In a thrilling encounter on Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their spot in the IPL 2024 playoffs, crushing the hopes of Chennai Super Kings in a dramatic finish. Chasing 219 runs, CSK required only 200 to advance, but Yash Dayal’s exceptional bowling performance proved decisive as RCB restricted CSK to 191/7 in 20 overs. Dayal dismissed former CSK captain MS Dhoni in the final over, sealing the victory for RCB.
In a thrilling encounter, Chennai Super Kings fell short in their pursuit of a playoff spot, losing to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 27 runs. Former Indian captain MS Dhoni, who batted at number eight for CSK, played a crucial role in the match. However, his dismissal in the final over turned the tide in RCB’s favor, leading to their victory and a berth in the playoffs. Dhoni’s dejected expression in the CSK dugout has since gone viral, capturing the emotions of fans and highlighting the team’s disappointment at missing out on the playoffs for the third time in five years.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Chennai Super Kings will face off in a crucial match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, with the winner securing a berth in the playoffs. RCB has been in impressive form, winning five consecutive matches, while CSK needs a straightforward victory to advance. Both teams will be without their English players, Moeen Ali and Will Jacks, who have left for international commitments.
Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli recently revealed that his elder daughter, Vamika, has taken a liking to cricket. In a candid conversation with Danish Sait, Kohli shared that Vamika has been seen swinging a cricket bat. However, he emphasized that the ultimate decision about her career path lies with her. Kohli also provided an update on his newborn son, Akaay, stating that he is healthy and doing well. The RCB star, who is currently in contention for the Orange Cap in the ongoing IPL season, discussed other topics, including Sunil Chhetri’s retirement announcement and RCB’s upcoming match against Chennai Super Kings.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have qualified for the Indian Premier League play-offs after their match against Gujarat Titans was washed out due to rain in Hyderabad on Thursday. The result means that SRH becomes the third team to qualify for the play-offs after Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. SRH now has 15 points from 14 matches, while GT is out of contention for the play-offs with 12 points from 14 matches.
Royal Challengers Bangalore have turned their season around, winning their last five matches and remaining in the playoffs race. Rajat Patidar has been one of the key performers for RCB, scoring 320 runs at a strike-rate of 179.77. In an interview, Patidar talks about the team’s fightback, batting in the middle order, and what he’s learned from Virat Kohli. He also discusses his Test debut earlier this year and the support he received from the team despite not performing to his expectations.
The recent incidents involving KL Rahul, owner Sanjiv Goenka, and a dressing-down have sparked discussions about his role in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and his T20 career. While he has achieved milestones with four 600-plus run IPL seasons and four centuries, his strike rate has often drawn criticism. His T20I record for India also raises questions about his consistency in crucial moments, despite his overall respectable numbers. Ahead of the mega auction, Rahul’s future with LSG and his approach to batting in T20 cricket are uncertain.
Once fierce competitors on the field, Ishant Sharma and Ricky Ponting have now forged a strong bond as coach and player for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Ishant, who once troubled Ponting with his pace and bounce at the WACA in 2008, is now a veteran of the game and a key member of DC’s pace attack under Ponting’s guidance. The two share a great respect for each other and have become close friends, with Ishant considering Ponting as an elder brother who he can always turn to for advice.
Harshit Rana, the 22-year-old pacer from Delhi, has emerged as one of the most promising fast bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). With his ability to crank up the speed to the 140s and his impressive skill of reading the pitch well, Rana has quickly become a mainstay of the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling attack. Despite facing some controversy during his IPL debut season, Rana has remained focused on his performances and has played a key role in KKR’s success this year. With his impressive performances, Rana has caught the attention of the Indian cricket team selectors and is likely to be in contention for a place in the national team in the near future.
In a surprising turn of events, veteran Australian opener David Warner was not selected by the Delhi Capitals for their crucial clash with KL Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League season 2024. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper remained on the sidelines for almost a month due to a hand injury. Speaking after the toss, DC’s Director of Cricket, Sourav Ganguly, praised Warner’s legendary status in the IPL, but justified the decision to field youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk in his place. Ganguly also expressed his disappointment that McGurk was overlooked by Australian selectors for the T20 World Cup despite his impressive performances in the IPL.
