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By K.R. Nayar Defeats are tough to swallow, and when it is six consecutive defeats, it becomes even tougher. Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) six consecutive defeats, after reigning at the top of the table like kings for weeks, has become the talk of the tournament. Interestingly, reasons beyond cricket are being attributed to it.  After they crashed to their fifth consecutive defeat on May 14, 2026, against Mumbai Indians (MI), some said that it was owing to an earlier PBKS social media tweet. When PBKS lost their sixth match in a row, going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 17, 2026, it was even attributed to a curse. Why is it that reasons beyond cricket have emerged in this case? It seems strange that PBKS, who were at the top and unbeatable in the first seven matches, thereafter lost six in a row! What is it that has lead them to such a steep fall? Now it looks like the team has developed a habit of losing matches, though, like the statutory warning on a cigarette pack...

By K.R. Nayar  During the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) match on May 15, 2026, in Lucknow, CSK’s bowler Anshul Kamboj was hit for 63 runs in 2.4 overs. He has earned the dubious record of being the bowler who has given away the maximum runs while representing CSK. Fortunately, he did not become the bowler who has conceded the most runs in the IPL, as that record remains with Jofra Archer, who, while representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2025 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), was hit for 76 runs in four overs. Why do bowlers become so expensive and unable to control the free flow of runs from their overs? It is not that the bowlers who are hit are inexperienced or have no clue on how to prevent the flow of runs. Second on the list of bowlers to have conceded the maximum runs is SRH’s Mohammed Shami, who in 2025 was hit for 75 runs in four overs. For Kamboj to give away 63 runs in less than three overs would have made Chennai fans wonder whether he is a ...

By K.R. Nayar  Virat Kohli is known by many nicknames, but the most popular one is King Kohli. For a team that has the name “Royal,” it should have a king, and that is Kohli. When a king rules with devotion, it is bound to flourish, and that is what happened in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 13, 2026, in Raipur. When Kohli cracked a match-winning century to propel defending champions RCB to the top of the table, many addressed him as the Chase Master. When Kohli dominates bowlers, fans rise in chorus to hail their King. When he pursues a target, he transforms into the Chase Master. Bestowing him with a title is easy, but to score runs to be addressed in such a manner, especially after two ducks in the previous innings, is tough. Despite being the highest run-getter in the history of the IPL with over 9000 runs, when he played a delivery from KKR’s Saurabh Dubey to square leg for a single, he punched the air in celebration fo...

By K.R. Nayar  It was amusing to learn that a Karnataka-based activist had threatened to file a complaint seeking an FIR against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise for "child labour". The reason given was that a 15-year-old cricketer, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, playing in a high-pressure commercial league like the IPL, violates child labour laws, and that the minor should instead be focusing on his studies. It is not clear whether the activist did this for publicity or fame just to portray himself as a man who stood up to “rescue” Suryavanshi. Every Indian has the right to file a complaint. At the same time, there are these myopic thinking individuals like this activist who are actually a threat to talented and successful teenagers. They find reasons to create roadblocks to brilliance. Many believe teenagers must be focusing only on academics. Their travel must be limited to classrooms, tuition centres, and examination halls, with no detours allowed for dreams. It is like...

By K.R. Nayar  Has India become a cricketing nation with the hardest hitters in the game? In IPL 2026, we have seen some of the fastest knocks and many brilliant six-hitters. After Urvil Patel of Chennai Super Kings hit a half-century in 13 balls to equal the IPL record for the fastest fifty held by Yashasvi Jaiswal in IPL 2023, one wonders from where are these fearless batters emerging. Urvil hit 63 off just 23 balls, with eight sixes and two fours. There was a time when the cricket world believed that unrestrained hitting was the exclusive signature of the West Indies. Their dominance did not last long with many other nations also throwing up hard hitters and breaking records. Soon, the world realized that one need not be strongly built like West Indies batters to become a power-hitter. With modern bats that boost hitting, all that is needed is timing, balance, and the ability to pick the ball early. These are qualities many of the present batters have earned through hours of...

By K.R. Nayar  It is indeed laudable that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued strict guidelines to all the ten Indian Premier League’s (IPL) franchises, specifically aimed at preventing honey trapping and anti-corruption risks. The more popular and valuable a product is, the more it should be protected. Scenes that often happen in hotels where players stay have made one wonder why these guidelines were not issued earlier. That could have saved a few from falling into these traps. In cricketing terms, this was long overdue—like bringing in a slip cordon after edges have already been missed from many overs. Be aware of the dangerous IPL fan The IPL is today one of the world’s most popular events and hence runs the risk of evil forces trying to disparage its image and, in the process, its players too. Almost all players playing in the IPL, including teenagers, are flushed with money. It is sometimes impossible to control one’s urges, because with bulging wa...