Franchise Cricket

Image source, Reuters

Sanju Samson hit another exhilarating century as Chennai Super Kings piled further misery on Mumbai Indians in the IPL's 'El Clasico'.

India T20 World Cup hero Samson, who also scored a century against Delhi Capitals earlier in the competition, smashed an unbeaten 101 off just 54 balls as the visitors piled up 207-6.

Mumbai, who have lost five of their last six games, crumbled with the bat - slumping to 104 all out.

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein did the damage, taking 4-17, including the key wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma.

Mumbai slipped to 11-3 inside three overs and despite Yadav (36) and Tilak (37) offering some resistance, saw their last seven wickets fall for just 20 runs.

Scorecard; Table

Image source, EPA

David Warner anchored Karachi Kings to a crucial victory over Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.

Ex-Australia opener Warner finished unbeaten on 63 off 44 balls as the Kings chased down the hosts' 199-6 with eight balls to spare to keep their hopes of progression alive.

While Warner was watchful, victory was sealed by Khushdil Shah, who smashed a staggering 44 not out off just 14 balls.

Khushdil hit five sixes, including two in a row to seal the victory.

Earlier, ex-England all-rounder Moeen Ali took 2-26 in the Qalandars innings then proved the perfect foil for Warner with an aggressive 39 off 17 as Pakistan bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi (0-51) and Haris Rauf (1-36) proved expensive.

Scorecard; Table

Image source, Getty Images

Mitchell Starc has been cleared by Cricket Australia to play in the Indian Premier League after recovering from shoulder and elbow injuries.

The 36-year-old fast bowler has not played since late January after his Ashes heroics, where he played all five Tests and took 31 wickets in Australia's 4-1 win.

He subsequently played five matches in the Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers, which is when he suffered the injuries while fielding.

Starc's first appearance for Delhi will most likely be against Rajasthan Royals on 1 May.

His fellow Australian quick Josh Hazlewood has recently returned to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru while Australian skipper Pat Cummins is expected to make his comeback for Sunrisers Hyderabad this weekend.

Cummins has been managing a back injury, having played just one Test in the Ashes in December.

Image source, EPA

Rawalpindiz earned their first win of the PSL as they beat Islamabad United by six wickets in a low-scoring encounter.

Islamabad were bowled out for 137 with Devon Conway's 40 the highest score, while the wickets were shared around in a fine all-round performance from the Rawalpindiz bowlers.

Chris Green added a cameo of 29 from 16 balls but he was one of three wickets to fall in the final over bowled by Dian Forrester.

After eight straight defeats and with their elimination already confirmed, Rawalpindiz finally had victory in their sights with a straightforward target but they lost Abdullah Fazal from the first ball of the chase.

Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Rizwan added 78 for the second wicket, scoring 42 and 45 respectively, to anchor the innings before New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell got them over the line with an unbeaten 32.

Islamabad remain in play-off contention in third place in the table behind Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans.

• Scorecard

• PSL table

Image source, Reuters

Steve Smith's century was in vain as Hyderabad Kingsmen chased 214 with two balls to spare to beat Multan Sultans by four wickets.

Smith's knock was eclipsed by Usman Khan's 44-ball hundred for the Kingsmen which laid the foundations for the chase, but his dismissal set up a thrilling finish with 32 still required from the last 13 balls.

But Hassan Khan played a stunning hand with 24 not out from just six balls, including three sixes, to earn a crucial win to take the Kingsmen up to fourth in the table.

Australia's Smith had earlier added 132 for the first wicket with Sahibzada Farhan, who made 66, but Multan could not capitalise on their start as they lost six wickets in the last four overs.

Akif Javed took three wickets while Hassan Khan took the key wicket of Smith in the 17th over which kickstarted the lower order collapse from 185-1 to 213-7.

• PSL fixtures & results

• PSL table

Image source, Reuters

Jofra Archer took three wickets in Rajasthan Royals' brilliant bowling performance as they beat the struggling Lucknow Super Giants by 40 runs.

Chasing just 160, Lucknow were bowled out for 119 as Archer finished with 3-20 and fellow seamers Brijesh Sharma and Nandre Burger also took two wickets each.

Lucknow's chase started dreadfully as they slipped to 11-3 with Ayush Badoni, captain Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram all making ducks.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh made 55 as they attempted to rebuild but his departure saw them fall to 105-6, and that left too much for the lower order as they lost their last five wickets for 14 runs.

The batting effort was unfortunate for Lucknow's bowlers, who produced a fine display of their own to restrict Rajasthan to 159-6.

Their explosive top order of Yashasvi Jaiswal, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel all fell cheaply to expose a middle order which has not been needed very often in the tournament so far.

But Ravindra Jadeja's experience proved the difference, as he finished unbeaten on 43 from 29 balls to rescue the innings from 110-6 with impact player Shubham Dubey also making 19 not out.

Rajasthan remain second in the table while Lucknow are seventh with just two wins in seven games.

• IPL fixtures & results

• IPL table

Image source, Getty Images

Seamer Ali Raza took a hat-trick as Peshawar Zalmi beat Karachi Kings by seven wickets to stretch their winning run to eight games.

The 18-year-old bowled David Warner for 11 and then took his hat-trick in the final over of the innings to finish with figures of 4-41 as Kings posted 182-9.

Former England batter Jason Roy top-scored with 85 for the Kings but their innings fell away with the late wickets.

Raza's hat-trick saw Khushdil Shah fall hit-wicket for 12 before Shahid Aziz and Hasan Ali were both bowled by fast yorkers.

Zalmi, who have already qualified for the play-offs, reached the target with seven balls to spare as leading run-scorer Kusal Mendis continued his impressive form with 80 not out from 43 balls.

He was supported by 19-year-old Farhan Yousuf who finished the chase in style with an unbeaten 58 from 36.

Kings have lost five in a row and need to win their remaining games and hope that other results go their way in order to keep their qualification hopes alive.

• PSL fixtures & results

• PSL table

Image source, Getty Images

Steve Smith's half-century helped Multan Sultans inflict an eighth straight defeat on Rawalpindiz.

Australia's Smith struck 56 from 31 balls at the top of the order to set up Multan's chase of 167, while his compatriot Ashton Turner hit an unbeaten 37 to see them over the line with eight balls to spare.

Rawalpindiz, who are already eliminated from the PSL, immediately struggled after choosing to bat first as Shahzaib Khan fell in the first over before skipper Muhammad Rizwan trudged to 26 from 29 balls.

New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell led a recovery for Rawalpindiz with 58 before cameos of 29 and 37 from Sam Billings and Dian Forrester lifted them to 166-4.

Multan made comfortable work of the chase and ensured they remain second in the table.

• PSL fixtures & results

• Table

Image source, Reuters

Batter Ayush Mhatre, Chennai Super Kings' leading run-scorer in this year's Indian Premier League, has been ruled out of the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury.

Mhatre, 18, the India Under-19s captain, was injured while batting against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 18 April.

He has scored 201 runs in six matches this season for a CSK side who are eighth in the table after only two wins.

The five-time champions also finished bottom of the standings last season.

CSK are yet to announce a replacement.

Image source, Getty Images

Lahore Qalandars earned back-to-back wins as Fakhar Zaman's century set up a nine-run win against Quetta Gladiators.

Fakhar struck 103 from 51 balls at the top of the order, including six sixes, as Lahore posted 197-6.

In reply, half-centuries from Shamyl Hussain and Rilee Rossouw kept Quetta in contention before the latter fell for 62 from just 29 balls in the 15th over.

With an unlikely 33 needed from the last two overs, Abrar Ahmed took 14 from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 19th to keep their faint hopes alive.

But seamer Haris Rauf held his nerve and Abrar finished unbeaten on 24 from 14 balls in Quetta's 188-7.

After three straight defeats, a revived Lahore move up to fourth in the table with Quetta below them in fifth having lost their last two.

Image source, Reuters

Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya said it was "about time" Tilak Varma delivered after the batter scored a thrilling century in a 99-run win over Gujarat Titans.

Varma, a member of India's T20 World Cup-winning squad, had managed only 23 runs across Mumbai's defeats in their four previous matches in this year's Indian Premier League.

But against Gujarat he came in at 44-3 and scored a thrilling 101 not out from 45 balls as the former champions posted 199-5.

"The kind of talent Tilak has, he does not need to worry about a lot," Hardik said.

"The only message I gave him was watch the ball and hit the ball.

"I genuinely believe the way the ball travels off his bat is something really special.

"It was about time he comes and delivers.

"It was much needed for the group, much needed for Tilak and much needed for Mumbai Indians."

Varma took only 19 from his first 22 balls but hit all 15 of his boundaries in his next 23 deliveries as he scored 82 more runs in the remainder of his innings.

The switch in tempo came immediately after the strategic timeout after 14 overs.

"Last five games haven't spent much time in middle," Varma said.

"This game I thought I wanted to spend time in middle. First 20 balls, ball by ball, I was just batting.

"Later on I know what I am capable of.

"I have got all of the fancy shots and when team needs I can use them, but under pressure all you need is to back your skills."

Image source, Reuters

India batter Tilak Varma produced an innings of thrilling acceleration to record his first Indian Premier League century and earn Mumbai Indians a crucial and commanding win over Gujarat Titans.

Left-hander Tilak, who came in at 44-3 in the sixth over, had only 19 runs from his first 22 deliveries and no boundaries.

But he changed gears to devastating effect, finishing with eight fours and seven sixes as he took 82 runs from his next 23 balls to finish 101 not out from 45 balls.

He reached three figures by ending the innings with a six and a four which meant Mumbai, who had dropped to the bottom of the standings after four consecutive defeats, posted 199-5.

On a good night for five-time champions Mumbai, Jasprit Bumrah finally took his first wicket of the tournament with the first delivery of the chase.

The India seamer, wicketless across five innings this year, had left-hander Sai Sudharsan caught at cover.

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler was out to a tight lbw decision for five in the next over and Titans continued to lose regular wickets as they were bowled out for 100 in 15.5 overs.

The win lifts Mumbai up to seventh, a place behind Gujarat.

• Scorecard

• IPL table

Image source, Getty Images

Sri Lanka all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has become the latest player to be banned from future Pakistan Super League seasons after pulling out of this year's tournament.

Shanaka, 34, who led his country at this year's T20 World Cup, withdrew before signing a deal as a replacement at Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

He has been banned for one year, with the Pakistan Cricket Board saying he has breached contractual agreements.

The decisions comes after a similar case involving Zimbabwe bowler Blessing Muzarabani.

He was banned for two years after pulling out of a stint with Islamabad United and taking a deal with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

On Sunday Muzarabani's agent hit out at the decision, calling the ban "excessive" claiming a contract had not been signed.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, ILT20

There are no plans to reduce the number of overseas players allowed in a team in the ILT20, says the franchise league's chief executive David White.

T20 leagues which allow a high number of overseas players in each team - such as Major League Cricket or the ILT20 which currently allows up to nine non-local players - have been criticised for draining talent from elsewhere.

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, the commissioner of South Africa's SA20, said such leagues are "not good for the game", external.

The International Cricket Council brought in regulations in 2023 which meant all new franchise leagues must cap the number of overseas players allowed at four in order to be sanctioned, but the rules did not cover leagues already in existence such as the ILT20 in the UAE.

It was reported at the time, external leagues would have to conform in a reasonable time but no such requirements have been placed on leagues.

White told BBC Sport while he hoped the number of local players who feature in the league would increase as domestic structures improve, there would be no change to the hard rule on the number of overseas players.

"We want to develop cricket in the region and help develop cricket around the world," White said.

"Currently the rules are very clear. Nine overseas players and that won't change."

A host of overseas players, including many from England like Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton, played in last winter's ILT20.

Image source, Reuters

Early leaders Punjab Kings piled up 254-7, the highest score in the Indian Premier League so far, in a 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.

The total was built around a dominant second-wicket partnership of 182 in 80 balls between Indian opener Priyansh Arya and Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly.

Arya hit nine sixes in his destructive 93 from 37 balls. 22-year-old Connolly peppered the straight boundaries while hitting eight fours and seven sixes, though he would have been out for five had LSG reviewed an early lbw shout.

The pair took 32 runs from one over from South African Aiden Markram's off-spin.

Punjab's total surpassed the 250-3 made by Royal Challengers Benagluru earlier in the competition and is also their second best effort in any IPL season.

Lucknow were never in the chase, even with Mitchell Marsh hitting 40 and Rishabh Pant 43.

With the result long decided, Punjab were sloppy towards the back end when dropping a series of catches. LSG ended up struggling on to 200-5.

Still, Punjab, who have never won the IPL, are now three points clear at the top of the table.

Image source, Getty Images

A resurgent Babar Azam scored his first century in 67 T20 innings in Peshawar Zalmi's thumping 118-run victory over Quetta Gladiators.

Former Pakistan captain Babar's T20 game has come under scrutiny in recent years, no more so than this winter when he scored 91 runs across six matches at the T20 World Cup.

He also struggled in this winter's Big Bash - he scored 202 runs at a strike-rate of 103.06 and was retired out in one match - but has found form in the PSL with scores of 87 not out and 71 not earlier in the tournament.

He only faced one dot ball in his knock against Quetta but also hit six fours and four sixes in making exactly 100 not out in 52 balls.

The right-hander reached his 12th T20 hundred and his third in the Pakistan Super League off the final ball of the innings and roared in delight.

Zalmi's 255-3 was the third-highest total in PSL history. Sri Lanka batter Kusal Mendis also hit 83 from 44 balls.

Zalmi continued their dominance throughout the chase by taking wickets throughout. Quetta were 82-7 and limped on until 18.1 overs before being bowled out for 137.

The win extends unbeaten Zalmi's lead at the top of the table to five points with two matches to go.