Gujarat goes top of the Indian Premier League with a big win over Rajasthan

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Batter Sai Sudharsan and bowler Prasidh Krishna led Gujarat Titans to a 58-run victory over Rajasthan Royals as the 2022 champions notched their fourth straight win in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday to go top of the 10-team standings.

Left-handed opener Sudharsan smashed 82 off 53 balls -- his third half century of the season -- and spearheaded Gujarat to 217-6 after Rajasthan won the toss and bowled.

Right-arm fast bowler Krishna then picked up 3-24 in four overs with his sharp, short deliveries and spinner Rashid Khan took 2-37 as Rajasthan was bowled out for 159 in 19.2 overs.

Shimron Hetmyer of the West Indies top-scored in the chase with 52 off 32 balls and captain Sanju Samson made a 28-ball 41, but both fell to Krishna, who impressed with the old and new ball.

Gujarat has eight points with four wins in five games. It fell short by 11 runs in the only loss against Punjab Kings in the opening game run-fest at home. Gujarat has a two-point lead over second-placed Delhi Capitals, which has played two fewer games. Delhi has won all three of its games and is the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Rajasthan, which came into the game on the back of successive wins against Chennai Super Kings and Punjab, is seventh after five matches.

Arshad Khan and Mohammed Siraj took the sting out of Rajasthan’s run-chase inside the first three overs when they dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana cheaply.

Jaiswal timed the ball confidently, only to see Rashid not moving an inch at third man for the catch, and Rana’s ramp shot flew to Kulwant Khejroliya, also at third man, as Rajasthan slipped to 12-2.

Samson and Riyan Parag (26) revived the chase briefly with Parag smashing three sixes. Parag was convinced he didn’t edge impact player, left-arm fast bowler Khejroliya, after Gujarat went for a successful television review.

Rashid, who picked up just one wicket in the last four matches, struck when Dhruv Jorel misread the googly and Sudharsan gobbled a low catch at deep mid-wicket.

Samson was undone by Krishna’s extra pace and got caught at short third man before Hetmyer made a brisk half century. He was eventually caught at deep backward square in the 16th over off another Krishna short ball to end Rajasthan’s slim hopes.

Sudharsan continued his sublime form. He and Jos Buttler laid the foundation for a big Gujarat score with an 80-run, second-wicket stand.

That came after captain Shubman Gill (2) had his off stump clattered by Jofra Archer’s 147 kph (91 mph) delivery before Sudharsan and Buttler took the total to 94.

Buttler, who moved to Gujarat after playing seven IPL seasons for Rajasthan, made 36 off 25 balls against his long-time franchise before falling lbw to Maheesh Theekshana (2-54) off a delivery that spun back sharply.

Shahrukh Khan hit a quick-fire 36 off 20 before Theekshana had him stumped off a full delivery.

Sudharsan kept Gujarat going at more than 10 an over by smashing three sixes and eight fours but missed out on a century. He was caught behind off a thin inside edge against Tushar Deshpande (2-53) in the penultimate over as Rahul Tewatia (24 not out in 12 balls) carried Gujarat over the 200-run mark.

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Pyrotechnics illuminate over the Narendra Modi Stadium during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad, India, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Rajasthan Royals' Maheesh Theekshana celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans' Shahrukh Khan during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Jos Butler congratulates Sai Sudharsan for scoring a fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Shahrukh Khan plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Rashid Khan celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' Shubham Dubey during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Rashid Khan celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan successfully completes a run during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan run between the wickets during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Two Belgian teenagers were charged Tuesday with wildlife piracy after they were found with thousands of ants packed in test tubes in what Kenyan authorities said was part of a trend in trafficking smaller and lesser known species.

Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, two 19-year-olds who were arrested on April 5 with 5,000 ants at a guest house, appeared distraught during their appearance before a magistrate in Nairobi and were comforted in the courtroom by relatives. They told the magistrate they were collecting the ants for fun and did not know that it was illegal.

In a separate criminal case, Kenyan Dennis Ng’ang’a and Vietnamese Duh Hung Nguyen also were charged with illegal trafficking in the same courtroom, following their arrest while in possession of 400 ants.

The Kenya Wildlife Service said the four men were involved in trafficking the ants to markets in Europe and Asia, and that the species included messor cephalotes, a distinctive, large and red-colored harvester ant native to East Africa.

The illegal export of the ants "not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits,” KWS said in a statement.

Kenya has in the past fought against the trafficking of body parts of larger species of wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins among others. But the cases against the four men represent "a shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species,” KWS said.

The two Belgians were arrested in Kenya’s Nakuru county, which is home to various national parks. The 5,000 ants were found in a guest house where they were staying, and were packed in 2,244 test tubes that had been filled with cotton wool to enable the ants to survive for months.

The other two men were arrested in Nairobi where they were found to have 400 ants in their apartments.

Kenyan authorities valued the ants at 1 million shillings ($7,700). The prices for ants can vary greatly according to the species and the market.

Philip Muruthi, a vice president for conservation at the Africa Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi, said ants play the role of enriching soils, enabling germination and providing food for species such as birds.

“The thing is, when you see a healthy forest, like Ngong forest, you don’t think about what is making it healthy. It is the relationships all the way from the bacteria to the ants to the bigger things,” he said.

Muruthi warned of the risk of trafficking species and exporting diseases to the agricultural industry of the destination countries.

“Even if there is trade, it should be regulated and nobody should be taking our resources just like that,” he said.

Kenyan officials display live queen ants insects that were destined for Europe and Asia, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Belgian national Lornoy David, who admitted to charges related to the illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, appears at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Belgian national Seppe Lodewijckx, who admitted to charges related to the illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, appears at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A relative hugs Belgian national Seppe Lodewijckx, right, who is charged to related illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Relatives hug Belgian national Lornoy David, centre, who is charged to related illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen, left, and Kenyan national Dennis Ng'ang'a who are charged to the illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, appear at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Belgian nationals Lornoy David, left, and Seppe Lodewijckx, right, who admitted to charges related to the illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets, appear at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts in Nairobi, Kenya Tuesday, April. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)