IPL 2021: Reaching play-offs means a lot, CSK wanted to come back strong after 2020 – MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni said Chennai Super Kings qualifying for IPL 2021 play-offs means a lot for them as they had promised to come back strong and delivered on the promise with a dominant show that they are known for in the ongoing season. CSK put behind the horrors of IPL 2020 wherein they were the first team to be eliminated from the play-offs race.

Cut to 2021, CSK became the first team to qualify for the play-offs in the ongoing season with 9 victories in their first 11 matches. CSK sealed the berth in the play-offs in style as MS Dhoni hit the winning runs in their 135-run chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah in March 44 of IPL 2021 on Thursday.IPL 2021: SRH vs CSK in Sharjah HighlightsRiding on another fine opening stand between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis, CSK were on course to ease to the target but a middle-order wobble saw them take the chase to the final over. However, senior batters MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu held their nerves and delivered another convincing victory for the 3-time champions.Contrary to expectations, CSK did not make wholesale changes to the squad for IPL 2021 after a disappointing campaign in the UAE in 2020 wherein they lost out on a play-offs spot for the first time in history. CSK made some valuable additions in the likes of Moeen Ali and Josh Hazelwood and found their consistency back in the new season.IPL 2021: Points tableAfter winning 5 matches out of 7 in the first leg in India, CSK have stitched a 4-match unbeaten run in the UAE this year.”It means a lot, because the last time, we said we wanted to come back strong. We are known for that and there was a lot at stake. You won’t always win games and a lot didn’t go our way last time, and it’s important not to make excuses and we have done that this year.”The boys did well to keep the momentum going, and they’ve taken responsibilities to keep all departments of the game in balance so the players and the support staff get the credit,” MS Dhoni said on Thursday.Glad we rapid the fans’ faith: DhoniMS Dhoni made a special mention about their loyal fans, saying it felt good to repay the faith they had in the team after a disappointing campaign in IPL 2020.”Not much needs to be said of the fans, who have supported us through thick and thin and I’m glad we have repaid their faith,” he added.Dhoni lauded his bowling unit which delivered once again in Sharjah. It was their second win of the tournament at the iconic venue where they had gone winless in 2020.Josh Hazlewood picked up 3 wickets for 24 runs while Dwayne Bravo continued his fine run with the ball, picking up 2 wickets for 17 runs as the two seasoned bowlers broke the back of Sunrisers’ batting unit on Thursday.”The bowlers tried to swing it up front and got hit straight when they pitched it up too much, but then adjusted very well. I told the bowlers that they needed to exploit the conditions in today’s game. If the oddball stopped early on, it started coming onto the bat later,” he added.CSK, who will now look to finish inside the top two spots, will face Rajasthan Royals on Saturday.

SAI to finalise new core group of athletes for Target Olympic Podium Scheme’s next cycle in October

The SAI said it is holding discussions with the National Sports Federations to finalise the fresh list of athletes in the TOPS core group ahead of its meeting next month. The Developmental Group of TOPS was added last year to groom promising athletes for future Olympics (SAI Media Photo)HIGHLIGHTSInclusion of India’s elite athletes in TOPS core group is being discussed with NSFs: SAIIndia achieved unprecedented success in the Tokyo Olympics this year by winning 7 medalsTarget Olympic Podium Scheme was established in 2014 to funding and support to Olympic-bound athletesA new core group of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the next Olympic cycle will be drawn up from among the country”s elite athletes after the earlier one was dissolved at the end of Tokyo Games, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) said on Wednesday.

India achieved unprecedented success in the Tokyo Games this year by winning seven medals, including a historic gold in athletics, mainly due to the funding and support of the athletes under TOPS which was established in 2014.The SAI said it is holding discussions with the National Sports Federations to finalise the fresh list of athletes in the TOPS core group ahead of its meeting next month.”Inclusion of India”s elite athletes in the Core Group of the TOPS for the next Olympic cycle is being discussed with NSFs by SAI ahead of the meeting scheduled in October to finalise the fresh list of athletes in the TOPS Core Group,” a release said.”The Core Group list, which was dissolved at the end of the Olympics and Paralympics, will be drawn up again at a meeting which will have representatives from national sports federations and the Indian Olympic Association as its members.”The SAI said following the finalisation of the list of TOPS core group, all support will be extended to the selected athletes, as per the norms of the scheme.”TOPS has been the key scheme in extending personalised support to athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics and will be supporting athletes in the next Olympic cycle as well.”It is also expected that some of the athletes who are in the Developmental Group of TOPS and are training for Olympics 2024 and 2028 will also be considered for inclusion in the Core Group.”The Developmental Group of TOPS was added last year to groom promising athletes for future Olympics. The next Olympics will be held in 2024 in Paris.Click here for our site’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Naomi Osaka pulls out from next month’s Indian Wells tourney

Naomi Osaka, who said at the US Open that she planned to take a break from tennis, has officially pulled out of next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Indian Wells is scheduled for October 4-17 after twice being delayed during the coronavirus pandemic. Naomi Osaka pulls out from next month’s Indian Wells tourney (Image Courtesy: Reuters)HIGHLIGHTSOsaka has struggled on court since she withdrew from the French Open in MayThe 23-year-old Japanese player won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in 2018Naomi Osaka pulls out from next month’s Indian Wells tourneyJapanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Following her loss at the US Open earlier this month, she announced that she would be taking another indefinite break from tennis.

The four-time Grand Slam champion fell in the third round of the year’s final major and afterwards told reporters she needed the break to concentrate on her mental health.Osaka has struggled on court since she withdrew from the French Open in May amid a row with tournament officials over required media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her.The 23-year-old Japanese player won her first WTA title at Indian Wells in 2018.”We look forward to seeing you in 2022, Naomi,” the tournament said on Twitter.”I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match, I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while,” she said after the defeat.She also dropped out of the Tokyo Olympics in the early rounds in July after an early exit from Cincinnati last month.The former world no 1 slipped out of the top five in the WTA rankings and is currently ranked no 8.Osaka, who was born in Japan and now is based in the US, has struggled on court since she withdrew from the French Open in May due to a disagreement with the tournament officials about mandatory media appearances, which she said had a negative impact on her mental health.Click here for our site’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wasim Akram calls for Pakistan fans to support team after tour withdrawals: Everyone will chase us if we perform

Former captain Wasim Akram said that teams around the world will chase Pakistan for a tour of the country if they perform well at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Wasim Akram said that teams will want to tour Pakistan if they perform well at the T20 World Cup. (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTSWasim Akram said that countries will tour Pakistan if they perform wellNew Zealand pulled out of their tour minutes before the start of the first gameEngland later pulled out of their tour of the countryFormer Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said that fans should get behind the team in the wake of the cancellation of New Zealand and England’s tours of the country. Wasim, who had earlier called for an end to the criticism being leveled on the Pakistan squad that was chosen for the T20 World Cup, said that countries will come to Pakistan if they perform well in the tournament.

“I know you’re all very disappointed with New Zealand and England when they cancelled their tours. Especially New Zealand, for cancelling it at the last moment. I am equally disappointed, equally down and equally sad,” said Wasim on Cricket Pakistan.IPL 2021 Live, SRH vs RR”But life has to go on. Like (Pakistan Cricket Board) chairman Ramiz Raja said, support Pakistan. The team they have picked for the World Cup, let’s support them for once,” he further said. Akram said in a video uploaded by Cricket Pakistan.”We will criticise them later if the need arises and will figure out solutions too. But right now, we all need to come together as a unit and support out team. If teams don’t want to come, let them not. But if our side performs well, teams all around the world will run behind Pakistan. So all the best, Pakistan team. We are all behind you,” Akram added.New Zealand pulled out of their tour of Pakistan just minutes before the start of the first match citing a security threat. This was followed by England’s cancellation of their scheduled tour later this year, which led to criticism of the England and Wales Cricket Board from both English and Pakistani former players.Click here for our site’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

RCB vs MI IPL 2021 Match 39: Dream11 Playing XI Predictions, Toss Time, Top Picks, Head-To-Head Records

Virat Kohli, India’s outgoing T20I captain and Rohit Sharma, the one who will replace him, have endured crushing defeats with their respective teams in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

The fact that the bulk of India’s top-order batters, who are currently under-performing, are from these two sides, sticks out like sore thumb. Going into the World T20, Kohli, Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan are some of the batting mainstays. Also, there is Hardik Pandya, who is not being picked by the Mumbai Indians as he is perhaps not 100 percent fit to carry out his all-round duties, which include four overs of brisk fast-medium bowling.Team FormRoyal Challengers Bangalore: The Virat Kohli-led team suffered an embarrassing nine-wicket defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders after the resumption of the second leg of the IPL. In the next match against Chennai Super Kings they stuttered to a seven-wicket loss. Virat Kohli showed some form en route to his half-century against CSK at Sharjah, but his overall form has been scratchy. RCB are still in the top four with 10 points from nine games.Mumbai Indians: The Mumbai Indians middle-order has failed to click. They suffered a 20-run defeat against Chennai Super Kings, followed by a hammering from Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets. Rohit Sharma is not looking in his element. The more worrying factor will be Surya’s lack of form. He is suddenly looking a lot rustier than usual. It was no different for Ishan also, as the trio needed to fire to be in good head space before the T20 World Cup on the same tracks that are expected to get slower. MI after their back-to-back defeats, have slumped to sixth spot with eight points from nine games.Match DetailsMatch 39: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai IndiansVenue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, DubaiTime: 7:30 PM IST, 02:00 PM GMTWhere to watch live: Star Sports Network, HotstarPitch ReportLike any other track in the desert nation, the Dubai pitch will provide an ample amount of help for the spin bowlers. Batting first would be ideal, chasing the total on a double-paced Dubai track is not ideal.Head-To-HeadMatch Played: 30RCB Won: 11MI Won: 19Top PicksDevdutt Padikkal: The young southpaw has made a name for himself in the power-packed RCB batting line-up. He scored a brilliant 70 against KKR and has scored 287 runs in this tournament so far.Jasprit Bumrah: He is arguably the best Indian bowler in all the three formats for India. After having a scintillating Test series against England, Bumrah looked rusty. But you can’t ignore the fact that he is the best in the business. Bumrah has bagged 11 wickets this season so far.Likely Playing XIsRoyal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Tim David, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra ChahalMumbai Indians: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Saurabh Tiwary, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Adam Milne, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult

IPL 2021: Clinical Delhi Capitals reclaim top spot, hammer Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs

Delhi Capitals stormed back to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 points table after a comprehensive 33-run win over insipid Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. DC vs RR: Dominant Delhi Capitals hammer Rajasthan Royals to reclaim top spot (Courtesy by BCCI)HIGHLIGHTSDelhi Capitals defeated Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs in Abu DhabiWith the win, DC jumped back to the top of the IPL points tableSkipper Sanju Samson waged a lone battle for Rajasthan RoyalsDelhi Capitals continued their impressive run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as the Rishabh Pant-led side registered a dominant 33-run win against Rajasthan Royals in Match 36 of the season in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Defending a below-par score of 154, Delhi bowlers put up a disciplined effort to restrict Rajasthan to 121 for 6 to return to the top of the points table.Skipper Sanju Samson waged a lone battle for Rajasthan Royals with a prolific half-century but lacked the support from the other end as RR suffered their fifth defeat of the season. Samson hit one-six and eighth boundaries in his unbeaten 70-run knock.RR were off to a very poor start as they suffered two early blows in the 155-run chase, losing both openers Liam Livingstone and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first two overs. Avesh Khan got rid of Livingstone in the first over and then Jaiswal soon followed his opening partner back to the dugout edging the ball off Anrich Nortje to Rishabh Pant.IPL News, DC vs RR: HighlightsR Ashwin joined the party as the DC spinner outfoxed RR batter David Miller for 7 to grab his first wicket in 6 games and 250th in T20 cricket. Royals continued to lose wickets at regular intervals in the 155-run chase against Delhi Capitals as Kagiso Rabada and Axar Patel removed Mahipal Lomror (19) and Riyan Parag (2) in quick succession to dent RR.Earlier, Rajasthan Royals managed to restrict the Capitals to a par score of 154 for 6 in 20 overs thanks to outstanding bowling performances from Mustafizur Rahman (2 for 22), Chetan Sakariya (2 for 33) and Rahul Tewatia (1 for 17).Tyagi, the star of the match against Punjab Kings, drew first blood with his very first delivery in the fourth over, cleaning up Orange Cap holder Shikhar Dhawan (8). Prithvi Shaw was the next DC batsman to depart as Chetan Sakariya struck early.With spin introduced in the seventh over Shreyas Iyer (43 off 32 balls) and skipper Rishabh Pant (24 off 24 balls) started to repair the damage caused by the loss of the openers. The duo, who stitched a 62-run partnership, kept the scoreboard ticking, while also hitting the occasional boundaries at the huge Sheikh Zayed Stadium.Click here for our site’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Redmi 9 Activ with up to 6GB RAM, 5000mAh battery now up for sale, price starts at Rs 9,499

Redmi has finally launched its new budget smartphone in India, called Redmi 9 Activ. The device is up for sale in the country and comes with few improvements over the vanilla Redmi 9. Most of the specifications remain the same though, as does the price point of the new smartphone

The highlight among these include a MediaTek Helio G35 processor, a larger RAM than before and a 5,000mAh battery. Here is a look at all that the new Redmi 9 Activ has to offer and the price at which it will be available.Redmi 9 Activ price and availabilityRedmi 9 Activ has been launched at Rs 9,499 for the starting variant that comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. There is also a 6GB RAM option with 128GB storage, that retails for Rs 10,999. The Redmi smartphone is available in three colour options – Carbon Black, Coral Green, and Metallic Purple.Interested buyers can purchase the new Redmi 9 Activ through Amazon, Mi.com, Mi Home, and Mi Studio stores.Redmi 9 Activ specificationsAs was tipped before its launch, the Redmi 9 Activ comes with an octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 processor along with the LPDDR4X RAM options as mentioned above. Note that the 6GB RAM option is the new addition, on top of the already available 4GB RAM options on the Redmi 9. There is also a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion.The device sports a 6.53-inch HD+ (1,600×720 pixels) display that comes with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 400 nits of peak brightness. It runs Android 11-based MIUI 12 out-of-the-box. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth v5, dual Nano-SIM support, GPS/ A-GPS, and a Micro-USB port. Sensors onboard include an accelerometer, a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor.For optics, the Redmi 9 Activ carries a dual-camera setup at the back that includes a 13-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor and an LED flash. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back. At the front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie shooter with an f/2.2 aperture.Redmi 9 Activ is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that also comes with support for 10W charging. The device measures 164.9 x 77.07 x 9.0 mm and weighs 194 grams.