Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

In Lucknow, the partnership between Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow appeared unstoppable. At that moment, it seemed like Punjab Kings would secure victory over Lucknow Super Giants. However, fate had a different outcome in store. The turning point came in the 12th over when young pacer Mayank Yadav took the ball and delivered an exceptional spell, completely shifting the momentum in his team’s favour. He also exposed the vulnerabilities of PBKS’ middle order once more. Despite the promising start provided by the openers, PBKS faltered in their run chase, with the middle-order batters failing to deliver. While they may attribute…

On a pitch that offered plenty of assistance for the fast bowlers, where pacers from both teams dominated proceedings by taking a combined total of 10 wickets, you wouldn’t have wanted to bowl if you were a spinner, especially considering the short boundaries at the Wankhede Stadium. That’s where Yuzvendra Chahal stood out. He was the only spinner from both teams to take wickets. Such has been the impact of Chahal with the white ball in T20 cricket. Even if it’s a graveyard for spinners, he will find a way to create magic moments for his team. When Chahal was…

Probably for the first time in the history of the IPL, a toss presenter asked the crowd to ‘behave’ when they welcomed the home team captain with a chorus of boos. The fans who were booing Hardik Pandya turned quiet by the end of the game as Rajasthan Royals firstly dominated the proceedings with the ball, restricting Mumbai Indians to below 130. The impressive performance of RR’s new ball bowlers, showcasing both swing and seam bowling skills, along with the craftiness of Yuzvendra Chahal, left the five-time champions looking like newbies on their home turf. Subsequently, RR chased down the…

Seldom do we witness a pre-game discourse where the focus isn’t solely on the match itself, but also on the anticipation of the home crowd’s reception for their captain. Yet, such is the scenario unfolding this season. There’s a sense of suspense in the air in Mumbai as to how the 33,000-capacity crowd at Wankhede will welcome Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya when he walks into the middle for the coin toss. MI fans have been loyal to their team and the players who have led the esteemed franchise. However, a discernible shift has occurred since Pandya took over the…

It was a game won by the Gujarat Titans in the middle overs, with both bat and ball, in the scorching heat of Ahmedabad. They took four wickets with the ball in the first innings and lost just one wicket in that phase in the second innings, as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s decision to bat first proved to be wrong and costly, with the pitch becoming relatively easier to bat on in the second innings. GT Choke SRH’s Fiery Batting The way SRH started, scoring 56 in the first six overs and going at almost 10 runs per over, made it seem…

After an intense six-hitting showdown against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on their home turf, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will cross roads with last year’s runners-up Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad. Both teams conceded over 200 runs in their last respective games, so their bowling will be in focus. Not always does a team score over 270 runs and end up winning by just 31 runs. While SRH’s batting was exceptional, posting a total of 277/3 in 20 overs – a record in IPL – the bowlers took some beating. However, enough has been said about the brutal assault of SRH batters…

The IPL is the time when cricket fans from across the country unite to support their favourite teams. However, amidst the sea of loyalists, there exists a curious phenomenon: fans who support teams other than their home franchises. While this might seem counterintuitive at first glance, delving deeper unveils the intriguing motivations behind this behaviour. Imagine not supporting your home team and supporting someone else for some reason? To answer that, we need to understand the types of IPL fans. You can categorise them into two groups — those who back the teams from the same geographical regions they belong…

In a stunning display of dominance, the batters of Sunrisers Hyderabad overwhelmed the Mumbai Indians, setting a new record for the highest innings total in IPL history. SRH posted an impressive 277/3 in 20 overs in Hyderabad, surpassing RCB’s previous record of 263/5. Despite Mumbai’s best efforts to chase down the record total, they fell short by 31 runs. After this disappointing defeat, the MI were in need of some words of encouragement. Skipper Hardik took the lead and delivered a stirring speech in the dressing room. He was accompanied by mentor Sachin Tendulkar, who also offered words of encouragement.…

Records are meant to be shattered, and Match 8 of the IPL 2024 exemplified that as fans were treated to a high-scoring thriller in Hyderabad. On Wednesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched an impressive victory at home, defeating the Mumbai Indians by 31 runs. Describing the batting spectacle witnessed in Hyderabad might fall short, but the numbers speak volumes. Last night, Mumbai Indians endured their toughest bowling outing ever as the five-time champions conceded a staggering 277 runs to a rampant Sunrisers Hyderabad batting lineup. In reply, MI recorded their highest-ever IPL score of 246/5. Commitment and resilience emerged as the key…

A lot of eyebrows were raised against some of Hardik Pandya’s decisions after Mumbai Indians’ lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) in their first game of the IPL 2024 season. He will look to correct them when his team takes the field against Pat Cummins’ Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on Wednesday. In MI’s opening match against Gujarat Titans (GT), all eyes were on the dynamic duo of Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma. The transition from Rohit’s captaincy to Pandya’s leadership was a topic of discussion. Although MI had the potential to secure a victory, they faltered due to a series of…