Chennai Super Kings (CSK) delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, completing a league double over their arch-rivals in the TATA IPL 2026.

A disciplined bowling display, led by Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad, restricted MI to a below-par total before a composed chase anchored by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kartik Sharma sealed a comfortable win for the home side.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, MI started briskly despite the absence of Rohit Sharma. Ryan Rickelton led the early charge, helping MI cross 50 in the powerplay. However, Noor Ahmad shifted momentum by dismissing Rickelton, halting MI’s early surge.

Naman Dhir and Suryakumar Yadav kept the innings steady, but debutant Ramakrishna Ghosh struck to remove Suryakumar for his maiden IPL wicket. Noor Ahmad later returned to dismiss Tilak Varma, finishing with impressive figures of 2/26.

Dhir fought valiantly with a gritty 57 off 37 balls, but MI lost momentum in the death overs as Anshul Kamboj’s incisive spell (3/28), including the key wicket of skipper Hardik Pandya, triggered a collapse. MI finished on 159/7.

In reply, CSK suffered an early setback when Sanju Samson (11) was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the innings with an unbeaten 67 off 48 balls, supported by Urvil Patel’s quick 24 off 12.

The decisive phase came through Gaikwad’s partnership with Impact Player Kartik Sharma. Sharma played with freedom, attacking MI’s spinners and bringing up a maiden IPL half-century in style. He finished the match with a boundary off Trent Boult as CSK reached the target with 11 balls to spare.

This marks the third time CSK have completed a league double over MI, after 2014 and 2023.

The earlier match of the day saw Delhi Capitals (DC) producing a record-breaking batting performance to complete their highest successful chase in IPL history, defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in a high-scoring thriller at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

In a match that produced 451 runs, DC chased down a daunting target of 226 with five balls to spare.

RR skipper Riyan Parag elected to bat first on a flat surface, but DC struck early through Mitchell Starc, who removed Yashasvi Jaiswal in his comeback spell. Kyle Jamieson soon dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, leaving RR under pressure at 12/2.

Parag and Dhruv Jurel rebuilt the innings with a brilliant 102-run partnership. Parag starred with a fluent 90 off 50 balls, while Jurel added 42 before falling to Axar Patel.

Late fireworks from Donovan Ferreira changed the complexion of the innings, as he smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 14 balls, helping RR finish on 225/6.

In response, DC openers KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka produced a stunning 110-run stand to seize control early. Nissanka scored a rapid 62 off 33 balls, while Rahul anchored the chase with a superb 75 off 40.

Despite late wickets, contributions from Nitish Rana (33 off 17), Tristan Stubbs (18*), and Ashutosh Sharma (25*) ensured DC crossed the line comfortably in 19.1 overs. KL Rahul was named Player of the Match for his match-defining innings.

Today’s IPL Matches

IPL 2026 continues today with two exciting fixtures that are expected to further shape the points table as the league stage intensifies.

The action begins with Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, followed by Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Fans can look forward to another action-packed day of cricket, featuring top international and domestic stars battling for crucial points in the race to the playoffs.

All matches will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television, bringing full coverage of every boundary, wicket, and turning moment to viewers nationwide.

The Afghanistan women’s refugee football team, known as Afghan Women United, has been granted eligibility to compete in official international competitions following a landmark decision by FIFA.

The decision, announced Wednesday, opens the door to future participation in events such as qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The decision was approved by the FIFA Council at a meeting in Vancouver, Canada, where members voted to amend regulations allowing recognition of refugee-based representative teams under exceptional circumstances.

The move comes nearly five years after the players fled Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021 and the subsequent ban on women’s sport.

Under the new ruling, Afghan Women United will be formally recognised by FIFA as Afghanistan’s women’s representative team and may now participate in international tournaments in coordination with FIFA and relevant confederations.

While the team will not be able to enter qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, officials confirmed they could be eligible for the Olympic qualification cycle leading to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the decision as part of a broader effort to ensure players are not excluded due to circumstances beyond their control.

“We are proud of the journey initiated by Afghan Women United,” he said, adding that the initiative could serve as a model for other cases where national teams are unable to participate.

The breakthrough follows years of campaigning by players, former captain and activist Khalida Popal, and human rights organisations. Popal said the decision marked a turning point after years of uncertainty for Afghan women footballers.

“For five years we were told the Afghanistan women’s national team could never compete again,” she said. “This decision changes that future not only for us, but for others who should never have to face the same exclusion.”

More than 80 Afghan women players are currently based across Australia, Europe and the United States. The squad has held recent training camps in England and Australia and is coached by Pauline Hamill.

The team is expected to play friendly matches during the upcoming international window in June, with opponents yet to be confirmed.

FIFA has offered Ariana Television Network (ATN) the official Preview Series for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as part of its global media partnership ahead of the tournament.

The exciting event is scheduled from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Produced exclusively for FIFA media partners, the Preview Series is designed to build anticipation for the expanded 48-team tournament and provide in-depth storytelling in the lead-up to kickoff.

Both the tournament and the Preview Series will be broadcast exclusively by Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) across Afghanistan.

FIFA said the series aims to enhance global engagement and deepen connections between fans and participating nations as excitement grows for the 2026 World Cup.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for updates, broadcast schedules, and exclusive coverage of the Preview Series and World Cup build-up content.