Mumbai Indians defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets in the IPL here on Thursday.

RCB managed to reach to 196 for 8 despite Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul. While Faf du Plessis made 61 off 40 balls, Rajat Patidar hit 50 off 26 balls.

Towards the end, Dinesh Karthik made a 23-ball unbeaten 53-run cameo to take RCB to a competitive total.

Chasing, Ishan Kishan blasted a 34-ball 69, while Suryakumar Yadav scored a 19-ball 52 as MI overwhelmed the target in 15.3 overs.

Brief Scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 196 for 8 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 61, Rajat Patidar 50, Dinesh Karthik 53 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 5/21).

Mumbai Indians: 199 for 3 in 15.3 overs (Ishan Kishan 69, Suryakumar Yadav 52; Will Jacks 1/22).

Chennai: The charismatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni told Ruturaj Gaikwad to be prepared for Chennai Super Kings captaincy back in 2022 and he has been ready ever since even though there were no “deep conversations” between the two on how to lead one of the most successful IPL units.

Gaikwad, who led from the front in the win against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday night, was stunningly appointed CSK captain a day before the IPL opener on March 22.

The team’s earlier leadership experiment with Ravindra Jadeja did not work but the CSK think-tank has been bullish about Gaikwad’s long-term reign. Dhoni is known for his no nonsense approach and that is how he discussed the transition with Gaikwad.

“To be honest, not really deep conversations. I feel it was in a very chilled state. Just one conversation I would say. Just we were practicing and he came and told me all this stuff,” Gaikwad said in the post-match press conference after the seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders here on Monday.

“Obviously, everyone, others on the outside, would think they are big shoes to fill, but I feel I would always be myself and I would like to continue the culture that has been going on.

“I remember in 2022 when he told me, ‘Probably not next year, but after that, you might get a chance to lead, so be ready for it’. So, obviously after that, I was always ready for it,” said the opener.

A franchise like CSK is quite meticulous with its planning and that is why head coach Stephen Fleming was discussing field and bowling changes with Gaikwad last year.

“It was nothing new to me or a surprise or a shock. I know how to control the game. I know how the game progresses, which change (to make), and what to do when, as I was doing for the state team (Maharashtra) as well.

“Even last year, Fleming and I used to discuss captaincy after every game, about how I felt, what changes, bowling changes what I felt we needed to do, this or that. Every game, we had one-on-one conversations so that really helped.”

When asked what change had he brought in as skipper, Gaikwad asserted that he believes in continuity.

“Captaincy-wise, I don’t want to be a specific kind of character. Just let things flow and keep the culture of CSK going. The success that we had and the things we have been doing, I don’t want to change a single bit of it.

“I just want to come here, make my own decisions and just give as much freedom as possible because that’s what has been happening from when I joined CSK. Nothing really changes and I’m enjoying a lot.”

Gaikwad’s batting as the skipper this season has not been at his usual best but he made an unbeaten 67 against KKR.

When asked if captaincy had compelled him to make some changes to his batting, he said, “Sometimes there are phases where you get good balls. Sometimes there are phases where you are slightly unlucky. Sometimes there are phases where things don’t really fall in shape.

“So, you don’t really need to think on that. I always felt I was in good shape, starting really well, good headspace, so I wasn’t really worried.

“And captaincy, while batting, is a totally different approach. Even when I was playing my first game, or the first fifty I scored for CSK, I think (it was a) similar kind of situation.

“We were chasing 140 and I always wanted to stay till the end and make sure I finish the innings so pretty much same. Nothing really changes even though I am captain or not,” he said referring to the 138-run target set by KKR.

Hyderabad: Chennai Super Kings fluffed their lines during their batting innings and then were struck by a tornado named Abhishek Sharma whose 37 off 12 balls put Sunrisers Hyderabad on course of their comfortable six wicket victory against the defending champions in an IPL match here on Friday.

The SRH bowlers were very disciplined while restricting CSK to 165 for 5 in 20 overs with only 37 being scored off last five overs.

If 37 off last five was a poor effort from CSK, young southpaw Abhishek, who is having a great tournament, also scored 37 but off only 12 deliveries with four sixes to lay the platform.

Aiden Markram then anchored a run chase with a 36-ball 50 as SRH knocked off the runs in just 18.1 overs.

His 60-run stand with opener Travis Head (31 off 24 balls) for the second wicket in seven overs after Abhishek pummeled a listless Mukesh Chaudhary, playing his first game, for 27 runs. The match as a contest ended then and there as CSK lost two away matches on trot while SRH have now won both their home games.

CSK had a chance first up but Moeen Ali dropped Head off the second delivery bowled by Deepak Chahar.

After that it was mayhem as 23-year-old Abhishek hit two fours and three sixes off Mukesh, who was forced selection in absence of Mustafizur Rahaman, who has taken a one-match break to go home and submit his US visa application.

Playing his first competitive game after 16 months, Mukesh was all over the place in his only over and will again warm the benches from next game when Mustafizue comes back.

There was no let up from the Abhishek as he also hammered ‘IPL specialist’ Chahar for a boundary and a six in the third over but his pyrotechnics ended there as his lofted shot was taken by a diving Jadeja.

Head and Markram consolidated the innings without taking too many risks, reaching 78 for 1 after six overs. SRH brought up their 100 runs in the ninth over with Markram hitting a massive six off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja in the ninth over.

Head, the Impact Sub for T Natarajan, was out in the 10th over off Maheesh Theekshana but not before he added 60 runs with Markram. Pressure had eased out by then as SRH needed just 59 runs from the final 10 overs with eight wickets in hand.

Markram made his first fifty of the season in the 14th over as CSK bowlers toiled to get the wickets. But the South African batter who captained SRH last season got out in the same over bowled by compatriot Moeen Ali (2/23) who won an LBW review taken by SRH.

The Hyderabad-based side did not need to press panic button as they needed just 34 runs from the last five overs. Moeen got his second wicket in the form of Shahbaz Ahmed (18) but Heinrich Klaasen (10 not out) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (14 not out) took SRH home.

Earlier, CSK batters failed to capitalise on their starts as they were restricted to a below-par 165 for 5.

In-form Shivam Dube top-scored with a 24-ball 45 while veteran Ajinkya Rahane contributed a sedate 35 off 30 balls after CSK were asked to bat on a pitch that didn’t seem like a proverbial belter. The duo’s 65-run partnership for the third wicket from just 6.3 overs was the only highlight of the CSK innings.

CSK added only 37 runs in the last five overs and that could be the turning point in the match.

But credit must be given to CSK’s all-season’s man Ravindra Jadeja, whose unbeaten 31 off 23 balls was the added fillip that the defending champions needed at the end.

Ahmedabad: A cracking unbeaten half-century by all-rounder Shashank Singh and his fruitful 43-run partnership with an equally aggressive Ashutosh Sharma helped Punjab Kings defeat Gujarat Titans by three wickets in an Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Shashank smashed an unbeaten 61 off 29 deliveries, while Ashutosh slammed a 17-ball 31 as PBKS chased down the 200-run target with one ball to spare after the team from Punjab had an inauspicious start, losing skipper Shikhar Dhawan for just one run.

GT skipper Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 89 off just 48 deliveries in the team’s total of 199 for 4 went in vain.

Gill was in sublime form as he took GT to an imposing total, hitting six boundaries and four maximums. He was assisted by Sai Sudarshan, who slammed a 19-ball 33 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Gill and Sudarshan also shared a 53-run stand for the third wicket.

Brief Scores:

Gujarat Titans: 199 for 4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 89, Kane Williamson 26, Sai Sudharsan 33; Kagiso Rabada 2/44).

Punjab Kings: 200 for 7 in 19.5 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 35, Shashank Singh 61 not out, Ashutosh Sharma 31; Noor Ahmad 2/32) by three wickets.

Visakhapatnam: Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant has been fined Rs 24 lakh for a second over rate offence in the 2024 Indian Premier League.

Pant was guilty of maintaining a slow-over in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders here on Wednesday.

The rest of his teammates were fined 25 percent of their match fees.

“Rishabh Pant, the Delhi Capitals captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Kolkata Knight Riders…” said the IPL in a statement.

“As it was his team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Pant was fined INR 24 lakhs.

“The rest of the members of the Playing XI, including the Impact Player, were each individually fined either INR 6 lakhs or 25 percent of their respective match fees, whichever is lesser,” it added.

Delhi Capitals lost the game to KKR by 106 runs after the latter smashed 272 for seven, the second highest total in IPL history. It was Delhi Capitals’ third loss in four games.

Visakhapatnam: Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed Delhi Capitals by 106 runs to continue their winning run in the Indian Premier League here on Wednesday.

Set an improbable target of 273, Delhi Capitals were all out for 166 in 17.2 overs.

Batting first, the seasoned Sunil Narine and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi struck scintillating half-centuries to power Kolkata Knight Riders to an imposing 272 for seven.

Narine blasted 85 in a mere 39 balls while the 18-year-old Raghuvanshi smashed his way to 54 off 27 deliveries, as the DC bowlers ran for cover.

Andre Russell blazed away to 41 in just 19 balls while Rinku Singh made 26 in eight balls, continuing KKR’s dominance through the innings.

For DC, skipper Rishabh Pant hammered 55 in 25 balls while Tristan Stubbs sizzled with 54 in 32 deliveries.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders: 272/7 in 20 overs (Sunil Narine 85, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 54, Andre Russell 41; Anrich Nortje 3/59).

Delhi Capitals: 166 all out in 17.2 overs (Rishabh Pant 55, Tristan Stubbs 54; Vaibhav Arora 4/27, Varun Chakaravarthy 4/33).

Mumbai: Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets to register their third consecutive win in this edition of the IPL here on Monday.

Opting to bowl first, Rajasthan Royals stopped Mumbai Indians at 125 for nine and then chased down the target with 27 balls to spare. The in-form Riyan Parag again played very well to remain not out on 54 off 39 balls.

MI were off to a disastrous start as they found themselves tottering at 20 for four in the innings’ fourth over in their season’s first home game.

Again subjected to booing by fans, MI skipper Hardik Pandya responded with a 21-ball 34, while Tilak Varma chipped in with 32 in 29 deliveries.

Veteran pacer Trent Boult bowled extremely well to finish with 3/22, while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal ended with excellent figures of 3/11, including picking the big wicket of Pandya when he was looking good for more runs.

This was MI’s third straight defeat.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians: 125/9 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 34, Tilak Varma 32; Trent Boult 3/22; Yzvendra Chahal 3/11).

Rajasthan Royals: 127/4 in 15.3 overs (Riyan Parag 54 not out; Akash Madhwal 3/20).

Bengaluru,: Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets in their Indian Premier League match here on Friday.

Asked to bat first, RCB posted 182/6 riding on Virat Kohli’s 59-ball unbeaten 83.

KKR started off on a rousing note as the opening duo of Philip Salt (30 off 20 balls) and Sunil Narine (47 off 22 balls) added 86 runs in just 6.3 overs.

Later, Venkatesh Iyer (50 off 30 balls) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (39 off 24 balls) helped KKR complete the task with 19 balls remaining for the side’s second win in three games.

Earlier, star batter Kohli top-scored for RCB while Cameron Green (33 off 21 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (28 off 19 balls) made useful contributions, the latter while getting two reprieves.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 182 for 6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohi 83 not out, Cameron Green 33;Andre Russell 2/29).

Kolkata Knight Riders: 186 for 3 in 16.5 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 50, Sunil Narine 47, Shreyas Iyer 39 not out;Vijaykumar Vyshak 1/23).

RR was sent in to bat and was down to 36 for 3 in the eighth over, but Parag, 22, pushed the home team to 185 for 5 on his own with a brilliant unbroken knock that included seven fours and six sixes.

Anrich Nortje, a seasoned South African pacer, conceded 25 runs to Parag, who hit 43 in the previous game after being moved up to number four by the club management this season. In the last over, Parag scored 4, 4, 6, 4, 6, 1.

Bengaluru: Harpreet Brar’s incisive bowling came to naught as Virat Kohli’s splendid half-century and Dinesh Karthik’s power-hitting at the back end helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeat Punjab Kings by four wickets in an Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

Chasing 177 for victory, RCB, thanks to Kohli’s 77 (49 balls) and Karthik’s unbeaten 28 (10 balls), won the match with four balls to spare.

PBKS’ left-arm spinner Brar (2/13) dismissed dangerous middle-order batters Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxewll cheaply as RCB, chasing 177 for victory, were in big trouble. He also took a wonderful catch to dismiss Kohli to put RCB in trouble.

But Karthik and Mahipal Lomror (17 not out) bailed out the home side.

Brief scores:

Punjab Kings 176 for 6 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45, Prabhsimran Singh 25, Sam Curran 23, Jitesh Sharma 27; Glenn Maxwell 2/29, Md Siraj 2/26).

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 178 for 6 in 19.2 overs (Virat Kohli 77, Mahipal Lomror 17 not out, Dinesh Karthik 28 not out; Kagiso Rabada 2/23, Harpreet Brar 2/13).