Jasprit Bumrah is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world today, but it is surprising to see that his average is currently among the worst in this IPL season. Bumrah went wicketless in his first five games and picked up his first wicket only in the sixth match against the Gujarat Titans, dismissing Sai Sudharsan on the very first ball he bowled in that game.

Before this match, Bumrah had struggled, going wicketless in Mumbai Indians’ first five matches against Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings. His wicket of Sudharsan, who was dismissed for a golden duck, helped to set the tone for Mumbai Indians victory, as Gujarat Titans suffered a heavy 99-run defeat.

Bumrah has historically dominated some of the biggest T20 batters. He had never conceded a six to players like Travis Head and Sanju Samson, but during this rough phase in IPL 2026, both managed to hit him for sixes. Young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also took him on, smashing two sixes in a single over. This highlights the lean patch Bumrah is currently going through.

Bumrah’s current IPL bowling average stands at 132, the worst of his T20 career. Compared to other bowlers who have bowled 30 or more overs this season, his average is nearly double, placing him among the most underperforming bowlers for Mumbai Indians. This dip in form could be one of the reasons why the Mumbai Indians have struggled to maintain momentum.

Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, it was only the second time in IPL history that Mumbai Indians failed to defend a total of 200 or more, and the first time at Wankhede Stadium. In that match, Bumrah conceded 54 runs in his four overs, getting hit for sixes by Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, and Salil Arora. It is rare to see Bumrah conceding so many sixes, especially in situations where his team relies on him the most.

What is behind Jasprit Bumrah’s struggle?

Bumrah entered IPL 2026 after an intense and packed international schedule that included the Asia Cup, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, series against Australia and South Africa, and a demanding five-match Test series in England. During that England tour alone, he bowled 119 overs across three matches, despite managing a long-standing back issue.

Cricket experts have pointed to multiple possible reasons for his dip in form. Some believe Bumrah may not have had adequate rest after continuous international cricket, while others suggest he has struggled to find his usual rhythm and lengths.

Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth was blunt in his assessment after Bumrah’s outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad:
“Bumrah is not getting that zip at all. Not one delivery looked threatening. Maybe he is tired, so I am not blaming him. But he is clearly not at his best. He is trying hard but looking very ordinary.” His statement narrates that Bumrah might be exhausted after packed schduled.

On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted the mental aspect of the game. During Bumrah’s wicketless run in the first five matches, Ashwin suggested that external narratives and pressure may have affected his rhythm.

“I still think Bumrah bowled really well in the first two matches, but then the team started losing. Then the narrative also started that Bumrah was not getting wickets. That was probably playing on his mind,” Ashwin said, adding that the best of Bumrah could still be around the corner.

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif also weighed in, suggesting that Bumrah’s body may not be fully supporting him at the moment and that a short break could help him regain peak fitness.

Meanwhile, Kieron Pollard, Mumbai Indians’ batting coach, downplayed concerns over Bumrah’s form. He emphasized that the pacer is human and occasional dips are natural, urging people to remember his immense contributions to the team over the years.

Here’s a look at the bowling averages this season among players who have bowled 30 or more overs, along with their averages and economy rates:-

In contrast, during IPL 2025, Bumrah led the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack with an outstanding season, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches. Despite missing the first four games due to a back injury, he returned strongly and delivered what many analysts considered his most economical season, maintaining an economy rate of 6.68, the best in the league among bowlers with more than 10 wickets.

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Before the IPL, Bumrah was a key figure in India national cricket team’s successful title defence at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 8 matches. His campaign peaked in the final on March 8, 2026, where he was named Player of the Match for his outstanding figures of 4/15 against New Zealand national cricket team. Earlier, in a match against England at Wankhede Stadium, he reached the milestone of 500 international wickets by dismissing Harry Brook with the very first ball.

The hosts do have 23 stone-plus Ben Tameifuna on the bench to supplement their set-piece in the second half.

Bath are contesting their first top-tier European semi-final in 20 years since they lost a tryless and bad-tempered encounter with Biarritz 18-9 in 2006.

Toulon and Leinster will face off in the other semi-final on Saturday, with the winners progressing to the final on 23 May at Bilbao’s 53,000-capacity San Mames stadium.

Bordeaux-Begles: Rayasi; Uberti, Penaud, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Lucu (c); Perchaud, Lamothe, Sadie, Palu, Coleman, Bochaton, Woki, Gazzotti

Replacements: Barlot, Boniface, Tameifuna, Cazeaux, Vergnes-Taillefer, Matiu, Retiere, Hugo Reus

Bath: Carreras; Arundell, Hennessey, Lawrence, Muir; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Bayliss, Pepper, Barbeary

Replacements: Tuipulotu, Van Wyk, Sela, Hill, Underhill, Carr-Smith, De Glanville, Reid

In the other semi-final, Crystal Palace took a significant step towards the final with a 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

In the Europa League, Nottingham Forest beat Aston Villa 1-0, while Braga secured a 2-1 victory against Freiburg thanks to a late winner.

In the EuroLeague, Monaco suffered a second consecutive defeat in their quarter-final series, losing 94-64 away to Olympiakos.

Meanwhile, at the Madrid Masters 1000, Belgium’s Alexander Blockx produced a major upset by defeating defending champion Casper Ruud (6-4, 6-4) to reach his first Masters 1000 semi-final, where he will face Alexander Zverev, who beat Flavio Cobolli (6-1, 6-4). The other semi-final will see France’s Arthur Fils take on world number one Jannik Sinner.

In the women’s draw, a day after her 19th birthday, Mirra Andreeva defeated Hailey Baptiste (6-4, 7-6) and will face Marta Kostyuk in the final, after the Ukrainian beat Anastasia Potapova.

Although the James H B Carr Stakes eluded Karinska, the filly stands ready for a breakthrough stakes triumph in the Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas.

Fortune deserted her at Randwick as James McDonald guided her externally for the move, only to suffer interference from Snitzel Dancer, the race winner.

Late momentum carried Karinska to third, a performance that leaves Charlie Duckworth, assistant to trainer Chris Waller, rueing the result.

‘You know when jockeys come in and say, ‘I should have won’. This wasn’t a ‘should have’. There was no air of doubt. It was, ‘if I get my run, I win’,’ Duckworth said.

‘She is barging the door down to win one of these.’

Karinska has proven a consistent threat among her age rivals this season, shadowing placers in the spring Furious Stakes and Tea Rose Stakes, culminating in a Group 1 third to Apocalyptic in the Flight Stakes.

Tommy Berry replaces the unavailable James McDonald and, like Duckworth, senses victory imminent for Karinska.

‘Last start was a good example of how well she is going,’ Berry said.

‘She has got a great racing style, she can put herself just behind the speed.

‘You look at her last prep, the races she was running in and the quality of horses she was up against. It’s a bit of a step back from that, and the team is very confident.’

Friday’s market had Karinska at $6.50, as she attempts to become just the second filly in nine years to take the Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), following Shazee Lee.

Tenebaum represents Berry’s key booking at Hawkesbury over the handy Karinska ride, as the two-year-old.

The colt, under Brad Widdup, trialled sharply with Berry thrice before a stylish Wyong debut win, hinting at Brisbane winter prospects.

‘He is the main reason I chose to stay in Sydney instead of going to Queensland. I think he’s got the potential to be a J J Atkins horse,’ Berry said.

‘He put them away quite easily last start at Wyong and won by a margin, which is hard to do for two-year-olds.

‘The penny is just starting to drop with him. He will improve again off the weekend but to go to Queensland and be competitive in those races, he’s going to have to put in a good showing on Saturday.’

Discover betting markets for the Hawkesbury Guineas race among leading betting sites at betting sites.

Famed for his powers of recovery, Tyson Fury is yet to be stopped in his 38-bout career despite being knocked down eight times, and therefore he is perhaps better placed than most to offer his thoughts on which heavyweight has the best chin ever.

‘The Gypsy King’ was first dropped by Neven Pajkic back in 2011, before bouncing back and halting the Bosnian-born operator in round three of the contest.

18 months later, Fury was floored by former cruiserweight world champion Steve Cunningham in what was his U.S. debut, but again, he went on to win by seventh-round stoppage.

His next four knockdowns also came stateside, each coming in a fabled trilogy with Deontay Wilder, in their iconic first and third fights which proved the resilience of Britain’s now two-time world champion.

A shocking slip to Francis Ngannou came next for the towering champion, taking his eye off the ball in a supposed mismatch and escaping with a split-decision win.

Then, he was on the wrong side of a split-decision against Oleksandr Usyk, after being given a standing eight count in round nine of a first career defeat, when bidding for the undisputed throne.

Although, despite never being stopped himself, Fury told The Daily Mail that he believes Oliver McCall to have the most impressive chin of all time.

Technically, McCall has suffered a knockout defeat, but that came due to a bizarre breakdown in his rematch with Lennox Lewis, rather than because of a shot that could daze ‘The Atomic Bull’.

At the age of 61 years old, McCall remarkably remains active in the sport, boasting a record of 61-14-1.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) co-owner Preity Zinta has reacted to the team’s first loss of IPL 2026. PBKS went down fighting against Rajasthan Royals in their final home game at Mullanpur on Tuesday. The Shreyas Iyer-led side will play its remaining home fixtures at its second home, Dharamsala. Taking to X, Zinta spoke on the loss, highlighting that her team is still top of the table despite the defeat, and adding that there are many more games ahead to be won.

“Last home game in Punjab didn’t turn out as we wanted at our home ground but Koi na …. Lot more games ahead of us. Thanks to the incredible performance by our Sher Squad, we are sitting on top of the points table, half way into the tournament, which makes me very happy,” Zinta captioned a video.

Last home game in Punjab didn’t turn out as we wanted at our home ground but Koi na …. Lot more games ahead of us.

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Thanks to the incredible performance by our Sher Squad, we are sitting on top of the points table, half way into the tournament, which makes me very happy

Our… pic.twitter.com/1PtTQeXE5r

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) April 30, 2026

The veteran Bollywood actress also shared a heartfelt note for the PBKS fans, expressing gratitude for their unconditional support of the team.

“Our fans have showed us so much love n support in & outside the stadium, & have been beyond incredible. I wanted  to take this opportunity to thank every single one of you that came out to support PBKS in the stadium, on social media & everywhere else. Our only goal is to make IPL 2026 memorable for all of you…. that’s why – Bas Jeetna Hai,” she added in the post.

Zinta wore a red dupatta for the game against Rajasthan and went on to reveal the reason behind it.

“This red Phulkari Dupatta is 26 year old & was gifted to me by a Punjabi fan who insisted I wear it for the game so here it is. I’m sure this will make her happy, as it made me, wearing a part of her very special memory. Phulkari is a beautiful but dying art of vibrant folk embroidery by local artisans & I hope to promote & represent them by wearing these dupattas for our cricket games. I hope I can help in reviving this tradition in a small way so we never stop being proud of where we come from & who we are,” said Zinta.

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Head coach Arne Slot expects the improving form of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to drive Liverpool forward in the future after seeing significant contributions recently.

The two most expensive signings in the club’s history – costing a combined £241million – have had largely underwhelming first seasons due to Isak’s ongoing injury problems and Wirtz’s struggles adapting to the physicality of the Premier League.

But the pair both scored in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace and look set to start their fourth successive match together at Manchester United on Sunday, which is their longest run of the campaign.

Slot accepts the new arrivals have had their difficulties, not helped by an underperforming team around them, but in the last month has seen glimpses that both are finally starting to find their feet.

“Converting chances into goals is something we haven’t done very well throughout this whole season but one of the players (Isak) we always thought could score goals for us was hardly available,” said Slot.

“Last week you could see it was a chance but it wasn’t the biggest chance we’ve had this season and he finished that one off really well by scoring the 1-0 and scoring a goal which is vital in football as it sets you in the right direction.

“Happy to have Alex back. I think there are some other players that haven’t scored the amount of goals that I think they are able to, or they have shown in the past they are able to, and that will go back to normal in a certain moment and the sooner the better.”

Wirtz would come into that category with seven goals and 10 assists – none of which have come against Premier League opposition currently occupying European places – representing a lower-than-expected return for a £116m player hailed as a generational talent when he arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.

“For me the development Florian has made throughout his Liverpool career, which has only been 10 months, is so clear and obvious,” added Slot.

“In the 93rd minute against Crystal Palace making a duel on the sideline, winning a throw-in and then making a sprint from 40 yards and hitting the ball in the top corner – that is something I am not completely convinced he could do the same eight months ago.

“That improvement will only continue as he is only 22. Almost every player in the world is at his best when he is 25, 26 but he is already an elite player now and he can only become better.”

As part of the improvements for next season there are plans afoot to bolster the backroom staff with the club being linked with Etienne Reijnen, with whom Slot worked at Feyenoord and would have followed him to Anfield had there not been work permit issues which have now been resolved.

“We are always keeping our eyes open to improve the club and that means it could be a player but also a staff. We always look around to see how we can strengthen,” added Slot, who lost Aaron Briggs from his coaching team in December after he paid the price for poor set-piece performances.

Slot also said it was “a big relief” the departing Mohamed Salah’s hamstring injury was only minor and he was likely to play again this season, while admitting goalkeeper Alisson Becker remained a doubt for Old Trafford as he had not yet trained after seven matches out injured.