Latest news with #Bairstow
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
PBKS stun MI as Shreyas Iyer special sets up final with RCB for new IPL winner
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer with Marcus Stoinis (Image via AP /Ajit Solanki) Ahmedabad: Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer unleashed a masterclass under pressure, smashing 87 off just 41 balls (5x4, 8x6) to power his team to an epic win over Mumbai Indians in the second qualifier at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, sealing PBKS' first IPL final appearance in 11 years. Iyer and southpaw Nehal Wadhera played out MI's trump card Jasprit Bumrah without conceding a wicket and stitched together an 84-run partnership that proved decisive after PBKS were reduced to 72/3. Iyer's knock featured three consecutive sixes off Reece Topley and a grand finish with three more maximums off Ashwani Kumar. In between, he showed his finesse by guiding a Bumrah middle-stump yorker to the third-man boundary. Iyer had walked in after the dismissal of Priyansh Arya (20). Iyer's trailblazing knock ensured that PBKS crossed the finish line Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav (44 off 26 balls; 4x4, 3x6), Tilak Varma (44), and Naman Dhir (37) helped MI, who were invited to bat first, post a competitive 203/6. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh began with a tight opening over. MI opener Jonny Bairstow (38), realising there was little movement off the pitch, which had remained under covers for over two hours due to intermittent rain, wasted no time in launching Kyle Jamieson for a six over long leg in the second over. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo IPL 2025 Winner Prediction: What Greenstone Lobo's Astrology says In the same over, Azmatullah Omarzai dropped a tough, running chance at short third man after Rohit Sharma mistimed a cut. Sharma then lofted Marcus Stoinis over his head for a boundary, before falling to a simple catch by Vijaykumar Vyshak at deep square leg. No. 3 Tilak Varma (44) and Bairstow added 51 for the second wicket. The southpaw smashed Stoinis for a maximum over long-on, while Bairstow dominated the stand with powerful shots. Poll What do you think about PBKS's chances in the IPL final? They will win They will lose It will be a close match Too early to say The Englishman drove Arshdeep through the covers and top-edged him for another four before striking Omarzai for a boundary and a six over midwicket. MI ended the Powerplay at 65/1. Vyshak, introduced after the Powerplay, bowled with discipline. A scrambled seam delivery outfoxed Bairstow's attempted scoop and landed safely in Josh Inglis's gloves. Bairstow's dismissal brought MI's most consistent batter of the season, Suryakumar Yadav, to the crease. He, along with Varma, added 72 runs in 42 balls, with Yadav especially aggressive against Yuzvendra Chahal, who was returning from injury. Yadav swept and lofted the leg-spinner for three sixes before falling to a deep midwicket catch by Wadhera—his fourth dismissal to Chahal in IPL history.' Who's that IPL player? PBKS clawed back with another quick wicket, that of Varma. Naman Dhir (37 off 18 balls; 7x4) helped MI cross the psychological 200-run mark. But they did not account for Shreyas's stunning knock.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Rohit Sharma's cold-blooded response to young kid's childlike query; cheeky message to IPL opponents: ‘Nahi ho sakta'
Former Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is focused on helping his team win their sixth IPL trophy on the field, but off it, he remains a jovial character. The swashbuckling opener has already played a pivotal role in the Mumbai Indians' qualification for the playoffs, and he is in no mood to stop before lifting another trophy. A short clip went viral on social media ahead of the MI's qualifier 2 against Punjab Kings, where Rohit can be seen spending time with some young kids off the field. The star batter shared a lighthearted moment with a young fan. When the child asked, "Sir aapko kaise out karne ka? (Sir how to get you out?)," Rohit humorously replied, "Nahi wo nahi ho sakta" ("No, that cannot happen"). It could be a cheeky message for his opponents in the tournament. This playful exchange occurred as Rohit, dressed in his MI kit, interacted with young fans wearing team jerseys. The video of this interaction quickly gained attention on social media. Meanwhile, Rohit had a mixed season before the playoffs. He started the season underwhelming, and started picking up form in the second half. He turned up big in the eliminator against Gujarat Titans with a stellar performance with the bat, scoring 81 runs off 50 balls, contributing to MI's total of 228/5. His innings, featuring nine boundaries and four sixes, earned him the Player of the Match award and helped MI secure a 20-run victory to set up qualifier 2 against Punjab Kings. He was thrilled to play a pivotal role in Mumbai Indians' crucial win in the IPL Eliminator, though he admitted he would have liked to notch up more half-centuries than the four he has managed so far this season. 'I've got only four fifties (this IPL season). I think I would have liked to get more. I do understand the importance of playing the Eliminator and it was a complete team performance,' said Rohit during the post-match presentation. He has also found a new opening partner in Jonny Bairstow for the playoffs after Ryan Rickelton left for South Africa for World Test Championship preparations. Rohit and Bairstow didn't waste any time to show strong signs of a solid opening pair with an 84-run stand versus the Titans. 'I've watched Bairstow over the years from the other side. We know what he can do upfront with the bat. He took his chances, and it came off. We always look for that kind of start,' said Rohit.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IPL 2025: Jonny Bairstow's Virender Sehwag-like knock neutralises Gujarat Titans' 'trump card' Prasidh Krishna
Jonny Bairstow (IPL Photo) NEW DELHI: As English wicket-keeper batter Jonny Bairstow walked out to bat in his 100th Test at Dharamsala in 2024, Rohit Sharma was heard remarking, 'Isko kuch bhi daal' (Bowl any delivery to him). Rohit clearly didn't think much of Bairstow's capabilities. Even IPL franchises expressed a lack of confidence as the English cricketer went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction. However, an unexpected twist of fate soon saw Bairstow walking out to the middle with Rohit Sharma in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against Gujarat Titans (GT). The English cricketer earned this recall after scoring 525 runs across 12 innings for Yorkshire at an average of 52.50 in the 2025 County Championship. The 35-year-old cricketer wasn't included in England's squads for their ODI and T20I series against West Indies, fuelling his desire to impress even more. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! However, there was a stern challenge in store for Bairstow up front as IPL 2025's leading wicket-taker Prasidh Krishna (25 dismissals) ran in to bowl the second over. Krishna had single-handedly helped GT dominate a league match against MI in Ahmedabad, picking two wickets and conceding just 18 runs. The pacer was well capable of delivering similar heroics if allowed to settle in the Eliminator. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Who's that IPL player? However, Bairstow put Krishna on the back foot from the first delivery itself, slicing the ball over point for a boundary. The English cricketer continued to dominate in the pacer's second over, smashing him for 26 runs following three sixes and two fours. Bairstow's hammering badly shook the pacer's confidence, rendering him ineffective in a do-or-die encounter. Usually, one of GT's most economical bowlers, Krishna conceded 53 runs during his spell, finishing as the team's second most expensive bowler. Poll Do you believe Jonny Bairstow can continue to perform at a high level in the IPL? Yes, definitely Maybe No, he's past his prime The English cricketer's 26-run over against Krishna reminded many of the manner in which Virender Sehwag deflated Umar Gul's confidence during the World Cup 2011 semi-final, smashing him for 21 runs in an over. Gul similarly failed to recover from Sehwag's blows early in the encounter, conceding 69 runs in 8 overs without picking a wicket. Bairstow and Rohit smashed the ball to all corners of the ground, recording MI's highest power-play score in IPL 2025 with 79 runs on the board. While the English cricketer was eventually dismissed for 47 runs off 22 balls in a knock comprising four fours and three sixes, Bairstow set a solid platform for MI, enabling them to post a match-winning total of 228. Mahela Jayawardene on Rohit Sharma: 'You cannot replace the experience' However, the English cricketer's heroics under pressure are no surprise as revealed by power-hitting coach Julian Wood, who worked with Bairstow while representing Punjab Kings (PBKS) as well as the national team. "People said, 'He's at the end of his career'. But, Bairstow is a fighter and at his most dangerous when his back is against the wall and he has to prove people wrong. He can hit any length which makes him very dangerous in the powerplay. Bairstow is very ruthless which makes him stand out a lot," said Wood during an exclusive interaction with Sai Sudharsan: 'County stints reminded me that basics are most important part of batting' "One thing which I noted especially during his knock against MI was the manner in which he handled back-of-length deliveries. I had a discussion with Bairstow during his PBKS stint over playing such deliveries with a slightly angled bat rather than a straight bat. He tried to execute my instructions against Josh Hazlewood in an IPL match and enjoyed great success, smashing him for 60 runs in four overs. Bairstow kept hitting him for a six over mid-wicket and square leg," added Wood. While Bairstow's fanbase in Mumbai will certainly rise following this knock, he may have well earned greater respect in the eyes of 'The Hitman' himself.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
How Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 Eliminator win underlined their biggest strength
The IPL 2025 Eliminator win was a classic case of how Mumbai Indians become a different beast in the playoffs. They ended the league stage on a disappointing note but turned into a powerhouse just as the playoffs began. read more 'It is not how you start that is important, but how you finish!' – a quote that has often done the rounds. Whether it be on LinkedIn profiles, motivational seminars, or every run-of-the-mill team meeting around a long and arduous task. But not many instances make this quote, or this thought process, feel as much of a gospel truth than a rigorous multi-team sports tournament like the IPL. And no team embraces that mindset as much as the Mumbai Indians. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This IPL season has been no different. The opening five matches yielded just two points, but the ten games since have seen eight MI wins, with their latest victory taking them closer to a slice of history . And while MI doing MI things may seem like a recurring narrative, it is certainly worth gushing about all over again, just because, well, they seem to do it every darn time. Take the Eliminator against the Gujarat Titans, for example. MI entered that contest with their second-highest run-scorer of the season back in South Africa, preparing for a format and a challenge vastly different, and with Rohit Sharma, frequently their man for the big occasion, tallying just 36 runs in his last three innings. MI as a whole is more than sum of its parts That is the thing about champion teams and champion players, though. They do score at other times, but they almost always score when their side needs it the most. And like that evening in Dubai in March, when India craved a captain's innings against the Kiwis, Rohit, despite not being the skipper in New Chandigarh, acted like the leader he has been for the Mumbai Indians. When Jonny Bairstow was calling the shots at the other end, Rohit was willing to bide his time. On another evening, he might well have been walking back had the Titans held on to their chances , but the composure to not try and match Bairstow stroke for stroke, and then the conviction to take on the mantle once Bairstow had perished and Suryakumar Yadav needed time to get settled, helped MI pile on the pressure. Former MI skipper Rohit Sharma led from the front, setting the tone with a whirlwind 81. Image: Reuters And that theme, of MI keeping their wits, picking and choosing their spots and winning all the key moments, continued throughout the evening. Hardik Pandya played one such blinder right at the death, ensuring that a total of 200-210, which would have been par in Shubman Gill's words, morphed into a 229-run chase. All with the added pressure of knowing this was a point of no return. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read | Rohit Sharma achieves double milestone and creates history with Bairstow in Eliminator In between, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma played their roles too. Neither of them indulged in prolonged pyrotechnics, but their firecracker knocks kept up the tempo and gave off the vibe that MI were out to dominate proceedings. Then, Trent Boult did what he does best with the new ball. He went out and sent the best GT batter packing with a left-handed wave of his wand. GT, led by Sai Sudharsan, fought back and fought back to such an extent that their fans began dreaming and drooling over what could have become a record-breaking evening. With 81 needed off 42 and with two set batters at the crease, it may have even felt like GT's game to lose. And that is exactly when MI typed JASPRITBUMRAH into their system, and unfurled the cheat code that has thwarted oppositions almost every day. Bumrah ripped through Washington Sundar's attempted flick and Mumbai, just like that, had won another massive moment in the encounter. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD GT being GT, counter-punched after that too, reducing the equation to 68 off 30. MI being MI, though, knew what they needed to do, and they did that with aplomb. Gleeson got rid of Sudharsan. Ashwani Kumar kept GT on a tight leash in the 17th. Bumrah bowled an amazing 18th over, and Boult, who had rocked GT early, returned to close the game out as a contest with an over left. All of this while GT felt the game was within grasp, and they had a real shot at pulling off a heist. And that, more than anything else, encapsulates why Mumbai have won the IPL five times, and why they are going for a sixth title this year. It is not about the superstars at their disposal. That helps. It certainly does. Make no mistake about it. In knockouts, there's no better team than MI But when the playoffs dawn, or when the business end of the tournament approaches, MI, irrespective of how poor they have been prior to it, or how listless they have seemed before that phase, somehow rise from the ashes like a phoenix. Often smiling and smirking at those who questioned them, and metaphorically highlighting that this is their habitat, and where they feel most comfortable. Which…is probably not a good sign for the rest of the pack. Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, from the start of the league stage to its finish, have put together more coherent campaigns than MI. But they have made a combined total of five IPL finals in eighteen years. MI have that many titles. And they have played in one more final. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That is the confidence MI will carry into Sunday. They may have been thumped by the Kings a few days ago, but back then, the Kings had no jeopardy to worry about. No real feeling of their world falling apart if things went wrong. No real doubt over if they can put behind previously nightmarish experiences. Now, there will be jeopardy. Oh, there will be lots of it. And there will be a Mumbai Indians-named foe in front of them, with that notorious habit of starting off sluggishly and then bossing games where the differential between risk and reward is at its crest. This, of course, does not mean that MI will ransack the remainder of the tournament and canter to another triumph. But history does suggest that MI prance and prowl in this neck of the woods better than most teams to have participated in this competition. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And Friday against the Titans was probably just another very vivid illustration.
Mint
3 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Who won yesterday's IPL match? Top highlights from GT vs MI Eliminator clash
An exciting encounter ensued between the Mumbai Indians and the Gujatrat Titatns on Friday where the Hardik Pandya led Franchise eventually came out on top. Gujarat Titans - who dominated the IPL Points Table until recently - have now bowed out of the tournament after third straight loss while MI will now face off against the Punjab Kings at the Qualifier 2. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya won the toss at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur and decided to bat first. Rohit Sharma opened the innings for MI alongside Jonny Bairstow, who made his season debut. The two openers lit up the powerplay for MI, ensuring that the blue team were on the offensive from the outset. Bairstow was eventually dismissed on 47 in the eighth over, but Rohit went on to hit an 81-run knock. Following Bairstow's dismissal, Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 20 balls) and Tilak Varma (25 off 11 balls) also made valuable contributions, putting MI in a strong position. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya's quickfire 22-run knock helped the franchise reach a total of 228 runs in their 20 overs. In reply, GT lost their first wicket during the powerplay, with captain Shubman Gill being dismissed on 1 run. However, Sai Sudarshan played a brilliant innings, scoring 80 runs off 49 balls, keeping GT's hopes alive. He was first ably helped by a cameo from Kusal Mendis (20 off 10 balls) and later by a good innings from Washington Sundar (48 off 24 balls). Ultimately, GT's batters were defeated by the run rate as they lost the clash by 20 runs. A heartbroken Shubman Gill while reacting to the loss after the match said, "Brilliant game of cricket, we were right in it. Last three-four overs didn't go our way but still a good game. Definitely not easy when we drop 3 sitters. Wasn't easy for the bowlers to control and doesn't help when you drop 3 catches,"
