There was a heated argument between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Wicketkeeper sanju samson And Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batsman heinrich classen There was an uproar after the latter’s dismissal during the IPL 2026 match in Chennai on Monday.The incident happened on the third ball of SRH’s 15th over when Noor Ahmed stumped Klaasen. Bowling from over the wicket, Noor bowled a googly outside the off stump as Klaasen attempted to create space and play inside-out shots. The ball spun away, hit the outside edge and Samson quickly removed the bails before Klaasen could drag his back foot inside the crease. Samson’s quick glove work was compared to that of former CSK captain MS Dhoni. Klaasen was out after scoring 47 runs in 26 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.As Klaasen walked back, he exchanged words with Samson near the pitch. The SRH batsman also turned around while walking towards the dugout and continued the verbal exchange, making it clear that the conversation was not friendly.SRH eventually won the match by 5 wickets. He qualified for the playoffs with GT.Earlier, Pat Cummins took three wickets to help restrict Chennai Super Kings to 180 for seven after the hosts decided to bat first.Samson gave a fast start to CSK by hitting Nitish Kumar Reddy for 6, 4, 4 in the opening over and scored 17 runs. After this, he hit three consecutive fours on Prafulla Hinge in the second over.Cummins brought himself into the attack in the third over and dismissed Samson after Ishan Kishan completed a catch behind the stumps.Urvil Patel hit two sixes off Cummins before being dismissed by Saqib Hussain on a slower ball.CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Karthik Sharma added 42 runs for the third wicket. Karthik scored 32 runs in 19 balls and played shots which included an inside-out four off Hinge and a six against Shivang Kumar.Before dismissing Gaikwad with a short ball, Cummins dismissed Karthik with a slower ball outside the off stump. Gaikwad scored 15 runs in 21 balls before dismissing Ishan Malinga in the deep.Dewald Brevis then scored 44 runs in 27 balls and added 59 runs with Shivam Dubey to help CSK recover. Brewis hit sixes off Cummins and Nitish during his innings, before Malinga bowled him with a 141 kmph ball.Dubey and the lower-order batsmen tried to push CSK past 200, but the team finished at 180/7.

Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad faced a nightmare in the team’s last home match of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, May 18. After electing to bat first in a must-win encounter, Gaikwad struggled badly for pace and slowed down CSK’s innings at the crucial stage of the game.

Opening the batting with Sanju Samson, Ruturaj attempted to get the innings going on the difficult Chepauk surface. However, in an era where anchor batsmen often operate at strike rates above 140, the CSK skipper could manage just 15 runs off 21 balls and eventually lost his wicket in the 12th over.

CSK vs SRH, IPL 2026: Updates | Achievement:

At the time of his dismissal, Chennai had scored only 100 runs despite having the wicket in hand, putting additional pressure on the middle order in a game they could not afford to lose.

This slow innings was immediately criticized by fans on social media, especially as the batsmen around him looked far more comfortable with the speed of the surface. While Ruturaj scored at a strike rate of just 71.4, Sanju Samson, Karthik Sharma and Urvil Patel all batted at strike rates above 160 during their respective cameos.

Was the Chennai pitch difficult?

A major factor behind Ruturaj’s struggles appears to be the nature of the MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch. Chennai Super Kings had used a black clay surface in an apparent attempt to neutralize Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive batting lineup.

Although this tactic may have been aimed at slowing down SRH later in the match, it also trapped CSK’s own captain.

Ruturaj looked particularly uncomfortable against the cutters and slower balls bowled by Pat Cummins and Saqib Hussain. Instead of taking risks, the opener mainly focused on rotating the strike and protecting his wicket, a strategy that never allowed CSK to break free during the middle overs.

Remarkably, Ruturaj failed to hit a single four in his entire innings, ending without hitting a four or a six in one of the slowest innings ever. IPL 2026 season.

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New Delhi: “My 14 years of struggle came true today.” These were the words McNeil Hadley Noronha said to his coach Irfan Sait after getting the call. Chennai Super Kings. Sait says the most emotional he has ever seen was the Karnataka all-rounder, who struggled to contain himself after learning that he would be joining the CSK squad for the remaining matches. IPL 2026.As reported in this masthead, the five-time IPL champions signed Noronha as an injury replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh earlier this week, with the move later confirmed via an official IPL statement.“Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have named a replacement for Ramakrishna Ghosh, who injured his right leg during the game against Mumbai Indians on May 3. He has been ruled out of the season. McNeil Noronha will join CSK for Rs 30 lakh as a replacement for Ghosh,” the IPL said in a release.

the call finally came

Noronha was at home when the call came around 4 pm. CSK informed him that he would have to join the team the next day. He immediately called Sait.“Ever since I started training him, it’s the first time I’ve seen him so emotional. It was years of hard work that finally resulted in Noronha. He was invited by four franchises – Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings – for trials. He performed really well there and eventually, CSK picked him. I’m really happy for this kid. He has struggled a lot and worked hard for this day. Shreyas Gopal guided him very well,” SAT told TimesofIndia.com.Sait believes that Noronha’s biggest strength is the balance he brings as a cricketer.“He is a good-natured God-given cricketer. I would say he is an all-format player. He has always been a positive batsman. The beauty about him is that he doesn’t even look aggressive.” He has his own style of batting – very smooth and very calm – but he hits the ball very far. When he strikes the ball, he makes it look very comfortable,” he said.

A domestic season that changed everything

The 24-year-old had already built momentum through a strong domestic season. Noronha topped the run charts in the CK Nayudu Trophy with 1037 runs in eight matches and was later awarded the BCCI Naman Award.He also played a major role in Mangaluru Dragons’ Maharaja Trophy-winning campaign in 2025, scoring 253 runs at a strike rate of 148.82 and contributing 10 wickets.Those performances earned him a call in Karnataka’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy team and the Rest of India Under-23 team.

from dubai to bangalore

Noronha spent most of her childhood in Dubai due to her father’s business commitments. He first started training under SAT at the age of 11, and often traveled to Bengaluru for short training stints at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC).Sait eventually advised the family to move to India permanently to aid his cricket development.Sait said, “At some point, since his roots are in Mangalore, I suggested to him that he should consider relocating as UAE cricket only goes up to the Under-19 level and there is not much structure beyond that. His father continued his business in Dubai, while his mother and sister moved to Bengaluru for their education and cricket.”

McNeil Hadley Noronha (Special Arrangement)

The move left the family split between the two countries for several years.“His parents have sacrificed a lot for the boy. Can you imagine? His father is in Dubai while his mother stayed here to take care of him.” His sister is now married, but both brother and sister were here with their mother, while she lived in Dubai, away from her husband. This was a huge sacrifice. Taking him to the stadium and bringing him back – he did everything. That woman did everything to make sure he was well taken care of and protected,” Sait said.“His CSK call-up should be dedicated to his parents. They have made them proud,” he said.

Yuvraj Singh connection

Although he is a right-handed batsman and off-spinner, Noronha has been a long-time fan of Yuvraj Singh.Sait recalled an incident in 2019, the day Yuvraj announced his retirement from international cricket. Before the semifinals at a private tournament, Noronha approached his coach with an unusual idea.“That day is something I will never forget. Yuvraj had announced his retirement and we had a semi-final match in a private tournament. Noronha came to me and said, ‘Sir, I want to pay tribute to my hero Yuvraj Singh.’ I asked him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘By hitting six sixes in one over.’ I told him, ‘No, don’t try that. This is a semi-final match. If you fail, the team will suffer and lose the match.

McNeil Hadley Noronha (Special Arrangement)

Noronha nevertheless went ahead with the plan.Sait said, “He hit six sixes in an over, won the team the match and took it to the final. We were successful in winning the final as well.”

CSK’s growing injury list

Noronha joins CSK at a time when injuries have heavily disrupted their season. Ramakrishna Ghosh was ruled out with a fractured foot after the game against Mumbai Indians on 2 May.The franchise has also dealt with injuries to Nathan Ellis, Dewald Brewis, Khalil Ahmed, Ayush Mhatre and Jamie Overton, while MS Dhoni is yet to play this season as he is recovering from a calf injury.

Wayne Rooney has criticized Mohamed Salah for publicly questioning Liverpool’s direction under Arne Slot and said the forward should be removed from the club’s final game of the season after showing “disrespect” towards his manager.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former Manchester United FC captain hit back strongly at Salah’s recent comments regarding his desire to bring Liverpool back to the “heavy metal” football played under former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Rooney said the comments were effectively another public jab at Slott and were unfair on a manager preparing for his first full season in charge.

“It saddens me what he did and what he achieved at Liverpool,” Rooney said. “There’s no point for him to come out and take another shot at the slot. He wants to play heavy metal football, so he’s basically saying he wants Jurgen Klopp football.”

Rooney also questioned whether Salah could still cope with the demands of Klopp’s high-intensity style.

“Now I don’t think Mo Salah can cope with that type of football. I think his feet have adapted to playing at that high pace and high intensity,” he said.

The former England captain said Salah’s comments had undermined the slot as he left Liverpool’s dressing room to deal with the consequences ahead of next season.

“He’s almost thrown a grenade and said he doesn’t trust Ernie Slot and he’s almost ousted his teammates who are going to be there next season and they have to deal with that too,” Rooney said.

Salah and Slott have faced a difficult relationship during the season. Earlier in the campaign, Salah accuses Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” Amid disappointment over lack of regular starts.

Despite Salah’s record of 257 goals for Liverpool and his role in the club’s recent successes, Rooney believes the forward’s latest comments have diverted attention from a disappointing season on the pitch.

After scoring 29 league goals during Liverpool’s title-winning campaign last season, Salah has scored 12 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions this year as the club struggles to break into the top five.

“I think Salah is trying to vindicate himself and make himself feel better because he’s had a very bad season,” Rooney said. “So I think he’s been very selfish in what he’s done on two occasions.”

Rooney also recalled his dispute with former manager Alex Ferguson, saying that he was left out of Ferguson’s final home match following a disagreement. He believes Slott should take the same approach to Liverpool’s final match against Brentford FC.

Rooney said, “If I were Ernie Slott, I wouldn’t even have him anywhere near the stadium in the last game.” “He’s your manager. You can’t insult him twice in public and get away with it.”

Rooney said Salah deserves recognition for his achievements at Liverpool but the manner of his exit has marred a proper farewell.

“It’s a shame to see one of the great players of the Premier League leave the Premier League in perhaps this condition,” Rooney said.

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MS Dhoni of Chennai Super Kings playing a shot during a practice session. (PTI photo)

Chennai: Like Chennai Super Kings As we prepare for our final home match of IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, one question has completely clouded the preparations – will MS Dhoni play in Chepauk?The MA Chidambaram Stadium has been at the center of growing anticipation ever since Dhoni’s subtle but interesting training routine on the eve of the match, with fans looking for every possible clue about his availability. “Not happening today!”: Ashwin drops selection bombHowever, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was seen throwing cold water on these speculations with a candid social media post, which instantly went viral and intensified the debate over Dhoni’s role.“Not happening today! In 2027? Maybe. Don’t think there will be any change in batting. Akeal Hosein?” Ashwin posted this ahead of CSK’s last home match of the season against SRH.The timing of the post created a new wave of discussion, with fans interpreting it as a clear indication that Dhoni may not be included in the playing eleven. This also started a fresh conversation about his future.Adding further fuel to this discussion, CSK’s own social media activity increased the speculations. The franchise urged fans to stay for the traditional “lap of honour” after the match, a message that quickly turned into retirement discussion online.“It’s time to pay you back, superfan. Stop by and be a part of our annual ritual – the Lap of Honor!” CSK posted before the Chepauk match. Net session raised hope amid confusionDhoni’s match-eve routine added another layer to the mystery, reports the Indian Express. A padded-up Dhoni was seen taking to the indoor nets without a trainer for the first time in several weeks at 6:30 pm.After light stretching, he spent time in the nets for about 30 minutes, facing throwdowns and spinners, even crossing the boundary several times before returning to the dressing room by 7:30 pm.Dhoni’s availability remains the biggest talking point of CSK’s season. He missed matches due to injury concerns and was subsequently dropped from selection considerations to maintain balance within the eleven.However, the uncertainty is fueling anticipation, especially as CSK is still mathematically in contention for the playoffs. Demand for tickets has soared ahead of the match, with Chepauk expected to be packed out for what could be one of the most emotional nights of the season.Ashwin has increased the intrigueIn another comment that kept the debate alive, Ashwin had earlier suggested that Dhoni has been fit for some time and may still feature, contrary to his latest post.He had said, “I feel that there is a good possibility of MS Dhoni playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad.”

09:26 IST:

Mahmudul Hasan Joy is up for talks – Hasan Joy says he is very happy that he performed better than the previous innings. However, he was a bit shaky as he had batted well in the previous Test match. Regarding the second day’s batting, he says that he was very happy with the late rise of the sun. Regarding playing his aggressive shots, he says that he felt the surface was good for batting as the balls were coming onto the bat well, which gave him more confidence in playing his shots. When asked about Bangladesh’s plans on the third day, he said that they did not have any definite plans in mind, but they would like to take their time and build on their innings.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals (ANI photo)

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has dominated IPL 2026 with his fearless batting at the top, creating explosive starts almost every time he comes on the field. Rajasthan Royals. The 15-year-old hasn’t always converted those starts into big scores, but his impact in the powerplay has consistently set the stage for RR innings. Suryavanshi has now scored 486 runs in 12 matches this season, which includes one century and two half-centuries. Their aggressive intent has regularly taken Rajasthan past 60 runs in the first six overs, giving their middle order a strong platform to build on. He once again made a strong impact against Delhi Capitals and scored 46 off just 21 balls as RR reached 75/1 at the end of the powerplay in another high-tempo start. In the process, the 15-year-old opener overtook Abhishek SharmaThe previous record of 42 sixes in IPL 2024 and now alone tops this season with 43 sixes. The milestone highlighted the fearless batting approach that has turned Suryavanshi into one of the biggest stars of IPL 2026. Speaking during the broadcast, RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara praised the young player’s intent and said the team is focusing more on his impact than conversion rates. Sangakkara said, “Not much but 30 runs should be taken on any given day, especially the pace at which he gets them. Yes, he has not continued as much as we would like or he would like. But I think the fact that he is hitting the ball well, he is giving us really fast starts, and we have six to seven other batsmen who can really keep the pressure on and build on those partnerships.” He said that Suryavanshi’s biggest strength is his natural approach towards batting. He said, “The most exciting thing is how he looks at batting. He looks at it the way we all should look at it as a 15-year-old kid. He loves it, he bats for long periods of time and that’s the most exciting thing. He really reads the game as well, so it’s not just random hitting with him.” Sangakkara also stressed that RR should avoid overloading him with technical instructions. “She’s very curious, but I’m very careful not to have too long conversations with her. He just needs to rest and bat. If we talk, it is about things other than cricket. A few things here and there, but I like to leave him alone to enjoy what he does.” On preparation, Sangakkara revealed that conversations in the nets are more about reading situations than technical improvements. “In the nets, those are the things we really talk about. When he practices, we chat to him about what the bowlers can do, and he has an idea of ​​what they can do with them – short balls, swinging yorkers. So we’ll practice them a little bit, but the most we tell him is just to commit. Whatever you do and decide to do, you have to be 100% committed to that choice,” he explained. When Sangakkara was asked whether he plays an advisory or father-like role, he clearly said that Suryavanshi does not need that level of intervention. He said, “No, no. He doesn’t need it at all. He’s a much better player than me, so he needs a little help but not too much.”

Elina Svitolina scripted one of the most emotional wins of her career after winning the 2026 Italian Open title in Rome, and no one looked prouder than her husband Gael Monfils. Moments after Svitolina’s stunning win, Monfils shared an emotional tribute on social media that instantly resonated with tennis fans around the world.

On Saturday, Svitolina defeated Coco Gauff in a thrilling three-set final, winning 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2 and reclaiming the clay-court title after an eight-year wait. Monfils also praised Svitolina’s resilience and strength during her comeback journey after motherhood, saying that she continues to inspire her every day.

“Eight years. Eight years to get back on top of the Masters 1000. What a season, what a week, what a player. But above all, what a woman. An incredible mother to Skye, an extraordinary athlete, a soul like no other,” Monfils wrote.

“I’m so proud of you, my love. Of your strength, of your peace, of everything you quietly carry day after day. You inspire me every day. Enjoy it, soak it all in. You deserve every second of it. I love you,” Monfils said.

Svitolina’s victory in Rome marked a notable milestone in her career. After becoming a mother in 2022 and battling injuries in recent seasons, the Ukrainian has fully re-established herself among the top players on the WTA Tour. She also captured her first WTA 1000 title after giving birth to my daughter Ending an eight-year wait between their Rome crowns.

How did Svitolina beat Gauff?

Against Gauff, Svitolina started aggressively, using her movement and defensive skills to frustrate Gauff in long rallies before winning the opening set 6–4.

Gauff made a strong comeback in the second set and forced a tiebreak, where the American player raised her level and took the match to the deciding set. However, Svitolina completely dominated the third set with her consistency from the baseline and her ability to absorb pressure before counterattacking at the right time.

The title was historically significant for Svitolina. She became the Italian Open champion three times, having previously won the tournament in 2017 and 2018.

Her performance in Rome was exceptional, as she defeated top names including Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Gauff on her way to the title. In doing so, Svitolina became the oldest player to defeat three top-five opponents in a single WTA 1000 event since 1990, surpassing Serena Williams’ previous record.

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Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag (AP Photo)

Riyan Parag after this there was no turning back Rajasthan RoyalsA five-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals in a crucial IPL 2026 encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, openly admitting that his team let the game slip away from a winnable position. RR were firmly in control at 160 for 2 in 14 overs, and looked set for a score of 220-230, but a dramatic collapse began Mitchell StarcWith the help of four wickets, their score became 193 runs for 8 wickets. After this, Delhi Capitals achieved the target in just 19.2 overs. Parag, who led the way and scored 51 runs, described the middle and death overs as the turning point. “Actually, almost everything. We were in a pretty good position after 14 overs. After I got out, we just couldn’t take advantage of it. It had to be 220-230, something like that,” he said. He also defended his tactical call of bringing Donovan Ferreira into the attack during the middle overs, a move that did not yield results. “Ferreira was not a gamble. I know it looks like a gamble on TV, but then you have two left-handers. I would rather bowl Donovan than have Shanaka bowl another over, take a chance. It didn’t really work out.” Parag was equally critical of RR’s overall performance, especially in the field. “Too bad. I think if you want to win trophies, if you want to be competitive every year, you have to be better than what we did today. Extremely disappointed.” He also pointed to a worrying drop in standards compared to recent games. “I think we are a much better team than what we have played or shown in the last 4-5 games. But today… energy-wise, skill-wise, execution-wise, it was definitely not up to the mark. And if we keep playing like this, we should not be in the race for the top 4.” With RR still in the race for the playoffs but under pressure, Parag made it clear that there can be no reliance on other results. “I don’t like leading like this… We had the opportunity, we didn’t take it. So if we don’t deserve, it’s our fault. Not anyone else’s.” First, KL Rahul (56), Abhishek Porel (51), Akshar Patel (34*) and Ashutosh Sharma gave DC the win after Starc’s match-turning magic broke RR’s strong start.

Punjab Kings lost their sixth consecutive match in the Indian Premier League 2026 season, taking them to the brink of elimination from the playoff race. A team that was unbeaten in the first half of the season has suddenly fallen apart and is not looking forward to winning at the moment.

While the on-field performance has been disappointing, Punjab has also faced scrutiny for several controversies off the field. From Yuzvendra Chahal’s in-flight vaping video Arshdeep Singh called Tilak Verma ‘dark’Difficulties are increasing one after another for the team led by Shreyas Iyer.

PBKS vs RCB: highlighted | Achievement:

However, as Punjab looks likely to miss out on the playoffs, bowling coach James Hopes does not believe so off field controversy Are responsible for the downfall of the team

According to Hopes, Punjab’s season deteriorated as they repeatedly failed to control the tempo in games. He said that the team kept missing important moments during matches, which resulted in them losing in the second half of the campaign.

James Hopes said in the post-match press conference on Sunday, 17 May, “I don’t think any off-field thing derailed our campaign. The thing that derailed our campaign was our inability to control the pace in games. Every time it felt like we were going to do that, we would do something to hurt ourselves or harm ourselves.”

Loss doesn’t affect my mood: Shreyas Iyer

Playing in Dharamshala on Sunday. Punjab gave 222 runs against defending champion Royal Challengers Bangalore. Any hopes of chasing the target soon evaporated after Punjab lost three wickets inside the first four overs of the innings.

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and captain Shreyas Iyer all missed single-digit scores as Bhuvneshwar Kumar dominated the powerplay.

Reacting to the defeat, Shreyas Iyer blamed the top order, including himself, for the defeat. The Punjab captain admitted that the team failed to get the kind of starts he had hoped for throughout the season.

Shreyas Iyer said, “We were three runs behind and most of our run scorers were Prabhasimran and Priyansh. The start they used to give us in the powerplay, obviously we couldn’t do it this time and I also came in and got out early. Really disappointed.”

Despite the defeat, Shreyas said he is optimistic about Punjab’s playoff prospects and insisted that the defeat does not affect his outlook as a person. The captain said that he does not pay much attention to the failures and believes that the team still has a chance to turn things around.

Shreyas concluded, “I always remain positive despite the results. It doesn’t decide how my personality is and I always come with a strong outlook. I’m not someone who lives too much in the past. It’s over, it’s gone. Tomorrow again I’m going to see the sunrise and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”

Punjab Kings finished the Dharamshala stage with three losses from three matches. They will now head to Lucknow for their final group-stage game of the season against Lucknow Super Giants.

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