Delhi downs Chennai to stay unbeaten and Punjab suffers first loss to Rajasthan in IPL

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Delhi Capitals rolled to a third straight win when they beat Chennai Super Kings by 25 runs after Lokesh Rahul's half-century in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.

By the end of the day, Delhi was the last unbeaten team after Punjab Kings fell to Rajasthan Royals by 50 runs.

Rahul's 77 off 51 balls, his maiden fifty for his new franchise, included six fours and three sixes, as Delhi notched 183-6.

In reply, Chennai was restricted to 158-5 as its top order floundered.

The only previous time Delhi started an IPL with three straight wins was in 2009.

Meanwhile, Punjab suffered a fifth loss in six games at its new home in Mullanpur.

Rajasthan powered to 205-4 as Yashasvi Jaiswal regained form to score 67 off 45 balls. Riyan Parag added 43 not out off 25.

Punjab could manage only 155-9 from 43-4 in 6.2 overs. Jofra Archer took two wickets in the first over and Rajasthan earned a second win in four games.

In Chennai, opting to bat, Delhi lost attacking opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for a five-ball duck. His wicket was taken by Khaleel Ahmed, Chennai’s best bowler with 2-25 in four overs.

Abishek Porel joined Rahul and shared 54 off 36 balls. Porel hit four fours and a six in 33 off 20 before he was out caught off Ravindra Jadeja.

Skipper Axar Patel's cameo of 21 off 14 helped Delhi get to 90-3 just past the halfway stage.

Rahul reached 50 off 33 deliveries and received middle-order help from Sameer Rizvi (20) and Tristan Stubbs (24 not out off 12 balls).

Chennai stalled before it could start. Rachin Ravindra was out for 3, Devon Conway was caught for 13 and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad removed for 5. Chennai was all but out at 41-3 in 5.3 overs.

Impact substitute Shivam Dube struggled with 18 off 15 balls and Jadeja was out lbw for 2.

Vijay Shankar scored 69 not out off 54 balls, including five fours and a six, but the run-rate required was overwhelming. He and Mahendra Singh Dhoni shared 84 off 57 but the chase was never really realistic.

Jaiswal’s previous best this season was 29 but he struck it rich in Mullanpur with five sixes and three boundaries to score 50 off 40 balls.

A fully fit Sanju Samson added 38, and the duo opened with 89 off 62 balls.

Lockie Ferguson got rid of both openers but Parag and Shimron Hetmyer combined for 47 off 25 balls. Parag hit three sixes and three fours in his unbeaten knock to power Rajasthan past 200.

When Punjab batted, Archer bowled Priyansh Arya first ball and bowled in-form skipper Shreyas Iyer for 10.

Marcus Stoinis (1) and Prabhsimran Singh (17) also fell cheaply and Punjab was in deep trouble. Nehal Wadhera turned the game around with Glenn Maxwell by putting on 88 off 52 balls.

But then both batters fell to consecutive balls from Sri Lanka spinners and Punjab was sunk.

Maxwell, 30 off 21, was caught off Matheesha Theekshana, and Wadhera, 62 off 41, was caught off Wanindu Hasranga.

Sunday’s doubleheader was reduced to a single game, with Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Gujarat Titans at home.

Kolkata Knight Riders was supposed to host Lucknow SuperGiants but it was shifted to Tuesday after a request from Kolkata police due to religious festivities in the city.

Tuesday will become a doubleheader: Punjab will host Chennai in the evening after the Kolkata-Lucknow game.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag plays a shot into the air during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mohali, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Surjeet Yadav)

Rajasthan Royals' Yashasvi Jaiswal bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mohali, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Surjeet Yadav)

Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer tosses the ball as he prepares to bowl the last over of the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Mohali, India, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Surjeet Yadav)

Chennai Super Kings' Vijay Shankar plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Vijay Shankar plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Vijay Shankar plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Delhi Capitals' KL Rahul during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Delhi Capitals' KL Rahul plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Delhi Capitals' KL Rahul watches the ball after playing a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Saturday, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé’s legal team is going on the attack with multiple lawsuits to try and resolve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club Paris Saint-Germain.

The France striker argues PSG owes him 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages, and his lawyers say they have asked the Paris court to start proceedings.

Legal expert Thomas Clay said Mbappé has been authorized to make a precautionary seizure of the money, which was frozen from PSG’s bank accounts on Thursday. A legal hearing is scheduled for May 26, he added.

“This story has been going on for just over a year now. One year was the deadline we set for ourselves for trying to resolve this dispute as peacefully as possible,” Mbappé’s main lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, said.

“As the months went by, Kylian Mbappé still hasn’t been paid the missing 55 million euros. A decision has been taken, this time to go on the attack.”

Verheyden said they were also asking the French sports minister to intervene and to legally challenge a decision by the appeals commission of the French Football Federation, which ruled that Mbappé’s appeal against PSG was not receivable.

Separately, she said that Mbappé has asked the federation to inform UEFA that PSG failed to pay him what he was owed, in breach of the club's salary obligations. Verheyden suggested that if PSG was found responsible it could lose the licence allowing the team to play in the Champions League.

Last October, the French league appeals commission upheld the decision ordering PSG to pay Mbappé the unpaid wages he wants. Mbappé claims the club owes him three months’ salary and the last third of a loyalty bonus.

He joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG.

PSG argued that when Mbappé was sidelined before the 2023-24 season — following his decision not to extend his contract — there was a verbal agreement with him opting to relinquish bonuses in order to return to the team.

“They have not shown any evidence of any agreement,” Verheyden said.

Mbappé’s relationship with PSG ended amid deep tensions and some fans booed him in his last home game at Parc des Princes. PSG felt let down by Mbappé after offering him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new contract in 2022.

But Mbappé was frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players were not kept. When he signed that deal, he was paraded in front of fans holding up a jersey with 2025 on it. Mbappé was reportedly annoyed because the contract was until 2024 — with a player’s option for an extra season.

Mbappé stunned PSG in June 2023 by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year. With his contract effectively into its final year, it put PSG in the position of needing to sell Mbappé to avoid losing him for nothing when the contract expired.

His PSG career could have ended that summer amid a tense transfer standoff.

After telling the club he would not extend, Mbappé was left off a preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with fringe players. PSG said it would rather sell him than let the player leave for free in 2024, but he rejected a 300 million euros move to Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal.

PSG left Mbappé out of the opening league game of that season but he soon returned to the lineup following talks. Mbappé’s legal team said on Thursday it will start an action against PSG for harassment because of the way he was treated.

They will also start another legal procedure before an industrial tribunal, while Mbappé and his mother have filed lawsuits for the abuse they received online.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Kylian Mbappe's lawyers Delphine Verheyden, second right, Frederique Cassereau, right, Thomas Clay and Pierre-Olivier Sur, right, attend a press conference, Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Kylian Mbappe's lawyer Delphine Verheyden attends a press conference as Kylian Mbappe's legal team is going on the attack to try and solve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club PSG., Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Kylian Mbappe's lawyers Pierre Olivier Sur, right, shows a document as Thomas Clay looks on, during a press conference as Kylian Mbappe's legal team is going on the attack to try and solve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club PSG, Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Kylian Mbappe's mother Fayza Lamari, and his father Wilfried Mbappe attend a press conference as Kylian Mbappe's legal team is going on the attack to try and solve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club PSG, Thursday, April 10, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

FILE - Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe applauds fans at the end of the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in London, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Kylian Mbappé's legal team is going on the attack to try and solve the legal dispute between the World Cup winner and his former club PSG. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)