- King Charles's Scottish retreat could become wedding venue
- Sundar dazzles with seven wickets as New Zealand 259 all out
- US unveils national security memorandum on AI
- Venezuelan opposition figures win EU's top rights Sakharov prize
- Bagnaia on 'mission' to overhaul Martin in MotoGP title fight
- Four arrested over Vinicius abuse before Madrid derby
- European stock markets climb, oil jumps
- Blinken meets Qatari emir in Gaza mediation push
- AI and digitalisation to eliminate 9,000 jobs at Intesa Sanpaolo
- Sajid takes six as England dimissed for 267 in third Test
- Sundar bags seven as India bowl out New Zealand for 259
- Ireland fines LinkedIn 310 mn euros over EU data breach
- Puccini exhibit charts making of a modern music star
- Smith's 89 leads England fightback to 242-8 at tea in third Test
- France kicks off Lebanon aid conference with 100-mn-euro pledge
- Commonwealth leaders to push for slavery reparation conversation: BBC
- New models help Renault maintain sales in third quarter
- India spinners strike but Ravindra, Conway help N. Zealand to 201-5
- Putin warns against 'illusory' attempts to defeat Russia
- Japan rookie Saigo takes one-shot lead at LPGA in Kuala Lumpur
- Blinken in Qatar for Gaza mediation push
- Israeli army says hit Hezbollah arms facilities
- Hermes bucks trend to post rising sales
- Rabada 'a superstar' as South Africa crush Bangladesh
- 'Idiot' Schauffele cards quadruple bogey at Zozo Championship
- Barclays profits rise on UK, investment banking gains
- New Zealand airport sets three-minute limit on hugs
- More than a million Indians flee as cyclone approaches
- South Africa cruise to seven-wicket win in Bangladesh Test
- Taiwan's TSMC stops shipments to client after chips sent to Huawei
- Ashwin strikes as New Zealand 92-2 at lunch in second India Test
- 'Fake news' of Pakistan rape ignites real protest movement
- Picky protection rules hamper Swiss mushrooming craze
- Abortion film shows impact of Texas ban ahead of US election
- 'Monster' Inoue set for Christmas cracker against Australian Goodman
- East DR Congo grapples with Chinese gold mining firms
- Bucks cruise past depleted Sixers, Suns rally past Clippers
- Argentine police raid hotel where Liam Payne fell to death
- Rabada-inspired S. Africa need 106 to win Bangladesh Test
- European leaders meet to re-energise offshore wind power
- Blinken heads to Hamas mediator Qatar on Gaza truce push
- China sees little relief from trade tensions as US goes to the polls
- Philippines races to reach stranded as storm's death toll rises
- More than food: Seoul gentrification threatens free meal centre
- Inter and Juve face off after contrasting fortunes in Champions League
- King Charles sips narcotic kava drink, becomes Samoan 'high chief'
- New Japan PM sweats for majority in snap election
- Bucks cruise past depleted Sixers to open NBA campaign
- Boeing workers reject contract, extend strike: union
- Botafogo blast five past Penarol in Libertadores semi
BCC | 0.19% | 133.91 | $ | |
RBGPF | 0.02% | 63.01 | $ | |
NGG | 0.23% | 66.44 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.39% | 24.64 | $ | |
RIO | -1.54% | 64.49 | $ | |
BTI | -0.52% | 34.71 | $ | |
GSK | -0.05% | 37.98 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.69% | 24.76 | $ | |
JRI | -0.15% | 13.05 | $ | |
SCS | -2.73% | 12.47 | $ | |
RYCEF | -0.28% | 7.27 | $ | |
BCE | -0.33% | 33.21 | $ | |
BP | -0.86% | 31.31 | $ | |
RELX | -0.43% | 46.82 | $ | |
VOD | -0.95% | 9.46 | $ | |
AZN | -0.48% | 76.95 | $ |
Bengaluru win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out
Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli hit key knocks to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the last play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 27-run win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.
Bengaluru posted 218-5 after Du Plessis, who hit 54, and Kohli, who smashed 47, laid the foundations for the total in a rain-hit innings at their home M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Chennai were held to 191-7 in reply and with both sides level on 14 points, Bengaluru went through to the play-offs on run-rate after a sixth win in a row.
"What a night! Such a great atmosphere," player of the match Du Plessis, who did a lap of honour with his team for the home fans, said.
"Just a pleasure to finish the season in front of the home crowd with a win."
Bengaluru will now play in the eliminator on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.
Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already made the play-offs, which will begin with the first qualifier on Tuesday in Ahmedabad.
The final is on May 26 in Chennai.
Rachin Ravindra hit 61 before Ravindra Jadeja, who made an unbeaten 42, and old warhorse M.S. Dhoni (25) gave Bengaluru a scare in a stand of 61 as Chennai fell short of the qualification mark.
The match could be Dhoni's last IPL outing as a player and also the final face-off between him and Kohli -- two legends of Indian cricket.
Dhoni, 42, was widely expected to retire after he led the team to a record-equalling fifth title last year, but vowed to come back for one more season after a knee operation.
Dhoni handed over the Chennai captaincy ahead of the season to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who won the toss and elected to field first in the virtual knockout for the final play-off place.
"Happy with the seven wins, couldn't get over the line though," said a disappointed Gaikwad.
- Du Plessis stunner -
Kohli, who leads the batting chart with 708 runs, and Du Plessis started on the offensive before rain halted their charge after the third over and suddenly the ball began to turn once play resumed.
Both openers waded their way through Chennai's spin charge from Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner as Kohli hit a couple of sixes.
New Zealand's Santner, a left-arm spinner, denied Kohli his fifty and got Du Plessis run out through a deflection from his finger at the non-strikers end.
Rajat Patidar, who hit 41, and Cameron Green, who struck an unbeaten 17-ball 38, then steadied the ship and hit back in a partnership of 71 off 28 balls.
Bengaluru returned strong with the ball and Glenn Maxwell struck on the first ball to send back Gaikwad for a duck.
Fast bowler Yash Dayal had Daryl Mitchell caught by Kohli to dent their chase.
But it was Du Plessis who pulled off a stunning one-handed airborne grab at mid-off to send back Santner.
Jadeja and Dhoni raised hopes of a turnaround as Chennai needed 17 off the last over to qualify but Dayal kept his calm to dismiss Dhoni and then gave away just one run.
P.Santos--AMWN