Rajasthan Royals thrashed Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets to start off their IPL 2026 campaign with a win. The Royals put on a clinical display to leave CSK reeling after the first match of the season.Speaking after the defeat, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said that RR's brilliant bowling restricted CSK's top order. He further added that CSK were around 30-40 runs short at the end of the first season.Ruturaj Gaikwad said," I felt the conditions at the start were really tough, especially when facing Jofra and Burger. They bowled brilliant lengths, and even after that, to a medium-pacer, it was slightly tough. You could see even the spinners were getting some assistance as well. Yes, we would have been better in batting, we would have taken the game deep, showed some batsmanship, maybe take the game till 150-160."The CSK captain also added that despite losing the toss, his team should have played positive cricket. Gaikwad hoped that the team's batting will come back strongly in the next league games. "Today it didn't work, but we can be better in batsmanship. You just have to be positive, especially when you're batting first. If conditions are good, you never know, the same batting line-up can put a good score," he added. Riyan Parag delighted with a win in his first match as RR's full-time captain Winning captain Riyan Parag was delighted with the win and praised his players for the outstanding performance. Parag heaped praise on his openers, who took the game away from CSK in the powerplay. He also mentioned the impact of Ravindra Jadeja in this Rajasthan Royals team."I got lucky with the toss. We knew that the moisture was going to play a part. Everyone executed their plans. A lot of prep has gone into it. The goal this year to win the trophy. We want to be a team that wants to play smart cricket. Brijesh, what he did was insane. What I tell him (Vaibhav) is he's going to play 14 games. He goes and does something like that. Really happy to have him in my team. Dhruv comes in at three, Hettie at five. Hopefully, we win with this batting line-up."Riyan Parag said.
30 March,2026 11:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRajasthan Royals started off their IPL campaign with a statement win against the Chennai Super Kings. The Royals chased down CSK's total of 128 runs with 8 wickets in hand and with 7 overs to spare.Rajasthan Royals' young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself to the world stage again as he smashed 52 off 17 balls against Chennai Super Kings. The young southpaw looked at his attacking best, hitting four boundaries and five sixes in his innings. Sooryavanshi was dropped early on in the innings and made full advantage of his lifeline. Rajasthan Royals openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on a show as RR put CSK to the sword. Chasing a modest total of 128, RR raced to 73 runs at the end of the powerplay.Sooryavanshi was the star of the show, scoring a quick-fire fifty. The young prodigy departed soon after a fantastic catch by Sarfaraz Khan, but the damage was already done.Jaiswal played the role of the anchor, scoring 38 runs in 36 balls. The star Indian player looked back to his best after a low-scoring IPL last season by his lofty standards. Rajasthan Royals ended with 74 runs at the end of the powerplay, chasing CSK's total of 128. CSK scored just 127 in their first innings Having put into bat, CSK wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson scored six runs in seven balls. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was also dismissed on six runs. CSK were pegged back early in the power play.Ayush Mhatre lost his wicket on the very first ball he faced. Mat Short's innings of seven balls also ended with just two runs. Impact Player Sarfaraz Khan managed to score 17 runs off 12 deliveries, laced with two boundaries and a maximum.Jamie Overton played a fighting knock as he smashed 43 runs in 36 balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums. Rajasthan Royals' star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets by conceding 18 runs in three overs. Along with him, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger also bagged two wickets each.Ravindra Jadeja was swapped by CSK for Sanju Samson. Jadeja shone with the ball, showing his class against his former team.
30 March,2026 10:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRajasthan Royals openers Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal put on a show as RR put CSK to the sword. Chasing a modest total of 128, RR raced to 73 runs at the end of the powerplay.Sooryavanshi was the star of the show, scoring 52 runs of 16 balls at the end of the powerplay. His knock included four boundaries and five sixes. Sooryavanshi became the youngest player in IPL history to score a century against GT in the last season. The 15-year-old has continued his form into the new IPL season.Meanwhile, Jaiswal, on the other hand, looked back to his best too. The southpaw played the role of the anchor, scoring 17 runs in 20 balls. Rajasthan Royals ended with 74 runs at the end of the powerplay, chasing CSK's modest total of 128. Having put to bat first, Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson scored six runs in seven balls, including a boundary. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was also dismissed on six runs. His innings ended in 11 balls, which also included a boundaryAyush Mhatre lost his wicket on the very first ball he faced. Mat Short's innings of seven balls also ended with just two runs. Impact Player Sarfaraz Khan managed to score 17 runs off 12 deliveries, laced with two boundaries and a maximum. Kartik Sharma garnered 18 runs after facing 15 balls, including a boundaryJamie Overton played a fighting knock as he smashed 43 runs in 36 balls, with the help of two boundaries and the same number of maximums. Rajasthan Royals' star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets by conceding 18 runs in three overs. Along with him, Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger also bagged two wickets each. Playing XI for both teams: Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma.Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Kahleel Ahmed.
30 March,2026 10:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2026 match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have reached the total of 70 runs for the loss of six wickets after the completion of 10 overs. Having opted to bowl first, Rajasthan's pacer Nandre Burger wreaked havoc by registering two quick wickets. He conceded 14 runs in two overs. Chennai's wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson was bowled out for six runs. His innings of seven balls included a boundary. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad also returned to the pavilion on six runs, which he scored in 11 balls with the help of a boundary. Youngster Ayush Mhatre was dismissed on a one-ball duck. Matt Short and Impact Player Sarfaraz Khan departed on two and 17 runs, respectively. Short's innings included seven balls, whereas Sarfaraz faced 12 balls, and smashed two boundaries and a maximum. Kartik Sharma was dismissed on 18 runs in 15 balls, which also included a boundary. Shivam Dube also lost his wicket for six runs in four balls. He also smashed a boundary during his knock. Jamie Overton and Noor Ahmad are unbeaten at the crease. Along with Burger, Ravindra Jadeja bagged two wickets by giving away 14 runs in two overs. Star pacer Jofra Archer returned with the figures of one wicket for 11 runs in two overs. Sandeep Sharma also chipped in with one wicket by giving away five runs in one over. Brijesh Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi continue the hunt for their first scalp. Earlier, after winning the toss, RR captain Riyan Parag said, "We're bowling first. There's been a lot of rain here actually. So even though it is a red soil wicket, it's going to be a little moisture. So we want to try and extract that in the first few overs and then see how we go back into the game. (On leading RR) It feels nice. It feels very overwhelming. I've been with this franchise for eight years now. And then seeing the transition that has happened from me being a 17-year-old to being here as captain, I feel the support has been incredible. All my peers have been really supportive and very helping towards me. So hopefully a good campaign for us. I think the goal is to win the championship. With the trades and the auction, I think what we've tried to do is have a lot of smart cricketers, a lot of all-rounders and people who have different skills, so that when we get conditions like this or a flat wicket in Mumbai or a green top in Kolkata, we can adapt and play accordingly. So that's the plan. Our four overseas are Nandre, Jofra, Donovan and Shimron Hetmyer". On the other hand, CSK skipper, Gaikwad, said, "It was a no-brainer to bowl first. Nevertheless, we'd like to start positively. You saw how the last year went for us. We went to the auction with some strategy. Let's hope that they go really well. Our overseas players are Short, Overton, Noor and Matt Henry". IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Confirmed Playing XI Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma. Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Kahleel Ahmed.
30 March,2026 08:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe IPL 2026 match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is underway at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. RR's newly appointed skipper Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bowl first. With the commencement of the match, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will line up against his former team, CSK. During the match, the left-handed batsman will be eyeing a new feat in his career. He is just 15 runs shy of completing 4000 runs in T20 cricket. If he manages to score the required runs, he will then complete a unique double which is currently held by only Hardik Pandya among Indian cricketers. So far in 346 T20s, Jadeja has garnered 3985 runs with an average of 26.39 and a strike rate of over 130. He also has 235 wickets with an average of 30.85. Currently, only Hardik has managed to complete a unique double of 4000 runs and 200 wickets in T20s. The premier all-rounder has scored 6156 runs in 329 matches and has also claimed 227 wickets with the ball. Coming to the match, after winning the toss, newly-appointed RR skipper Parag said, "We're bowling first. There's been a lot of rain here actually. So even though it is a red soil wicket, it's going to be a little moisture. So we want to try and extract that in the first few overs and then see how we go back into the game. (On leading RR) It feels nice. It feels very overwhelming. I've been with this franchise for eight years now. And then seeing the transition that has happened from me being a 17-year-old to being here as captain, I feel the support has been incredible. All my peers have been really supportive and very helping towards me. So hopefully a good campaign for us. I think the goal is to win the championship. With the trades and the auction, I think what we've tried to do is have a lot of smart cricketers, a lot of all-rounders and people who have different skills, so that when we get conditions like this or a flat wicket in Mumbai or a green top in Kolkata, we can adapt and play accordingly. So that's the plan. Our four overseas are Nandre, Jofra, Donovan and Shimron Hetmyer". On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings' captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, said, "It was a no-brainer to bowl first. Nevertheless, we'd like to start positively. You saw how the last year went for us. We went to the auction with some strategy. Let's hope that they go really well. Our overseas players are Short, Overton, Noor and Matt Henry". IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Confirmed Playing XI Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma. Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Kahleel Ahmed. (With ANI Inputs)
30 March,2026 08:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the IPL 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag has won the toss and elected to bowl at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. After winning the toss, newly-appointed RR skipper Parag said, "We're bowling first. There's been a lot of rain here actually. So even though it is a red soil wicket, it's going to be a little moisture. So we want to try and extract that in the first few overs and then see how we go back into the game. (On leading RR) It feels nice. It feels very overwhelming. I've been with this franchise for eight years now. And then seeing the transition that has happened from me being a 17-year-old to being here as captain, I feel the support has been incredible. All my peers have been really supportive and very helping towards me. So hopefully a good campaign for us. I think the goal is to win the championship. With the trades and the auction, I think what we've tried to do is have a lot of smart cricketers, a lot of all-rounders and people who have different skills, so that when we get conditions like this or a flat wicket in Mumbai or a green top in Kolkata, we can adapt and play accordingly. So that's the plan. Our four overseas are Nandre, Jofra, Donovan and Shimron Hetmyer". On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings' captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, said, "It was a no-brainer to bowl first. Nevertheless, we'd like to start positively. You saw how the last year went for us. We went to the auction with some strategy. Let's hope that they go really well. Our overseas players are Short, Overton, Noor and Matt Henry". Ahead of the match, it will be interesting to see Sanju Samson and Ravindra Jadeja play against their former teams. Samson, who used to play for RR earlier, will now represent Chennai, whereas star all-rounder Jadeja will line up for Rajasthan. IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings: Confirmed Playing XI Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma. Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Kahleel Ahmed.
30 March,2026 07:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was disappointed by Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy against the Mumbai Indians. Harbhajan believed that Rahane should have used Sunil Narine early in the innings against Rohit Sharma, given his good record against the MI opener.KKR bowlers took a thrashing on Wankhede Stadium as MI chased down 221 runs comfortably. Rohit Sharma starred with 78 runs off 38 balls, along with his opening partner, Rickleton, who scored 81 off 43 balls. The opening pair scored 148 runs in 72 balls to set the platform for a comfortable chase for the hosts. Speaking about KKR's approach towards defending their total, Harbhajan Singh showed his disappointment over the use of Sunil Narine. Narine was brought into the attack after the power play when Rohit and Rickleton were both set."The best match-up was to bowl Sunil Narine in the powerplay, at least one or two overs to target Rohit Sharma early. That was their best chance to pick wickets and put Mumbai under pressure. Instead, Narine didn't even complete his full quota, which shows the captaincy wasn't up to the mark. Credit to Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton. They batted with ease and never let the bowlers settle, but KKR could have handled that phase much better," Harbhajan told JioStar. Harbhajan and Irfan Pathan heap praise on Shardul Thakur Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan heaped praise on Shardul Thakur, who took three wickets in the first innings. The duo praised Shardul's wholeheartedness and confidence while bowling difficult overs."He's not a bowler who gets intimidated, even when batters are attacking. He keeps coming at you. What stands out is how he uses his variations," Pathan said."Every time he starts his run-up, he's already changing his grip, whether it's for a slower ball, cross-seam, or even a scrambled seam delivery. He's always trying to make something happen." Pathan added.Irfan Pathan further added that Shardul constantly experiments with his bowling and is reaping the rewards now."He invites batters to go for big shots and thrives on that. He doesn't have express pace or big swing, but he's constantly experimenting with different lengths and speeds, and that's why he keeps picking up wickets," Pathan concluded. (With PTI Input)
30 March,2026 06:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe IPL 2026 is set to witness another highly volatile match between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Monday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of the match, RR's rising star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi spoke about his goals for the team. He said that in the previous season, he wanted to deliver a good start and play long innings. "When I was picked, my only goal was to give the team a good start. I wanted to play my game in the Powerplay, and if I got a good start, I wanted to continue and play long without giving my wicket away," he told JioStar. For IPL 2026, the left-handed batsman said that he is aiming to clinch the title for the Rajasthan-based franchise. "I knew that if I played my shots, the scenario of the game would change, because chasing 200-plus runs would not be easy for any team. This season, the goal is to win the trophy for the team. My performances and the team's performances will automatically get highlighted if we win the trophy, and that is the most important thing," said Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old cricketer then revealed his two icons that he admired most while growing up. "I saw both, Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh, finish matches single-handedly. If they were in, there was no chance for the opponent to come back into the game, and that was something I really liked about them. I made a lot of runs in domestic cricket for Bihar, in league games and probables," he said. IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals: 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. Rajasthan Royals: Ravindra Jadeja, Sandeep Sharma, Adam Milne, Donovan Ferreira (WK), Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, Tushar Deshpande, Sam Curran, Nandre Burger, Riyan Parag (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Sen, Ravi Bishnoi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sushant Mishra, Yudhvir Singh, Shubham Dubey, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao, Kwena Maphaka, Yash Punja, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Singh (WK), Brijesh Sharma. (With PTI Inputs)
30 March,2026 05:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAfter two intense clashes, IPL 2026 is set for another high-voltage encounter, as Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Monday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of the contest, the Royals will be high on confidence, with newly appointed skipper Riyan Parag leading from the front alongside explosive hitters Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Shimron Hetmyer, adding firepower to their batting. On the other hand, the Super Kings will enter the clash on the back of multiple injuries. Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni will not participate in the initial phase of the tournament as he is recovering from a calf strain. Adding to CSK's woes, stylish batsman Dewald Brevis will also miss the first clash due to side strain. With the absence of two important players, CSK has found itself in deep trouble. The side will heavily rely on their skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, new addition Sanju Samson, and Sarfaraz Khan. It will also be interesting to see if the players from both sides manage to deliver big performances against their former teams. Samson, who earlier led RR in the league, will now take the field, donning the yellow jersey. Additionally, considering the absence of Dhoni, he will likely take over the wicket-keeping duties. In Rajasthan's dugout, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will line up against his former team, Chennai. IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals: 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. Rajasthan Royals: Ravindra Jadeja, Sandeep Sharma, Adam Milne, Donovan Ferreira (WK), Jofra Archer, Shimron Hetmyer, Tushar Deshpande, Sam Curran, Nandre Burger, Riyan Parag (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Sen, Ravi Bishnoi, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Sushant Mishra, Yudhvir Singh, Shubham Dubey, Vignesh Puthur, Aman Rao, Kwena Maphaka, Yash Punja, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ravi Singh (WK), Brijesh Sharma.
30 March,2026 04:07 PM IST | Mumbai | Sujay ShivalkarIn the IPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians (MI), the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a loss by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. During the match, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane played a stunning knock of 67 runs off 40 deliveries, which was laced with three boundaries and five maximums. Speaking about his knock, the right-handed batsman expressed happiness with the kind of cricket he is playing and said that he is not here to prove anything to the naysayers. "Let people talk about me. They have been talking about me since like what, 20 years now. Let them talk. I am really happy with the way I am batting at the moment. I am not here to show anyone how talented I am and what's my game. People are watching. Let them watch. Let them talk," he said. "But I am really happy, in the last 2-3 years, (in the) white ball formats (with) the way I have improved my game. It's important to grow as a cricketer, as a batsman, and that's what I am trying to do. People will keep talking and let them talk," added Rahane. He then spoke about the cramps that he suffered during the game. "I was just cramping. It's a very bad feeling to sit outside with the cramps and you don't have any control when the bowlers were bowling, it's a bad feeling but first I'm really happy the way I batted," said the skipper. Following the cramps, he was forced to leave the field, and in his absence, Rinku Singh took over the leadership for the match. Mumbai Indians' Shardul Thakur was named the "Player of the Match". Having completed his quota of four overs, he claimed three wickets by conceding 39 runs. IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians' upcoming matches KKR will now lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 2 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. On the other hand, the "Paltan" will travel to Delhi to play the clash against the Delhi Capitals on April 4 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. (With PTI Inputs)
30 March,2026 02:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentKolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Captain Ajinkya Rahane addressed a question regarding Cameron Green after the all-rounder did not bowl in the match against the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Sunday. Notably, KKR lost by six wickets despite scoring 220/4. During the post-match presentation, when asked why Green didn't bowl, Rahane responded that the question should be asked to Cricket Australia. "That question you need to ask Cricket Australia," Ajinkya Rahane said. Green, who was signed by KKR for a record Rs 25.20 crore, contributed a quick 18 off 10 balls with the bat, but didn't deliver any overs. Rahane said it was a tough match for KKR's inexperienced bowling attack and also praised his own batting. He also highlighted Kartik Tyagi's performance with the ball. Rahane expressed hope that Green bowls will soon improve team balance, calling the game a learning experience with many positives. "It was really tough [for bowlers]. Inexperienced bowling attack, but these boys will learn. Strong batting lineup. So it's a learning curve. I thought MI batted well. So our bowlers will definitely learn. Really happy with the way I am batting in the moment. Hopefully Green starts to bowl soon and the combination will be slightly different. We batted really well but finding that balance with the ball is really important. We batted well and I thought Kartik Tyagi bowled well. Played after a while but he was really good. Lot of positives and long way to go," Rahane said. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, said the team was happy to finally win their season opener for the first time since the 2012 edition and credited the bowlers for keeping the target manageable, noting that while very high scores are tough to chase, 220 runs is achievable. "Obviously it's been a long wait [to win the season opener]. Everytime we've come we wanted to start the season on a high. The whole group is very glad we were able to do it. [On chasing big totals now] Modern cricket, plus we've seen what this wicket plays like. Credit to the bowlers, not letting KKR fly away to 240s or 250s. Those become tough targets but 220 is always chaseable," Pandya said during the post-match presentation. Pandya praised Rohit and Rickelton for their exceptional batting and also lauded Shardul Thakur's smart bowling. Pandya jokingly said that he told Thakur to stay with the franchise for the rest of his career. "Rohit and Rickelton were outstanding. Whenever I see Ro (Rohit) play some shots, it opens everyone's mouth. Nothing short of excellent, nothing short of outstanding. [On Thakur] I told him, enough hopping franchises. You have to be here for the rest of your career. The way he outsmarts batters, the way he bowls, brilliant," Pandya said. Coming to the match, Mumbai chased down a formidable target of 221 to defeat KKR in the second match of IPL 2026. The chase required something special, and Mumbai's openers delivered exactly that. Rohit Sharma (78 runs off 38 balls), along with Rickelton (81 runs off 41 balls), played a fantastic knock as they registered their biggest run-chase in IPL history and also won their first season-opener since the 2012 edition of the IPL. Kartik Tyagi (1/43 in 4 overs), Sunil Narine (1/30 in 3 overs) and Vaibhav Arora (1/52 in 4 overs) were the only wicket-takers for KKR. Earlier, KKR delivered a good batting performance against MI after being asked to bat first, posting a formidable total of 220/4 Led by a scintillating half-century from captain Ajinkya Rahane (67 off 40 deliveries, including three fours and five towering sixes) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51 off 29 balls, with six fours and two sixes). Apart from them, crucial contributions from Finn Allen (17-ball 37, including six fours and two sixes) and Rinku Singh, who stayed unbeaten on 33 off 21 balls, with four fours, helped KKR set up a challenging target despite a three-wicket haul by speedster Shardul Thakur. 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
30 March,2026 01:22 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIADVERTISEMENT
