Josh Hazlewood

Australia rested Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan and Bangladesh to manage workloads ahead of future Tests and the T20 World Cup. Mitchell Marsh will captain a squad featuring several young players, including Ollie Peake and Liam Scott. Glenn Maxwell was dropped from the Bangladesh T20 squad as Australia continue testing fresh talent and squad depth.

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn lauded Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood for their exceptional powerplay spell against Delhi Capitals, which saw them take 6 wickets for 13 runs. Steyn also highlighted Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer for instilling 'genuine fear' in batters with their consistent hard lengths, despite the high-scoring IPL season.

Kolkata Knight Riders face a significant blow as star spinner Varun Chakaravarthy is ruled out of their IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to an injury sustained in the previous match. Uncapped pacer Saurabh Dubey makes his IPL debut as KKR navigates this crucial encounter without their key bowler, who has been instrumental in their recent resurgence.

RCB, meanwhile, missed the chance to move to the top of the table.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru face a critical IPL 2026 encounter against Mumbai Indians in Raipur. RCB, third on the table, need a win to solidify playoff hopes, while MI, in near must-win territory, aim to disrupt stronger teams. Both sides grapple with batting inconsistencies and bowling vulnerabilities, making this a pivotal clash.

Australian cricketers will complete their Indian Premier League duties before joining the national squad for the upcoming ODI series in Pakistan. Despite the series overlapping with IPL playoffs, players like Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh will fulfill their franchise commitments. Cricket Australia is expected to adjust selections to accommodate these crucial IPL matches.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru opted to bowl against Mumbai Indians, seeking to improve their playoff standing after recent losses. The return of Phil Salt offers a significant boost for RCB. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, struggling in ninth, face potential elimination. MI skipper Suryakumar Yadav expressed confidence in batting first, aiming to put pressure on the chasing side.

Virat Kohli achieved a significant IPL milestone, becoming the first player with 12 seasons of 400+ runs and the most capped player with 279 appearances. He silenced critics with a crucial half-century against KKR, continuing his strong record against them. KKR posted 192/4, driven by Angkrish Raghuvanshi's career-best 71 and Rinku Singh's unbeaten 49.

Lucknow Super Giants batter Nicholas Pooran and Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya shared a brief on-field moment during a crucial IPL 2026 match. The interaction occurred after Pandya bowled a surprise bouncer to Pooran. Both players have a shared history at LSG. The match saw a high score from Mitchell Marsh.

AB de Villiers lauded Rajasthan Royals' 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's white-ball prowess, but cautioned that his long-term success hinges on adapting to multi-format cricket. While Sooryavanshi's IPL and U19 numbers are exceptional, de Villiers stressed the need for exposure to ODIs and Tests to truly test his mettle and uncover new layers of his game.

Marsh reached the milestone in 49 balls, making it the fastest century by an LSG batter in IPL history. He went past Rishabh Pant’s 54-ball hundred against RCB at the same venue in IPL 2025.

Gujarat Titans face Royal Challengers Bengaluru again, seeking solutions to their middle-order struggles and bowling inconsistencies. Despite a strong top order, GT's campaign shows imbalance, while RCB arrives with momentum and a flexible batting lineup. The Titans' bowling after the Powerplay remains a key concern.

Sanju Samson returns to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a venue where his international career once teetered. Now a CSK superstar, his high stock is a testament to his T20 World Cup turnaround. He faces a crucial test against Delhi Capitals, needing to replicate his form to secure a spot in India's 2027 ODI World Cup plans.

Mumbai Indians will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru without star allrounder Hardik Pandya, who is still being evaluated by the medical team for a back spasm. Suryakumar Yadav will continue to captain the side in Pandya's absence for the crucial IPL 2026 encounter in Raipur.

Shubman Gill made history for Gujarat Titans. He became the first player to hit 100 sixes for the team. This happened during their IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Earlier, Gujarat Titans bowlers restricted Bengaluru to 155. Gill then led the charge with a rapid 35 off 10 balls. He smashed 24 runs in one over against Josh Hazlewood.

Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood lauded Bhuvneshwar Kumar ahead of his 200th IPL appearance. Kohli highlighted Bhuvneshwar's longevity, intelligence, and consistency as one of the IPL's greatest pacers. Hazlewood praised his exceptional swing bowling, tactical awareness, and ability to read match conditions, calling it a remarkable achievement.

Marco Jansen's cricket journey, from rugby to a consistent performer for South Africa and Punjab Kings, is remarkable. Inspired by Josh Hazlewood's metronomic bowling, Jansen has embraced his unique strengths, focusing on hard lengths. He's adapted his game, particularly for bowling with the older ball, proving effective even without new-ball swing.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has equalled Yuzvendra Chahal's record for the most wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL history, claiming his 33rd scalp. The veteran seamer achieved this milestone with a crucial powerplay wicket, continuing his impressive form for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite KKR posting a strong total, Bhuvneshwar's achievement marked a significant personal milestone in the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders made a surprise switch, bringing in left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey for the injured Varun Chakravarthy in a crucial IPL 2026 match against RCB. Dubey, a domestic player for Vidarbha, gets his long-awaited IPL debut after previously being part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad without playing. This unexpected inclusion highlights KKR's strategic move under pressure.

Capitals were going at a rate of nearly a-run-a-wicket before they finished the Powerplay at 13/6. Call it the worst batting performance in the Powerplay or the best spell of fast bowling in a Powerplay, those six overs served as a staunch reminder of how cricket can be a great leveller.