Mumbai Indians (MI) had a hole in their bowling. They are still figuring out their combination, but injuries and illnesses have hurt them. They have done well in patches but have been inconsistent. This was head coach Mahela Jayawardene’s assessment of MI’s IPL 2026 campaign so far. With two wins in seven matches, MI are languishing in the bottom half of the points table, and now have a five-day break to regroup.

“If you analyse the seven games, yes, there was a hole in our bowling and we got some fresh faces in there,” Jayawardene said after MI’s 103-run hammering by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. “The win against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad looked good. Again, here, I thought in patches we bowled well. It is just execution-wise, consistency-wise, I think we are one of the teams that has given the highest number of big overs – 18-plus overs, if you look at the half-season.

“That number puts us in a very bad position for us to even claw back into a game when you give that 20-plus [over], it’s tough.”

MI have conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.52, the highest by any team this season. The 34 wickets they have picked up thus far are the third-lowest. Jasprit Bumrah, on whom they bank for regular wickets, has taken just the two in seven outings, even if he has been among MI’s most miserly bowlers.

The inconsistency is reflected in not just their performances but also in the use of personnel, even after leaving room for match-ups. When the season began, Trent Boult was their preferred new-ball bowler, but his lack of wickets in the powerplay coupled with a high economy meant MI had to look elsewhere. They had to use more of Bumrah in the powerplay – often two overs this season – instead of saving him for the back end. In the last two outings, Bumrah has bowled the opening over.

“Yes, we are trying a few things,” Jayawardene said. “Booms [Bumrah] we thought we needed some experience up front to take the new ball, because where we were lacking was we were not setting a tone with the first over itself. We were going for ten, 12, 13 runs. So, let’s grab that back. So, we’ve tried a few things.”

Against CSK, it was a case of MI falling short in the powerplay, both with ball and bat: 73 for 2 versus 29 for 3. MI scored their lowest powerplay total against CSK in the IPL on a day when their opponents had scored their second-highest total in that phase against them. MI couldn’t counter Akeal Hosein with the new ball in their chase of 208.

“Once you lose a match like that, it’s difficult to even analyse it,” Jayawardene said. “But probably where we lost both the powerplays with the ball and with the bat, we just couldn’t get to the game. We had a great game in Ahmedabad, I thought we found some rhythm, but again, we lost that rhythm.

“I don’t think the wicket played badly, probably it stayed the same. Once you are 7 [11] for 3, you are always going to get pulled back. They had the upper hand from that point. But overall, we have to be better. We got blown away, but we need to move on and see the good things we have done and be consistent in those areas.”

The move to allow Mitchell Santner a concussion substitute after he was seen walking off the field holding his shoulder raised a few eyebrows. He ran in from sweeper cover to pull off a diving catch to dismiss Kartik Sharma, before walking off grimacing. MI had subbed out AM Ghazanfar to bring in opener Danish Malewar as the impact player. However, with MI’s chase going nowhere, Shardul Thakur walked in to bat at No. 8 as a concussion substitute.

Jayawardene said that Santner went for a scan after he complained of dizziness, and it was then that MI approached the match referee for a concussion substitute.

“I think he hit his head first, neck, obviously the shoulder as well,” he said. “He went for a scan because once he got back, he felt dizzy. So, he was lying down. Yes, the ice was there for the shoulder. But he felt that he wasn’t stable. So, we took him for a scan in that situation. We requested for a concussion substitute. Obviously, it is at the match referee and the umpire’s discretion.

“They allowed Shardul. Mitch will be disappointed that his batting powers are matched to Shardul Thakur. But it is what it is. But hopefully, it’s not too bad.”Amid the gloom, Jayawardene had praise for Ghazanfar, who returned 2 for 25 despite CSK scoring at over ten runs per over. Ghazanfar came on in the powerplay and had Ruturaj Gaikwad caught at long-off before bowling Shivam Dube in the ninth over.

“I thought Allah bowled well, I think he’s young, he’s proven to be quite mature for his age.” Jayawardene said. “How he thinks, how he bowls, he’s bowling in the powerplay, and after that [as well]. The more games he’s playing, he will do well. Even their two spinners bowled well today as well. It was a great spell from Akeal. We just need to keep backing Allah to do what he does.”

MI next play Sunrisers Hyderabad at Wankhede Stadium on April 29.

[Cricinfo]

Iran says that the country’s institutions are fully prepared for its national football team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In a statement made to state broadcaster IRIB, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Wednesday that the Ministry of Youth and Sports ensured all necessary arrangements for the team’s effective participation in the tournament.

She also said the preparations were made under the directive of the sport minister, with a focus on providing the required facilities for a successful performance.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on April 16 that Iran is expected to participate in the upcoming World Cup, taking place from June 11 to July 19, noting that the team has qualified and expressed its willingness to compete despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.

“But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play,” he said of the Iranian team’s upcoming matches scheduled in the United States in June.

“Sports should be outside of politics,” Infantino said.

[Aljazeera]

The Olympic cricket stadium for LA 2028 could host Indian Premier League teams in the future as part of its global expansion plans, says Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore.

Construction has now started on the site at the Fairgrounds, officially known as Fairplex, in the southern Californian city of Pomona in readiness for cricket’s return to the Games.

The stadium will become the home to KKR’s US franchise, Los Angeles Knight Riders and will host Major League Cricket (MLC) matches this July.

It will be a modular venue built in three phases with capacity for 5,000 fans this year, rising to 8,500 in 2027 and then up to 15,000 for the six-team T20 tournament for LA 2028.

Mysore also hopes the ground could eventually stage IPL exhibition fixtures as the competition looks to expand into the United States.

“Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” he told BBC Sport.

“The challenge is always player availability. Once the IPL season is over, everyone’s calendars are packed and they’re running in different directions.

“But the BCCI has talked about a couple of teams going out and playing exhibition games to grow cricket… so that’s always on the agenda.”

The USA is widely regarded as the world’s largest sports market and seen as a key growth area for cricket.

Mysore said there had been “concrete proposals” from both the US and Canada to host IPL teams in the past, although neither have come to fruition.

“This is my 16th season with the IPL and we’ve tried every year, but somehow it hasn’t happened,” he explained.

“There’s a real opportunity to piggyback on what’s happening with MLC to grow the market further.

“When viewership goes up, it has a positive effect on things like media rights. It makes a lot of sense. But first things first – we have to deliver what we’ve started here.”

[BBC]