On a roll after a poor start, Delhi Daredevils will look to complete a hat-trick of victories on home turf when they take on defending champions Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League encounter, in New Delhi on Saturday.
The mighty Mumbai Indians have been the team to beat in IPL history and the Sri Lankan great says they have worked hard on building a "culture of success".
West Indies have left out all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from their 15-man squad for the World Cup in February and March.
Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Tom Moody is confident that his team will be able to successfully execute their plans and stop Mumbai Indians's impact player Hardik Pandya when the teams lock horns in Thursday's Indian Premier League encounter.
Players have been embroiled in contractual disputes with Cricket West Indies (CWI) for several years, with the team even abandoning a tour of India midway through their 2014 series over a payment structure row.
'When I saw we needed 104 off 48, I knew we had to break it down. We got two big overs. We had a couple of bowlers whom we had to target and we did that and got the much needed two points chasing down 198'
Having made it to the IPL for the first time ever, Delhi Capitals are up against the rampaging Mumbai Indians, who have already beaten them thrice this season and are looking all set for their fifth IPL title.
With Jasprit Bumrah "ready and roaring" after an injury scare, Mumbai Indians will fancy their chances against an erratic Royal Challengers Bangalore when the two star-studded teams square off in the IPL, in Bengaluru, on Thursday. The big sub-plot of the contest will be the world's best ODI batsman -- Virat Kohli -- taking guard against the world's best ODI bowler -- Bumrah -- in a format notorious for its unpredictability.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and SunRisers Hyderabad, in Sharjah.
Still recovering from a hamstring injury, swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle was on Wednesday left out of the West Indies' 15-member squad for the One-Day International series against India next month.
Mumbai get the money-spinning tournament rolling in Chennai on Friday, just four months after claiming their second successive title, with a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by India captain Virat Kohli.
Here is a look at the team that will open its campaign against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai on April 12.
Their nothing to lose attitude has kept them afloat for a play-off berth and Kings XI Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha said his team will look to employ a similar approach in their do-or-die IPL encounter against Rising Pune Supergiant.
Still licking their wounds after a sound thrashing in the lung opener, India will have to regroup quickly and fortify the chinks in their armoury when they take on a determined West Indies in the second One-Day International in Delhi on Saturday.
Even on paper, there is not much to choose, especially with Pune beating MI thrice this season including a comprehensive victory in Qualifier 1. But a impressive show by Mumbai in the final cannot be ruled out.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, Abu Dhabi.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players.
IPL 2021 had many moments that made the tournament more special and fans asking for more.
Wriddhiman Saha smashed a 55-ball 93 before the Kings XI Punjab pacers bowled an excellent spell in the death overs to help the visitors edge past Mumbai Indians by seven runs in a thrilling finish, in the Indian Premier League, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the important numbers after the second week of IPL 2020.
Images from Monday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, in Dubai.
Krunal Pandya's all-round exploits and Rohit Sharma's characteristically sublime half-century powered India to a series-clinching 22-run win over West Indies in the rain-affected second T20 International
Suresh Raina smashed an unbeaten half-century as Chennai Super Kings booked a berth in the second qualifier with a comfortable seven-wicket win over holders Mumbai Indians in the IPL eliminator in Mumbai on Wednesday.
India relied on their bowlers to stage a remarkable recovery scripting a comfortable 48-run win in the second cricket One-day international against the West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1 in New Delhi.
Lesser known cricketers who could make waves at the IPL auction.
Jacques Kallis hit a 46-ball 72 and Sunil Narine claimed four wickets as Kolkata Knight Riders scored a 41-run victory over Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the seventh season of the IPL, in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma and Lendl Simmons hit half-centuries as Mumbai Indians demolished Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs to win their second Indian Premier League title, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
The preparation of former Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians for the eight edition of the Twenty20 tournament gathered pace as newly recruited bowling coach Shane Bond joined the side.
With an eye on the final spot, two-time champions Chennai Super Kings face high-flying Mumbai Indians in their first qualifier in the Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.
People need to ask Virat Kohli as to why he is so animated on the field.
Mumbai Indians need to rethink their strategy; Narine boost for Kolkata Knight Riders.
The third umpire ruled Jadeja out after which Kohli looked miffed and rose from his seat before having a word with the fourth umpire Anil Choudhary. However, he did not enter the field of play.
The Indian think-tank has devised a plan whereby they will pepper Gayle with short-pitched deliveries and force him to go for the attack early on.
Aruneel Sadadekar/Rediff.com takes a look at some players Indian fans will miss following their exploits in the Indian Premier League.
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has joined the Adelaide Strikers for the fifth edition of Big Bash League on a one-year deal as the side's second international signing. Jayawardene replaces Kieron Pollard after the West Indies international was last month ruled out of the competition, when he suffered a knee injury in South Africa's Ram Slam T20 Challenge.
The representatives of ICC Board expressed their deep disappointment at West Indies team's decision of abandoning their India tour mid-way, stating that a repeat of this kind from any team or players may lead cancellation of their T20 contracts with their franchises.
Dejected at missing out on his maiden ODI ton, West Indies opener Dwayne Smith said the Indian bowlers came back brilliantly to halt the visitors, who were cruising along at one stage in the second ODI in New Delhi on Saturday.
After launching their campaign on a winning note, IPL finalists Kings XI Punjab will look to dish out another dominating performance when they face the formidable Barbados Tridents in a Group B match of the Oppo Champions League twenty20 in Mohali on Saturday.
Contractual disputes between the players and Cricket West Indies have weakened the team for several years now with the frosty relations famously culminating in the 2014 tour of India being called off midway through the series.
The major factor behind Rohit's decision to open is that he won't have much time to prepare for the World Cup, which starts in England on May 30, a couple of weeks after the IPL ends.
