Chennai Super Kings finally have something solid to build on this season. After a poor start, two consecutive wins have given head coach Stephen Fleming the reassurance he was looking for. The results may not indicate dominance, but they have halted the decline and restored confidence within the group.

The great achievement is not just the wins, but how they came about. CSK showed more intent, better execution and a willingness to adapt, something that was missing earlier. Even without MS Dhoni, the team has started working with more clarity.

There are still shortcomings, especially in fielding and top-order consistency, but the mood has changed. In a season where many teams are struggling for momentum, CSK’s mini revival could prove decisive if they build on this.

Once in a blue moon, there comes a moment that makes you believe fairy tales are real, and one such story unfolds in a small West Midlands town. Coventry City have ended their 25-year exile from the Premier League, sealing direct promotion with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

Coventry, one of Premier League founding members In 1992–93, they did not play in the competition following their relegation in the 2000–01 season. So when centre-back Bobby Thomas scored the equalizer in the final minutes, the 7,500 traveling fans were bound to cry like children – crying, going topless, and holding signs saying “We’re back”.

“It was an incredible moment (when Thomas scored),” Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard told Sky Sports. “We knew we were almost there, but to finally get over the line after 25 years – wow! This is amazing. What the fans have been through.”

As the achievement sunk in, former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard also became emotional, as it was his first promotion as a manager.

He said, “This is a serious football club. These boys have achieved something unique. It’s perfect for me.” “I was fortunate to be part of great Chelsea teams, winning league titles and the Champions League, but to do so – I am very proud to be their manager.”

Financial benefits?

it Promotion to the top level not only takes them back to the promised land but also brings in broadcast revenues of approximately £120 million. In addition to base revenue, clubs will benefit from qualification payments, which are distributed based on the team’s final league position. For the team finishing above each place in the Premier League table, they typically earn an additional £2.5 million to £3 million in prize money.

Coventry had spent 34 consecutive seasons in England’s top flight following their promotion in 1967, surviving countless relegation battles before finally going down in 2000–01, finishing 19th in the table.

The club achieved promotion after six years in the Championship, topping the table with 86 points from 43 games – 13 points ahead of third-placed Millwall, who could no longer catch them with three matches left to play.

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Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo.

The famous slogan of Kolkata Knight Riders has a simple yet powerful meaning in Bengali – We will do, we will fight, we will win. It reflects the identity of a franchise built on resilience, fight and the belief in always finding a way.

But this season, those words have felt far from reality. in six matches IPL 2026, KKR have shown glimpses of fight, moments where they looked ready to turn things around, but the last part of that slogan – winning – has completely deserted them. Five losses, one match abandoned, and just one point on the table. It has been a dramatic decline for the three-time champions.

GT vs KKR, IPL 2026: highlighted | Achievement:

From the auction table to the decisions taken on the field this season, many will be pointing fingers at the team management and captain Ajinkya Rahane.

But ultimately, KKR’s biggest problem has been much simpler than strategy or combination – they have failed to execute the fundamentals of the game.

defeat to gujarat titans It was another cruel reminder of that and showed how far the mighty 2024 champions have fallen.

And perhaps no phase summed up their season better than the final six overs in Ahmedabad, where Cameron Green fought like a lone warrior, only to be left stranded as KKR were completely defeated.

Green steps forward finally

Green entered the fight against GT with almost the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.

Fifty-six runs and just one wicket in five matches, is not what you expect from your Rs 25.2 crore contract. When you spend so much, you want to be Superman – the guy who stops the train before it derails.

To his credit, Green did exactly that with the bat.

KKR once again failed in the power play and could score only 37 runs in six overs with three wickets already falling.

He, along with Rovman Powell, scored at a strike rate that might not fit into the modern T20 game, but that was what KKR needed at that time.

And then, as soon as Powell was out, it appeared as if Green had torn off his shirt to reveal the Superman logo on his chest.

He changed gears completely. Rashid Khan had to bear the full brunt of this and he was out after scoring 33 runs in just 18 balls.

One of the areas where KKR struggled throughout the season was the middle overs with the bat. But that script changed in Ahmedabad. Kolkata scored more than 100 runs between 7 and 15 overs.

At the end of 14 overs, KKR were scoring 139 runs for 4 wickets, in which Green was playing with 69 runs in 41 balls. At that time, you expected him to go beyond 200. Instead, they somehow managed to get out after scoring just 180 runs.

So what happened in the next six overs? How did those 36 balls become the decisive fall of the night and our game of the day?

KKR’s brainfed

Before reaching Ahmedabad, let’s go back to 2022. At the Brabourne Stadium against Rajasthan Royals, KKR witnessed one of the most astonishing brainfades. Chasing 218, they were at 178 for 4 after 16 overs.

Then, out of nowhere, everything fell apart. Four wickets fell in the 17th over as the batsmen sought fame instead of playing smart cricket. Instead of looking at Yuzvendra Chahal, he tried to attack him and gave away the game.

This was negligence. And a similar strange incident came to light in Ahmedabad also.

It started with Anukul Roy trying to hit a big shot against Prasidh Krishna and throwing away his wicket. Then came Rinku Singh and you expected that the man who had once created history on the same ground would be smarter. After all, he is the vice-captain of the team.

But he also fell in almost the same manner and Rabada got his third wicket. Ramandeep Singh came forward and made a brilliant start – two sixes and a four, 17 runs off just seven balls.
And then? Another big shot. Another catch. One more wicket.

Sunil Narine followed the same script. Trying to grow up. To get it wrong. Went.

And during all this chaos, Cameron Green was standing on the other end – just watching.

Not batting. Just watching. Like everyone else at home and inside the stadium, he too had become a spectator of the carnage.

Green was on 75 off 44 balls when Anukul was out in 14.4 overs. He did not get another strike till 17.1.

Just one.

Score: 76 runs from 45.

By then the momentum had completely ended.

Green got the strike back midway through the 19th over and played three dot balls before taking a single to retain the strike for the final over. He also tried a ramp shot which went nowhere and bounced just ahead of the GT fielders.

Score: 78 out of 50.

He could score only one run on the first three balls of the last over, after which he got four lucky runs. And then he finally fell into the hands of Rasheed, who took his revenge.

Final Score: 79 out of 55.

To top it all off, Green’s innings against GT progressed like this.

• 1-10: 6 runs
• 11-20: 11 runs
• 21-30: 16 runs
• 31-40: 35 runs
• 41-50: 10 runs
• 51-55: 1 run

And the result was that KKR did not take the ploy and left their in-form batsman starving for runs when that could have changed everything.

“Every batsman coming out there wanted to hit a four or a six for himself. When you have a set batsman at the other end, you have to face just 2 balls in those 3.5 overs. I mean, that’s basic cricket. We heard Angkrish Raghuvanshi before the start of the game, where he said, look, we want to go back to the basics.” Anil Kumble said on JioHotstar’s post-match segment.

“Those are the basics, where you have a set batsman at the other end, let him strike. You don’t want to go out there and then hit those fours and sixes. Yes, if there’s an opportunity, do that, but give him a chance to score big, and he was set; he knew the bowlers. They were under the pump, GT bowlers, and then you let it go, and I think it was definitely a game-changing moment for GT to come back in that game, ” he said.

Although you feel sorry for Green, it was a mistake on his part too. As a set batsman, he should have taken more responsibility to finish the innings and find a way to form strikes.

Ultimately the difference of 20 to 30 runs proved costly for KKR. Despite scoring below 180, he challenged GT with the ball push them till the last over And lost with two balls remaining.

Another game was lost. Another defeat added to the tally.

And for the three-time champions, the season now seems as if they are slipping away faster than they can stop it.

When the campaign finally ends, this six-over collapse in Ahmedabad may be the moment they look back on with the most regret.

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tune in

Shubman GillKagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj had already set up the win with disciplined and incisive new-ball spells to seal a spectacular five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026 on Friday.Rabada (3/29) and Siraj (2/23) tore apart the KKR top order, making full use of the movement and early support provided by the pitch. Their early successes caused KKR to struggle to 37 for 3 in the powerplay, a collapse from which they never fully recovered.

Despite early damage, KKR found resistance cameron greenWho played alone but with determination, scoring 79 runs in 55 balls. This was his most impressive innings of the season, featuring controlled aggression and strong partnerships with Rovman Powell and Anusul Roy. However, routine wickets at the other end prevented him from making match-defining stands.Green also enjoyed a few moments of luck, escaping an early LBW shout, seeing an edge run out for four, and being dropped by Washington Sundar for 62. Nevertheless, he continued to keep KKR afloat before falling in the final over Rashid Khan.In reply, Gujarat Titans quickly regained control, with Gill dictating the terms in the powerplay. He hit three fours and a six in the first three overs, including a brilliant straight drive that set the stage for the chase.Gill then took his innings beautifully, combining control with flow. His innings of 86 runs included eight fours and four sixes as he ensured that GT remained ahead throughout the chase despite the occasional fall of wickets.Sai Sudarshan first provided early support jos buttler Quick encouragement was added with an aggressive cameo by hitting a four and a six soon after reaching the crease.Although KKR managed to take wickets in the middle overs, they were unable to create sustained pressure. GT’s batting depth ensured that there were no major hurdles while marching towards the target.Earlier, KKR had a bad start to the innings. Ajinkya Rahane Siraj had to become the victim of a golden duck in the initial over. Rabada then struck twice more, including a sharp outswinger that edged Angkrish Raghuvanshi and edged out short-of-length to Tim Seifert, which was caught at point by Glenn Phillips.KKR’s innings could not fully recover from that initial shock, which ensured an easy victory for Gujarat Titans.With this win, Gujarat Titans moved up to fourth place in the IPL 2026 points table, while Kolkata Knight Riders remained at the bottom after another defeat.