Rajasthan Royals beat RCB by 6 wickets
Rajasthan Royals defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets to register their fourth consecutive victory in IPL 2026. Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s explosive knock, followed by Dhruv Jurel’s blistering innings, secured Rajasthan’s victory. Batting first in the rain-affected match in Guwahati, RCB posted a mammoth 201. In response, Rajasthan secured victory in 18 overs.
The toss was delayed due to rain, and the match started about 45 minutes late. Virat Kohli scored 32 runs for Bangalore. At one point, RCB had lost six wickets at 94, but captain Rajat Patidar held on and played a fighting innings of 63 runs, taking Bangalore past 200.
Chasing a target of 202, Rajasthan lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, who managed just 13 runs. However, Vaibhav Suryavanshi wreaked havoc, reaching his fifty in just 15 balls, as Rajasthan scored 97 runs within the powerplay. Suryavanshi was on his way to a historic century, but was dismissed for 78 off 26 balls. Vaibhav, along with Dhruv Jurel, shared a 108-run partnership in just 37 balls.
Vaibhav was dismissed in the 9th over of the innings, and Shimron Hetmyer departed in the very next ball of Krunal Pandya without scoring. But then, Dhruv Jurel took charge and thrashed the Bangalore bowlers. Jurel remained unbeaten on 81 off 43 balls. At one point, Rajasthan lost three wickets for just 5 runs, but Ravindra Jadeja supported Jurel admirably at the other end. Jurel and Jadeja shared a 68-run partnership to lead Rajasthan to victory.
Nuwan Thushara apologies for legal action against SLC
In a surprising development, Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has indicated he is withdrawing his case against his cricket board. Earlier, he approached the court after being denied a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the IPL, but now he has apologized to the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and is considering withdrawing his case. According to Sri Lanka Cricket, Thushara has sent an email to the board apologizing, stating that he never intended to cause the governing body any trouble or inconvenience.
This move from Thushara came after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) informed the district court that it would object to Thushara’s petition seeking permission to play in the 2026 IPL. The 31-year-old Thushara had petitioned the court seeking a direction to Sri Lanka Cricket to issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC). However, SLC rejected his request, citing his failure to pass a fitness test. The court subsequently accepted SLC’s petition, and the next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 23.
‘Criticism is justified’, says CSK coach Stephen Fleming
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has admitted that the criticism directed at him following the team’s disappointing start to the 2026 IPL season was justified. CSK has failed to secure a victory in its last three matches and currently sits at the bottom of the points table. Just last season, the five-time champions had also finished at the very bottom. CSK fans are finding this hard to digest, and the team is facing significant criticism for its consecutive defeats.
CSK coach Fleming acknowledged the criticism as valid, remarking, “When you aren’t performing well, criticism is justified. It is part and parcel of this role, and the results reflect that. I coach in two other competitions throughout the year, so it’s not as if I suddenly stop coaching and then parachute into the IPL without any knowledge of the direction the game is taking. I have rarely spent as much time studying T20 cricket and players from around the world as I am doing right now.”
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