IPL 2018: RCB beat SRH by 14 runs, jump to 5th spot on points table

In the 51st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), RCB beat SRH by 14 runs to stay alive in the tournament.

In the 51st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, RCB defeated SRH by 14 runs in a nail-biter and moved to the 5th spot of the VIVO IPL points table. Kane Williamson played a great knock, scoring 81 runs, and Manish Pandey accompanied him but somewhere, de Villiers and Moeen Ali's knock overshadowed it. The suspense only ended in the last over after Williamson fell on the first ball, the match kept swinging in either direction and just when it looked that Williamson's side was closer to seal the victory, RCB swung back in, courtesy, the last two overs by Tim Southee and Mohammed Siraj.

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and invited Royal Challengers Bangalore to bat first. Bangalore suffered an early loss in the form of Parthiv Patel, AB de Villiers was at his best today, he made his intention clear right from the start. Rashid stunned Kohli. The dominance was oscillating from one side to the other. Dhawan committed a gaffe by crossing the boundary rope after taking Moeen's catch, AB de Villiers and Moeen made their fifties, the bowlers had no respite, Rashid finally got breakthrough, de Villiers and Moeen Ali were back into the pavilion. Sarfaraz and Grandhomme played an important cameo. Chasing the target of 219 runs, Hyderabad had a fine start soon, Dhawan and Hales were dismissed. Williamson yet again played a great knock and Pandey accompanied him but they just fell short of a few runs.

IPL 2018 MATCH 51 RCB vs SRH SCOREBOARD

Here are the squads for both the teams:

Royal Challengers Bangalore playing XI for today's match: Virat Kohli (C), Parthiv Patel (W), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI for today's match: Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson (C), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami (W), Rashid Khan, Basil Thampi, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma.

Sunrisers Hyderabad innings update: Over by over

Over 1: Umesh to start it off for RCB, no run. Just three runs from the over. SRH: 3-0

Over 2: Tim Southee is the new man in. Welcomed with a six. Dot balls. Single to Dhawan. Another six. One run. RCB: 17-0

Over 3: Umesh continues, six.and a four. Swing and a miss. Brilliant catch, Hales is gone for 19. No, the decision is overturned. He is not out. SRH: 28-0.

Over 4: Chahal comes to the attack, just four runs from the over. SRH: 32-0

Over 5: Siraj comes to bowl, gets wacked for six. Two runs. Dropped again. Six to finish the over. SRH: 47-0

Over 6: Chahal is back and soft dismissal of Shikhar Dhawan. Kane Williamson is the new man in. Glanced for four. Dot ball. Bad ball hit for four. SRH: 56-1

IPL 2018: Bumrah's magical spell helps MI beat KXIP, playoffs hopes alive

Mumbai Indians beat Kings XI Punjab by 3 runs and kept their hopes alive to make it to the playoffs. Bumrah took 3 wickets.

In the 50th and a crucial match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, Mumbai Indians pulled up a surprising victory against Kings XI Punjab in a match dominated by the latter during the major portion of the match. With this victory, Mumbai also moved up to the fourth spot of the VIVO IPL points table, decimating Kings XI punjab to the sixth position. Lokesh Rahul had almost taken his team towards the victory but Bumrah became an obstacle with his magical spell, clinching 3 wickets for just 15 runs in his 4 overs. The 187-run chase looked comfortable for Punjab courtesy, the 100-run partnership between Rahul and Finch. The contest had become a nail-biter during the last few overs of the second inning, Punjab needed 17 runs in the last over and the suspense only ended in the last ball.

Earlier, Kings XI Punjab won the toss and elected to bowl against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Evin Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav opened the batting for Mumbai. Just as Mumbai's inning took a start, Andrew Tye stormed with the ball and clinched four crucial wickets during his spell. Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma failed to score again. Krunal and Pollard blew life into rather dull innings. Krunal departed after a while but Pollard continued the attack, perishing only after scoring a crucial half century. Even after a bittersweet journey, Mumbai put up the target of 187 runs. In reply to Mumbai's inning, Kings XI Punjab's Lokesh Rahul gave the filip to the run chase, Gayle too showed some action before departing. Rahul and Finch carved a 100-run partnership with Rahul scoring his fifty but Finch fell short of completing his. Mumbai batsmen kept longing for a wicket during the major portion of the match. A wicket, however, came in the form of Finch and soon Bumrah got Stoinis under his web. Rahul kept the run chase alive but fell just when the team was on the verge of a victory.

IPL 2018 Match 50 KXIP vs MI SCOREBOARD

Kings XI Punjab innings update: Over by over

Kings XI Punjab playing XI for today's match: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Manoj Tiwary, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Ankit Rajpoot

Over 1: Chris Gayle and K L Rahul to open for Kings XI, Mitchell McClenaghan to start it for Mumbai Indians. Rahul punches through the covers region and gets off the mark. Gayle on strike. Single to Gayle as well. Top edge, goes for six. Lucky for K L Rahul. Trying to play the miss, Rahul lucky yet again. Excellent square cut but equally well fielded. Dot to end the over. KXIP: 8-0

Over 2: Jasprit Bumrah comes to the attack, very fierce bouncer to Gayle. Well defended by Gayle. Single to Gayle. Brilliant ball by Bumrah to Rahul, wanted to cut but missed. Dot to finish the over. KXIP: 9-0

Over 3: Hardik Pandya comes to the attack, and Gayle swings and it goes for SIX. Over the slip for four. Single to Gayle. Edge, gone for four. No slip in place. Brilliant cover drive for four. 19 runs from the over. KXIP: 28-0

Over 4: Mitchell to continue, Gayle hits over mid-on for four. Pulled for one by Gayle. Good bouncer by Mitchell to Gayle. Good bouncer by Gayle again and he hit it in the air, simple catch. Aaron Finch comes to the crease. End of the over. KXIP: 34-1

Over 5: Pandya continues, dot ball. One run to Finch. Two runs to Finch. Two runs to Finch again. What a wack this is, SIX runs. KXIP: 46-1

Over 6: Krunal Pandya comes to the attack, FOUR runs over mid-on. IN the air, just getting the finger tips of Ben Cutting. Dot ball. Single to Finch. Swept for four, Rahul is not leaving any opportunity to score runs. KXIP: 56-1

IPL 2018, RCB vs SRH: Bangalore, Hyderabad clash to spice up points table

In the 51st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), a win for Royal Challengers Banglore will make the race for playoffs even more interesting.

In the 51st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), resurgent Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take on already-qualified table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in today's match with their playoffs chances hanging by a slim thread. Captian Virat Kohli has led the team from the front and that resulted in two victories for RCB. After defeating Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab in back to back matches, RCB seems like a rejuvenated unit, while SRH have been the team to beat this season, having won nine matches out of 12. RCB are still struggling at the second last position on the table, while SRH are on top of the VIVO IPL points table with 18 points.

Virat Kohli's RCB has survived the tough season, having lost seven of its 12 matches so far but the recent turnaround has given brith hopes of a possible shot at the playoffs berth provided some other results go RCB's way. RCB is overtly dependant on Virat and South African star performer A B De Villiers. Both of them combined have scored nearly half of RCB's total runs this season but the side needs bigger contributions from the likes of Moeen Ali and Corey Anderson.

SRH, on the other hand, depend quite a lot on opener Shikhar Dhawan (369 runs) and skipper Kane Williamson (544 runs) for inspiration. Williamson has been an exemplary leader, who would look to consolidate the team's top spot and ensure a top-two finish at the end of the round-robin stage. Apart from Dhawan and Williamson, Yusuf Pathan (186), Manish Pandey (189) and Shakib-Al-Hasan (166) have also chipped in at crunch situations for SRH. But what has been truly outstanding for SRH is their diverse bowling attack. The bowlers, led by India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (8), have been terrific.

Royal Challengers Bangalore players who might make an impact in IPL today's match (RCB vs SHR): Royal Challengers Bangalore have blown hot and cold this season, but they're getting things together right at the business end. Virat Kohli's team hadn't won two matches on the bounce in their first ten matches. But faced with a do-or-die situation, they've pulled off two magnificent wins in their last two matches; first, they chased down 182 against the Delhi Daredevils, and most recently decimated Kings XI Punjab. The match against KXIP was by far their best one could ask for; the bowler's bowled to a plan, the fielders gave their best in the field, and the openers then scored the runs required. RCB's net run rate improved significantly, and they now need to win their remaining two matches to progress beyond the league stage. Umesh Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have become Virat Kohli's two dependable bowlers. If Yadav is able to knock off the top-order cheaply, RCB will fancy themselves, given the SRH middle-order hasn't been tested too often this season. Chahal has been successful in keeping control over the scoring, while also dismissing key batsmen in the opposition. Kohli and ace South African batsman AB De Villiers are RCB's key players as far as the batting in concerned.

The pair have combined to pile up nearly half of RCB's total runs this season but the side needs bigger contributions from the likes of Moeen Ali and Corey Anderson. Kohli has led from the front with 514 runs in 12 games.

IPL 2018, MI vs KXIP: Mumbai face Punjab in crucial match today for playoff

MI have to win both their remaining two matches to keep their chances alive for advancing to the playoffs. While KXIP need to win at least one game to be in reckoning. Catch live updates here

In the 50th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) led by R Ashwin in a must-win game at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. MI will be desperate for a win against KXIP to keep their playoff hopes alive when they square-off in today’s IPL match. With 10 points, the three-time champions Mumbai Indians are placed at the sixth spot in the Vivo IPL 2018 points table while their opponents are a spot ahead with 12 points in their kitty.

Just when MI's dream of making it to the final four was on the verge of getting shattered, the Rohit Sharma-led brigade came up with a spirited show to register a hat-trick of wins before faltering against Rajasthan Royals in their previous game. Mumbai Indians have to win both their remaining two matches to keep their chances alive for advancing to the playoffs.

Mumbai Indians, with an excellent net run-rate, need to put behind the humiliation by the Rajasthan Royals and come out with all guns blazing against an equally jittery KXIP, who have lost their way in the second half of IPL 2018 after starting strongly. MI's middle order was yet again exposed in the last game when their batsmen, including skipper Rohit Sharma, failed miserably. Only Suryakumar Yadav has been among the runs on a consistent basis and MI would be pleased with the return to form of West Indian opener Evin Lewis. These two will be banked upon to provide an excellent start.

But they need the others down the order especially skipper Rohit to contribute big in today’s IPL match. Save his match-winning knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore here, Rohit has failed to perform to his potential and MI need him in cracking form, backed up by the Pandya brothers Hardik and Krunal. Mumbai Indians' bowling too has been a worry. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik and left arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan will have to bowl cleverly to stop the rampaging K L Rahul and Chris Gayle from scoring big runs in today’s IPL match. All three may come up with a short-ball attack on the rival openers as Umesh Yadav showed with great success for RCB. The role of leggie Mayank Markande (14 wickets) will also be crucial along with that of Krunal Pandya to choke the run-flow in the middle overs during today’s IPL match at Wankhede.

On the other hand, despite being a place ahead, Kings XI Punjab lag behind Mumbai Indians in net run-rate. The Ravichandran Ashwin-led side KXIP, who started their IPL 2018 campaign on a rousing note, faltered in the business end of the league, losing five of their last six games. KXIP suffered their worst defeat of IPL 2018 in their last outing when Royal Challengers Bangalore hammered them by 10 wickets, a game where both the batsmen and bowlers succumbed before Kohli's men. Kings XI Punjab's batting mostly relies on openers Rahul and Chris Gayle as the duo have accumulated 558 and 350 runs respectively. KXIP openers have been a major reason behind their success as the two have handed a perfect start to their side on several occasions in IPL 2018 and KXIP will hope that they must provide a great start in today’s IPL match again. Karun Nair has been inconsistent with 247 runs so far, while veteran Yuvraj Singh and Mayank Agarwal are yet to make their presence felt in the middle-order.

IPL 2018: Pant's 128 in vain as SRH hand DD humiliating 9-wicket defeat

Rishabh Pant's 128 went in vain as Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson won the match for Sunrisers Hyderabad with comfort. SRH confirm their place in playoffs

In the 42nd match of the VIVO Indian Premier League 2018 (IPL 2018) , Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Delhi Daredevils by 9 wickets at the Firoz Shah Kota stadium in Delhi, hitting a perfect purple patch. With this, Hyderabad ended Delhi's chances for playoffs too. SRH retain their top spot on the VIVO IPL 2018 points table. After Rishabh Pant wreaked havoc on SRH bowlers that propelled Delhi's score to 187 runs, it was Hyderabad's time to hand a strong reply. Master at defending low totals, SRH had a different challenge today, a long chase ahead of them and they pulled a composed one. Earlier, Delhi Daredevils won the toss and decided to bat first against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Delhi's entire inning revolved around one man --Rishabh Pant, who made a spectacular century and bailed out his team. No bowler could escape his wrath, even Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Pant emerged past everything to make a mark. No matter what, he had everyone chanting his name in the stadium and was a sheer spectacle. Delhi openers Prithvi Shaw and Jason Roy were dismissed in consecutive deliveries by Shakib Al Hasan. Just as Delhi was on the road to recovery, Pant committed a blunder by denying a run to Shreyas Iyer at the eleventh hour, he was too late to return to the crease.

Along with Hyderabad, Rishabh Pant continued to give a hard time to his own teammates who were struggling to coordinate with him for running between the wickets. Pant committed another error during running between the wicket, Harshal Patel had to pay the price this time. Finding himself Guilty for the gaffes, Pant vented his anger on bowlers. He only settled for a century. Just as Hyderabad got on the job, Harshal Patel removed Alex Hales. Things went in Delhi's direction till that far only, after that, it was Hyderabad's show. Dhawan got into the role soon and smashed some powerful boundaries. Hyderabad had taken a lead in the match by denying any wicket after the first blow. Dhawan and Williamson saw no resistance whatsoever from any bowler. Dhawan and Williamson raised their bats for their fifty respectively. The lacklustre bowling proved harmful and the match had become a one-sided affair.

Sunrisers Hyderabad innings update: Over by over

Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI for today's match: Alex Hales, Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Shreevats Goswami (w), Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma. Change: Shreevats Goswami comes in for Saha.

Over 1: Trent Boult into the attack, superb line. Well controlled. First runs on the board, Hales takes a double. Flicks for four. Brilliant four. SRH: 6-0

Over 2: Harshal Patel is in the attack. Single to Dhawan. Hales cuts for four, it was in the air but a little too wide for the fielder at point. Poor line by Harshal, pulled for four. Brilliant yorker, plumb, right in front of the stumps. Hales goes for 14. Kane Williamson is the new man in. Single to end the over. SRH: 16-1 (more)

IPL 2018, MI vs KKR: Mumbai threat looms large as Kolkata up against odds

In today's IPL 2018 match, KKR have an onerous task as they need to defy history against MI, who have won 17 of the 21 matches against Kolkata Knight Riders across 11 seasons. Catch IPL latest updates

In the 41st match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) led by Dinesh Karthik at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Back in the mix riding consecutive victories, a buoyant Mumbai Indians will cross swords with an erratic Kolkata Knight Riders for a second time in a space of three days in IPL today’s match. Recovering from a slow start, defending champions MI recorded back-to-back wins against Kings XI Punjab and KKR to jump to fifth spot (8 points from 10 games) in the Vivo IPL points table. KKR, meanwhile, have blown hot and cold, winning five and losing an equal number of matches.

KKR have an onerous task at hand as they need to defy history against Mumbai Indians, who have won 17 of the 21 matches against the Kolkata Knight Riders across 11 seasons -- the most wins for an IPL team against any opponent. Their 13-run defeat at the Wankhede on May 6 stretched their losing streak to seven matches and 1125 days -- KKR's last win over Mumbai Indians was way back on April 8, 2015. While the Dinesh Karthik-led KKR have not managed to string together consistent performances, MI led by India's limited-over Vice Captain Rohit Sharma have looked like a team on a mission to turn the tide in their favour at the end of the IPL 2018.

Mumbai Indians were on the verge of falling by the wayside after losing most of the starting matches in the last over before they managed to pull through in the previous two games. While against Kings XI Punjab it was a Rohit and Krunal Pandya blitz that kept them alive in the competition, a challenging 181/4 coupled with well-directed short balls during KKR's chase helped MI stay afloat and stake a claim for a playoffs berth. KKR looked like getting away with the points at various junctures of the match but planned short deliveries from the likes of Mitchell McClenaghan at the start and Hardik Pandya towards the end helped MI pick up wickets at regular intervals as well as break crucial partnerships. Given the role of an opening batsman, Suryakumar Yadav has been a revelation for MI and will to continue the same in IPL today’s match, scoring as many as four half centuries in 10 matches. The 27-year-old former KKR player is MI's highest run-getter amassing 399 at 39.90. One concern for Rohit would be MI's middle order which continued to struggle against KKR and had it not been for Hardik's innovative shots at the end, they would have not managed to post 181 despite getting off to an explosive start. MI also lack depth in bowling and Robin Uthappa almost exposed that in the previous match of IPL 2018.

IPL 2018: Shubman, Karthik power KKR to 6-wicket victory against CSK

In the 33rd match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), Kolkata Knight Riders beat Chennai Supers Kings by 6 wickets, thanks to Shubman Gill's half-century

In the 33rd match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, Kolkata tasted victory at home as youngster Shubhman Gill shined with the bat and scored his maiden half century. With the win, KKR move to third position in the VIVO IPL 2018 points table. Gill contributed with a significant knock that sealed the victory for the host side. The bowlers did not get much help from the pitch but still, wickets fell at regular intervals for both sides. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the toss and asked Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to bat first at the Eden Gardens.

Shane Watson and Faf Du Plessis opened for CSK and the batsmen did not face much resistance from the bowlers. Soon, there came a turn as Faf Du Plessis was trapped under experienced leg-spinner Piyush Chawla's googly. It was a smooth sailing for Chennai during the major portion of their batting. Chennai crossed the 100-run mark in the 12th over and Kuldeep yadav got the better of Raina in the same over. Sunil Narine struck a blow to Chennai by removing in-form Ambati Rayudu at a cheaper score this time. Dhoni swung into action and kept sending the ball into the crowd, during the process he got a lifeline too as he was dropped in the 18th over. Chennai put up a target of 178 runs.

Chasing a target of 178 runs, Kolkata Knight Riders openers Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn came to bat and Lungi Ngidi got an early breakthrough as Lynn walked back towards pavilion in the first over. Robin Uthappa replaced Lynn, Narine got two consecutive lifelines, courtesy below-par efforts from Ravindra Jadeja who dropped him twice in the second over. After Narine, Shubhman Gill and Rinku Singh kept the fight alive for a brief. Gill continued scoring runs for the team and made his fifty, Karthik gave him company and contributed 45 runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders innings update: Over by over

Kolkata Knight Riders playing XI for today's match: Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Kuldeep Yadav. Change: Nitish Rana out, Rinku Singh in.

Over 1: Lungi Ngidi to Chris Lynn, started off with a bouncer, dot ball. Another dot ball followed by 2 consecutive sixes. Dot ball. Loud appeal umpire declines and Dhoni took a DRS and yes its OUT as Ngidi gave CSK first breakthrough. KKR: 12/1

Over 2: KM Asif to Sunil Narine, started off with bouncer, no run. Top edge for no run. Dot ball followed by a six over Long-on of another short ball. Ball in air and Jadeja dropped it, unbelievable and 2nd drop by Jadeja of two consecutive balls. KKR: 18-1

Over 3: Ngidi continues, Glanced for four by Uthappa. CSK: 32-1

Over 4: Watson comes to bowl, single. Another single. Dot ball. Uthappa pulls but for no run. Played towards third man for one. Narine swings and gets the top edge, goes for four. KKR: 39-1

IPL 2018: Kolkata beat RCB by 6 wickets; Chirs Lynn scores match-winning 68

In 29th match of Vivo IPL 2018 Kolkata Knight Riders won it by 6 wickets against Royal Challengers Banglore. Chris Lynn made match-winning 62

In the 29th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 6 wickets at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. KKR pulled up a great show with the bat and chased the target of 176 runs on the last over. RCB bowlers could not get an early breakthrough and dropping Chris Lynn on 7 runs cost RCB the match as he went on for a match-winning knock. There was a little contest in the last few overs as wickets fell, but overall it looked like a one-sided match as RCB bowlers and fielders failed to perform. After winning today's match Kolkata Knight Riders consolidated their position in Vivo IPL points table with 8 points.

Kolkata Knight Riders innings update: Over by over

Over 1: Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine to open for KKR. Tim Southee to start off for RCB. Single to Lynn. Chance, Kohli just couldn't reach it. KKR: 5-0

Over 2: Umesh Yadav is into the attack. SIX, FOUR. what an over. KKR: 18-0

Over 3: Southee continues, two fours. Brilliant stuff. In the air, safe again. KKR 29-0

Over 4: Yuzvendra Chahal is into the attack. Swept for four by Lynn. Lynn hits it in the air, M Ashwin puts it down. KKR: 36-0

Over 5: Umesh is back, four to Lynn. Dot ball. And another one. SIX, down the ground. Cracking shot, stopped. Just one. Dot ball. KKR: 47-0

Over 6: Chahal continues, almost took the off stump. Missed again. Lynn gives himself room and wacks it four. Missed again, almost hit the wicket. KKR: 51-0

Over 7: Siraj is into the attack, bouncer, wide. Single to Sunil. Single again. Dot ball. Cracking shot for four. Lynn is on fire. KKR: 59-0

Over 8: Murugab Ashwin is into the attack. Sunil Narine hits it to the long-off and he is gone. Brilliant start for Ashwin. Uthappa is the new man in, one run. Swept for one. In the air, almost gone, but goes for six. What turn. KKR: 67-1

Over 9: Siraj is back, bouncer, given wide. One run to Lynn. Dot ball. Single to Lynn. Flicked off the pads for four. Single, that was risky. Dot to finish. KKR: 74-1

Over 10: Ashwin continues, Four, brilliant timing. Reverse swept for four. Single. Swept for four now. Single taken. 14 came from it. KKR: 88-1

Over 11: Chahal continues, just one. Uthappa, wacks it for six. Easy singles. Runs coming very easily. Dot ball. Single taken. KKR 98-1

Over 12: Umesh is back. Dot to start off with. Cut for one. Bouncer. Flicked for four. KKR: 106-1

Over 13: Aswhin back in the attack, Uthappa hits it in the air, taken on the ropes. He goes for 36. Chirs Lynn trying to hit it hard. Six runs from the over. KKR 112-2

IPL 2018: Dhoni does it with trademark 6, CSK back on top of points table

Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni led the chase of 206 and made sure CSK cross the line in the end. CSK beat RCB by 5 wickets. CSK are now on the top of VIVO IPL points table

Chasing a huge total of 206, Chennai Super Kings' captain Mahendra Singh Dhoniand Ambati Rayudu held their nerves after wickets fell in the initial overs. Rayudu made a brilliant 82 runs to make the chase possible. CSK beat Royal Challengers Banglore by 5 wickets with two balls to spare. Dwayne Bravo hit some good shots in the last over to make it easy for MSD to hit the winning shot. With this win, CSK goes on the top of VIVO IPL points table. RCB could not bowl well in the final overs, despite having built pressure on CSK by reducing them to 74-4. The partnership between Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni turned it around for CSK. Siraj gave a few extras in the penultimate over. Prior to that, Negi bowled a costly over that brought down the required run rate.

Earlier, Quick wickets and a few runouts helped CSK restrict RCB to 205 when they could have crossed 220 easily. Some brilliant bowling at the death helped CSK's cause. However, Washington Sundar hit it well and helped RCB touch 200 mark. CSK will now need 206 to win.

Earlier, After a brilliant start given by AB De Villers and Quinton De Kock, RCB seemed to lose their way as wickets fell in packs. ABD, De Kock, Cory Anderson fell in back to back overs. Imran Tahir scalped ABD and Cory.

Chennai Super Kings innings update: Over by over

Over 1: Ambati Rayudu and Shane Watson open the batting for CSK. Pawan Negi starts off the bowling. Six, what a shot by Watson. He is gone. Caught at mid-off

Over 2: Brilliant bowling by Umesh Yadav. Just two from it.

Over 3: Washington Sundar into the attack, Ambati Rayudu hits for a huge six, and here is one more. CSK: 24-1

Over 5: Siraj is in the attack. Good batting. CSK: 50-1

Over 6: Umesh continues, leading edge of Raina's bat, gone. Sam Billings is the new man in. Huge appeal for LBW, turned down. Flicked for four. Oh, that was a ripper, bisected Billings into half. CSK: 55-2

Over 7: Yuzvendra Chahal is into the attack, Swept by Billings for four. Billings steps out and misses, stumped. Ravindra Jadeja is new man in. CSK: 61-3

Over 8: Umesh is back, very good line. Dealing in singles. CSK: 66-3

Over 9: Chahal continues, Rayudu sweeps and misses. SIX. WIDE. Jadeja is bowled. CSK: 74-4

Over 10: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the new man. Wacks a huge six.

Over 11: Chahal continues. Double. Single to Dhoni. NO BALL, FREE HIT. CSK: 90-4

Over 12: Corey Anderson is the new bowler. Huge appeal for LBW, reviewed. Turned down. SIX. Single to end the over. CSK: 101-4

Over 13: Chahal continues, single to Dhoni. Dot ball. Boundaries are not coming easily. CSK: 107-4

Over 14: Negi continues, bowls a half volley, goes for six, and again. Dot ball. One run. Now Rayudu hits for a six, brings up his 50. CSK: 126:4

Over 15: Mohammad Siraj is back. Rayudu wacks for a six. Single. Another dot. CSK 135-4

Over 16: Corey continues, Rayudu hits high in the air, dropped by Yadav. WIDE. Flat six by Rayudu. Six again. CSK: 151-4.

IPL 2018: Delhi lose at home by 4 runs, KXIP claim top spot on points table

Shreyas Iyer tried his level best to bring it home for Delhi Daredevils, but Kings XI Punjab bowlers were a tad better and made sure they seal the win

In a heartbreaking match, Delhi Daredevils lost the match by four runs, chasing the target for 144 against Kings XI Punjab in the 22nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2018). Shreyas Iyer took the match to the very last ball but could not see his team through. Kings XI Punjab bowler made sure that wickets keep falling at regular intervals and run flow was controlled. Crucial players failed to perform as Delhi lost three wickets in the powerplay. Rishab Pant was a surprise failure this match. DD lost by 4 runs. KXIP now are on the top of the VIVO IPL points table.

IN PICS: How Kings XI Punjab claim top spot on the points table, as Delhi lose by 4 runs

Glenn Maxwell, Gautam Gambhir disappointed once again and left Delhi reeling at 43-3 in 6 overs with their poor performance.

Delhi Daredevils bowlers bowled their hearts out to keep KXIP batsmen from scoring runs. KXIP made 143-8.

Liam Plunkett, making his comeback in the team, was the pick of the bowlers. He scalped three wickets and kept the run flow in check. KXIP batsmen, without Chris Gayle, looked totally out of touch and failed to hit big shorts and rotate strike. It seemed that the home advantage played well in favour of Delhi Daredevils.

Wickets kept falling for Kings XI, as Yuvraj Singh failed to impress once again. He was not in his best form and failed to move his feet much, eventually giving away his wicket. Nair and Miller stabilised the innings and looked to accelerate as only four overs remaining in the innings and the score nowhere close to par. Delhi bowlers kept it really tight despite dropping two sitters.

Kings Xi Punjab were off to a decent start despite losing two wickets in the powerplay against Delhi Daredevils. Runs kept flowing as Mayank and Nair hit boundaries at regular intervals. However, Avesh Khan took Aaron Finch's wicket, who had a bad outing once again.

Delhi Daredevils innings update: Over by over

Over 1: Ankit Rajpoot to Prithvi Shaw, two successive dot ball. 4 of the 3rd ball and single of the 4th. Rajpoot to Gambhir, wide. Dot ball, away-going delivery, didn't miss the edge by much. Dot ball to finish the over. the ball struck the pad. DRS taken ball pitched outside the leg-stump.

Over 2: Barinder Sran to Shaw, French cut went for four. Another 4 as Show cuts ferociously. Triple of the 3rd ball. Gambhir takes a single off the fourth. Edged the 5th ball for four followed by double of last ball (more)

IPL 2018: Chennai Super Kings are back with a bang; but not at home

They may not be playing at home but what has not diminished is the unquestioning adulation the team receives in Chennai

As Ravindra Jadeja slammed the ball for a six, little did everyone know that it would be the last time Chennai Super Kings would get to celebrate a victory at the Chepauk stadium in the latest iteration of the Indian Premier League. Days later, it was confirmed that CSK will play its remaining home games in Pune. The protests over the Union government’s inaction over sharing of Cauvery river waters had already seen calls for boycott of the match against Kolkata Knight Riders. As the threat perception grew more serious in the police’s eyes, CSK was asked to find a new home.

Ironically, the build-up to this campaign for the ‘Yellow Army’ was dominated by the narrative of return. After spending the last two years in suspension due to team official Gurunath Meiyappan’s involvement in betting, CSK’s comeback was eagerly awaited. Particularly by its loyal fan base which gave short shrift to the accusations of spot-fixing and conflict of interest. Rather, the supporters felt unfairly targeted.

CSK has always prided itself on the manic support it seems to attract. The uncritical adoration has been carefully nurtured by the franchise. Arguably, no other IPL 2018 side can boast of such loyalty. Even during the Cauvery protest last week, some agitators spoke of the difficulty in choosing their politics over their favourite team.

CSK itself gives rise to dilemmas as it reflects the contradictions which beset the IPL better than any other side. Like the league, the franchise entertains and succeeds in good measure; but it also replicates the IPL’s tendency to court controversy, leaving a miasmic trail behind.

It began with the charges of auction-fixing (2009) and then moved on to betting and conflict of interest in CSK’s ownership model. Moreover, Chennai has not been an entirely hospitable venue to the IPL. The ban on Sri Lankan players and officials is still fresh in memory while three stands at the Chepauk stadium have remained shut since 2012. Yet, the bumps in the road have not dimmed the enthusiasm of the CSK faithful.

As witnessed during this IPL, the franchise is mindful of playing up this emotional connect. In the lead-up to the tournament, we saw fan videos gain immense traction while CSK itself sought to play up its return to the Chepauk. To embellish its connection with Chennai, the franchise had its players mouth off lines from the trailer of Rajnikanth’s latest film Kaala. In another video, made by fans, supporters borrowed a famous line from the superstar’s hit movie, Kabali – “Tell them we are back,” they roared, with pride.

The engagement continues through social media posts in Tamil by ‘outsiders’ like Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir. Embracing the city and its culture is crucial to CSK’s marketing strategy. It does not amount to mere promotion of the franchise, an emotional bond with the team must be drawn as well. Upon his return to CSK, the beloved leader Dhoni was keen to stress that Chennai is his second home and it hurt him to see his side out of action for two years.

On display in IPL 2018: The brutal beauty of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

The CSK skipper's knock against KXIP on Sunday night wasn't about answering the brickbats; it was about him and his fans

There are things in sports that genuinely cheer you up. One such is the sight of Mahendra Singh Dhoni swinging through the arc, head down, knees slightly bent, kinetic energy from those baseball-bat-sized arms powering through the ball, and the crowd exploding. It is a thing of brutal beauty. There were many around the world who woke up on Monday morning with that very image still fresh in their minds. The bowler missing, Dhoni pouncing. The ball soaring, the stadium erupting.

In Mohali on Sunday night, a Colosseum-like crowd found itself paying obeisance to a gladiator whose time many thought had come. The willingness to carry on, as admirable as it was, was proving to be too stifling. The performance was no longer backing the obduracy. That still may hold true, but we will leave that for another day.

Instead, this was about celebrating the gifts of a man whose show we have feasted on for 15 years and still cannot seem to feel content. This was about him and his fanatical band of followers, the kind who still look up to him like an eternal demigod. This was about him telling us why he still remains indispensable. This was about him showing us what we have been terribly missing. This, in a boxing sense, was like a seasoned heavyweight fighter absorbing the early blows and then unleashing a savage combination of jabs and hooks to leave his opponent sprawled on the canvas. Well, almost.

The critics have made their peace with Dhoni’s scrappiness. Dhoni is justified in believing that he doesn’t have anything to prove to them, and they don’t bother too much with arraigning him, either. Anyway, this wasn’t about answering the brickbats — Dhoni just doesn’t play his cricket that way. For long, the Indian public has lionised him for his capacity to put on a show, for his mastery that allows him to elevate his game to a whole new level when the chips are down. The performance against Kings XI Punjab was just about the Indian cricket fan. It was Dhoni’s way of thanking thousands of them for sticking by him so loyally, despite his very apparent decline. After all, this is what fandom often triggers; a belief that your heroes can never be spent forces. Acceptance isn’t something that is part of the fan lexicon. And Dhoni on Sunday night competently displayed why it mustn’t be.

This wasn’t so much about Dhoni rolling back the years as it was about him exhibiting what he can do when he’s afforded time at the crease. Dhoni is no longer the furious sprinter of his youth, he is now the canny middle-distance runner who knows exactly when to make his move. He perhaps left it too late in Mohali, but he was clearly hampered — in addition to a back problem — by Ravindra Jadeja’s sluggishness at the other end. Even then, this was a calculated assault that would have culminated in an unlikely win on another day. (more)

IPL 2018: Kolkata Knight Riders hand Daredevils crushing 71-run defeat

Delhi Daredevils miserable show continues at Eden Gardens as they lost the 7th match in Kolkata against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chasing 201, Delhi Daredevils led by Gautam Gambhir failed miserably and were all out for mere 129 in 14.2 overs in match 13 of IPL 2018. Kolkata Knight Riders won by 71 runs. No Delhi Daredevils batsman could take the pressure of the huge total and face the menacing bowling of Kolkata Knight Riders let by spin trio of Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, and Piyush Chawla. Rishab Pant and Glenn Maxwell tried hard to challenge the KKR bowling but their efforts could not do much as both got out of the short ball while trying to hit Yadav out of the park. This is the second win for Kolkata Knight Riders in four matches. Dinesh Karthik-led KKR had lost the previous two matches against Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Delhi Daredevils' wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals and DD never looked to chase the mammoth target. Sunil Narine and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each for KKR. This win over Delhi Daredevils moved Kolkata Knight Riders to the second spot in Vivo IPL points table with 4 points.

ALSO READ: IPL 2018: Delhi Daredevils perfecting the nuances of losing back-to-back matches

Delhi Daredevils were in deep trouble as they lost three wickets in three overs. Opener Jason Roy was dismissed in the first over. He was followed by Shreyas Iyer in the second over. Captain Gautam Gambhir was played on in the third over. DD was 38-3.

Earlier, powered by Nitish Rana and Andre Russell, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a huge score of 200 in their 20 overs in the match against Delhi Daredevils. While a few wickets did fell quickly, Nitish Rana made sure that the scoring rate did not fall. He did not stop playing shots and kept the scoreboard ticking. Russell played a fantastic cameo of 41 from 12 balls. He smashed Chris Lynn and Mohd Shami all over the park. Delhi Daredevils will now need 201 runs to win.

ALSO READ: IPL 2018: Why Gambhir failed to turn things around for Delhi Daredevils

Delhi Daredevils innings update: Over by over

Delhi Daredevils Playing XI: Jason Roy, Gautam Gambhir(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Glenn Maxwell, Shreyas Iyer, Vijay Shankar, Chris Morris, Rahul Tewatia, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohammed Shami, Trent Boult

Over 1: Piyush Chawla to open the bowling. He strikes in the first over.

Over 2: Shreyas Iyer departs. DD: 15-2

Over 3: Shivam Mavi into the attack. Rishab Pant joins Gautam Gambhir. Four to Pant. good shot. DD 24-2.

Over 4: Russell comes to the attack. Maxwell hammers him. DD: 38-3

Over 5: DD: 45-3

Over 6: Rishab Pant trying to make the most of the powerplay. 11 runs from the over. DD 56-3

Over 7: Here is the onslaught by Rishab Pant, six, four, single. DD: 69-3

Over 8: Curran smashed for a six and a four. These two are taking it to KKR bowlers. DD 81-3.

Over 9: Kuldeep Yadav comes to the attack. Maxwell reverse sweeps him for four. Rishab Pant is out, Delhi in deep trouble. Pant put for 86-4. Rahul Tewatia comes in. End of over. DD 90-4