IPL 2026 Week 6 featured Rohit Sharma's explosive return, Urvil Patel's record-equalling fifty, Finn Allen's maiden IPL ton and Rashid Khan's brilliant comeback spell.
Rohit makes comeback, hits half-ton and helps MI down LSG, May 4
Key Points
- Rohit Sharma returned from injury with a blazing 84 as Mumbai Indians chased down 229 against Lucknow Super Giants.
- Urvil Patel equalled the fastest IPL fifty record with a 13-ball blitz for Chennai Super Kings against Lucknow Super Giants.
- Sanju Samson smashed an unbeaten 87 to guide Chennai Super Kings past Delhi Capitals.
- Punjab Kings suffered a third straight defeat as fielding lapses and bowling inconsistency hurt their playoff push.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar strengthened his India T20 comeback case with another match-winning display for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Rohit Sharma (84) returned from an injury layoff as Mumbai Indians crushed Lucknow Super Giants by six wickets.
Openers Rohit and Ryan Rickelton (83) put on their third century partnership in the IPL -- this time 143 runs -- and laid the foundation for the much-needed win. MI overhauled LSG's 228/5 with 229/4 in just 18.4 overs.
The 39 year old showed no discomfort while clobbering seven sixes and six fours during his 44-ball knock, and Rickelton continued his rich vein of form with commanding stroke play around the park before Naman Dhir (23 not out) and Will Jacks (10 not out) completed a record chase at the Wankhede.
Rohit and Rickelton's 143 run stand was the joint fourth highest for MI behind the iconic 167 run partnership between Rohit and Herschelle Gibbs back in 2012.
In just 18 innings together, the duo has piled up 825 runs at an average of 48.52 -- three hundreds, two fifties. Numbers that don't just impress -- they announce.
Nicholas Pooran was the only shining light for LSG as he made the most of some ordinary bowling from MI with a 21-ball 63.
Pooran hit with eight sixes and a four in his minute-a-mile knock, which gave LSG the impetus along with Mitchell Marsh's 44 (25 balls; 4x4s, 3x6s) at the top.
Corbin Bosch (2/20) derailed LSG's charge with a double wicket over in which he dismissed both Pooran and Marsh before putting on 228.
Samson steals the show as CSK Decimate Delhi Capitals, May 4
Sanju Samson continued his superb run of form with a match-winning unbeaten 87 as Chennai Super Kings defeated Delhi Capitals by eight wickets at the Arun Jaitley stadium.
The stylish right-hander once again proved decisive for CSK, anchoring a successful chase of 156 with a composed 52-ball knock that included seven fours and six sixes.
Samson shared an unbroken 114-run partnership with Kartik Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 41 off 31 balls, as CSK reached the target with 15 balls to spare.
The victory kept CSK's playoff hopes alive. The five-time champions moved to sixth place on the table with five wins from 10 matches and remain firmly in contention with four league games left.
CSK's chase suffered an early setback when Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell cheaply to Lungi Ngidi. Urvil Patel added quick runs before being stumped off Axar Patel, leaving CSK at 49/2 in the seventh over.
From there, Samson took complete control. He attacked Kuldeep Yadav and T Natarajan with clean hitting and brought up his half-century in just 32 balls. Despite several bowling changes, Delhi failed to break the stand as Samson guided CSK home in commanding fashion.
Earlier, CSK's bowlers, led by Noor Ahmed and Akeal Hosein, restricted Delhi to 155/7 after a disciplined effort with the ball.
Punjab Kings' Familiar IPL Problem Returns, May 6
Punjab Kings are once again stuck in a familiar kind of IPL story -- not getting blown away, but slowly letting games slip through their fingers.
It hasn't been about one big collapse. It's been the smaller things: Dropped catches, missed half-chances, and moments where control just disappears for a few overs. In a tournament this tight, those gaps have been enough to flip matches they once had in hand.
Things looked very different earlier in the season. Seven wins in a row, a brief stay at the top of the table, and a team that finally looked settled under Shreyas Iyer. The batting was firing, the dressing room was upbeat, and for a while, everything just clicked.
But that momentum has faded quickly. Three straight losses -- to Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad -- have brought them back down to earth.
The defeat in Hyderabad hurt the most, not just because of the result but because of the pattern. A ground where Punjab haven't won since 2015 added another chapter to that record, and once again, dropped catches proved costly in a 33 run defeat while chasing a massive target.
Beneath the results, bigger concerns are starting to show. The bowling has lacked consistency, the fielding has wobbled, and the middle order often looks too dependent on the openers to set the tone.
Still, they are not out of it. Punjab's playoff hopes are still in their own hands.
Prince's Magic Ball Rocks Kohli as LSG Shock RCB, May 7
Prince Yadav produced the moment of the night with a stunning inswinger that shattered Virat Kohli's stumps and set up Lucknow Super Giants' thrilling nine run win over defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Ekana stadium.
Defending 213 in a rain-shortened 19-over contest, LSG struck early through Mohammed Shami before Prince delivered a peach to remove Kohli for a two-ball duck. The young pacer bent the ball sharply back into the former RCB skipper, crashing into middle stump and silencing the Bengaluru camp.
RCB were left reeling at 9/2 before Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal launched a counterattack with a 95-run partnership. Just when the chase threatened to slip away, Prince returned to break the momentum, dismissing Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma in the same over.
He later handled the tense penultimate over with composure despite late boundaries from Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd, finishing with excellent figures of 3/33.
Earlier, Mitchell Marsh powered LSG to 209/3 with a breathtaking 111 off 56 balls, smashing nine fours and nine sixes. Support came from Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant, whose late fireworks lifted the hosts past 200.
Despite fighting knocks from Patidar, Tim David and Krunal Pandya, RCB finished at 203/6, slipping to their second straight defeat while LSG secured only their third win of the season.
KKR's spinners choke DC before Finn Allen's maiden IPL ton, May 8
Kolkata Knight Riders spinners strangled Delhi Capitals with a ruthless choke before Finn Allen unleashed a brutal six-hitting exhibition to power the visitors to a comfortable eight-wicket win to reignite their play-off hopes.
The spin trio of Anukul Roy (2/31), Sunil Narine (1/17) and Varun Chakravarthy (0/28), stifled Delhi's batting line-up, restricting them to a modest 142 for 8 despite a sparkling 29-ball 50 from Pathum Nissanka.
If it wasn't for Ashutosh Sharma's 39 off 28 balls, which was laced with three boundaries and as many sixes, DC would have struggled to even cross the 100 run mark.
There was a dearth of boundaries in the middle over before Ashutosh finally broke the 38-ball boundary drought with a six. He followed it up with back-to-back boundaries to collect 16 runs off the 17th over before adding another six and a four before DC finished with a modest 142 for 8.
Finn Allen, who endured a lean patch, then came on as Impact Substitute to produce a fearless knock at the top, smashing 10 sixes and five fours in his unbeaten 47-ball 100 as KKR chased down the target on 14.2 overs.
The win was KKR's fourth on the trot.
The loss all but ended DC's fight for a play-offs spot.
Gill, Rashid star as GT crush Rajasthan Royals, May 9
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan rediscovered his best form with a brilliant four wicket haul as Gujarat Titans crushed Rajasthan Royals by 77 runs in Jaipur on Saturday to move closer to sealing an IPL 2026 playoff spot.
The visitors produced a complete performance led by Captain Shubman Gill's classy 84 and Rashid Khan's decisive spell through the middle overs.
Asked to bat first on a good batting surface, Gujarat Titans piled up a formidable 229 for 4 after Gill and Sai Sudharsan laid the perfect platform with a 118-run opening partnership. Sudharsan struck a fluent 55 off 36 balls, while Gill dazzled with a 44-ball 84 that included nine fours and three sixes.
Gill mixed elegant strokeplay with aggressive intent and looked in sublime touch despite briefly struggling with discomfort in his left foot. Rajasthan Royals' Shimron Hetmyer gave Gill two lifelines, and he fully capitalised on them.
Washington Sundar's unbeaten 37 off 20 balls and Rahul Tewatia's late cameo helped Gujarat finish strongly. The pair smashed 21 runs in the final over to take GT to their highest total of the season.
Rajasthan began the chase fearlessly through 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed 36 off just 16 balls with three fours and three sixes. Dhruv Jurel also attacked aggressively, hammering 24 off 10 deliveries as RR raced to 62 for 2 in five overs and stayed in contention despite losing early wickets.
However, the match changed completely once Rashid Khan entered the attack. Bowling with excellent control and variation, Rashid dismantled the middle order in a match-winning spell of 4 for 33.
Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj had earlier provided important breakthroughs in the Powerplay while Jason Holder cleaned up the lower order with excellent figures of 3 for 12.
Rajasthan were eventually bowled out for 152 in 16.3 overs as Gujarat Titans completed a dominant all-round victory.
Urvil's 13-Ball Storm Powers CSK Past LSG, May 10
Urvil Patel lit up Chepauk with a breathtaking assault, smashing a joint-fastest fifty in IPL history to power Chennai Super Kings to a five wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring thriller.
Chasing 204, CSK came out all guns blazing as Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson gave the innings early momentum. But the night truly belonged to Urvil, who turned the chase into a one-man demolition show after Samson's dismissal.
The young batter exploded into action with three successive sixes off Avesh Khan before tearing apart Digvesh Singh Rathi with four straight boundaries. Another six off Mohammed Shami brought up his half-century in just 13 balls, equalling Yashasvi Jaiswal's IPL record.
Urvil eventually fell for a sensational 65 off just 23 deliveries, hammering eight sixes and two fours. His celebration added emotion to the moment as he pulled out a note from his pocket reading, 'This is for you, Papa.'
Gaikwad steadied the chase with 42 before late blows from Shivam Dube sealed victory with four balls to spare.
Earlier, LSG rode on Josh Inglis' explosive 85 off 33 balls to post 203/8. However, CSK bowlers fought back strongly after the Powerplay, with Jamie Overton picking up three wickets.
The win lifted CSK to fifth place on the points table, while LSG remained rooted at the bottom, becoming the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.
Why India Can't Ignore Bhuvneshwar Kumar Anymore, May 10
At a time when T20 cricket is all about raw pace, power-hitting and 250-plus totals, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is quietly reminding everyone that skill and intelligence still win matches.
His IPL 2026 performances haven't just been impressive -- they have felt like the return of a bowler who never really stopped understanding the game better than most.
With 21 wickets in 11 matches, the Purple Cap on his head and an economy rate most bowlers would envy in this batting-heavy season, Bhuvneshwar has once again become one of the biggest reasons behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru's success.
His spell against Mumbai Indians was a perfect example. Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav -- three very different batters all fell to three very different deliveries. One climbed unexpectedly, one moved away late, another arrived quicker than expected. That is what makes Bhuvneshwar special. He doesn't overpower batters anymore; he outsmarts them.
And that's why his form matters so much for India's T20 plans.
India are set to tour Ireland and England later this year, conditions where swing and control become priceless. Few Indian bowlers understand those conditions as naturally as Bhuvneshwar does.
Even without extreme pace, he remains dangerous because he can move the ball both ways, nail yorkers and disguise slower deliveries better than most.
What makes this comeback even more admirable is the effort behind it. While many cricketers carefully manage workloads, Bhuvneshwar kept playing competitive cricket through the off-season to stay sharp and match-ready. That rhythm is visible every time he runs in to bowl.
Then came the moment that truly captured his value. RCB needed 10 runs off 3 balls against Mumbai in a pressure chase that looked finished. Bhuvneshwar walked in and immediately hit a crucial six to keep the game alive. Earlier, he had already changed the match with the ball. That calmness under pressure is something statistics alone cannot explain.
For a while, it felt like Bhuvneshwar Kumar had quietly slipped out of India's T20 conversation. But performances like these are impossible to ignore.
© 2026