IPL 2020: Match 28: Royal Challengers Bangalore crushes KKR

Sharjah has been a very high scoring venue this year. With sixes galore – 200 runs while batting first has been a bare minimum. With players like AB DeVilliers, Virat Kohli for RCB, and Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan for KKR – it was a huge run-fest on the cards as they met each other yesterday to ring in the halfway mark at this year’s IPL. With both RCB and KKR wanting to consolidate the third place it was expected to be a high adrenaline encounter. So how did it go? 

Here are my 5 points highlights for the match.

1. ABDV 

I have not seen a cricketer who has never been out of form. That the person has taken retirement from international cricket more than 2 years back is hard to imagine. The shots that were on display yesterday left everyone awestruck. And if one goes with the final analysis – he was the only batsman who was able to time the ball amongst both the teams. A couple of his sixes landed outside the stadium and bounced over to the road hi ting the high speeding cars. What a player. In between 15th to the 20th over – it was a savage ABDV at his very best. A 160 total looked possible at the halfway mark which finally ended at 194. 73 off 33 balls was a man of the match effort indeed.

2. Varun Chakravarthy

Varun was supposed to be the third spinner in the KKR squad. But over the last few matches, he has performed well beyond the expectations. Now he is the frontline Indian spinner in the squad replacing Kuldeep Yadav and yesterday he was the only spinner playing for KKR. Quite an achievement considering that he has had hardly any exposure to IPL cricket previously. He was the only bright spot for KKR yesterday. When the opposition scores 194 and your bowling figures read 0/25 in 4 overs – it means you have done a stupendous job. Whatever be the final result, his performance must give the KKR camp a lot of happiness. It’s a young squad with 5 uncapped players in the playing 11 – so they need to keep heart and keep the patience before this group blossoms into a consistent match-winning squad.

3. Chris Morris

From the moment Chris Morris was brought into the squad – this RCB team has been looking really strong. They always had a strong top batting order but they failed to defend scores due to horrible bowling. With Chris Morris coming in who bowls well in the powerplay and has those yorkers at the death – this team now looks to have all its bases covered. Yesterday he started well and kept things tight in the powerplay and then at the end came back to pick up a couple of wickets. 2/17 in 4 overs is quite an unthinkable bowling analysis in a T20 match but it was that kind of day for the team and Chris Morris played his part in ensuring a crushing victory for RCB.

4. Washington Sundar 

Washington Sundar always bowled tight especially in the powerplay overs and has become one of the specialists in that regard. But one thing he lacked was that of picking up wickets. As a bowler, if you do not pick up wickets regularly – you are off the radar from the selectors’ mindset. This season it has been quite different for him though. His economy rate has been the lowest amongst all powerplay bowlers across the competition and the good thing has been that he picked up wickets too. Yesterday was no different and his figures of 2/20 in 4 overs just amplified that fact. This RCB team is now a well-oiled machine and I will not be surprised if they replace one of the Delhi Capitals or Mumbai Indians in the Top 2.

5. Yuzvendra Chahal

One of the many talents that have come through IPL – Chahal is an ideal person to be in your team. A complete team man who never disappoints his captain. In earlier seasons he used to be the only bowler who helped the cause in the field. This season with multiple other bowlers putting their hands up, Chahal’s work has been a bit easier. He is one of those classic leg spinners who love to flight the ball and deceives the batsmen in the flight. He gets prodigious turn too. Another day in the office for Chahal yesterday as he nailed it in with the initial damage being done by others. He returned with figures of 1/12 in 4 overs – a bowling figure which is unfathomable in T20 cricket.

A huge victory for RCB at the end and this team has all the ingredients to become a champion. For KKR they would love to forget this match in a hurry but their team is too weak to really have a say in this year’s tournament. With Russell and Morgan not firing it doesn’t look good for KKR.

What do you think?

Will RCB go all the way this season?

Can KKR come back after this hammering?

Share your thoughts!

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