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Former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma's dreadful run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) continued with another mediocre outing on a placid strip against Delhi Capitals on an action-packed Sunday. Rohit and Ryan Rickelton tried to exploit the benign conditions by adopting a belligerent approach against the table-toppers after being put to bat. Rohit showed signs of positivity by clobbering Mitchell Starc in the second over. With two boundaries and a sole six, Rohit looked set for an extended stay on the crease. However, he lost the plot while trying to find the balance between aggression and caution.

The seasoned opener went for a sweep, missed the ball completely and was pinned in front of the stumps. With another failure to his name, Rohit returned to the dressing room with 18(12).

After another flop show, Rohit now has the second-lowest batting average as an opener since IPL 2023 among players who have at least played a minimum of 25 innings.

Since IPL 2023, Rohit has averaged just 24.39 with 805 runs to his name, the second-lowest by an opener. Only Wriddhiman Saha stands ahead of the explosive opener, averaging 20.28 with 507 runs under his belt. In the ongoing season, Rohit has mustered up just 56 runs at a meagre average of 11.20.

After Rohit's early departure, MI found solace in Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma's impactful show. Surya and Tilak took their time in the middle, rotated the strike at regular intervals, and adopted a risk-free approach in the middle overs.

Tilak and versatile Suryakumar took on Mohit Sharma in his first over, smashing the seasoned pacer for 14 runs, followed by a six on the first ball of the next over by Suryakumar. The duo added 50 runs in 29 balls, Surya being the aggressor. Both batters combined to garner 17 runs in Vipraj's 3rd over.

After Suryakumar and Tilak's dismissal, Naman Dhir arrived at the crease and applied the finishing touches with his quick-fire 38* from 17 to power MI to 205/5.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) revived their IPL 2025 bid with a much-needed win on Saturday, beating Punjab Kings (PBKS). Opener Abhishek Sharma smashed 141 off 55 balls as SRH chased down 246 with eight wickets and nine balls to spare. Abhishek and Travis Head put on this season's highest stand of 171 to set up the second highest successful chase in the history of IPL. However, SRH's chase was all about Abhishek's brilliance as the southpaw didn't let the required run-rate slip beyond his team's sight at any stage.

And his parents were in the stands to witness his effortless strokemaking. In fact, Abhishek's father Raj Kumar Sharma revealed he never watched his son play live at a stadium in the IPL.  Abhishek's father Raj Kumar Sharma revealed he never watched his son play live at a stadium in the IPL, mainly because of his superstitious nature.

Raj Kumar also revealed that, given his superstitious belief, he started blaming himself after Abhishek was caught at deep point in the Powerplay, only for the umpire to signal a 'no-ball'.

"I am superstitious. I used to think he wouldn't do well if I was there. Even last night, when he was dismissed off a no-ball, for those 30 seconds, I started blaming myself. Then the sixes started landing among the crowd. I was on my feet throughout his knock," Raj Kumar told the Times of India.

"He booked the tickets. I was a bit hesitant to go. But then he called and convinced me to fly to Hyderabad," he added.

Meanwhile, Abhishek's mother was proud to see her son fire and take his team to a much-needed win.

"Sab ko Khushi hai, ma ko bhi Khushi hai, pure Hyderabad ko Khushi hai ki hum match jeete hai (Everyone is happy, I am happy too. The entire of Hyderabad is celebrating the fact that we won the match)," Manju said in the video posted by IPL. 

"Thoda stop lag gaya tha lekin ab nahi lagega, ab continue chalega (There was a lean patch, but now the team will contibue to do well)."

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Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer was left fuming during their IPL 2025 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). PBKS' Glenn Maxwell thought he had dismissed Travis Head caught behind by wicket-keeper Prabhsimran Singh. However, upon seeing the umpire giving it not out, signalled for a DRS review straight away. Moments later, though, Shreyas Iyer was shown to be angry at one of his teammates. Iyer pointed at himself, with his teammates vying for a review. Eventually, Iyer decided to go up with a DRS review upon Maxwell's insistance.

As it turned out, Travis Head remained not out after the whole saga. NDTV could not verify which teammate Iyer seemed to be frustrated on. While what Iyer said was not audible, It was quite apparent that he said: "Pehle merese puch na (Ask me first)"

Watch: Shreyas Iyer angry after DRS saga

Shreyas Iyer's angry reaction over DRS call. pic.twitter.com/huZBhbDn4F

— CricAsh (@ash_cric) April 12, 2025

Earlierm Punjab Kings unleashed an all-out assault against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, riding on a blazing half-century from Shreyas Iyer (82) and late fireworks from Marcus Stoinis, who scored 34 in eleven deliveries to reach 245/6 in 20 overs, here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

While the innings had contributions across the board, it was Iyer's calculated aggression that stood out, giving PBKS the perfect launchpad for a mammoth total.

Stoinis finally announced his arrival in IPL 2025 with a sensational finish, smashing four consecutive sixes to close out Punjab Kings' innings in stunning fashion. The Australian all-rounder, who had struggled to make an impact with the bat so far this season, turned on the heat in the final over, propelling PBKS to a commanding total of 245.

Unfortunately for Mohammed Shami, it was a night to forget as the seasoned pacer bore the brunt of Stoinis' onslaught. Shami's final over went for 27 runs, capping off a rough spell that read 4-0-75-0 — second most expensive in IPL history.

After electing to bat, PBKS came out swinging from the very first over. Prabhsimran Singh set the tone with a flurry of boundaries off Mohammed Shami, charging at the veteran seamer and carving him through mid-off and cover with disdain. He was in no mood to show respect and gave PBKS a flying start.

Harshal Patel bowled a game-changing over in the 18th, conceding just five runs and removing both Shreyas Iyer and Maxwell in quick succession. Iyer's 82 off 36 had anchored PBKS' innings but his departure meant PBKS had to rebuild in the final overs and Stoinis did it perfectly.

With IANS inputs

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Kolkata Knight Riders produced an inspired bowling effort to restrict Chennai Super Kings to a lowly 103 for 9 in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday. Sent into bat, CSK never really got going as they lost wickets at regular intervals to be limited to their lowest total at home. Shivam Dube ( 31 not out), Vijay Shankar (29) and Rahul Tripathi (16) were the main run getters for CSK.

"No excuses for this," Ravi Shastri was blunt in his analysis while doing commentary for Star Sports.

Sunil Narine didn't concede a single boundary in his miserly spell of 3-13 as a clinical performance of Kolkata Knight Riders' bowlers helped them restrict a listless Chennai Super Kings to a below-par 103/9, their lowest total at their home venue MA Chidambaram Stadium, here on Friday.

On a black-soil pitch, spin dictated terms from the word go, Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy and Moeen Ali, brought to counter left-handed batters, picked six wickets collectively as CSK's batting never got going.

CSK wanted to bat first after losing the toss, but didn't take full advantage of their decision as they could never break free from the disciplined bowling by KKR bowlers. It took Shivam Dube's unbeaten 29-ball 31 to save CSK from being all out for their lowest total (79) in IPL's history.

Devon Conway began by taking two boundaries off pacer Vaibhav Arora, before being dismissed for 12 when his attempt to reverse-sweep off Moeen resulted in him being trapped lbw in a wicket-maiden over. In the next over, CSK were dealt another blow when Rachin Ravindra miscued a slog off Harshit Rana and was caught at cover.

KKR could have got another wicket if Vijay Shankar wasn't dropped by Moeen at mid-off when on zero. From there, Shankar pulled and lofted Chakaravarthy for boundaries, before hoicking Moeen over mid-wicket for six. Shankar's charmed life continued when Venkatesh Iyer dropped him at mid-wicket on 20.

With PTI and IANS inputs 

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Former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is undoubtedly one of the best players of the country. Making his debut in 2007 in an ODI match against India, Sarfaraz went on to score 2315 runs in ODIs, 3031 runs in Tests, and 818 runs in T20Is. Under his captaincy, Pakistan also clinched the 2017 Champions Trophy title after defeating India in the summit clash. However, Sarfaraz last played for Pakistan in December 2023 in a Test match against Australia and has apparently fallen out of the scheme of things.

Ahead of the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League, Sarfaraz also joined Quetta Gladiators as the team director. Recently, he also opened up on the speculations about his international retirement.

"I haven't announced my retirement yet. When someone has played cricket all their life, it obviously hurts to stay away from the game. There comes a time when every player has to step away from cricket, but I try to make the most of whatever matches I get," said Sarfaraz in an interview with Cricket Pakistan.

Keeping his hopes of a comeback alive, the 37-year-old batter stated that he would be giving his 100 per cent if he still get's a chance.

"I still keep some hope alive that maybe I'll get another chance. I never said that I have to play for Pakistan - of course, it's every player's dream to represent their country. I just want to perform well in whatever cricket I play and give my 100 percent," said Sarfaraz.

"When I feel the moment has arrived, I'll say it myself - yes, my cricket is over now," he added.

The 37-year-old has represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is, amassing 6,164 runs across the three formats, including six centuries and 32 fifties.

It was under his leadership, that Pakistan lifted their maiden ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 by overwhelming arch-rival India with a stunning 180-run victory in a blockbuster final.

With Sarfaraz at the helm, Pakistan stood victorious in 11 consecutive T20I series, the most by any captain from the country.

Since then, he has slowly found himself on the sidelines, bidding his time for a possible breakthrough. He made his last Test appearance in 2023 in Australia.

(With ANI Inputs)

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Sai Sudharsan's classy fifty combined with a collective bowling effort powered Gujarat Titans to a commanding 58-run win over Rajasthan Royals in their IPL clash in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Sudharsan lit up the evening with a dazzling 53-ball 82, while explosive cameos from Jos Buttler (36), Shahrukh Khan (36), and Rahul Tewatia (24) propelled GT to a formidable 217/6. The bowlers then kept chipping away, striking at regular intervals to keep Rajasthan on the back foot despite fighting knocks from Shimron Hetmyer (52) and skipper Sanju Samson (41). The visitors were eventually bowled out for 159 in 19.1 overs.

Sudharsan was in sublime touch, effortlessly finding gaps and punishing anything loose. His fluent knock, laced with eight boundaries and three sixes, formed the bedrock of GT's imposing total.

Defending 217, pacers Mohammed Siraj (1/30) and Arshad Khan (1/19) struck early to give GT the perfect start.

Arshad drew first blood, removing the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal (6) who slashed at a wide one and picked out Rashid Khan at deep third.

List of batters with most runs -

In the very next over, Nitish Rana (1) attempted an upper-cut off Siraj but met the same fate, guiding it straight to the fielder at deep third man.

But Samson and Riyan Parag (26) launched a fiery counterattack. Parag smoked three no-look sixes, while Samson dispatched anything loose to the boundary with casual ease, taking RR to 57/2 in the powerplay.

The momentum swung again as Impact Sub Kulwant Khejroliya (1/29) had Parag caught by Buttler, before Rashid Khan removed Dhruv Jurel (5) to leave Rajasthan tottering at 68/4.

Samson and Hetmyer added 48 runs to keep hopes alive, but Prasidh Krishna (3/24) dealt the killer blow.

He first dismissed Samson as the wicketkeeper tried to steer one behind square but only managed to skew it high towards Sai Kishore, who held on calmly at the edge of the circle.

Krishna then returned to snare Hetmyer.

List of bowlers with most wickets -

Earlier, after leaking plenty of runs initially in the IPL, Jofra Archer (1/30) is well and truly back to his best.

With the new ball in hand, he cranked it up to 152.3 kph in his first over, then returned in his second to clean up Shubman Gill (2) with a steaming 147.7 kph inswinger that beat the inside edge and crashed into Gill's off stump.

Archer then greeted Buttler with a sharp bouncer, but the former England captain responded a couple of balls later with a crisp four to the deep-cover boundary.

With Sudharsan taking charge, Buttler joined the party with back-to-back boundaries off Fazalhaq Farooqi (0/38) in the seventh over.

In the next over, he sliced Maheesh Theekshana (2/54) through the off side for a four, before lofting him straight down the ground for another boundary.

But Theekshana had the last laugh, trapping Buttler leg-before, ending an 80-run partnership.

Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson immediately turned back to Archer in a bid to stem the flow of runs, and the Barbados-born pacer repaid the faith with a tight over that went for just six.

But Shahrukh exploded into action in the very next over, slamming consecutive boundaries before muscling one over deep extra cover to inject some much needed momentum into the GT innings.

The boundaries kept coming as Shahrukh went after Theekshana in the 14th over that yielded 16 runs.

Royals responded by striking twice in quick succession, removing Shahrukh and Sherfane Rutherford (7) to pull things back.

Sudharsan was handed a life on 81 but couldn't make much of the reprieve, as Tushar Deshpande induced a thin edge to send him back in the dugout.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Jitesh Sharma and Yash Dayal collided on the field as they ended up missing a catch during the IPL 2025 encounter between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on Monday. During the 12th over of the MI innings, Suryakumar Yadav miscued a delivery from Yash Dayal and the ball went high up in the air. Both Dayal and Jitesh went for the catch but there was a huge miscommunication between the two cricketers. In the end, they ended up colliding with each other as the ball spilled out of Dayal's hands. Both cricketers were left unhappy while replays showed Jitesh was hit on his face. The incident left the crowd thrilled and Rohit Sharma's wife Ritika Sajdeh's reaction has gone viral on social media.

#MIvsRCB
OH NO! Major miscommunication between Jitesh & Yash Dayal!
Catch of Surya Dada goes down!
RCB let a golden chance slip — and MI fans just took a deep breath!
You can't drop Surya and sleep peacefully.#SuryakumarYadav #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/jKQoybsUFz

— XGlobalBuzz (@Xglobalbuzz) April 7, 2025

Earlier, following his half-century against Mumbai Indians (MI), star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli hailed Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar for their valuable contributions and expressed importance of evolving his game with changing times in the shortest format of the sport.

Rohit Sharma's wife Ritika Sajdeh celebrating as RCB fielders drop Surya Kumar Yadav's catch ??#TATAIPL #tapmad #DontStopStreaming #CatchEveryMatch pic.twitter.com/SKTsaxxS0Y

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) April 7, 2025

Fans at Wankhede Stadium became witnesses to a power-packed performance from RCB batters, as Virat and Patidar registered brilliant fifties while Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma played fine supporting hands against MI at Wankhede Stadium.

Speaking after the innings, Virat said, "That was pretty good. After losing a wicket on the second ball (of Phil Salt), we countered pretty nicely. Dev (Padikkal) played a brilliant impact knock for us, really changed the momentum towards us. I got a few going as well. That partnership was really important for us to set that total on the board. My strength is to get my touch and feel of the ball early on, then I can play the shots that I want to. I tried to innovate a bit, tried to play different shots off spin as well and then tried to hit different areas of the ground. You need to keep evolving your game and keep up with the demands of the situation in T20 cricket. When I time the ball nicely early on, I have better chances to contribute."

Virat hailed Padikkal for his impactful cameos during last few games when early wickets fell for RCB and feels that a huge score is just around the corner for the left hander.

"That partnership was important for us to go deeper into the innings, get guys like Jitesh Livi (Liam Livingstone) and Tim David towards the back end of the innings. What Rajat did is what Rajat does most often. It was a great inning by those two as well - Rajat and Jitesh got us those extra 20-25 runs. One of their spinners was out of the game. It was difficult for the chinaman to bowl. That gave us 20-25 runs. What happened with wickets not falling was that one of their spinners was out of the game, and that played out to be an important factor for us because we knew once the spinner is out of the game, then the fast bowler with shorter boundaries will find it tough."

"The wicket was not as straightforward as it seemed. Hardik was taking pace off the ball consistently and was not coming onto the bat. We have a good score on the board. Hopefully, we break that jinx today (RCB have lost their last six matches vs MI at this venue). We have got a strong bowling line-up, and early inroads in the powerplay will help," he concluded.

(With ANI inputs)

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Skipper Shubman Gill led by example with a classy half-century after Mohammed Siraj bowled with fire in his belly to return excellent figures of 4/17 as Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their IPL match in Hyderabad on Sunday. Sent at number four, Washington Sundar too showed his class with a 29-ball 49 as GT registered their third win in four outings, even as SRH suffered their fourth defeat in five matches. The chase of 153 was completed with as many as 20 balls to spare, with Gill making an unbeaten 61 off 43 balls. Bowling first, GT restricted SHR to 152 for eight with left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/24) and seamer Prasidh Krishna (2/25) too performing admirably on a slow surface.

Mohammed Shami (2/28) and Pat Cummins (1/26) brought SRH back into the contest with their early strikes as GT found themselves at a tricky 16 for two in the fourth over.

B Sai Sudharsan (5) could not keep his shot down and was caught at square leg off Shami, and Cummins then dismissed Jos Buttler for a three-ball duck with a back of a length delivery that nipped back in sharply, and Heinrich Klaasen did the rest behind the stumps.

The two wickets gave SRH a glimmer of hope but skipper Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar joined forces to stitch a third-wicket partnership of 90 runs to pave the way for their team's win.

Helping the GT duo to get their innings up and running after the early wobble was a horrendous sixth over from pacer Simarjeet Singh, who conceded 20 runs to ease the pressure on the visitors.

Simarjeet was guilty of repeatedly bowling short and Washington took full advantage of it by pulling and hooking him for two sixes over fine leg after collecting two fours.

Gill was all class reaching his half-century in 36 balls with the help of some delightful shots but Washington got out one short of what would have been a well-deserved fifty.

A flurry of boundaries from Sherfane Rutherford (35 not out off 16 balls) then helped GT finish the game with plenty to spare.

List of batters with most runs -

Earlier, Siraj dismissed struggling openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma cheaply before coming back to add two more wickets to his tally.

Head (8) had a fortuitous start as his edge off Siraj went past the stumps for a boundary.

However, Siraj had the last laugh as the pacer got rid of the danger man from Australia when the opener flicked one for Sai Sudharsan to complete a smart diving catch at mid-wicket.

The crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium found their voice after a few boundaries.

Siraj, however, had other ideas as the pumped-up seamer sent back Abhishek after the batter took the aerial route but failed to get the timing right and was caught at mid-on.

This meant the SRH openers' struggles continued in this edition of the IPL as the side reached 45 for two at the end of the power play.

List of bowlers with most wickets -

Even as the visitors dominated proceedings at that stage, they faced some anxious moments when Glenn Phillips got injured. After being attended to by the physio, Phillips hobbled off the field.

Ishan Kishan (17) perished when he miscued a pull off a Prasidh Krishna short ball to deep square leg where Ishant completed the catch.

The duo of Nitish Kumar Reddy (31 off 34 balls) and Klaasen (27 off 19 balls) tried to revive SRH innings with a fifty-run stand for the fourth wicket, a phase where GT got a few fours and a six by the South African big-hitter against Rashid Khan.

But just when SRH looked like laying the foundation for a respectable score, left-arm spinner Sai Kishore picked up the prized wicket of Klaasen whose leg stump was disturbed as he rocked back to employ the pull shot.

Reddy too perished while trying to smash Sai Kishore out of the park, leaving SRH at 105 for five in the beginning of the 16th over.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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The dismissal of Washington Sundar sparked a massive controversy during the IPL 2025 match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. Washington looked in brilliant form as he dominated the SRH bowlers but he was ultimately dismissed for 49 by Mohammed Shami. During the 14th over of the GT innings, Washington slammed a short of length ball from Shami towards sweeper cover and Aniket Verma ended up taking a brilliant catch. However, the umpires were not convinced whether he cleanly collected it or not. They decided to go for a review and although some replays suggested that the ball may have touched the ground, the third umpire ruled against the batter. The dismissal led to a massive discussion on social media with several users criticising the decision.

A sundar inning was being played by Washi Sundar. But was that really out?#SRHvGT

— Aadarsh (@Aadarsh1830) April 6, 2025

Skipper Shubman Gill led by example with a classy half-century after Mohammed Siraj bowled with fire in his belly to return excellent figures of 4/17 as Gujarat Titans crushed Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their IPL match on Sunday.

Nitin Menon robbed Washington Sundar's maiden IPL fifty. pic.twitter.com/shhE7I2Y9n

— Utsav(@utsav__45) April 6, 2025

Sent at number four, Washington Sundar too showed his class with a 29-ball 49 as GT registered their third win in four outings, even as SRH suffered their fourth defeat in five matches.

I feel Washington Sundar is not out
It's a controversial decision in favour of SRH #SRHvGT

— Vidyuts Maniac (@vidyuts_maniac) April 6, 2025

The chase of 153 was completed with as many as 20 balls to spare, with Gill making an unbeaten 61 off 43 balls.

Washington sundar dismissed on 49 by an outstanding catch from Aniket Verma.
Mohammed Shami took a wicket at the right time.#IPL2025 #washingtonsundar #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/UQGrbZbcgy

— Aksh Chaudhary (@ChaudharyAkshS1) April 6, 2025

Bowling first, GT restricted SHR to 152 for eight with left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/24) and seamer Prasidh Krishna (2/25) too performing admirably on a slow surface.

Mohammed Shami (2/28) and Pat Cummins (1/26) brought SRH back into the contest with their early strikes as GT found themselves at a tricky 16 for two in the fourth over.

(With PTI inputs)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with members of the 1996 World Cup-winning Sri Lankan cricket team and said the triumph captured the imagination of countless sports lovers. PM Modi is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka. The PM arrived in Colombo on Friday night for bilateral discussions and the signing of several key pacts between the two nations. Later on Saturday, he met the members of the Sri Lankan World Cup-winning side that defeated the Mark Taylor-led Australian team by seven wickets in the final at Lahore. "Cricket connect! Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers!" wrote the PM on 'X'.

Cricket connect!

Delighted to interact with members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. This team captured the imagination of countless sports lovers! pic.twitter.com/2ZprMmOtz6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2025

The members of the triumphant side, including Kumar Dharmasena, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana and Marvan Atapattu presented Modi with a memento on the occasion.

"In Colombo, PM @narendramodi interacted with the members of the 1996 Sri Lankan cricket team, which won the World Cup that year. Here are a few glimpses from their interaction," wrote the PM's official account while posting images of the interaction.

In the final played on March 17 at the Gaddafi Stadium, the Arjuna Ranatunga-led Sri Lanka chased down Australia's 241/7 for the loss of just three wickets with De Silva scoring an unbeaten 107.

Romesh Kaluwitharana, an explosive opening batter of his time, said after the meeting that India had always stood with Sri Lanka, especially during the crisis.

De Silva, the all-time great Sri Lankan batter, praised Modi, saying the Indian PM is well respected around the world.

Jayasuriya said the interaction with Modi was a great experience, and noted that the Indian PM spoke about his work since coming to power in 2014.

Former pacer Vaas said Modi had good cricketing knowledge and discussed with the players their 1996 World Cup campaign.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya scalped his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket in an inspiring bowling performance but Lucknow Super Giants rode on superb half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to post 203 for 8 in an Indian Premier League match on Friday. Pandya returned with magnificent figures of 5/36, taking the wickets of Markram (53 off 38 balls), Nicholas Pooran (12), Rishabh Pant (2), David Miller (27) and Akash Deep (0), putting brakes on LSG's innings after the home team was put in to bat.

Best bowling figures in IPL by captains

Hardik Pandya (MI) – 5/36 in four overs vs LSG in Lucknow (April 4, 2025)

Anil Kumble (RCB) – 4/16 in four overs vs Deccan Chargers in Johannesburg (May 24, 2009)

Anil Kumble (RCB) – 4/16 in 3.3 overs vs Deccan Chargers in Navi Mumbai (April 24, 2010)

Jean-Paul Duminy (DC) – 4/17 in three overs vs SRH in Visakhapatnam (April 18, 2015)

LSG were off to a great start with opener Marsh hitting his third half-century in four matches. His 60 came off just 31 balls and was studded with nine fours and two sixes.

With the other opener Markram also in good nick, LSG were 69 for no loss at the end of power play. But MI came back after that with Pandya making crucial bowling changes.

Left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who had starred in MI's win over Chennai Super Kings, was introduced in the seventh over and he gave the breakthrough immediately. He had Marsh caught and bowled, breaking the dangerous-looking opening stand of 76 runs.

Pandya then brought himself into action and had Pooran in the ninth over before getting the prized wicket of LSG captain Pant (2) who got out cheaply once again.

Substitute fielder Corbin Bosch took a fine catch at the mid-off after Pant failed to negotiate a slower ball off Pandya. Pant, who faced six balls, continued his poor form, having scored 0, 15, 2 in his three earlier innings.

LSG were 107 for 3 in 10.4 overs when Pant was out.

Markram, who had been ordinary so far, stood up for his team and held one end together till he was out in the 18th over.

Earlier, Deepak Chahar gave away 15 runs in the second over with Marsh hitting two fours and Markram getting a boundary.

Marsh was on fire as he punished Trent Boult with two clean hits -- one yielding a six and another a four.

The Australian did not spare Mitchell Santner, hitting two fours off the Kiwi bowler and then gave young Indian left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, who had starred in MI's previous match, the same treatment.

He hit Kumar for a six and a four in consecutive balls in the sixth over to reach to his fifty off just 27 balls. Kumar bled 23 runs in that over.

MI stalwart and India captain Rohit Sharma, who had struggled in the three matches he had played so far, missed out the match as he was hit on knees at the nets.

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Kamindu Mendis is a rarity in cricket. The Sri Lankan can bowl with both arms and his talent was on display at the IPL 2025 in the match between SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. He only bowled one over in the match and picked the wicket of KKR half-centurion Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Though it was the ambidextrous bowler's debut match in IPL, Mendis has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka. He has played 12 Tests, 19 ODIs and 23 T20Is. 

The IPL in its official x handle wrote: "Confused?"

Left Right
Right Left
Confused?

That's what Kamindu Mendis causes in the minds of batters

Updates https://t.co/jahSPzdeys#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/IJH0N1c3kT

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 3, 2025

KAMINDU - THE AMBIDEXTROUS.

- Bowling left arm to right handed.
- Bowling right arm to left handed. pic.twitter.com/RpZKqL4GSw

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 3, 2025

Defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) posted a competitive total against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 15 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Eden Gardens, thanks to a remarkable late-innings acceleration spearheaded by Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh.

KKR finished their innings at 200/6 in 20 overs, recovering from early setbacks with a dynamic middle-order partnership.

The KKR opening partnership, which had failed to find momentum in previous games, endured another underwhelming outing. Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock could not provide the explosive start the team desired.

After a quiet first over, de Kock miscued a pull shot off Pat Cummins and was caught in the deep for just one (6 balls). Narine followed soon after, edging an over-pitched delivery from Mohammed Shami to the keeper for seven (7 balls). KKR were left struggling at 17/2 in three overs, bringing captain Ajinkya Rahane and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi to the crease.

With KKR in trouble, Rahane and Raghuvanshi stabilized the innings with calculated aggression. The duo took advantage of short deliveries, keeping the scoreboard ticking with well-timed boundaries and excellent running between the wickets. Rahane hit three sixes and played fluently before falling for 38 (27 balls) while attempting a reverse sweep against Zeeshan Ansari.

Raghuvanshi, displaying maturity beyond his years, brought up his second IPL fifty off just 30 balls. However, his impressive innings of 50 (32 balls, five fours, two sixes) came to an end when he sliced Kamindu Mendis' off-spin to deep backward point. At 109/4 in 13.2 overs, KKR had lost both set batters, shifting the responsibility to their middle-order.

With the innings at a critical juncture, Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29 balls) and Rinku Singh (unbeaten 32 off 17) took charge. Initially cautious, the duo unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes in the death overs. Venkatesh found his rhythm with powerful shots off Simarjeet and Shami, while Rinku ignited KKR's charge with three consecutive fours off Harshal Patel in the 17th over.

The 19th over bowled by Cummins proved to be the turning point, as Rinku smashed 4,6,4,4,2,1, reaching his fifty in just 25 balls. The final partnership yielded 91 off just 41 balls, at a stunning run rate of 11.25.

KKR's late surge saw them add 91 runs in the last seven overs, propelling their total to 200 in 20 overs. The innings was defined by Venkatesh Iyer's anchoring role and Rinku Singh's fearless hitting, putting the pressure back on SRH's bowling attack.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost its top place in the IPL 2025 points table after losing to Gujarat Titans on Wednesday. Currently Punjab Kings lead the table followed by Delhi Capitals, RCB and Gujarat Titans. Barring Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals, all teams have played three matches each. Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran is the highest run-scorer and holds the Orange Cap with a tally of 189. Chennai Super Kings' Noor Ahmad continues to lead the highest wicket-takers' chart, and holds the  

Jos Buttler made a fifty marked by creativity and sustained aggression to support the impeccable spell of Mohammed Siraj as Gujarat Titans carved a smooth eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match on Wednesday. Buttler (73 not out, 39b, 5x4, 6x6) and B Sai Sudharsan (49, 36b) added 75 runs off 45 balls for the second wicket, as the Titans ended up at 170 for two in 17.5 overs, while chasing RCB's 169 for eight.

However, the Gujarat side's chase did not start as they would have liked, losing skipper Shubman Gill for a laboured 14.

The Titans' skipper clobbered Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six but fell in the very next ball to the pacer, lobbing him to Liam Livingstone in the deep.

But it brought together Sudharsan and Buttler, who extracted runs off the RCB bowlers in contrasting style.

Sudharsan's innings was an antithesis to the modern T20 ethos, as it was all about elegantly timed shots such as a wristy flick for a boundary off Yash Dayal or a square cut for four off the same bowler.

There was a touch of impishness too to the innings when he moved across and scooped pacer Josh Hazlewood for a six over the stumper's head.

However, a second attempt to play a similar shot off the Australian ended his stay, giving a simple catch to Jitesh Sharma.

But Sudharsan's dismissal, which came in the immediate aftermath of RCB taking the second ball in the 13th over, was a minor jitter in Gujarat's chase, which was marshalled so effectively by Buttler.

The Englishman was slightly jittery to begin with but once he found the right gears, he was unstoppable, fetching those thunderous shots off the shelf regularly.

Buttler reached his fifty with a sumptuous six off spinner Livingstone over long-on off 31 balls and his imperious touch was evident in the three sixes he hammered off Hazlewood to finish the match.

Buttler and Impact Sub Sherfane Rutherford (30 not out, 18b) added 63 runs for the third wicket as Gujarat strolled home.

Earlier, Siraj led a group of fired-up GT bowlers as they limited the vaunted RCB batting unit to 169 for eight despite a providential 54 by Livingstone.

Once the Titans decided to bowl first, they would not have envisioned such a domination over a potent batting line-up even considering a rather unexpectedly slow and grippy pitch.

The slip-down started with the wicket of Virat Kohli (7), who began with a lovely cover driven four off Siraj (4-0-19-3).

But the ace batter fell to left-arm seamer Arshad Khan, who came in for Kagiso Rabada, attempting a pull that ended in the hands of Prasidh Krishna at fine leg.

Thereafter the RCB top-order was poleaxed by GT bowlers led by Siraj, who joined the side after a seven-season stint in the red and gold jersey ahead of IPL 2025.

Phil Salt, who was dropped on zero by Buttler off Siraj, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal paraded back to the hut as RCB slumped to 42 for four in 6.2 overs.

However, Salt, who slammed Siraj for a 105 metre six, and Devdutt might feel a tinge of regret because both of them tried to give space to themselves for big shots only to get castled by Siraj.

However, the Royal Challengers found some stability through Jitesh Sharma (33, 21b) and Livingstone (54, 40b, 1x4, 5x6) as they added 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket.

The impressive left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/22), who varied his line and pace exemplarily, broke the alliance, dismissing Jitesh, who skied him to Rahul Tewatia.

It was a redemption point for Tewatia as well because he had earlier dropped Livingstone on 9 off Sai Kishore.

It proved costly for GT as the English batter hammered an off-colour Rashid Khan for three sixes in an over, two in a row, to reach his fifty in 39 balls.

Livingstone milked 46 precious runs for the seventh wicket with Tim David to take RCB past the 150-run mark. PTI UNG UNG AH AH

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Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi gave a fiery send-off to Punjab Kings opener Priyansh Arya during their IPL 2025 encounter on Tuesday. During the third over of the PBKS innings, Priyansh ended up miscuing a shot off Digvesh's bowling and the ball went high up in the air. Shardul Thakur moved across from mid-on and completed an easy catch to give LSG their first breakthrough. Rathi immediately ran towards the batter and made a gesture that signified that his name was added to his notebook of dismissals. The spinner was instantly called by the on-field umpire who had a brief chat with him.

The entire incident left legendary Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar unhappy as he criticised Digvesh's antics. Gavaskar was not in favour of such a send-off and said that batters do not make such gestures every time they hit a boundary against the bowlers.

#DigveshRathi provides the breakthrough as #PriyanshArya heads back!

P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end!

Watch LIVE action of #LSGvPBKS https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv#IPLOnJiostar | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar! | #IndianPossibleLeague pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 1, 2025

Punjab Kings enjoyed the fruits of a fantastic bowling effort in the Powerplay as Lucknow Super Giants posted a par-score of 171 for 7 on a tricky Ekana Stadium surface in an IPL match on Monday.

On a track that seemed two-paced with variable bounce, Punjab Kings bowlers led by the ever-dependable Arshdeep Singh knocked off the top order within first six overs and contributions from in-form Nicholas Pooran (44 off 30) and Ayush Badoni (41 off 33 balls) wasn't enough to put a challenging score on board.

Punjab's bowling performance on Monday was the perfect definition of doing it in unison as spinners Glenn Maxwell (1/22 in 3 overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/36 in 4 overs) complemented the pacers Lockie Ferguson (1/26 in 3 overs), Arshdeep (3/43 in 4 overs) and Marco Jansen (1/28 in 4 overs).

Credit should also be given to skipper Shreyas Iyer, whose intelligent field placements also ensured that LSG were never in control of the situation.

On a track, where certain deliveries were gripping and odd ball bounced a tad extra, only Pooran looked comfortable against both pacers and spinners.

(With IANS inputs)

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Kraigg Brathwaite has stepped down as skipper of the West Indies Test team after four years in charge, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said on Monday after a shift in leadership roles saw Shai Hope taking over captaincy of the T20I side. Brathwaite, 32, was appointed as West Indies' Test captain in place of Jason Holder in March 2021. Hope, who is also the team's ODI skipper, replaced Rovman Powell for T20I captaincy. Powell has led the T20 side since May 2023. In a statement, CWI said, "Brathwaite wanted to ensure the team had a period of transition before his departure. As a result, he has submitted his resignation ahead of the home series against Australia, giving the new leadership time to establish itself.

"This series will be particularly special, allowing Brathwaite, who is two matches shy of 100 Test matches, to double down on his batting without added responsibility." A new Test captain will be announced shortly.

The West Indies are scheduled to play Australia in a home series in June-July, marking the start of a new ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

"CWI extends its deepest gratitude to Kraigg Brathwaite for his years of service as captain, recognising his dedication to West Indies cricket and his leadership in guiding the Test team to significant milestones. A new captain will be named in the coming weeks," the board said.

During Brathwaite's tenure, the West Indies earned their first Test victory in Australia in 27 years with a thrilling eight-run win in Brisbane last year.

Earlier this year, he led the team to a memorable Test win in Pakistan to level the series, a first in 34 years.

His captaincy also saw the West Indies beat England at home in 2022 and secure a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

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MS Dhoni was dismissed on the first ball of the final over as Chennai Super Kings slumped to a 6-run loss against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 on Sunday. Dhoni looked in good touch as he scored 16 off 11 balls with the help of one four and one six. With 20 runs needed off the final over, all eyes were on Dhoni but the veteran India wicket-keeper batter was caught in the deep as the fans were left disappointed. It was a low wide full toss from Sandeep Sharma and Dhoni went for the big one but the ball went straight to Shimron Hetmyer at deep mid-wicket who made no mistake.

Wanindu Hasaranga's brilliance derailed Chennai Super Kings' chase as Rajasthan Royals sealed a six-run win in an IPL match on Sunday.

Shimron Hethmayr today you silenced the realm of MS Dhoni.#cskvsRR #msdhoni #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/hlwuaFuKKm

— Immanuel Rudhrakshan (@immanrudhra9066) March 30, 2025

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led CSK's fightback with a 44-ball 63 (7x4, 1x6), but Hasaranga's (4/35) relentless strikes kept the chase in check, restricting them to 176/6. This is CSK's second successive defeat.

Ravindra Jadeja (32 not out from 22 balls) and MS Dhoni (16; 11b), who came in at No 7, provided late fireworks, but the target proved beyond reach.

Dhoni gave CSK hope with a six and a four in the 19th over, where Tushar Deshpande leaked 19 runs, with Jadeja finishing it off with a six.

However, with 20 needed off the final over, Sandeep Sharma held his nerves to concede just 13 and dismissed Dhoni, courtesy of a stunning catch by Shimron Hetmyer, sealing RR's win.

Earlier, Nitish Rana's explosive 81 off 36 balls, laced with 10 fours and five sixes, had set RR on course for a 200-plus total.

However, CSK pulled things back in the final overs, with Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, and Khaleel Ahmed taking two wickets each, limiting RR to 182/9.

(With PTI inputs)

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Having spent his first five Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons primarily as a finisher, Riyan Parag experienced a breakthrough campaign in 2024. Elevated to No. 4 in the batting order, he emerged as Rajasthan Royals' leading run-scorer, playing a pivotal role in their journey to the playoffs. This season, Parag has been handed an even greater responsibility, moving up to No. 3 as Rajasthan Royals aim to maximize his potential. Head coach Rahul Dravid has hailed him as one of their best batters. However, his start to IPL 2025 has been modest, with scores of 4 and 25 in RR's opening two matches. Sunday's clash against Chennai Super Kings presents his final opportunity to register a significant score on his home ground, as Guwahati will host RR's last match of the season.

"That's the right word to use, that he's promoted," Dravid said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"Look, Riyan is one of our best batters, let's be honest. And we want to give him as many balls as we possibly can. Twenty overs is a very short time and the more balls Riyan Parag bats for us, the better it is for us as a team," he added.

"But of course, these things we'll keep looking at, we'll keep assessing, we'll keep seeing how it goes. And yeah, we know that Riyan has done really well at No. 4, so it gives us an option," Dravid noted.

"But honestly, the move to No. 3 was a positive move to try and give him more time to bat. And we know how destructive a player he is and if he gets more time, then he can score more runs and that can benefit the team. So that was the thinking, but we can always assess that and we can always see how it's going. And I think he's quite comfortable, he's more than capable of batting at any position," he said.

In addition to his batting responsibilities, Parag has also stepped in as Rajasthan Royals' captain in the absence of regular skipper Sanju Samson, who is still recovering from a finger injury. With Samson limited to batting as an impact substitute, Parag has taken charge of leading the side. The task has been challenging, with RR suffering defeats in their first two matches, but Dravid remains supportive of the 23-year-old. Having first coached Parag as a 16-year-old in 2017 during his tenure with India's Under-19 team, Dravid continues to back him, believing in his talent and leadership potential.

"I think he's adapted really well," Dravid said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"It's not easy to captain when the team is scoring 280 runs [Sunrisers Hyderabad] on a flat wicket. The first game is probably a tough game to be a captain. But I think the calmness that he showed and the fact that it didn't seem like our team was panicking was really good," he said.

"Even in the game against KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders], his brave decision to bring himself on [with the ball], realising that the wicket was turning, with two left-handers batting, to bowl the fifth over in the powerplay was a brave decision and a correct decision. So I think he's been very impressive. As a captain, it's nice for him to get this opportunity till Sanju is able to field again. And he's sharing his thoughts and his ideas. Very clear. He's very solid in that sense," he noted.

"So, yeah, very impressive early days. And it's very nice for us as, again, a team that's looking to develop people and players. Of course, it's unfortunate that Sanju was not able to captain and play for us. But I think in a way it's nice that we were able to give Riyan, our vice-captain, a chance to captain in a few games and give him that exposure and experience as well," he said.

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Quinton de Kock struck a magnificent 97 not out on a tacky Barsapara wicket, anchoring Kolkata Knight Riders' chase to perfection as they secured a dominant eight-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL clash on Wednesday. Opting to bowl, KKR's disciplined bowling attack, led by their spin duo Varun Chakravarthy (2/17) and Moeen Ali (2/23), restricted Rajasthan Royals to a below-par 151/9. In response, De Kock remained 97 not out from 61 balls, his knock laced with eight fours and six sixes, as KKR comfortably chased down the target in 17.3 overs.

They get off the mark in #TATAIPL 2025

A comprehensive show with both bat and ball for the defending champions @KKRiders in Guwahati

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#RRvKKR pic.twitter.com/4p2tukzLau

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

Despite the challenging nature of the surface, De Kock displayed controlled aggression, timing the ball beautifully while ensuring KKR's chase remained on track.

The chase was never in trouble, with the required run rate hovering around a run-a-ball.

KKR lost Moeen Ali (5) and skipper Ajinkya Rahane (18) early, but De Kock held one end firm, finding an able partner in young Angkrish Raghuvanshi 22 (17 balls).

The duo stitched together an unbroken 83-run partnership that came off just 44 balls, sealing the first win of the season for the defending champions.

The Proteas keeper-batter was at his fluent best, preferring groundstrokes over aerial risks, yet still finding boundaries with ease.

Q for Quality, Q for Quinton

A sensational unbeaten runs to seal the deal

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/kbjY1vbjNL

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

He took calculated risks, fully aware of the modest target.

He took the attack to Jofra Archer, smashing him for a four and a six in the same over.

He brought up his half-century in just 35 balls, swiping Wanindu Hasaranga for a towering six over wide long-on -- his third of the innings.

The Royals may have overplayed their spin options, allowing KKR's batters to settle into a rhythm.

Hasaranga, who had dismissed De Kock twice in the past, was dominated in this matchup.

A more aggressive approach -- bringing in Jofra Archer during the middle overs -- could have added pressure, but English speedster was brought in as late as 18th over with KKR needing just 17 runs from 18 balls.

It was just a formality as De Kock welcomed him with a boundary before launching him for two sixes to wrap it up in a canter.

Earlier, Chakravarthy and Ali dismantled the Royals' middle order, picking up two wickets each in successive overs right after the powerplay, shifting the momentum in KKR's favour.

Spinners casting their magic

First Varun Chakravarthy and then Moeen Ali

Updates https://t.co/lGpYvw7zTj#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/EfWc2iLVIx

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

Seamer Vaibhav Arora (2/33) was expensive but chipped in with two crucial wickets -- regular Royals skipper Sanju Samson (13 off 11) with a yorker in the powerplay before dismissing impact substitute Shubham Dubey (9) cheaply.

Harshit Rana (2/36) was instrumental at the death, breaking Dhruv Jurel's promising innings of 33 (28) and removing the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer for just 7, both in the crucial penultimate over.

A quickfire cameo 16 from 7 balls from Jofra Archer ensured that they reached 150-mark but he fell to Spencer Johnson (1/42) in the penultimate ball of their innings.

I.C.Y.M.I

In the for
And dispatched

How crucial will these hits be for #RR?

Scorecard https://t.co/lGpYvw87IR#TATAIPL | #RRvKKR | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/SBnsVTrbuy

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 26, 2025

RR had looked set for a big total at 54 for 1, with a well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal (29 off 24) and local lad Riyan Parag (25 off 15) at the crease.

Riyan, leading the Royals for the first time at his home ground, began with intent, smashing Harshit Rana for a six over square leg off just the third ball he faced.

Riyan, who knows the Barsapara pitch like the back of his hand, played the shot of the innings in the next over -- a beautifully timed lofted drive off Vaibhav Arora, sending the ball soaring straight down the ground.

Jaiswal, dropped on 19, capped off the powerplay with a six as RR finished the first six overs strongly at 54/1.

However, KKR struck back immediately. Chakravarthy, their mystery spinner, triggered the collapse in the seventh over, dismissing the dangerous-looking Parag with a well-disguised 113kph delivery.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India did not get the start they were looking for in their 2027 AFC Asian Cup third round qualifying match as they played out a goal-less draw against familiar rivals Bangladesh on Tuesday. Bangladesh were slightly the better side in the first half with more attacking moves and corner kicks but without any clear-cut chances. India put up a much better performance in the next 45 minutes, putting Bangladesh under a lot of pressure but the chances were few and far between.

In the 12th minute, India goalkeeper Vishal Kaith committed a mistake as he kicked the ball into an opposition player. Mohammed Ridoy pounced on the deflection and sent a left footer from an angular position into the open net but Subhasish Bose produced a goal-line clearance.

India's best chance came in the 31st minute but Udanta Singh's header off a Liston Colaco cross from left failed to beat Bangladesh goalie Mitul Marma.

In a dominant second half display for India, Bose made an audacious long range effort which beat the Bangladesh goalkeeper all the way but missed the left corner of the net by inches in the 68th minute.

Five minutes later, Farukh Choudhary's right footer went just wide after a deflection from a Bangladeshi defender.

The 84th minute saw star striker Sunil Chhetri getting a free header inside the Bangladesh box but his effort lacked direction and power.

Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who is currently playing for Sheffield United on loan from English Premier League side Leicester City, could not do much for most part of the match.

India had come into the match after a 3-0 thrashing of Maldives on March 19 in an international friendly to mark talismanic striker Chhetri's return to national colours and Manolo Marquez's first win as head coach.

Marquez made five changes from the team that vanquished Maldives, bringing in Boris Singh Thangjam, Udanta Singh Kumam, Lalengmawia Ralte, Sandesh Jhingan and Farukh Choudhary.

He also handed over the captain's armband to Jhingan and looked like he had his plans firmly in place on a slippery pitch of the lush green Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Yet, Bangladesh had an opportunity to grab the lead within a few seconds of the start when Kaith's unsteady clearance landed straight to Mojibor Jony. To the relief of the Indians, the Bangladesh midfielder's shot crashed against the side net.

The next foray also came from Bangladesh. Mohd. Shakil Topu danced down the right and crossed in the goalmouth for Mohd Shariar Emon to take a header that sailed over the bar. In the first 15 minutes, the visitors tormented the Blue Tigers' defence with vigour and energy.

After surviving the storm, India slowly settled down to take charge of things and make inroads in the rival defence with encouraging domination in the midfield, and created a few positive chances later in the first half and then in large stretches of the next 45 minutes.

The two sides face each other again on November 18 in Bangladesh.

India's next qualifying round match, though, will be against Hong Kong on June 10 in Kowloon.

India are placed in Group C of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying third round along with Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Singapore, and only the top team after six home and away matches qualifies for the continental showpiece.

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Ashutosh Sharma did the unthinkable for Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday. At a time when even the most passionate of DC fans would have thought that it was not possible for their team to chase down a 210-run target, Ashutosh Sharma thought otherwise. Impact sub Ashutosh Sharma played the most defining knock of his IPL career to guide Delhi Capitals to a thrilling one wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants here on Monday.

Ashutosh smashed 66 not out off 31 balls and finished it with a huge six off Shahbaz Ahmed as DC chased down a target of 210 with three balls to spare. The right-hander hit five fours and five sixes in all. Ashutsh Sharma's celebration after the win went viral.

And he does it in

Ashutosh Sharma, take a bow!

A #TATAIPL classic in Vizag

Updates https://t.co/aHUCFODDQL#DCvLSG | @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/rVAfJMqfm7

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2025

DC were 7 for 3 at one stage and then 113 for 6 but Ashutosh and unheralded Vipraj Nigam (39 off 15 balls) added 55 runs in quick time before the Railways man finished it off in style despite wickets falling at the other end.

LSG were 20 short during batting and paid the price for not having any of their frontline pacers on the park due to injury. It didn't help that Ravi Bishnoi was hit for 53 runs. Earlier, Delhi Capitals bowlers did well at the back-end to restrict Lucknow Super Giants to 209 for 8 on a batting paradise, despite attractive fifties from Mitchell Marsh (72) and Nicholas Pooran (75).

Kuldeep Yadav was easily the most impactful bowler with figures of 2 for 20 while Mitchell Starc used his variations to end with best figures 3 for 42 in four overs.

Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants: 209 for 8 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 75, Mitchell Marsh 72; Kuldeep Yadav 2/20, Mitchell Starc 3/42).

Delhi Capitals: 211 for 9 in 19.3 overs (Ashutosh Sharma 66 not out; Shardul Thakur 2/19).

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