Latest news with #IPLQualifier1
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
IPL 2025: Suyash's googly turns knockout hero for RCB
New Delhi: A native of the swarming lanes of Bhajanpura in North East Delhi, Suyash Sharma turned out to be the unlikely hero for Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the night of the IPL Qualifier 1 against table-toppers Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. The wiry leg-spinner, who once had a mop of hair but now dons a more slick hairstyle, delivered a game-changing spell of 3/17, dismantling PBKS hopes with the wickets of Shashank Singh, Musheer Khan and Marcus Stoinis — all with his googly. PBKS were already in trouble at 59/5 when Suyash was asked to bowl but the two wickets in his first over sealed the collapse. 'The coaches have told me just one thing: I have to hit the stumps — whether it's a googly, legbreak or flipper,' he said after the match. 'There was some help from the pitch, but I think my googly is what made the difference.' Suyash's wrong 'un has always been his secret weapon. A pivotal figure in Suyash's journey was the late coach Suresh Batra, who mentored him during his early years. The googly was also what first caught the attention of the Delhi selectors during his U-25 trials. Kartar Nath, who handled Dena Bank's team for the DDCA League, had been nudging Gursharan Singh, then-chair of the Delhi selectors, to give the teenager a chance. 'It was his unusual action and the confidence with which he bowled his googly that stood out,' Nath told HT. 'I just asked them to watch him — he had the talent, he just needed the opportunity. There is incredible talent in Delhi. It's a metro city after all, players come from everywhere. But backing a player amidst the politics that happens here is very important. I believed in him but he always had what it takes.' That opportunity, however, didn't come easily. Suyash had been spotted by Kolkata Knight Riders who picked him in 2023. After two seasons in and out of the playing XI, RCB picked him up for ₹2.6 crore in the mega-auction ahead of this season. However, Suyash had been playing through the pain of hernia in three places for nearly two years. RCB sent him to London for surgery ahead of the season. He returned fitter, lighter, and the renewed clarity and confidence of the franchise seems to have been repaid. 'It helped that he had the trust of the team,' said RCB captain Rajat Patidar. 'We've kept the messaging simple. Stick to your strengths, bowl stump to stump. His wrong'un is hard to read anyway. I always want to give him clear ideas, I don't want to confuse him. I am okay if he concedes a few runs in the process.' That clarity has been crucial. Nath revealed that Suyash mentioned to him on a phone call that even two games ago, the RCB coaching staff reminded him not to overthink. Instead, he needed to back his googly – the very reason he was here. This season, his numbers (8 wickets from 13 games at an economy of 8.81) are not mind-boggling but his performance on Thursday also aligned with RCB's trend of having a new match-winner turn up for them through the season. Beyond the field, Suyash has had his share of challenges. Besides financial pressure and limited backing, two years ago, he lost his father to cancer and that had been tough to recover from personally. 'It's not always easy to find the right backing,' Nath said. 'Suyash always had it in him. He just needed someone to believe in him. It was also about luck that RCB supported him even beyond the field. It has shown in his performance.' On a crucial day, Suyash's googly baffled and proved to be a quiet force in RCB's push for their first IPL title.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Kings reign supreme: Virat Kohli and Magnus Carlsen dominate their kingdoms
Yesterday was a day of undeniable supremacy for two reigning "Kings" in their respective domains: Cricket maestro Virat Kohli and chess phenomenon, Grandmaster and current World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen. Both athletes delivered stellar performances, solidifying their positions at the pinnacle of their sports and leaving their fans in awe. RCB's aggressive play from ball 1 ensured they walked into the Finals of IPL 2025 with an eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 in New Chandigarh. This commanding win secures RCB's highly anticipated spot in the IPL 2025 Final, their first since 2016 and fourth overall. From the very first ball, Kohli's men were charged up. Opting to field on a spicy green track, RCB's bowlers, including a returning Josh Hazlewood and spinner Suyash Sharma, dismantled the PBKS batting lineup. Early wickets of the PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran set the tone, followed by single-digit scores from the middle order including captain Shreyas Iyer. PBKS with even an Impact Player substitution for IPL debutant Musheer Khan failed to provide respite. Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma were theaiming three crucial wickets, bundling out PBKS for 101. The chase began with characteristic aggression from RCB openers Kohli and Phil Salt, motoring to 30 in the fourth over. While Kyle Jamieson briefly raised PBKS hopes by nipping out Kohli, Salt unleashed a stunning assault, smashing a quick-fire 50 off just 23 balls. Though Mayank Agarwal departed after a couple of boundaries, it was fittingly the regular RCB captain, back to full match fitness, who sealed the victory with a six at the end of the tenth over, underscoring the exceptional tournament he and RCB have had. Also Read: Virat Kohli accidentally reveals why he retired from Test cricket during RCB's IPL Qualifier 1, fans agree This marks RCB's fourth final appearance, a testament to their enduring presence in the league. Historically, the team winning Qualifier 1 has a strong record of clinching the IPL title, having done so in 11 of the 14 previous editions since 2011, including every edition from 2018 to 2024. This bodes well for Kohli and his Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they aim for their maiden IPL trophy. Across the board, King Carlsen delivered a performance of near 100% accuracy against India's GM Arjun Erigaisi at Norway Chess 2025, a game that highlighted his unparalleled strategic depth and tactical precision. Post-match, in a candid chat with GM Simon Williams, Carlsen reflected on his play: "There were a lot of forced moves, many moves kept the balance and I felt like I did more or less everything correct to put pressure on him and often people crack, and he did today.' Having already defeated top Indian talents Gukesh and Arjun in the current event, Carlsen noted the element of chance in his wins but reiterated his overall goal: "It's a little bit random that I happen to have beaten Gukesh and Arjun so far, seeing that I've really had pressure against everybody, but still, I'm kind of trying to beat them all! I think you could see certainly inexperience in his defense today, which worked out in my favor.' When asked for advice on overcoming a bad patch, the Mozart of Chess offered practical wisdom: 'Well it depends. If you feel like generally, your game is okay… Then it's not a problem at all. If not then, it's hard. I usually need something positive to happen to break out of it.' Magnus Carlsen, playing the English Opening, was happy with the outcome against Arjun, despite initially feeling indecisive and "burning time." He later explained this hesitation was due to an unfamiliar position, but his clarity quickly returned, leading to a crucial pawn gain. Magnus Carlsen observed Arjun's dilemma perfectly: "You get presented with more and more difficult choices and eventually you go wrong." He even accurately predicted the moment of Arjun's decisive error, observing him ponder for 15 minutes on move 30. Carlsen explained that leading to a queen swap, would have been a draw, but Arjun's choice of to trade rooks proved fatal. This stellar performance has propelled Carlsen to the top of the Norway Chess 2025 leaderboard with two wins and two draws (including two Armageddon losses). Fabiano Caruana follows him at number two, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura at three, World Champion D. Gukesh at fourth, and Arjun Erigaisi at fifth. The chess world eagerly awaits Round 5, which features a thrilling clash between Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, the current Norway Chess No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Arjun will face Hikaru, while Wei Yi, who recently defeated Carlsen in Armageddon, will play Gukesh tomorrow. Yesterday truly belonged to the Kings, Virat Kohli and Magnus Carlsen, who continue to redefine excellence in their respective fields.
India Today
12 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Did Punjab Kings go overboard with their intent in Qualifier 1 loss to RCB?
Punjab Kings have been a team that has thrilled everyone with their batting this season. At the top, you have two young guns in the form of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who have put bowling attacks to the sword with their fearless batting. This has been followed by Shreyas Iyer in most of the games and Josh Inglis in recent has worked for them is the way they have counter-attacked despite losing wickets. This was seen in the CSK game in Mullanpur when Priyansh scored a hundred after they were 83 for five at one point and went on to score 219 in the end. This has been the template that worked for Punjab this season, but during the IPL Qualifier 1, it completely backfired. PBKS were mauled by the RCB bowlers and they were bundled out for just 101 rash shots were involved and the timing of their attack seemed to be misplaced. But was intent the issue for the capitulation?Shot-making at fault Some of the shots played by the PBKS batters would make you feel that they were in a hurry to make RCB feel the heat. Prabhsimran was going along nicely and hit two boundaries against Bhuvneshwar Kumar before a wild shot saw him nick it to the same could be said about Shreyas and Inglis, who could have controlled the aggression and played better shots. Matthew Hayden dissected it well when he said it is almost like your heartbeat. You need to learn how to calm it down in big situations."It's almost like a heartbeat. You've got to slow your heart rate down when it comes to a big moment of making decisions. Tonight, you can just tell that their heart was just pounding away. Their shot-making decisions are not quite as sharp as what we've seen from this world-class batting unit throughout the course of the IPL," said went on to say that in some games, you don't need to beat your chest to prove that you are an aggressive team, especially against an attack that has Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar."One of the things that you have to press upon these boys in big games is that there is no point beating your chest. You have to beat the ball and the ball in front of you is two world-class bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and also Josh Hazlewood, and they just slipped up. I think they'll get it right the next game," said should PBKS abandon their approach of high intent?advertisementWell, the answer is no. If you look at the entire IPL 2025 season, PBKS' approach has never been an issue. Punjab lost three or more wickets in the powerplay on four occasions before the IPL Qualifier 1. And they went on to win three of the batting just had an off day on Thursday. In fact, PBKS bowling coach James Hopes said that the intent needs to come back in Ahmedabad when they play Qualifier 2."Our batters were a little bit reckless. They have counterattacked the whole year, and it's worked the majority of the time. It didn't work tonight. We do need to talk about it, but we also understand we're going to a pitch that's going to be completely different from what we just played on. So the aggressive nature sort of should return," said one thing Punjab needs to learn is to be more adaptable when they find themselves in a spot. One thing to learn from the loss is has to be to play smart shots. When they sit to analyse the game, Sunil Gavaskar said one of the main topics of discussion should be learn a lot more from your losses and from defeats and I'm pretty certain that the Punjab kings will be sitting down and trying to analyse why they played some of the shots. If they are honest with themselves, they should be able to be honest with themselves. Was that shot needed? You see Prabhsimran. Already 10 runs in the over. Was there a need for that? When you're going down to somebody experienced, you're taking a bit of a risk. Was the risk needed after having scored 10 runs? Stoinis, all those players who went across the line and played and got out, they would want to look at it. Was that shot necessary?" said said that he doesn't want to forget the loss on Thursday. If he is doing that, then he and Punjab should analyse their updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Must Watch
News18
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Did Virat Kohli Sledge Musheer Khan With 'Yeh Paani Pilata Hai'? Fact Check
Last Updated: Virat Kohli faced criticism for allegedly sledging Musheer Khan with 'Ye paani pilata hai' during the 2025 IPL Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings. Royal Challengers Bangalore star Virat Kohli drew criticism for an alleged inappropriate remark towards young Musheer Khan during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Thursday. Kohli was seen gesturing something when 20-year-old Musheer walked out to bat on his IPL debut in the Qualifier 1 as an Impact substitute. As he entered the field, Kohli was reportedly seen calling him a 'water-boy', referencing Musheer having carried drinks to teammates a few overs earlier. This incident triggered considerable debate on social media. Some fans on social media alleged that Kohli referred to Musheer as a 'waterboy", purportedly saying ' Ye paani pilata hai" ('This guy carries drinks") as the youngster prepared to face his first delivery. आप ये विडियो देखो इसमें जब मुशीर खान बैटिंग करने आता है तो कोहली उसकी ओर इशारा करते हुये कहता है की ये तो पानी पिलाता है ।मैं इसलिए कोहली को अपनी झां#ट के बाल के बराबर नहीं समझता #PBKSvsRCB — VINIT( यदुवंश ) (@VinitYaduvnsh) May 30, 2025 'Did anyone else notice the (probable) lip-sync and gestures from Virat Kohli when Musheer Khan was taking guard? If true, that's surprising even by his own standards. Definitely not the best demeanour from a 'legend of the game'," a fan wrote on X. 'Virat Kohli clearly gesturing 'Ye Paani pilata hai' towards youngster Musheer Khan in today's match of RCB vs PBKS tells a lot about why the RCB fanbase is the most toxic one when the idol himself is a troller. Never put him in the respectful league of MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, I repeat, never," another fan wrote. Fans suggested Kohli was 'abusing' the Punjab Kings youngster by calling him a 'water boy', but some of Kohli's supporters defended him, highlighting that he had gifted Musheer one of his bats earlier in the season. Some also noted that Musheer idolises Virat as a batter. 20-year-old Musheer failed to do much with the bat and got out for a three-ball duck. He was trapped in front of the wickets by Suyash Sharma on the fifth ball of the ninth over. But in the second half of the match, which PBKS lost by 8 wickets, Musheer picked up one wicket for 27 runs in his quota of two overs. First Published: May 30, 2025, 09:01 IST
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘Do not get out to Arshdeep Singh': Phil Salt's soliloquy cuts through nightmare in RCB's crushing win over PBKS
There are always battles within a battle when the match is as big as the IPL Qualifier 1, with teams fighting for a direct entry into the IPL finals, and Phil Salt vs Arshdeep Singh was one of them. Before Thursday's Qualifier 1 between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it was a one-sided battle heavily in favour of Arshdeep Singh. It would be an understatement to say Arshdeep had Salt's number. The England opener has had a nightmarish time against Arshdeep. Be it IPL or for England. Whether it's T20S or ODIs, Salt's struggles against Arshdeep have been a constant. The left-hander pacer has dismissed the England opener four times in 9 T20s. In this year's IPL, Arshdeep sent Salt packing in both the league games The RCB opener was determined to turn the tables in the Qualifier and so he did. He ended up smashing six fours and three sixes, including a crisp pull off pacer Arshdeep Singh. Salt's unbeaten 56 off 27 balls helped RCB chase down PBKS' modest 102-run target in just 10 overs to march into their first final since 2016. After the match, Salt said he was trying his best not to get out to Arshdeep Singh. "Great feeling right now, it (the ball) did move a bit. I think that was not the worst wicket to have played on this season. Do not get out to Arshdeep (his mindset during the innings), we played 2 group games (with PBKS) and he has found different ways to get me out, so I was just trying to react to the ball," he said in the post-match presentation. "Gives us the momentum, it is a cliche but true, that's what you want at the backend of the tournament, want to hit your straps and play a part with the bat or ball," he added. In the ongoing season, Salt has scored 387 runs in 12 innings at an average of 35.18 and a strike rate of 175.90, with four fifties and the best score of 65. He is RCB's second-highest run-getter. All four of his half-centuries have come while chasing within six innings. Salt also completed 1,000 IPL runs, becoming the joint-second-fastest to reach the milestone in 575 balls, equalling that of Travis Head (Sunrisers Hyderabad). His ex-Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammate Andre Russell is the fastest to reach the milestone with 545 balls. In 33 IPL matches and innings, Salt scored 1,040 runs at an average of 34.66, with a strike rate of 175.67. He has scored 10 fifties, with the best score of 89*. After RCB opted to bowl first, PBKS was reduced to 48/4 in the powerplay itself, with Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood and Yash firing all cylinders. Marcus Stoinis (26 in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Azmatullah Omarzai (18 in 12 balls, with a four and a six) pushed PBKS to 101 in 14.1 overs. Suyash Sharma (3/17) and Josh Hazlewood (3/21) were the leading bowlers for RCB, with Yash Dayal getting 2/26 in four overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd got a wicket each. In the run-chase, RCB lost Virat Kohli (12) and Mayank Agarwal (19), but Phil Salt (56* in 27 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and skipper Rajat Patidar (15*) took RCB to the win in 10 overs with eight wickets left.
