Sport
Chennai Super Kings pip Gujarat Titans in dramatic final to win fifth IPL title
Chennai Super Kings equalled Mumbai Indians’ record of five Indian Premier League (IPL) titles after Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side triumphed in a last-ball thriller, beating champions Gujarat Titans by five wickets in Monday’s rain-marred final in Ahmedabad.
Put into bat, Gujarat racked up 214-4 after their number three batter Sai Sudharsan capitalised on a strong start and smashed an incendiary 96 off 47 balls that included six sixes.
Chasing a revised target of 171 from 15 overs after a lengthy rain interruption, Chennai survived intense drama before Ravindra Jadeja sealed their victory, milking 10 runs off the last two deliveries.
The final was originally scheduled on Sunday but incessant rain forced the organisers to move the game to its reserve day.
After Chennai skipper Dhoni won the toss and elected to field, Shubman Gill walked out to bat having smashed three hundreds in his last four innings, read the report.
The opener seemed to have luck on his side too as Deepak Chahar dropped Gill, the tournament’s leading scorer, at square leg when the batter was on three.
Gill also survived a run-out chance when Jadeja could not properly gather the ball before breaking the stumps.
The left-arm spinner, however, made amends in the same over.
Jadeja lured Gill (39) out of the crease and Dhoni proved age has not dulled his reflexes as the 41-year-old whipped off the bails in a flash.
Chahar also floored a return catch from Wriddhiman Saha, who smashed 54 before falling to the seamer with Dhoni collecting the top edge, Reuters reported.
Sudharsan then tore into the Chennai attack and hit Matheesha Pathirana for back-to-back sixes in the final over of the innings to inch closer to a hundred.
Pathirana denied him the milestone but Gujarat could not be denied a 200-plus total.
Chennai’s openers faced three balls before rain forced them off the field and held up play for two hours and 20 minutes.
Chasing a revised target on return, Ruturaj Gaikwad (26) and Devon Conway (47) plundered 72 runs from the first six overs before Noor Ahmad removed both in the seventh over.
Shivam Dube, who made 32 not out, kept Chennai in the race but Mohit Sharma removed Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni in successive deliveries to inject fresh drama into the contest.
Chennai needed 13 runs from the last over from Mohit, who conceded three runs in his first four deliveries.
Needing 10 off the last two, Jadeja hit Mohit over his head for a six and followed it with a boundary to seal a thrilling victory.
“I was just trying to swing hard because every ball was important,” Jadeja said of the dramatic last over.
“I knew anything could happen, so I was trying to swing hard and hit it straight.”
Sport
Afghanistan clinch Ireland series with record ODI score
The victory gives Afghanistan an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
Afghanistan sealed the five-match ODI series against Ireland with a game to spare after posting their highest-ever ODI total and beating the hosts by 42 runs in Belfast on Wednesday.
Batting first after Ireland won the toss, Afghanistan posted their highest-ever ODI total of 343 for nine in 50 overs. The innings was built around a brilliant 231-run partnership between Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran.
Atal produced the standout performance, smashing a career-best 143 from 120 balls, including 17 fours and four sixes. Zadran followed with 107 off 118 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six. Their partnership laid the foundation for Afghanistan’s record total.
Ireland faced a difficult chase but received a strong response from Andrew Balbirnie, who scored 109. Curtis Campher also kept the hosts’ hopes alive with an aggressive 84 from just 46 balls. However, Afghanistan’s bowlers maintained control and bowled Ireland out for 301 in 48 overs.
Yamin Ahmadzai was Afghanistan’s leading bowler with four wickets for 71 runs, while Rashid Khan continued his impressive series with three wickets for 49 runs. Rashid has now taken 12 wickets in the series.
The victory gives Afghanistan an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. The opening ODI was washed out, while Afghanistan won the second match by 92 runs and the third by three wickets.
The fifth and final ODI will be played at Stormont on Saturday.
Fans can watch the match live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana Television.
Shamshad Eagles defeated Speenghar Warriors by six wickets in the sixth match of the Kabul Premier League at the Ayoubi Cricket Ground in Kabul on Tuesday.
Speenghar Warriors, who won the toss and elected to bat first, posted their total, of 143, before Shamshad Eagles produced a confident chase.
The Eagles reached the target with four balls remaining, securing a six-wicket victory and moving strongly in the Kabul Premier League standings.
Mohammad Shahzad was the standout performer for Shamshad Eagles and was named Player of the Match for his contribution to the Eagles’ successful run chase.
The result gives Shamshad Eagles valuable points as the tournament continues in Kabul.
The Kabul Premier League features six teams, with the tournament providing a platform for Afghanistan’s domestic players to showcase their talent.
Abasin Defenders produced a dominant performance in the Kabul Premier League on Tuesday, beating Band-e Amir Stars by 163 runs in the fifth match of the tournament in Kabul.
Batting first after winning the toss, Defenders posted an imposing 281 for five from their 20 overs.
Mohammad Amin led the charge with an unbeaten 103 from 46 balls, while Mohammad Akram added a rapid 68 from just 25 deliveries. The pair helped Defenders build a formidable total and put Band-e Amir Stars under immediate pressure.
Band-e Amir struggled to cope with the target and were bowled out for just 118 in 13.3 overs.
Azizullah Miakhil was the top scorer for Band-e Amir with 55 from 19 balls, while Mohammad Asif contributed 25 from 14 deliveries.
Qamar Shams was the standout bowler for Defenders, taking three wickets for just seven runs in 1.3 overs. Faridoon Dawoodzai also claimed two wickets for 13 runs.
The 163-run victory was one of the biggest wins of the Kabul Premier League so far and gave Abasin Defenders two points.
Mohammad Amin was named Player of the Match for his outstanding century.
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