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IPL 2025: Pandya comes back as Mumbai look for first win against hosts Gujarat

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Ahmedabad, March 28: Mumbai Indians (MI) will be eager to make amends for their disappointing start to the IPL 2025 season as they prepare to take on Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. With both teams yet to open their account after suffering defeats in their respective opening matches, this encounter promises to be a high-stakes battle.

One of the biggest boosts for MI ahead of this clash is the return of their captain, Hardik Pandya, who missed their season opener against Chennai Super Kings due to a suspension for an over-rate offence in IPL 2024. The five-time champions struggled in his absence, failing to put up a competitive total against CSK and eventually losing by four wickets. Now, with Pandya back in the mix, MI will be hoping for an improved performance both with the bat and the ball.

Mumbai’s batting lineup lacked the necessary firepower in their opener at Chepauk, managing only 155/9. The likes of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav will need to step up and find form, especially with the conditions in Ahmedabad expected to be more batting-friendly. Pandya’s return not only strengthens the middle order but also provides an additional bowling option, particularly during the powerplay and death overs.

However, MI will still be without their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who remains on the sidelines recovering from his back injury. His absence leaves a significant void in the bowling attack, adding pressure on the likes of Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar.

On the other hand, Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, have their own concerns to address. Despite a spirited chase against Punjab Kings in their opener, where they fell just 11 runs short while chasing a massive 244, their bowling unit struggled considerably. The home side will be banking on Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan to deliver against MI’s formidable batting order, but the lack of support from experienced bowlers will be a headache for coach Ashish Nehra.

The Titans will also need to make a call on their overseas combination. The absence of variety in their Indian pace attack – Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma, all of whom rely on a similar hit-the-deck approach – makes it imperative for Rabada to deliver with the new ball.

The Ahmedabad pitch is expected to be a belter for batters, as evidenced by the high-scoring thriller between Gujarat and Punjab where 475 runs were scored in 40 overs. With the short boundaries and true bounce, another run-fest could be on the cards, putting additional responsibility on the bowlers to execute their plans effectively.

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickleton, Shrijith Krishnan, Bevon Jacobs, Tilak varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, Satyanarayana Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mubeeb-ur-Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gerald Coetzee, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan.

National

‘Nothing wrong in renaming Ramanagara’: Abu Azmi backs Karnataka govt

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New Delhi, May 24: Backing the Karnataka government’s decision to rename Ramanagara district as ‘Bengaluru South’, SP Maharashtra chief Abu Asim Azmi said there was “nothing wrong” with the move and took a swipe at name changes in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that only Muslim names were being deliberately altered in the northern state.

“There is no hate in this name. In UP and other places, including Maharashtra, Muslim names were deliberately changed. If Karnataka has renamed Ramanagara to Bengaluru South, what’s wrong with it? Many names have been changed similarly in Mumbai without targeting any particular religion. I don’t think this is anything different,” Azmi told Media.

Azmi’s remarks came shortly after the Karnataka government formally issued a notification renaming Ramanagara district to ‘Bengaluru South’. The state’s Revenue Department said Ramanagara city will continue to serve as the district headquarters under the new name.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar confirmed the decision, stating that it was made following due process. “Ramanagara city will remain the headquarters of the district. The Cabinet has decided to rename it as Bengaluru South district from today,” he told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

However, the decision sparked controversy, with Union Minister and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy strongly opposing the move. He has vowed to reverse the decision if the opportunity arises.

The renaming has been seen by some as a strategic political step to integrate Ramanagara more closely with the capital’s administrative and economic structure.

Speaking on all-party delegations’ global outreach against Pakistan-backed terrorism, Azmi said, “It’s a good initiative, people should know the truth about Pakistan sheltering terrorism, and not giving up on supporting them even after several warnings.”

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IPL 2025: Suryakumar set for big celebration after bagging first POTM award in 13 games

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Mumbai, May 22: In a brilliant Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season in which he has emerged as the top scorer for Mumbai Indians and produced 25-plus scores in 12 matches in a row, Suryakumar Yadav’s wife Devisha spotted a big anomaly—the batter known for his 360-degree batting has not won a single Player of the Match award.

Suryakumar Yadav rectified that abnormality on Wednesday as he hammered a 43-ball 73 on a slightly sluggish wicket that was offering a turn to the spinners and helped Mumbai Indians reach 180/5, laying the foundation for a 59-run victory against Delhi Capitals in Match 63 of IPL 2025 at the Wankhede Stadium. He equalled the record for the most successive 25-plus scores in T20 cricket, joining Temba Bavuma at 13.

SKY and Naman Dhir hammered 48 runs in the last two overs, which lifted Mumbai Indians from 132/5 to 180 and gave the bowlers a good target to defend.

Mitchell Santner (3-11) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-12) then helped the five-time winners bundle out Delhi Capitals for 121, secure a 59-run win, and seal the fourth and final spot in the playoffs. Suryakumar Yadav was adjudged the Player of the Match (POTM) for his brilliant knock.

“It has been thirteen games now, my wife told me a sweet story. She said I have gotten all the awards, but not the POTM award. This award is really special today. From the team’s point of view, the knock was important today. And this trophy is for her (my wife), and it was important (for me) to play till the end,” said Suryakumar Yadav after accepting the award.

The 34-year-old batter, who is now third in the Orange Cap race with 583 runs, behind Gujarat Titans duo Sai Sudharsan (617) and Shubman Gill (601), said they will have their usual celebration with a big cake for this innings.

“She waits for such moments, and we celebrate them when we go back, so really looking forward to it. It was really important for a single batter to bat till the end – we knew there was a 15-20 run over somewhere. The way Naman came in and shared that energy with me (was great),” said Suryakumar Yadav.

Delhi Capitals’ stand-in captain Faf du Plessis felt that they were excelled in the field on Wednesday but were disappointed with the bat to lose the match.

He said his bowlers did well for most of the match but were undone by the way Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir snatched it by hammering 48 runs in the last two overs.

“Momentum is a real thing in cricket. The way they counter-punched to get almost 50 in the last two overs…undoing the work of the first 17-18 overs, we lost that momentum. If you look at the two teams, it was a case of David and Goliath. I enjoy that because it gives you the opportunity to play as a team,” said the South African.

“Sums up our season – we have been cold either in the batting or the bowling in the last seven or eight games. Perhaps a fair reflection (that we did not qualify),” said Faf.

He admitted that Delhi Capitals missed their regular captain and top spinner Axar Patel on this wicket.

“Axar on a wicket like that, the way Mitchell Santner bowled…Axar is that kind of class, proven international bowler who, on a wicket like that, would have loved to bowl. But he was very sick. Starcy (Mitchell Starc) is a fantastic bowler, but a spinner on a wicket like this is worth gold. I am a big believer that you never take it (momentum) for granted,” said Faf du Plessis.

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LSG’s Digvesh gets one game suspension, SRH batter Abhishek fined 25 pc of match fees for on-field altercation

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Lucknow, May 20: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner Digvesh Rathi and Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma are penalised for their ugly verbal spat during their IPL 2025 match on Monday.

Digvesh has been fined 50 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. This was the LSG spinner’s third Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 this season and hence he accumulated two demit point for a total of five, which result in a one-game suspension.

“Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has been fined 50 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Monday.

“This was his third Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 this season and hence, he has accumulated Two Demerit Points, in addition to Three Demerit Points he had accumulated earlier – One Demerit Point against Punjab Kings on April 01, 2025 and Two Demerit Points against Mumbai Indians on April 04, 2025.

“As he now has Five Demerit Points this season – which result in a one-game suspension – Digvesh will now be suspended for LSG’s next game – against Gujarat Titans on May 22, 2025 in Ahmedabad,” the statement from IPL read.

Meanwhile, SRH batter has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match and accumulated one demerit point as this was his first offences under IPL code og conduct.

“Abhishek Sharma, All-rounder, Sunrisers Hyderabad has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Lucknow Super Giants,” the statement further read.

“This was his first Level 1 offence under Article 2.6 this season and hence, he has accumulated One Demerit Point,” it added.

The incident happened during the 8th over of SRH’s chase when Digvesh got Abhishek out with a catch in the deep and celebrated with his usual notebook gesture. But soon after, the two got into a heated argument, and the umpires along with LSG captain Rishabh Pant had to step in quickly.

Replays showed Digvesh making a gesture to Abhishek after the dismissal, which may have led to the argument.

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