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IPL 2021: Jaiswal, Dube fifties overshadow Gaikwad ton as Rajasthan win

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Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube hit blazing half-centuries to lead Rajasthan Royals to a splendid seven-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in match 47 of IPL 2021 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Saturday. Rajasthan made an imposing chase of 190 look easy by hunting down the target with 15 balls to spare. The win means that Rajasthan now have ten points from 12 matches and leapfrog Mumbai Indians to be at sixth place in the points table which has four teams at ten points.

Rajasthan got off to a flying start, making 81 runs in the power-play against a Chennai bowling attack missing Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo. Yashasvi Jaiswal came out all guns blazing, smashing boundaries against every bowler. Josh Hazlewood came under severe thrashing from the youngster, taken for seven boundaries, including the last one, a flat-six over long-off, taking him to a whirlwind half-century in just 19 balls.

Evin Lewis supported Jaiswal well before pulling to fine leg off Thakur. Jaiswal fell on the first ball after power-play to a short ball from KM Asif. Despite losing both openers in quick succession, Rajasthan didn’t lose the run-making assault.

Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson put up a match-defining partnership of 89 runs in 58 balls. Dube, promoted to number four, was more aggressive of the duo, welcoming Ravindra Jadeja with a six over long-on in the ninth over. He extended the thrashing by hitting Moeen Ali for back-to-back sixes in the next over.

Dube brought the half-century of the partnership with a four clubbed over mid-wicket off Sam Curran followed by a six over the same region in the 12th over. The all-rounder then reached his half-century in 31 balls with a single off Thakur.

Though Samson fell while pulling off Thakur in the 16th over, Rajasthan were well on course to chase the target. Debutant Glenn Phillips walloped Curran for a four and six, before finishing off the chase with a single off Moeen Ali.

Earlier, Gaikwad displayed an exhibition of timing and classical hitting to reach his first century in the IPL. It was a fine batting effort by the youngster, whose first 50 runs came in 43 balls while the next 51 runs came in a jaw-dropping 17 balls and feasted ‘n Rajasthan’s listless bowling. Gaikwad was well-supported by Ravindra Jadeja’s blitzkrieg in the end apart from useful contributions by Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali.

Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis added 44/0 in power-play. While Gaikwad creamed debutant Akash Singh for two fours in the opening over, du Plessis took back-to-back boundaries against Chetan Sakariya in the fifth over. Tewatia broke the partnership in the seventh over, getting du Plessis easily stumped by Samson. Tewatia had his second wicket of the match as Suresh Raina’s promotion to three in his 200th match for Chennai ended with a slog-sweep to deep mid-wicket.

Despite the two quick dismissals, Gaikwad and Ali struck boundaries and rotated the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. Gaikwad brought up his half-century in 43 balls, his second of the UAE leg of the tournament. From there, Gaikwad accelerated, hitting Tewatia for two sixes on the trot in the 15th over.

Though Tewatia had Ali stumped, it didn’t make Gaikwad slow down. In the next over, he took two fours and a six off Akash Singh to enter into the 80s. Though Ambati Rayudu fell cheaply, Gaikwad continued to collect boundaries with pristine timing.

Jadeja took two fours and a six on the first three balls of the final off Rahman. Gaikwad finished off the innings by smacking a six over deep mid-wicket, which took him to his first IPL hundred. But it wasn’t enough to prevent Chennai’s first loss in the UAE leg of the tournament.

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 189/4 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 101 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 32 not out, Rahul Tewatia 3/39, Chetan Sakariya 1/31) lost to Rajasthan Royals 190/3 in 17.3 overs (Shivam Dube 64 not out, Yashasvi Jaiswal 50, Shardul Thakur 2/30, KM Asif 1/18) by seven wickets.

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Health Ministry asks IPL to ban direct and indirect ads promoting alcohol, tobacco

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New Delhi, March 10: The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has asked officials at the Indian Premier League to ban all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertisements from upcoming sports events.

Notably, the letter by Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services urges Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairperson, IPL, to regulate tobacco and alcohol advertisements including surrogate advertisements and sales during the upcoming cricket season, slated to begin on March 22.

The ban extends both to stadium premises as well as a live telecast on television.

“The IPL being India’s most viewed sports event, direct or indirect promotion of tobacco/alcohol on any platform linked to sports sends a contradictory message to the public about health and fitness,” said Goel, in the letter, dated March 5.

He cited that tobacco and alcohol are significantly responsible for the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in the country. “Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc. account for more than 70 per cent of deaths annually.

Tobacco and alcohol use are key risk factors for NCDs. “India ranks second in tobacco-related deaths worldwide; with nearly 14 lakh annual deaths while alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians,” the health ministry official said.

The letter, also marked to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, asked IPL officials to “strictly implement” the regulations to ban all forms of tobacco/alcohol advertising, including surrogate advertisements, “within the stadium premises where the games and related IPL games/events are held as well as during telecast sessions on national television”.

The sale of tobacco or alcohol products must also be regulated “in all affiliated events and sports facilities”.

The letter also sought to “discourage the promotion of sportspersons (including commentators) who directly or indirectly endorse products directly or indirectly linked to alcohol or tobacco”.

The letter stated that “cricket players are role models for the youngsters” and that promoting tobacco or alcohol products by them can have a poor impact on youngsters’ minds.

Instead, they should promote “a healthy, active lifestyle”. Goel asked IPL to share a “social and moral obligation to promote public health and support health initiatives of the government”.

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Ex-Mumbai captain Milind Rege passes away; players wear black armbands in Ranji Trophy match

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New Delhi, Feb 19: Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege passed away on Wednesday in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. He was 76. He is survived by his wife Raj and two sons.

The Mumbai Cricket Association took to X to share the condolence message: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Milind Rege. A stalwart of Mumbai cricket, he served with dedication as Captain, Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee, Managing Committee Member, and Advisor. His legacy will forever be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”

The stalwart of Mumbai cricket, Rege was part of five consecutive Ranji Trophy title-winning seasons. An off-spinning all-rounder claimed 126 wickets in 52 first-class matches between 1966-67 and 1977-78. He also amassed 1532 runs, averaging 23.56 in those games.

Following his playing career, Rege remained closely involved with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), holding various roles including selector and chief selector at different times. In 2020, he was appointed as an advisor to the MCA.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Milind Rege Sir. A true stalwart of Mumbai cricket, his invaluable contributions as a player, selector, and mentor shaped generations of cricketers. His unwavering support and guidance will always be remembered, and his legacy will continue to inspire. He always stood by me, and I will forever be grateful. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace,” said MCA chief Ajinkya Naik.

Both the Mumbai and Vidarbha teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy semi-final in Nagpur observed a minute’s silence before the start of the third day’s play in Rege’s memory. The Mumbai players also wore black arm bands.

Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri also condoled the demise of his friend. “Really sad to hear about the demise of a dear friend Milind Rege. A true champion in his contribution to Mumbai and Tata’s cricket all-round. A Mentor Par Excellence. Heartfelt condolences to Raj and family. God bless his soul,” he shared on X.

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Air India Super League 2025: Travel High Titans Clinch Title In First-Ever Pan-India Cricket Tournament

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Travel High Titans won the first edition of Air India Super League 2025, Air India’s first-ever pan-India cricket tournament. The Air India Super League 2025 brought together over 500 participants from 48 leading travel partners spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai strengthening its ties with the industry.

Designed as both a competitive sporting event and a dynamic networking platform, the Air India Super League 2025 aimed to foster camaraderie between Air India and its valued travel partners, including travel management companies and online travel agents.

During the tournament, teams from various cities competed in regional Round Robin matches, with winners advancing to the National Finale in New Delhi. Air India flew down qualifying teams to the capital for the grand finale, held on Sunday at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. Team Travel High Titans won the first Air India Super League 2025 trophy by 62 runs, beating Tripjack Warriors in a thrilling final match.

The Round Robin Winner trophy was awarded to the top team from each of the four cities, while finalists competed for the ultimate championship title. Participants and winners were also recognized in multiple categories, including ‘Man of the Match’, ‘Best Fielder’, ‘Most Catches in Air India Super League 2025’, ‘Player of Air India Super League 2025’, among others.

“With the Air India Super League 2025, Air India aims to create engaging and memorable experiences for its travel partners while also offering them a platform for networking,” said an official from Air India.

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