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Tag: IPL Eliminator

  • Security Threat Forces RCB To Cancel Practice Session Ahead Of IPL 2024 Eliminator Vs RR: Report | cricket news

    The high-stakes nature of the IPL playoffs reached an unprecedented level as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were forced to abandon their scheduled practice session and pre-match press conference in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. A looming security threat, centering around the safety of star batsman Virat Kohli, cast an ominous shadow over the team’s preparations for the do-or-die Eliminator clash against Rajasthan Royals.

    RCB canceled their practice session and press conference after threat to Virat Kohli’s security as 4 people were arrested on terror suspicion before the IPL 2024 Eliminator. (Anandabazar Patrika & HT). pic.twitter.com/Rqi7pE7J0C — Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) May 22, 2024

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    Intense Drama Unfolds

    According to reports, the Gujarat Police apprehended four individuals from Ahmedabad airport on suspicion of terrorist activities. The arrests, coupled with the recovery of arms and suspicious materials, set alarm bells ringing within the RCB camp. Prioritizing player safety, the franchise swiftly decided to call off their practice at the Gujarat College Ground and the customary pre-match press interactions.

    Virat Kohli: A National Treasure

    As Vijay Singha Jwala, a senior police official, stated, “Virat Kohli learned about the arrests after arriving in Ahmedabad. He is a national treasure, and his security is our utmost priority.” The iconic stature of Kohli, one of India’s most revered cricketers, necessitated heightened vigilance from the authorities.

    RCB Errs on the Side of Caution

    While their opponents, Rajasthan Royals, proceeded with their training schedule, RCB chose to exercise abundant caution. “RCB did not want to take a risk. They informed us that there would be no practice session,” Jwala revealed, underscoring the franchise’s unwavering commitment to player welfare.

    Heightened Security Measures

    The gravity of the situation was further exemplified by the stringent security arrangements implemented around RCB’s team hotel. Access was severely restricted, with even IPL-accredited media personnel denied entry. A dedicated “green corridor” was established to facilitate the Royals’ safe passage to and from the practice venue, accompanied by multiple police convoys.

    Rajasthan Royals’ Measured Approach

    Despite being aware of the developing situation, the Rajasthan Royals opted to carry on with their preparations. However, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Riyan Parag exercised caution by skipping the practice session, while captain Sanju Samson arrived late to the ground, underlining the palpable tension.

    High-Stakes Clash Looms

    As the sun sets on a day marred by unprecedented security concerns, all eyes turn to the Narendra Modi Stadium, where the high-octane Eliminator clash between RCB and RR is set to unfold on Wednesday. With a spot in Qualifier 2 on the line, both teams will be desperate to overcome the off-field distractions and produce their best on the hallowed turf.

    In a tournament that has witnessed its fair share of dramatic narratives, this latest chapter adds an unwelcome layer of uncertainty. However, the resilience and professionalism of the players and officials involved will be tested as they strive to uphold the sanctity of the game amidst extraordinary circumstances.The stage is set for an Eliminator that promises to be a captivating blend of cricketing brilliance and heightened security measures , a testament to the unwavering spirit of the sport in the face of adversity.

  • Narine made it look easy with his outstanding spell, says KKR captain Eoin Morgan

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan says his team’s four-wicket win over RCB in the IPL Eliminator looked easier due to Sunil Narine’s outstanding individual effort.

    Narine took 4 for 21, including wickets of Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers, and then hit 26 off 15 balls with three sixes in KKR’s successful chase of 139 in 19.4 overs.

    “Narine makes it look very easy. He bowled outstandingly well. Throughout the innings, we continued to take wickets. Good start from the bowlers, and we were in control in the chase,” Morgan said after the match.

    Asked about having three world class spinners in his ranks, Morgan said: “I quite like it. It is a huge privilege when there are world-class spinners around. They continue to get better and better,” he said.

    KKR’s batting depth did help on the day after some mid-innings jitters.

    “When it comes off (with our batting order), it looks quite deep.”

    Asked if it will be an advantage to play in Sharjah again against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday in Qualifier 2, Morhan said,”For us, it is a matter of coming back and adjusting. We are looking forward to it.”

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    “I thought we had a chance [when we landed in the UAE], but the cricket we have played has surprised everybody. Everyone came with a drive to perform. Narine is a cool customer and is very level-headed.”

    Player of the match Narine termed it as his greatest T20 performance.

    “Definitely (one of the greatest T20 performances). When you perform, and the team comes out winning,” he said.

    He hit three sixes off Dan Christian in his four deliveries.

    “I am prepared to be out first ball. Some days it comes off, some days it doesn’t.”

    Asked which was the best out of his four scalps, Narine said: “I enjoy all wickets, but getting Kohli and tying them was my goal. It was a total team effort.”

    He is getting more and more confident with his remodelled action but he is still not close to it.

    “I am getting close – not that close as yet like before – and the hard work has paid off. (I am) pretty calm and cool when it comes to cricket. I like funny stuff as well.”

  • IPL 2021, Eliminator: Narine fires Kolkata into Qualifier 2 ending Kohli-led RCB’s trophy run

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets in the IPL Eliminator to set up the Qualifier 2 against Delhi Capitals.

    Skipper Virat Kohli made a 33-ball 39 while his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal contributed 21 runs.

    Spinner Sunil Narine rocked the RCB batting order with a four-wicket haul while Lockie Ferguson dismissed two batters.

    Narine then returned to play an impact knock of 26 runs off 15 balls after Shubhman Gill (29) and Venkatesh Iyer (26) provided a good start to KKR.

    Skipper Eoin Morgan (5) and Shakib Al Hasan (9) took the side home with two balls to spare.

    Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore: 138 for 7 in 20 overs (V Kohli 39, D Padikkal 21; S Narine 4/21, L Ferguson 2/30).

    Kolkata Knight Riders: 139 for 6 in 19.4 overs. (S Gill 29, V Iyer 26, S Narine 26, N Rana 23; Y Chahal 2/16, H Patel 2/19).

  • Sunil Narine takes four as KKR restrict RCB to 138/7 in IPL eliminator

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Electing to bat, Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 138 for seven against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL eliminator here on Monday.

    Skipper Virat Kohli made a 33-ball 39 while his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal contributed 21 runs.

    Spinner Sunil Narine rocked the RCB batting order with a four-wicket haul while Lockie Ferguson dismissed two batsmen.

    Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore: 138 for 7 in 20 overs (V Kohli 39, D Padikkal 21; S Narine 4/21, L Ferguson 2/30).

  • Virat Kohli’s RCB faces Eoin Morgan’s KKR in IPL Eliminator 

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: It will be a test of Virat Kohli’s tactical acumen against the ice-cool demeanour of Eoin Morgan when perennial underachievers Royal Challengers Bangalore clash with former champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Eliminator here on Monday.

    Kohli, who has decided to step down from captaincy after this edition, has led RCB to the finals in 2016 besides reaching the play-offs twice in 2015 and 2020, and he would like to end things on a high in his last hurray as captain.

    For Morgan, it is about regaining the lost glory for KKR, a team that achieved great success under Gautam Gambhir, who had led them to two IPL titles in a space of three years in 2012 and 2014.

    On paper, it would be a battle between two evenly-poised teams, but overall, KKR has a slight edge, having won 15 out of 28 matches they played over the years.

    However, RCB will be brimming with confidence after securing a thrilling win over Delhi Capitals with a last-ball six in their final league match, finishing third in the standings with 18 points from 14 matches.

    KKR, on the other hand, scripted a terrific turnaround, finishing fourth with 14 points after winning five of seven games in the UAE leg following a lacklustre performance in the first phase.

    Morgan’s men had notched up a massive 86-run win over Rajasthan Royals to seal their play-offs spot and would look to carry the momentum into the Eliminator.

    But past records will count for little and it will boil down to winning small moments in the match, something which Kohli and Morgan would know pretty well.

    Both the captains have enough ammunition in their disposal and it will be all about managing the resources.

    RCB possess a formidable batting line-up that includes AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal apart from Kohli but they have failed to find a perfect combination so far.

    While their top-order has given starts on most occasions, the middle-order looked unsure with the ploy to get Daniel Christian at number 3 backfiring.

    Also AB de Villiers has been wasted at number 5 but Srikar Bharat’s emergence has been a big positive.

    The wicketkeeper batsman scored a 52-ball 78 at number 3 and etched his name in the record books with a last-ball six for RCB in the last game.

    One man who has stood out for RCB is Glenn Maxwell.

    The Australian power-hitter has 498 runs and has been Kohli’s go to man this season.

    The RCB skipper, however, has misfired in the last two innings and would need to find his touch quickly.

    In bowling, Harshal Patel has been simply sensational with 30 wickets in 14 games, which includes a hat-trick against Mumbai Indians.

    Mohammed Siraj and George Garton too have been impressive, while Yuzvendra Chahal has answered his critics with 16 wickets this season.

    KKR too has been served well by the bowlers, who has churned out some terrific performances.

    While pace duo of Lockie Ferguson and Shivam Mavi have peaked at the right time, sharing seven wickets in their last match, the spinners led by Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Shakib Al Hasan too have been impressive.

    In batting, Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi and Nitish Rana hold the key and it will be interesting to see how they handle the variations of Patel and guile of Chahal at the slow Sharjah pitch.

    Skipper Morgan has been woefully out of form and that remains a concern.

    Teams | Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (C), Navdeep Saini, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Rajat Patidar, Dushmantha Chameera, Pavan Deshpande, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Sachin Baby, Wanindu Hasaranga, George Garton, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shahbaz Ahmed, Devdutt Padikkal, Kyle Jamieson, Suyash Prabhudessai, KS Bharat, Tim David, Akash Deep, AB de Villiers.

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Morgan (C), Dinesh Karthik, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathy, Shubman Gill, Harbhajan Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pawan Negi, M Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Dube, Tim Southee, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russel, Ben Cutting, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Tim Seifert.