Chasing MI`s target of 195 runs, the Punjab Kings got off to a good start, scoring 62 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the powerplay. Captain Shreyas Iyer guided the visitors to yet another impressive run chase, scoring 66 runs in 35 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh remained unbeaten at 80 runs in 39 balls.

Speaking after the defeat, MI captain Hardik Pandya was disappointed with his team`s performance. This was the Mumbai Indians` fourth loss in a row after a winning start to the tournament.

"To be very honest, I don`t have much to say right now. I think we really need to go back on the drawing board and see where we are lacking. Is it individuals? Is it as a group? Is it as planning? We`ll just figure it out and see what we can do next. I think we need to give credit to them as well. The ball started reversing. In the second inning, the dew came, and it slightly got better but having said that, they just outbeat us. They bowled better, they batted better, they fielded better, definitely and that talks to us again. No, I think we need to see, do we need to make some difficult calls or do we need to keep continuing and hope that we`ll turn things around? These are some harsh questions that we eventually need to answer and yeah, ownership has to be taken." Pandya said.

Shreyas Iyer delighted with Punjab Kings` start to the season

PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer was delighted with his teams victory. The Indian star said he was confident and optimistic about his team`s form.

"Certainly confident and optimistic the way we have been playing. Also we have our heads on our shoulder. I am glad that today we came out and got that victory. He has certainly raised up his bar, even though he was getting runs, he was giving us excellent starts, this year he has been more mature, match by match he is getting more mature. My catch. We have this tendancy of pulling things back, even against SRH, the way we bowled.. We haven`t decided about that as of now, I have been luck to win the toss, lot of positive players in the team to go out and express themselves. I personally feel you need to keep getting better each and every game, that is the reciepe we keep following. I have seen the crowd coming in numbers and cheering us." Iyer said.

PBKS openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya began aggressively, taking on the MI bowlers from the outset. Deepak Chahar’s first over proved expensive, conceding 21 runs as PBKS found their rhythm straight away.

Arya departed soon after, dismissed by AM Ghazanfar. Australian batter Cooper Connolly was also sent back by the Afghan spinner, who impressed with two early wickets. Prabhsimran Singh was then dropped by Jasprit Bumrah off Hardik Pandya’s bowling, giving PBKS a crucial reprieve.

PBKS scored 61 runs in six overs and will fancy their chances of chasing down the target, given their recent form. Captain Shreyas Iyer remains the key wicket for the Mumbai Indians and could play a decisive role in the outcome of the match.

Jasprit Bumrah will be keen to make an impact for the hosts, with his remaining overs likely to be crucial to MI’s chances. The Indian pacer is still searching for his first wicket of the season.

Earlier, the Mumbai Indians posted 195 for 6 in their 20 overs against the Punjab Kings. Quinton de Kock starred for the hosts with a शानदार knock of 112 runs off just 60 balls.

De Kock, who replaced Rohit Sharma in the MI line-up, showcased his class with a blistering innings that powered MI to a competitive total.

For PBKS, Arshdeep Singh was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/22 in his four overs. He was supported by Shashank Singh on what was otherwise a challenging day for the Punjab bowlers.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah

With Rohit Sharma sidelined due to injury, Ryan Rickelton opened alongside Quinton de Kock in a new-look partnership for MI. However, the experiment faltered early as Rickelton was caught at deep square leg.

Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 but was dismissed off the very first ball, with Arshdeep Singh continuing his impressive form. The Indian T20 skipper has struggled for consistency and is enduring a lean patch this season.

Naman Dhir came in at No. 4 and got a reprieve when Yuzvendra Chahal dropped a straightforward catch, which could have put MI in deeper trouble. Dhir made the most of the opportunity, emerging as MI’s most effective batter in the powerplay with a brisk 27 off 16 balls.

At the end of six overs, Mumbai Indians were 48/2.

With players like Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma yet to come, MI will look to build a competitive total against an in-form PBKS side.

For Punjab Kings, Arshdeep Singh stood out with the ball, picking up two wickets for just four runs in his first two overs.

Earlier, after losing the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma would miss the match due to injury and is likely to be sidelined for a couple of games. All-rounder Mitchell Santner is also unavailable due to illness.

“Rohit is still recovering and will need a couple of matches to assess his condition. Mitchell Santner is also unwell and unavailable. We have made a few changes — Quinton de Kock returns to the side, and Mayank Rawat makes his debut,” Pandya said.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah

PBKS have made an impressive start to the season and remain unbeaten so far, registering three wins along with one no-result. In contrast, MI have struggled to find consistency, managing just one victory in their last four outings.

After winning the toss, Iyer said the decision to bowl first was influenced by pitch conditions and the likelihood of dew later in the evening. He also expressed satisfaction with his team’s strong start to the campaign.

“We are going to bowl first. So far, so good — we’ve had a brilliant start to the IPL, which is what any captain hopes for. Our combination has been working well, and we need to build rhythm and maintain momentum. The wicket looks a bit dry, but I spoke to a few players who said it improves with dew, so that played a part in the decision. We are going with the same team,” Iyer said.

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya admitted he would have preferred to bowl first as well but remained optimistic about his team’s chances.

“We would have liked to bowl first too, but it’s a good toss to lose. It’s time for us to play good cricket and secure a win. We’ve played decent cricket, but in a few crucial overs, we haven’t been able to capitalise and have lost key moments,” Pandya said.

Pandya also confirmed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma will miss the match due to injury and is expected to be sidelined for a couple of games. Additionally, all-rounder Mitchell Santner is unavailable due to illness.

“Rohit is still recovering and will need a couple of matches to assess his condition. Mitchell Santner is also unwell and unavailable. We have a few changes — Quinton de Kock returns to the side, and Mayank Rawat makes his debut,” he added.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah

These players are well aware of the ground`s conditions and will look to assert dominance in the clash.

Stalwart Rohit, who will likely feature in the match as an `Impact Player`, will be expected to hit towering maximums. In the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he sustained an injury, which forced him to retire hurt. Along with him, fans will also keep a tab on Suryakumar, who is a proven big scorer on the iconic ground. However, will these players succeed in delivering big knocks is the question, as managing the opponents` bowlers will be the city`s very own Shreyas. 

So far, everybody is familiar with the Punjab skipper`s game awareness and captaincy tactics. Considering that he will be leading a team in his home ground, the right-handed batsman will look to benefit himself with the advantage.

Along with Shreyas, Musheer — known for his explosive batting just like his elder brother Sarfaraz — will also be in the team. Although the 21-year-old cricketer’s feature in the match is uncertain, his presence in the squad, especially for Mumbai’s clash, would be important.

To stop Shreyas and Musheer from dominating the game, the ‘Paltan’ will turn to Shardul Thakur as their key weapon. The pacer is well aware of Shreyas`s batting style and would look to share game plans with his fellow bowlers during the match.

It remains to be seen which Mumbaikars emerge dominant on Thursday in the city’s cricketing Kurukshetra — the Wankhede Stadium.

IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Full Squads

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma.

Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Conolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.

During the match, RCB`s star pacer Josh Hazlewood returned with the figures of one wicket for 20 runs in four overs. Following the performance, he was also named the "Player of the Match".

Speaking about his performance, Hazlewood said that he was feeling better.

"Felt much better today, in good shape. Got to look at who you are playing against, conditions play a part, slow wicket today, just had to whack that length," he said.

He also said that assessing the conditions quickly was the key point for the Royal Challengers in the clash against the Super Giants.

"Summing up the conditions as early as we can is a huge plus for us," said Hazlewood.

The pacer then revealed that he is working on the slower balls to stay effective in the shortest format of the game.

"I`d like to have a few funky deliveries... always working on those slower balls... keep moving forward," said the 35-year-old cricketer.

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary

Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum.

RCB`s Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively.

In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side.

Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums.

LSG`s Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs.

(With ANI Inputs)

Ahead of the match, MI`s management has named Krish Bhagat as the replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of the league due to injury.

Bhagat, who plays for Punjab, is a right-arm pacer and is also handy with the bat. The franchise`s official social media handle shared a post, providing an update on Akolekar`s replacement. "Mumbai Indians sign Krish Bhagat as a replacement player. Mumbai Indians have named Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026," read the post`s caption.

📰 𝐌𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 💙

Mumbai Indians have named Krish Bhagat as a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026.

Read more 👉 https://t.co/rsMBu1p0aO… pic.twitter.com/xi4GLZqpcz

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 16, 2026

Additionally, it will be interesting to see if Mumbai`s veteran batsman Rohit Sharma manages to make his appearance for the match.

Earlier, the right-handed batsman had retired hurt on the score of 19 runs during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, there are speculations that the 38-year-old batsman will likely feature in the match as an Impact Player.

The clash will be one to watch out for as the opponent team will be led by Shreyas Iyer, who is well aware of Wankhede`s conditions.

IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Full Squads

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma.

Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Conolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.

During the match, wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma played an explosive cameo of nine balls. He accumulated 23 runs, laced with two boundaries and the same number of maximums.

Speaking after the match, he revealed the team`s approach and the players` mindset for the entire tournament.

"I think this year we are very smart about the wicket. We are adjusting the wicket. We are tactically working, and I think that`s why we are winning all the games at home. I think that shows that we are working smartly and efficiently," he said during the press conference.

Further, he specifically spoke about Bengaluru`s batting department. The 32-year-old cricketer said that all the batsmen in the team have decided to attack all the bowlers and teams.

"Just dominate the bowlers. That`s the mindset we have. Irrelevant of the situation, like today when I went to bat, I know that it`s a ball-to-ball game. But as we batsmen have decided how we want to play this year or how we want to approach the game, it`s very clear that you can see it. So that`s the statement from us. We just want to attack all the bowlers and the teams," said Jitesh.

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary

Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum.

RCB`s Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively.

In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side.

Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums.

LSG`s Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs.

(With ANI Inputs)

During the match, RCB`s stalwart Virat Kohli came in as an impact player. Facing 34 deliveries, the right-handed batsman scored 49 runs, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum.

Later, providing an update on his fitness, the right-handed batsman said he has still not gained 100 per cent. Kohli also said that he would have liked to continue batting and finish the game for his side.

"Much better than the last game. I`m still not 100 per cent. My knee was a bit sore in the last game. Even health-wise, I`ve been under the weather for four or five days now. So, just getting back up to my best. I started well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off. Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well. The pitch slowed down considerably, and I just wanted to keep going in the same manner. But yeah, in the end, should have probably finished that one off as well," he said after the match.

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Match summary

Batting first, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were bowled out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Opening batsman Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the side. Facing 32 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 40 runs, including three boundaries and two maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mukul Choudhary scored 39 runs in 28 balls, with the help of three boundaries and two maximums. Ayush Badoni also garnered 38 runs off 24 balls, laced with four boundaries and a maximum.

RCB`s Rasikh Salam returned with the figures of four wickets for 24 runs in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets by conceding 27 runs in four overs. Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood also bagged two and one wicket, respectively.

In the second essay of the game, Bengaluru chased the target by scoring 149 runs for the loss of five wickets in 15.1 overs. Kohli scored 49 runs, which provided a strong start to the side.

Skipper Rajat Patidar managed to register 27 runs in 13 balls, including a boundary and three maximums, whereas wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma scored 23 runs in just nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums.

LSG`s Prince Yadav claimed three wickets by giving away 32 runs in his spell of three overs. Avesh Khan bagged two wickets by leaking 23 runs in four overs.

(With ANI Inputs)

During the match, the DJ in the stadium played the track `Dosa, idli, sambar, chutney, chutney` when the Super Kings were struggling to chase the target in the second essay of the game.

CSK`s management has filed a complaint to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the choice of the song played by the DJ, Indian Express reported.

The report further stated that an IPL official confirmed the development by saying, "We have received a complaint from CSK and are looking into it".

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings: Match summary

Batting first, the hosts posted a total of 250 runs for the loss of three wickets in 20 overs. Opening batsman Phil Salt scored 46 runs in 30 balls, including three boundaries and two maximums. Fellow opening batsman Virat Kohli managed to score 28 runs in 18 balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum.

Devdutt Padikkal registered 50 runs in just 29 balls, and smashed five boundaries, two maximums. Skipper Rajat Patidar garnered an unbeaten 48 runs off just 19 deliveries, laced with a boundary and six maximums. Shouldering him was burly batsman Tim David, who smashed an unbeaten 70 runs in 25 balls. During his knock, he smashed three boundaries and eight maximums.

CSK`s Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, and Shivam Dube bagged one wicket each.

In an attempt to chase a target of 251 runs, the Super Kings were bowled out for 207 runs in 19.4 overs.

Sarfaraz Khan managed to smash a half-century. Facing 25 balls, the right-handed batsman scored 50 runs, including eight boundaries and two maximums. Later, Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton scored 43 and 37 runs, respectively.

RCB`s Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with the figures of three wickets for 41 runs in four overs. Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh, and Krunal Pandya bagged two wickets each. Impact Player, Suyash Sharma, also chipped in with one wicket.

With this, the Royal Challengers registered a victory by 43 runs against the Super Kings.

The Hardik Pandya-led five-time champions are struggling to find the right combination, having lost their last three games. The hosts are placed ninth on the points table with just one win. In contrast, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab outfit are yet to taste defeat this season, winning three games while one was washed out.
MI have a few major issues to address, the most important being the availability of opener Rohit Sharma, who has scored 137 runs in four matches so far. 

Rohit was present at the Wankhede on Wednesday evening and spent considerable time doing light running and stretching, even sharing some light moments with MI’s support staff. He also batted in the nets for around 20 minutes, taking throwdowns and playing a few lofted shots. 

Ahead of MI batter Naman Dhir’s pre-match press conference, the team management clarified that their medical team and coaching staff are assessing Rohit’s fitness. The attacking batter had retired hurt on 19 due to a hamstring injury in the previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, but looks set to feature as an Impact Substitute today.

MI will also hope their other top-order batters step up, with the inconsistent Suryakumar Yadav (106 runs in four games) and out-of-form Tilak Varma (35 in four matches) needing to shoulder more responsibility.   

But the biggest concern for the hosts is their bowling unit’s inability to take wickets and restrict run flow. In four games, MI’s bowlers have managed just 15 wickets with pacer Jasprit Bumrah still awaiting his first dismissal of the season.

“We have done well with the bat in the Powerplays, considering the conditions. Bowling-wise, if you say we haven’t taken wickets, then yes, that is a small concern. But [Trent] Boult, Bumrah, Deepak Chahar are all quality bowlers and can win us matches anytime,” Dhir told reporters.

6013
Total runs scored by Rohit Sharma for MI — he becomes the first MI player to cross the 6000-run mark

45.66
Rohit Sharma’s average this season; the opener has scored 137 runs in four matches

11.19
Run rate at which MI bowlers have conceded runs in the first four games this season

11.44
Run rate at Wankhede this season; teams have scored 906 runs in 79.1 overs across two games

17
No. of matches won each by MI and Punjab Kings against each other in the IPL; both have played 34 games

 

 

 

 

 

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Undergoing a transition, CSK came into this contest after a comprehensive 23-run win over Delhi Capitals and produced another convincing show to beat KKR and move one spot up to eighth in the points table.

“Slowly, slowly, it is starting to come together, I feel,” Gaikwad told broadcaster after the match.

“Everyone kind of knows what their role is, which overs and what lengths to bowl at. I think they are adjusting and adapting really well according to what [the] team needs.

“As I said, slowly, slowly, we are getting better and better and that is a good sign for us,” he said.

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Reflecting on the performance, Rahane pointed out that KKR’s bowlers had done well to recover after a tough start in the Power-play.

“No real momentum with the bat. Absolutely. I thought that with the ball, we retreated really good. 190 on this wicket was really good, especially the powerplay that they got, 70-odd runs. After that, pulling back to 190 was an amazing job from our bowling unit,” the KKR skipper said after the loss.

Despite the bowlers’ efforts, Rahane acknowledged that the batting unit failed to capitalise, particularly in the Power-play, where KKR got off to a slow start.

“I thought initially with our batting, we just got 36 or 37 runs in the Power-play. I thought that was really important. Middle phase, to hitting spinners was slightly challenging, but apart from that, the wicket was really good,” he said.

The KKR skipper emphasised the need for one batter to anchor the innings and take the game deep, something that has been missing in recent outings, saying, “We needed one batter to bat until deep and then take it in the end.”

With the team struggling to string together wins, Rahane admitted it has been a challenging phase but stressed the importance of staying mentally strong. “I think it`s tough at the moment. Yes, we`re not winning matches; it`s tough. What is important for all of us as a group to stay positive, keep our heads up, keep our chin up, just focus on the moment,” he mentioned.

He also hinted that the team management may revisit combinations in search of the right balance as results continue to elude them, stating, “Yes, we`ll have to sit in the dressing room, think about the combinations. We`ll have to make any changes. Sometimes you bat with the players, the results are going your way, then it`s okay. But if the results are not going your way, then you`ll have to think about the combination.”

Rahane, however, reserved special praise for young pacer Kartik Tyagi, highlighting his rapid progress and growing impact.

“I think all credit goes to him. I mean, he`s working really hard in the nets. He`s been bowling really good and is a great talent. The pace at which he`s bowling at the moment has been amazing. So I`m really happy for him. Game by game, he`s improving his skills,” he said.

The KKR captain also acknowledged the role of spinners from both sides, noting that conditions made strokeplay difficult through the middle overs.

“Yeah, all three spinners. I mean, if you see from CSK spinners, they also bowled really well. It was not easy for batters to hit big sixes unless you bowled really full. It was easy. Otherwise, putting it back and then going across wasn`t an easy option for the batters. So I thought from both sides, spinners bowled really well. So I thought from both sides, spinners bowled really well,” Rahane noted.

As KKR look to revive their campaign, Rahane reiterated the need for belief and composure within the group, expressing, “We just have to, as I said, keep that head up and just be positive and have that self-belief.”

7
No. of consecutive matches without a win for KKR 

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“Shreyas told me to ‘play without any pressure, taking pressure is my [Iyer] job’. I think this says a lot about him as a captain. He enjoys the pressure... you can see it in his performance and batting. It’s a big thing for a captain to say this to his player. I felt really good after hearing this, that you [should] play your own game and not worry about the results,” Wadhera said during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

Head coach Ricky Ponting with skipper Shreyas Iyer during Punjab Kings’s practice session at Wankhede on Wednesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Wadhera hailed Ponting for creating a positive dressing room environment. “I think he [Ponting] just speaks positively. He doesn’t have any negative words in his dictionary. So, when there is so much positive talk in the atmosphere, the team environment becomes very good,” added Wadhera.

Four
No. of 200-plus scores for Punjab Kings at Wankhede — the most by a visiting team

Zero
No. of matches Punjab Kings have lost this season; they are the only unbeaten team so far

LSG captain Rishabh Pant picked up an injury while batting and did not attend the post-match presentation ceremony. Instead, LSG stand-in captain Nicolas Pooran answered the questions and admitted that it has been a tough start for his team.

"It`s been a tough season for us, we`ve been below par with the bat. 175 would`ve been competitive. But it`s no secret we have been struggling with the bat the entire season and today we paid the price. It`s T20 cricket. It`s a tough game. It`s a tough game to stay consistent as well. But the guys have been really working hard and we`re ready for them. We`ll try to fight it out as well. And I just believe it`s a matter of time. Just stay patient, be ready for the opportunity, and take it on the team. (On his batting) I`m feeling really good and striking the ball nicely. Unfortunately, it hasn`t been going my way this time in the tournament. But that`s happened before. I`ve been in this position already, I know how to fight. And I believe I`ll get out of this." Stand-in LSG Captain, Nicolas Pooran said.

Rajat Patidar delighted with RCB`s form

Rajat Patidar was happy with the team`s bowling effort after RCB dominated LSG in Bengaluru. The hosts restricted LSG to just 146 runs in the first innings before chasing it down comfortably. With the win, RCB moved to the top of the IPL table.

"(On the bowling) It was fantastic. It was a good thing that we won the toss. The way the fast bowlers hit the deck, it was nice to watch. If you have a specialist T20 bowler, it makes your job easier. They are helping all the other bowlers as well. (On the fielding today) We`re working on the fielding intensity. Long way to go, we are taking one game at a time." Patidar said.

Virat Kohli starred for RCB as he scored 40 runs in just 20 balls. The Indian star hit 6 fours and 1 six as he gave RCB a flying start chasing a modest total. Phit Salt, Kohli`s opening partner, departed early for 7 runs after he was bowled by Prince Yadav.

Kohli was joined in the middle by Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 8 runs in 8 balls at the end of powerplay. 

For LSG, Prince Yadav was the only wicket-taking bowler as he got rid of Phil Salt.

RCB will be confident of chasing the total down with their batting depth and the likes of Rajat Patidar and Tim David to come.

Earlier, the Lucknow Super Giants were all out for just 146 runs in their 20 overs against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The away team could not get going throughout their innings as they lost wickets constantly.

Mitch Marsh and Aiden Markram both departed early, failing to give LSG a quick start in the powerplay. Later, the visitors suffered a big setback as captain Rishabh Pant was taken off due to an injury to his elbow. The Indian star batter, who later returned to bat, was dismissed for just 1 run.

Ayush Badoni was LSG`s best batter as he scored 38 runs in 24 balls. He was well supported by Mukul Choudhary, who scored 39 runs in 28 balls. Apart from these two batters, it was a sorry scorecard for LSG, who will be disappointed by their batting performance.

For RCB, Rasikh Dar was the star with the ball as he took 4/24 in his four overs. He was well supported by Krunal Pandya, who took 2 wickets and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 3 wickets. Josh Hazlewood was brilliant too, taking 1/20 in four overs.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar

Mitch Marsh and Aiden Markram both departed early, failing to give LSG a quick start in the powerplay. Later, the visitors suffered a big setback as captain Rishabh Pant was taken off due to an injury to his elbow. The Indian star batter, who later returned to bat, was dismissed for just 1 run.

Ayush Badoni was LSG`s best batter as he scored 38 runs in 24 balls. He was well supported by Mukul Choudhary, who scored 39 runs in 28 balls. Apart from these two batters, it was a sorry scorecard for LSG, who will be disappointed by their batting performance.

For RCB, Rasikh Dar was the star with the ball as he took 4/24 in his four overs. He was well supported by Krunal Pandya, who took 2 wickets and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 3 wickets. Josh Hazlewood was brilliant too, taking 1/20 in four overs.

RCB will be the favourites to chase the total and get another victory in the IPL 2026. The hosts are one of the in-form teams in the league and have beaten the Mumbai Indians in the last match.

Virat Kohli will open the innings as the impact player along with Phil Salt for the defending champions.

For LSG, defending this total will be a difficult task given the strong RCB batting line-up. The visitors will hope for a miracle from their bowlers and will have to take early wickets in the powerplay to stand a chance of winning the match. LSG have won just 2 matches this season.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar

LSG lost an early wicket when Aiden Markram was dismissed by Rasikh Dar. The South African batter managed 12 runs off 8 balls before being caught, leaving the hosts under pressure in the early overs.

In a significant blow, captain Rishabh Pant had to retire hurt after being struck on the elbow by a delivery from Josh Hazlewood. Pant, who was yet to open his account, walked off the field in visible discomfort, casting doubt over his participation for the remainder of the match.

Josh Hazlewood emerged as the standout performer with the ball for RCB, conceding just six runs in his two overs during the powerplay. The Australian pacer returned to the playing XI after missing the previous match against the Mumbai Indians and made an immediate impact.

Earlier, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing favourable pitch conditions for chasing.

“We’re going to bowl first. It’s pretty obvious. I see a pretty good surface. So, we want to take advantage early and keep the pressure on. The previous game had a lot of grass, but this wicket looks better with no grass, so it should be a good track. Everyone has been contributing well, stepping up at different stages. That’s what defines our team. Just one change — Josh Hazlewood comes in place of Duffy,” Patidar said.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar

After winning the toss, Patidar chose to bowl first, expressing confidence in his team’s current form.

"We’re going to bowl first. It’s pretty obvious. I see a pretty good surface, so we want to take advantage early and keep the pressure on. Not much to say about the pitch — the previous game had a lot of grass, but this wicket looks bare, so it should be a good track. Let’s see how it plays. I think everyone is doing well for the team, stepping up at different stages and performing when needed. That’s what this team stands for. Just one change - Josh Hazlewood comes in place of Duffy," Patidar said.

LSG skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that he would have preferred to bowl first as well. He stressed the importance of collective responsibility as his team looks to put up a competitive total against a strong RCB batting line-up.

"It looks like a pretty good wicket to bat on. On surfaces like this, you can choose to bat or bowl first, but eventually, you have to play better cricket. As a group, we need to regroup, come together, and take ownership of our roles. We don’t want to overthink every match — we just want to trust the group. Hopefully, individuals will step up and take responsibility to win matches for the team. Leadership is important, and we have many leaders in the group. Ultimately, it’s about going out there, handling pressure, and delivering for the team. We’re playing with the same XI," Pant said.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar

Over the past 18 months, Washington has been a consistent member of the national team despite dealing with a fair number of injuries during his India career, which started in 2017.

"Being an all-format player for the Indian cricket team is a massive blessing. Because we all know the kind of cricket that the Indian team has always played," he told PTI in an interview.

"And getting to play three formats is a beautiful blessing. And obviously, looking forward to a lot of more good contributions from myself and eventually win a lot of games for my country," he said.

Washington, who is presently playing for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, added that he has recently put a lot of effort into improving his fitness, which has enabled him to receive frequent opportunities in a variety of forms.

He had a side strain leading into the T20 World Cup but was able to recover just in time.

`Fitness plays a big role in playing all formats`

Washington said he knows his body better than ever now, and this is helping him stay in shape for top-flight cricket.

"I don`t see too many challenges there. Yes, fitness plays a massive role. And you have got to understand how your body sort of works across situations, across conditions," Washington Sundar said.

"And obviously, (it helps in) playing different roles and training accordingly. I`ve always given a lot of importance to understanding my own body. And yes, as I said, things have been really good in the last year," he added.

In the shorter formats, he has had to evolve as a batter, and that includes polishing his power game.

"Yeah, definitely. I mean, you have got to play different roles slightly differently and understand what`s required of yourself, especially in terms of skills and work accordingly," Washington said when asked about the power-hitting aspect of the game.

(With PTI Input)

This was CSK`s second win from five matches in the tournament.

Following the win, former Team India cricketer Piyush Chawla heaps praise on Ruturaj Gaikwad`s captaincy. He said that the CSK`s skipper was smart enough to bring in Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj to dismiss KKR`s opening batsman Sunil Narine.

"Akeal Hosein did not come to bowl in the first six overs because KKR sent Sunil Narine to open, hoping to exploit Akeal. But Ruturaj was smart. As soon as he saw Narine coming out to open, he used Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj with the new ball. That was a really good piece of captaincy because both bowlers got rid of KKR’s opening pair of Finn Allen and Narine," he said on Star Sports.

He also stated that Ruturaj made good use of his bowling options during the match against KKR.

"As soon as Narine was dismissed, Akeal Hosein was brought into the attack and he did his job brilliantly. The way Ruturaj rotated his bowlers was really good to watch. He was just going for the kill, and that is what you want from your captain. As a captain, your thought process should be to go for the kill because when you are taking wickets, you are building pressure on the batting team. When Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein were bowling together, Ruturaj made sure the game did not go too deep. He just wanted to finish it off soon, and that is exactly what he did," said Chawla.

After this win, CSK is now placed in the eighth position with two wins and three losses. They have a net run rate (NRR) of -0.846 and four points.

The Super Kings will gear up to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Full Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale.

Ahead of the game, former New Zealand cricketer Mitchell McClenaghan feels that the visitors will need to work hard to win the game against the Royal Challengers.

"LSG has a well-balanced batting unit. Their openers, middle order, and lower middle order are all contributing. But they are up against the defending champions, who are full of confidence after their win over MI. So, LSG will have to work hard to win this game. Their bowling attack is looking good, especially Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav. But Bangalore is a different challenge. The pitch is flat and the boundaries are short. It will be a real test for their bowlers," he said on Star Sports.

The former cricketer wants star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and explosive batsman Nicholas Pooran to deliver big performances. He said that the small boundaries at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium should suit Pooran`s game.

"LSG needs Mitchell Marsh to fire, because his power-hitting at the top can take the game away from RCB early on. Nicholas Pooran has also had a poor start to the season and the small ground in Bangalore should actually suit Pooran’s game. He is the key batter I want to see him bounce back and make a statement," said McClenaghan.

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants: Full Squads

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Phil Salt (WK), Rajat Patidar (C), Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, Vicky Ostwal, Mangesh Yadav, Suyash Sharma, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.

Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Mohammed Shami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Anrich Nortje, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Aiden Markram, Avesh Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Himmar Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Rishabh Pant (C) (WK), Josh Inglis (WK), M Siddharth, Moshin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Arjun Tendulkar, Akash Singh, Abdul Samad, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Mayank Yadav, M Choudhary (WK), Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi.

The "Paltan" will gear up to clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Ahead of the match, MI`s skipper Hardik Pandya presented India`s football stalwart Sunil Chhetri the franchise`s jersey with his name and number 11 on it.

Football royalty at the Wankhede 🏠⚽#MumbaiIndians #OneFamily #NayiShuruaat #NayiSaajhedari | @Utkarshsfbl pic.twitter.com/8lvEMcLhn0

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 15, 2026

In another post, while having a conversation with the head coach, Mahela Jayawardene, Chhetri was also seen taking an impressive catch.

12th Man duties calling for @chetrisunil11 😆 pic.twitter.com/ZchnMU4LnF

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 15, 2026

MI suffered a loss by 18 runs in the previous clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium. Hardik Pandya-led team is placed in the ninth position with a net run rate (NRR) of -0.772 and two points.

It will be interesting to see if the "Paltan" manages to secure a win over the Kings in the upcoming fixture.

Ahead of the match, the home crowd will expect veteran batsman Rohit Sharma to deliver a big knock in Mumbai. Along with Rohit, the opponents` captain Shreyas Iyer will also be eyeing to deliver a crucial performance in his home ground.

IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings: Full Squads

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Danish Malewar, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Atharva Ankolekar, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Will Jacks, Mayank Rawat, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Tilak Varma, Ashwani Kumar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, AM Ghazanfar, Mayank Markande, Mohammad Izhar, Raghu Sharma.

Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shashank Singh, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer, Ben Dwarshuis, Vishnu Vinod (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak Vijay Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Harpreet Brar, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Cooper Conolly, Mitchell Owen, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Vishal Nishad.

This was CSK`s second win from five matches in the tournament. During the match, Chennai`s spinner Noor Ahmad returned with the figures of three wickets for 21 runs in four overs.

Reflecting on his match-winning spell, Ahmad said that, considering the humid environment, he kept trying to keep his fingers dry. The spinner also said that the ball was not coming well on the willow, and he tried to benefit himself from it.

"Really happy to contribute for my team. Yeah, the dew was there, and it was humid, so just try to keep my fingers dry, and yeah, that helped me a lot to hit the right area. It was all about that. Yeah, really happy with the pitch. I think the ball was not coming really well to the bat, and yeah, to take advantage of that, it was good," he said.

Further, the 21-year-old cricketer said that he will be focusing on making crucial contributions to the team in the upcoming fixtures.

"Definitely it gives a lot of confidence. I will keep putting lots of effort into contributing to contribute for my team in the coming matches. I think keeping changing pace is the best tactic everywhere and on every wicket," said Ahmad.

After this win, CSK is now placed in the eighth position with two wins and three losses. They have a net run rate (NRR) of -0.846 and four points.

The Super Kings will gear up to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Full Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale.

(With ANI Inputs)

This was CSK`s second win from five matches in the tournament.

Following the win, Chennai`s skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed happiness by saying he is feeling good.

"I think, good to be on the winning side after a long time. I felt it was getting into my head even when I was batting, but after the last game, I felt a bit relaxed. I feel I`m feeling really good. Just make sure that you do whatever the team needs, whatever the situation needs," he said.

During the match, he departed on seven runs in six balls, which also included a boundary. Despite batting struggles, the right-handed batsman said that a big knock from his willow is not too far.

"I feel even mentally, I`m feeling really well, feeling positive, and just a big, a big knock is just around the corner, but as long as the other guys are just covering up for me, definitely I`ll do it when it`s needed," said Gaikwad.

After this match, CSK is placed in the eighth position with two wins and three losses. They have a net run rate (NRR) of -0.846 and four points.

The Super Kings will gear up to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Full Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale.

(With ANI Inputs)

During the match, CSK`s skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his poor run. Facing six balls, he scored seven runs, including a boundary.

Speaking about his performance, former Team India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin said that in T20 cricket, a player needs to show intent.

"The fact that he`s got a couple of wins as a captain should really ease him into this tournament. Honestly, if I was sitting in the dugout or if I were Ruturaj Gaikwad, I wouldn`t be too fussed. T20 is a game where you need to show intent constantly," he said on JioStar.

The former cricketer also feels that the skipper should take a bit more time in the initial stage of his innings and try playing more shots down the ground.

"There`s just one small thing I would ask for. If you look at Ayush Mhatre or Sanju Samson, they took the right options by going down the ground. Whereas Ruturaj has been going across the line a bit more and getting caught early. It would serve him well if he took it slightly easier at the start of his innings, looked to time the ball, and played more down the ground," said Ashwin.

So far in five matches, Gaikwad has managed to score just 63 runs, with a top score of 28 runs.

With this win, CSK is placed in the eighth position with two wins and three losses. They have a net run rate (NRR) of -0.846 and four points.

The Super Kings will gear up to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Full Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale.

(With PTI Inputs)

As well as Mohammed Shami has bowled, he is averaging only one wicket per game though that is offset by a stunning economy rate of 6.25. Somewhat short on striking power, they will be delighted if they can requisition the speedy Mayank Yadav, yet to play this season, and Mohsin Khan, the left-arm quick who has been on the sidelines since turning out in their opener.

Rishabh Pant. Pic/IPL

LSG’s bowling will have to be fully switched on against a mighty RCB batting unit that has touched 240 twice in four outings. Tim David has hogged much of the ball-bashing limelight but it’s skipper Rajat Patidar who is well ahead in both the run-count (195) and six-hitting stakes (18 to the Australian’s 12). Phil Salt showcased flashes of his marauding best in the 18-run conquest of Mumbai Indians on Sunday and Virat Kohli hasn’t slowed down one bit, marrying an average of 59.66 with a strike-rate of 162.72.

Such has been the impact of this quartet that Devdutt Padikkal, the left-handed No. 3, has gone about his business almost unnoticed. The local lad is striking at 201.61, the bridge between the Salt-Kohli opening tandem and the muscular middle order where Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd have hardly got a 
look-in.

Kohli did not field during the abortive Mumbai run-chase at the Wankhede with what was believed to be an ankle injury, but he went through Tuesday’s practice session with no obvious discomfort. He also performed a few running drills and looks primed to entertain a passionate home crowd that simply can’t get enough of both the former captain and the rest of his colleagues.

Despite the loss to RR in Guwahati last week, the defending champions are sitting pretty with six points, and will leave no stone unturned as they seek to make the Chinnaswamy, where they are undefeated this season, a fortress of sorts.

4-2
RCB’s win-loss record against LSG across six IPL games

451
No. of runs scored by RCB in just two matches at the Chinnaswamy this season

Hinge got Sooryavanshi with a short one that was skied and pouched by wicketkeeper Salil Arora. Two balls later, he had Jurel bowled with a length delivery. Two balls after this, he sent back Pretorious flicking one to Nitish Reddy at deep backward square.

Moments after the win Hinge, expressed his gratitude to his family, in particular his father, Prakash. “I started playing cricket at the age of 13. I didn’t even know what leather-ball cricket was back then. When I was 13, I told my father that I wanted to join a club. He refused a couple of times, saying I was too young, but somehow, things started from there. I want to dedicate this award to my family. They’ve made a lot of sacrifices for me,” Hinge said after his record-breaking figures of 4-0-34-4 in SRH’s 57-run win over RR. Hinge became the first bowler in IPL history to take three wickets in the first over 
on debut.

For dad Prakash, it’s a “wow moment.” Not just the exclamation but also because of how his son’s feat appeared on the scoreboard. “Praful conceded one run on the first ball and then it was W0W0W…wicket, dot ball, wicket, dot and wicket, so it was wow there too,” an elated Hinge Sr told mid-day over the phone from their Nagpur home, where he watched the match on TV.

“We were confident Praful will do well in his first game, considering his bowling skills and given his dedication, but we never expected such a brilliant performance on IPL debut. The IPL is totally different compared to domestic matches. There’s huge pressure when you’re playing in front of lakhs of people,” added Hinge Sr.

The pacer has represented Vidarbha in 10 first-class games, claiming 27 wickets. Before this IPL debut, Hinge had just one T20 match under his belt, where he picked one wicket against Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Lucknow last December.  

When asked about how special it felt to see his son dismiss Sooryavanshi for a golden duck, Hinge Sr replied: “I’m sure it was part of their [SRH] plan because Praful is a tall guy so he could bowl a perfect bouncer to Vaibhav who is known for smashing a six off the very first ball. Vaibhav is a wonderful batsman so, among the three wickets, the first one [Vaibhav] has to be the best,” concluded the proud father.

First
Praful Hinge is the first player ever to take three wickets in the first over of an IPL innings

27
No. of wickets claimed by Praful Hinge in 10 first-class games

One 
No. of T20 matches played by Praful Hinge before his IPL debut — against Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last December

Five
No. of wickets claimed by Praful Hinge in six List A games

13
Age at which Praful Hinge started playing cricket

The southpaw was also asked the one thing that she hopes will last forever and she immediately replied, “my passion for cricket and my love for batting.”

Elaborating on this, Mandhana said that in her younger days she used to practice shadow batting in her room with whatever household object she could get her hands on. “I used to shadow bat with random things at home. I’d be shadow batting with a water bottle or a hair brush,” said Mandhana with a smile, adding that it used to make her feel as though she had a bat in hand. “It’s really important for us cricketers to get that feel,” added Mandhana, who has played eight Tests, 120 ODIs, and 160 T20Is for India. She was also a vital part of India’s squad that won the ODI World Cup on home soil in November 2025.