IPL 2018 playoffs: Table toppers CSK, SRH face off for final berth tomorrow

In Qualifier 1 of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) M S Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The match is expected to an intriguing, no-holds-barred battle between the two former IPL champions, especially as the performance of both CSK and SRH has been neck-and-neck this season. While Hyderabad are table-toppers with 18 points from 14 matches and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.280, Chennai are place second on Vivo Points Table 2018 with an equal number of points but slightly lower NRR of + 0.253. The raucous Mumbai fans could expect a rip-roaring contest on Tuesday.

The winner of this clash of the champions will get a direct qualification to the IPL 2018 final, to be played in Mumbai on May 27. The loser will play Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator match to be played on Wednesday (May 23) between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, ranked third and fourth, respectively, after the Round-Robin stage. Qualifier 2 will be played on Friday (May 25). All playoff matches will begin at 7 pm, unlike the 8 pm schedule for Round-Robin matches.

IPL 2018, CSK vs DD: Consistent Chennai face Delhi in dead rubber today

In the 52nd match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Delhi Daredevils led by Shreyas Iyer at Ferozshah Kotla ground in New Delhi. A formidable Chennai Super Kings will be aiming to tie up loose ends ahead of the playoffs when they take on a listless Delhi Daredevils in a rare dead rubber of IPL 2018. With CSK comfortably qualifying for the playoffs, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led squad is eyeing the top spot on the Vivo IPL points table alongside Sunrisers Hyderabad, whom they defeated comprehensively in their previous game.

The last two games at Ferozshah Kotla was high scoring and the target in excess of 170 was chased easily. In today’s IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils (CSK vs DD) Kolta’s pitch will be run feast and the team batting second has a clear advantage. The weather in New Delhi has been changing is past few weeks and today’s IPL match will be affected by rain.

The consistency CSK have shown in IPL 2018 after missing out in the previous two seasons is commendable and it seems they were never out of action. They have been solid even against the mighty Sunrisers Hyderabad, who arguably have the best bowling attack in IPL 2018.

IPL 2018, RCB vs SRH: Bangalore, Hyderabad clash to spice up points table

In the 51st match of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL 2018), resurgent Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take on already-qualified table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in today's match with their playoffs chances hanging by a slim thread. Captian Virat Kohli has led the team from the front and that resulted in two victories for RCB. After defeating Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab in back to back matches, RCB seems like a rejuvenated unit, while SRH have been the team to beat this season, having won nine matches out of 12. RCB are still struggling at the second last position on the table, while SRH are on top of the VIVO IPL points table with 18 points.

Virat Kohli's RCB has survived the tough season, having lost seven of its 12 matches so far but the recent turnaround has given brith hopes of a possible shot at the playoffs berth provided some other results go RCB's way. RCB is overtly dependant on Virat and South African star performer A B De Villiers. Both of them combined have scored nearly half of RCB's total runs this season but the side needs bigger contributions from the likes of Moeen Ali and Corey Anderson.

IPL 2018, MI vs KKR: Mumbai threat looms large as Kolkata up against odds

In the 41st match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) led by Dinesh Karthik at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Back in the mix riding consecutive victories, a buoyant Mumbai Indians will cross swords with an erratic Kolkata Knight Riders for a second time in a space of three days in IPL today’s match. Recovering from a slow start, defending champions MI recorded back-to-back wins against Kings XI Punjab and KKR to jump to fifth spot (8 points from 10 games) in the Vivo IPL points table. KKR, meanwhile, have blown hot and cold, winning five and losing an equal number of matches.

KKR have an onerous task at hand as they need to defy history against Mumbai Indians, who have won 17 of the 21 matches against the Kolkata Knight Riders across 11 seasons -- the most wins for an IPL team against any opponent. Their 13-run defeat at the Wankhede on May 6 stretched their losing streak to seven matches and 1125 days -- KKR's last win over Mumbai Indians was way back on April 8, 2015. While the Dinesh Karthik-led KKR have not managed to string together consistent performances, MI led by India's limited-over Vice Captain Rohit Sharma have looked like a team on a mission to turn the tide in their favour at the end of the IPL 2018.

IPL 2018, RR vs KXIP: Desperate Rajasthan face Punjab in must-win tie today

In the 40th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Ajinkya Rahane’s Rajasthan Royals will take on Kings XI Punjab led by R Ashwin at Sawaiman Singh Stadium in Jaipur. Desperate to stay alive in the IPL 2018, bottom-placed Rajasthan Royals will be aiming to avenge the six-wicket loss to Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), when they last meet at Holkar Stadium on Sunday, in IPL today’s match. Rajasthan Royals have just six points with three wins from nine games while KXIP are placed third on the Vivo IPL points table after six wins from nine games and 12 points in their kitty.

The Ajinkya Rahane-led side succumbed to their third loss in a row, after being hammered by KXIP in Indore and now need to win all their remaining five matches to keep themselves alive in the IPL 2018 while another win for KXIP will almost seal them a play-off berth and a defeat will be the end of the road for Rajasthan Royals. Nothing has gone right for the winners of the inaugural edition of the IPL, who lost their pillar -- Australian Steven Smith -- to ball-tampering scandal. The lackluster performance by Rajasthan Royals’ batsmen and bowlers have landed them in a position where they need to win all their remaining games and also pray for favourable results in order to qualify for the play-offs. Rajasthan Royals are back to Jaipur, where they have recorded two of their three victories, but they need to start afresh. Three consecutive defeats, including a narrow one against Delhi Daredevils, has left them demoralised and their mentor, the legendary Shane Warne, too wore a dejected look in the dugout from where he saw the Royals miss out on half chances.

IPL 2018, RCB vs SRH: Struggling Bangalore face Hyderabad challenge today

In the 39th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Kane Williamson’s Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. A consistent Sunrisers Hyderabad unit would look to consolidate its position at the top of the Vivo IPL points table, while Royal Challengers Bangalore will fight for survival as the two teams clash in today’s IPL match.

RCB have been struggling for survival, needing to win every game and also hoping that other results go in their favour, to remain in contention for the playoffs. They are placed sixth on the Vivo IPL points table with just three wins from their nine games. In today’s match, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers will have to weave some magic with their willows to make it tough for SRH, whose bowlers have proved to be a headache for all teams. The return of SRH fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has only strengthened their attack further.

RCB's big guns, on the other hand, have failed to fire so far. However, now is the time to deliver, since one more defeat would spell their ouster from the tournament. Parthiv Patel (who scored 53 runs against Chennai) and Brendon McCullum need to support their side and the likes of Mandeep Singh and Colin de Grandhomme have to step up.

IPL 2018, SRH vs KXIP: Sunrisers face rampaging Kings XI in return leg

In the 25th match of Vivo Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will face off rampaging Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad. Table-toppers Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be aiming to outsmart each other and continue their winning run so that they can consolidate their positions in the Vivo IPL Points table.

A rampant Kings XI Punjab has won five of its six league games while Hyderabad have managed to carve out four victories from six games, standing third in the Vivo IPL points-table. Kings XI openers Lokesh Rahul and Chris Gayle have been a major reason behind their success. While Rahul has accumulated 236 runs from six games, the Caribbean self-proclaimed "Universe Boss" has amassed 229 runs from just three matches. Gayle however, missed the previous match against Delhi Daredevils due to fitness issues and his absence was clearly felt in Punjab's opening. If the 38-year-old returns for Thursday's game, it will be again be a threat to the opponent's bowling. Karun Nair has also been impressive after 173 runs from five innings but veteran Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch and Mayank Agarwal are yet to make their presence felt in the middle. The trio's poor form could be a cause of concern for the team management, keeping in view Hyderabad's decent bowling attack.

IPL 2018: Will RCB open its account against KXIP at home ground today?

Under Virat Kohli's leadership, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will look to get their act together in the eighth match of Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) against Ravichandran Ashwin's Kings XI Punjabat their home ground in Bengaluru. RCB had lost their opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), while KXIP had won theirs versus Delhi Daredevils because of an explosive, record-breaking knowck by K L Rahul.

Playing at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Kohli's RCB will look to open its account in this season of IPL 2018, while KXIP will try to strengthen its position at the league stage with more points. Both KXIP and RCB, besides Delhi Daredevils, have yet to win an IPL title in the 10 editions that have taken place since before the present one. Royal Challengers Bangalore need to change some of their tactics in today's match to get on to the winning ways. Despite having the firepower in the batting line-up, RCB has not yet been able to score big.

RCB, led by star India captain Virat Kohli, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match after Sunil Narine snatched victory with a 17-ball fifty and Nitish Rana removed AB de Villiers and Kohli in the same over. Kings XI Punjab won their first game of the season against Delhi Daredevils on the back of Rahul's feat of fastest IPL fifty in just 14 balls.

IPL 2018: On Jaipur home turf after 2 yrs, Rajasthan Royals eye a win vs DD

Rajasthan Royals will need to regroup quickly after an embarrassing loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad as they face Delhi Daredevils on Wednesday in what will be their first IPL home game in two years at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The venue has been an impregnable fort for Rajasthan Royals in its IPL 2018 journey since 2008. The weather in the Jaipur has been cloudy with a little bit of a drizzle.

Both Royals and Daredevils, outplayed in their respective opening games, will be raring to shake off their misfortunes and return to winning ways. In their first match of IPL 2018, Delhi Daredevils had been handed a six-wickets defeat by Kings XI Punjab, as K L Rahul went on a rampage, hitting the fastest fifty in the history of IPL, in Mohali on Sunday.

Back at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium after serving a two-year ban, Rajasthan Royals, mentored by spin legend Shane Warne, had nothing going their way against Hyderabad on Monday. Royals huffed and puffed to a lowly total of 125/9 after being asked to bat first. And then, Sunrisers Hyderabad cantered home with nine wickets in hand. It was a rather forgettable opening for the Royals, especially as they were hoping to perform on returning to the tournament after serving a two-year suspension.