Internationalcricketupdates

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has always been transparent in his criticism for batting maestro Virat Kohli . During the recently concluded season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kohli had come under the scanner for his strike-rate and batting approach against the spinners. Gavaskar, however, had blasted Kohli for his meltdown on live television, with the RCB icon slamming those questioning his strike-rate. Kohli, however, silenced everyone as he ended the season at the highest run-getter, while also maintaining a healthy strike-rate. The 35-year-old averaged 61.75. and achieved a strike rate of 154.69 in the IPL 2024. With the IPL 2024 coming to a conclusion last week, Gavaskar has now laid a frest set of objectives for Kohli, who is set to take part in the T20 World Cup. With India set to tour Australia later this year for a five-match Test series, Gavaskar urged Kohli to join him and former England captain Alastair Cook in an elite club. "On an individual level, [...

England paceman Brydon Carse has been banned from all cricket for three months for betting violations, it was announced Friday. The 28-year-old, who was called into England's 50-over World Cup squad six months ago, was given a 16-month sanction -- 13 months of which have been suspended -- following an anti-corruption investigation by the English game's Cricket Regulator. Carse, who signed an England central contract in October, accepted the charges of placing 303 bets on various cricket matches between 2017 and 2019, though not on games in which he was playing. As a result, the Durham quick still contravened integrity rules meaning no "professional participant" (player, coach or other support staff) is permitted to bet on any cricket anywhere in the world. South Africa-born Carse, a veteran of 17 white-ball internationals for England, will now be suspended immediately from playing in any cricket until August 28. But provided he does not commit any further anti-cor...

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels India have taken a huge risk heading into the T20 World Cup, saying that their heavy reliance on spinners might backfire. India have selected four spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are all-rounders while Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are the two wrist spinners. Clarke said while India post a big threat to Australia's chances of winning the T20 World Cup, he pointed that India have made a big gamble by selecting four spinners. "I think India have taken a risk with the squad they have picked - heavily reliant on spin, very different from Australia. But in the conditions that I have played in the Caribbean I think how you play spin is going to be a huge part of whether you succeed or not. India are the biggest threat for me with regards to who is going to win the World Cup," Clarke told ESPN. Clarke, however, re-iterated that  India are the favourites based on the amount of cricket all the players have managed ...

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series of any sorts in over a decade. Since the two teams only meet each other at ICC and ACC events, the India-Pakistan matches are undeniably the most anticipated clashes in world cricket. India and Pakistan will face off next month in a group match at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on June 9. Ahead of much anticipated game, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has made a big claim that that ICC wants India and Pakistan to face off twice in the tournament. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit said that the ICC has planned the schedule in such a way that India and Pakistan can meet once again in the semi-final or final, in addition to their match in New York on June 9. "The ICC wants India and Pakistan to have two matches in the World Cup. They have made the schedule so the two teams can meet again either in the semi-final or final. The venue we will get to know in due course. Now, it all depends on performance. Pakistan is a bit low on t...

A fan found himself in the limelight after he invaded the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the IPL 2024 match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans to meet his idol MS Dhoni . He evaded the security at the stadium and bowed down to Dhoni who was seen having a conversation with the fan before he was apprehended. In a video going viral on social media, the fan revealed the conversation he had with Dhoni. He revealed that Dhoni hugged him and even asked him to not worry as he will take care of him and make sure that the security will behave properly. Conversation between @msdhoni and fan Fan told him he has some breathing issues and there is surgery of it. He wanted to meet him before surgery. Mahi replied "Teri surgery ka mai dekh lunga. Tujhe kuch nahi hoga, tu ghabara mat. Mai tujhe kuch nahi hone dunga" pic.twitter.com/wKz9aZOVGQ — ` (@WorshipDhoni) May 29, 2024 The fan further claimed that Dhoni asked him why his breath was uneven aft...

It could become difficult for a young player to lead a team that has veterans like MS Dhoni , Ravindra Jadeja , and Ajinkya Rahane . Yet Ruturaj Gaikad impressed many with his leadership qualities as he led the Chennai Super Kings squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. It was right before the start of the tournament that CSK announced a captaincy change, with Dhoni passing on the baton to Gaikwad. When the CSK skipper was asked about the difficulty in leading such players, he gave an honest response. "I felt good right from the start (of the tournament). I am very approachable for all teammates whenever needed and they always support the team in whatever way the team requires," Gaikwad said of the captaincy challenge, to Times of India . "I wouldn't say it's difficult as all of them are very understanding. All the senior players that are a part of the team are great to be with. Their experience always helps with match situations," he added. Gaikwa...

Virat Kohli is the global face of Indian cricket and will be ready to take on the new challenge that the 2024 T20 World Cup will bring with it. As part of the build up to the upcoming competition, Kohli talked about how he felt before making his World Cup debut against Bangladesh in the 2011 World Cup. The star Indian batter certainly made his debut in style as he stitched on a 203-run partnership with Virender Sehwag on his way to becoming the first and only Indian to score a century on his World Cup debut. He scored an unbeaten 100 in 83 deliveries and took Team India's score to 370 which ultimately led to a 87 run victory. “It was against Bangladesh in Dhaka, my first game and I was nervous. Yes, I will not lie. There is a different sense of excitement in the air when you come for a World Cup and I could obviously sense that. I was the youngest member of that team and I was getting to play with all these greats of Indian cricket in a World Cup game. "For me it was definit...

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan delivered an emotional dressing room speech following his side's victory in the IPL 2024 final. KKR produced a sensational performance in the final to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad and clinch their third IPL trophy. SRK was hospitalised recently after suffering a heat stroke but he was back in the ground to attend the summit clash and cheer for his side alongside his family. In a video posted by KKR on their social media handle, SRK was seen talking to the KKR players and staff as he thanked them and expressed a special wish for the IPL auction. #KnightsTV | A night full of awards CEO Venky Mysore celebrates our champion performers from the #TATAIPL2024Final pic.twitter.com/uCXCz9jKUZ — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 27, 2024 "I just have one request, which is my special thanks to Gautam Gambhir . I have not thanked him specially. Two things we had discussed when we started that maybe we can make him ...

The decision taken by Indian cricket team selectors to exclude Rinku Singh from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad led to a lot of criticism from both fans and experts. The BCCI decided to go with Shivam Dube and Axar Patel as all-rounder options but it led to Rinku getting a place in the reserves. It was a bad IPL campaign for Rinku as he did not get many chances to bat and ended up scoring just 168 runs. However, KKR went on to win the competition and Rinku has now broken his silence over the T20 World Cup snub. In a recent interview, Rinku said that the decision to not include him the squad was due to the team composition and even revealed the conversation he had with skipper Rohit Sharma about the decision. "Yes, anyone feels a little bad if he is not selected despite good performance. However, this time I could not get selected due to the team combination. It is okay, one should not think too much about things that are not in one's hands. Yes, I was a little upset in the b...

It was a night when Kolkata Knight Riders were on top of the world. After a decade-long wait, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned IPL franchise won their third IPL title defeating SunRisers Hyderabad in Chennai in the title clash of the 2024 edition. Since the time, Gautam Gambhir took over as the mentor of the KKR side, the team has looked different. In the final, KKR just stamped their authority on SRH by first restricting the latter to 113 and then reaching the target in less than 11 overs.  The win, naturally, sparked some pompous celebration from Shah Rukh Khan and his family, who were present at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. In fact, Aryan, son of Shah Rukh, suggested a prank to his father when they were taking a lap of honour. It involved going and bumping into Harbhajan Singh and Sunil Gavaskar . The prank was suggested after, in an earlier match, Shah Rukh inadvertently bumped into a TV show of the official broadcasters.  It was Aryan Khan's plan to prank an intentional bump i...

Kevin Pietersen labelled Ambati Rayudu a "joker" in a hilarious interaction on Star Sports' post-IPL 2024 Final show on Sunday night. The light-hearted remark from the former English cricketer came after Rayudu switched his outfit from orange to blue during the 2024 IPL Final between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rayudu, who has represented Hyderabad in domestic cricket, donned orange before the match had begun. But as SRH crumbled to 113 all out after a superb KKR bowling performance, Rayudu dumped his orange outfit, prompting Pietersen's remark. "You're a joker!" said Pietersen to Rayudu on air, hinting at the latter's change of sides after the Sunrisers' defeat.  "I, at least, held firm," said Pietersen, who was himself dressed in purple, the colour of the Kolkata Knight Riders. You are a Joker Kevin Pietersen to Ambati Rayudu pic.twitter.com/GotTPdtY4o — Cheeks (@chikuone8) May 27, 2024 On the big n...

Kolkata Knight Riders finished their impressive IPL 2024 campaign on the perfect note as the Shreyas Iyer -led side comfortably defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final to clinch the title. It was the third IPL title for Kolkata Knight Riders after 2012 and 2014. Andre Russell took three wickets while Vaibhav Arora and Mitchell Starc took two each as KKR bundled out SRH for just 113. In response, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Venkatesh Iyer looked in tremendous form to guide their side to a convincing eight-wicket victory. Following the match, SRH owner Kavya Maran could not control her tears as she waved towards the crowd and the video of her reaction after the match has gone viral on social media. Kavya Maran was hiding her tears. - She still appreciated KKR. pic.twitter.com/KJ88qHmIg6 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 26, 2024 On the other hand, celebrations erupted in the KKR camp as they clinched a well-deserved victory. "Really happy, credit goes to Abhishek Naya...

Kolkata Knight Riders claimed the IPL 2024 title with a comprehensive victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday but the summit clash was not without controversy. KKR opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was left fuming following a controversial LBW decision that prevented him from scoring a half-century. During the 9th over of the KKR innings, Gurbaz went for a sweep shot against Shahbaz Ahmed but the ball turned a bit and hits his pads. The on-field umpire raised his finger but Gurbaz quickly took a review and the batter looked extremely confident that he was not-out. The third umpire checked for an inside edge but did not find anything conclusive and Ravi Shastri said on commentary that ball-tracking and UltraEdge are not working. The third umpire ultimately ruled in SRH's favour leaving Gurbaz visibly upset. KKR rode a flamboyant half-century from Venkatesh Iyer following an impressive bowling show from Andre Russell , Mitchell Starc and Harshit Rana to defeat SRH by 8 wickets in ...

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Shreyas Iyer said that he was struggling with his back after the Cricket World Cup 2023 but "no one was agreeing to it". Shreyas was picked for the Test series against England after the World Cup but the batter was left out of the squad for the last three matches after he complained of back spasms. While not on national duty, Shreyas did not play domestic cricket for Mumbai despite being cleared to play by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). It resulted in BCCI not offering him a central contract as secretary Jay Shah warned players against prioritising IPL. Shreyas did play in the Ranji Trophy semi-final and final for Mumbai but it was too late as he lost the central contract and even during the final, he was not on the field for two days due to back issues. Ahead of the IPL 2024 final between KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shreyas spoke about the injury once again. “I was definitely struggling after the World Cup in the longer format. When I ...

The first batch of Indian cricketers, including skipper Rohit Sharma, on Saturday departed for United States ahead of the T20 World Cup beginning on June 2. Apart from Rohit, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, top-ranked T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour and few other players left from Mumbai airport. Other players in the travelling contingent include Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel among others. VIDEO | Visuals of Indian cricket team leaving for USA from Mumbai for the upcoming T20I World Cup. The T20I World Cup 2024 will be jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies from June 2 to June 29. The Indian cricket team will begin its campaign against Ireland from June 5.... pic.twitter.com/h6vhK6OhS0 - Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 25, 2024 Few players, including star batter Virat Kohli, who are part of the IPL teams which reached the playoffs, are yet...

VVS Laxman 's reluctance to become the Indian team's head coach is an open secret but with the former batting stalwart's stint as NCA's 'Head of Cricket' ending in September this year, it remains to be seen how BCCI manages to retain him in the set-up. While Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir is believed to be the favourite among available options for the BCCI, it is still not clear whether secretary Jay Shah has spoken to the national team's senior stars about Gambhir's unanimous acceptability. Shah, in a statement on Friday to deny reaching out to any Australian candidates, also dropped hints that the Board is looking for an Indian coach, who has come through the ranks and knows the cricketing ecosystem inside out. Laxman seems to be the most obvious successor given that the stylish former from Hyderabad has been an interim India coach during his nearly three-year stint at NCA (National Cricket Academy). But he hasn't applied for the p...

When the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 started, Lucknow Super Giants' Mayank Yadav was being hailed as the breakaway star of this edition. His speed generated awe as he regularly clocked over 150kmph. His case was almost same as Umran Malik , a couple of seasons back, who broke fast bowling record in the IPL. Umran Malik has been in the shadows in the IPL 2024. Mayank also did not look the same after an injury cut kept him out for considerable time.  In the midst of such youngsters, one bowler who made a brilliant comeback was Rajasthan Royals' Sandeep Sharma . He went unsold in the auction and was inducted in the team as a replacement for injured Prasidh Krishna . But he did not let that deter him. He took a five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians and has so far taken 13 wickets. His economy is 8.18.  Against SunRisers Hyderabad in the Qualifier 2 on Friday, Sharma returned with figures of 2/25 in four overs. He took the wickets of SRH top-scorer Heinrich Klaasen and o...

Former Australian cricket team batter Justin Langer was one of the names that were being considered to be frontrunners in the race to become India's next head coach. The BCCI were reportedly looking at several options to replace Rahul Dravid as his contract will end after the upcoming T20 World Cup. However, Langer has opted out of the race as he said that these kinds of jobs can be 'exhausting' and he also mentioned a conversation with  KL Rahul during their time with Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2024. Langer revealed that Rahul told him that the 'politics and pressure' faced by the Indian cricket team head coach is almost 'a thousand times' that of any IPL coach. "I know that it's an all-encompassing role and having done it for four years with the Australian team, it's exhausting," Langer said during his interaction on BBC Stumped . "I was talking to KL Rahul and he said, 'You know, if you think there's pressure and p...

Former England spinner Graeme Swann has backed India's decision to take four spinners for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. India took a lot of people by surprise by picking four spinners during their announcement for the 15-player squad of the upcoming marquee event, kicking off on June 1. During the press conference earlier this month, India skipper Rohit Sharma revealed that he wanted four spinners in the squad for the highly-anticipated tournament. Some sections of fans and former cricketers have questioned India's decision to take four spinners for the tournament. But Swann believes that India made the right call of picking four spinners in their 15-player squad. "I think taking four spinners is absolutely the way to go in the Caribbean, and I think you should never question that," Swann told ANI. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh had questioned India's decision as he feels that four spinners are a "bit too much". ...

Royal Challengers Benglauru's star finisher Dinesh Karthik might well have had his last dance on a cricket field in the Indian Premier League (IPL). After flying high with six consecutive wins, the RCB, in chasing the sun, came away with their wings charred and melted. Their hopes of a fairytale season turned into despair after the Bengaluru franchise crashed out of the tournament in the second eliminator on Wednesday. In what was billed as a clash of 'Royals', Rajasthan prevailed, inflicting a four-wicket defeat on Bengaluru in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With the chants of "ee sala cup namde" falling silent and failing to go all the way to Chennai, which is set to play host to the title clash, emotions were in free flow amid the cricketing action at the world's biggest stadium. Karthik took off his gloves and acknowledged the fans who were on their feet to applaud the veteran for his contributions throughout the season. Dinesh Karthik g...

India's batting maestro Virat Kohli on Wednesday scripted history as he became the first player to score 8000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli achieved the special milestone during an IPL 2024 Eliminator clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Kohli made history in the wealthiest T20 competition globally by topping the batting charts in the IPL 2024 and becoming the first player to reach 8,000 runs. The accomplishment is another evidence of his reliability as a batter over the years. EIGHT THOUSAND runs in the IPL. We are out of adjectives, really! #PlayBold #RCB #IPL2024 #RRvRCB #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/PxkuCF0GK9 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 22, 2024 To surpass the 8000-run mark, Kohli needed just 29 runs, and he achieved it with his trademark grace and accuracy. Yuzvendra Chahal removed Kohli after he had scored 33 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a six. His nearest rival, Shikhar ...

Rajasthan Royals ended Royal Challengers Bengaluru's roller coaster run in the Indian Premier League with a scratchy four-wicket win in the Eliminator in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. After their bowlers had done their part well to keep RCB to 172/8, RR batters stuttered in the middle overs to allow RCB back into the contest which remained hung in balance for the majority of the second half, but the 2008 winners eventually got home with an over to spare. Chasing 173, Rajasthan ended with 174/6 as Rovman Powell (16 not out) provided the finishing touches in a tense finish. As he has done several times before this season, Riyan Parag (36 off 26) showcased deep resolve in an adverse situation to help Rajasthan stay alive in the tournament. It was Royals' first win after four losses and an abandoned game. 2008 winners Royals face Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Friday for a place in the IPL final. The returning Shimron Hetmyer also played his part to perfection, scoring a crucial...

The Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders had a great day in office as it crashed SunRisers Hyderabad to enter the IPl 2024 final. the team chased down a 160-run target in less than 14 overs to stamp their authority.  Mitchell Starc -powered Kolkata Knight Riders' juggernaut rolled into the IPL final as the two-time champions produced a ruthless performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad for an eight-wicket win in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. Starc produced a stunning opening burst of three wickets in the powerplay to break the back of SRH's dangerous batting. They were eventually shot out for a mere 159 in 19.3 overs with Rahul Tripathi scoring a vital 55 while Heinrich Klaasen (32) and Pat Cummins (30) also fought hard. On a benign wicket in steaming hot conditions, SRH's fight petered out as KKR knocked off the innocuous 160-run target in a mere 13.4 overs with skipper Shreyas Iyer (58 not out off 24) and Venkatesh Iyer (51 not out off 28) taking them over the line. ...

The hunt for the next Indian cricket team head coach is underway with Rahul Dravid reportedly confirming that he will not be reapplying for the position. A lot of names have been making the rounds like Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming , former India cricketer VVS Laxman and even ex-Australia batter Justin Langer . One such name is that of former India cricketer and current Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir - a personality who is well known for his cricket acumen but has already courted controversy for his straightforward statements. Legendary Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram backed Gambhir as the 'best candidate' and said that he will bring a brand of 'aggression' in the team if he is appointed. "Yeah, he is the best candidate. It depends on whether Gautam accepts it. He has also left politics because it took too much time. It is a time-consuming job. He is a very intelligent person, so he realised it's not easy. He has two lovely daughters,...

Mitchell Starc 's sheer pace and Varun Chakaravarthy 's craftsmanship with spin helped Kolkata Knight Riders bundle out Sunrisers Hyderabad on 159 in the Indian Premier League Qualifier 1 on Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Starc made the Sunrisers regret on their decision to bat after winning the toss. SRH are known for their fearless high-scoring approach in the first six overs. But Starc's pace left the Hyderabad batters rattled in the powerplay. KKR chased down the target in 13.4 Overs to enter IPl 2024 finl.  On the second delivery of the first over, with a bit of late outward movement, Starc castled Travis Head for a two-ball duck and drew the first blood. In the next over, both openers were sitting back in the dugout. Vaibhav Arora took Abhishek Sharma by surprise as the ball didn't come as quickly as the youngster would have expected. Abhishek (3) miscued his shot and the ball fell into the safe hands of Andre Russell . Starc rode high on his sheer p...

Gautam Gambhir is having a good time in the IPL 2024. Under his mentorship, Kolkata Knight Riders finished on top of the standing in the league stage. During his playing days, Gambhir led KKR to its first IPL title. Not only in the IPL, Gambhir has an illustrious record in the Indian cricket team. He had a major role to play in India winning the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. However, Gautam Gambhir has now revealed how he had to struggle in age-group tournaments.  In a chat show with Ravichandran Ashwin , Gambhir delved in details on how his growing up years in cricket was like.  "When I was growing up, maybe when I was 12 or 13 years old, I didn't get selected when I tried out for my first under-14 tournament because I didn't touch the selector's feet. From then I promised myself that I will never ever touch anyone's feet and I do not let anyone touch my feet," Gambhir told Ashwin on a  YouTube show. Gambhir said that his affluent family bac...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) scripted one of the finest comeback stories ever in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday, beating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a must-win game to qualify for the playoffs. The Faf du Plessis -led side were destined to finish at the bottom of the points table after losing seven of their first eight matches of the group phase. However, a run of six wins on the bounce sees them steal a playoffs spot from defending champions CSK. RCB had problems a plenty in the first half of the campaign but after six wins on trot, they head into the playoffs as the team to beat. On Saturday, Yash Dayal was the star of the show as he successfully defended 17 runs in the last over. Despite conceding a six off the very first ball, Dayal dismissed CSK icon MS Dhoni on the very next ball to switch the momentum back in RCB's favour. He then conceded just one run off the next five balls, sparking massive celebrations inside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB star Di...

Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer Harshal Patel levelled with Australian pacer Andrew Tye to become the player with the highest number of wickets for the franchise in a single Indian Premier League (IPL) edition on Sunday. Harshal accomplished this feat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their final league stage game. In the game, Harshal took 2/49 in four overs, at an economy rate of over 12. He took wickets of Rahul Tripathi and Nitish Kumar Reddy. In the ongoing season, Harshal has taken 24 wickets at an average of 19.87 and an economy rate of 9.73, with the best bowling figures of 3/15. He is the leading wicket-taker this season, but he would not have any more opportunity to add to his tally since his team is not in the playoffs. Andrew Tye (24 wickets in the 2018 edition), Kagiso Rabada (23 in the 2022 edition) and Shami (20 in the 2020 edition) have taken the joint-highest, second-highest and third-highest number of wickets in a single IPL for Punjab, respectively. Coming to the mat...

It has been a disappointing IPL 2024 season for Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians. The veteran batter was able to score 417 runs in 14 matches with an average of 32.08 but inconsistency ended up being an issue for his team. MI also suffered from a major slum in form as they finished at the bottom of the IPL points table with just four wins from 14 matches. With the season coming to an end, Rohit Sharma took to social media to post pictures from the tournament with a small message. pic.twitter.com/JBwFpgyaZd — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) May 19, 2024 The season started on a controversial note for Mumbai Indians as they decided to appoint Hardik Pandya as the captain for IPL 2024 in place of Rohit Sharma. Hardik completed a sensational trade from Gujarat Titans and his appointment meant that Rohit's 10-year tenure as MI captain came to an end. The decision was not taken well by a section of the fanbase and rumours of a possible rift between the two cricket...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru rose like a phoenix and earned themselves a playoff spot in style on Saturday night. In a match which went past midnight, RCB held their calm against the defending champions and came out victorious. Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to secure the fourth and final play-off spot in the Indian Premier League on Saturday. Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already qualified for the play-offs. Sent into bat, RCB posted a challenging 218 for five against CSK in their must-win. Skipper Faf du Plessis (54) and Virat Kohli (47) shared 78 runs for the opening stand in 9.4 overs after the match was interrupted by showers for sometime at the end of the third over. Coming onto bat at No.3 position, Rajat Patidar made 41 off 23 balls and stitched 71 runs with Cameron Green (38 not out off 17) for the second wicket to keep up the tempo. Towards the end, Dinesh Karthik (14 off 6) ...