IPL 2025 Archives

Quetta Gladiators’ batter joins Gujarat Titans as Jos Buttler’s replacement

Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis has been roped in by Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Jos Buttler ahead of the IPL 2025 playoffs.

Mendis, who recently turned heads with his performances for Quetta Gladiators in PSL 10, will be making his IPL debut after years of going unsold at auctions.

The 29-year-old scored 143 runs at a strike rate of 168 across five outings in the PSL, where he also kept wickets and added crucial impetus to the Quetta Gladiators’ middle order.

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With Buttler unavailable due to England’s ODI series against West Indies, scheduled to begin on May 29, the same day as the IPL playoffs, Gujarat were in the market for a seasoned replacement, and Mendis’ recent form made him a compelling pick.

Sources suggest that Kusal Mendis opted out of returning to Pakistan for the remainder of the PSL due to security concerns and instead chose to take up the IPL offer.

He is currently awaiting his Indian visa and is expected to join the Titans by Saturday.

Though Gujarat already have Anuj Rawat and Kumar Kushagra as wicketkeeping options, Mendis’ current touch with the bat brings added depth and experience heading into the business end of the season.

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Alyssa Healy breaks silence on IPL chaos amid India-Pakistan tensions

Australia women’s cricket captain Alyssa Healy has shared chilling details of the chaos that unfolded in Dharamsala last week, when rising tensions between India and Pakistan brought the IPL 2025 to an unexpected halt.

The incident occurred on May 8 during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 fixture between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.

The game was midway through the 11th over when floodlights suddenly went out at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. Fans were asked to evacuate, and shortly after, the match was suspended.

The next morning, the BCCI announced an immediate suspension of IPL 2025. However, following a ceasefire agreement on May 10, the board confirmed that the tournament will resume on May 17.

Speaking on The Willow Talk podcast, Alyssa Healy, who was in Dharamsala to support her husband, Australia pacer Mitchell Starc, described the disturbing scenes that unfolded.

“It was a surreal experience,” she said. “All of a sudden, a couple of the light towers went out and we were just sitting there up the top…”

“The guy who wrangles our group came up, and his face was white. He said, ‘We need to go right now.’ Another guy grabbed one of the children and repeated the same. We had no idea what was going on.”

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The players and their families were rushed into a holding room inside the stadium.

“All the boys were in there. Faf (du Plessis) didn’t even have shoes on. We were all just looking around, stressed,” she added.

“I asked Mitch [Mitchell Starc] what was happening, and he said, ‘The town 60 km away just got hit by missiles.’ The Dharamsala stadium was basically a beacon, so they shut the power.”

What followed was a hasty and anxiety-filled evacuation. Players, support staff, franchise officials, and broadcasters were bundled into vans and later escorted out of Dharamsala via a special Vande Bharat train arranged by BCCI in coordination with the Ministry of Railways.

Healy recalled that the journey to safety wasn’t any less tense.

“We ended up going southwest towards the border, which was a little bit terrifying,” she further stated.

“Mitch and I have played too much Call of Duty, so we were noticing all the surface-to-air missile sites. A few were just sitting there in small towns, radar-operated systems ready to go.”

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IPL 2025 suspended amid India-Pakistan border tensions

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with immediate effect, due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.

The major development comes just a day after the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in Dharamsala was abruptly abandoned midway through the first innings.

One of the floodlights at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium was switched off, and fans were asked to evacuate the venue, triggering an alarm across the cricketing world.

With flight operations suspended in Dharamsala and nearby regions, players and support staff from both franchises were transported to Delhi on Friday morning via a special train arranged by the IPL.

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As of now, 58 matches have been played in the tournament, including one abandoned game in Dharamsala.

There are still 12 league-stage fixtures remaining, which will take place in various locations: Lucknow (2 matches), Hyderabad, Ahmedabad (3 matches), Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru (2 matches), Mumbai, and Jaipur.

The playoffs of the IPL 2025 were scheduled to be held in Hyderabad and Kolkata.

The BCCI is expected to make a formal announcement regarding the tournament’s future after holding discussions with franchise representatives, broadcasters, and security agencies.

READ: PCB shifts remaining PSL 10 matches to UAE

Sunil Narine, Anrich Nortje fail bat gauge test during IPL 2025

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje found themselves at the centre of a rare equipment-related controversy as their bats failed the gauge test during their IPL 2025 clash against Punjab Kings on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, where Punjab Kings successfully defended a modest 111-run total, the lowest total ever defended in IPL history, to pull off a remarkable win.

As KKR prepared to chase 112, reserve umpire Saiyed Khalid was seen checking bats near the boundary line, just before the start of the innings.

Sunil Narine, opening the innings alongside young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, was stopped briefly as his bat failed to pass through the ICC-mandated bat gauge, due to excessive thickness. In contrast, Raghuvanshi’s bat was cleared without any issues.

Narine, despite the bat drama, came out to open the innings but couldn’t make an impact. He managed just 5 runs off 4 balls before being dismissed early in the chase.

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Later, in the 16th over, with KKR nine wickets down and chasing a fading target, last-man Anrich Nortje walked in, only to be stopped by on-field umpires Mohit Krishnadas and Saidharshan Kumar.

TV commentators revealed that Nortje’s bat, too, had failed the compliance check. Play was temporarily halted as KKR’s substitute player Rahmanullah Gurbaz sprinted in with a set of replacement bats.

One of them passed the gauge test, but Nortje didn’t even get to use it. On the very next ball, Andre Russell was bowled, ending KKR’s innings at 95 in 15.1 overs.

According to IPL equipment regulations, a bat must adhere to strict dimensions: a maximum width of 10.79 cm, blade thickness of up to 6.7 cm, edge thickness not exceeding 4 cm, and total length no more than 96.4 cm.

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Virat Kohli achieves major milestone in T20 cricket

Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli etched his name in the record books once again, becoming the first Asian and overall second cricketer to score 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket.

The right-hander batter reached the milestone in his 405th T20, scoring 62* off 45 balls, leading his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Benglaluru to a comfortable victory against Rajistan Royals.

Virat Kohli reached the milestone in style with a six off Wanindu Hasaranga to complete his third fifty of the season in 39 balls while chasing 174.

The other batter with more half-centuries than Virat Kohli is David Warner, topping the list with 108 fifties in 400 matches.

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Most Half-Centuries in T20 Career:

David Warner – 108 fifties (400 matches)
Virat Kohli – 100 fifties (405 matches)
Babar Azam – 90 fifties (311 matches)
Chris Gayle – 88 fifties (463 matches)
Jos Buttler – 86 fifties (440 matches)

Earlier this week, Virat Kohli became the first Indian batter to score over 13,000 runs in T20 cricket during a match against the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

With this remarkable achievement, the former captain of India joined an elite group, becoming the fifth player overall to reach this milestone, following Chris Gayle, Alex Hales, Shoaib Malik, and Kieron Pollard.

It is pertinent to mention that the 36-year-old has represented the Indian team in 125 T20Is, amassing 4188 runs with a staggering average of 48.69.

The run-machine scored 38 fifties and one century in his T20I career before retiring after the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024.

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Virat Kohli reacts to Rajat Patidar’s appointment as captain

Indian batter maestro Virat Kohli has shared his thoughts on the elevation of Rajat Patidar as captain of Royal Challenger’s Bengaluru ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Virat Kohli led RCB in 143 matches from 2013 to 2021 before stepping down from the position.

However, it was widely speculated that Virat Kohli would again take over the captaincy, as RCB decided not to retain skipper Faf du Plessis for the upcoming season in the mega auction.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru announced Rajat Patidar as their new captain during a press conference on Thursday ahead of the IPL 2025.

After his appointment, Virat Kohli assured that the newly appointed captain would enjoy the complete support of the entire team.

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In a video posted by RCB on X, the former India captain wished Patidar continued growth and success in the position.

“Rajat, firstly, I want to congratulate you. I wish you all the very best. Thank you for the way you have grown in this franchise and the way you have performed,” said Virat Kohli

He further said that Patidar truly deserves this, and we will fully support his growth into this role.

“You have made a place in the hearts of all the fans of RCB all over India. And they get excited to watch you play. So, this is very well deserved,” said Kohli.

“I want to tell you that myself and the other team members, will be right behind you. And you will have all our support to grow into this role,” he said.

For the unversed, Rajit Patidar has represented the Indian team in three Test matches along with one One-Day International.

The right-hander made his Test debut against England last year, While his only appearance in the ODI format was against South Africa in 2023.

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PSL 2025 likely to clash with IPL as PCB proposes new window

LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 is likely to clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed April-May as the tentative window for the marquee league.

The PSL is held every year in the February-March window but due to its collision with the traditional window of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the cricket board came up with an alternative proposal.

The PCB officials and its six PSL franchisees, in the buildup to their General Council meeting, met on Saturday morning at the Gaddafi Stadium here to reflect on the PSL 2024 and also to look ahead to the PSL 2025.

In the meeting, the cricket board proposed a new window, discussed the availability of venues and also the introduction of some innovative tweaks to the playing conditions, with further discussions to take place in the Governing Council in due course.

“Due to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being held in the traditional event window, the event window for the 2025 event will be 7 April 2025 – 20 May 2025,” proposed PCB.

“Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi to host matches in Pakistan with each side playing, at least, five matches on home ground. The PCB will continue to explore additional venues. Four playoffs proposed to be staged at a neutral venue.

“Some innovative tweaks and changes in the event playing conditions were explored with an aim to make the HBL PSL 2025 more exciting and competitive, as well as involve, engage, and increase the fan base.”

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PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Salman Naseer reflected on the meeting and asserted that the cricket board will share further data with the franchisees regarding the new window for PSL 2025.

“As always, we had a very exciting and interesting brainstorming session with the franchise owners on the window for HBL Pakistan Super League 2025. The passionate franchise owners provided their all-rounded insight and views on the PCB-recommended window and playoff venues for the 2025 event and beyond.

“At the back of this meeting, and in relation to the most suitable window for HBL PSL 2025 and beyond, the PCB will share further data with the franchise owners so that they can discuss amongst themselves, make a more informed decision and share their ideas and thoughts at the General Council meeting.

“We look forward to working closely with the franchisees to take timely decisions for the future trajectory of one of Pakistan’s biggest brands.”

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