Mumbai Indians pacer Deepak Chahar’s sister Malti delighted her 2.1 million Instagram followers with her latest post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Malti Chahar (@maltichahar) The model and actress posted a series of pictures, donning a silky dress, captioning the post with a handmade heart emoji. Fans were quick to laud her style, with one social media user saying: “Damn! You look stunning,” while another replied: “You’re looking gorgeous!” Malti was also among the finalists of blockbuster reality show Bigg Boss this season.
17 April,2026 10:26 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentEmphasising the need to give all players adequate opportunities ahead of the T20 World Cup, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Thursday said her side is confident and keen to make the most of the five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting here on Friday. Harmanpreet also said that her side is brimming with confidence following their ODI World Cup triumph. India recently registered T20I series wins over Australia and Sri Lanka. The skipper stressed that the matches against South Africa would offer a valuable opportunity to fine-tune combinations and build momentum ahead of the global event to be held in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5. "We want to take this opportunity very seriously and play our best cricket here. It's a great chance for us to come together and prepare well before the World Cup," Harmanpreet said at the pre-series press conference. India feature in Group A alongside Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and the The Netherlands. Harmanpreet underlined that giving opportunities to all players in the five-match series would be a priority. "These matches are important to ensure all players get equal opportunities so that we are fully ready as a unit going into the World Cup. At the same time, we are here to win," she noted. "After the ODI World Cup, the team is quite confident. Wherever we are going, we are going with full confidence. The team is in good shape and this series is very important for us before the World Cup." On the opposition, Harmanpreet described South Africa as a "balanced side" with strong all-round options, noting their consistency in reaching the latter stages of ICC events. "They have very good players and quality all-rounders, which is very important in T20 cricket. They have been playing competitive cricket over the last few years and reaching finals regularly," she said. "Playing against a strong team like South Africa always gives you confidence if you do well. That's why we wanted to face them before the World Cup." Speaking about conditions in Durban, Harmanpreet said the team had a productive training session and found the weather comparable to Indian conditions, though pitches would pose a different challenge. "The weather is quite similar to India. The only difference is the pitch, but we are getting used to it and hopefully will give our best," she said. Harmanpreet also expressed excitement about young all-rounder Anushka Sharma, who has impressed in domestic cricket and the Women's Premier League. The 22-year-old is an off-spin bowling all-rounder. "She is a great talent and has done well whenever she has got the opportunity. Bringing her here is about giving her exposure and experience before the World Cup," she said. Reflecting on recent mixed results across formats, Harmanpreet said the team remains focused on the bigger picture. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it's important to focus on what lies ahead. Our main target is the T20 World Cup, and we want to play good cricket leading into it to regain full confidence," she said. On team combinations, she indicated that selections have been guided by South African conditions, particularly the need for multiple pace options, while maintaining faith in the spin attack led by experienced players like Deepti Sharma. She also confirmed that the team management has backed continuity in the wicket-keeping department, while keeping options open based on fitness and domestic performances. 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
17 April,2026 10:19 AM IST | Durban | PTIMumbai’s cricketers have welcomed the Mumbai Cricket Association’s move to award annual contracts to players. On Thursday, the MCA announced that for the 2026-27 season they will issue contracts to all its players, except those who have represented India ‘A’ and are part of the IPL. The contracts will be awarded based on performances over the last two seasons, fitness benchmarks, and recommendations of the selection committee. The MCA’s Apex Council has passed a proposal, under which players will be categorised into three grades. Grade A players will receive Rs 12,00,000 to Rs 20,00,000 per annum, Grade B players will earn Rs 8,00,000 to R1s 2,00,000 per annum, and Grade C players will get R8,00,000 per annum. “This will definitely benefit players because everyone needs financial assistance. Being on the contracted list will also motivate them more as they will feel financially secure. In today’s world, financial security is very important. This initiative is just remarkable,” Mumbai’s spin-bowling all-rounder Shams Mulani told mid-day on Thursday. Mulani’s Mumbai Ranji Trophy teammate, wicketkeeper-batsman Hardik Tamore, reckoned this initiative will help cricketers, as many don’t have jobs. “This is a wonderful initiative by MCA because many of us cricketers don’t have jobs. These contracts will give players financial independence which will allow them to focus more on their cricket and play freely,” Tamore told mid-day.
17 April,2026 10:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureSouth African opener Quinton de Kock’s scored a dominant 60-ball 112 not out as Mumbai Indians (MI) posted 195-6 against Punjab Kings in their allotted 20 overs at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Put into bat, MI suffered two big losses in the third over itself — Ryan Rickelton (2) and one-drop Suryakumar Yadav (0) — with the score reading 12-2, but De Kock came to the rescue, smashing eight fours and seven sixes during his unbeaten prolific innings. MI finished the first 10 overs on 97-2. Playing his first match of the season, De Kock, who replaced Rohit Sharma (hamstring injury), proved his mettle by reaching his half-century off just 28 balls. He first targeted Punjab leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (0-45), smashing him for a six and four in his first over. Punjab medium pacer Shashank Singh (1-19) got hammered for two successive sixes in the 16th over as De Kock reached his third IPL century in just 53 balls. Excellent footwork, early judgment of the line and length and perfect placement in the gaps were some of the highlights of the South African’s innings.No. 4 Naman Dhir (31-ball 50, 3x4, 3x6) offered good support as the duo stitched a 68-ball 122 run third-wicket stand. 112*No. of runs scored by Quinton de Kock on Thursday — the second-highest individual score for Mumbai Indians
17 April,2026 10:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureAjinkya Rahane is feeling the heat as summer approaches full ferocity. To add insult to injury, Rahane was fined R12 lakh after Kolkata Knight Riders failed to bowl their overs in time in their 32-run loss against Chennai Super Kings. KKR have yet to register a win after five attempts, and it was only rain that spared them the ignominy of a perfect record of losses. Against the Punjab Kings, at the Eden Gardens, with rain forecast, they inexplicably chose to bat first when the weather saved them the blushes. Rahane has been uncharacteristically tetchy all season. When asked why KKR’s Rs 25.2-crore signing — the most expensive foreign player in the IPL — was not bowling, Rahane snapped: “That question you need to ask Cricket Australia.” The response was swift, with CA clarifying that KKR were well aware that Green was not yet at full bowling fitness. Then, almost unprompted, Rahane fired a salvo. “I’ve had one of the best strike-rates since 2011. The people who’re talking about me, probably [they’re] not watching the matches, or they’ve certain other targets, they don’t like me playing. The amount of success I got, I guess they’re jealous of me.” Rahane has an excellent strike-rate in the Powerplay, but this falls off sharply in the middle overs, and to suggest anyone is jealous of a captain who has steered his team to the bottom of the points table is questionable. What is less of a debate is that the presence of Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi in the top four is not working. Neither batsman figures in the top 25 when it comes to strike-rates. It’s true that KKR have genuine reasons to be struggling. Their bowling attack was kneecapped before the tournament began. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were both injured, Mustafizur Rahman was pulled out for non-cricket reasons, and Matheesha Pathirana missed the first five matches through a delayed fitness test and related No Objection Certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket. Yet Rahane has not looked himself, as a leader, all tournament. In the Ranji Trophy and on the occasion when he has led India in Test cricket, Rahane has proven to be a terrific leader. His marshalling of resources, nimble changes of field, juggling of bowlers, and man management have all shown him in a good light. But, while time is on your side in red-ball cricket, and the mandate is crystal clear, even for a stand-in captain, leading a team in the IPL is a different beast. The responsibility of answering to team owners [and fans] and the influence of coaches begs the question: whose team is this? At the moment, it does not appear to be Rahane’s, but a win against the Gujarat Titans may change that. FiveNo. of matches KKR have won under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy since 2025; they have lost 11, while three games were washed out 139.50Ajinkya Rahane’s strike-rate in the IPL since 2024; the opener has scored 784 runs off 562 balls in 31 matches
17 April,2026 09:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Anand VasuJosh Hazlewood’s much-anticipated first game of the season for reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru didn’t go to plan as the Australian pacer was taken to the cleaners by Rajasthan Royals’s 15-year-old wunderkind, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Hazlewood nicked off Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first over but Sooryavanshi hammered him for three fours and a six off successive deliveries to headline Rajasthan’s six-wicket victory a week back. On Wednesday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Hazlewood was back at his metronomic best, challenging Lucknow Super Giants’s top order and potentially putting Rishabh Pant out of action for a little while. Jitesh Sharma Such was Hazlewood’s control and threat quotient on a tacky surface that Rajat Patidar used three of the 35-year-old’s overs up front. And even though Hazlewood took only one wicket, figures of 1-20 — and a blow to Pant’s left elbow that forced the LSG skipper to temporarily retire hurt and prevented him from keeping wickets — were enough to bag the Player of the Match award after his team’s five-wicket romp, its fourth win in five games. “I felt much better today, in good shape,” acknowledged Hazlewood, who had gone for 44 against Rajasthan. “It was a slow wicket, I just had to whack that length. The plan is hopefully to keep playing. The schedule is pretty good from here on, so I should be okay to keep playing.” RCB’s wicket-taking heroes were Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-27) and Rasikh Salam (4-24) but clearly, the tone was set by Hazlewood, whose 22 wickets were hugely influential in last season’s title run. “He is looking more sharp,” remarked Jitesh Sharma, the RCB wicket-keeper and vice-captain, of the bowling spearhead’s return to action after five months on the sidelines recovering from persistent Achilles and hamstring injuries. “His body has got rest. He has become fitter, and he is very confident about his body now. He is a more improved player than last year. It was a slow track, but he bowled quick.” FiveConsecutive matches won by RCB in Bengaluru since 2025
17 April,2026 09:51 AM IST | Bengaluru | R KaushikWith back-to-back triumphs in away games, Gujarat Titans will look to continue their winning run and register their first home victory this season when they meet bottom-of-the-table side Kolkata Knight Riders, who have suffered four defeats besides a washout in their five matches this far. The Titans aren’t in the best position themselves, currently lying sixth in the 10-team table, with a net run-rate of -0.029 after four games. However, GT’s gun fielder Glenn Phillips reckons it’s too early to focus on net run-rate, especially with five teams bunched on four points each. “No, not at this point in time,” Phillips said in reply to a question by mid-day on whether the team management have discussed the need to improve their net run rate. “Usually, if you win more games than other teams, your net run-rate takes care of itself, which is good. So at this stage, it’s probably more about winning games than chasing the net run-rate,” the Kiwi batter said at the match-eve press conference here on Thursday. 3-1Titans’s win-loss record against Knight Riders
17 April,2026 09:48 AM IST | Ahmedabad | Sunil K VaidyaPunjab Kings dominated the Mumbai Indians and won by 7 wickets to move to the top of the table in the IPL. PBKS are still the only unbeaten side in the IPL this season. 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.
16 April,2026 11:25 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Punjab Kings (PBKS) got off to a solid start, scoring 61 runs for the loss of two wickets at the end of the powerplay while chasing the Mumbai Indians’ total of 195. The visitors lost the wicket of Priyansh Arya early but have since settled well into the chase. 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
16 April,2026 10:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Indians got off to a slow start, managing just 48 runs at the end of the powerplay. The hosts, who have lost their last three matches, are aiming to bounce back against the only unbeaten side this season, Punjab Kings. 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
16 April,2026 08:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPunjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first against Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. 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
16 April,2026 07:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
