Kolkata Knight Riders eased to a six-wicket win in Saturday's 2022 IPL opener, with MS Dhoni unable to rescue a result for defending champions Chennai Super Kings in his first match since stepping aside as captain.
Dhoni skippered CSK to their fourth title in 2021, beating KKR in the tournament decider, before his shock decision to allow Ravindra Jadeja to lead the side this year – one of two notable changes that left the Super Kings looking a little short.
CSK first missed the steadying presence of the departed Faf du Plessis – Player of the Match in last year's final – at the top of the order and were in need of a lift from Jadeja when he arrived in the middle in the eighth over.
Instead, he had Ambati Rayudu run out and almost consigned Shivam Dube to the same fate before finally settling alongside Dhoni.
The 40-year-old still did much of the heavy lifting in their 70-run, 56-ball partnership, scoring 35 off his final 13 deliveries to reach an unbeaten 50 and allow Jadeja's (26 not out) innings-ending six to take the Super Kings to what they hoped would prove a competitive 131-5.
Ultimately, that was not enough, as 44 from KKR opener Ajinkya Rahane ensured the chase was always ahead of the game.
Three Dwayne Bravo wickets saw him draw level with Lasith Malinga's IPL record of 170, but Shreyas Iyer, KKR's own new captain, finished the job with his unbeaten 20.
Teething problems for first-time skipper
There were no safer pair of hands in the IPL last year than Jadeja's, as he made 13 catches – the most of any player excluding wicket-keepers. But this was a nervy bow as captain in his 201st IPL match, only looking remotely comfortable with the bat once Dhoni – walking in to huge applause – took control.
Similarly, Jadeja appeared far happier playing his natural game than making big calls in the second innings, taking a simple catch from Rahane but soon blowing a review on an lbw appeal that saw Sam Billings clearly glove the ball.
KKR's long wait for Wankhede win ended
KKR ultimately fell just short in the final, but they were happy to see the 2021 tournament shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to coronavirus. The Knight Riders had won only one of their previous six IPL matches in India.
They may well have feared this match at Wankhede Stadium then, a venue at which they had suffered eight successive defeats. However, a first KKR win here since May 2012 was secured with relative ease.
Alcaraz crashes out of Paris Masters after defeat to Humbert
World number two Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the Paris Masters after an upset at the hands of 15th seed Ugo Humbert in the third round.
Alcaraz was aiming for a fifth title of the season in the French capital, but it was the world number 18 who emerged as 6-1 3-6 7-5 winner in two hours 17 minutes.
The Spaniard had no answer for Humbert in the first set, but fought back to level the proceedings in the second.
The third set was a tight affair, but it was 26-year-old Humbert who prevailed to take it 7-5 and reach the last eight at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Humbert, looking for his third title of the season, will next face Australia’s Jordan Thompson, who progressed to the quarter-final by defeating Adrian Mannarino.
Matthew Nandu's century in vain as Harpy Eagles, CCC Marooners contest end in No-result
Guyana Harpy Eagles and Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners were robbed an opportunity to bounce back from opening defeats in the CG United Super50 Cup as their second contest ended in a no result due to inclement weather at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
With the encounter initially reduced to 45 overs per side, the Harpy Eagles got their innings in and posted a competitive 271-7, thanks to a century from Canada-born Matthew Nandu (116), and half-centuries from captain Tevin Imlach (51) and Kemol Savory, who was left unbeaten on an even 50 off 42 balls.
Nandu’s knock came off 103 balls and included five sixes and seven fours, as he partnered with Imlach in a 123-run second wicket stand after Tagenarine Chanderpaul (13) went cheaply. Imlach struck five fours in his brisk 58-ball knock before he fell to Abhijai Mansingh, who also accounted for Kevlon Anderson (11).
Nandu and Savory then posted another 52 runs for the fourth wicket to keep the momentum going, but the former became the first of three quick wickets as the Marooners gradually pulled things back. Still, Savory pressed on in a dynamic knock that had two fours and one six to put the Harpy Eagles in a decent position.
Mikkel Govia (4-42) did the most damage for the Marooners with support from Mansingh (2-42).
The Marooners run chase started positively with Kamil Pooran (20) and Kieran Powell (8 not out) posting 32 for the first wicket before the rain had the final say after a mere 6.5 overs.
This no result means both teams are still left to play catch up, as the Harpy Eagles lost their first contest by one wicket to Windward Islands Volcanoes, while the Marooners went down by 60 runs to reigning champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
Jansen, Coetzee return as Rabada rested for South Africa’s T20 series against India
Fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen have been included in the South Africa squad for their four-match home T20I series against India scheduled to begin on November 8.
The duo will make their return after injury lay-offs, but Cricket South Africa have rested Kagiso Rabada along with Lungi Ngidi with a home Test series against Sri Lanka to follow later next month.
Aiden Markram will captain the side against India, who beat the Proteas to win the T20 World Cup in Barbados earlier this year, while David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen and Keshav Maharaj are all included.
All-rounder Mihlali Mpongwana has received his maiden call-up, while uncapped Andile Simelane is also part of the roster.
“It’s both an exciting and important series for us as we continue to build towards the T20 World Cup in 2026,” said South Africa white-ball coach Rob Walter.
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