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No matter how optimistic you are, you can’t post a 111-run target and expect the result to fall your way. Such totals not only bring defeats, but also the kind that keep stinging for long. Unless, of course, you have a combination of Mullanpur’s tricky surface, Punjab Kings (PBKS) hitting the form of their lives, and Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) batters treading causally down the wrong path. And that’s exactly what happened the last time KKR and PBKS faced off. KKR still have a realistic chance of making it to the playoffs, but if they don’t, their night in Mullanpur…

Chennai Super Kings are all but out of playoff contention this season, and coach Stephen Fleming hasn’t shied away from acknowledging the mistakes CSK made throughout the season, as well as during the auction. CSK have lost seven out of their nine games, and a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad only added insult to their injury. “It’s hard to argue that we got everything right,” Fleming said after CSK failed to defend 154 on a sluggish Chepauk surface, losing their first-ever home game against SRH. “And it is not easy. And that is why we are proud…

Sunrisers Hyderabad finally broke free of the Chennai curse, winning their first-ever game at Chepauk with as many as five wickets to spare. They were able to rewrite history thanks to an incredible all-round show from Kamindu Mendis and Harshal Patel’s four-wicket onslaught. On a Chepauk deck where batting was no picnic, SRH opted to choose discipline over drama to not let things slip through their fingers. Harshal ran through the CSK lineup despite Brevis’ reviving attempts Chennai, sent in to bat first, swerved to the fast lane despite losing a wicket on the very first ball. Ayush Mhatre, CSK’s…

After more than ten years of representing Pakistan in green, Nida Dar, undoubtedly one of Pakistan cricket’s finest all-rounders, has decided to take a break from cricket indefinitely. Dar has cited personal and mental reasons behind this decision. The 38-year-old took to social media to make the announcement. In her tweet, she opened up about how recent experiences, both on and off the field, have weighed on her. “A lot of things have happened in the past with me personally and professionally, and this has affected my mental health,” Dar wrote on X. “For this reason, I am taking a…

CSK and SRH are both anchored to the bottom of the table, but mathematically, are still pretty afloat. All they need to do is win every single one of their remaining games. But that’s like saying, “All you need to do to climb Everest is just keep walking upward.” Technically correct. But practically, not so. There’s a reason both sides find themselves in trouble. And their root rot is at the same part: the batting order. SRH’s reason for chaos is their obsession with aggression, which has not quite arrived yet. They can’t stop swinging even with the house already…

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are in the top four now. There aren’t many things that can mess with their playoff chances except, perhaps, their home venue woes, which they’ll have to confront once again. Three wins in eight games aren’t exactly a disaster, but when all three of their defeats have followed the same pattern, things start to take a darker turn. All of those losses came at home. With at least three more home games left, RCB can’t just sweep these issues under the rug by doing well in away games. If a solution is to be found, it…

Multan Sultans (MS) and Islamabad United (IU) were the finalists last season, but this time they’ve chosen to tread entirely different paths. In all fairness, it wasn’t much of a choice, at least not for the Sultans. They’ve been thrashed by every team except Lahore Qalandars and are now firmly anchored to the bottom of the table. It doesn’t help their case that they’re now set to face high-flying Islamabad, who remain unbeaten this season. Not only have United won all their matches, but they’ve done so with commanding authority. There is one small wrinkle, a possible pickle, if you…

The top three highest innings totals in IPL history belong to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Two of those were scripted at their home venue, Hyderabad, and the third one on that list was against Mumbai Indians (MI) last year. For Hyderabad, it was the manifesto moment of their brute approach, which eventually landed them in the final that season. Their approach was so convincing, so seamless, that no one dared doubt its sustainability, though everyone knew it was foolish to bank on something as fickle as aggression. This season has proved them right. SRH are now wandering at the bottom rungs…

Of all the teams one might have expected to break down this season, Multan Sultans (MS) were the least likely. They have played three games and lost all of them, each more crushing than the last. Heading into the season, they boasted the highest win to loss ratio among all teams across all T20 leagues since April 2021, and had played four consecutive finals. But now, they barely look capable of making it to the next stage. There is, however, one silver lining, they’re playing at home. Multan has been a fortress for the Sultans, where they hold a staggering…

It’s tempting, too tempting, not to view this game against the backdrop of unfinished business and the tension that comes with it. Delhi Capitals (DC) didn’t hold on to Rishabh Pant, who was whisked away by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a whopping INR 27 crore. Similarly, KL Rahul didn’t stay put with DC, which was hardly surprising, especially after how their clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad unfolded off the field under his leadership. What makes it even more interesting is that KL Rahul is now playing for LSG this season. And with this being his first game against his former…