The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League will commence, on Saturday, April 7 and will end on 27th May
Kumar Sangakkara completely changed the complexion of the second Test against New Zealand with an outstanding double century as the visitors finished the second day with a 113-run lead.
Skipper Dinesh Karthik will face a big test when a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns with a resurgent Delhi Daredevils, led by double title winning former KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir, in a much-anticipated IPL clash, in Kolkata, on Monday.
New Zealand's towering new all-rounder Kyle Jamieson provided a second consecutive match-winning performance in the second Test against India at Hagley Oval on Monday as the home side clinched a 2-0 series win. He took Player of the Series honours after taking 5-45 in India's first innings followed by 49 batting at number nine as India's pace bowlers fought back on a green pitch offering extravagant movement off the seam.
India were 227 for eight in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Edens Garden on Kolkata on Sunday. India, thus, took an overall lead of 339 runs over New Zealand with two wickets in hand. Rohit Sharma made 82 while Wriddhiman Saha was unbeaten on 39 along side Bhuvneshwar Kumar (8 not out).
The sour taste of a 10-wicket loss to New Zealand in the first Test was a good lesson for India's cricketers and there is no doubt they will be far more competitive in the second in Christchurch, coach Ravi Shastri said.
Kyle Jamieson said he believed he was capable of rapid improvement in both speed and general performance.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12s match between New Zealand and Pakistan, in Sharjah, on Tuesday.
India's captain Virat Kohli, speaking after the 10-wicket defeat in the first Test, says he is not too concerned with his batsmen, as technically they were all sound and able to deal with New Zealand's attack.
Batsman Neil Broom has also been offered a contract after he was recalled to the national side following a lengthy absence to replace Ross Taylor while he recovered from eye surgery.
The New Zealand captain finished on 200 not out as his side posted a record score of 715 for six declared in their first innings - a lead of 481 runs.
Watling, who was initially a top-order batsman and part-time wicketkeeper when he first made the New Zealand side in 2009, moved one behind Adam Parore's national record as the hosts bowled Bangladesh out for 234 early in the final session.
IMAGES from the Day-Night Test, the first played between New Zealand and England at Auckland on Thursday
Despite their up and down showing in the league stage, there is no doubt that England are one of the most complete teams in the World Cup and are heavy favourites for Sunday's final, but New Zealand won't give up without a fight.
Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori believes a quick start will be crucial to their hopes against India in the first semi-final at Old Trafford.
Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs in their final league fixture in Abu Dhabi on Friday but still failed to qualify for the IPL play-offs.
30 wickets across two games... a good day for the bowlers at last...
'As you see, we have been lacking in the starts in the majority of our games, that's what we need to work on going forward, we have leaked a lot of runs in the powerplay so we need to get tighter in that aspect as well, majority of the things will be same next season.'
Mumbai Indians relied not just on international performers like Pollard or Quinton de Kock or Trent Boult, but also on the likes of uncapped duo of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav as they emerged triumphant in the 13th edition of IPL last year.
Mumbai Indians have steamrolled Capitals in their previous three meetings during the season, winning the first leg by five wickets, return leg by nine wickets and the first qualifier by 57 runs.
The second Test between India and Bangladesh at Kolkata's Eden Gardens will be the first day-night Test on Indian soil, making India the seventh country to host a day-night Test.
Trent Boult needed just 15 balls to change the complexion of the second Test against Sri Lank
Their pace attack has been the most fearsome this IPL season but Sunrisers Hyderabad swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels it would be a tough task for his team to counter the marauding Royal Challengers Bangalore batsmen when the two teams clash in the final on Sunday. Hyderabad edged out Gujarat Lions by four wickets on Friday in Qualifier 2 to set up a summit clash with Bangalore, who had beaten the same opponents in Qualifier 1. "We will definitely strategise because I read somewhere the other day that Virat Kohli has scored 35 per cent of RCB's runs. It'll be a big task for us to get (Chris) Gayle, Virat (Kohli) and AB (De Villers) and later, (Shane) Watson, out. We are hoping for a good contest," Bhuvneshwar said at the post match press conference in New Delhi.
Images from the Indian Premier league match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
Sitting atop the points table, Kolkata Knight Riders would look to consolidate their position when they clash with an equally confident Delhi Daredevils in what promises to be a thrilling IPL encounter, in New Delhi, on Monday.
After eight defeats in 11 outings, Chennai Super Kings will look to give their forgettable campaign a semblance of respectability when they take on in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians have been in ominous form and the varied bowling attack could prove a challenge for the CSK batters, who are low on confidence.
Pakistan will be desperately looking to ensure the painful defeat to India becomes a distant past when they run into an in-form New Zealand in Mohali on Tuesday with an aim to bounce back into the World Twenty20 and pacify their bitter fans back home. Pakistan are coming into the Group 2 Super 10 game having suffered their 11th defeat to the arch-rivals in ICC's world events. The 2009 champions entered the tournament after an early elimination in the Asia Cup. On the other hand, the New Zealanders are on a roll with two massive wins over hosts India and Australia, making them one of the strong contenders to lift the coveted trophy on April 3. Another win and they will be in the knockout stages of the mega-event. New Zealand have emerged as the team to beat after the stunned tournament favourites India first up, before getting the better of traditional rivals Australia in a trans-Tasman battle.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is in sublime form and he can pummel any attack into submission on his day.
India are poised for their third T20 International series triumph in five years but would be wary of a strong fightback from the usually plucky New Zealand when the two sides clash in the second game of the three-match series in Rajkot.
Coming off heartbreaking losses, the Indian Premier League game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab will be a test of character for both sides as they look to get back to winning ways, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
Getting the combination right would be topmost on Sunrisers Hyderabad's to-do list when they take on a qualitatively superior Mumbai Indians in an IPL encounter in Chennai on Saturday, trying to arrest an early slide after back-to-back defeats.
An under pressure India will face their stiffest test in recent times when they try to bounce back in the three-match ODI series against a refreshed New Zealand in the must-win second game in Pune, on Wednesday.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Chennai.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players.
Trent Boult produced an economical spell of bowling to take three wickets and help New Zealand to a tense three-run win over Sri Lanka in their first Twenty20 international on Thursday.
