Bhuvneshwar Kumar Set to Return for RCB Against CSK match

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Chennai Super Kings in the eighth match of IPL 2025 on Friday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. RCB made a strong start to their campaign, with Rajat Patidar guiding them to a seven-wicket win over KKR in the opening game. Now, as they get ready for a big clash against CSK, let’s look at their possible playing XI.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans Match 9 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar Fit and Ready to Play

Experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar missed the first match due to a minor injury, but he has now recovered and is available for selection against CSK. RCB’s latest social media update suggests that Bhuvneshwar is likely to play in this important match. If he returns, the team might have to drop either Yash Dayal or Rasikh Salam from the playing XI. 

🚨 GOOD NEWS FOR RCB FANS 🚨

- Dinesh Karthik confirms that Bhuvneshwar Kumar is fit and there is no fitness concern with him. (Sportstar). pic.twitter.com/QMFeFqY0GO

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) March 27, 2025

Both bowlers took one wicket each in the last game against KKR. However, Dayal was more economical, conceding only 25 runs, while Rasikh gave away 35. Since Dayal is RCB’s only left-arm pacer and was one of the few uncapped players they retained before the mega auction, the team might prefer him over Rasikh.

The Gujarat Titans (GT) will face off with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in match 9 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on March 29 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. On one side, GT, benefiting from playing at home, will meet MI, a team with championship experience and strong defenses, which will make the game thrilling since only one team will be likely to emerge as the winner at the end of the competition.

Narendra Modi Stadium Overview

• Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Opened: 1982
• Capacity: 132,000 (biggest cricket ground in the world)
• Home Team: Gujarat Titans (GT)
• Ends: Adani Pavilion End, GMDC End
• Pitch Type: Batting-friendly, then spin-friendly towards the end of the match

Previously named Motera Stadium, it has produced many matches with high scores in the IPL. The stadium has turned out to be the home ground for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, a stronghold for the club from its debut in 2022. The pitch benefits the batsmen as it has a natural bounce and a fast outfield. Nevertheless, spinners come into play as the surface slows down.

Also Read: IPL 2025: CSK vs RCB at Chepauk: A head-to-head breakdown

Narendra Modi Stadium IPL Stats & Records 

Here are the key IPL statistics for the Narendra Modi Stadium based on matches played up to the 2024 season:

• Total Matches Played: 37
• Matches Won Batting First: 16,
• Matches Won Batting Second: 20
• No Result Matches: 1
• Highest Total: 243/5 - Punjab Kings vs. Gujarat Titans (2025) 
• Lowest Total: 89 all out—Gujarat Titans vs. Delhi
• Highest Successful Chase: 207/7 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Gujarat Titans (2024)
• Lowest Total Defended:130/8 – Delhi Capitals vs. Gujarat Titans (2024)
• The average first innings score is 172.

Weather & Pitch Conditions

• Temperature will be 31–37°C.
• Humidity will be set at 11%.
• There will be a 0% chance of rain, which means there should be no interruptions. 

Pitch Report:

• The surface should be batter-friendly with a true bounce and a little pace for the stroke makers.
• Fast bowlers will get some movement early in the innings, but the pitch normally flattens throughout the course of the game.
• Spinners could play a key role in the second half of the game.
• High-scoring matches can be expected here, with first-innings scores of between 170 and 180 being a par score.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Sara Ali Khan to light up Guwahati as IPL celebrates 18 glorious years

Match Preview:

GT vs. MI Gujarat Titans will be looking to cash in on home conditions. They will be confident in their batting, especially Shubman Gill, and if the Spin bowler, R S Kishore, maintains his wicket-taking form. The Mumbai Indians will provide experience and tactical depth to the match. The Mumbai Indians will not mind chasing on unfamiliar traffic but pressure. Their balanced squad has explosive batsmen and bowlers. 

MI will be looking to create a raucous atmosphere that will silence the Ahmedabad crowd. With the pitch conditions likely subpar and based on recent records, fans should expect a high-scoring event with both teams eyeing finished positions to gain vital points earlier in the season.

The five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians are going to take on Gujarat Titans which commences tomorrow evening at 7.30 pm at Narendra Modi Stadium. Both the teams have bought equivalent players who can be match-winners for their franchises. Mumbai Indians have a wide range of popularity and their players have been devotees to their fans. Though Mi recent years have been very dreadful facing the transition phase or to be called a bad tenure. 
Gujarat Titans who had formed in 2021 impressed the audience with their first season itself where they won their first title in 2022. Gujarat has played some exceptional cricket over the years but after the season of 2023, they too had some backlash that deteriorated the team to begin from the start. Where their captain Hardik Pandya moved to Mumbai making Subhman Gill the captaincy candidate. 

Read More: IPL 2025: GT Playing 11 vs MI Match 9

Mumbai And Gujarat On Same Road

Mumbai India had a great tenure of 6 years, where Rohit Sharma took on the captaincy of the franchise and won the title at his first attempt which showed how much potential he possesses as a captain. It was the peak rise of Mumbai Indians from the past few years of a bad patch. Soon they became the dominating force and won the title in 2015,2017,2019 and 2020 too. But after that, the Mumbai Indians team had a huge turnover in the next season where they weren't able to qualify for playoffs.
 Rohit Sharma in and off form struggled in his captaincy too. Later in both seasons, Mi were out of the league stage itself, which forced the management to have in change of captaincy where they bought Hardik Pandya with his exceptional season with GT. After Pandya's departure,tureto too many problems in team building. Though acquiring Hardik Pandya Mumbai's problems didn't have its end. It got worse a lot more around their upcoming season. 
Start With A Defying Loss

Mumbai Indian's first encounter was against their rival giants Chennai Super Kings where they won the match by 4 wickets and Mi lost their first match. The same situation with Gujarat too where they faced Punjab Kings in their opening encounter. Gujarat won the toss and elected to field first and Punjab poised the score of 243, where in chase Gujarat had its moment but lost the match by 11 runs. 
Both the teams lost their first match even though Hardik Pandya will be back to his after his completion of a one-match ban. It will be a fiery contrast between the two teams who would like to get back into winning ways. 

Mumbai Indians Playing 11
Rohit Sharma
Ryan Rickelton
Will Jacks
Surya Kumar Yadav
Tilak Verma
Naman Dhir
Hardik Pandya(C) 
Mitchell Santner
Deepak Chahar
Trent Boult
Vignesh Puthur
Impact Player - Mustafizur Rahman

A Party Where Stars Are Found, Guwahati:

TATA IPL 2025 is going to be a part of the biggest celebration since its founding with 18 years of spectacular cricket, breath-taking moments, and hall of fame performances. To heighten the sense of occasion, film superstar Sara Ali Khan will be in the spotlight in Guwahati doing a vibrant stage act complete with music, dance and other forms of entertainment. Followers will be in for a thrill-packed night which will bring the elements of cricket and Bollywood films to a magical end. Disha Patani is also framed in TATA IPL's pop video for 2025.

A Crazy Evening Packed with Music, Dance & Adrenaline

IPL makes a world of difference in the entertainment scene, mainly because Sara Ali Khan's show will push the pulse a mark up. The entertainment will include good music and dance, which will be an unforgettable experience for the fans. Even though cricket heads are excited about another epic IPL season ahead, this celebration will be a perfect start to a tournament filled with a lot of action.
The fusion of cricket and glamour does not just limit itself IPL 2025 starts off;

Cricket meets glamour in Guwahati ✨

Sara Ali Khan is all set to set the stage on fire as #TATAIPL celebrates 18 iconic years! 🔥

Get ready for a night of music, dance & pure adrenaline! 🎶#RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/2KPtLcCodP

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 28, 2025

Also read:GT vs MI: Match 09 Weather and Pitch report IPL 2025

Event Details Don’t Miss Out!

• Venue: Guwahati
• Date: March 30, 2025
• Time: 6:30 PM onwards

Get ready for an unforgettable night of cricket, glamour, and entertainment!

The Gujarat Titans (GT) vs. Mumbai Indians (MI) match is set for March 29, 2025, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Both teams are elated in anticipation of grabbing their first win of the season, shaping the aesthetic for this match to be even more engrossing.

Match Details – IPL 2025

• Match: Gujarat Titans (GT) vs Mumbai Indians (MI)
• Date: 29th March 2025 
• Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
• Live Streaming: JioStar & Star Sports Network

Also read:IPL 2025 GT vs MI : player battles to watch out

 Weather and Pitch Condition:

Weather Condition:

• The Ahmedabad forecast promises skies that are clear throughout the game, and the temperature hovering between 31 and 37 degrees guarantees no rain holdups.
• 11% (Humidity)
• No rain is predicted, ensuring an uninterrupted match.

Pitch Forecast:

• Known for its batting-rich track, the Narendra Modi Stadium is likely to produce another high-scoring game because of the expected bounce and pace, which is favorable for aggressive batting. 
• As the match shifts toward the end, spinners may get some help due to the pitch slowing down.

Also read:IPL 2025: CSK vs RCB at Chepauk: A head-to-head breakdown

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) takes on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2025 Match 8 at Chepauk on March 28, The Chepauk Stadium, also known as the MA Chidambaram Stadium, has long been a stronghold for CSK while posing a tough challenge for RCB when it comes to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Due to the electrifying atmosphere CSK encounters with RCB, coupled with the spin-friendly CSK pitch, the matches have mostly favored CSK. This stadium has many memorable matches; here is a glance at their head-to-head records.

Head-to-Head Records at Chepauk

It is recorded that CSK and RCB have crossed paths 9 times only at Chepauk Stadium here; CSK has taken the lead:

•   Matches Played: 9
•  CSK Wins: 8
•  RCB Wins: 1

RCB has only won once at this venue, and that was in IPL 2008. After that, CSK, for the most part, has had an iron grip over RCB in terms of rivalry. The geographical location, together with RCB's inability to face CSK’s spin attack and tactical gameplay, makes it challenging for RCB to gain the upper hand on CSK for this surface.

Also Read: Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing 11 vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2025 match 8

Classic CSK vs. RCB Matches at Chepauk

IPL 2024 Opener (March 22, 2024)

• RCB: 173/6 (20 overs)
• CSK: 176/4 (18.4 overs)
• Result: CSK won by 6 wickets.

CSK, undefeated in IPL 2019, claimed another scalp, putting RCB to the sword with the bat and ball. RCB batted well and got 173 runs, led by Anuj Rawat (48) and Dinesh Karthik (38), but CSK chased the score with great ease. Rachin Ravindra (37 off 15) set the platform, which was built on by Shivam Dube (28) and Ravidra Jadeja (25).

RCB vs CSK – IPL 2019: March 23, 2019

• RCB: 70 all out (17.1 overs)
• CSK: 71/3 (13 overs)
• Result: CSK won by 7 wickets.

This game will have to go down as one of CSK’s best performances, registering the lowest IPL total at Chepauk (70) along with Harbhajan Singh (3/20) and Imran Tahir (2/9) filling their boots against the undisciplined RCB batting order.

RCB vs CSK – IPL 2008: April 28, 2008 – RCB’s Only Win

• RCB: 178/5 (20 overs)
• CSK: 165 all out (19.4 overs)
• Result: RCB won by 13 runs.

RCB scored an astonishing inaugural IPL season win at Chepauk, getting MS Dhoni’s valiant 65 as an added bonus. Ross Taylor (53) and key contributions from the middle order helped them post 178.

Also Read: Who is Prince Yadav? The LSG bowler who took Travis Head's wicket

IPL 2013: RCB vs CSK – April 11, 2013 – CSK’s Lowest Total vs RCB at Chepauk

• CSK: 82/6 (8 overs)
• RCB: 106/2 (8 overs)
• Result: RCB won by 24 runs. 

In this rare failure for CSK at Chepauk, Zaheer Khan and RP Singh were able to exploit the conditions and bowl CSK out for just 82 runs. Despite such an emphatic victory, RCB has generally struggled at Chepauk.

The two prominent teams Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are going to face each other tomorrow at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the match will commence at 7.30 pm, where GT has the upper hand against the mighty Mumbai Indians. Gujarat Titans were included in the 2021 IPL season, where they created a profound team with Hardik Pandya as their captain. But the team performance was a great one in their first season itself.

Gujarat had a great opening season in 2022 where they won 10 of their league matches out of 14. Hardik Pandya's captaincy and the way he guided the youngsters in that season were more encouraging. Not only did they win the league stage but moved on to playoffs and won the trophy in their first season itself which was widely recognized by everyone and Hardik too proved his weightage as captain material. 

Read More: Irfan Pathan's Predictions for the IPL 2025 Playoffs

GT Into New Transition

The Gujarat team created history when it became the first team to win the IPL trophy in its inaugural season itself which was quite a sounding one.  Even in the next season, they kept their same domination that too against Mumbai they won the most, Mumbai at that time was struggling a lot with Rohit Sharma's captaincy had a sudden issue.

But the Titans were marching their way on. Their second season was also a ripper where they won 10 league matches same as in the earlier season. 

Gujarat has clearly dominated Mumbai in their outings the team have faced each other 5 times and Gujarat have won 3 of their outings which shows the clear dominance, which continued in 2023, Gujarat reached their second finals where Chennai Super Kings were their opposite. It was quite a dramatic final in the history of IPL. Where batting first Gujarat poised an impossible total of 213, On the other Csk's batting was a total collapse which depicted GT will their second title. 

Read More: Watch: Nicholas Pooran’s ‘Dabangg’ style dialogue after smashing SRH – ‘Itne chakke marenge...’

The match was interrupted by the rain and the target for Csk was reduced to 171 it was Jadeja who made the impossible possible by guiding the final ball to the boundary and making Csk the five-time IPL champion team. But Gujarat had the wildest of chance but nature profound the other. 

GT Playing 11 Against MI

Mumbai Indians after winning the, 2019 trophy lost his completely over the years, where there were lots of changes, even GT captain Hardik Pandya was bought back by Mumbai but still, they weren't able to create the magic that Rohit Sharma did these many years for Mumbai Indians. The dip in form and captaincy issue forced Mumbai to change their captain. Tomorrow Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are going to face each other for the sixth time will GT keep their dominancy on them or will Mumbai give a fight back. 

Gujarat Playing 11 Against Mumbai

 Subhuman Gill ( C),

 Jos Buttler
 Sai Sudarshan
 Shahrukh Khan
 Glenn Philips
 Washington Sundar
 Rahul Tewatia
 Rashid Khan
 Kagiso Rabada
 Prasidh Krishna
 Mohammed Siraj
 Impact Player - Mahipal Lomror

The experienced side is back for the ODIs. Pakistan look more familiar and ODIs is a format they are doing better in despite the bad Champions Trophy. Can they find their rhythm though?

NZ vs PAK Match Details

Date: March 29th, 2025

Time:  3:30 AM IST

Venue: McClean Park, Napier

New Zealand vs Pakistan Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice evening are expected for the game.

New Zealand vs Pakistan Pitch Report

Average Score Batting First in the last five games: 169

Average Score Batting Second in the last five games: 268

Wins Batting First in the last five games: 0

Wins Batting Second in the five games: 5

ODIs have been scarce at Napier with the last five all going the way of the team batting second. Results give an easy indicator of which way to go when winning the toss. A green tinge indicates there is swing early on impacting sides batting first.

See Also: NZ vs PAK Dream XI Prediction

New Zealand vs Pakistan Head-to-Head

NZ vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

PAK Playing XI

Imam Ul Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Salman Agha, Mohammad Rizwan, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Khusdil Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

NZ Playing XI

Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Nick Kelly, Muhammad Abbas, Mitchell Hay, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Will O Rourkee, Adithya Ashok 

See Also: 

NZ vs PAK Key Players

Mohammad Rizwa

Rizwan, sacked as T20 skipper has a point to prove. He struggled in the Champions Trophy and will be eager to make things right.

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith has a role to play and he has done the role well in the past. He is a handy batter down the order and chips in with some quiet overs pretty well too. 

NZ vs PAK Match Tips

Both teams are a little short on experience and home advantage could keep New Zealand favourites to start.

Match Prediction: New Zealand Will Win the Match

Nicolas Pooran, SRH vs LSG: 'Itne Chakke Marenge...' It was a 'Dabangg' style dialogue from Nicholas Pooran after thrashing star-studded Sunrisers Hyderabad. A video released by Lucknow Super Giants, just after the match, where we can see Pooran dressed up like a cop and throwing a dialogue adopted from Salman Khan's famous movie 'Dabangg.' 

Read More: IPL 2025, Match 8: CSK vs RCB Dream11 Top Captain And Vice-captain Choices

Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, NK Reddy, and Heinrich Klaasen are the most power-loaded batting line-up of the ongoing IPL 2025, at least on pen and paper. Last night, SRH managed to score only 190 for 9 wickets, just to be defeated by LSG with the help of West Indian swashbuckling batter Nicolas Pooran, who scored a match-winning 70 runs off 26 balls with a strike rate a little over 269. 

Dabangg Pooran on show. 😂🔥pic.twitter.com/i30srRAHBQ

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 27, 2025

In the video, shared on the social media platform by LSG, we can hear Pooran delivering a dialogue, "Hum tumhe itne chakke marenge ki confuse ho jaaoge..." (I'll hit so many sixes that you'll be confused). This was not a mere dialogue from Pooran; that's the fact. Because, in his 70-run innings, he scored 60 runs by dealing with boundaries and over-boundaries; six 4s and six 6s were enough for the middle-order batter to decorate his thunderous innings. 

LSG chased down the 191 target with 23 balls and 5 wickets to spare. Lucknow Super Giants opener Mitchell Marsh (52 runs against 31 balls) spent no time to offer his team a flying start. But it was Pooran who ensured the victory for LSG after losing Aiden Markram when the team score was only 4. From there, it was the Marsh and Pooran duo all over the place. Experienced bowlers from the opposition side, like Mohammed Shami, Pat Cummins, and Adam Zampa, had no option but to concede runs.

Top Four Teams and Their Strengths

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has predicted the top four teams for the IPL 2025 playoffs, analyzing their strengths and key players.

He expects Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to perform well, with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Noor Ahmad forming a strong spin attack. However, he raised concerns about MS Dhoni’s batting role and Devon Conway’s form.

Mumbai Indians (MI) also made his list, with Hardik Pandya’s leadership and key players like Allah Ghazanfar and Mitchell Santner. However, Pathan noted MI’s tendency to start slow could be a challenge.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were another pick, with experienced bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Liam Livingstone and Tim David adding strength to the middle order.

Lastly, Delhi Capitals (DC) stood out with a powerful top order featuring Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, and KL Rahul, supported by a strong spin attack.

With IPL 2025 in progress, only time will tell if Pathan’s predictions come true

GT vs MI Match Preview

Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will face off in the ninth match of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad. Both teams are coming off losses in their initial games and will be eager to earn their first points. The previous match at this location saw over 450 runs scored in 40 overs, and another high-scoring contest is expected. On this batting-friendly surface, the team that attacks more aggressively with the bat will most likely have an advantage.

GT vs MI Match Details 

Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians – 9th Match, IPL 2025

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Date & Time: 29th March 2025 at 07:30 PM IST

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

GT vs MI Venue Stats

GT vs MI Pitch Report

The wicket is two-paced, so batsmen need to be careful. Spinners will likely enjoy the circumstances in this game, as the dry surface causes the ball to turn. The average initial innings score is 170 runs, with the team batting first aiming for 200.

GT vs MI Weather Report

We expect clear skies over Ahmedabad, as well as a warm and humid evening. We will have a full game.  

GT vs MI Last Five Matches

GT vs MI Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: IPL 2025, Match 4: DC vs LSG Dream11 Top Captain And Vice-captain Choices

GT vs MI Probable Playing XIs:

Gujarat Titans Probable Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians Probable Playing XIs

Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Reece Topley (Impact Player)

Topmost Picks for GT vs MI Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – Gujarat Titans

• Shubman Gill – Shubman Gill did not have a great year, but we expect him to rebound this season. Gill scored 33 off 14 balls in the opening game against PBKS.
• Sai Kishore –  This could be a breakthrough season for Sai Kishore. He was chosen over Washington Sundar in the first game and took three wickets.

Top Picks – Mumbai Indians

• Tilak Varma – Tilak Varma has excelled in the Twenty20 format for the Mumbai Indians and India. In his first game against CSK, he scored 31 runs and was the highest run scorer for his team.
• Trent Boult –  Trent Boult is no longer playing international cricket and we may see a drop in quality as the fresh ball will be difficult to face as a batter.

GT vs MI Probable Winners:

Both the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians are desperate for a win after disappointing starts to their seasons. The surface is going to be favorable for batting, so runs will flow. Mumbai appears to be the stronger team to take advantage of such conditions, while Gujarat will rely heavily on their captain and a few batters to put up a fight.  Aside from Rabada, their bowling unit appears fragile, which Mumbai's batters will be keen to exploit. Given the matchups, MI appears to be in a strong position to take control and get their first victory. Considering the team combination, Mumbai Indians is expected to win this match.

NZ vs PAK Match Preview

Prior to this game, New Zealand hosted Pakistan in a five-match T20I series, which went well for the Kiwis. For the first two games, New Zealand restricted Pakistan to narrow scores of 91 and 135, respectively, after chasing it down with nine and five wickets remaining. Pakistan was equally hapless in the final, where they were once again bundled out for a meager 128. Skipper Salman Agha's 51 was the sole contribution that kept the team afloat; the others did little to help. 

NZ vs PAK Match Details

New Zealand vs Pakistan – 1st Match, ODI Match

Venue: McLean Park, Napier

Date & Time: 29th March 2025 at 03:30 AM IST 

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

NZ vs PAK Venue Stats

NZ vs PAK Pitch Report

The pitch provides a well-balanced surface that will appeal to both batters and bowlers. Pacers can extract movement early on, especially under lights, while spinners improve with each game. 

NZ vs PAK Weather Report

This has consistently been a good batting wicket, and we expect both teams to score high totals. The par score for batting first in this game will be around 180.

NZ vs PAK Last Five Matches

NZ vs PAK Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: PPS vs NML Dream11 Prediction Match 12

NZ vs PAK Probable Playing XIs:

Pakistan Probable Playing XIs

Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Agha (c), Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Shaheen Afridi, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf

New Zealand Probable Playing XIs

Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears

Topmost Picks for NZ vs PAK Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – New Zealand

• Mark Chapman – Mark Chapman was one of New Zealand's top scorers in the previous T20I series, scoring 122 runs in four innings, including a high score of 94.
• Jacob Duffy – Jacob Duffy was New Zealand's leading wicket-taker in the previous T20I series against Pakistan, taking 13 wickets in five innings and averaging 8.38.

Top Picks – Pakistan

• Salman Agha – Salman Agha was Pakistan's only major contributor with the bat in the T20I series, scoring 167 runs in five innings at an average of 41.75. 
• Abrar Ahmed –  In the T20I game against New Zealand, Abrar Ahmed was Pakistan's second leading wicket-taker, with 5 wickets in 3 innings and an average of 19.80.

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for NZ vs PAK Dream11 Team:

Tim Seifert(VC), Mohammad Haris, Daryl Mitchell, Irfan Khan, Salman Agha(VC), Shadab Khan, Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for NZ vs PAK Dream11 Team:

Tim Seifert, Mohammad Haris, Daryl Mitchell(C), Irfan Khan, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan(VC), Michael Bracewell, James Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Michael Bracewell, Daryl Mitchell

Vice-captain – Salman Agha, Shadab Khan,

Wicketkeeper – Tim Seifert

NZ vs PAK Probable Winners:

New Zealand's morale will be high as they enter this series fresh off a 4-1 T20I series win over Pakistan. They get a chance on home soil with a strong unit, whereas Pakistan is in the midst of a squabble as they try to rebuild their squad. Considering the team combination, New Zealand is expected to win this match.

We are ready for the Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (CSK vs RCB) match, which is the eighth match of the IPL 2025 and will be played on Friday evening (March 28) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai. Here, we are going through the top favourite names for the captain and vice-captain of Dream11 for the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 8: CSK vs RCB Probable XIs

Chennai Super Kings Predicted Playing 11: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Rahul Tripathi/Khaleel Ahmed (Impact Player Sub), Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Nathan Ellis, Noor Ahmad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing 11: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal/Suyash Sharma (Impact Player Sub), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Salam/Swapnil Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

See Also: RCB’s Last Win vs CSK in Chepauk: World was Different in 2008

IPL 2025, Match 8: CSK vs RCB Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain's choices

Rachin Ravindra: New Zealand cricketer Rachin Ravindra is in great form with the bat. While CSK had a tricky chase of 156 runs against Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 opener, Ravindra scored 65 not out off 45 balls with two fours and four sixes, as CSK managed to chase the target despite losing wickets at regular intervals. His spin bowling is also an asset for his team.  

Krunal Pandya: While RCB managed a solid start in the IPL 2025 with a seven-wicket thrashing win against the hosts and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Krunal Pandya was the main character why RCB return to the game and never lost the plot since then. The left-arm spinner maintained tight lines in the IPL 2025 opener as he dismissed set captain Ajinkya Rahane (56), Venkatesh Iyer (6), and Rinku Singh (12). He had the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3 as he won the Player of the Match award. In Chennai, he can play another crucial role for his team with the ball. 

Virat Kohli: Former RCB captain Virat Kohli is now in great form with the bat in white-ball cricket. The leading run-scorer in IPL history started the IPL 2025 in familiar style as his powerful 59 not out off 36 balls (four fours and three sixes) had an important role in the successful 175-run chase. 

Top 3 Vice-captain's choices

Noor Ahmad: The Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad was the hero for CSK in their first game of the IPL 2025, where they beat Mumbai Indians by four wickets with five balls to spare. While they restricted MI to 155/9 in 20 overs, Noor had the bowling figures of 4-0-18-4, as he dismissed Suryakumar Yadav (29), Robin Minz (3), Tilak Varma (31), and Naman Dhit (17). 

Khaleel Ahmed: While Noor Ahmed was the Player of the Match for CSK in their IPL 2025 opener, the left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed set the tone for that with his two wickets in the powerplay. In his first two overs, Khaleel dismissed Rohit Sharma (0) and Ryan Rickelton (0). Later, in the slog overs, he dismissed Trent Boult (1) and finished with the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3. 

Ravindra Jadeja: Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is always a key name in any format of cricket as he is a rare asset for any team. In Chennai, his left-arm spin bowling is key, while the left-handed batter can also play crucial cameos. In their first IPL 2025 match against Mumbai Indians, while Jadeja controlled with the bowling figures of 3-0-21-0, he came at a crucial time in the batting and set up the match-saver 36-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Rachin Ravindra before the Indian cricketer was run out for 17 runs. 

While Lucknow Super Giants claimed a dominant win against the dangerous hosts SunRisers Hyderabad in the seventh match of the IPL 2025, LSG pacer Shardul Thakur had the key role, as the right-arm pacer produced his best bowling figures in his IPL career. 

From being unsold to becoming an important pacer in the injury-loaded LSG pace bowling line-up, Shardul Thakur is now playing a very important role for his new IPL team, LSG. After performing strongly in their IPL 2025 opener against Delhi Capitals, Shardul again produced a powerful bowling performance in their second game against the dangerous hosts SRH.

While SRH scored 286/6 at home in their first IPL 2025 match (vs Rajasthan Royals), which was the second-highest IPL total, LSG restricted SRH to 190/9 in 20 overs. LSG pacer Shardul had the bowling figures of 4-0-34-4. In his second over of his first spell of the match, Shardul took two consecutive wickets of SRH opener Abhishek Sharma (6) and last match centurion Ishan Kishan (0). After Shardul provided a strong start, the other LSG bowlers brought strong support, as the home batters were never out of early pressure. Later, in the slog overs, Shardul dismissed Abhinav Manohar (2) and Mohammed Shami (1) cheaply to record the second fifer in his IPL career. 

See Also: IPL 2025: Shardul Thakur records his best bowling figures in IPL career

Why not bowlers go hard at them? Shardul Thakur

As LSG achieved success in the match by earning two points, Shardul won the Player of the Match award for his outstanding bowling performance, as the right-arm pacer now holds the Purple Cap. During the presentation ceremony, he was asked, "Shardul, when you are specially planning and bowling against a team like this, SRH, with so many destructive batters, what's the game plan?"

Shardul replied, "I think they are coming hard at bowlers, and why not bowlers go hard at them? So, the talk was around what the plan should be, and ok we collectively said, 'Let's go hard at them, let's take our chances.' If we get early wickets, then we are in the game because we have been scoring heavily on this ground on flat pitches, and probably we had to take our chances."

Here's the video pic.twitter.com/gaXOjleXj0

— Radha (@Rkc1511165) March 27, 2025

LSG won by five wickets with 23 balls remaining

LSG comfortably chased the 191-run target in 16.1 overs after losing five wickets, where Nicholas Pooran (70 off 26 balls; six fours and six sixes) and the opener Mitchell Marsh (52 off 31 balls; seven fours and two sixes) had powerful batting performances. 

In a thrilling match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) of IPL 2025, Sunrisers Hyderabad batted first and made 190 runs from a total of 20 overs, with Travis Head leading the scoring with a performance of 47 runs from 28 balls. Shardul Thakur from Lucknow Super Giants was the most successful bowler with 4 wickets for 32 runs. Lucknow Super Giants started well chasing the total, making what turned out to be a very unchallenging task. Nicholas Pooran stole the show with a blistering 70 from just 26 balls and Mitchell Marsh contributed well also with 42 runs. Lucknow Super Giants chased the total in a mere 16.1 overs arriving to a score of 193 runs for 5 wickets. The Lucknow Super Giants won the match and achieved their first win of the season by 5 wickets.

IPL 2025 – Match 6 Highlights (SRH vs LSG)

SRH Innings(190-9)in 20 overs

Travis Head- 47(28)

Aniket Verma-36(13)

Pat Cummins- (3-29-2)

LSG Innings(193-5)in 16.1 overs

Nicholas Pooran- 70(26)

Mitchell Marsh- 52(31)

Shardul Thakur- (4-34-4)

Twitter reactions after LSG win 7th match of IPL 2025

ALSO READ: RCB’s Last Win vs CSK in Chepauk: World was Different in 2008

𝑻𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑯𝒚𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒅! 💙🔄

After a crushing defeat, LSG return stronger to outclass SRH, reflecting Sanjiv Goenka’s rollercoaster of emotions! 😍✨#SRHvLSG #IPL2025 #SanjivGoenka #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/IPhPydJJl7

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) March 27, 2025

Boissss LSG won🔥🔥💥💥
That junction lo function too SRH 4 fans😘🍊 https://t.co/AGLCmAhVkf pic.twitter.com/bcIovsBXRg

— 🦁MB cult (@MbForLifeEver) March 27, 2025

Good humbling for us😊

Good night everyone, hope good for the next match we can recover from this loss.

Congratulations LSG for the win🔥 pic.twitter.com/WbvuzzqpRN

— Ishan's🤫🧘🧡 (@IshanWK32) March 27, 2025

LSG won the match 🤣🤣🫢#LSGvsSRH #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/ZqLdAM5q5B

— 𝘚𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘪 🦋 (@SShruthiii) March 27, 2025

Losing is fine and perhaps it’s better it came early in the season
LSG needed this win especially after last year’s one-sided contest.

Aniket Verma looks like a serious talent Handled the occasion with maturity beyond his years

Captain Clutch Cummins continues to deliver when…

— Ram (@RiserTweex) March 27, 2025

Absolutely loved how LSG stepped up today..
Dismantled all the hype around SRH batting..
That's how it's done....
Although I feel both lsg n srh ll be in the bottom half this year

— Saurabh Desai (@sau_desai) March 27, 2025

He said it, they did it! 😎

LSG are off the mark in TATA IPL 2025! 💪#SRHvsLSG #TATAIPL #Rishabpant #NicolasPooran #LSGWin pic.twitter.com/4vbw75nYgm

— Shahnawaz Choudhary (@EditorShahnawaz) March 27, 2025

1st UPSET of #IPL2025 #SRHvsLSG 9️⃣9️⃣% believed SRH will 🏆 against LSG today
"Seems getting taste of its own medicine💊"🤪🤣
IPL T20 recent yrs proved any team can beat any team on a given day keeps tournament interesting & unpredictable 🤔 is not usual BIG teams dominating pic.twitter.com/9XIS4AtWIC

— K@nn@nView🧐🚩ஓம் ऊं (@kannan_view) March 27, 2025

Lsg win today now!

Template advance aaga last match appo eduththu!🙌😉😌

Tag @Rama_Chandran_K ayya ok thaana template...eppudi🙌🫢😊

Lsg vs srh
Ipl 2025 @thuduppattam @Subbiahselvaa7 @MechKarthikm @michealrajg @narsimp @Poovendan_C @ilango_pon @gsenthilkumar81 pic.twitter.com/w4rFzmZYmd

— PONMARI WINS (@mariappanthang5) March 27, 2025

🚨SRH vs LSG🚨
LSG won the toss and elected to bowl first
SRH batting first—can they rewrite history again & smash 300?All eyes on their power hitters!#TATAIPL2025 #IPL2025 #SRHvsLSG #SRHvLSG #LSGvsSRH #LSGvSRH #CSKvsRCB #TravisHead #Abhishek #Klassen #IshanKishan #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/Xsp2pgVWpH

— Random Shit (@RandomShit_888) March 27, 2025

>PURPLE CAP - Shardul Thakur
>ORANGE CAP - Nicholas Pooran
>2 points in the pocket
>Crushed Superteam SRH
>Silenced the Silencer
>Fu*ked the haters

LSG NATION WE ARE SO BACK !!! pic.twitter.com/yOGSPGOjdS

— TONY //- (@peak_lucknow) March 27, 2025

LSG beats SRH #ipl2025 #sunriseshyderabad #srk #lucknowsupergiants #lsg pic.twitter.com/3Fl2UJRK8w

— RVCJ Sports (@RVCJ_Sports) March 27, 2025

SRH #TATAIPL2025 🎯
2/14 ❌

LSG won by 5 Wickets #LSGvsSRH https://t.co/lHZgPUiZu2 pic.twitter.com/myClWSt4K3

— R@m (@GRamu66g) March 27, 2025

Lsg after taking head wicket #LSGvsSRH #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/wRWK6yyUjg

— Abhay Sengar (@Thakurwaad_001) March 27, 2025

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk on May 21, 2008. Cricket and the world have changed so much since then. Let us look back and see how things were different back then

Cricket in 2008

• Virat Kohli had not played for India yet.
• Anil Kumble was the captain of India.
• Sachin Tendulkar had 81 international hundreds.
• MS Dhoni had captained India in only 32 international matches.
• Roger Federer was the Wimbledon champion, and neither Nadal nor Djokovic had yet won the title.
• India had not yet won an individual Olympic gold medal.

ALSO SEE: IPL 2025: Who is Aniket Verma? SRH’s New Sensation

The World in 2008

• WhatsApp and Bitcoin did not exist.
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who is a Rajasthan Royals cricketer now, was not born.
• Sensex was at 17,243 today it is more than 77,000.
• India was operating 2G networks for mobile communication.
• Gold was at ₹12,500 per 10 grams today it is more than ₹90,000.
• Anushka Sharma had not yet made her Bollywood debut.
• Pervez Musharraf was the President of Pakistan.
• Barack Obama had not yet become the US President.
• Cristiano Ronaldo was still playing for Manchester United.
• Dommaraju Gukesh, India's current World Chess Champion, was not yet two years old.
• Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah had not yet been broadcast.

Then vs. Now

The IPL was in its inaugural season and nobody knew how much bigger it would go. CSK has terrorized RCB at Chepauk through the years, and it has been one of their most difficult venues. As every new season of the IPL comes around, fans of RCB pray that one day their team will shatter the winning drought.

IPL 2025: Aniket Verma Impresses quick-fire knock 36 Off 13 Balls for SRH

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s young talent player, Aniket Verma, made a strong impact in the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants in Hyderabad on Thursday. Batting at number six, he scored 36 runs off just 13 balls, clearing the fences five times without hitting a single four.

Aniket, who comes from Madhya Pradesh, was bought by SRH for INR 30 lakhs at the IPL auction. He doesn’t have much experience at the senior domestic level, having played just one T20 match in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. However, he grabbed attention in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, where he was the top run-scorer with 244 runs in five innings at an incredible strike rate of over 205.

3⃣6⃣ runs
5⃣ massive sixes 🔥

Aniket Verma's explosive cameo gave #SRH the much-needed late flourish 🧡

Updates ▶ https://t.co/X6vyVEvxwz#TATAIPL | #SRHvLSG | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/21gh3f2jZR

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 27, 2025

ALSO READ: Watch: Angry Nitish Kumar Reddy threw his Helmet after his dismissal vs LSG

Besides his power-hitting, Aniket is also a handy medium pacer. He has shown his ability in age-group cricket, including a century against Karnataka Under-23 in a men’s one-day tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy lost his temper after getting dismissed by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during an IPL match. In anger, he threw his helmet on his way back to the dugout, venting his frustration.

Nitish Reddy was playing a key role for SRH, providing solidity in the middle order. He had established momentum in his innings and was aiming to step up the pace before getting removed at a critical moment. His dismissal as a blow for SRH could have been a reason for his emotional outburst.

Angry Nitish ; Throw His Helmet 🪖.#SRHvsLSG pic.twitter.com/kBP3qdVP8f

— Dhoni fan (@chiku_187) March 27, 2025

ALSO SEE: Watch: Prince Yadav clean bowled Travis Head

The young cricketer's tantrum soon became a social media hit, with the public and analysts expressing divergent opinions. Some praised his passion for the game, but others condemned him for losing his temper.

Incidents like these highlight the extreme pressure on the players during big games. It is a natural feeling to be frustrated, but calmness is essential in professional cricket. Nitish Kumar Reddy has shown promise as an IPL star of the future despite the incident, and fans will be eagerly anticipating his game in upcoming matches.

PPS vs NML Match Details:

PPS vs NML Match Preview:

The Pigeon Point Skiers (PPS) team registered its third consecutive win by defeating the KBR team by 8 wickets in its last match. The PPS team has reached the second position with 6 points. In this match, the PPS team chased down the target of 118 runs of the KBR team in 7.2 overs at the loss of 2 wickets. Jayden Kent played a brilliant knock of 62 runs in 27 balls in this chase and Philton Williams contributed 37 runs. 

On the other hand, No Man's Land Explorers (NML's) poor performance in the tournament continues. In the last match against the KBR team, the NML team suffered a 9-wicket defeat. This is the third consecutive defeat of an NML team in the tournament. NML is currently at the bottom of the points table. Teshawn Castro and Imran Khan are the standout performers of this team so far. No Man's Land Explorers will be eager to secure its first win of the tournament in this match.

PPS vs NML Head-to-Head Stats:

Pitch & Weather Report:

Probable Playing11:

Pigeon Point Skiers Probable XI:

Jayden Kent(WK), 2. Antonio Providence, 3. Akiel Cooper, 4. Jesse Bootan(C), 5. Aaron Nanan, 6. Adrian Alexander, 7. Anroy Desvignes(WK), 8. Philton Williams, 9. Donavan Roberts, 10. Rayan Williams, 11. Shafique Sheppard

No Man's Land Explorers Probable XI:

1.Jason Persaud(WK), 2. Ako George, 3. Leron Lezama, 4. Kevon Samuel, 5. Teshawn Castro, 6. Clevon Kalawan, 7. Dexter Sween, 8. Anderson Mahase, 9. Chadeon Raymond, 10. Imran Khan, 11. Andy Davis

Top Picks for PPS vs NML Dream11 Prediction:

• Jayden Kent is the highest run scorer for Pigeon Point Skiers. He scored 126 Runs. He will be a key player in this match as well.
• Jesse Bootan, skipper of Pigeon Point Skiers has contributed with both bat and ball. So far, he scored 31 runs and took 5 wickets for their team.
• Philton Williams is another strong option from Pigeon Point Skiers He bats at no 3. He played a traffic inning of 37 runs in the last match. He also took 1 wicket.
• Teshawn Castro from No Man's Land Explorers is a must-pick for today's match. He is a standout performer from NML He scored 38 runs and took 1 wicket in the last 2 matches.
• Imran Khan is a very experienced player in the No Man's Land Explorers squad. He scored the highest 68 runs for No Man's Land Explorers. He will need to take charge to help break the NML losing streak.

PPS vs NML Dream11 Team:

Captain & Vice-Captain Choices

• Best Captain Picks: J Bootan, J Kent

• Best Vice-Captain Picks: A Providence, T Castro

Probable Winners:

The Pigeon Point Skiers team has a strong chance of winning the match. Jayden Kent, Jesse Bootan and Philton Williams are performing well for the PBR team. Pigeon Point Skiers has played 2 matches in the tournament so far and has won both. The No Man's Land Explorers team also has talented players like Imran Khan and Dexter Sween. These players will need to perform well to help their team to secure the first victory.