With rising cases of COVID-19 in different camps, BCCI had finally taken the decision to suspend the Indian T20 League 2021 indefinitely.

The season was almost done with 50 per cent of its operations before the latest wave of the Covid-19 virus put the tournament at risk of being discontinued. A host of overseas players, especially England and Australian players, had left the tournament midway either due to injury or to escape the strict bio-bubble restrictions.

May 9: 3:00 PM: Rajasthan's Chetan Sakariya loses father to COVID-19

Rajasthan's Chetan Sakariya is bereaved after his father Kanjibhai Sakariya, 42, lost his battle with COVID-19. The 23-year-old uncapped bowler rushed to his hometown of Vartej in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat following the suspension of the Indian T20 League 2021 to take care of his ailing father. Sakariya's father, also a diabetic, had tested positive during the season and was admitted last week.

Team Rajasthan and the Saurashtra Cricket Association have taken to Twitter to offer their condolences.

It pains us so much to confirm that Mr Kanjibhai Sakariya lost his battle with Covid-19 earlier today.

We're in touch with Chetan and will provide all possible support to him and his family in this difficult time.

�?Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 9, 2021

Everyone in SCA conveys heartfelt sympathies to @Sakariya55 on sad demise of his father and pray the Almighty to give enough strength to everyone in his family to bear the loss and grant eternal peace to departed noble soul. #rip pic.twitter.com/ZCh5X1jFGM

�?Saurashtra Cricket (@saucricket) May 9, 2021

May 8: 2:00 PM: India pacer Prasidh Krishna tests COVID-19 positive

Kolkata pacer Prasidh Krishna has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in quarantine in his home town Bengaluru, a BCCI source said on Saturday.

The 25-year-old fast bowler was named as the four standbys by the BCCI for the World Test Championship final and the Test series in England.

Krishna is now the fourth player from the franchise after Varun Chakravarthy, Sandeep Warrier and Tim Seifert to test positive for the coronavirus.

May 8: 7:30 AM: Kolkata's Tim Seifert tests positive for COVID-19

Kolkata batsman Tim Seifert has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be travelling back to New Zealand on the charter flight with New Zealand's Indian T20 League players, support staff and commentators. Seifert failed both his pre-departure PCR tests and as a result will be taken into quarantine.

The opening batsman, currently in Ahmedabad, will be flown to Chennai where he will undergo treatment in the same hospital where Australian Michael Hussey, the Chennai batting coach, is being treated before returning to New Zealand.

May 5: 3:00 PM: Eight English players return home

As many as eight England players landed at London's Heathrow airport on Wednesday, April 5 after the Indian T20 League 2021 was suspended indefinitely. This includes Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Billings, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Jason Roy and Curran brothers Sam and Tom. The likes of Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan and Chris Jordan will leave in the next 48 hours.

The players who have arrived will now have to quarantine in government-approved hotels for 10 days.

May 4: 8:00 PM: Michael Hussey tests positive for COVID-19

After bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji, Chennai batting coach Michael Hussey has tested positive for COVID-19. According to ANI, the Australian will be tested again, with the franchise hoping that the earlier result was a false positive. Earlier, L Balaji had tested positive for the virus, along with a member of the travel staff. 

May 4: 4:00 PM: Cricket Australia delivers their statement

Hours after the Indian T20 League 2021 was indefinitely suspended, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association delivered a joint statement, saying that while they are in constant touch with the BCCI for the safety and wellbeing of all the Australia, they respect the decision of their government to pause travel from India until at least May 15. This means that all the Australians who are a part of the Indian T20 League will have to wait.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the likes of Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich amongst other Australians are expected to join the commentator Michael Slater in the Maldives.

Australian Cricket will throw its support behind the India COVID-19 Crisis Appeal by partnering with the @ACA_Players and @unicefaustralia to raise much needed funds.

Donate to UNICEF Australia’s India COVID-19 Crisis Appeal: //t.co/JWpslbtY2j pic.twitter.com/E0CMow6h8z

�?Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) May 2, 2021

"Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association understand the decision of the BCCI to indefinitely postpone the 2021 Indian T20 League for the safety and wellbeing of all participants.

"CA is in direct contact with the BCCI as they work through plans to ensure the safe accommodation and repatriation of Australian players, coaches, match officials and commentators back home to Australia.

"CA and the ACA respect the decision of the Australian Government to pause travel from India until at least May 15 and will not seek exemptions.

"CA and the ACA thank the BCCI for their efforts and cooperation for the safe repatriation of all participants at the league."

May 4: 1:00 PM: BCCI suspends Indian T20 League 2021 indefinitely

According to reports, the move was confirmed by Indian T20 League chairman Brijesh Patel, who informed that the decision was taken for the safety of all stakeholders.

“The Indian T20 League has been suspended for the time being. We spoke to everyone from teams, broadcasters and all those who were involved in it. It was decided to defer the Indian T20 League, especially looking at the sentiment and current situation in the country," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told The Indian Express

"For us players�?health is paramount and BCCI will always keep safety first. We will meet again soon and decide when we can conclude this edition, we will have to see when is the next window available,�?Shukla added.

UPDATE: The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season with immediate effect.

Details - //t.co/OgYXPj9FQy pic.twitter.com/lYmjBId8gL

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2021

May 4: 12:35 PM: Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra test positive for COVID-19

Team Hyderabad's wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha and Team Delhi spinner Amit Mishra become the latest Indian T20 League players to test positive.  

#IPL2021: @SunRisers' @Wriddhipops and @DelhiCapitals' @MishiAmit test positive for COVID-19#WriddhimanSaha #AmitMishra #SunrisersHyderabad #DelhiCapitals #COVID�?9 pic.twitter.com/Y0AjVI1lyD

�?TOI Sports (@toisports) May 4, 2021

COVID-19 now strikes Sunrisers Hyderabad with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha testing positive. The entire team has been in isolation since yesterday.

�?Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) May 4, 2021

May 4: 10:00 AM: Chennai vs Rajasthan match on May 5 to be rescheduled

After the Kolkata vs Bangalore Indian T20 League match didn't take place on May 3, the Chennai vs Rajasthan match will now be rescheduled as well after Chennai bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji was tested COVID-19 positive on Monday.

As per the Board's Standard Operating Procedure, the entire Chennai team has been forced into hard quarantine for six days in which the players and staffs have to return three negative RT-PCR reports.

"Tomorrow's match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium between CSK and RR will be rescheduled as per SOP rules," a senior BCCI official told PTI.

"As Balaji was in contact with the players, all of them have gone into hard quarantine. They are supposed to be tested every day," the official added.

May 4: 12:30 AM: Will Indian T20 League be shifted to Mumbai?

In order to minimize the risk of more Covid-19 cases, the BCCI is reportedly planning to stage the rest of the ongoing Indian T20 League campaign in Mumbai.

It would mean the Indian T20 League would ditch its two-venue caravan model and reverting to the BCCI's original plan, when it was working out the tournament schedule, of having Mumbai as the hub.

The plan, should it be implemented, will ease travel and bio-bubble restrictions for players, especially those from New Zealand and England who will resume their international assignments in June. 

May 3: 9:30 PM: Delhi players to isolate in Ahmedabad hotel

Team Delhi have been asked to isolate themselves at their hotel in Ahmedabad following Kolkata's two players testing positive and their subsequent tie against Bangalore being cancelled.

There is no clarity yet on whether the squad - led by Rishabh Pant - can train on Tuesday as the Kolkata contingent is currently in a five-day quarantine.

May 3: 9:30 PM: Mumbai and Hyderabad skip practice

Defending champions Mumbai and Hyderabad, scheduled to play on May 4, Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, skipped their practice following news of five ground-staff members testing positive for Covid-19.

Rohan Jaitley, the president at the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association, has meanwhile assured that all testing has been done as per the standard operating procedures put in place by the Indian T20 League, and is confident that the Hyderabad vs Mumbai fixture scheduled for Tuesday evening will be held without any hiccups.

May 3: 5:15 PM: Will the Australians opt out?

Former Australia opener and Indian T20 League commentator Michael Slater has lashed out at the Australian government, particularly the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, for imposing a travel ban till May 15.

Slater is the latest Australian international to make his way out of India amidst the surge in Covid-19 cases, but is currently in the Maldives, given citizens returning to Australia from India could face imprisonment for five years.

If our Government cared for the safety of Aussies they would allow us to get home. It's a disgrace!! Blood on your hands PM. How dare you treat us like this. How about you sort out quarantine system. I had government permission to work on the IPL but I now have government neglect

�?Michael Slater (@mj_slats) May 3, 2021

Slater's tone perhaps captures the entire Australian contingent's current anxious mood. Earlier, Rajasthan's Andrew Tye and Bangalore's Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson returned home after announcing their intent to skip the remainder of Indian T20 League 2021. Team Kolkata mentor David Hussey, in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), had stated that the Australian players are nervous about returning home but also pragmatic with regard to the ongoing competition.

"Everyone is sort of a bit nervous about whether they can get back into Australia. I dare say there will be a few other Australians a bit nervous about getting back into Australia," Hussey, a former Australia international, told the SMH.

Should all the Australians across roles move out, it would be a big blow to the tournament. Key Australian recruits include David Warner (Hyderabad), Glenn Maxwell (Punjab), Pat Cummins (Kolkata), Marcus Stoinis and Steve Smith (both Delhi), Ricky Ponting (Delhi head coach), Damien Wright (Punjab bowling coach), David Hussey and Brett Lee (commentators). Many of these have been reported to be currently exploring their options to either continue their stay in India or a make a way back home to Australia via connecting flights.

May 3: 4:45 PM: Five DDCA ground staff test positive

Five ground staff members from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), who reportedly were at duty for the Rajasthan vs Hyderabad game on Sunday, have tested positive.

According to a DDCA official, there are chances that the staff may have come into contact with players from either team during the first of Sunday's double-header fixtures.

It’s confirmed that five DDCA ground staff tested Covid positive. They were on duty on the ground on the last IPL Match (RR vs SRH) at Kotla [Arun Jaitley Stadium]. Since they were on ground duty, there are chances that they must have come in contact with players and team staff,�?the DDCA official was quoted as saying by InsideSport.

May 3, 3:45 PM: Three Chennai management members test positive, and now negative

Three members of the Chennai management team, who earlier tested positive for Covid-19, have now returned with negative test results as per a report by Times of India.

Chief executive officer Kasi Viswanathan, bowling coach and former India pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji, and a team bus cleaner are the persons in question with Balaji, who was in the dugout during Chennai's heart-breaking loss to Mumbai on Saturday, believed to have taken a fresh test on Monday morning to rule out the possibility of a false positive test.

Rapid antigen tests on Monday afternoon revealed all three are now clear of the virus, raising questions over the nature of how tests are conducted.

However, It is understood that none of the players have been affected and have returned with negative results following the latest round of tests.

May 3, 1:20 PM: Kolkata pair Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier test Covid-19 positive

Kolkata's Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier have returned with a positive Covid-19 test in the third round of testing. Due to this, the fixture between Kolkata and Bangalore has been postponed. Earlier, the players recently left the bio-bubble through the official green channel to carry out a scan on their injuries and it is believed that they got exposed there.

Media release �?a href="//twitter.com/IPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@IPL�?pic.twitter.com/kkTStkp8Wx

�?Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) May 3, 2021

Australian all-rounder Pat Cummins, who is currently ill, has tested negative along with other players and staff.

April 29: Zampa terms Indian T20 bio-bubble 'most vulnerable'

Australian spinner Adam Zampa slams the Indian T20 League, stating the current bio-bubble is the 'most vulnerable' he has been a part of.

Speaking to Sydney Morning Herald, the Bangalore player felt the 2021 edition should have been held in UAE, the venue for the previous season. "We've been in a few (bubbles) now, and I feel like this is probably the most vulnerable. I just feel like because it's India, we're always being told about the hygiene over here and being extra careful... I just felt like it was the most vulnerable," Zampa said.

April 23: Axar Patel re-joins Delhi camp after completing 20-day quarantine

Delhi's Axar Patel, who was the second homegrown player to test positive for Covid-19, completed his 20-day quarantine and has re-joined the team camp. The all-rounder, who attended Wednesday's training session, said that he is enjoying the best moment of his life since his Test debut but is not pushing too hard at the moment.

"I have started batting and bowling practice, but I haven't pushed too hard during training. I have spoken to the doctors about how I should go about my training, and I am carrying out my practice according to their suggestions," Axar said.

That smile tells a story

Welcome back to the field, @akshar2026 #YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/tWX57z0Iho

�?Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 23, 2021

April 17: Bangalore's Daniel Sams completes recovery, joins team bio-bubble

Daniel Sams, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month, has made a complete recovery and joined Team Bangalore's bio-bubble, the Virat Kohli-led side confirmed in a statement.

Official statement:

Daniel Sams is out of quarantine and has joined the RCB bio-bubble today with two consecutive negative reports for COVID-19.

RCB medical team was in constant touch with Sams and has declared him fit to join the team after adhering to all the BCCI protocols.#PlayBold #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/0none9RQ7l

�?Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 17, 2021

April 14: Delhi pacer Anrich Nortje tests Covid-19 positive

After Axar Patel, Team Delhi's South African pacer Anrich Nortje has tested positive for the coronavirus. Nortje had travelled to India on April 6, along with compatriot Kagiso Rabada and the duo was in quarantine. While Nortje entered the hotel with a negative result, his second result has come positive ahead of Delhi's clash with Rajasthan. 

April 7: Team Bangalore's Daniel Sams latest to test Covid-19 positive 

Team Bangalore all-rounder Daniel Sams has tested positive for the Covid-19 in his second test after arriving in India. The 28-year-old Australian is asymptomatic and currently in isolation at a designated medical facility. He will miss the first few matches of Indian T20 League 2021.

Official Statement: Daniel Sams checked into the team hotel in Chennai on April 3rd, with a negative COVID report on arrival. His report from the 2nd test on 7th April came positive. Sams is currently asymptomatic and he is currently in isolation at a designated medical facility.

�?Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 7, 2021

April 6: Team Mumbai talent scout Kiran More tests Covid-19 positive

Former India wicket-keeper and Team Mumbai's talent scout Kiran More tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday. The 58-year-old is asymptomatic and has been isolated from the rest of the Mumbai team.

Official Statement:

Mumbai Indians�?scout and wicket keeping consultant Mr. Kiran More has tested positive for Covid-19. #MumbaiIndians #MI #OneFamily (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Szoweg0MrZ

�?Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 6, 2021

As a precautionary measure, the Mumbai squad has gone into quarantine and skipped the training session on Tuesday. All members of the franchise tested again and are now awaiting the results.

March 22: Devdutt Padikkal becomes third player to test positive for Covid-19

Team Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal became the third cricketer from the Indian T20 League to have tested positive for the coronavirus on March 22. The 20-year-old batsman was quarantining at his home before he joined Bangalore's bio-bubble on April 7 after recovering from the virus. According to Indian T20 League Covid protocols, all players who have tested positive need to get two clear tests in a row after quarantining for at least ten days, and then another test on arrival at the team hotel.

Bold Diaries: Devdutt Padikkal joins the RCB camp after testing negative for COVID-19. He’s healthy, feeling better and raring to go. Here’s a message to all RCB fans from Devdutt.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/BtVszNABJW

�?Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 7, 2021

April 3: Several Wankhede Stadium ground staff test Covid-19 positive

As many as 10 members of the ground staff and a plumber at the Wankhede Stadium tested positive ahead of the upcoming edition of the high-profile T20 league. The stadium is slated to host 10 matches this season, with the first match scheduled to be held on April 10 between Delhi and Chennai. Meanwhile, BCCI has kept Hyderabad and Indore on standby if the situation goes out of control in Mumbai.

April 3: Delhi all-rounder Axar Patel tests positive for Covid-19

Team Delhi all-rounder Axar Patel became the second player to test positive for the virus. Patel had checked into the team hotel in Mumbai on March 28 after arriving with a negative Covid-19 report, but his second test came positive. The 27-year-old immediately isolated himself at a designated medical care facility. He will miss Delhi's opening encounter against MS Dhoni-led Team Chennai on April 10.

UPDATE

Delhi Capitals all-rounder #AxarPatel has tested positive for COVID-19. He had checked into the team hotel in Mumbai on Mar 28, 2021, with a negative report. His report from the second COVID test, came positive. pic.twitter.com/CjRKlfzvWR

�?Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 3, 2021

March 22: Kolkata's Nitish Rana first player to test Covid-19 positive in Indian T20 League bio-bubble

Kolkata star batsman Nitish Rana was the first cricketer to test positive for Covid-19 ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian T20 League. The southpaw had joined the Kolkata camp on March 21st after returning a negative Covid test. However, the 27-year-old tested positive for the coronavirus on March 22 and was placed in isolation as per the Indian T20 League Covid protocols. Rana later returned with a negative Covid-19 test and joined the Kolkata team training sessions after an extended 12-day quarantine.

Nitish Rana joined his teammates last evening, after two consecutive negative results for Covid-19

Having just beaten the virus, he urged everyone to stay safe and take all necessary precautions against Corona virus.@NitishRana_27 #KKRHaiTaiyaar//t.co/G6aVZigXQT

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 3, 2021

March 27: Team Mumbai 'Icon' Sachin Tendulkar tests positive for Covid-19

Team Mumbai icon Sachin Tendulkar tested positive for Covid-19, few days after leading the India Legends to the Road Safety World Series title by beating Sri Lanka Legends in the finals. 

The 47-year-old took to Twitter to reveal the news and further stated that he quarantined himself at home as advised by the doctors.

pic.twitter.com/dOlq7KkM3G

�?Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 27, 2021

Tendulkar was later admitted to the hospital as a precautionary measure on April 2.

Featured photo: Twitter / IPL

Team Kolkata’s middle-order faltered as they suffered a dramatic 10-run loss at the hands of Team Mumbai in their second matches of the Indian T20 League 2021.

After having restricted Mumbai to just 152, riding at the back of a sumptuous bowling effort from Andre Russell, Kolkata made a blistering start with their openers, Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill forging a 72-run stand inside nine overs. But once both the openers were dismissed, Kolkata crumbled like a house the cards.

Kolkata looked in complete control right from the very beginning. They brought the game down to an extent that they needed 30 runs 30 balls. The likes of Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell, however, failed to cope with the variation of Mumbai bowlers as they fell 10 runs short of their target.

It was anyway an entertaining game from the spectators�?point of view and here we look at some key stats that the fixture produced.

Russell’s effort in losing cause

Days after Harshal Patel had become the first bowler to pick a five-fer against Mumbai in Indian T20 League, all-rounder Andre Russell upped the ante and went on to register a brilliant figure of 5/15, which is now the best bowler figure against the record champions. The fact that the big West Indian got the figures in just two overs is even more exhilarating, to say the least.

Best bowling figures vs Mumbai in Indian T20 League
Player	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Team	Venue	Date
Andre Russell	2	15	5	Kolkata	Chennai	13 April 2021
Harshal Patel	4	27	5	Bangalore	Chennai	9 April 2021
Rohit Sharma	2	6	4	Deccan	Centurion	6 May 2009
Samuel Badree	4	9	4	Bangalore	Bengaluru	14 April 2017
Sohail Tanvir	4	14	4	Rajasthan	Jaipur	26 May 2008

Furthermore, while it is now the best bowling figure against Mumbai, his return is also the best bowling figure by a Kolkata player in the Indian T20 League. The 32-year-old surpassed Sunil Narine’s figure of 5/19 that he had picked against Punjab in 2012. Meanwhile, this is also the best bowling figure in the Indian T20 League at Chepauk.

• 5/15 by A Russell in 2021 vs Mumbai
• 5/24 by L Balaji in 2008 vs Punjab
• 5/27 by H Patel in 2021 vs Mumbai

*Best bowling figures at Chepauk in Indian T20 League*

Nitish Rana’s effort in vain

Nitish Rana has been in a brilliant form of late and his return of 47-ball 57 was his second consecutive fifty in the Indian T20 League. The 27-year-old has now scored four fifties in his last six Indian T20 League appearances. While it was his ninth fifty for Kolkata, it was his first 50-plus score against Mumbai in the league.

Nitish Rana vs Mumbai bowlers
Bowlers	Runs	Balls	Dots	4s	6s	Strike rate	Dot %	Ball/Bound.	Run %
Jasprit Bumrah	6	8	5	1	0	75.00	62.5	8	10.52
Kieron Pollard	11	5	2	1	1	220.00	40	2.5	19.29
Krunal Pandya	4	5	1	0	0	80.00	20	0	7.01
Marco Jansen	2	2	0	0	0	100.00	0	0	3.5
Rahul Chahar	11	9	3	1	0	122.2	33.3	9	19.29
Rohit Sharma	2	2	0	0	0	100.00	0	0	3.5
Trent Boult	21	16	9	3	1	131.3	56.25	4	36.84

Furthermore, yesterday’s half-century was the third instance that Rana scored consecutive fifties in the Indian T20 League after he had done it in 2017 and 2019. Back to back fifties has taken his tally of the current season to 137 runs, which is at present the highest by any batsman. Until Rana was on the crease, Kolkata needed 31 runs off as many balls, but as soon as he was gone, Kolkata choked and gave away the game. The team went on to score just 20 runs in the final five overs.

Rahul Chahar turning the tide

Mumbai were in desperate need of a wicket as both Rana and Gill were batting firmly on the crease. The arrival of Rahul Chahar, however, changed the course. He first got the better of Gill in the ninth over, followed by Rahul Tripathi in the 11th over, Eoin Morgan in the 13th over before dismissing Rana in the last over of his spell.

The spinner ended his tenure with a figure of 4/27 which is now his best bowling figure in the Indian T20 League. Here are his best bowling figures:

• 4/27 vs Kolkata, 2021
• 3/19 vs Delhi, 2019
• 3/29 vs Rajasthan, 2019

Rahul Chahar in Indian T20 League
Innings	Total innings	Runs	Balls	Wickets	Average	Economy	Strike rate
1st Innings	11	303	246	10	30.3	7.39	24.6
2nd Innings	21	566	444	24	23.58	7.64	18.5

Chahar has, in fact, developed a trend over the years. He is particularly vicious in the second innings of the match as 70.58% of his total wickets (24/34) in the league have come while defending the target. Here is a detailed bifurcation.

Furthermore, the impressive trait in his bowling remains the fact that a whopping 91.17% of his total wickets (31/34) are the top order batsmen.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IPL

Mumbai seal the deal

11:20 PM IST - A choke that will leave you asking questions! Kolkata required 31 runs off 30 balls with six wickets in hand but sensational spells from Trent Boult and Krunal Pandya in the death overs brought Mumbai back into the game. Effectively, the defending champions sealed the deal and continued their dominance over Eoin Morgan and Co.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (142/7, 20 overs)

Thunder boult strikes!

11:15 PM IST - Under pressure, Kolkata have seen Andre Russell and Pat Cummins dismissed in succession to bring the game back into Mumbai's favour. A turnaround that only a few expected.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (140/7, 19.4 overs)

Spinners the difference maker?

Love to see captains backing their spinners in death ❤️❤️

Then Nabi was backed by Warner at 18th in last KKR match
And now Krunal is backed by Rohit at 18th over #KKRvMI

�?Bharath Pandhiri (@BharathPandhiri) April 13, 2021

Tight Affair

11:00 PM IST - After enjoying a comfortable lead in the contest, Kolkata now seem struggling to a Mumbai bowling unit that has taken four wickets from overs 10 - 17.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (131/5, 17.0 overs)

Shakib gives away wicket cheaply

10:50 PM IST - Expected to make a difference, Shakib Al Hasan fell cheaply to a Krunal Pandya delivery, aimed fully on middle stump, which is directed towards Suryakumar Yadav at deep square.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (122/5, 15.2 overs)

Rana stumped out

10:45 PM IST - Nitish Rana's delightful innings was brought to a close as Quinton de Kock stumps him out from a Rahul Chahar delivery. While Chahar finishes with four wickets from his four overs, Rana walks back knowing he is currently the new owner of the Orange Cap.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (122/4, 15 overs)

Rohit Sharma survives injury scare

10:38 PM IST - Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma steps forwards to bowl, but his build-run leads to an alleged ankle injury. Affter observations by the medical team, he seems alright and is given the go-ahead to continue play.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (104/3, 13 overs)

Captain Morgan exits

10:33 PM IST - Kolkata captain Eoin Morgan's short spell at the crease comes to an end as he steps out to reach out for the slog, he sends the ball towards Marco Jansen. Rahul Chahar now has three wickets from his three overs.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (104/3, 12.5 overs)

Rana breezes past 50

10:30 PM IST - Nitish Rana registers his 13th fifty in the Indian T20 League, being the driving factor for Kolkata's batting once again.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (84/2, 10.3 overs)

Tripathi falls to the googly

10:20 PM IST - Rahul Chahar's perfectly googly delivery pushes Rahul Tripathi to play a defensive shot, but the ball slips through outside edge and wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock dismisses him.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (84/2, 10.3 overs)

Chahar makes breakthrough

10:12 PM IST - After smashing him off for a six, Shubman Gill went for a lofted drive from a Rahul Chahar delivery only to meet the hands of Kieron Pollard. A fine inning come to an end

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (72/1, 8.5 overs)

Strategic timeout

10:00 PM IST - With Nitish Rana opening, Kolkata have taken a strong stride towards a convincing victory over Mumbai. But no one can tell if there will be a late twist, something which Rohit Sharma and Co. are known to pull off at times.

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (50/0, 7 overs)

End of powerplay

9:55 PM IST - Kolkata's powerplay score reads 45 runs at a run rate of 7.50, marginally better than that of Mumbai. Can the Rana - Gill partnership take the side all the way?

Score - Mumbai (152, 20 overs), Kolkata (45/0, 6 overs)

How's the josh?

Been in the car since the past 14 hours and still 6 hours to go but this match is making all that fatigue and stress to go away #korbolorbojeetbo #KKRvMI #KKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar

�?Manyata�?(@srksfp) April 13, 2021

Kolkata begin chase with ease

9:38 PM IST - After three overs, Kolkata are now at 19/0 with Nitish Rana seemingly in a position to plot a comfortable score on the board. Can Mumbai make an early breakthrough?

Fans react to Mumbai's innings

MI in first 10 overs Vs MI in last 10 overs #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/eRnf6cHYSd

�?Robisixtree (@RSixtree) April 13, 2021

#KKRvMI
Morgan to Andree Russel pic.twitter.com/wzWBSxkKB6

�?Prof cheems (@Prof_Cheems) April 13, 2021

MI batsmen donating 5-Fers #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/fbDaJzF2vp

�?Naanu (@Tw33tShoot3r) April 13, 2021

@KKRiders absolutely nailed their matchups tonight - tied up Hardik with Cummins and Prasidh too but 5 overs of spin in the PP was incredible. SKY-Varun was a stalemate simply because we didn't get to see much of that

Bumrah will have a big role for #MI now #KKRvMI #IPL2021 //t.co/qshMRIwsgY

�?Soorya Sesha (@sooryasesha7) April 13, 2021

Kolkata need 153 to win

9:20 PM IST - Wise captaincy from Eoin Morgan sees Kolkata inch closer to a much-important victory over Mumbai. 153 as a target seems winnable and dew could ease the chase for Morgan and Co. 

A fifer from two overs!

9:15 PM IST - Andre Russell showed that his bowling skills is as lethal as his batting, taking three wickets in the final over to complete his first five-wicket haul in the Indian T20 League.

His figures of 5/15 is best by any any bowler against Mumbai and also the best for a Kolkata bowler, ever.

Score - Mumbai (152/9, 20 overs)

Krunal gets Mumbai to 150.... and departs

9:10 PM IST - With Mumbai languishing at one of their worst totals, Krunal Pandya hits a nine-ball 15 to propel the five-time winners to 150. But a certain Andre Russell directs him to hit a shot a fine leg and get dismissed by Prasidh Krishna.

Score - Mumbai (150/8, 19.3 overs)

Russell wrecks into Mumbai batting

9:00 PM IST - Mumbai's situation worsens as Andre Russell dismisses Kieron Pollard and newcomer Marco Jansen in his first over of the game. His figures read 2/5.

Score - Mumbai (126/7, 17.3 overs)

Hardik........ falls

8:52 PM IST - Yet another slow delivery, without pace, to dismiss a Mumbai batsman. Prasidh Krishna ends Hardik Pandya's struggle by setting him to miscue his shot and find Andre Russell. The reigning champions now in trouble waters.

Score - Mumbai (123/4, 16.2 overs)

Cummins strikes down Rohit

8:45 PM IST - Pat Cummins is slowly proving his worth for Kolkata, dismissing the dangerman in Rohit Sharma with a slow off-cutter that manages to find the inside edge of the Mumbai captain and hit the stumps.

Score - Mumbai (115/4, 15.2 overs)

Strategic timeout

8:35 PM IST - Mumbai need some fireworks in the final six overs to finish the innings somewhere around 170. Skipper Rohit Sharma is almost touching 50 runs, but currently, he has already achieved one of the records mentioned earlier in our live blog.

Rohit has now 800 boundaries in T20 cricket. Way to go Hitman!

Score - Mumbai (106/3, 14.0 overs)

Ishan Kishan falls for 1

8:25 PM IST - Pat Cummins' first ball of his third over and an important wicket! A short delivery to incite Kishan to step forward and strike towards fine leg, where Prasidh Krishna was waiting for him. Mission successful!

Score - Mumbai (88/3, 11.1 overs)

Suryakumar brought to the ground 

8:20 PM IST - A sensational innings by Suryakumar Yadav comes to an end, as Shakib Al Hasan's delivery makes the batter miscue his attempted six to find the safe hands of Shubman Gill.

Score - Mumbai (86/1, 10.2 overs)

99 metres in the SKY

8:15 PM IST - Mumbai's Suryakumar Yadav reaches his 12th fifty in the Indian T20 League, courtesy of a maximum that scales 99 metres. The gamechanger

Score - Mumbai (79/1, 9.5 overs)

Strategic timeout

8:05 PM IST - Mumbai have finally gained momentum in this fixture, with Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav completing a 50-run partnership for the second wicket. Prior to the strategic timeout being called in, Prasidh Krishna was hammered for 16 runs by Yadav.

Score - Mumbai (64/1, 8 overs)

End of powerplay

7:55 PM IST - Strangely enough, Kolkata had their spinners bowl five overs in the powerplay with 42 runs and a wicket coming from it. What kind of plan has Eoin Morgan in mind to break the Rohit - Suryakumar partnership?

Score - Mumbai (42/1, 6 overs)

Harbhajan gets a taste of a SKY attack

7:45 PM IST - Harbhajan Singh leaks 14 runs in his second over, with Suryakumar Yadav smashing three boundaries on alternate deliveries. A solid return for Mumbai after losing their first wicket cheaply.

Score - Mumbai (24/1, 3 overs)

An early exit for De Kock

7:38 PM IST - A tossed-up delivery by Varun Chakravarthy forces Quinton de Kock to slice a shot high up in the air. But Rahul Tripathi runs forward to take a safe catch. An early breakthrough for Kolkata but a disappointing start to Indian T20 League 2021 for de Kock

Score - Mumbai (10/1, 2 overs)

First boundary for Mumbai

7:35 PM IST - Rohit Sharma pulls a shot above mid-wicket to hit the first boundary of the game, off the second delivery of Varun Chakravarty

Score - Mumbai (7/0, 1.2 overs)

Match Starts!

7:30 PM IST - Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock open the batting for Punjab! Harbhajan Singh opens the bowling for Kolkata and concedes just three runs.

Score - Mumbai (3/0, 1 overs)

Team Mumbai playing XI

Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Marco Jansen, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Paltan, we'll be batting first tonight

Here's our Playing XI that will take centre stage against the Knight Riders!

Live Updates //t.co/WYph7ed9wR#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #KKRvMI #IPL2021 @SamsungIndia pic.twitter.com/xoPQ6NQ8dE

�?Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 13, 2021

Team Kolkata playing XI

Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Shakib Al Hasan, Pat Cummins, Prasidh Krishna, Harbhajan Singh, Varun Chakravarthy

NO CHANGES from our winning XI first time out �?/p>

Let's go, Knights! ⚔️#KKRvMI #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/xaYBuCkhQk

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 13, 2021

Kolkata win toss, to bowl first

7:00 PM IST - Kolkata win the toss and will bowl first. While Eoin Morgan doesn't make any changes to his playing XI, Mumbai bring in Quinton de Kock for Chris Lynn.

#KKR have won the toss and they will bowl first against #MumbaiIndians in Match 5 of #VIVOIPL.#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/7plyJvbHdx

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2021

Shakib gets his 50th cap

A special moment for @Sah75official as he receives his 50th cap in #KKR colours from @Bazmccullum.

Go well, Shakib #VIVOIPL #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/gP0sJCSrGr

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2021

Pitch report

6:50 PM IST - Former Chennai star Matthew Hayden provides the pitch report for Kolkata vs Mumbai. "It's a dry surface, so it'll be slightly difficult to bat during the middle stages of the game. Need to make the most out of the powerplay overs. Win the toss and bowl first," Hayden says. 

Early predictions

6:45 PM IST - Mumbai, with a superior head-to-head record, are predicted to win the game with ease. Click here to know why.

Chepauk is ready for Kolkata vs Mumbai!

. . . . �?

Ready for the showdown, Paltan? #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #IPL2021 #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/FqUIVELpA5

�?Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 13, 2021

The stage is for tonight! �?#KKRvMI #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/hc6Iec7tyS

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 13, 2021

Record-breaking night for Hitman?

6:30 PM IST - Rohit Sharma has enjoyed playing against Kolkata, with tonight's fixture likely to see the hitman break two records.

61 - Rohit requires 61 runs to complete 1000 runs against Kolkata in the Indian T20 League. He will become the first player to aggregate 1000 runs against one opponent in the T20 extravaganza.

2 - Rohit is two boundaries away from completing 800 boundaries in T20 cricket. He will be the third Indian to achieve this feat after Virat Kohli (858) and Shikhar Dhawan (915).

Fans turning into cricket gurus

In the event that #KKR will play operating system pacer in the XI at Chennai,I'd prefer to see Ferguson. In case you're playing Cumminsrequesting that he bowl in the center overs, Lockie bodes well.Harder you hit the Chennai surface,More factor ricochet you can separate.#KKRvMI

�?Abhi-Cric (@Abhishek_Cric1) April 13, 2021

Mumbai to rain down sixes?

6:10 PM IST - SportsAdda ambassador Brett Lee has predicted that defending champions Mumbai will score the maximum sixes against Kolkata, considering the depth in their batting order. What does he say? Check out here.

Know the Kolkata vs Mumbai head-to-head record

6:00 PM IST - Kolkata have a disappointing head-to-head record against Mumbai in the Indian T20 League, winning only six of the 27 matches played between these two heavyweight sides. Kolkata, led by Eoin Morgan, have lost their last three matches against Mumbai and will look to end their losing streak.

Hello and welcome to Match 5 of the #VIVOIPL

The Eoin Morgan-led #KKR will square off against #MumbaiIndians led by Rohit Sharma.

Which team are you rooting for?#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/iLYv4dD9BU

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2021

For more stats and insights, click here.

ICYMI - Kolkata's 100th win

5:55 PM IST - Kolkata's 10-run win over Hyderabad in their opening game of Indian T20 League 2021 went down as their 100th win in the competition. Only Mumbai (120) and Chennai (106) have won more matches than Eoin Morgan's men.

For stats and details of Kolkata's win over Hyderabad, click here.

Wondering where to watch the Indian T20 League live on TV?

5:40 PM IST - The Kolkata vs Mumbai Indian T20 League match will be telecast live at 7:30 PM IST on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD TV channels in India, on Tuesday, April 13.

Live streaming of Kolkata vs Mumbai will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

Can Kolkata break their Mumbai jinx?

5:30 PM IST - Good evening and a warm welcome to SportsAdda’s live blog for the Indian T20 League 2021!

Defending champions Mumbai seek to register their first win of the latest edition as they take on Kolkata at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Despite starting the latest campaign on the wrong foot, Rohit Sharma’s men start as favourites against Kolkata, given Mumbai hold a 21-6 advantage in the head-to-head record.

However, Kolkata have momentum on their side as they breezed past Hyderabad with a 10-run victory at this very venue on Sunday. This result was just the third win at Chepauk for Eoin Morgan making them the underdogs in the Kolkata vs Mumbai game.

Nevertheless, there’s a lot of action and drama in store, and perhaps even a few surprises, so stay tuned for all the latest updates here!

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Punit Paranjpe

Eoin Morgan’s Team Kolkata registered their 100th Indian T20 League victory on Sunday, April 11, when they got the better of a struggling Hyderabad unit by 10 runs.

Hyderabad’s decision to field first backfired big time as Kolkata made a blistering start to their new season. Openers Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill combined for a 53-run partnership, which was followed by Rahul Tripathi’s quick-fire half-century and a little cameo from Dinesh Karthik which took Kolkata total to 187/6.

No one apart from Rashid Khan from Hyderabad managed to keep their bowling economy in check. David Warner’s men faltered with the bat too, with only Manish Pandey and Jonny Bairstow making sort of mark. The contrast in their batting display can be laid down by the fact that while Kolkata scored 50/0 in the powerplay overs and 95/1 between 7-15 overs, Hyderabad could only muster 35/2 in powerplay and 84/1 in the middle overs.

Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the key stats from the game.

Nitish Rana - The man in form

Opener Nitish Rana left no stones unturned as he was on the neck of Hyderabad’s bowlers right from the beginning. The 27-year-old first played a fifty-plus run stand with Shubman Gill and repeated the feat with Rahul Tripathi. In the midst, he got his 12th half-century in the Indian T20 League, two of which have come against Hyderabad.

Interestingly, this was Rana’s third half-century in his last five Indian T20 League innings, with the 27-year-old crossing the 80-run mark in all of those outings. This effort of a 56-ball 80 is now the second-best score by a Kolkata batsman against Hyderabad. Here’s the list:

• Gautam Gambhir - 90* in April 2016
• Nitish Rana - 80 in April 2021
• Yusuf Pathan - 72 in May 2014

Nitish Rana's last five innings in Indian T20 League
Runs	Opponents	Venue	Date
80	Hyderabad	Chennai	11 April 2021
0	Rajasthan	Dubai	1 November 2020
87	Chennai	Dubai	29 October 2020
0	Punjab	Sharjah	26 October 2020
81	Delhi	Sharjah	24 October 2020

Rana scored a whopping 75% of his runs through boundaries (60/80), which is also the second most runs scored by a Kolkata player against Hyderabad through boundaries. Rana played with a certain pattern against Hyderabad. While he was particularly destructive against the pacers, scoring 75% of his runs, he looked weak against spinners as his strike rate against them was just 90.9. He anyway got the job done.

Rashid Khan loves Kolkata

While all of the other Hyderabad bowlers were taken to the cleaners, the Afghanistan duo of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi kept things tight for Kolkata. Rashid Khan, in particular, was at his very best picking two wickets while giving away just 24 runs. Nabi, on the other hand, picked two but went for 32 runs.

Top five economy rates vs Kolkata
Player	Matches	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy
Rashid Khan	11	42	285	11	25.9	6.78
Amit Mishra	20	70	482	17	28.35	6.88
Axar Patel	13	46	319	8	38.37	6.93
Lasith Malinga	17	65.1	456	20	22.8	6.99
Pragyan Ojha	14	50	350	12	29.16	7.00

As things stand, Rashid Khan has an impressive economy of 6.78 against Kolkata in the Indian T20 League, which is the best figure by any other bowler with a minimum of 250 balls. As far as Nabi is concerned, both of his victims - Rana and Morgan - were left-handers, which means that 76.92 % of his wickets in the league are left-handers. He has had major success against them, bowling at an economy of 5.53 compared to his economy of 7.92 against right-handers.

Pace bowling comparison 

It goes without saying that there was a huge difference between the pace bowling contingent of both the teams. Despite having the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T. Natarajan in the rank, the Hyderabad pacers gave away a whopping 131 runs at an economy of over 10. The stark contrast here is the return of Kolkata’s pacers, who gave away 97 runs in 11 overs at 8.82 while bowling 25 dot balls.

Hyderabad vs Kolkata pace bowling comparison
Hyderabad	Metrics	Kolkata
12	Overs	11
131	Runs conceded	97
2	Wickets	4
10.92	Economy	8.82
15/6	4s/6s	7/4
22	Dots	25
30.56	Dot%	37.88
3.43	ball/boundary	6

If not for Bairstow and Pandey, the figure would have been much lesser. Prasidh Krishna, in particular, was the star of the show, picking two wickets while giving away 35 runs. He has now taken his tally to six wickets against Hyderabad in the Indian T20 League, which is the most wickets he has picked against any other team.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IPL

Defending champions Mumbai will look to get their first win of the 2021 Indian T20 League campaign when they entertain Kolkata at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.

Mumbai’s record of losing the first game of an Indian T20 edition since 2012 continued with a two-wicket defeat to Bangalore. But going by their last two campaigns, Rohit Sharma and Co. are likely to dominate the ongoing edition of the high-profile league.

On the other hand, Kolkata won their first game against Hyderabad in a convincing manner. However, they step into the match against the five-time champions with caution.

Kolkata vs Mumbai full squads

Kolkata: Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Gurkeerat Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pat Cummins, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Seifert (wicket-keeper), Shakib Al Hasan, Sheldon Jackson (wicket-keeper), Vaibhav Arora, Karun Nair, Harbhajan Singh, Ben Cutting, Pawan Negi, Venkatesh Iyer

Mumbai: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Anmolpreet Singh, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, James Neesham, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Charak, Arjun Tendulkar

Kolkata vs Mumbai probable XI prediction

Kolkata selected Shakib Al Hasan instead of their mainstay Sunil Narine in their opening game of the Indian T20 League 2021 season. Based on their performance against Hyderabad, the team management might likely stick with the same playing XI which means the West Indian all-rounder will sit out yet again.

Kolkata predicted XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Andre Russell, Shakib Al Hasan, Pat Cummins, Harbhajan Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

Mumbai, meanwhile, are in dilemma with regards to their opening order. Quinton de Kock, who missed the first game as he was serving a mandatory seven-day period of quarantine, could replace Chris Lynn for the fixture against his former side. Besides this, one can hardly see Rohit Sharma making changes to his team, with the likes of Jimmy Neesham, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Arjun Tendulkar on the bench.

Mumbai predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Chris Lynn / Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Marco Jansen, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

Kolkata vs Mumbai head-to-head record in Indian T20 League

Two-time holders Mumbai have an explicit advantage over Kolkata, whether it be the head-to-head record (21 wins in 27 games) or the last five meetings (four wins in five matches).

Kolkata vs Mumbai head-to-head record
Kolkata	Metrics	Mumbai
27	Matches	27
6	Wins	21
22.22%	Win Percentage	77.78%

Additionally, Rohit Sharma’s men also have bragging rights at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where they command a win rate of 55.56 per cent as opposed to Kolkata’s 30 per cent. As far as results at Chepauk are concerned, Mumbai have won five games in nine while Kolkata have just three victories in 10 matches.

Kolkata vs Mumbai: Match result prediction

Mumbai is almost an untouchable team when it comes to their batting and bowling strengths, and they are predicted to win the match against Kolkata - based on the odds. While Eoin Morgan’s men average 18 fours and 7.8 sixes from their last five matches, Mumbai have registered 13 fours and 7.2 sixes on an average. Nonetheless, the defending champions are well-placed to pick up their first win of the season and add to their tally of 21 wins over the two-time winners.

Best performers in Kolkata vs Mumbai

Top tip: Best batsmen

Having failed to inspire Mumbai to a win in the season opener, Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma will be eager to continue his free-scoring record against Kolkata. The opener has amassed 939 runs in 27 games - averaging 46.95 and requires another 61 runs to become the first batsman to hit 1,000 runs against any Indian T20 League franchise. Considering the 33-year-old has hit 30-plus runs in four of the last five innings against Kolkata, it’s a no-brainer that one should bet on Rohit Sharma as the top batsman in this fixture.

In the case of Kolkata, Nitish Rana is the ideal candidate to be the leading run-scorer in the latest Kolkata vs Mumbai showdown. The 27-year-old hit a match-defining 80 at a strike rate of 142.85, and he will be eager to better his tally against Mumbai - 107 runs in five innings

Top tip: Best bowlers

Mumbai pacer Jasprit Bumrah now has 51 wickets in the death overs in the last five Indian T20 League seasons, a figure that reflects the threat he effectively poses to Kolkata’s middle and lower order. Mumbai will be eager to use Jasprit Bumrah to silence the domineering Andre Russell, given he has bowled 17 dots and scalped his wicket thrice in 34 balls bowled to the West Indian all-rounder. Russell, meanwhile, has scored 44 runs against the Mumbai pace spearhead.

For Kolkata, Pat Cummins could be the wrecker-in-chief. The Aussie speedster, who picked up 1/20 against Hyderabad on Sunday, will be keen to take on Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma given he has bowled nine dots in 19 deliveries to the opener. Considering Rohit is aiming for a big celebration on Tuesday, one can safely put their stakes on Pat Cummins to spoil the party for the most successful captain in the Indian T20 League.

Top tip: All-rounders and wicket-keepers

The likes of Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell are the options to be considered as the top all-rounder, but if statistics are concerned, the safe bet would be the flamboyant Hardik Pandya. The 27-year-old averages 71 against Kolkata, while bagging 11 wickets in nine games against them.

The likely return of Quinton de Kock means Mumbai will get a much-needed boost to their batting order. The South African has seven dismissals (six catches, one stumping) against Kolkata, which is better than Dinesh Karthik’s tally of five dismissals (all catches) against the five-time winners.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / DIBYANGSHU SARKAR

Kolkata, who have won the Indian T20 League title twice (2012 and 2014), have in recent seasons, slipped away from their form of those glory days, with the best finish of third on two occasions their best effort since then.

The way Indian T20 League 2020 started for them, however, it didn't look like that downturn was going to be reversed any time soon, as they endured a severe drubbing at the hands of their perennial tormentors Mumbai in their season's first match, where they lost by 49 runs.

None of their batsmen were able to manage even a fifty in that opening match, with players like Andre Russell and Eoin Morgan petering out with a whimper.

However, their second match saw a different KOL, as they went to work on Hyderabad and came away with a sweet seven-wicket victory and followed that up with another win over Rajasthan.

Shubman Gill remains the highest run-scorer for KOL in Indian T20 League 2020 so far. Playing steadily and methodically, he has been one of KOL's most dependable batsmen this season, along with the venerable Eoin Morgan.

And while Nitish Rana and has impressed as well, former skipper Dinesh Karthik has been underwhelming at the crease. Andre Russell's form continues to be fickle, while new captain Eoin Morgan has picked up the pace.

While it's too early to say whether KOL can return to its title-winning days, you might be wondering who is the highest run-scorer for Kolkata so far? Well, here’s a list of players with most runs scored for KOL in Indian T20 League 2020:

Player	Runs	Average	Strike Rate
Shubman Gill	404	33.66	115.75
Nitish Rana	352	27.07	139.13
Eoin Morgan	350	35.00	131.08
Rahul Tripathi	191	21.22	129.93
Dinesh Karthik	169	15.36	127.06

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Kolkata

If there is one player who has performed better than most other Indian players in the last four editions of the Indian T20 League but his performances have been forgotten easily, that has to be Nitish Rana.

He has featured for two of the most successful Indian T20 League franchises, Mumbai and Kolkata, over the last four seasons and he has proven his calibre as a batsman for both the teams.

The 26-year-old has 1085 Indian T20 League runs to his name at a healthy average nearing 30 and a good strike-rate of 134.61. Not only that, these runs include eight fifties as well and he has done all this while batting in the middle-order, mostly between number three and five for the teams.

Rana's batting numbers are certainly good but are they good enough for him to deserve a place in India's T20I squad? One might say no, and they won't be completely wrong as there are players like Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik and Sanju Samson, among others, who have better numbers in this role and are probably more accomplished batters as well.

However, what makes Rana an intriguing option for the national T20 setup is his ability to pick up wickets with the ball. He was more of a part-time spinner until 2018. However, his bowling skills have been rigorously used by the teams 2019 onwards.

In fact, no other player (batting between positions 3 and 5) with 500 or more T20 runs since 2019 has a better bowling strike-rate than Rana. Not only that, his bowling average and economy rate are also the second-best during this period. He has left even accomplished all-rounders like Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Nabi and Shakib Al Hasan behind as far as his bowling skills are concerned.

Rana, in fact, is a street-smart operator with his off-breaks. He bowls a tight line and varies his pace well too. Moreover, the flat trajectory he bowls only makes it hard for batsmen to hit him for boundaries regularly. He has a disciplined approach too and rarely strays away from the line for which the field is set. That is the main reason behind his success as a bowler.

As far as his batting is considered, it has really come off well. Although his average of 25.96 might seem to be quite lower than most other players in the list above, it has to be remembered that he has had very less number of not outs (3) as compared to other players during this period.

Kolkata follow an attacking batting approach irrespective of situations and that's why there is lesser emphasis on playing through the innings. A major chunk of Rana's matches (14 of them) during this period was for Kolkata and that explains the lesser number of not outs, and consequently his low average. However, he has accumulated all these runs while striking at a healthy rate of 132.27.

Moreover, his eight scores of 30 or more in his total of 27 innings, out of which five have crossed the 50-run mark, explain how good he is as a middle-order batsman. 

So these figures sum up that he is a pretty good T20 asset for any side. But now the question is; where would he fit in the Indian playing XI? The answer most probably has to be at number 5. That position is being currently marshalled by Manish Pandey until the situation demands more aggressive batsmen like Hardik Pandya or Rishabh Pant. 

However, Pandey has always been someone who has batted in the top four and he requires some time at the crease to unleash his best as well. Rana, with his bowling ability, adds another dimension to India's T20 side in that role. And he can play in all gears in any situation. Aggression comes naturally to him as a batsman.

The Indian top five lacks a bowling option as well. None of their top five batsmen have the ability to bowl at the moment and that's why Rana is a good option to have. KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer followed by Rana makes a destructive top five. Iyer and Rana provide India with a much-needed cushion in case India go through a rare top-order collapse. Moreover, Pant and Hardik can be at their destructive best at number 6 and 7 if Rana is drafted into that number five position. 

International cricket, however, is a different ball game though. Even a beast of a batsman like Pant hasn't been able to emulate his domestic success at the international level for India. So Rana's success as a batting all-rounder in the last one year or so doesn't necessarily warrant fruitful returns at the international level too. But his numbers at the domestic level do make a compelling case and hence, he is worth a try.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

The Vijay Hazare Trophy has been creating quite a buzz this season with double hundreds and compelling individual performances. With the competition edging towards a finish, we take a look at five candidates who might be closing in on an Indian team call-up based on their form in this tournament.

Sanju Samson

The Kerala wicket-keeper batsman made a roaring statement with a scintillating double hundred in the season. In 8 matches in the tournament this year, Samson has 410 runs at an average of 58.57. With Rishabh Pant's ODI returns tapering down, Samson has a realistic chance of edging him in the national team.

Suryakumar Yadav

The pyrotechnics and lit cover drives aside, Suryakumar Yadav is a compact, reliable batsman who is flexible in terms of his role in the side. The Mumbaikar has had a stupendous Vijay Hazare Trophy so far and it could well pave way for an India berth, something that eluded him despite his performances for the Mumbai franchise in the Indian T20 League. Suryakumar has 226 runs in 7 matches this season but crucially has scored his runs at a strike rate of 154.79, the third best in the tournament, and an average of 113, the best in the tournament.

Shivam Dube

The big hitting all-rounder made waves in the domestic circuit last season itself but slipped down the radar after inconsistent returns, albeit due to a poor role given for the Bangalore based franchise in the Indian T20 League. Dube has 177 runs in five innings at 88.5 in this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy with his runs coming at a strike rate of 146.28. He has also taken four wickets while going at a very reasonable economy rate.

Sandeep Sharma 

Sandeep Sharma's new ball ability is often raved about. He has showcased it multiple times in the Indian T20 League and despite the odd call-up for India, he never retained it and was quickly dropped. India now have their eyes on Deepak Chahar in a similar role but with the T20 World Cup coming up, they would be testing the waters and a swing bowler like Sandeep can be invaluable. His Vijay Hazare returns of 17 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 13.53 further his credentials.

Nitish Rana

Rana has 278 runs in 7 matches this tournament for Delhi and is their second highest run-scorer. He has averaged 55.6 while scoring a hundred and carries on his good form from the Indian T20 League where he shone for the Kolkata franchise. It is his all-round skills that make Rana an exciting option, one who could replace Kedar Jadhav in the national setup. Rana has 12 wickets in 7 matches this season and has out-bowled his spin counterpart, Pawan Negi. At just 25 years of age, his future appears bright.

Featured image courtesy: AFP / Prakash Singh