buttler in providing valuable advice to the bowlers. "Jos, he's captained his country in World Cups. So, I think bouncing off his knowledge and helping the bowlers has really shown in this tournament," said Maharaj.The South African spinner emphasized the importance of having leaders within the team who are willing to share their expertise. "Obviously, Sanju bhai is the leader of the team and he entrusts certain people. And I think it's always good in a cricket team whether you're young or old, if you have good advice, there's nothing wrong with passing on the information," he said.Maharaj believes that the team's success stems from the collective effort of all players, regardless of their experience or seniority. "I think you always want leaders within the team. Obviously, Sanju bhai is the leader of the team and he entrusts certain people. And I think it's always good in a cricket team whether you're young or old, if you have good advice, there's nothing wrong with passing on the information," he explained.The positive team environment has fostered a sense of camaraderie and trust among the players, which has translated into on-field success. "Obviously, Jos, he's captained his country in World Cups. So, I think bouncing off his knowledge and helping the bowlers has really shown in this tournament. I mean, winning four out of five games is a good start to the tournament. And I think the bowlers like having him at a mid off and mid on, just so that they can lean on him when they need advice," said Maharaj.As RR prepares to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their next match, Maharaj is confident that the team's positive momentum will continue. "I think we've got a good team. We've got a lot of experience. We've got a lot of youth. And I think the combination of the two is really working well for us," he said.

Kuldeep Yadav's Three-Wicket Haul Powers Delhi Capitals to Victory Over Lucknow Super GiantsDelhi Capitals' wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav made a triumphant return to the side after a three-match absence due to a groin injury, claiming three crucial wickets in the IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants.Yadav's economical spell of 4-0-20-3 proved instrumental in restricting Lucknow to a modest total of 167/7. The left-arm spinner struck twice in his opening over, dismissing Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran on consecutive deliveries.Stoinis' dismissal came off a well-flighted delivery that induced a leading edge, while Pooran was bamboozled by a straighter delivery that uprooted his off stump. Yadav's third wicket came in the form of KL Rahul, who was caught off guard by a quicker delivery and departed for 39.Despite Yadav's early strikes, Lucknow fought back valiantly, led by Ayush Badoni's quick-fire unbeaten half-century. Badoni smashed 55 runs off just 35 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, to help his team recover from a precarious position.However, Delhi's bowlers held their nerve in the face of Badoni's onslaught, with Shardul Thakur and Mustafizur Rahman claiming two wickets each. The Capitals' fielding was also sharp, with Rishabh Pant taking a stunning catch to dismiss Deepak Hooda.In the end, Delhi's disciplined bowling and fielding proved too much for Lucknow, who fell short of their target by 10 runs. The victory was a crucial one for the Capitals, who moved up to third place in the IPL standings.

MS Dhoni's enduring popularity among cricket fans was once again evident in the recently concluded IPL 2024, where the former Chennai Super Kings skipper's presence generated the loudest crowd cheers.Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the IPL, introduced a new feature to measure the excitement level of players and match moments by quantifying the decibel level of crowd cheers. Dhoni's arrival for the toss against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk in the season opener topped the chart with a decibel level of 130.Another moment that sent the crowd into a frenzy was when Dhoni smashed a boundary in the 17th over against Delhi Capitals during his unbeaten 16-ball 37 cameo. This marked Dhoni's first innings with the bat since the IPL 2023 final against Gujarat Titans. The decibel level for this moment reached 128.Despite Dhoni's heroics, CSK ultimately lost both matches. However, his performances and the overwhelming crowd support demonstrated his enduring popularity.Ranked third on the list was Dinesh Karthik's pre-planned scoop shot off Arshdeep Khan during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's chase against Punjab Kings.Dhoni's decision to hand over the CSK captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the season surprised many. However, his presence on the field continues to captivate fans and generate the loudest cheers.

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull has raised concerns about the fitness of Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, suggesting that he may be suffering from an undisclosed injury. Doull's comments stem from Pandya's limited bowling appearances for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2024 season.After opening the bowling in the first two matches, Pandya has refrained from bowling in the subsequent two encounters. In the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he bowled a single over but did not return to the attack after conceding 13 runs.Doull believes that Pandya's reluctance to bowl is indicative of an underlying injury. "You go out and make a statement by opening the bowling in game no. 1, and suddenly, you are not required. He's injured. I'm telling you there is something wrong with him. He is not admitting it. But there is something wrong with him for sure. That is my gut feeling," Doull said on Cricbuzz.Pandya's injury concerns are particularly troubling given his recent return from an ankle injury sustained during the Cricket World Cup 2023. He has only played a handful of matches since then, and an injury setback could jeopardize his participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.When asked about his decision to not bowl against Delhi Capitals, Pandya stated that he would bowl at the "right time." However, his limited bowling appearances have raised questions about his fitness.The issue has also sparked controversy among fans, with some booing Pandya during Mumbai Indians games. However, Virat Kohli has defended the all-rounder, urging the crowd to cheer him on.