Narayana Murthy

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah made a brilliant return to action for Mumbai Indians after missing the entire 2023 season as he claimed three wickets to help Mumbai Indians restrict Gujarat Titans to 168/6 in 20 overs in Match 5 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday.

Opting to bat first, Rajasthan Royals showcased their batting prowess with Samson leading the charge. His calculated strokes and adept placement of the ball troubled the Lucknow Super Giants' bowlers. Parag, playing the aggressor's role, provided crucial support with his explosive stroke play. The duo capitalized on loose deliveries, particularly targeting Yash Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi, scoring boundaries at will.

"I had butterflies in my stomach from the 17th over onwards! Honestly, I felt anything could happen in the last over," confessed Iyer.

Harshit Rana emerged as the hero for Kolkata Knight Riders, delivering a masterful final over to halt Heinrich Klassen's explosive onslaught. Klassen's blitzkrieg of 63 runs off just 29 balls had propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad tantalizingly close to victory. However, Rana's composed bowling under pressure turned the tide in KKR's favor.

The clash between these two North Indian teams proved to be a gripping encounter, with Punjab Kings maintaining their edge throughout, especially after Delhi Capitals' Ishant Sharma sustained a right ankle injury while fielding. This setback severely impacted DC's bowling attack, except for the impressive performance by Kuldeep Yadav, while missed catches only compounded their woes.

Gavaskar emphasized the significance of Gaikwad's debut as captain and praised his adept handling of the bowlers. Particularly noteworthy was Gaikwad's strategic use of Mustafizur Rahman and his unwavering confidence in Tushar Deshpande, despite the latter being taken for runs earlier in the match.

CSK's pursuit of the target encountered a shaky start, but resilient contributions from Ajinkya Rahane, Daryll Mitchell, Shivam Dube, and Ravindra Jadeja steered them to victory with six wickets in hand and eight balls to spare.

Akshay Kumar mesmerized the crowd with nostalgic renditions of his classic hits from films like "Bhool Bhuliya" and "Desi Boyz," infusing the stage with his trademark energy and charm. In a thrilling moment, Akshay took a victory lap around the cricket field on a motorcycle, accompanied by Tiger proudly holding the Indian flag aloft, while the anthem "Sabse aage honge Hindustani" echoed through the stadium, igniting the patriotic fervor among spectators who danced along in jubilation.

Familiar with most of the debutants, Rohit emphasized the importance of providing them comfort and support. "It was important for me to acknowledge their strengths and previous accomplishments," he noted, highlighting the positive response he and coach Rahul Dravid received from the young players.

Madushanka, a 23-year-old Sri Lankan pacer, sustained a hamstring injury during the recent ODI series against Bangladesh, where the visitors suffered a 1-2 defeat.