PBKS restrict CSK to modest 167 for 9 in IPL
Dharamsala, May 5: Rahul Chahar's spin wizardry was complemented well by pacer Harshal Patel's superb variations at death as Punjab Kings produced a spirited bowling effort to restrict Chennai Super Kings for a par 167 for nine in the IPL here on Sunday.
At 60/1 in Power Play, CSK were going great guns with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell in the middle during an entertaining 57-run partnership when the wily leg-spinner (3/23) triggered a collapse taking two wickets in two balls after PBKS opted to bowl.
The partnership was halted as CSK went on to lose three wickets in 11 balls with Harshal taking the prized-scalp of Mitchell (30; 19b, 2x4, 1x6) in a controversial DRS.
Harshal returned at the death to dismiss Shardul Thakur (17) and MS Dhoni for a golden duck as CSK's hopes for a revival went up in smoke.
First, he cleaned up Thakur with a slower off-cutter as the CSK fans in Dharamsala waited for yet another piece of Dhoni magic with eight balls to go.
But the Yellow Army left in disbelief as the talismanic Dhoni departed in the very first ball, unable to counter Harshal's impeccably executed slow yorker.
With no time to bring his bat down, Dhoni's off-stump was knocked over.
Earlier, veteran Ajinkya Rahane continued his wretched form with the bat and got out for nine from seven balls with Arshdeep Singh giving the breakthrough inside the Power Play.
Rahane lost his balance trying to flick a delivery on his leg to midwicket where Kagiso Rabada took a low catch.
But from thereon, Mitchell looked in complete control, returning to the same venue seven months after the New Zealander smashed a 127-ball 130 against India in the ODI World Cup.
He stepped on the gas in Arshdeep's second over, pulling him for a midwicket boundary and then lofted him over mid-off.
From being 10 off 11 balls, Ruturaj took the attack to PBKS' most economical bowler Harpreet Brar, smashing him for one six and two fours in a row as they ended up taking 19 runs off the last over of the Power Play.
Chahar turned it around for PBKS right after the timeout, dismissing Ruturaj and Shivam Dube in successive deliveries.
Having just picked up pace, the CSK skipper swung at a wide delivery but the big edge was caught splendidly by Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps.
Dube's run of golden ducks stretched to two matches after being picked for the upcoming T20 World Cup when the big-hitting allrounder was done in by a Chahar googly.
Dube failed to read the wrong'un and pushed the ball with an angled bat, and the edge nestled in the hands of Jitesh.
But a shocker followed to end Mitchell's stay.
The Kiwi fell victim to a contentious umpire's call even as the ball was going down the leg. But the UltraEdge showed that the ball was hitting the leg-stump, resulting in his leg-before dismissal.
Thereafter, CSK could not get a partnership going as PBKS bowlers kept chipping away.
Brief Scores:
Chennai Super Kings: 167 for 9 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 43; Rahul Chahar 3/23, Harshal Patel 3/24).
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
