IPL 2021 | PBKS vs CSK: Twitter can’t have enough of KL Rahul's 98* off 42 to chase down 135 in 13 overs

It was madness at the Shiekh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as KL Rahul put on a show which would be remembered for a long long time by both his fans and also the fans of Chennai Super Kings, who were basically bulldozed by the brilliance of one man.

Rahul, the skipper of Punjab Kings, was on the field to chase down the target of 135 in only 12.3 overs to get their net run rate in the positive and to have a really unrealistic but mathematical possibility of them qualifying for the Playoffs. The Punjab bowling unit had restricted Chennai Super Kings to 134 thanks to some brilliant bowling by Chris Jordan, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi.

When Rahul came to bat, he was not the usual self who starts ver slowly, rather he was on the kill right from the word go. The Karnataka man reached his fifty in just 25 balls and didn’t rest even after that. In the next 17 balls, he made 48 runs to give his team a chance to win in the required 12.3 overs.

However, due to his partner Aiden Markram getting out when nine runs were required of three balls and new man Moises Henriques taking the strike, ut became difficult to chase it down in the next two balls. But as soon as Rahul got the strike he hit a four and six to finish the game.

In total, Rahul has now made 626 runs in 13 innings with an average of 62.60 and a strike rate of 138. He currently holds the Orange Cap, for most runs in IPL 2021 and is 80 runs ahead of second-placed Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has also played 14 innings and will surely get at least one more inning to chase down Rahul, who might not get any more innings in this season.

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MS Dhoni 'uncertain' about his future at CSK

Former India captain MS Dhoni is “uncertain” about his future at Chennai Super Kings after this season of the Indian Premier League, considering there is no clarity on the retention policy. "You'll see me in yellow next season but whether I'll be playing for CSK you never know. There are a lot of uncertainties coming up, two new teams are coming, we don't know what the retention rules are and so on," Dhoni was quoted saying ahead of the Super Kings’ clash against Punjab Kings. The cash-rich league’s 2022 edition will see an addition of two more franchises and a mega auction is set to take place. Dhoni has been CSK’s skipper right from the beginning and has led the side to three titles (2010, 2011, 2018). Chennai Super Kings along with Rajasthan Royals were not a part of the IPL in the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the two sides were slapped with individual bans in a spot-fixing scandal. The wicket-keeper batsman played for Rising Pune Supergiant for two years before returning to CSK in 2018. The Chennai-based franchise is having a great run in the on-going IPL 2021 after it registered a place in the playoffs.

Big Bash League proposes radical timed out law for batsmen to ensure timely games

In order to speed up the process of a game, the Big Bash League has proposed a radical timed out law to enforce the speedy arrival of a new batsman at the crease after falling of a wicket. The organisers have proposed a window of 75 seconds for batsmen to enter the field of play after a fall of wicket otherwise the bowler will get their version of free-hit. In this penalty, batsmen arriving at the crease beyond the stipulated 75 seconds will walk away from the stump allowing bowlers free hit to the stumps. They will be allowed to continue only in case of bowlers failing to hit the stumps. Notably, batsmen are allowed three minutes (180 seconds) to get into the batting crease and hence reduction of entry time for batsmen by more than half is radical enforcement to expedite the overall flow of the game. The new proposal would be harsh on batsmen and hence it will compel them to honour the requirement. However, the proposal will be presented in front of the players this weekend and will be put in place in both the men’s and women’s versions of the Big Bash League. The organisers did not find it necessary to invoke other radical and time-saving measures such as asking the bowling side falling behind the over-rate to bring one extra fielder inside the thirty-yard circle or bowling two overs from one end.

IPL 2021 | Jason Holder showers praise on 'hard to get hold of' Umran Malik

Sunrisers Hyderabad experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has showered praise on pace sensation Umran Malik, who has burst onto the big stage with his express pace. Holder said that Umran has not been erratic like young pacers are tend to be and giving the Sunrisers batsmen hard time while facing in the nets. He said that Umran’s extra pace has boosted the overall performance and dimension of the Sunrisers bowling attack. He also rated his consistency very highly and said that the Jammu and Kashmir pacer has been a tough bowler to get hold of. "The first thing to mention is his pace, that is his biggest asset. He has been consistent in training and he has been giving us a hard time in training. He is very hard to get hold of, he has been deceiving the batters through his pace and that extra pace adds a boost to any bowling attack. It is good to see his control as well, a lot of guys who have bowled quick over the years, generally they can be erratic but he has been pretty consistent," Holder said in a virtual post-match press conference. Holder was a major force of a Sunrisers win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last game as he scored vital runs at a brisk pace in a low score game and then came back equally well with the ball to give just five runs in the penultimate over and denying the pair of Shahbaz Ahmed and Ab de Villiers chances of winning the game. He scored a 13-ball 16 before picking up a wicket and giving just 27 runs from his quota of four overs. He outlined the role situation plays in charting out batting tactics while in the bowling department, he has been relying on watching old footage to understand different patterns of field placements. "Well, I just try to prepare well. Funny enough I did not practice on Tuesday, I tend to watch the footage and see patterns on where I can set the field when I bowl. I think batting is just about the situation, the partnership I formed, in the end, was crucial," he added. The Sunrisers have had a torrid run of form in the ongoing edition of the tournament but the performance of players such as Jason Holder and the emergence of players such as Umran Malik and Abdul Samad will give them some sense of hope in the near future.

India's Head Strength and Conditioning coach Nick Webb to step down after T20 World Cup

India’s support staff is all set to be pressed a hard reset as in addition to the trio of the head coach, bowling and fielding coach, the trainer Nick Webb has also decided to not renew his contract with the Indian team after the conclusion of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Webb took over the role from Shankar Basu after the 2019 ODI World Cup and has decided to move on due to Covid-19 restrictions in place in his home country New Zealand that has kept him away from the family for a majority of the last year. Announcing his decision on his LinkedIn profile, Nick said that staying so many days away from family would become “unsustainable” post the World T20 and hence he decided to move on. He looked back at his tenure with the Indian team and said that the men in blue created history while adapting to the face of many challenges in the last two years. He hoped for the Indian team to have a “big dance” after winning the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. “For the past 2 + years I have had the privilege and honour of representing India, the BCCI and Team India. We have achieved and grown a lot as a team during this time. As a team we created history, we won matches and we lost matches. But how we continually responded and adapted in the face of many challenges along with everyone’s willingness to compete every single day are things that make this team special,” Nick wrote in his LinkedIn post. “This has not been an easy decision but ultimately I must put my family first. The current COVID restrictions for New Zealand citizens wanting to enter NZ is the primary reason. While these restrictions may ease in the future, the uncertainty of this happening moving forward along with potential 5-8 month stints at a time away from my family has made it unsustainable for me past the T20 World Cup.” Already the head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar have decided not to renew their association with the Indian side after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup and Nick’s departure will set the stage for fresh faces in almost all positions of Indian support staff.