Frank Worrell’s central role in the transformation of West Indian cricket

Frank Worrell’s central role in the transformation of West Indian cricket
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Updated 11 July 2024
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Frank Worrell’s central role in the transformation of West Indian cricket

Frank Worrell’s central role in the transformation of West Indian cricket
  • Two recent biographies, ‘Son of Grace’ by Vaneisa Baksh and ‘Worrell’ by Simon Lister, have sought to establish the essence of the man on and off the cricket field

On July 10, England’s men’s Test team opened play against the West Indies at Lords in the first of a three-match series.

There is a perception that England is the stronger side, largely because so many senior West Indian players are not in the squad. A number have chosen to play lucrative franchise cricket in North America in July and August.

In terms of Test cricket, there is a callowness about the West Indian squad. Only four have played more than 20 Tests, whilst the squad’s aggregate number of Tests is 237, only 60 more than that notched up by England’s James Anderson, for whom the Lords Test is scheduled to be his last.

The aggregate number of Tests played by England’s squad is 606, so it is well ahead on experience. In addition to Anderson, Joe Root has played 140 Tests and Ben Stokes 102, whilst four others exceed 20.

This imbalance is a far cry from the mid to late 1970s to the early 1990s when the West Indies dominated world cricket. The West Indian team won the inaugural ODI World Cup in 1975 and retained the title in 1979, before relinquishing it to India in 1983.

Since then, the West Indies have failed to reach an ODI final. During the 1980s the West Indies were imperious in Test cricket, setting a then record of 11 consecutive victories in 1984 and twice drubbing England 5-0. The success was based on a fearsome four-man fast bowling attack and four of the best batters in the world.

Seeds for this era of dominance had been laid during the 1960s, something that the captain of the 1980s dominant team, Clive Lloyd, has always been quick to point out and acknowledge. Two men, the previous captains, stand out, Sir Garfield (Gary) Sobers and Sir Frank Worrell.

Sobers, for me, is the finest all-round cricketer of all time, certainly the finest I ever had the privilege of watching. Worrell, by all accounts, was a fine player, batting in a languid, yet classical style. However, it was his role in the transformation of West Indian cricket that is his legacy.

In his autobiography, “Cricket Punch,” published in 1959, before he became captain of the West Indies, Worrell revealed little of himself. A biography in 1963 by a Guyanese broadcaster, Ernest Eytle, with commentary by Worrell, was a cricket book.

A slim biography appeared in 1969 by Undine Guiseppe, followed by one by English writer Ivo Tennant in 1987 that revealed much more about Worrell, the person. After a pictorial biography was published in 1992 by Torrey Pilgrim, interest in Worrell seemed to fade.

West Indian cricket also hit difficult times. Although high-class international cricketers emerged to replace those who retired, there was not enough strength in depth nor funding to counter the alternative attractions of basketball, athletics and football for young athletes.

Therefore, it is a surprise — a pleasant one — to discover that two new biographies of Worrell have been published recently. The first of these is “Son of Grace” by Vaneisa Baksh in 2023, a book in preparation for at least a decade.

The second is “Worrell” by Simon Lister, launched on June 6, 2024. Both have sought to establish the essence of the man within and beyond the cricket field. Both had to engage in prolonged research because many of the sources of information about their subject had been destroyed or lost.

Worrell died of leukemia in 1967, aged only 42. His wife, Velda, died in 1991, aged 69, whilst their daughter Lana, died shortly afterwards, aged 42. Two close, key sources of insights were not available.

Fortunately, Everton Weekes, one of the famous three “Ws” — Worrell, Weekes and (Clyde) Walcott — lived until 2020, aged 95, willingly providing insights into Worrell’s life. Other former playing colleagues also did, along with children of those with whom Worrell grew up and played alongside.

Etched in many, if not most of the minds of cricket aficionados of a certain age, is the iconic photograph which captures the moment when the first Test of the 1960-1961 series between Australia and the West Indies ends in a tie off the very last ball of the match.

Worrell, as captain, is credited with keeping his players relaxed but alert by virtue of his serene leadership. In 1963, he led the team to a 3-1 series victory over England, before retiring from cricket.

After that, he became warden of Irvine Hall at the Jamaican campus of the University of the West Indies and was appointed to the Jamaican senate in 1962. This exemplifies his sense of public duty, although he did say that he was not suited to politics.

It should be noted that these positions were in Jamaica, not his native island of Barbados, which he had left in 1947. It seems that he preferred the bigger island, which offered more job opportunities and represented an escape from the cloying color bar in Barbados that, according to the British colonial secretary in 1942, “divides the races more effectively than a mountain chain.”

Worrell was a federalist and nowhere was this more evident than in his captaincy. The West Indies is not one cricketing nation, but a collection of players from 13 independent island countries of different histories, cultures, religions and social mores.

Prior to Worrell becoming captain in 1960, the previous six captains had all been white, their positions reflecting ongoing systemic racial bias. But by 1960, a wind of change was blowing. Worrell’s appointment shut the door forever on the process by which a West Indian captain would be chosen based on race and color.

Worrell showed that it was possible to be black and successful. He knew that his players were all individually good and sought, successfully, to weld them into a cohesive force, with clarity of purpose. No longer were they to be treated as subordinates.

His passion for social equality extended beyond cricket. We will never know what he may have achieved in broader society had he lived longer. What is apparent is that the dominating Test teams for which he sowed the seeds no longer exist.

In their place are T20 players who have earned riches far beyond those which Worrell could ever have envisaged when advocating for social justice.


Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat
Updated 22 May 2025
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Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat
  • Mitchell Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs
  • Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday.

Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs.

Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

“We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we’d stopped them at 210-220 it would’ve been better, that was a huge difference,” said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill.

“Getting momentum back will be key in the next game.”

Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs.

Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament’s highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O’Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27.

Sudharsan’s opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35.

Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over.

Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O’Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat’s fate.

“We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle,” said O’Rourke.

Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl.

Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore.

Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game.

The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117.

Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes.

Lucknow’s struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out.

The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.


The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
Updated 22 May 2025
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The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
  • Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness and intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket

Some cricketers possess an unmistakable presence when they walk out to bat. Vivian Richards of the West Indies was one. He swaggered, smiled, oozed confidence and menace, chewed gum and eschewed a helmet in favor of a cap. His style of entrance may have set a precedent for others to build their own individual brands as cricketers in an era of universal television coverage. 

Chris Gayle, another West Indian, the self-styled “Universe Boss,” was one who did that across all formats. An imposing presence as soon as he stepped onto the cricket field, Gayle took to the T20 format very quickly, establishing himself as a free-scoring, aggressive batter to be feared. He also proved himself at Test level, capable of batting at length. In 2010, he batted almost 10 hours in scoring 333 against Sri Lanka, becoming only the fourth batsman to score two Test triples. Both Gayle and Richards now live out of the limelight, their cricketing reputations intact.

In previous eras, the great and charismatic players of the time did not have the media exposure that is available to current players. In the immediate years after 1945, Denis Compton of England and Keith Miller of Australia were two players who excited crowds with their charisma, becoming icons at a time of national recovery from war. Compton was one of the first cricketers to be used in consumer advertising, as the face of Brylcreem, a hair cream. 

It is now commonplace for cricketers to endorse consumer products, other than cricket equipment. A number of them have developed their own brand values. An outstanding example of this is Virat Kohli, who has transcended his ability as a cricketer to become an international icon. His decision to retire from Test cricket, announced on Instagram on May 12 to 271 million followers, has sparked a deluge of tributes. These have focussed on his place in the game and his contribution to it, especially to Test cricket, for which he has been an outspoken champion. 

In this respect, it is a disappointment to many that Kohli will not be a part of the Indian team that will play five Tests in England between June 20 and Aug. 4. Neither will his successor as captain, Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7. Both players retired from international T20 cricket after India won the T20 World Cup in June 2024, under Sharma’s captaincy. The two were different in both batting and leadership styles but have been instrumental in guiding India to recent trophy success.

Sharma retires with 4,301 runs in 67 Test matches, averaging 40.57. His recent form has been poor, having made only one 50 in 15 innings since his last Test hundred against England in Dharamsala in March 2024. Sharma was captain in 2024, when India was surprisingly beaten 3-0 at home by New Zealand and 3-1 away by Australia, where he sat out the decisive fifth Test in Sydney. In the same series, Kohli, although scoring a hundred in the first Test, endured a dip in form. His frustrations at what appeared to be waning abilities surfaced in an unseemly incident during the fourth Test at Melbourne. 

At the end of the tenth over of Australia’s innings, 19-year-old debutant, Sam Konstas, walked toward his opening partner at the non-striker’s end. He was looking at his gloves, when Kohli, who was walking in the opposite direction from his fielding position, made shoulder contact with Konstas. Commentators remarked that Kohli had walked one whole pitch over to his right and appeared to have instigated the confrontation.

Kohli was sanctioned for a breach of conduct and fined 20 percent of his match fees, which he accepted. Perhaps the act was that of an aging lion attempting to curb a rising cub, of whose talent he was envious. Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness, intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket.

This has not endeared him to opposition supporters. I have witnessed and heard comments by English supporters that have been uncomplimentary — not that Kohli has been afraid to take on opposition supporters with words and provocative gestures. There has always been a sense that he has escaped censure for transgressions and acts for which others would have received punishment.

On the field, whether fielding, captaining or batting, Kohli’s presence and actions were ones that demanded attention. His passion for Test cricket shone through, as evidenced in his retirement statement in which he said, “I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”

In it, Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests to stand fourth in India’s all-time list of Test run-scorers after Tendulkar, Dravid and Gavaskar. He also captained India in 68 of his Tests, winning 40 of them, which makes him the country’s most successful leader in the format. Such a record is a reflection not only of his hunger for runs, but his desire to win and for those around him to strive for excellence. His own commitment to physical fitness has become legendary and aspirational for young Indians, who seek to emulate his appearance.

It is not clear if there was any single reason for Kohli’s decision to retire. One consideration is form. The Test hundred in Australia last November was his first in 15 innings in the previous 16 months. In Australia, he scored 190 runs in nine innings, averaging just 23.75, which compares with a final Test average of 46.85. Since January 2020, he has averaged 30.72, scoring only three centuries in 39 Tests. Another consideration was the curbing, by the national board, of the size and composition of the support groups for players while on tour. One factor that does not seem to have been widely discussed is the impact of Sharma’s retirement.

Of course, Kohli has not slipped into the shadows. In IPL 2025, he has scored more than 500 runs and he still wishes to play ODI cricket for India. His retirement appears to be a carefully managed process. Off the field, his brand value and product endorsement strategy has been carefully curated to mirror his fitness-oriented lifestyle, fashion sense, family orientation and appeal across the whole Indian demographic. Kohli has also invested in a number of start-up ventures to ensure exposure outside of mainstream advertising. Unlike other famous cricketers, he will not be living quietly in retirement. 

There is little doubt that Virat Kohli has an aura about him on and off the pitch. He leaves a huge gap in the Test arena and there is a worry that his advocacy of it may not be continued by his successors. Kohli has said that, “There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no-one sees but that stay with you forever.” Self-reflection is not a characteristic that springs immediately to mind about Kohli, who admits that the journey has “tested me, shaped me and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.” He leaves an indelible mark on both Indian and global cricket in which his stature was invariably imperial, not just when going out to bat.       


Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players

Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players
Updated 21 May 2025
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Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players

Coach Edwards set to introduce minimum fitness standard for England players
  • Former batter Edwards, who captained England in more than 200 matches, replaced coach Jon Lewis last month amid England’s efforts to revive their form ahead of this year’s 50-over World Cup in India

England coach Charlotte Edwards is rolling out a “minimum fitness standard” and calling for more accountability in the area from players after a 16-0 whitewash in the multi-format Women’s Ashes earlier this year.
Former batter Edwards, who captained England in more than 200 matches, replaced coach Jon Lewis last month amid England’s efforts to revive their form ahead of this year’s 50-over World Cup in India.
“The players are very aware there will be minimum fitness standards come this time next year... there has to be more accountability in the area,” Edwards said on Tuesday, a day before her first match as England coach.
“Before the World Cup it is about individuals improving as much as they can in that time... I am not going to set fitness standards (now) because there haven’t been any standards in place.”
Edwards said the players had spent the last few weeks working hard to improve their fielding, an aspect of the game that came under heavy criticism during their dismal Ashes campaign.
“Physically they are in a really good place as well and we have some great fielders within our T20 squad. It’s a big part of the game and we know that,” Edwards added.
England host West Indies in three T20 matches and three One-Day Internationals between May 21-June 7, with India visiting for a limited-overs tour later next month.


Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
Updated 20 May 2025
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Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

Thailand win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
  • Thailand beat Nepal by 78 runs in the final match of the Super 3 stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

The final match of the Super 3 stage of the ICC Asia Women’s T20 Qualifier for the 2026 World Cup saw Thailand face Nepal on May 20th in Bangkok. Both teams had already progressed to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier by virtue of defeating the UAE in the Super Three stage. Therefore, the prize was to become overall winners of the tournament.

Prior to the match, Indu Barma, the captain of Nepal, talked of Nepal’s long journey, stretching back 17 years. She noted that reaching the Global Qualifier will represent their first time of playing on the world stage.

In December 2008, Nepal played in the Asia Cricket Council’s (ACC) U19 Women’s Championship held in Chiang Mai, where the team won every match, including victories over Thailand in the semifinals and Malaysia in the final. It looked as though Nepal was about to dominate associate women’s cricket in Asia.

It was not to be, largely because Thailand won the 2013 ACC Women’s Championship in Chiang Mai, thereby qualifying for the Global Qualifier for the first time, traveling to Ireland later that year. Since then, Thailand has played in each Qualifier, even making it to the T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2020.

Over that time, the UAE has made steady progress, reaching three global qualifiers. Defeats to both Thailand and Nepal in Bangkok have put an end to hopes of a reaching fourth and is a real setback for them. They were well beaten in both matches of the Super 3.

In the first match, Thailand scored 144 for 5 in 20 overs. Nattaya Boochatham laid the base with a patient 49, whilst Natthakan Chantham hit powerfully to post an unbeaten 46 from 20 balls. Nannapat Khonchaeronkai gave further impetus to the innings with 39, Thailand scored 98 in the second half of the innings.

UAE lost wickets from the start, falling to 39 for four in the ninth over. Heena Hotchandani’s 32 took UAE to 90 for 5 in 20 overs, 54 runs short, as Thipatcha Putthawong claimed 2 for 27.

In the second match, the following day, Nepal asked UAE to bat first. Esha Oza made sure UAE preserved their wickets in the first half of the innings, a sound strategy at this level, but she was out at the crucial time for a run a ball thirty-nine, as left-arm spinner, Manisha Upadhayay, took the first of her four wickets.

A total of 114 for 7 looked to be a little light, especially as the UAE’s bowlers fought hard to reduce Nepal to 62 for 4 in the 13th over. Then, Rubina Chhetry, who has played throughout the last seventeen years, joined the current captain, Indu Barna. In a determined partnership, as rain threatened to fall, their experience guided Nepal to 99 for six, when Chhetry was out. It was left to Barma to guide the team to a five-wicket win with only three deliveries to spare.

Nepal’s delight was the UAE’s heartbreak. The only question which remained in the tournament was could Nepal also beat the powerful Thailand side that had been dominant for the past decade and more?

Nattaya Boochatham has been one of the players at the heart of Thailand’s success with both bat and ball. Younger players, such as her opening partner, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, are being introduced. She helped Thailand reach 34 in the powerplay as they again tried to establish a solid base. It was not until the thirteenth over that Aphisara was out for 29 in an opening partnership of 75.

Boochatham reached her second fifty in T20Is from 40 balls and Nannapat Khoncharoenkai started well as Thailand were 98 for 1 off fifteen overs. Khonchcharoenkai hit a trio of boundaries before Boochatham was caught at deep mid-wicket, Thailand losing a second wicket on 111.

Twelve runs were added in the 17th and 18th overs. Khoncharoenkai hit another pair of boundaries in the 19th over to move on to 48 and, after Natthakan Chantam hit two fours, Khoncharoenkai reached her seventh T20I fifty in 28 balls. The final total was 158 for 2, which is Thailand’s third best in T20Is.

Although eleven runs were scored off the first over, Nepal never got to grips with the chase, falling to 16 for 2 after four overs. This situation worsened when Onnicha Kamchomphu bowled the Nepal captain, Indu Barna. A score of 30 for three became 34 for four and 54 for five after fifteen overs. In the nineteenth over, Kamchomphu broke the back of Nepal’s innings with a hat-trick, culminating in impressive figures of four for eleven in four overs. Despite resistance from Rubina Chhetry, Nepal scored only 80 for the loss of nine wickets after 20 overs.

Throughout the tournament Thailand reasserted its superiority. Nannapat Khoncharoenkai was named player of the match for her brilliant fifty and she also won the player of the tournament award. Thiphatcha Putthawong was given the bowler of the tournament award with eight wickets and Esha Osha was awarded the batter of the tournament award with 175 runs.

Osha was disappointed with her dismissal in the match against Nepal, as a few more runs scored by the UAE may have been too many for Nepal to chase successfully. She felt the loss to Nepal had wasted two years of cricket for the UAE. This is likely to be only a temporary setback. Nepal’s never give up attitude should be a lesson to all.

UAE will have ODI cricket to look forward to for the first time. The countries ranked between twelve and sixteen at this level in the world rankings all want to play 50-over cricket and the UAE will have further opportunities to play more competitive T20 cricket as well. Osha is a fine player at this level and should be able to lead UAE to renewed success in women’s cricket. There is much to look forward to for each of the Super 3 teams.


Abhishek blitz knocks Lucknow out of IPL playoff race

Abhishek blitz knocks Lucknow out of IPL playoff race
Updated 20 May 2025
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Abhishek blitz knocks Lucknow out of IPL playoff race

Abhishek blitz knocks Lucknow out of IPL playoff race
  • Lucknow became the fifth team to bow out of the playoff contention leaving five-time champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to battle for one remaining spot
  • Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are already through to the playoffs starting May 29

LUCKNOW, India: Opener Abhishek Sharma struck 59 off 20 balls as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets on Monday to end their opponents’ chances of reaching the IPL playoffs.

Chasing 206 for victory, Abhishek set up the chase with his blitz laced with four fours and six sixes as Hyderabad achieved the target with 10 balls to spare in Lucknow.

Abhishek departed in the eighth over before Heinrich Klaasen, who hit 47, and Kamindu Mendis, who retired hurt on 32, guided the team to the brink of victory with their fourth-wicket partnership of 55.

Lucknow became the fifth team to bow out of the playoff contention leaving five-time champions Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to battle for one remaining spot.

“Definitely it could have been one of our best seasons but coming into the tournament we had a lot of gaps, injuries,” said disappointed Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant.

“As a team we decided to not talk about that but it became difficult to fill those gaps.”

Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are already through to the playoffs starting May 29.

It was a consolation win for Hyderabad, who were already out of the playoffs although captain Pat Cummins said the win “gives (us) a lot of confidence for next year.”

The left-handed Abhishek took on the attack after he lost his opening partner Atharva Taide, who became New Zealand quick Will O’Rourke’s first wicket on his IPL debut.

Abhishek hit five sixes, including three in succession off Ravi Bishnoi, to reach his fifty in 18 balls and followed it up with another hit over the fence.

Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi cut short Abhishek’s knock and Hyderabad lost another left-hander Ishan Kishan on 35 before South Africa’s Klaasen and Sri Lankan left-hander Mendis controlled the chase.

Shardul Thakur denied Klaasen his fifty and Mendis hobbled off with a foot injury before Nitish Reddy and Aniket Verma sealed the win.

Earlier Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram laid the foundations for Lucknow’s 205-7 in their opening stand of 115.

Marsh top-scored with 65 in a knock laced with six fours and four sixes and Markram hit 61 before Nicholas Pooran contributed with his 26-ball 45 to boost the total.

The rest of the batters failed to get into double figures including another flop for Pant, who fell caught and bowled for seven off Sri Lanka seam bowler Eshan Malinga.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Pant has failed to fire since Lucknow splashed a record $3.21 million on him at the November auction, scoring just 135 runs from 11 innings this IPL season.

Lucknow pace bowlers including Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav struggled with injuries leading into the tournament and during the season as well.

Malinga stood out with figures of 2-28 in his four overs.

Pooran missed out on his fifty in an attempt to steal a single in the 20th over which witnessed two run outs and another wicket.

The IPL is into its final phase and restarted Saturday after it was paused due to a conflict between India and Pakistan.

Since the pause in the IPL, the tournament has been rescheduled with the final now set to take place on June 3.