Jasprit Bumrah has gone wicketless in five straight IPL matches. Unthinkable as it may sound, Bumrah’s barren run now stretches across two seasons. He did not take a wicket in the last match Mumbai Indians played in IPL 2025 and has now gone wicketless in four matches in IPL 2026. India spin great Ravichandran Ashwin, however, defended Bumrah. He stressed that Bumrah’s ability to nail tight yorkers and restrict the flow of runs is more important than his wicket tally, especially at high-scoring venues like Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

According to CricViz, Bumrah has bowled 122 balls without taking a wicket – the longest wicketless streak of his IPL career.

Jasprit Bumrah’s last five IPL innings:

0/40 (4) vs PBKS, Ahmedabad

0/35 (4) vs KKR, Wankhede

0/21 (4) vs DC, Delhi

0/32 (3) vs RR, Guwahati

0/35 (4) vs RCB, Wankhede

In Mumbai Indians’ match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, the ace Indian pacer again went wicketless, returning figures of 0/35 in four overs. However, he stood out as MI’s most economical bowler as RCB posted a mammoth 240/4 in 20 overs.

In a post on X, Ashwin said that focusing solely on Bumrah’s lack of wickets is misleading and could hurt MI’s cause. He reiterated that Bumrah’s true value lies in bowling pinpoint yorkers and choking runs, particularly at venues like the Wankhede.

“The lack-of-wickets narrative for Bumrah can hamper the team’s cause. Him nailing yorkers and choking the opposition for every single run is even more important than him looking to get wickets, especially at venues like the Wankhede,” Ashwin said.

“When you can’t bowl overs on the trot, your wicket-taking ability depends on your partners who hand the over to you. We have had so many years of T20 cricket now, and bowling in partnerships as a defensive group is still a seed in the minds of bowling units,” Ashwin added.

The lack of wickets narrative for Bumrah can hamper the teams cause!

Him nailing yorkers and choking the opposition for every single run is even more important than him looking to get wickets, especially in venues like the Wankhede.

When you can’t bowl overs on the trot, your…

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— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) April 12, 2026

Despite going wicketless in his last five IPL innings, Bumrah has registered an economy rate above 10 in just two matches – against Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 Qualifier and Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing season.

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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

The NASCAR O’Reilly Series competed at Bristol Motor Speedway and it was a sensational event. Kyle Larson won the first two stages; however, Connor Zilisch and Brent Crews stayed out while he pitted during a late caution. So, which one of the three NASCAR drivers found victory lane at Bristol on Saturday night?

Zilisch and the No. 1 team for JR Motorsports won the O’Reilly Series race at Bristol on Saturday night, earning their first victory of the season. Crews took the lead on the final restart with old tires, but wasn’t able to hold on after running the top. Then, Zilisch was able to hold off Larson in the closing laps following the No. 88 car’s mistake.

Bankers Choice is in pursuit of a landmark achievement this Saturday in the Mornington Cup, striving to emulate just one prior horse by notching successive wins in the 2400m Listed spectacle.

Last year, the eight-year-old surged late to defeat challengers in a dramatic showdown, prepared then by Glen Thompson in the wake of Mike Moroney’s passing.

Now with Ben, Will and JD Hayes at Lindsay Park, Mongolian Khan’s progeny reappears in good nick, notching a podium finish in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) first time out then a solid eighth in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m).

Due to clash again with select Easter Cup adversaries including Ambassadorial, his connections trust the added stamina demand will enhance his prospects.

“Bankers Choice is the one that will head to the Mornington Cup,” Will Hayes said.

“He’s going to go for a course proper gallop on Monday to have a look around and hopefully defend his title.

“He ran terrifically in the Peter Young first-up, he was only three lengths off them in the Easter Cup and he looks really good.”

Despite the likelihood of substantial ballast again, Hayes prioritises the gelding’s validated long-distance credentials over that burden.

“Hopefully someone can throw an out-of-form import with a high rating into the noms that can get us down,” Hayes said.

“But he deserves the rating that he has, he does carry weight well.”

“He’ll eat up 2400 metres. He’s as fit as a mallee bull, and a seasoned old gelding like him, it’s right up his alley.”

With top preparation and his pet distance ahead, Bankers Choice stands ready to challenge strongly for crown retention.

For the Mornington Cup, compare racing betting markets across the best sites.

Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma – Sunday could not have gotten better for cricket fans. At the Wankhede Stadium, the two giants clashed in the biggest match of IPL 2026 so far. Virat Kohli played a patient knock while Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar rained fury. Kohli, though, also achieved a few major firsts. The former RCB captain is now the first batter to score 1,000-plus runs against MI. KL Rahul (977) and Shikhar Dhawan (901) are next in the list. 

Kohli also surpassed Chris Gayle and Babar Azam for being involved in the most century partnerships in T20s. The 120-run stand between Phil Salt and Kohli is the second-highest opening partnership for RCB against MI in the IPL. The highest remains the 148-run stand added by Faf du Plessis and Kohli in Bengaluru in 2023.

Most century partnerships in T20 cricket

47 – Virat Kohli*

46 – Chris Gayle

46 – Babar Azam

45 – David Warner

40 – Faf du Plessis

Talking about the match, Mumbai Indians (MI) won the toss and decided to field against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match No. 20 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday.

The high-voltage clash between five-time champions MI and defending champions RCB is being played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

After winning the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that Mayank Markande and Mitchell Santner came in for Rahul Chahar and Ghazanfar in their playing XI.

“We’re going to bowl first. It looks like a good track. We played the first game on the other pitch; this looks similar. It’s always good to bat second here. I think it’s a big game. Just want to come out and play our best cricket, do the things we’ve spoken about in the meetings, and enjoy the sport. We requested good wickets, and we’ve been getting them,” Pandya said.

“As long as you land the ball right as a bowler and play the right shots as a batter, you’re in the game. Over the years at Wankhede, chasing has worked for a lot of teams. Being our home ground, dew comes in later as well. So it’s good to know what you’re chasing and plan your innings accordingly. Mayank Markande and Mitchell Santner come in for Chahar and Ghazanfar,” the MI skipper added.

After losing the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar said that Jacob Duffy replaced Josh Hazlewood in the playing XI.

“Obviously, we would have bowled first. But as you all know, it’s a good batting track. The ball comes nicely onto the bat with good bounce, so it won’t make too much difference. We’ll try to put a good total on the board and keep them under pressure. This is our fourth game,” Patidar said.

“The way we’ve played in the last few matches, there are a lot of positives. In the last match, we were 97 for 6 and still managed to score over 200. That’s a positive sign for us. We enjoy playing here a lot. Whenever we come, we see great crowds. It’s challenging but also fun and exciting. Just one change – Duffy comes in place of Hazlewood,” the RCB skipper added

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Delhi vs Mumbai IPL 2026: Fans Flood Arun Jaitley Stadium for High-Voltage Clash

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the main protagonists in any Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians clash in IPL. Fans assembled at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday were treated to a Kohli half-century – his 65th in the IPL – which came off 37 balls. Yet, he appeared unhappy. In fact, he did not even celebrate the milestone after reaching it on the second ball of the 15th over bowled by Hardik Pandya. He departed two balls later while trying to break the shackles and looked frustrated. A strike rate of 131.58 may have been the reason. While Kohli was attempting to play the sheet-anchor role, the innings of Rajat Patidar (53 off 20 balls) and Phil Salt (78 off 36 balls) were in complete contrast.

kohli throwing his off his gloves and helmet, man he’s so pissed off by himself pic.twitter.com/8gbtBwX9tA

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— satyam (@noontonightt) April 12, 2026

Virat Kohli looks disappointed after getting out , Still he has scored a half century for not like Virat Kohli’s Level.#MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/tpDeIZvyJV

— flicksX18 (@flicks_X18) April 12, 2026

RCB BATTERS STRIKE RATE IN TODAY MATCH VS MI –

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Phil Salt – 216.67

Virat Kohli – 131.58

Rajat Patidar – 265.00

Tim David – 212.50

Jitesh Sharma – 111.11

RCB top 4 batters cooked Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Markande , Shardul and Santner. pic.twitter.com/WIVVfaGX6d

— Nafees (@Nafees_22) April 12, 2026

A rare Kohli failure and yess even this 50 is a failure as per Kohli Standards, even he was unhappy with his innings.

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A rare failure from Virat Kohli #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/1LqIrq30RR

— Rex⚡️ (@RexUTD7) April 12, 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli all registered half-centuries as the defending champions put up an imposing 240 for 4 – the second-highest total this season – against Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.

Salt smashed a 36-ball 78, studded with six boundaries and as many maximums, while stalwart Kohli made a composed 50 off 38 balls, as the duo put on a polished 120-run opening-wicket stand.

Salt was dismissed by Shardul Thakur in his very first over – the team’s 11th – providing a huge sigh of relief to MI.

Skipper Rajat Patidar then took over from where Salt left off, scoring a rapid 53 off just 20 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, as RCB made quite a statement.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field.

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Justin Rose was left to rue mistakes around Amen Corner as another Masters slipped through his fingers.

A year after losing a play-off to Rory McIlroy he was leading by a shot as he approached Augusta National’s troublesome trio of holes.

But he bogeyed 11 and 12 and then could only par the 13th despite being on the green in two and with that the opportunity was taken away from him by his Ryder Cup team-mate.

“Just a chance that got away obviously. I was by no means kind of free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done but I was right in position,” said the Englishman, whose final-round 70 left him 10 under and two behind McIlroy, who made a successful defence of the green jacket.

“I was really in control, the first 10 holes I felt like I was and the mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done.

“I was playing great but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner. That three-putt (on 13) was untimely for sure.

“I feel like with a sudden-death loss (last year) you kind of know you got to the house. You’ve done everything it took to win, then it comes down to flick of a coin at times.

“Whereas today I felt there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating for sure.”

PA

Tim David (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Tim David left the umpire slightly annoyed with a playful act during their IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.The incident unfolded in the 18th over of the RCB innings when David smashed a towering six off Hardik Pandya over deep mid-wicket. The strike was so powerful that it altered the shape of the ball, which had also become wet, forcing the umpires to call for a replacement.As the box of used balls was brought out, David picked one up and began casually playing with it. Despite repeated requests from the umpire to hand it back, the Australian continued to toy with the ball for a few moments, leaving the official visibly miffed. After a brief delay, David finally returned the ball, bringing a smile back to the situation.Rohit Sharma also joined in, sharing a light-hearted moment with David as the incident drew laughter on the field.Earlier, RCB’s top order had dominated proceedings. Skipper Rajat Patidar, along with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, struck impressive half-centuries to power the defending champions to a massive 240/4 — the second-highest total of the season.Salt led the charge with a blistering 78 off 36 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes, while Kohli anchored the innings with a composed 50 off 38 deliveries. The pair added a fluent 120 runs for the opening wicket before Shardul Thakur provided the breakthrough.Patidar then carried forward the momentum with a rapid 53 off just 20 balls, laced with four boundaries and five sixes, as RCB stamped their authority with a commanding batting display.In reply, Mumbai Indians could manage 222/5. RCB won the match by 18 runs

NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru strengthened their hold on third place in the IPL 2026 points table with an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. With this victory, RCB now have three wins and one loss from four matches, taking their tally to six points with an impressive net run rate of +1.148.

Despite the defeat, Mumbai Indians continue to languish in eighth place. They have managed just one win in four outings, with three losses, and have a net run rate of -0.772.

At the top of the table, Rajasthan Royals remain unbeaten, winning all four of their matches to sit comfortably with eight points and a league-best net run rate of +2.055.

Punjab Kings follow in second place with three wins from four matches, accumulating seven points and a net run rate of +0.720.

Behind RCB, Delhi Capitals occupy fourth position with two wins and two losses, earning four points and a net run rate of +0.322.

Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants are placed fifth and sixth respectively, both with identical records of two wins and two losses from four matches.

However, Gujarat Titans have a slightly better net run rate (-0.029) compared to Lucknow (-0.427).

Sunrisers Hyderabad sit seventh with just one win in four matches and a net run rate of -0.024.

Below Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings are ninth with one win and three defeats, struggling with a net run rate of -1.532.

At the bottom of the table, Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to register a win, with three losses and one no-result, giving them just one point and a net run rate of -1.315.

Rohit Sharma, batting on 19 off 13 balls, walked off the pitch during Mumbai Indians’ chase of 241 against Royal Challengers Benglauru at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday during an IPL 2026 match. MI needed Rohit to stay for long to chase down the target, but an unbeaten Rohit walking off the pitch raised a massive concern. According to reports, Rohit Sharma was struggling with is hamstring and decided to walk off. However, by his facial expression, it did not look like it was a minor issue. If that was the case, it can be safely presumed that Rohit would not have left the field.

Even Virat Kohli faced an ankle issue and did not field for RCB. Ultimately, MI failed to chase down a 241-run target and lost the match by 18 runs.

Earlier, star India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli continued his love affair with Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Wankhede Stadium as he became the first-ever batter to hit 1,000 runs against the five-time champions on Sunday.

During the high-octane match against MI, Virat held one end steady as Phil Salt and skipper Rajat Patidar fired massive sixes, scoring 50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six, at a strike rate of over 131.

Now against MI, Virat has scored 1,030 runs in 36 innings at an average of 32.18 and a strike rate of 129.23, with a best score of 92* and seven fifties.

In his four innings in this edition of the season so far, Virat has made 179 runs at an average of 59.66, with a strike rate of 162.72, including two fifties and a best score of 69*.

In 23 matches and innings at Wankhede Stadium, Virat has made 888 runs at an average of 55.5, with a strike rate of 148.49, with nine fifties and a best score of 92*.

Virat also had a century partnership with Phil Salt, registering his 47th century partnership in T20s, the most by a batter in T20s, outdoing Chris Gayle, who was involved in 46 such stands.

A 120-run stand between Salt (78 in 36 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Virat and a 65-run stand between Virat (50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six) and skipper Patidar (53 in 20 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes) and later some brutal hitting from David (34* in 16 balls, with two fours and three sixes) pushed RCB to a massive score of 240/4 in 20 overs.

With agency inputs 

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