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    La Liga: Mbappe sent off but Madrid hold on for crucial win at Alaves

    Vitoria-Gasteiz, April 13 (IANS) Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Alaves at Mendizorroza to claim three crucial points in La Liga, thanks to a first-half strike from Eduardo Camavinga. Carlo Ancelotti’s side played over half an hour with ten men after Kylian Mbappe was shown a red card, but held firm to see out the victory.

    Los Blancos started the match strongly and nearly took the lead inside ten minutes. Antonio Rudiger delivered a superb long ball to Arda Guler, who found himself one-on-one with Owono. The young Turkish forward couldn't convert, and despite contact from the goalkeeper, the referee waved away penalty appeals.

    Madrid thought they had gone ahead in the 18th minute when Asensio scored from a corner, but the goal was controversially ruled out after VAR spotted a foul by Rudiger on the Alaves keeper during the build-up.

    The breakthrough finally arrived in the 31st minute. Fede Valverde combined neatly with Camavinga at the edge of the box, and the French midfielder slotted the ball past Owono to make it 1-0. Alaves responded with a near miss from Carlos Vicente, whose effort went just wide.

    Drama struck in the 38th minute when Mbappé, initially booked for a late challenge on Blanco, saw his yellow card upgraded to a red after a VAR review, leaving Madrid with ten men.

    Despite the numerical disadvantage, Madrid defended resolutely in the second half. The situation leveled out in the 70th minute when Alaves’ Manu Sánchez was sent off for a last-man foul on Vinícius Jr. following another VAR review.

    Madrid had chances to extend their lead late on. Valverde fired a powerful shot just wide, and Jude Bellingham was denied in a one-on-one by Owono in the 89th minute. Dani Ceballos made a brief return from injury during stoppage time as Madrid closed out the match.

    --IANS

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    Jyothi Vennam/Rishabh Yadav pair bags Compound Mixed Team gold in Archery World Cup Stage 1 in USA

    Auburndale (USA), April 13 (IANS) A few days after compound archery was included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the Indian team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Rishabh Yadav claimed the gold medal in the Compound Mixed Team event in the 2025 Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Florida, USA, on Saturday. This was the first compound mixed team medal match of the 2025 Archery World Cup.

    The Indian team got the better of the Chinese Taipei pair of Huang I-Jou and Chen Chien-lun 153-151 in a hard-fought gold medal match on Saturday morning.

    The Indian pair of former World Cup winner Jyothi Surekha and Rishabh came back after losing the first End, which includes each archer shooting two arrows (four in all in case of mixed doubles), 37-38 as they managed two scores of 9 and two 10s. Their rivals shot two nines and arrows in the inner 10 circle (X).

    The Indians lost the second End 38-39 and were trailing 75-77 overall, despite scoring three 10s as an 8 pulled them down. The Chinese Taipei pair shot X,10,10, X to win the End.

    In the third End, the Indian pair of Jyothi and Rishabh got the better of the Chinese Taipei pair 39-38 to close the gap to 113-115. The Indians went from strength to strength in the fourth and final End, with scores of 9,10,10, X while the Chinese Taipei pair faltered and could manage scores of 9, 9, 8, X. The Indians won the End 39-36 to win the gold medal match 153-151 and cemented their dominance in this discipline.

    Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Rishabh Yadav were exceptionally precise in the semifinal, too. The Indian pair shot 156 against Spain and Denmark, whose line-up included Indoor World Series Champion Tanja Gellenthien and world number two Mathias Fullerton – and then posted an incredible 159 in the semifinal against Slovenia, just one off a perfect score.

    For Yadav, Saturday’s final marks a major milestone: he has yet to win an Archery World Cup medal, as he and powerhouse India build toward LA28.

    --IANS

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    Formula 1: Piastri claims pole outpacing Russell & Leclerc in Bahrain GP

    Bahrain, April 12 (IANS) McLaren’s Oscar Piastri delivered a blistering lap to claim pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in a tight and dramatic Qualifying 3 finale under the lights at the Bahrain International Circuit.

    Piastri’s pole-clinching time of 1m 29.841s showcased his growing maturity and raw pace, as he outshone teammate and title contender Lando Norris, who could only manage sixth. The Australian had looked quick throughout the session but turned it up a notch in the dying stages, holding off a strong charge from Russell, who finished just a couple of tenths shy of the top spot.

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc continued his consistent run in Qualifying with a solid third, just 0.150s adrift of the front, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed again with a strong fourth-place effort. However, both Mercedes drivers are under post-session investigation for potential technical infringements, which could yet alter the starting order.

    Pierre Gasly put in arguably his best lap of the season to snatch fifth for Alpine, capitalizing on a scruffy final run by Norris. Championship leader Norris, who had been dominant in practice, struggled to put together a clean lap in Q3 and will start on the third row alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who himself was hampered by persistent brake issues and never looked fully at ease.

    Carlos Sainz, driving for Williams after a mid-season switch, delivered his best Qualifying performance of the season with eighth, narrowly ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who had a lap deleted for exceeding track limits. Yuki Tsunoda, in the second Red Bull, rounded out the top ten.

    Rising Alpine star Jack Doohan impressed again, showing strong pace in Q1 but just missing out on Q3 in 11th, ahead of Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar and the experienced Fernando Alonso, who couldn’t extract more from his Aston Martin.

    The drama unfolded in Q2 when Esteban Ocon lost control of his Haas exiting Turn 2 and crashing heavily, triggering red flags and ending his session prematurely. He will start 14th, with Nico Hulkenberg in 15th after his lap time was reinstated post-session, knocking Alex Albon out of Q2 contention. Albon, who has been a consistent points scorer in 2025, was visibly frustrated after being outpaced by teammate Sainz for the first time this season.

    Liam Lawson was left ruing DRS issues that saw him end up 17th in his Racing Bulls car, ahead of Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. At the back of the grid, Haas rookie Ollie Bearman suffered a tough outing after a promising run in Japan last weekend. A compromised Q1 lap with multiple errors left him languishing in 20th, rounding off a forgettable session for the young Briton.

    --IANS

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    ISL 2024-25: Mohun Bagan SG bag league double with 2-1 win over Bengaluru FC (Ld)

    Kolkata, April 12 (IANS) Jamie Maclaren scored an extra-time winner as Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) won the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 Cup after a 2-1 victory against Bengaluru FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium here on Saturday.

    MBSG came from behind after trailing by a goal to successfully cap off the League Double, having already clinched the ISL Shield this season, and have concluded the current campaign unbeaten at their home. They are just the second team after Mumbai City FC (2020-21) to win the League Shield and the ISL Cup in the same season.

    MBSG banked on the crowd support to make a defining start to the game, with Maclaren coming close with a right-footed shot from the same side of the box, which was saved in the bottom left corner by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the ninth minute.

    They kept functioning dynamically in tandem, as Anirudh Thapa, usually pulling the strings at the centre, made an inroad into the 18-yard area and hastened towards a right-footed shot from the left side of the box that was blocked in time.

    The Blues responded with a flurry of opportunities around the 20th-minute mark, with Alberto Noguera stretching the MBSG defence wide and delivering a cross for Sunil Chhetri that the forward couldn’t capitalise upon. A subsequent headed effort from Edgar Mendez was saved at the centre of the goal by Vishal Kaith to keep the score level.

    Bengaluru FC bagged the breakthrough in the 49th minute, courtesy of an own goal by defender Alberto Rodriguez. Williams was afforded ample space on the right flank, and he optimised it with a whipping cross directed for Mendez inside the box.

    Subhasish Bose, who was marking Williams, could not close down his target. Rodriguez attempted to clear the ball but ended up hammering it into the back of the net under pressure.

    Seven minutes later, Bose tried to make up for the previous endeavour by recovering possession near the halfway mark and hurling a delivery that met Jason Cummings just outside the penalty area. The striker did well to control the ball and unleashed a left-footed effort that required a fully stretched dive from Sandhu to stop the scores from equalising.

    However, MBSG earned a reprieve in the form of a penalty due to a handball by Chinglensana Singh. In the 72nd minute, Cummings stepped up for spot-kick duties and effortlessly converted the opportunity by caressing the ball into the bottom left corner with his left foot to bring the contest back on level terms.

    As the game entered the added time, Kaith sent in a long ball that Ashique Kuruniyan tried to hit home, albeit from a difficult angle on the left, but to no avail. Greg Stewart’s lateral ball for Tom Aldred was headed from the left side of the six-yard box by the defender, but it missed the target to the right.

    The match entered extra time, and it did not take Maclaren too long to finally carve an impact in the grand finale. With MBSG exerting numbers ahead, the Bengaluru FC defence consequently slipped into a spot of bother and Maclaren’s incisive instinct tapped upon that with a fierce effort from inside the box as soon as he gained possession to unsettle Sandhu and hit the centre of the net in the 96th minute, sealing a memorable campaign for the Kolkata-based club.

    --IANS

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    IPL 2025: Abhishek Sharma lights up Hyderabad as SRH pull off historic chase against PBKS

    Hyderabad, April 12 (IANS) In a match that will long be etched in the annals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) history, Sunrisers Hyderabad pulled off the second-highest successful run chase in the league's history, chasing down a mammoth 246 against Punjab Kings with eight wickets in hand, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Saturday.

    The architects of this record-shattering win were the explosive Abhishek Sharma, who slammed a career-best 141 off 55 balls, and the ever-dependable Travis Head, whose calculated aggression complemented the fire and flair at the other end. The encounter between SRH and PBKS had promised fireworks, but few could have predicted the sheer scale of the pyrotechnics that would follow.

    After being sent in to bat, Punjab Kings posted an imposing 245/6, powered by Shreyas Iyer’s commanding 82 and a blistering finish from Marcus Stoinis, who thumped four consecutive sixes in the final over to end unbeaten on 34 off just 11 balls. The pitch had regained its batting-friendly character after a brief flirtation with turn during the previous game against the Gujarat Titans. And it was evident from the very first over of the second innings that this was not a surface where bowlers would have their say.

    The SRH opening pair of Abhishek and Head charged out with intent, though Prabhsimran Singh’s early boundaries in the first innings set the tone for an evening of brutality with the bat. But what followed in SRH’s chase was nothing short of remarkable.

    Abhishek, who hadn’t hit a six in the tournament before this match, opened his account in stunning fashion. Facing Marco Jansen, he launched into three successive boundaries and followed it up with an effortless six off Yash Thakur — a shot that was soon accompanied by a stroke of fortune as he was caught off a no-ball and then dispatched the free hit into the stands. The aggression was unrelenting.

    Head, meanwhile, played the role of the ice to Abhishek’s fire. While Abhishek flicked, pulled, and whipped deliveries over the ropes with nonchalance, Head anchored from the other end, picking gaps, rotating the strike, and occasionally punishing the errant deliveries. The duo brought up their 100 partnership before the halfway mark, and by the time Head departed for a fluent 66, the match had already tilted heavily in Hyderabad’s favour.

    Abhishek’s hundred was not only his first in IPL but also came in just 40 deliveries, the fifth-fastest in the tournament's history. As he raised his bat and pulled out a folded piece of white paper from his pocket — bearing the message “This one is for the Orange Army” — the stadium erupted. It was the kind of innings that doesn’t just win matches but galvanizes entire seasons.

    Earlier in the day, PBKS had themselves delivered a batting masterclass. Shreyas Iyer’s 82 off 36 was the backbone of their innings, stitched together with ferocious intent and deft touches. Nehal Wadhera played a crucial supporting role, while Stoinis’s explosive finish pushed them to a total that, in most contexts, would have been more than enough.

    Harshal Patel was the only SRH bowler to walk away with respectable figures, his 4 for 42 a rare highlight in an otherwise forgettable bowling performance.

    But SRH’s reply made Punjab’s fireworks seem like warm-up drills. It was not just a chase — it was a statement. A team that had endured four straight losses stepped onto the field with belief and walked off having rewritten the record books.

    Abhishek Sharma’s innings will go down as one of the finest played by an Indian batter in the IPL. His knock surpassed KL Rahul’s 132 to become the highest individual score by an Indian in the tournament’s history. It also lifted Sunrisers from the depths of inconsistency and injected belief into a squad that had been desperate for a spark.

    Brief scores:

    Punjab Kings 245/6 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 82, Prabhsimran Sing 42, Marcus Stoinis 34 not out; Harshal Patel 4-42, Eshan Malinga 2-45) lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad 247/2 in 18.3 overs (Abhishek Sharma 141, Travis Head 66; Arshdeep Singh 1-37, Yuzvendra Chahal 1-56) by eight wickets.

    --IANS

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    IPL 2025: Abhishek Sharma smashes fifth-fastest century in league’s history

    Hyderabad, April 12 (IANS) Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) young dynamo Abhishek Sharma etched his name into the history books on Saturday night, smashing a whirlwind century off just 40 balls in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The stunning knock came against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and marked the fifth-fastest century in IPL history.

    Coming in with SRH chasing a mammoth target of 246, Abhishek turned the contest on its head with a fearless display of stroke play. The left-hander unleashed a flurry of boundaries and sixes, taking the attack to a shell-shocked Punjab bowling line-up from the outset. His ability to clear the fence with ease and pierce the gaps at will left the bowlers with no answers.

    Abhishek’s blazing ton is now the second-fastest century ever scored by a Sunrisers Hyderabad batter. The fastest hundred still belongs to his opening partner, Travis Head, who reached the milestone in 39 balls last season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Together, the duo have redefined the batting template for SRH with their fearless and aggressive approach at the top.

    The overall record for the fastest century in IPL remains with the indomitable Chris Gayle, who tore apart the Pune Warriors with a 30-ball hundred in 2013 — a record that stands tall even after a decade.

    Abhishek’s blistering 141 off 55 balls is now the highest individual score by any Sunrisers Hyderabad batter, breaking the record of Australian batter David Warner (131). It is also the highest individual score by an Indian batter in IPL history.

    Earlier, Abhishek Sharma brought up his first half-century of the season in 19 deliveries as Sunrisers Hyderabad made a superb start. His opening partner, Travis Head, reached his second half-century of the season in 31 deliveries as Sunrisers Hyderabad reached 147/0 after 10.2 overs in a chase of 246 against Punjab Kings.

    --IANS

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    ISL Final: You have brought us till here, Sunil Chhetri tells Bengaluru FC fans ahead of MBSG clash

    Kolkata, April 11 (IANS) With Bengaluru FC taking on a massive challenge of defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the final on Saturday, former India captain Sunil Chhetri has put out a message to their fans. He thanked the fans who he said brought them this far ahead of their clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK).

    "I know a lot of you cannot be here, but don’t for one minute forget, that it is you who brought us till here. We’re lucky to be loved the way we are, and before things kick off, I just wanted to say that we love you too," Chhetri wrote in a post on Instagram.

    In the pre-match press conference, Bengaluru FC Head Coach Gerard Zaragoza said, “We are very motivated for the finals and excited for the game. Everything is fine. We are confident, and Kolkata is almost like our second home because we were here for the Durand Cup. We had a good playoff, and we are looking forward to the grand finale.”

    His sentiment was echoed by BFC goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who spoke fondly about his long association with the city. “As you know, my journey as a professional footballer started here, and I was very lucky to be getting opportunities to play matches from the beginning. I am grateful for the journey.

    "If you get an opportunity to play big games, big finals, in front of big crowds as a player, it’s a great experience and I am lucky to be here for the match in Kolkata.” Gurpreet also reserved some special praise for the opponents, saying, “Mohun Bagan Super Giant have been the standout team this season, and there is no denying that, which is why they won the League Shield,” he added.

    MBSG are the League Shield Winners, whereas Bengaluru FC finished third in the standings and then cruised past the challenges that fronted them in the eliminator and semi-final to make it to the summit clash.

    It is a fourth ISL finals appearance for BFC in just eight seasons, while MBSG have become the first team to reach this stage three successive times. This fixture is an encore of the ISL 2022-23 showdown, when both these sides had clashed in the season finale, with the Kolkata-based team emerging triumphant via penalties in a very tight contest.

    They have the chance to repeat that feat in front of a vociferous home crowd this time around, whereas Bengaluru FC will take confidence from their recent form to distort MBSG’s record of staying unbeaten at home thus far in the current campaign.

    --IANS

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    IPL 2025: It’s about trying to give flying starts, says Narine on quick-fire 44 against CSK

    Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Sunil Narine’s all-round efforts – a spell of 3-13 and a knock of 44 - played a critical part in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thoroughly outclassing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Narine, whose 18-ball 44 helped KKR chase down 104 with 59 balls to spare, said he endeavors to try and give his team flying starts.

    "Almost (a complete game), next time hope I can take a catch as well (Narine dropped Vijay Shankar’s catch on zero). I try to focus on my strengths. Batters play well, but if you focus too much on batters, you are already on the back foot.”

    “You get accustomed and try to adapt as soon as possible. You see what happens in the power-play and try and help the team. It's very simple - trying to get the team off to a flying start. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't," said Narine, the Player of the Match awardee, after the game ended.

    Moeen Ali, who bowled a tidy spell of 1-20 and kept CSK batters in check, was in praise of how other bowlers and fielders helped him maintain a stranglehold on the five-time champions.

    "Having two left-handers helped my case. Kept as straight as possible. Rinku dived and stopped four early, which helped my confidence.”

    “In power-play, you cannot bowl quick. Give it time to spin. Sometimes it skids on, sometimes it spins. Sunil has been outstanding for a long time. If I can bowl a couple of overs at the top and save them for later, it helps. I am learning from them. At the top, you can't spin every ball. You just need one to grip, and that puts doubts in the batters' minds," he added.

    KKR, the defending champions, will now have some time off before facing off against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on April 15.

    --IANS

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    BJK Cup 2025: Vaidehi, Shrivalli help India down Chinese Taipei; close in on a playoff spot

    Pune, April 11 (IANS) The young guns, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Vaidehi Chaudhari, helped India take a significant stride towards their quest for a playoff spot at the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1, guiding the hosts to a 2-1 victory against Chinese Taipei, here on Friday. This was the hosts’ third consecutive win, helping them climb to the second spot on the points table in this prestigious tournament, organized by MSLTA in association with ITF, AITA, and PMDTA.

    It was another successful outing for Vaidehi Chaudhari, who bagged her second win in as many matches, this time against Fang An Lin at the Mahalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex in Pune.

    Ranked 351 in singles, the Indian star dominated proceedings in the first set before her opponent forced a deciding set. However, Vaidehi responded in style, eventually sealing a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win in 2 hours and 9 minutes, giving India a 1-0 lead in the tie.

    In the second match, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty maintained her perfect record in the tournament, registering her fourth consecutive win in a hard-fought battle against Joanna Garland, ranked 207.

    One of India’s most promising stars, ranked 304, Shrivalli dominated proceedings in the first set and eventually wrapped up the contest with a scoreline of 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in 2 hours and 38 minutes, ensuring that the hosts secure the tie against Chinese Taipei.

    In the final match of the day, Chinese Taipei’s doubles pairing of Yi Tsen Cho and Fang-Hsein Wu pipped the Indian combination of Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare.

    After surrendering the first set, the experienced Indian pair fought back to win the second set. Unfortunately, the hosts couldn’t complete the clean sweep in the super tie break, eventually falling short by a scoreline of 2-6, 6-4, 6-10, in an hour and 31 minutes.

    The Indian team will look to confirm its qualification spot with a win against the Korea Republic, in their final match of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1 on Saturday (April 12).

    The tournament is powered by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare (Maharashtra).

    Other results:

    New Zealand 2-1 Thailand

    Monique Barry (NZL) bt Patcharin Cheapchandej (THA): 7-5, 6-2 (1 hr 20 mins)

    Lulu Sun (NZL) bt Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA): 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 (2hrs 14 mins)

    Peangtarn Plipuech and Thasaporn Naklo (THA) bt Renne Zhang and Sasha Situe (NZL): 6-3, 6-3 (1 hr 1 min)

    Korea Republic 3-0 Hong Kong, China

    Sohyun Park (KOR) bt Ho Ching Wu (HKG): 6-1, 6-1 (1hr 7 mins)

    Dayeon Park (KOR) bt Hong Yi Cody Wong (HKG): 6-3, 7-5 (1hr 33 mins)

    Dabin Kim and Sohyun Park (KOR) bt Eudice Chong and Man Ying Maggie Ng (HKG): 6-4, 6-1 (52 mins).

    --IANS

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    IPL 2025: Sunil Narine’s all-round show helps KKR thrash CSK by eight wickets (ld)

    Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Sunil Narine put out a superb all-round show - picking 3-13 in his four overs and then smashing an entertaining 44, as a ruthless Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thoroughly outplayed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in a one-sided Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday.

    On a black-soil pitch where there was help for spinners from the word go, Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Moeen Ali, brought to counter left-handed batters, picked six wickets collectively as CSK’s batting never got going and ended up at a below-par 103/9, their lowest IPL total at Chepauk.

    In reply, Narine’s pyrotechnics at the top, as well as CSK bowlers pitching their deliveries too full, meant KKR chased down the paltry total with 59 balls to spare and jumped to third place in the points table.

    It also meant that CSK, now a pale shadow of their dominating self, suffered their biggest margin of defeat in the IPL in terms of balls remaining, while losing five consecutive games for the first time in their history of being in the competition.

    CSK wanted to bat first after losing the toss, with MS Dhoni back as captain, but didn’t take full advantage of it as they could never break free from the discipline showed by KKR bowlers and succumbed to a combination of pressure and poor shot selection.

    It took Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 29-ball 31 to save CSK from being all out for their lowest total (79) in IPL’s history. Devon Conway began by taking two boundaries off pacer Vaibhav Arora, before being dismissed for 12 when his attempt to reverse-sweep off Moeen resulted in him being trapped lbw in a wicket-maiden over.

    In the next over, CSK were dealt another blow when Rachin Ravindra miscued a slog off Harshit Rana and was caught at cover. KKR could have got another wicket if Vijay Shankar wasn’t dropped by Moeen at mid-off when on zero. From there, Shankar pulled and lofted Chakaravarthy for boundaries, before hoicking Moeen over mid-wicket for six. Shankar’s charmed life continued when Venkatesh Iyer dropped him at mid-wicket on 20.

    Despite that, CSK’s struggles never ended, as their almighty slide began. Shankar’s lucky stay ended at 29 when he mistimed a sweep to deep backward square leg off Chakaravarthy, while a struggling Tripathi played all around an off-break from Moeen and was beaten on the inside edge before being castled for 16.

    Ravichandran Ashwin’s promotion backfired as he holed out to long-on off Rana, while Ravindra Jadeja nicked behind for a duck off Narine, and impact player Deepak Hooda chipped to short mid-wicket off Chakaravarthy. CSK’s hopes for big runs from MS Dhoni ended when he was trapped lbw for just one by Narine.

    Dube, who was watching CSK’s slide from the other end, broke the 63-ball boundary drought by smashing Rana down the ground for four, before getting a top edge off Arora for another boundary. But while taking the second run, Dube pulled the muscles in his left leg, and despite that, he smashed the half-volley to long-off on the last ball of the innings to take CSK past 100.

    KKR were off to a flying start as Narine and Quinton de Kock thumped Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj for a six each. Interestingly, CSK just hit one six in their entire innings, while KKR hit two maximums in just seven balls of their chase. There was no stopping de Kock as he whipped and pulled Khaleel for two sixes.

    Ravichandran Ashwin’s introduction didn’t change anything for CSK as Narine slammed a four in the gap between mid-off and extra cover, before pulling his carrom ball over deep square leg for six. But in a bid to smack Kamboj over leg-side, de Kock missed the delivery and saw the top of his off-stump being rattled, as he fell for 23.

    Ajinkya Rahane was elegant in his drive down the ground off Kamboj and flicking Khaleel over square-leg for six with panache, even as Narine continued his merry run-making by heaving Khaleel for four and six respectively.

    There was no respite for Ashwin as Narine pulled and lofted him for two sixes. Though Narine was castled by Noor Ahmad for 44, Rahane and Rinku Singh completed the chase quickly to give the reigning champions a big win and a huge NRR boost, even as CSK’s disappointing run continues in IPL 2025.

    Brief scores:

    Chennai Super Kings 103/9 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 31 not out, Vijay Shankar 29; Sunil Narine 3-13, Harshit Rana 2-16) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 107/2 in 10.1 overs (Sunil Narine 44, Quinton de Kock 23; Noor Ahmad 1-8, Anshul Kamboj 1-19) by eight wickets

    --IANS

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