Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

IPL 2021: Iyer, Narine star as Kolkata thrash Mumbai

IPL 2021: Iyer, Narine star as Kolkata thrash Mumbai

EOIN MORGAN'S Kolkata Knight Riders won their second straight Indian Premier League match with a seven-wicket thrashing of holders Mumbai Indians on Thursday (23) to move into the top four.

Opener Venkatesh Iyer smashed 53 and put on an attacking second-wicket partnership of 88 with Rahul Tripathi, who made an unbeaten 74, as Kolkata chased down their target of 156 in 15.1 overs in Abu Dhabi.


Iyer has made an early impact in the revived Twenty20 tournament after his match-winning unbeaten 41 in the team's previous win over Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"The first two games in this second phase has been a great template for us to play," Morgan said after his team jumped to fourth in the eight-team table led by Delhi Capitals.

"There's only one way for us to go in the points table, and that's up."

Left-hander Iyer reached his 50 off 25 balls to take apart the Mumbai bowling led by New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult.

He fell to pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah but Tripathi kept up the charge in his 42-ball blitz laced with eight fours and three sixes.

"We were trying to fit Iyer into the XI with a lot of talented guys, and it's fantastic with the manner he has scored runs," Morgan said of the 26-year-old Iyer.

Five-time champions Mumbai started strongly with a 78-run opening stand between skipper Rohit Sharma, who scored 33, and Quinton de Kock, who made 55.

But Kolkata's bowlers soon hit back to choke the opposition run flow with regular wickets as Mumbai finished on 155 for six after being invited to bat first.

New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson and fellow quick Prasidh Krishna took two wickets.

West Indies spinner Sunil Narine returned economical figures of 1 for 20 from his four overs, getting the key wicket of Sharma. He was named man of the match.

It was a forgettable return for Sharma who had missed the team's previous loss against Chennai Super Kings when the IPL resumed on Sunday (19) in the United Arab Emirates.

The tournament had a scare on Wednesday (22) when Hyderabad left-arm quick Thangarasu Natarajan tested positive for coronavirus and isolated with six other close contacts but their match against Delhi went ahead.

The IPL was halted in May because of pandemic deaths in India, prompting foreign players to rush home and many have not come back including England's Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals) and Pat Cummins (Kolkata) of Australia.

(AFP)

More For You

Edgbaston Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal fends off a delivery from Brydon Carse during day one of the 2nd Test between England and India at Edgbaston on July 02, 2025 in Birmingham.

Getty Images

India make three changes as England choose to bowl in second Test

ENGLAND won the toss and chose to bowl in the second Test against India at Edgbaston on Wednesday. India made three changes to their line-up and rested fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah to manage his workload ahead of the rest of the series.

Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur were left out, while Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep came into the playing 11. Bumrah is expected to return for the third Test at Lord’s, which begins on July 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
Djokovic Wimbledon

The sixth seed, who is aiming to equal Roger Federer's haul at the All England Club

Getty Images

Novok Djokovic eases into Wimbledon second round after Muller challenge

Key points

  • Novak Djokovic beat Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-2 to reach the Wimbledon second round.
  • The sixth seed is aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title and to equal Federer's seven Wimbledon titles.
  • Djokovic took a medical timeout for a stomach issue in the third set but recovered after receiving treatment.
  • Muller fought back to win the second set tiebreak, but Djokovic regained control in the final two sets.
  • Djokovic said he always believes he can win Wimbledon, calling grass the surface where he plays his best tennis.

  • Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was made to work hard after a strong start as he began his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title by beating unseeded Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-1 6-7(7) 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round on Tuesday.

    The sixth seed, who is aiming to equal Roger Federer's haul at the All England Club and move past Margaret Court in the all-time list of major champions, will take on British wild card Dan Evans in the next round.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    Coco Gauff

    The French Open champion looked uncomfortable under the roof on Court One

    Getty Images

    Coco Gauff says switch from clay to grass contributed to Wimbledon exit

    Key points

    • Coco Gauff was knocked out in the Wimbledon first round, losing 7-6(3), 6-1 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
    • The French Open champion admitted struggling with the transition from clay to grass and said she lacked match practice on the surface.
    • Gauff, 21, was emotional in her post-match comments, saying she felt mentally overwhelmed after her win in Paris.
    • She acknowledged Yastremska’s strong performance and said she may reconsider her pre-Wimbledon schedule in future.
    • Gauff followed fellow American Jessica Pegula in exiting early, noting that Wimbledon often sees first-round upsets.


    A tearful Coco Gauff said she had not coped well with the switch from Paris clay to Wimbledon grass after she was dumped out of the championships in the first round on Tuesday.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    Bumrah Tests

    Despite taking 5-83 in the first innings at Headingley, Bumrah went wicketless in the second as England chased down a target of 371, with opener Ben Duckett scoring 149.

    Getty Images

    2nd Test: India wait on Bumrah decision as they look to bounce back against England

    INDIA will take a last-minute call on whether to include Jasprit Bumrah in the second Test against England, starting Wednesday at Edgbaston in Birmingham, as they look to level the five-match series.

    Bumrah, currently the top-ranked Test bowler, would usually be a straightforward selection after India’s five-wicket defeat in the opening Test at Headingley. However, the fast bowler is returning from a back injury and had earlier said he expected to play only three of the five Tests.

    Keep ReadingShow less
    Raducanu Shines in Dominant Start to Wimbledon 2025 Campaign

    Raducanu and Jack Draper are making most of the headlines

    Getty Images

    Raducanu begins Wimbledon campaign with confident win

    Key points

  • Emma Raducanu defeated fellow Briton Mimi Xu 6-3, 6-3 in the Wimbledon first round.
  • Xu, 17, was making her Grand Slam debut and appeared overwhelmed early on.
  • Raducanu dropped just three points on serve in the first set.
  • Despite a series of breaks in the second set, Raducanu regained control to seal victory.
  • She described the all-British clash as “difficult” but was pleased with the result.

  • The biggest home assault on Wimbledon for 41 years got off to a great start on Monday when Emma Raducanu triumphed in an all-British clash.

    Keep ReadingShow less