Author: Naman Suri

Traditional slow starters, Mumbai Indians (MI) have lived up to their reputation after losing their first two games of this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL). In fact, their last opening-day win dates all the way back to 2012 —a dreadful record to maintain. To make matters worse, captain Hardik Pandya was fined ₹12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate against Gujarat Titans (GT), having already served a suspension in the first match due to the same offence in IPL 2024. Now, they have already started their season on the wrong foot, and with their ace bowler Jasprit Bumrahout due to…

Rajasthan Royals finally got their campaign up and running in this season’s Indian Premier League, but their victory came at the expense of countless broken hearts in yellow. While Wanindu Hasaranga and Nitish Rana starred on the scoresheet, the real party-crashers were Sandeep Sharma and Shimron Hetmyer. Their late-game heroics ensured that CSK fans in Guwahati were denied the fairytale finish they had all hoped for — one more match-winning moment from their beloved Thala. Nevertheless, RR clinched victory by the barest of margins, winning by just six runs. Hasaranga claimed a four-fer, while Rana smashed a blazing half-century. The…

Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings ACA Stadium, Guwahati at 7.30 pm What to expect Guwahati hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the home team, Rajasthan Royals, who have won just one and lost three of the five games played here. Both teams are currently struggling to settle their batting orders, meaning they will be back to the drawing board once again. Conditions might not be ideal for batting, with the ball expected to turn and hold a bit, as seen in the previous match. Run-scoring could continue to be difficult. Additionally, Chennai Super Kings, after a long flight…

Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad at 7.30 pm What to expect Two formidable batting line-ups, both capable of breaching the 200-run mark, provided Ahmedabad serves up another belter. With both teams coming off defeats in their opening fixtures, they will be desperate to get their campaign back on track. Additionally, former title-winning captain Hardik Pandya will return in Mumbai colours for his first game of the 2025 IPL season. Once a hero for GT fans, he was met with boos when he travelled to Ahmedabad last season. His presence might just be the missing piece for…

Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad at 7.30 pm What to expect Uncapped players have taken this tournament by surprise, and we can expect nothing less than another high-octane encounter in Ahmedabad. It will be a contest between Gujarat Titans’ specialists and Punjab Kings’ all-rounders. With Shreyas Iyer, a title-winning captain with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last season, at the helm and a revamped squad, Punjab Kings (PBKS) might come into this game—and the tournament—believing that this is their season. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans(GT), led by Shubman Gill, who struggled for consistency last season, will look to set…

Another night, another uncapped player steals the show. This time, it was the impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma, whose late blitz ensured Delhi Capitals clinched victory with just one wicket in hand. His unbeaten 66 off 31 balls helped his side edge Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Vizag. Playing on a batting paradise, a high-scoring encounter was always on the cards. Keeping the dew factor in mind, DC’s newly appointed captain, Axar Patel, opted to bowl first. There was also the factor of a depleted LSG bowling line-up, which lacked firepower and a leader to spearhead the unit.…

Delhi Capital vs Lucknow Super Giants ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam at 7.30 pm What to expect Another run-fest as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant take on their old franchises? Last time an IPL game took place in Visakhapatnam, Kolkata Knight Riders scored a mammoth 272 runs. Additionally, across T20s played at this venue, the average run rate is more than 9, the third highest among all Indian venues. In the two IPL games played here, the team batting first has always come out victorious. And with LSG’s pace attack impacted by injuries, DC’s batters might just fancy a big score.…

On a day the dais was graced by Shah Rukh Khan, Disha Patani, Karan Aujla, and Shreya Ghoshal, it was Rajat Patidar and his troops who set the stage alight with a dazzling seven-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, led by a swashbuckling charge from their openers, chased down KKR’s moderate total of 174 with 22 balls to spare. In the powerplay, with nothing but dew gripping the surface, Phil Salt and ‘Chase Master’ Virat Kohli took the KKR bowlers to the cleaners, racking up 80 runs in six overs without losing a wicket. This…

KKR v RCB Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata Time: 7:30 pm Probable XIs With rain washing out training sessions on the eve of the match for both teams, selections might get even more intriguing. Kolkata Knight Riders – Anrich Nortje might be edged out by Spencer Johnson for the left-arm angle and the variety he brings, along with a better fitness record. XI- Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane ©, Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy Impact Sub – Vaibhav Arora Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Josh Hazlewood coming through…

One of the most successful franchises in IPL history, Mumbai Indians (MI) haven’t lifted the trophy in five years. As they head into another season, the franchise will be hoping their men can replicate the form of their women’s team, which won their second Women’s Premier League title this season. Before the mega auction, MI retained five key Indian players: captain Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav (SKY), and Tilak Varma. They also brought in 18 new recruits to bolster their squad. However, despite boasting four T20 World Cup winners in their core lineup, MI have failed to…