This was KKR`s third loss out of their four matches so far. One of their matches was abandoned due to rain. Following the recent loss, the Knight Riders have slipped to the ninth position with a net run rate (NRR) of -1.315 and one point.

Speaking after the loss, KKR`s Rovman Powell feels that KKR`s destiny in the tournament is still in the hands of the players. He is also hopeful of yielding better results.

"Our destiny is still in our hands, we still have many games to go. Once we keep putting in the work, which the guys are doing, the results will come. Sometimes it`s not entirely the result because, as you can see tonight, it was a good game of cricket. It`s just a little bit unfortunate that we didn`t come out on the winning side, but I think victory is coming soon once we keep on doing the right stuff," he told reporters.

The Kingston-born cricketer then admitted that KKR bowlers should have shifted their bowling to a wider line as LSG`s Mukul Choudhary was smashing the short deliveries.

"We could have gone to a wide plan after we realised that he`s (Mukul Choudhary) hitting those short deliveries. We could have gone to a wide plan, maybe a few balls earlier to see how best we could get a few dot balls in," said Powell.

IPL 2026, Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Match summary

In the IPL 2026, Lucknow recently registered a thrilling victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by three wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Having put to bat first, KKR posted a total of 181 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane delivered an exceptional knock of 41 runs in 24 balls, including four boundaries and two maximums. Fellow opening batsman Finn Allen scored nine runs in eight balls, with the help of two boundaries.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Angkrish Raghuvanshi accumulated 45 runs in 33 balls, laced with five boundaries and two maximums. Rinku Singh departed after scoring four runs in seven balls.

Cameron Green and Rovman Powell stayed unbeaten. Green amassed 32 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a maximum, whereas Powell smashed 39 runs in 24 balls, with the help of four boundaries and two maximums.

Lucknow`s Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, and Avesh Khan picked up one wicket each. Mohammed Shami went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against KKR.

In the second essay of the game, Impact Player, Ayush Badoni delivered a knock of 54 runs off 34 balls, including seven boundaries and two maximums. Later, Mukul Choudhary garnered an unbeaten 54 runs in 27 balls, including two boundaries and seven maximums.

With this, the visitors chased the target by scoring 182 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.

Kolkata`s Vaibhav Arora and Anukul Roy bagged two wickets each. Sunil Narine, Kartik Tyagi, and Green claimed one wicket each.

(With ANI Inputs)

Earlier, the Sri Lankan national sustained a hamstring injury in February, and he has not yet recovered from it. The Lucknow-based franchise is expected to announce a replacement for the remainder of the cash-rich league.

"Wanindu Hasaranga wont be able to join us and we are preparing to get a replacement in the next 24 to 48 hours," LSG global director Tom Moody told IPL broadcaster JioStar during the match against KKR here.

Hasaranga has not played competitive cricket for nearly two months, with reports suggesting he is still unable to bowl and has yet to request a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket.

IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants` latest match report

In the IPL 2026, Lucknow recently registered a thrilling victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by three wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Having put to bat first, KKR posted a total of 181 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane delivered an exceptional knock of 41 runs in 24 balls, including four boundaries and two maximums. Fellow opening batsman Finn Allen scored nine runs in eight balls, with the help of two boundaries.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Angkrish Raghuvanshi accumulated 45 runs in 33 balls, laced with five boundaries and two maximums. Rinku Singh departed after scoring four runs in seven balls.

Cameron Green and Rovman Powell stayed unbeaten. Green amassed 32 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries and a maximum, whereas Powell smashed 39 runs in 24 balls, with the help of four boundaries and two maximums.

Lucknow`s Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, and Avesh Khan picked up one wicket each. Mohammed Shami went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against KKR.

In the second essay of the game, Impact Player, Ayush Badoni delivered a knock of 54 runs off 34 balls, including seven boundaries and two maximums. Later, Mukul Choudhary garnered an unbeaten 54 runs in 27 balls, including two boundaries and seven maximums.

With this, the visitors chased the target by scoring 182 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.

Kolkata`s Vaibhav Arora and Anukul Roy bagged two wickets each. Sunil Narine, Kartik Tyagi, and Green claimed one wicket each.

(With PTI Inputs)

Chasing a total of 181, LSG were reeling at 128/7 at the end of the 16th over. Just when all hopes seemed to disappear, Mukul Choudhary stood up and delivered the innings that will live long in everyone`s mind.

Mukul smashed two sixes and a four in Cameron Green`s 19th over before hitting a couple more in the final over, bowled by Vaibhav Arora. The 21-year-old hit a helicopter shot over the cover boundary, a shot that his idol MS Dhoni would have been proud of. Mukul raced to his maiden IPL half-century and secured a famous win for LSG.

Who is Mukul Choudhary? 

Mukul Choudhary is a wicket-keeper batsman who plays for Rajasthan in domestic cricket. The 21-year-old is known for his big hitting at the death overs, and has a strike rate of over 160. Mukul was bought for a whopping Rs 2.6 crore by the Lucknow Super Giants during the auction, after a bidding war with the Rajasthan Royals.

In four games since making his first-class debut against Chhattisgarh in January 2023, Mukul has amassed 103 runs, with a highest score of 45. He scored 35 as an opener in his T20 cricket debut against Jharkhand in October 2023. So far, he has scored 226 runs at an average of 37.66 in seven Twenty20 matches, with a top score of 62 not out.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Mukul admitted that his dad wanted him to become a cricketer, and tonight was a big opportunity for him to make a name for himself.

"My journey started when my father was not even married; he dreamed that his son had to play cricket. I started at the age group level, but there were no good academies in Sikkim. I played matches in Delhi and Guragaon, and that helped me. God has given me this opportunity; there can be pressure, but it is also an opportunity to make a name for myself."

Mukul believes God gave him this opportunity, but he’s the one who made sure to make the most of it. At just 21, he is already a household name and will hope to carry on this momentum and keep winning matches for his team.

Sardesai’s son, veteran journalist Rajdeep, who is also a first-class cricketer said: “For my dad, Mumbai cricket was his life. He always felt proud that he played 13 years for Mumbai and in those 13 years, Mumbai never lost a match. Mumbai won 13 Ranji Trophies in those years. I’m thankful to MCA for honouring my dad and other legendary cricketers today.”  

Former Test all-rounder Solkar’s son Brijesh expressed his gratitude to MCA too. “It was long due actually, but better late than never, because my father was the first Indian player to score a century [102 vs West Indies in January 1975 Test] at Wankhede. This is a good initiative by [MCA president] Ajinkya Naik that they have honoured, not only my dad, but also other cricketers. It’s a very good gesture. For youngsters and people, who don’t know much about these cricketers, these stands become an inspiration,” Solkar’s son Brijesh told mid-day. 

“It’s a double honour, I would say, because [the gate] is near the bridge that connect with the Railways, so my contribution to the Railways as well as Mumbai cricket and Indian cricket is highlighted. I’m absolutely thrilled. Also, happy that it’s happening now, during the IPL, so a lot of people will be walking through that gate,” former Indian women’s team captain Diana Edulji told mid-day.

Shastri, 63, who played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs, shared many of his Wankhede memories, including the Ranji Trophy final triumphs vs Delhi and Bengal in 1984-85 and 1993-94 respectively. But before all that, he revealed how he also witnessed the first Test at this very ground. “My first trip here [at Wankhede] was in 1976, to see a Test vs NZ, where I saw some champions. I saw them while sitting there [North Stand], now the Ravi Shastri Stand. I saw Richard Hadlee, a great fast bowler, going about his job, little knowing that when I make my debut [vs NZ at Wellington in 1981], five years down the line, he will be the one bowling at me,” Shastri said while addressing the gathering on Thursday.

Ravi Shastri (left), Suryakumar Yadav, and Diana Edulji at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday

Shastri’s Mumbai and India teammates Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, and ex-India women’s team skipper Diana Edulji were also on the dias along with Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Ajinkya Naik.

Shastri got a tad emotional, recalling his late father. “Coming to this [Ravi Shastri] stand is an honour. It’s a privilege to get this. To my family that’s present here, without their support, I don’t think I would have made it. I’m glad everyone’s present. Only one disappointment, my father, my hero, he’s not here, but he used to watch almost every game from the Garware Pavilion. He’ll be upstairs, he’ll be proud that this has happened,” added Shastri. The MCA also honoured former India  players Dilip Sardesai, Eknath Solkar, and Edulji by naming three gates at Wankhede after them.

GT pacer Prasidh Krishna began the final over with Vipraj Nigam hitting him for four, but then dismissed him off the very next ball. Kuldeep Yadav joined Miller and immediately took a single to get the big-hitter on strike. Miller blasted the next delivery for a six. With two needed off two balls, Miller inexplicably refused a single off the penultimate delivery and failed to score off the last ball, leaving DC hopelessly short by a run.

Prasidh Krishna. Pic/IPL

Gill sensed his chance

GT skipper Shubman Gill admitted that as soon as Miller did not take the single off the second-last delivery, he felt, “We now have a chance to win.”

GT leg-spinner Rashid Khan was also mighty pleased to see Miller not take that single. “When they needed eight runs off the last three balls and then two off the last two, it was very close. We needed one dot ball. Good Miller didn’t take the single,” said Rashid, who was GT’s most successful bowler, claiming 3-17.

GT players celebrate their win. Pic/IPL

Harbhajan unhappy 

Former India skipper Harbhajan Singh openly criticised Miller for not taking that single. “He [Miller] tried to play the hero and said ‘no, I’ll hit two runs off the last ball.’ But what happened after that? The last ball ended up being a dot ball, Kuldeep got run out, and the match that they [DC] were set to win, was lost. Gujarat Titans said, ‘Thank you very much, David Miller because what you did made it feel like you’re still part of GT’,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. Miller was part of GT from 2022 to 2024 before moving to LSG last season, followed by DC this year.

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar though, put things in perspective, saying Miller can’t be faulted. “Miller was backing himself. He had been striking the ball well and believed he could finish it. You can’t fault that intent. These are very fine margins in pressure situations,” Gavaskar told JioHotstar. He, however, admitted that Miller should have gone for that single. “In this case [DC vs GT], in hindsight, a single might have been the better option [for Miller], especially after Kuldeep Yadav managed one earlier,” he added.  

16
No. of times an IPL match has been decided by a one-run margin

Albie Morkel

In a thrilling encounter at Chepauk, CSK managed 150-7. Albie Morkel fought a lone battle in Delhi’s chase, scoring an unbeaten 73 off 55 balls. With 19 required off the last over and just two wickets in hand, the South African hit one four and a six as Delhi got 13 off the first five balls. With six needed off the final ball, Morkel smashed Dwayne Bravo’s outside-off delivery towards long-off, but it fell inches short of the boundary rope, resulting in a four and Delhi finished on 149-9.

vs Gujarat Lions (Delhi, 2016)

Chris Morris. Pic/AFP

Delhi looked well out of the chase after struggling at 57-4 in 10.4 overs while chasing 173. In came Chris Morris, who produced one of the greatest knocks in an IPL run chase, smashing an unbeaten 82 off just 32 balls, including eight massive sixes. Delhi were again up against Bravo in the final over, this time with West Indian playing for Gujarat Lions. With Delhi needing 14 off the last six balls, Morris and Pawan Negi brought it down to six required off the final two balls. With Morris on strike, Bravo again proved his master at death bowling, conceding just two singles each off the final two deliveries, ensuring the hosts finished on 171-5.

vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Ahmedabad, 2021)

Rishabh Pant. Pic/AFP

Batting first, RCB scored 171-5, thanks to AB de Villiers’s 75 not out off 42 balls. With skipper Rishabh Pant (58 not out off 48 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer (53 not out off 25 balls) at the crease, Delhi backed themselves to score 14 off the final over, having smashed 10, 21 and 11 off the 17th, 18th, and 19th overs respectively. The duo managed eight off the first five deliveries from pacer Mohammed Siraj, leaving six needed off the final ball. But Pant, on strike, could only direct Siraj’s low full toss towards point for four.

 

 

 

 

 

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Markram, who has scored 56 runs in two IPL games so far, including a 27-ball 45 in their recent win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Instagrammed a series of pictures alongside Nicole and captioned it: “Happy 30th my love, you make every day brighter and every dream feel possible. You are my biggest blessing and the best is still yet to come! Extremely grateful for you.”

It is learnt that Border, 70, who has not yet witnessed IPL action live, will travel to India with his son Dene, 39.

Border is set to arrive in Bengaluru for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals match on April 18. He will then travel to Kolkata for the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals clash on April 19, before heading to Mumbai for the mouth-watering Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash at the Wankhede on April 23.

Gavaskar has worked out the itinerary for the entire trip. For the Kolkata match, he has spoken to former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who has assured full support to Border from the Cricket Association of Bengal. Besides the IPL, the Australian father-son duo are also scheduled to visit a few iconic landmarks in Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai, besides indulging in some sightseeing, all planned by Gavaskar. 

He played one Test, against New Zealand in 1955. In the death of Gopinath, India has lost not just its oldest living Test cricketer but also the last personal link to a glorious chapter in the country`s rich cricketing history. Four years back, Gopinath had a twinkle in his eye while recounting India`s first-ever Test triumph, an innings and eight-run win over England at Chepauk in 1952.

"See! That`s the benefit of a long life. You can keep adding and rewriting the story. Everyone will give me the age`s benefit, but you know, the benefit of doubt always goes to the batsman, doesn`t it?" he had quipped. Even at 92 then, Gopinath remained a brilliant raconteur, who would narrate amusing stories about his brief eight-Test stint in India whites. Of course, the brightest of them would be about those four glorious days in erstwhile Madras, now Chennai.

In the statistician`s book, Gopinath`s numbers will always remain modest - eight Tests, that yielded 242 runs with one fifty. But, typically of him, Gopinath never felt bitter about a short career that started on a promising note with a 50 and 42 against England at the Brabourne in 1951. However, a rather modest subsequent trip to England later in 1952 had its own unpleasant ramifications, keeping him more out of the team than in.

But Gopinath remained a significant figure in domestic cricket, scoring heavily and captaining Madras often. He ended up with 4259 runs from 83 matches at an average of 42. He also tallied nine hundreds. A notable moment in his career came when he made a brilliant, stroke-filled 175 in the second innings while visiting New Zealand for South Zone.

Friends from Kiwi land

The Kiwis had some fine players in the ranks such as Bert Sutcliffe, John Reid, John Alabaster and Parke Zinzan Harris, father of former NZ all-rounder Chris Harris. Even though South lost the match, Gopinath`s innings earned him a lot of admirers from among the Antipodeans. "Reid and Sutcliffe later met me in the dressing room and we had a good chat about the game then. The competition lasted only till the last ball of the day, after that we just wanted to get to know each other a little bit better and share some good time," he had said.

A prized friends` list featuring Sir Worrell

Gopinath`s friends` circle had four glittering names -- former West Indian skipper Sir Frank Worrell, England batter Denis Compton and the Australian fast bowling pair Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller. His collection of memorabilia included a signed Australian Baggy Green by Lindwall. However, his friendship with Worrell, the Windies captain in the first-ever tied Test against Australia at Brisbane in 1960, was a special one.

Gopinath attended the charity match for Worrell, conducted by county side Lancashire, and it was the Indian cricketer who collected money from the spectators. Before that, he met the great West Indian at Colombo and shared a rickshaw ride around the city after 10pm. Later, Worrell visited Gopinath`s house for dinner during a visit to Chennai and it was among his very few last public appearances before passing away. It left Gopinath a shattered man at that time.

Unearthing GRV

After his playing days, Gopinath served as chief of national selectors and the manager of the Indian team that toured England in 1979. The tour became famous for India`s daring chase of 438 under the guidance of Sunil Gavaskar`s monumental 221. But India could only make 429 for eight as the Oval Test ended in a draw.

The match always had a special place in Gopinath`s memory and he would never be short of words while revering about Gavaskar`s technical purity. However, Gopinath equally adored GR Viswanath, whom he played a significant part in discovering, for his technique against fast bowling. The Tamil Nadu man always cherished GRV`s legendary innings of unbeaten 97 in which he tackled a ferocious spell by West Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts (7/64).

It helped India post a 100-run win over the Caribbeans on a bouncy Chepauk wicket. Gopinath was also a part of Tamil Nadu`s (Madras) first-ever Ranji Trophy win and following his death, only one cricketer who played in that season remains alive -- the now US-based MK Murugesh.

But Gopinath was not a man happy to live in nostalgia. He keenly followed contemporary cricket and took a liking for IPL and the Chennai Super Kings.
"Everything changes with the team, cricket is not exception," Gopinath would say, and he remained an ardent Mahendra Singh Dhoni fan.

"I pick CSK mainly because of MSD -- not because of his cricketing brain but because of how he plays. He does not go strutting around the field jumping 10 feet high. "He does not make obscene gestures. It makes me very uncomfortable when I see some of that," Gopinath said last year during a CSK function.
The words carried the essence of Gopinath -- a keenly competitive cricketer on the field and a thorough gentleman off it.

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RCB have a settled top-order under the watch of the talismanic Virat Kohli, who hasn`t shown any signs of rust despite stepping away from T20 internationals in 2024, while Phil Salt also unleashed his explosive abilities in the previous game. Batting one down, Padikkal has carried his domestic form seamlessly into the IPL, signalling a return to his fluent best with an aggressive yet controlled approach.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar. Pic/IPL

Padikkal had made an immediate impact in his debut IPL season, scoring 473 runs for RCB and establishing himself as a stylish batter. However, subsequent stints with Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants didn`t quite yield the desired returns. His return to Bengaluru last season, by his own admission, proved to be a turning point, as he played a key role in the franchise finally clinching their maiden title.

The left-hander has begun this season in similar vein, striking back-to-back fifties--- a 29-ball 50 against Chennai Super Kings and a 26-ball 61 against Sunrisers Hyderabad -- and will look to extend his rich vein of form. The likes of skipper Rajat Patidar and big-hitting Australian Tim David provide solidity in the middle. However, it is RCB`s bowling transformation that has stood out. Once considered their Achilles heel, the attack now looks far more rounded. Jacob Duffy has stepped up in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, delivering incisive spells, while Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have effectively choked runs in the middle overs.

The Royals, meanwhile, have emerged as one of the most explosive batting units this season, powered by the opening pair of Jaiswal and teenage sensation Sooryavanshi. The duo has consistently provided flying starts, combining clean hitting with fearless stroke-play to put opposition attacks under early pressure. Sooryavanshi has particularly grabbed attention with his audacious stroke-making, including a six off the very first ball he faced from Jasprit Bumrah in the previous game, underlining his fearless approach.

While the 15-year-old has dominated headlines, Jaiswal has quietly showcased his class, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 77 against Mumbai Indians, blending composure with attacking flair. Their bowling unit too has been on the money, operating with clear plans and executing them with precision, be it hitting hard lengths or nailing yorkers at the death making Rajasthan a well-rounded unit.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Mukul Choudhary scored 54 runs in just 27 balls to seal a famous victory for LSG. With this win, the Rishabh Pant-led side has won two games in a row.

Speaking after the defeat, Ajinkya Rahane praised Mukul for his innings and admitted that the loss was hard to digest.

"Tough one to take but proud of the boys for the way we played. Mukul`s (Choudhary) knock took it away from us. The execution here and there can happen in the last two overs but credit to Mukul for that partnership. For them, it was nothing to lose, 2 overs 30 runs so it was all about swinging hard. Couple of balls were good balls but he batted brilliantly. When you lose a game it`s easy to know what we could have done better. 180 odd on this wicket wasn`t easy. Let`s give credit to the batter for the way he batted. The intention was to keep Avesh on strike. We had to field five fielders up and it`s tough on the bowlers." Rahane said.

Pant heaps praise on Mukul Choudhary

Winning captain Rishabh Pant was full of praise for the match-winner, Mukul Choudhary. The LSG skipper was delighted with the win and hoped that his team can continue this winning momentum.

"When we see him (Mukul) in the nets, when you see someone, you can see that.. When you do it in the match, I have no words to describe. But what a fantastic effort. One thing I make sure is the trust, as a captain and the management, having trust plays a big role. Definitely, it is the character, every match someone is putting their hand, something is building for sure, we don`t want to talk too much, but something good is cooking. He has been the senior pro in the team, giving him responsibility and he played an amazing role. He (Shami) is not getting younger, the experience he brings is invaluable. Not only Shami Bhai but the whole bowling unit is doing an amazing job." Pant said

After a fast start with the bat, LSG lost their way after the dismissal of both their openers. Aiden Markram scored a quickfire 22 runs in 15 balls before being dismissed. Mitch Marsh soon followed after he was caught behind for 15 runs.

Rishabh Pant and Ayush Badoni stitched a partnership for the visitors as KKR bowlers squeezed the run flow. Pant guided his team to a memorable win against SRH in the last match, but failed to replicate his form after losing his wicket to Cameron Green.

For KKR, Vaibhav Arora was the pick of the bowlers. The right-arm pacer came in as an impact substitute and got both the openers out in the same over. Sunil Narine`s four overs will be crucial for KKR`s chances in this match. Varun Chakravarthy is still out with an injury sustained in KKR`s second match of the season.

LSG have a strong batting line-up with Nicolas Pooran and Abdul Samad in their ranks. The visitors will be eager to leave Kolkata with two points and back-to-back wins under their belt.

Earlier, KKR scored 181 runs due to the early brilliance of Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a late flourish from Cameron Green and Rovman Powell. Having lost the toss, KKR managed to put a competitive total on the board after a fast start by skipper Ajinkya Rahane.

KKR are yet to win a match this season after losing their opening two matches and gaining one point from their third match against PBKS.

Confirmed playing XI for both teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi

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

LSG skipper Rishabh Pant won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that proved effective as his bowlers dominated the early stages of the innings. Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav shared the new ball and delivered tight spells upfront.

Yadav provided the breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Finn Allen, giving LSG an ideal start. In the middle overs of the powerplay, spinners Manimaran Siddharth and Digvesh Rathi maintained control, restricting KKR from scoring freely.

For KKR, captain Ajinkya Rahane looked in good touch, scoring 23 runs off 13 balls. However, Angkrish Raghuvanshi struggled to find rhythm, managing 20 runs from 15 deliveries.

KKR will aim to build a competitive total as they look to secure their first win of the season.

Speaking at the toss, Rahane revealed that he would have preferred to bowl as well and confirmed a change in the playing XI.

“We wanted to bowl. I was thinking about the previous game, which didn’t get completed, so you never know. Just one change — Sunil comes in place of Blessing, while Varun is still recovering from a hand injury,” Rahane said.

Meanwhile, LSG captain Rishabh Pant will be looking to register back-to-back wins after leading his team to victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match.

Confirmed playing XI for both teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi

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

KKR are yet to register a win this season, while Lucknow Super Giants come into the match on the back of a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Speaking after the toss, Pant said he was happy to bowl first, especially with rain expected in the area. The previous match at Eden Gardens was abandoned due to rain.

“I think we are looking to bowl first. We want to put the opposition under pressure. As I said before, we trust our bowlers to do a good job for us. The win definitely adds to the team’s atmosphere. We always talk about staying positive and maintaining intent. When you win, everything seems to come together, and we’re really happy about that. We’re going in with the same team — no changes for us. Our top order is strong, and we trust them to carry us through the innings,” Pant said.

Meanwhile, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said he would have also preferred to bowl first. He confirmed that Sunil Narine is fit again after missing the previous match due to injury.

“We wanted to bowl first as well. The previous match didn’t get completed, so you never know how things might have turned out. Just one change for us — Sunil comes in place of Blessing. Varun is still recovering from a hand injury,” Rahane said.

Confirmed playing XI for both teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane(c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi

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

Speaking on Star Sports `Amul Cricket Live`, the former India spinner Piyush Chawla reflected on Rashid Khan`s decisive spell that guided GT to their first win of the season.

"We all know what Rashid Khan is capable of on his day; he can trouble any batting line-up. Gujarat Titans needed him to step up, especially while defending this total on a good batting wicket and a small ground, and he delivered. He was right on the money from the very first ball." Piyush Chawla said. 

Rashid was named Player of the Match for his bowling figures of 17/3. He took the wickets of Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi and Axar Patel at crucial stages of the match to put the visitors in a commanding position.

"The way he dismissed Sameer Rizvi was particularly impressive. He bowled several leg-spinners earlier, and when Rizvi walked in, a batter with strong numbers against spin this season, he showed him the slip, making him expect a leg-break, but deceived him with the wrong` un. It was a beautiful delivery, right on target, beating the bat through the gap," Chawla added.

Piyush Chawla happy to see KL Rahul back in form

KL Rahul scored a magnificent 92, and David Miller scored a fighting 42 in DC`s defeat against the GT. Piyush Chawla praised KL Rahul`s impact on the game and admitted that his innings was crucial to get DC close to chasing the total.

"At that stage, those runs were crucial, and KL Rahul ensured the required rate never went completely out of reach for Delhi Capitals. He started steadily, around 26 off his first 20 balls, but then accelerated well. Having played such an innings, he would probably be disappointed with himself because when you bat like that, you want to finish the game for your team. Unfortunately for him, that didn`t happen." Chawla said, talking about KL Rahul`s innings.

(With ANI Input)

Chasing 211 for the win, KL Rahul scored a masterful 92 to give Delhi a chance. After Rahul`s dismissal, David Miller scored 41 runs off just 20 balls to almost guide the hosts to a victory. 

Delhi Capitals needed just 2 runs off 2 deliveries, but a dot ball followed by a run-out broke the DC hearts.

After a heartbreaking loss, Axar Patel admitted that he is proud of his team, but it is a tough loss to take.

"Yeah, obviously the way we are playing, I think both teams played a very good, I think, a very good cricket. And yeah, I think, this type of close game, you can, you know, point out anything. So I think, yes, we played very good cricket. As I said earlier, in a close chase, in a close game, you can point out a lot of things. But I think in the chase, I think we could have played smarter. The crucial time at which the wickets fell, I think, if that hadn`t happened, we could have finished the chase earlier. (on KL Rahul) Yeah, obviously, he played a very good innings. And if you know, the way the power play was going, after that, he kept the momentum going. When the wickets were falling, he kept the momentum going from one side. He did not let the run-rate go down. So I think it was very good batting. I think we are playing good cricket, and yes, we will finish in the next match." Axar Patel said.

Shubman Gill delighted to get the first win of the season.

Winning captain Shubman Gill was thrilled to get the first win of the season. The Indian opener was the star with the bat and admitted that he was nervous going into the last over of the match.

"Definitely, all three games that we`ve played, you know, have gone until the last over. But very pleased to get over the line in this one. (on what he felt when Miller didn`t take the run off the 5th ball?) We have a chance to win. (chat before the last ball with Prasidh) No, we were just discussing whether to go for the yorker or to go for the slower one. But, you know, we decided that giving the wicket how it`s playing, the slower one, if you bowl a good slower one, it`ll be difficult to hit that for a boundary. (on the fielding) Yes, it did. Apart from, you know, the overthrows that I gave and the boundary that I gave. I think those 5-6 runs, obviously in fielding, make a difference, especially in a game like this, you see you`re winning by one run. So every effort and every misfield or every good effort counts. Definitely very pleased, you know, 210. We always thought on this wicket, we are 10-15 runs above par. It won`t be like even when we were batting in the death, it wasn`t easy to hit the big boundaries, just hitting, the slowness of the wicket. And we thought if we bowl well, you know, we should be able to win this one. (on his batting) Yes, definitely. Now I just need to sleep and see how I wake up tomorrow." Gill said.

He revealed that back then, he, along with his friends, used to shape a wooden piece into a ball and use coconut branches as a willow.

"I used to play cricket in a small opening in my yard. Sometimes we made the ball with wood or used coconut branches to make a bat. Whenever the ball hit your shin, there were no pads because we were barefoot, so you had to defend your foot," he said.

A batsman now known for towering maximums was once a player trying to find gaps while batting.

"In the first game I played, I scored 129 and batted through the 40 overs, with no sixes. At that time, I was not a big hitter. All I knew was to find the gaps," said the 31-year-old cricketer.

Shepherd then said that he aspired to become like former West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo.

"Whenever you listened to the radio, there was always one name you heard doing everything, batting, bowling and fielding, and that was Dwayne Bravo. I wanted to be like that guy," he said.

His breakthrough in white-ball cricket came in 2018 during the Caribbean Premier League, where his performances quickly began drawing attention.

"2018 is when people started taking my white-ball cricket seriously. I started bowling a lot of yorkers and hitting the ball, and commentators like Ian Bishop were saying this kid has something about him," he said.

The burly all-rounder then recollected the moment when he smashed a maximum to his childhood hero, Bravo.

"The first ball I faced was from Dwayne Bravo and I hit it for six ways back in the crowd. That was big for me because he was someone I looked up to," said Shepherd.

In the IPL 2026, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB is placed in third position on the points table. So far, the side has secured victories in as many games, and has a net run rate (NRR) of +2.501 and four points.

IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals: Date and venue

Patidar and Co. will now lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 10 at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.

(With ANI Inputs)

Afghanistan`s star all-rounder Rashid Khan is likely to skip the Test match as he was advised by the doctors to stay away from red-ball cricket after a back surgery.

While the likelihood of playing a Test match in India is attractive, the all-rounder has maintained his priority of remaining fit for the ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa.

Earlier, he underwent a lower-back surgery after the ODI World Cup 2023 and revealed that his doctors have cautioned him from featuring in the traditional format of the game. Despite that, he made his appearance in a Test match against Zimbabwe, in which he bowled 54 overs and picked up 11 wickets.

"Very tough question. It`s a little difficult in red ball, because that was the first thing which was told to me by the doctor, `You have to stay away from red ball.` But I still played a Test against Zimbabwe," Rashid told reporters.

"He (doctor) said `if you don`t want to play cricket, you keep playing the red ball format`," he added.

The Nangarhar-born cricketer also stated that he won`t be able to play cricket if he sustains any back injury in the Test match against Team India.

"You`re asking me very tough questions. I think I already played one before (in 2025), so I will just take it easy, get myself ready for the World Cup. Imagine something happens to my back in that Test match, I can`t play 100 Test matches. If you`re playing one Test in a year, I can`t play for 100 years, so there is no target in Test cricket," he said.

Rashid Khan provides an update on his participation in ODI matches for Afghanistan

However, Rashid said that he will continue to make his appearance for Afghanistan in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for a longer period of time.

"ODIs, yes, I enjoy, and I`m in a good shape to play ODIs for a longer period of time for Afghanistan, but just to be careful with how many I play, and not to put too much load on myself, to be careful if I want to play for a longer period of time," said the 27-year-old cricketer.

(With PTI Inputs)

CSK will take on SRH on April 18 as a part of the competition`s `Rivalry Week`, which will kickstart from April 12 onwards. However, the former South African batter has failed to fire against CSK, scoring just 61 runs across five innings at an average of 15.25 and a best score of just 20. His strike rate has also been sluggish, 96.82 against CSK.

At Hyderabad, where the first of their two meeting this season will be held, Klaasen has scored 10* in his one inning. While at CSK`s iconic home venue of Chepauk, he has managed just 44 runs in three innings.

Answering ANI`s query at the `JioStar Press Room` ahead of the `Rivalry Week`, Klaasen said that Chennai is not the easiest place to play cricket for batters.

"Playing at Chennai is probably not the easiest place to play cricket, especially if you have, I call it normally the `Jadeja wicket`, where you can bowl at 100 kilometres an hour and the ball spin or just holds a little bit. Luckily, he is not there this season (traded to Rajasthan Royals), so it is a completely different team," he said.

Klaasen said that for him, it is about hitting the ball a little longer and clearing the boundary.

"It is also about giving myself enough of an opportunity to make a bigger impact. It is sometimes a team that presents a lot of spinners, especially in the conditions that they play in, you have to take that risk and it has not paid off yet. So I am not too worried about it. It is just about for me finding form. And when I do get form, it is just to cherish it and make sure that I keep holding on it," he added.

Klaasen definitely has no reason to worry this season as he has started the campaign with 145 runs in the first three matches at an average of 48.33 and a strike rate of 147.95, including two fifties and a best score of 62. He is SRH`s highest run-getter so far and overall third-highest.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

During the match, star batsman David Miller refused to take a single, which in turn cost DC the match.

Later, needing two off two to reach 211, Miller refused a single off Prasidh Krishna on the penultimate ball. He missed the final delivery but ran for a single. However, Kuldeep Yadav, from the other end, was unable to beat Jos Buttler`s direct throw after the two batters had crossed over.

The former Team India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar defended Miller by saying that the left-handed batsman should not be blamed for his intent as he backed himself, believing that he could win the match for the Capitals.

"David Miller was backing himself, he had been striking the ball well and believed he could finish it. You can`t fault that intent. In the end, it also came down to execution, Prasidh Krishna bowled a superb slower bouncer at the right height, which made it difficult. These are very fine margins in pressure situations," he told JioStar.

IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals: Match summary

Batting first, the Titans posted a total of 210 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Skipper Gill delivered a knock of 70 runs off 45 balls, including four boundaries and five maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler accumulated 52 runs in just 27 balls, with the help of three boundaries and five maximums. Later, facing 32 balls, Washington Sundar registered 55 runs, laced with six boundaries and two maximums.

In the second essay of the game, with an attempt to chase the target, DC`s Pathum Nissanka scored 41 runs in 24 balls, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul played a stupendous knock of 92 runs. In his 52-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and four maximums.

David Miller smashed an unbeaten 41 runs, but fell short of taking his side home.

GT`s star spinner Rashid Khan returned with the figures of three wickets for 17 runs in four overs.

The Titans will now travel to Lucknow to lock horns with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground on April 12. On the other hand, the Capitals will clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 11 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

(With PTI Inputs)

After the match, GT`s skipper Shubman Gill was fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the game.

The win also marked Gujarat`s first victory in the ongoing edition of the cash-rich league.

"Gujarat Titans (GT) Captain Shubman Gill has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match No. 14 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi," said an IPL media advisory.

"As this was his team`s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL`s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Gill was fined INR 12 lakh," it added.

IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals: Match summary

Batting first, the Titans posted a total of 210 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Skipper Gill delivered a knock of 70 runs off 45 balls, including four boundaries and five maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler accumulated 52 runs in just 27 balls, with the help of three boundaries and five maximums. Later, facing 32 balls, Washington Sundar registered 55 runs, laced with six boundaries and two maximums.

In the second essay of the game, with an attempt to chase the target, DC`s Pathum Nissanka scored 41 runs in 24 balls, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul played a stupendous knock of 92 runs. In his 52-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and four maximums.

David Miller smashed an unbeaten 41 runs, but fell short of taking his side home.

GT`s star spinner Rashid Khan returned with the figures of three wickets for 17 runs in four overs.

The Titans will now travel to Lucknow to lock horns with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground on April 12. On the other hand, the Capitals will clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 11 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

(With PTI Inputs)

When DC`s David Miller refused to take a single on Prasidh Krishna`s second last ball, GT skipper Shubman Gill said that he thought they had a chance to secure the win.

"Definitely, all three games we played had gone till the last over but very pleased to got over the line. (When Miller didn`t take a single), I thought, we had a chance to win," he said.

This was also GT`s first win of the tournament. The side had previously suffered defeats in two matches.

On the choice of final delivery, the skipper reckoned that a bowler with the ability to bowl slower delivery was a perfect choice looking at the track.

"We decided whether to go for yorker or slower but given the wicket how it played, slower one would be difficult to hit," said Gill.

He also said that the total of 210 runs was a good score on Delhi`s pitch.

"210 on this wicket was 10-15 runs above par and if we bowl well, we can win this," said the 26-year-old cricketer.

IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals: Match summary

Batting first, the Titans posted a total of 210 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. Skipper Gill delivered a knock of 70 runs off 45 balls, including four boundaries and five maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler accumulated 52 runs in just 27 balls, with the help of three boundaries and five maximums. Later, facing 32 balls, Washington Sundar registered 55 runs, laced with six boundaries and two maximums.

In the second essay of the game, with an attempt to chase the target, DC`s Pathum Nissanka scored 41 runs in 24 balls, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul played a stupendous knock of 92 runs. In his 52-ball knock, he smashed 11 boundaries and four maximums.

David Miller smashed an unbeaten 41 runs, but fell short of taking his side home.

GT`s star spinner Rashid Khan returned with the figures of three wickets for 17 runs in four overs.

(With PTI Inputs)

At IPL 2025, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed before Bumrah came into the attack for the Mumbai Indians. One year later, the first ball the maestro delivered to the young left-hand bat was slightly off target, and a wristy whip sent it over long-on for six. Three balls later, Bumrah pulled back the length, and Sooryavanshi pounced again, on the back foot, swivelling, sending the ball into the stands over square-leg.

Jasprit Bumrah against RR on Tuesday. Pic/IPL

Sooryavanshi only made 39 (14b, 1x4, 5x6), but he still overshadowed Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 32-ball unbeaten 77 that set up a 27-run Rajasthan Royals win in a rain-shortened 11-over match. In 25 minutes at the crease, Sooryavanshi had again confirmed what his supporters insist — he’s ready for the next level.

Sooryavanshi may have chosen not to give his Class X board exams, but from a cricketing point of view, he’s like a student who keeps getting double promotions and yet finds the question paper too easy. At every level, from domestic age-group to Ranji Trophy, to India U-19 to the IPL, baby-faced Sooryavanshi has taken on grown men and come out on top.

When a player of Sooryavanshi’s talent breaks through, the temptation to fast-track is balanced by cautionary voices. Too many players before him have been thrust into the big league too early and faded away as quickly as they rose. But, equally, a generational talent — and he has had the support of some great coaches — must be challenged. There’s no point sending him back to domestic T20 cricket to beat up bowlers.

Comparisons to the one prodigy to exceed all expectations, Sachin Tendulkar, are dangerous, but unavoidable. While there will never be another Sachin, Sooryavanshi’s takedown of Bumrah reminded some of the takedown of Abdul Qadir, the great leggie, by a 16-year-old in 1989.

When the burning question of whether Tendulkar was too young to be exposed to grown men in the Pakistan bowling attack on the 1989 tour arose, the late Raj Singh Dungarpur went to Vasoo Paranjape for counsel. What would happen if the young boy were badly hit by a fast bowler and his confidence was shattered? “Yeh lagne wala player nahin, lagaane wala player hai [he’s not a player who will be hit, he’s a player who will hit it],” replied Paranjape, and all questions were laid to rest.

Sooryavanshi, with two sweet strikes off the best all-format bowler in the world, has answered the question even before it could be asked. 

The former right-handed batter, who retired in 2025 and works as a broadcaster now, Instagrammed this picture to her 8.85 lakh followers, sporting a white swimsuit. “Poda Island and its breathtaking beauty,” Krishnamurthy captioned her post.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Veda Krishnamurthy (@vedakrishnamurthy7)

Fans were quick to comment on the photograph, appreciating the cricketer’s beauty. One online follower wrote, “Awesome clicks.”

Another user commented: “Waiting for the full bikini pic.” 

For instance, Sooryavanshi could’ve been dismissed off the very first ball he faced in this IPL. In RR’s first match (March 30), Chennai Super Kings speedster Matt Henry — in the third ball of the very first over of the innings — bowled it short at Sooryavanshi, who miscued his pull shot towards deep midwicket. CSK’s Kartik Sharma ran backwards and got both hands to the ball, but couldn’t hold on, else it would’ve been a golden duck for the teenager. The ball trickled across the boundary rope, earning Sooryavanshi his first of four boundaries in a 17-ball 52-run hurricane.

Two balls later, Henry again tested Sooryavanshi with a short one. This time, the youngster swung his bat, sending the ball skyward and not where he intended, but in no man’s land at backward point.

Then, in the first ball of the next over, pacer Khaleel Ahmed beat Sooryavanshi with an inswinger, but DRS showed the ball was just going over leg stump.

Another CSK pacer, Anshul Kamboj, thereafter beat Sooryavanshi with a 134 kmph-plus scorcher in the fifth over. The teen cluelessly inside-edged this one and the ball missed leg stump before running away to the fine leg fence.

In RR’s next match against Gujarat Titans (April 4), Sooryavanshi made an 18-ball 31, but not without some good fortune again. 

In the fourth over of the innings, he drove Kagiso Rabada to Rashid Khan at mid-off and set off for a dangerous single. Had Rashid hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end, Sooryavanshi would have been out on 18.

In the very first ball of the next over, Ashok Sharma tested Sooryavanshi with a 145 kmph-plus short one and the batter went after it only to get an edge that was put down by a diving wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. Again, the ball eventually trickled over for a boundary.

11
No. of sixes smashed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi this season; more than fours scored (10)

KKR have to get their act together quickly as Lucknow Super Giants, flush from Sunday’s emphatic win in Hyderabad, come calling for a joust on Thursday. It doesn’t help that Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, who have been at the core of KKR plans over the years, were missing from the playing XI against Punjab. At the toss, Rahane had informed that Chakravarthy was out because of “injury” while Narine was “unwell.”

Narine, who had “abdominal pain,” came out to practice on Wednesday as did Chakravarthy, but it’s still unclear whether they are match fit.

Bengal pacer Mohammad Shami, who had sent back Sunrisers openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, will hunt on his ‘home’ turf this time. Rahane, Finn Allen and Cameron Green, KKR’s struggling top three, will have their jobs cut out. 

Shami’s new delivery

LSG’s spin-bowling coach Carl Crowe revealed how the 35-year-old worked on a new delivery with fast-bowling coach Bharat Arun. “The fact that in four days they learned that new skill and delivered the ball to get Abhishek out is testament to not only Bharat’s coaching but also Shami’s mindset,” Crowe gushed. 
It’s the bowling that will worry KKR the most. India bowler Navdeep Saini, a replacement for Harshit Rana, looks all set to make his KKR debut, but his last IPL match was in 2023.

“We had prepared for such possibilities [in the build-up to the season], so we are still in a positive frame of mind,” said 25-year-old pacer Kartik Tyagi.

Green may finally bowl

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green may finally be seen bowling for KKR, reports PTI. He sent down a few overs during Tuesday’s training session before it was cut short by rain.

"First ball, he hit him for a six, and I told him to just keep playing his shots," said Jaiswal, who scored a 32-ball 77 not out to lift RR to 150/3 in the 11-overs a side match that was truncated because of inclement weather. Mumbai Indians, in reply, managed 123/9 to slump to a second loss on the trot, while Rajasthan Royals climbed to the top of the table with three wins from three matches.

The Bihar left-hander, who was signed by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore during the 2025 IPL mega auction. He had shown glimpses of his prodigal talent by becoming the youngest centurion in T20 cricket and the second-fastest in IPL history with a record-breaking 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans last season. On Tuesday too, he was in beast mode from the outset, even though Bumrah operating with the new ball. Sooryavanshi, who turned 15 a day before IPL 2026 began, went on to hit two of his four sixes off the pacer in his opening over, setting the tempo early with a 14-ball 39. It made life easier for Jaiswal at the other end as their confidence soared, allowing them to target other MI bowlers like Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult who both leaked 22 runs in their respective overs.

"Of course, Bumrah bhai is one of the legends, so if he`s scoring against him, it`s amazing. It made us feel that other bowlers we can also take down," said Jaiswal, who hit 10 fours and four sixes and anchored the innings," Jaiswal said. "So it was quite good for him to go out and play his shots. That took the pressure off me, and then I could take on someone else. It was a good partnership, and we really enjoyed it." The duo put on 80 runs off just 30 balls at the top to set the tone. "It`s amazing to bat with Vaibhav. We both like to play our shots, so the way we`re playing, we just keep passing positive messages to each other. I`ve been playing for the last few years, so I just wanted to play according to the situation and give the team the best start," he said.

With two fifties in three matches, Jaiswal is now the leading run-scorer (170) and the left-hander said: "I`ve been really working hard in the nets, trying different shots. A lot depends on the wicket as well. I always try to do something with my batting and make little changes here and there." "I just try to live in the present moment and keep enjoying it. I always strive to keep improving," added the 24-year-old. "We didn"t know how this game was going to go because of the rain. We needed to adapt, as Mumbai Indians are quite an opposition."

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Chasing 211, DC openers Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul began positively, taking on the GT bowlers from the outset and applying early pressure.

Nissanka led the charge, smashing 35 runs off just 16 balls, while Rahul contributed 26 runs from 20 deliveries. Delhi Capitals will hope the opening duo can continue their momentum and guide the team towards the top of the table with a win.

With a deep batting line-up, DC will be confident of chasing down the target. The side still has Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs and an in-form Sameer Rizvi yet to come.

So far, the Gujarat Titans bowlers have struggled, conceding runs at a high rate. Ashok Sharma has been the most expensive, giving away 23 runs in his only over.

Gujarat Titans post 210 in the first innings

Earlier, Jos Buttler and skipper Shubman Gill stitched together a crucial partnership to put Gujarat Titans in a commanding position. Buttler scored a brisk 52 off 27 balls to set the tone for the innings.

Gill initially played the anchor role during his partnership with Buttler before accelerating later. The Indian opener scored 70 runs off 45 balls, leading GT to a total of 210.

Washington Sundar and Glenn Phillips provided a strong finish to the innings as Gujarat Titans eye their first win of the season.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel(c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar

After losing Sai Sudharsan early, Buttler and Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill stitched together a solid partnership to take the visitors to 68/1 at the end of the powerplay. Gujarat Titans are still searching for their first win of the season, having lost their opening two matches.

Buttler was the standout performer for GT, hammering 47 off 22 deliveries. He looked in sublime touch, taking on DC’s lead bowler Mukesh Kumar right from the outset.

Gill, on the other hand, played the anchor role, scoring 7 runs off 7 balls while supporting Buttler’s aggressive approach. With a deep batting line-up, GT will look to build on this start and push towards a big total as they aim for their first win of the season.

After losing the toss, GT were put in to bat first, though skipper Shubman Gill revealed that he would have chosen to bat anyway. Returning from a back injury, Gill expressed confidence in guiding his team to their first victory.

“We were going to bat first anyway. Hopefully, if the weather stays like this, there’ll be no dew in the second innings. It’s all about assessing the conditions in the first couple of overs. I think we’ve been having some good opening partnerships with Sai and me,” Gill said after the toss.

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel will be hoping his side can pull things back and restrict GT to a manageable total. DC have won both their matches so far and will be aiming to continue their strong start to the season.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Ashok Sharma

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul(w), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel(c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar