Franchise Cricket

Image source, Getty Images

Mumbai Indians secured a place in the Indian Premier League play-offs at the expense of opponents Delhi Capitals with a 59-run win.

Chasing 181, Delhi failed to find their feet, slipping to 66-5 at the half-way stage.

Sameer Rizvi offered some resistance with 39, but was bowled by Mitchell Santner, who took 3-11, and Delhi were all out for 121 with 10 balls to spare.

Mumbai struggled in their innings, grinding to 132-5 at the end of the 18th over, having scored just 78 runs in the 12 overs since the powerplay.

However Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir struck 48 from the last 12 balls, closing the Mumbai innings with an unbroken 57-run partnership.

Suryakumar hit a 43-ball 73 that featured seven fours and four sixes, while Dhir scored 24 from eight balls, as Mumbai finished on 181-5.

Delhi's reply started poorly, with captain Faf du Plessis (6) finding Mitchell Santner at long-on in the second over, while the in-form KL Rahul was caught behind for 11 off Trent Boult.

Abishek Porel (6), Vipraj Nigam (20) and Tristan Stubbs (2) also fell cheaply as the first five wickets were shared one apiece by five Mumbai bowlers.

Rizvi put on a 38-run partnership with Ashutosh Sharma (18), but both batters were dismissed by Santner in the 15th over and from there Delhi slid to a big defeat, losing their last five wickets for 18 runs.

The play-off places are now decided, with Mumbai joining Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings in the knockout stages.

Delhi can now finish no higher than fifth, with one game in their season remaining.

• Scorecard, IPL fixtures & results, table

Image source, Getty Images

Table-toppers Quetta Gladiators progressed to the final of the Pakistan Super League with a 30-run win over second-placed Islamabad United in the qualifier match.

In the first match of the end of season play-offs, Islamabad were bowled out for 179 in the final over while pursuing 210.

Finn Allen (41) drove the start of the Quetta innings, while Faheem Ashraf (45) and Dinesh Chandimal (48 not out) added 95 to push on from a precarious 113-5.

Faheem was caught off the bowling of Salman Irshad from the penultimate ball of the innings as the league leaders closed on 209-6.

Islamabad's reply started well, with Sahibzada Farhan (52) and Rassie van der Dussen (35) adding 71 after Alex Hales was bowled by Faheem for a two-ball duck.

Their wickets left the early season leaders on 101-3, and from there the innings stalled.

Salman Ali Agha struck hit 44 from 26 deliveries prior to being caught off Usman Tariq, who took 3-32, but five more batters were dismissed for single figures as Islamabad fell short of their target.

They will now face the winner of Thursday's first eliminator match between Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalanders, who finished third and fourth in the regular season, with the winners of that game playing Quetta in the final on Sunday.

• Scorecard, PSL fixtures & results

Image source, Getty Images

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world's largest cricket stadium, will host the final of this year's Indian Premier League.

It will also host the second qualifier during the play-offs with New Chandigarh hosting the first qualifier and the eliminator.

The play-off phase was originally due to be split between Hyderabad and Kolkata prior to the IPL's suspension amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

"The new venues for the play-offs were decided by the IPL governing council keeping in mind the weather conditions and other parameters," organisers said.

New Chandigarh, in the state of Punjab, which borders Pakistan, has not held any of the league phase matches since the IPL resumed.

In another change, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday has been moved to Lucknow because of heavy rain and floods in Bengaluru.

RCB had their match against Kolkata Knight Riders washed out on Saturday and more rain is forecast for the remainder of the week.

They have already qualified for the play-offs while Sunrisers are out. Two wins would guarantee a top-two finish, thus giving them two chances to reach the final on 3 June.

Image source, BCCI/IPL

Spinner Digvesh Rathi has been banned from Lucknow Super Giants next match after his send-off to Abhishek Sharma and subsequent confrontation on Monday.

After dismissing Sunrisers opener Abhishek, Digvesh performed his 'notebook celebration' - pretending to write a dismissal in an imaginary notebook - and dismissively waved Abhishek from the crease.

The pair then exchanged words and had to be separated by umpire Michael Gough.

It is the third time Digvesh has been charged after using the celebration during this year's IPL and takes him to five demerit points, resulting in a one-game ban.

The spinner was charged for breaching Article 2.5 of the International Cricket Council Code of conduct, which prevents players "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter".

Article 2.5 includes actions that could be "considered to disparage or demean" the batter, including pointing towards the pavilion.

Digvesh received one demerit point for a similar celebration against Punjab Kings on 1 April, when he also made minor contact with batter Priyansh Arya, and again on 4 April after dismissing Naman Dhir.

He was also fined 50% of his match fee for the latest infringement.

Abhishek was fined 25% of his fee and given one demerit point under Article 2.6 - "using a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting" - following the confrontation.

Image source, BCCI/IPL

Image source, BCCI/IPL

Lucknow Super Giants' slim play-off hopes are over after Sunrisers Hyderabad chased 206 for a consolation six-wicket win in the Indian Premier League.

Lucknow had to win all three of their remaining matches to have any chance of qualifying but their fate was sealed by a fourth consecutive defeat.

They were guilty of not making the most of being 115-0 inside 11 overs in posting 205-7 and then failed to recover from Abhishek Sharma's brutal early assault.

Opener Abhishek raced to an 18-ball fifty, including four consecutive sixes off Ravi Bishnoi, and when he was caught at deep extra cover for 59 from 20 balls Sunrisers were already 99-2 after 7.3 overs.

India international Ishan Kishan hit 35 and South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen 47, meaning Sunrisers eased to victory with 10 balls to spare even with Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis retiring hurt on 32 with an apparent hamstring injury.

Lucknow had earlier made a perfect start as openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram made 65 and 61 respectively.

But Rishabh Pant made only seven - his fourth single-figure score in five innings - and LSG failed to kick on with Nicholas Pooran the only other batter to make double figures with 45.

Sunrisers were already unable to reach the play-offs but the win means, with one match to go, they will not finish bottom of the standings this year.

Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals are now the only sides who can join Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the play-offs.

Scorecard, IPL fixtures & results, table

Image source, PCB

Alex Hales marked his return to Islamabad United with a blistering 88 as his side secured a top-two finish in the Pakistan Super League by beating Karachi Kings by 79 runs.

Hales, who joined Islamabad following the PSL's resumption, hit eight sixes in his 35 balls as Islamabad piled up 251-5.

He put on a 153-run opening stand with Sahibzada Farhan, who made 73, before being bowled in the 17th over. Shadab Khan also added a 19-ball 42.

Karachi reached 80-1 in response but crumbled after James Vince was caught at long-on for eight and were dismissed for 172 in 18.2 overs.

Had Karachi reached 204 they would have held onto second place but, having been overtaken by Islamabad on net run-rate, they drop to third and must now play in the eliminator.

The play-offs begin on Wednesday with the first qualifier between Islamabad, who had lost four matches in a row after starting with five wins, and leaders Quetta Gladiators with the winner progressing directly to the final.

The eliminator between takes place a day later between Karachi and Lahore Qalandars.

Scorecard, PSL fixtures & results, table

Image source, Getty Images

Zimbabwe pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani has been signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the final stages of the Indian Premier League.

Muzarabani, 28, will replace South Africa bowler Lungi Ngidi, who will depart the IPL for the Proteas' build-up to the World Test Championship final.

The IPL said the replacement is effective from 26 May - the day before RCB's final match of the league phase against Lucknow Super Giants.

Muzarabani is in the squad for Zimbabwe's four-day Test against England this week, which is scheduled to conclude on 25 May at Trent Bridge.

Muzarabani, a tall fast bowler, has never previously played in the IPL but has been a net bowler at the T20 tournament.

He has played in the Caribbean Premier League and the Pakistan Super League and has 127 wickets in 118 T20s with an economy rate of 7.24.

RCB have already qualified for the IPL play-offs, which begin on 29 May. They have doubts over the fitness of Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood who is nursing a shoulder issue.

Image source, Getty Images

Gujarat Titans sealed their place in the Indian Premier League play-offs as they stormed to a 10-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals.

Openers Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, now the competition's two top run-scorers, were unbeaten as they raced to their target of 200 with an over to spare.

Sudharsan smashed a 61-ball 108 while captain Gill hit 93 from 53 deliveries to chase a record total for a 10-wicket win in the IPL, while sharing 15 fours and 11 sixes between them.

Delhi also had a centurion opener carrying their bat, with KL Rahul striking 112 from 65 balls, with 14 fours and six sixes.

Abishek Porel (30), captain Axar Patel (25) and Tristan Stubbs (21 not out) all contributed as Delhi closed on 199-3, a total they'd have likely considered competitive.

Gujarat move up two places to first, one point clear of previous leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Delhi remain in fifth, one place outside the play-offs, with two games remaining.

• Scorecard, IPL fixtures & results, table

Image source, Getty Images

Lahore Qalandars secured a place in the Pakistan Super League play-offs at the expense of opponents Peshawar Zalmi with a 26-run win in Rawalpindi.

Peshawar were the only side that could supplant Lahore in the four-team knockout stage but failed to chase down 150, finishing on 123-8 in a match that was shortened to 13 overs a side because of rain.

Opener Fakhar Zaman anchored the Lahore innings, hitting 60 from 36 balls before he was bowled by Daniel Sams in the penultimate over.

Mohammad Naeem (22), Kusal Perera (17) and Asif Ali (18) all added swift runs as Lahore closed on 149-8.

Peshawar had chosen to chase at the toss, but failed to get going in their reply, with Sams and Mohammad Ali's unbroken ninth-wicket partnership of 32 their highest.

Australian Sams top-scored with 26, but five batters were dismissed for single figures, with left-arm seamer Salman Mirza taking 4-31.

Lahore move up one place to third, while Peshawar finish their season in fifth.

There is one remaining match in the season's league phase, with the already-qualified Karachi Kings and Islamabad United facing each other on Monday.

• Scorecard, PSL fixtures & results, table

Image source, PCB

Quetta Gladiators secured top spot in the Pakistan Super League with a final-ball victory over Multan Sultans.

Chasing a target of 186, Hasan Nawaz saw his side to victory, striking an unbeaten 67 from 38 balls as Quetta won by two wickets.

Needing 11 from Mohammad Hasnain's final over, Nawaz could only score two from the first three balls, but struck the fourth for a six down the ground.

Abrar Ahmed was then run out looking to complete a second run, but Nawaz remained on strike for the final delivery of the match, and he repeated his clearance of long-off to win the game in style.

Bottom side Multan chose to bat after winning the toss in Rawalpindi, and opener Yasir Khan got them off to a good start, striking 45 from 25 balls.

He was joined by Jahanzaib Sultan (25) for a second-wicket partnership of 52, but both batters fell to spinner Usman Tariq, who took 3-32.

Tariq also accounted for Tayyab Tahir, who hit a 24-ball 36, while Shahid Aziz (29) and Aamer Azmat (21 not out) also chipped in as Multan reached 185-7.

Khawaja Nafay got the reply off to a flier, hitting 51 from 26 balls in an opening partnership of 77 with Saud Shakeel (18).

Having looked comfortable, Quetta slipped from 116-3 to 161-7 in the 18th over, with seamer Shahid Aziz taking 3-29.

Dilshan Madushanka's penultimate over went for just six, but Nawaz would carry the leaders over the line.

Quetta are now guaranteed top spot, and will face the second-placed team in the qualifier match on 1 May.

The winner of that game progresses to the final four days later, while the loser plays the winner of the first eliminator game between third and fourth.

Meanwhile Multan conclude their sorry campaign with just one win from their ten games.

• Scorecard, PSL fixtures & results, table

Image source, Getty Images

Punjab Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs to move second in the Indian Premier League.

Chasing 220, Rajasthan needed 22 from the final over, and seamer Marco Jansen ensured they would not reach their target, dismissing Dhruv Jurel (53) and Wanindu Hasaranga with successive deliveries.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi opened the chase with a 76-run partnership, with 14-year-old Suryavanshi smashing 40 from 15 balls and Jaiswal hitting a 25-ball 50.

Both were caught off Harpreet Brar deliveries, who also bowled Riyan Parag on the way to figures of 3-22.

Jurel struck three fours and four sixes in his 31-ball innings, but couldn't take Rajasthan across the finish line in Jaipur.

After Saturday's match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders was abandoned without a ball bowled, the Kings innings got the competition under way after its eight-day break.

The league had been suspended because of tensions between India and Pakistan surrounding the region of Kashmir.

They soon slipped to 34-3 after winning the toss, seeing Mitchell Owen and Prabhsimran Singh dismissed off successive deliveries, but Shreyas Iyer (30 from 25) and Nehal Wadhera (70 from 37) put on a 67-run partnership to steady the ship.

Shashank Singh (59 from 30) and Azmatullah (21 from nine) then put out an unbeaten pairing of 60 as Kings finished their innings on 219-5, a total that proved just too much for Rajasthan.

Kings leapfrog Gujarat Titans to move into second, and are now level on points with leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have a superior net run-rate.

Rajasthan remain second bottom, having won three of their 13 games.

• Scorecard, IPL fixtures & results, table