Franchise Cricket

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Finn Allen struck a brilliant 93 off just 35 deliveries as Kolkata Knight Riders eased to a 29-run win over Gujarat Titans.

The New Zealand opener hit 10 sixes and four fours as Knight Riders post an imposing total of 247-2.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi weighed in with an unbeaten 82 featuring seven sixes and four fours, while Cameron Green was also not out with 52 off only 28 balls.

In reply, Shubman Gill smashed a dazzling 85 including seven sixes and five fours but Sunil Narine's 2-29 pegged the Titans back behind the stiff asking rate.

Sai Sudharsan was forced to retire hurt early on after being struck painfully by Kartik Tyagi.

Jos Buttler struck 57 from 35 deliveries, but his dismissal in the penultimate over put paid to the faint hopes of the Titans, who finished on 218-4..

Royal Challengers Bengaluru remain on top of the IPL from the Titans on net run rate, while Knight Riders move up into seventh place and keep their play-off hopes alive.

Scorecard; Table

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Mitchell Marsh smashed a brilliant 90 off just 38 balls as bottom side Lucknow Super Giants thrashed Chennai Super Kings to record only their fourth victory of the season.

Marsh struck seven sixes in his sparkling knock, which came in a 135-run opening stand alongside fellow Australian Josh Inglis (36 off 32).

Both openers fell in the space of two balls but Nicholas Pooran and Mukul Choudhary saw out the seven-wicket victory with more than three overs to spare - Pooran striking each of the last four balls of the match for six.

The West Indies' left-hander struck Anshul Kamboj for two leg-side maximums before a glorious straight six took the hosts to within one blow of victory, which was achieved when Pooran went aerial through the leg side once again.

Earlier, CSK racked up 187-5, with 20-year-old Kartik Sharma hitting an impressive 71 alongside contributions from Shivam Dube (32 off 16) and Dewald Brevis (25 off 16).

Scorecard; Table

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Warwickshire seamer Richard Gleeson has signed for Indian Premier League leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The 38-year-old, who has played six T20s for England, will replace Sri Lanka's Nuwan Thushara after he was not granted permission to play by his country's cricket board.

Gleeson, who was named in the team of the tournament at the recent Pakistan Super League, will join fellow Warwickshire player Jacob Bethell at the franchise.

RCB are top of the table with two matches to go. They are looking to win the title for a second successive season.

The IPL final is on 31 May, meaning Gleeson, who has previously played for Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in the IPL, could miss up to four matches for Warwickshire Bears in the T20 Blast.

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England all-rounder Will Jacks and India's Tilak Varma led Mumbai Indians to a last gasp victory over Punjab Kings by chasing 201 with a ball to spare in Dharamshala.

Mumbai needed 50 from the last three overs but Jacks hit two sixes and two fours while Varma finished 75 not out from 33 balls.

After being joined by Jacks in the 17th over with Mumbai four down, Varma struck South Africa's Marco Jansen for two sixes and a four to start the 18th.

Varma added another six and Jacks a four to take 22 from the over before Jacks hit a six and a four in the penultimate over.

That left 15 to get from the last and Jacks began with a straight six and Varma hit Australian Xavier Bartlett for two more to complete the win.

Mumbai, who were captained for the first time by bowler Jasprit Bumrah in the absence of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, are already unable to reach the play-offs but the six-wicket defeat dents Punjab's hopes.

They were unbeaten after seven matches but have now lost five in a row. They are still fourth but could drop to sixth by the next time they play.

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