Delhi Capitals has hit a collective bad patch. Sad for them is that it’s happening right at the business end of the tournament. They lost 3 matches in a row and it was very important for them that they get into the winning ways when they met Mumbai Indians in Dubai. Mumbai Indians on the other hand have already qualified for the playoffs and they just needed one win to confirm a top 2 finish. The match was also important for other teams who needed Mumbai to win so that their chances to qualify remained a possibility.

So how did it pan out?

Here are my 5 points highlights of the match.

1. Trent Boult

Trent Boult has the maximum wickets for any bowler with the powerplay in this year’s IPL. Other than one match he has been able to breakthrough in each and every match. This is the kind of consistency that a team requires from the premier fast bowlers. When you are able to break the opening partnerships quickly, you are not able to break free and this leads to a period of consolidation for the batting side. This is one of the main reasons why oppositions have not been able to score big against Mumbai Indians this season. Yesterday he was back swinging the ball from the word go. Trent Boult first picked up the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan in his very first over and then followed that up with the wicket of Prithvi Shaw in his second over. He finally finished the day with 3/21 in his 4 overs and his bowling performance was responsible for such an awkward score for Delhi Capitals yesterday.

2. Jasprit Bumrah

If Trent Boult made the opening salvo, Jasprit Bumrah took care of the middle overs. Yesterday, Bumrah was brought, in the 9th over. Delhi Capitals were already in the dock and he just nailed it in. Within the space of 2 balls, he broke the back of the Delhi Capitals’ middle order by sending back both Marcus Stoinis and Rishabh Pant. Delhi Capitals needed both of them to consolidate and take the innings deep but losing both of them in the 13th over more or less sealed it for them and they couldn’t recover thereafter. Bumrah finished with 3/17 in his 4 overs.

3. Rahul Chahar

With Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah hogging the limelight, one man went under the radar and that was Rahul Chahar. In most of the matches in this year’s IPL, Rahul Chahar has done his job as was expected by his captain. He kept it tight and picked up the occasional wicket. Yesterday too was no different. Trent Boult had given Mumbai Indians the perfect start and Delhi Capitals was trying to make a comeback through the partnership of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. Shreyas Iyer was not at his fluent best but he looked in control and was planning a long innings. But Iyer was foxed by a perfect leg spinner which he failed to read and Quinton De Kock effected a quick stumping. This according to me was a defining moment of this match in hindsight because Delhi Capitals needed their captain to play till the end and this wicket made it impossible for them.

4. Quinton De Kock

As already stated above, Quinton De Kock’s work behind the stumps brought a halt to Shreyas Iyer in the middle and that stumping was one of the turning points of this low scoring encounter because if Shreyas Iyer stayed till the end then Delhi Capitals would have scored much more than 110 that they finished with yesterday. That stumping was not his only activity yesterday because he took a few more smart catches behind the stumps to effect the dismissals of Prithvi Shaw and Marcus Stoinis. The catch of Stoinis was a straightforward one of course but the overhead catch to get rid of Prithivi Shaw was a good one no doubt. QDK of course has another role in this Mumbai Indians’ set up and that is of playing the aggressive role while opening the batting. Yesterday, they had a very small total to chase and he took the grafting route and allowed Ishan Kishan to turn the aggressor. 68 runs opening partnership with Ishan Kishan ensured that Delhi Capitals doesn’t get a foot in and ensured a big win for Mumbai Indians.

5. Ishan Kishan

In his very first match in this year’s IPL, Ishan Kishan played a majestic knock of 99. Mumbai lost that match via Super Over but Ishan Kishan got himself a permanent slot in the Mumbai Indians’ playing XI. He went off the radar a bit subsequently but then he came roaring back from the time he was asked to open. With Rohit Sharma out of action due to injury it was big boots to fill for Ishan Kishan. But he did this with aplomb and has turned this challenge into an opportunity. The way he has been playing at top of the order, I doubt if Rohit Sharma will slot himself back in the opener’s slot (if fit). Yesterday he was the aggressor in chief. The way he pulled the short balls of Rabada and Nortje just showed how much time this young guy has while facing them. His hand-eye coordination is superb. He might not look very graceful while playing on the offside but he is just superb in the leg side. He remained not out till the end and scored 72 off 47 balls to win another man of the match award.

This was the 4th match that Delhi Capitals lost in a row. After starting so well they are now looking very shaky. Losing just like winning also has momentum and this negative momentum doesn’t look good for them. 

Mumbai Indians on the other hand sit pretty on top of the table and looks well set to retain the IPL once again.

Will Delhi Capitals make it to the playoff? Let’s see how the next couple of days play out in UAE.

With the IPL moving towards the last week, each and every match has now become pretty interesting. Kings XI Punjab has been on a winning run and Rajasthan Royals was coming from a great victory against Mumbai Indians. It was expected to be a close encounter and the result was supposedly important for other teams too because Sunrisers Hyderabad and KKR both needed Rajasthan Royals to win. 

So how did it go yesterday in Abu Dhabi?

Here are my 5 points highlights of the match. 

1. Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle has scored 6 centuries in IPL history and he is considered the grandfather of T20 cricket. From the time he has been drafted into this KingsXI lineup, they are yet to lose a match. he has had a profound impact on all of the matches. Yesterday he had luck on his side too as he was dropped twice. He not only was scoring runs but he was scoring at a very healthy run rate. He hit 8 sixes yesterday and some of them were false strokes but the power that he brings to the game makes the impossible – possible. Yesterday he became the batsman in history to hit 1000 sixes in T20 cricket. Luck eluded him finally when he was done in by a Jofra Archer yorker and he got out for 99. But still, 99 runs off 63 balls was a very good achievement because it was because of him that Kings XI could post a total above 180. Incidentally, this was the second time he scored 99 in IPL – another first. 

2. Jofra Archer

Rajasthan Royals are blessed to have Jofra Archer amongst their ranks because their pace bowling is not that great. Jofra Archer takes all the pressure himself and he ensures that the opposition doesn’t get to a quick start in the powerplay overs. Yesterday his first 2 overs went for just 3 runs and in the final analysis, one can very well say that Kings XI fell short by 15 runs and that’s only because of the miserly overs bowled by Archer at the top of the innings. He finished with 2/26 and once again made his presence felt for Rajasthan Royals.

3. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes got back into form with a majestic century against Mumbai Indians, a couple of days back. Yesterday he was in the thick of the action in the very first over. Mandeep Singh played a false stroke but the ball was dying as Stokes ran in and took the catch just inches from the ground. Stokes then came and bowled 4 economical overs and finished with 2/32. His scalps included those of Rahul and Pooran. Wait on, Mr. Stokes was not done yet. He opened the batting for Rajasthan Royals and seemed in a hurry as he reached his 50 in just 25 balls. In fact, he got to his fifty within the powerplay and when he got out the team score was only 60 runs – just shows how much devastating he was with the bat yesterday. A deserved man of the match. 

4. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson was having a dreaded period in the middle of the IPL and it looked like he lost touch completely. Thankfully over the last couple of matches, he got back his form and ensured that he was not getting out to rash shots. When he plays well he is a pleasure to the eye. One of the best things about him is that he hits very good balls for fours and sixes without taking undue risks. If he keeps playing like this he will become a permanent name in the Indian White Ball cricket journey. Yesterday Rajasthan Royals had a very good start but when Stokes got out, it was important that Sanju Samson sticks around with and build a partnership. He did just that and built 2 good partnerships with Uthappa and Smith. He was at his strokeful best and kept the run rate always above 10 runs an over. He got out after scoring 48 runs off 25 balls but by the time he got out the asking run rate was down to almost run a ball.

5. The early finish

Steven Smith was struggling to time the ball when he came to the crease. But he was helped by Sanju Samson because the asking run rate was always under check. When Sanju got out, he was joined by Jos Buttler, and together they didn’t let any pressure to build up. Rajasthan Royals didn’t have a very good Net Run Rate and with the 3rd/4th position on the table still up for grabs, it was pretty clear that having a good net run rate could decide the 4th position. Taking that into consideration Jos Buttler was in a hurry and ensured a quick finish. The way Shami was hit around by both the batsmen was something that has not been seen over the last 18 months. The partnership was only of 19 balls and that was enough for Rajasthan Royals to score the balance 41 runs. Jos Buttler remained not out on 22 runs off 11 balls.

A great batting display by Rajasthan Royals. That’s 2 matches in a row that they overhauled an above-par total. Their 4 foreigners along with Sanju Samson are in top form and we are looking towards a photo finish on who will reach the playoffs.

This is no doubt the closest IPL ever.

So what do you think? Will Kings XI make it or their momentum is broken and someone else will take the 4th spot?

Chennai Superkings had always been part of the playoffs and this is the first time that they have been knocked out of the tournament in the league phase. It’s not that they had a very bad team – it’s just that they didn’t show enough faith in the youngsters right at the beginning. Ruturaj Gaikwad showed in the last match that what a talent he is and almost single-handedly took CSK to victory against RCB. With nothing to lose, KKR knew that it would be a difficult obstacle to cross when they met them in Dubai yesterday.

So how did it go?

Here are my 5 points highlights from the match.

1. Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana along with Suryakumar Yadav are 2 uncapped players in IPL who have scored more than 10 half-centuries without ever getting an international call in. The Indian middle-order is filled with so many talented players that sometimes it gets very difficult to get a look in. Rana already played one great knock a couple of matches earlier and he played another great knock yesterday. He was slow to begin and was unable to time the ball but showed great skills against the spinners. His run-scoring rate was very slow in the initial overs but he recovered so much against the spinners that by the time he got out his strike rate was 140+. He missed a century once again and got out for 87 runs.

2. Lungi Ngidi

When Ngidi first came into the international scene – it was a test match against India. I distinctly remember how he single-handedly destroyed India in the second innings to take South Africa to victory. He has not been consistent though mainly because of his injuries. Even during the world cup, he was injured, and hence he has been quite under the radar as Rabada and Nortje became the prime bowlers for South Africa. Yesterday, CSK gave him the opportunity to play and though he was just about OK with the ball initially, his last 2 overs had a profound effect on the final score of KKR. That’s mainly because in the 18th over he picked up the wicket of Nitish Rana, who was going hammer and tongs at that stage, and in the final over he picked up the wicket of Eoin Morgan to stop KKR from running away with the match. Those two wickets turned out to be very vital because it kept KKR to 172. Another few runs more and the final result could have been very different.

3. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad is a name that many people must have heard of if they follow India’s domestic cricket and the “A” tours. He has been a permanent fixture in the top scorers’ list for the last couple of weeks. He along with Shubhman Gill and Devdutt Padikkal are the troika who are predicted to serve Indian cricket for a long time to come. Yesterday he continued from where he ended against RCB. Crisp cover drives and lofted straight drives were very soothing to the eye. He kept his end up almost till the end but wasted his wicket under pressure. Still, a score of 72 off 53 balls was worth a watch.

4. Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy recently got selected for the Indian team. And he celebrated that with another great bowling display. His performance has been the only good news for KKR this year. He has improved over the course of this IPL and right now he is having all the confidence to show his bag of tricks. Getting the wicket of MSD twice in two matches is no mean feat and he did that. He got KKR back into the match with 2 wickets yesterday and he was the most economical bowler too. 2 for 20 in 4 overs was a great piece of bowling and I would not be surprised if India plays him in the very first match due to the mystery surrounding him. He can bowl 6 different types of balls in an over with similar arm action. A very rare talent.

5. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja had a very uneventful IPL this year. He had been dropping catches and there have been multiple matches where he was not even called to bowl. But one thing which he did well this year was his batting. He played quite a few good knocks at the end for the team. Yesterday when he walked in, CSK needed 33 runs of 16 balls. Jadeja faced 11 off those 16 balls and scored 31 runs to take CSK to a last gasp victory. The last 2 balls of the match went for 2 sixes to stun KKR.

A great match no doubt which showed glimpses of what’s in store for us in the next IPL. With both teams showing that young uncapped players doing so well, we can rest assured that the next IPL would be a close contest too like this year.

For KKR they are almost out of this IPL and they have themselves to blame. Their top-order batting never fired in unison and Pat Cummins and Sunil Naraine have not picked up enough wickets through the tournament.

For me as of now, it’s looking like MI, RCB, DC, and KXIP to make the playoffs. What do you think?

Earlier in the tournament when Mumbai Indians met Royal Challengers Bangalore, it turned out to be a very close match with RCB winning via Super Over. When they again met each other for the return leg it was expected to be another close encounter. There was another catch though because it was a top of the table clash and the winner had the additional motivation of qualifying for the playoffs. So how did it go in Dubai yesterday?

Here are my 5 points highlights from yesterday’s match.

1. Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal is having a stellar run this IPL. He had been knocking on the doors for the last 12-18 months and finally when he got the opportunity he has not let it go. He has been consistent at the top of the order for RCB and yesterday he made his bat talk. With Josh Philippe, he built a very good opening partnership. The way both of them were going it looked like a 180+ score was in the offing. Even after Philippe got out, Padikkal didn’t slow down. All the batsmen in the middle order struggled and the only reason RCB got to a good score of 164 was because of Padikkal who scored 74 off 45 balls.

2. Jasprit Bumrah

It took Bumrah a couple of weeks to warm up but now he is back to what he does best. Hitting the length, smart usage of slower balls, and marvelous yorkers. All were on display yesterday as Bumrah became unplayable. He finished with 3/14 in 4 overs and also got his 100th IPL wicket when he took the wicket of Virat Kohli. Incidentally, Virat Kohli was his first IPL victim too a few years back. This is one duel that Virat loses every year to Bumrah.

3. Washington Sundar

Washington is not the man who will get you a bucketful of wickets but he generally keeps things tight. It’s very difficult to hit him because he hits a perfect length most of the time. Yesterday all the RCB bowlers were off-colour and no one was able to keep things tight. It was only Washington Sundar who was able to keep things tight at his end. He bowled 4 overs and gave away just 20 runs which is a good effort considering everyone was going at more than 8/9 runs per over. RCB would have loved to get a couple of wickets from him though.

4. Surya Kumar Yadav

The Indian team to Australia was announced a couple of days back and one man who had every right to be disappointed was Suryakumar Yadav. He has been scoring a lot of runs for the past 3 seasons in IPL and it has not changed this year too. He must consider extremely unlucky not to be selected for the T20 team. But he left his disappointment behind and did what was best expected from him – let his bat talk. He guided the Mumbai Indians chase and never looked in any kind of discomfort. Even with wickets falling around him, he was unperturbed and remained not out at the end with 79 runs. Many call him the Indian version of a 360-degree player – let’s hope he continues scoring runs because he is just at the doorstep of getting selected to play for India.

5. Keiron Pollard

Pollard, the captain has been on a winning spree. Recently he captained TKR to CPL victory without dropping a match and he has been able to fill the shoe of Rohit Sharma very well. Yesterday, RCB was going pretty well and with Devdutt Padikkal and AB DeVilliers in the crease, they were all set to take RCB to 180 or more. Suddenly he got himself to the attack and made a defining difference in the match – he picked up the wicket of ABDV. That one wicket made a big difference and Mumbai Indians were able to keep RCB within a manageable total. As icing on the cake, he came in to bat right at the end and hit the first ball for 4 to take Mumbai to the Playoffs.

An important win for Mumbai Indians because it takes them to the playoffs with a match in hand. For RCB though it’s still not done yet because they now need to win against Delhi Capitals to seal that spot. An exciting week of IPL coming our way.

So who do you think are the 4 teams who would make it to the playoffs?

For the last few matches, the bottom-ranked teams have suddenly come alive and have made the points table interesting. For 5 days in a row, the team ranked lower has been beating the higher-ranked team. So when Sunrisers Hyderabad met Delhi Capitals, it was expected to go the same way – the only reason being – these teams now have nothing to lose and have started playing fearless cricket. Delhi Capitals have been on a losing streak and wanted to come out of that yesterday in Dubai. So how did it go?

Here are my 5 points highlights of yesterday’s match

1. David Warner

David Warner had been having a very slow IPL as per his own standards. He was very tentative in the earlier matches which were dictated due to the brittle middle order of Sunrisers Hyderabad. But cometh the hour – cometh the man. Right from the word go Warner was in a different mood altogether. He attacked straight away against Rabada and Nortje. The Sunrisers reached the 50 run mark within the 4th over and Warner reached his 50 within the powerplay. With Wridhiman Saha he built a grand opening partnership which was thoroughly exciting to watch. 66 off 34 balls was the kind of start that Sunrisers needed badly and the captain delivered.

2. Wridhiman Saha

In the 2014 IPL finals, Kings XI Punjab scored 199 and it was only possible due to the heroics of Wridhiman Saha. He scored 115 off 55 balls to take Kings XI Punjab to the doorsteps of victory. That they didn’t win was a separate matter but that innings showed the prowess of Saha. He never got a consistent opportunity to bat at the top of the order and hence he remains one of the most under-rated players in Indian cricket. Yesterday, Sunrisers decided to open with him and all the frustration came out against the Delhi bowlers. He was extremely positive from the word go and there were no half measures as both the openers went hammer and tong against all the bowlers. He didn’t stop even after losing his partner, Warner. But, then suddenly he complained of a groin strain. He continued batting but he looked in a bit of discomfort which finally led to his downfall after scoring 87 runs off 45 balls.

3. Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey is a very dangerous player in the backend of the innings. He is like a right-handed Suresh Raina who doesn’t need time to get used to conditions – can start hitting the balls from the word go. He was the man who changed the fortunes of KKR in 2014 even after that Saha century – built a half-century stand with him yesterday. Yesterday with Sunrisers getting a fast start, it was important for him to play second fiddle though. But as Saha got tired, Manish Pandey took over. His innings was in no way devastating as the openers but 44 off 31 balls was good enough for Sunrisers because that helped the team reach 219 runs off 20 overs. Quite a big score under any conditions.

4. Kagiso Rabada

Rabada is the current purple cap holder and he was one of the top wicket-takers last year too. It’s been 25 matches on the trot that Rabada has picked a wicket. Each and every match across two seasons he has never gone wicketless. The spell had to be broken one day. Unfortunately for Delhi Capitals, it happened yesterday. On a day when all bowlers were being hit around the park – Delhi Capitals expected Rabada to give them a breather. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and he had one of his worst days in IPL. He went for 54 runs in his 4 overs and Delhi Capitals will hope that he will be back with a vengeance in the next encounter.

5. Rashid Khan

A few days back we saw Md. Siraj destroying KKR with his figures of 3/8 in 4 overs. This was a kind of a record that was expected to stand over time. Well, it didn’t even stand for 2 weeks as Rashid Khan bettered him. 3/7 in 4 overs with the opposition needing 220 to win was unbelievable. But then Rashid Khan belongs to a different league altogether. 

All things came together yesterday for Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

A heavy defeat for Delhi Capitals as another bottom-ranked team overcame them. 

With Mumbai Indians and RCB next will Delhi Capitals make it to the playoffs?

It’s getting exciting!

A couple of weeks ago, Kings XI Punjab was languishing at the bottom of the table and was almost written off. Then over the last 10-12 days, things changed as they started winning matches. Things came to such a stage that the match between KKR and Kings XI Punjab was being touted like a virtual knock out because a win would take them to the Top 4. So how did it go yesterday at Sharjah?

Here are my 5 points highlights of yesterday’s match.

1. Shubhman Gill

Shubhman Gill is being touted to be the next big thing in Indian Cricket after Virat Kohli. He has a very good technique and makes batting look very easy. He started well in the first 2 matches this year but then he started getting out to short deliveries which were pitched outside the off stump. His weakness of such deliveries was found out and he struggled. KKR invariably struggled with the bat because they never got a good enough start. Yesterday once again KKR was down in the dumps with the scoreboard reading 10/3 in the second over. Thankfully for them, Gill stitched a counter-attacking partnership with Eoin Morgan and helped the team reach a respective total. Morgan must be kicking himself to get out at that point because if that partnership lasted for another 2-3 overs KKR might have scored a far bigger total which could have made the final difference. For Gill, it was a back-in-form innings with a well-paced half-century.

2. Md. Shami

The premier fast bowler of India has been a revelation this IPL. Another bowler who takes wickets within power plays. He sometimes goes for runs when he misses the length but that’s once in a while but even then he has a very happy knack for picking up wickets. Yesterday he picked up the wickets of Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik in his very first over to push back KKR. He then came back later and picked up the wicket of Gill – which didn’t allow KKR to build a sizeable total. 

3. Ravi Bishnoi

Very soon this young leggie will play for India. He will be a superstar. In each and every game he has bowled well. Even when you hit him for a six he comes back and picks you up. He is not one of those inexperienced bowlers who cringe after being hit. Yesterday Morgan was in the mood and went after Bishnoi but he came back flighting the ball and Morgan fell for it and got himself out. That one wicket made a huge difference for Kings XI because if Morgan would have continued – KKR had every opportunity of crossing 180 which would have been a winning total.

4. Mandeep Singh

A couple of days back Mandeep Singh lost his father. These are strange times and cricket is being played under the global pandemic that has befallen everyone. The last win against SRH was dedicated to his father by the team. And today Mandeep Singh gave a gift to his departed father by hitting a very well constructed 50. He carried the bat through by scoring 66 runs and guided Kings XI Punjab to victory.

5. Chris Gayle

From the time Chris Gayle has been selected in the playing XI – Kings XI Punjab is yet to lose a match. I wonder why was he not taken earlier. Kings XI from day one played well and has a very balanced team. That they were at the bottom of the table – was quite surprising. But from the time, Universe Boss came back – he has a made difference. His super-quick 30s have made chases very easy for the team. Yesterday too, the asking rate was close to 10 when he walked in but he changed everything. He was on 26 in 10 balls and the KKR shoulders dropped. He finished with 51 off 29 balls with 5 sixes and was rightly adjudicated as the man of the match because his innings made all the difference.

So, Kings XI Punjab gets to the 4th spot with that win against KKR.

Will they able to keep that spot? 

KKR is virtually out because they might not be able to reach the top 4 even after winning the rest of their matches. What changes does KKR need to do in the next auction?

Rajasthan Royals still has a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs and for that to happen they needed to win all their matches with a good net run rate. When they met Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi yesterday “net run rate” was the last thing in their mind because winning against the tournament favorites was itself a big achievement. So how did it go yesterday?

Here are my 5 points highlights of yesterday’s encounter

1. Hardik Pandya

From the time Hardik has made a comeback to cricket after the back injury, he is yet to bowl. He is a genuine all-rounder and to have one of his major strengths out of the equation – Hardik needed to perform consistently with the bat. He showed his prowess in some of the matches and the cricket world was waiting for him to break free soon. Yesterday when he came into bat the scoreboard read 101/4 in 13 overs. In the next available 42 balls, Hardik played 21 of them and he scored 60 runs. It was the Hardik of old and he was in a hurry. He just demolished the bowling of Rajasthan Royals. 7 sixes and 2 fours punctuated his glorious knock yesterday and took Mumbai Indians to 195 which was supposed to be a winning total. I just loved the gesture after completing his half century – Black Lives Matter.

2. Jofra Archer

I am yet to see a match where Jofra Archer is hit around the park. It’s a very rare commodity when you have a bowler who can bowl at 150 Km/hour and that too without disturbing his line and length. Jofra Archer is like an insurance cover for his captain and his 4 overs are like pots of gold for the team. As it happens in every match he took a wicket within the power play and this time the victim was Quinton De Kock. The best part was when he came to bowl the 19th over with Hardik Pandya in devastating form. He just went for 3 runs and took the wicket of Saurabh Tiwary. Bowlers around him were being hammered for 27 runs in an over and here was a man who came and gave away just 3 runs. Jofra Archer is class apart and he just amplified it yesterday. Add to that the brilliant catch that he took at third man to dismiss a well set Ishan Kishan.

3. Shreyas Gopal

I have spoken about Gopal earlier too that here is a bowler who keeps performing but somehow he is not spoken about regularly. Yesterday also he did his job as a frontline spinner. 2/30 in 4 overs when the opposition scored 195 is a great job indeed. His scalps included a well set Surya Kumar Yadav and Keiron Pollard. If Shreyas Gopal keeps bowling consistently – the time is not far off when he will get his call to represent the Indian team.

4. Sanju Samson

India is a land of batsmen. There are so many good batsmen on the horizon that for you to get selected in the Indian team you need to be very consistent. This is where Sanju Samson has failed time and time again. When the IPL started he was in supreme form and then he started gifting away his wickets. In the last match, he showed some of the old sparks but got himself out in the 30s. Yesterday he was determined though and built a well-constructed innings. He came in at 44/2 and carried his bat through without throwing away his wicket. He scored 54 of 31 balls and along with Ben Stokes built a match-winning partnership of 152 runs.

5. Ben Stokes

When you chase a score of 195 runs – you know you are already on the back foot. For the viewers though if the chasing team overhaul it – you can be pretty well sure that it would be a close finish. But it’s a rarity when chasing 195 the team reaches the score with 10 balls to spare. This happened yesterday only because Ben Stokes was in a different zone. He is today regarded as the best all-rounder in the world. He has won matches for England from quite tough situations over the last 3 years. He was in that kind of form yesterday. 107 runs in 60 balls just nailed it for Rajasthan Royals. Nobody expected such a chase against a very good bowling lineup of Mumbai Indians but no one was spared yesterday and together with Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes demolished the attack and took Rajasthan Royals to a well-deserved win.

So Rajasthan keeps hanging on by the thread though Mumbai Indians remain at the top of the table.

Can this be a turnaround for Rajasthan Royals or is it just a one-off blip? Will we see some more turnarounds in the final week?

Chennai Superkings have had an IPL to forget. Never have they been languishing at the bottom of the table at this stage of the tournament. T20 as a format is a youngsters game and the average age of the CSK team is way too high for such a fast-paced game. Yes, you need experience but then you need some talented youngsters too and this is where they failed as a team. But teams which languish at the bottom at this stage of the tournament are very dangerous for the higher-ranked teams because if on a good day they put it across the opposition then it derails the campaign of the higher-ranked teams. Royal Challengers Bangalore wanted to get into a safe zone by winning this match against CSK because that would have taken them to 16 points which would have been enough to take them to the playoffs. So how did it go yesterday in Dubai?

Here are my 5 points highlights of yesterday’s match.

1. Faf Du Plessis – the fielder

Faf Du Plessis is one of the best fielders in the world, especially as a boundary rider. Last year he had the maximum number of catches under his name with 12 catches with a couple of stunners. This is something that didn’t change in 2020 too. Yesterday he added another 2 in his kitty to move to 12 catches this season too. But what records book doesn’t show are the many catches that he relays through. Yesterday also we had a similar incident. Padikkal hit a ball high and it was in the gap. But Du Plessis made good ground but by the time he took the catch he was tumbling over and he smartly relayed the ball to Ruturaj Gaikwad who completed the catch. 

2. Sam Curran 

One bright spot for CSK this season has been the form of Sam Curran. The biggest positive has been his consistency. And a big plus with Sam Curran is his batting. CSK has used him in varied positions in the batting order and he has performed well. Yesterday of course his performance was with the ball. It remains a mystery though why the best bowler of the team was not allowed to bowl his full quota of 4 overs. He finished with 3/19 in 3 overs including a very big wicket of Virat Kohli. A job well done to keep RCB within a manageable score of 145.

3. The ABDV & Kohli partnership

RCB had a decent start and when AB De Villiers came to the crease to join Virat Kohli – the scoreboard read 46/2 in 6 overs. Everyone braced up for a long and brutal partnership. Credit must be given to the CSK bowlers who kept bowling length and gave no width. This made stroke-making very difficult and RCB couldn’t get any big overs. 72 runs in 11 overs was what this partnership delivered for RCB which just shows how well CSK bowlers bowled to 2 of the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket. Virat Kohli did complete his half-century but 50 off 43 balls always felt very slow and RCB never got the momentum that they were looking for.

4. Yuzvendra Chahal

With a pretty small total to defend, RCB needed wickets. Chahal was brought in to bowl in the powerplay overs but wickets didn’t come. He kept the flighting ball and he bowled them slowly to fox the batsmen but the batsmen made sure that they don’t take any undue risk against the premier leg-spinner. By the time he got the wicket of Rayudu – the match was almost in the bag for CSK. Chahal on his part bowled well and finished with 1/21 in 4 overs.

5. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad has a stellar record in the domestic circuit and has done very well over the last 18 months with the India “A” team as well. He got two opportunities this season and both the times he was out for a duck. I on my part didn’t like the statement made by MSD a few days back when he said that he didn’t see any spark with the youngsters. I think it was a very wrong statement from a man who has been a product of many chances before establishing himself in the Indian team. Yesterday there was a sigh of relief when Gaikwad took his first single in IPL cricket. From there on end, he showed the “spark” that was needed to impress MSD. Gaikwad showed yesterday why he is regarded so high in the domestic circuit. His cover drives and his lofted straight drives have a hint of Virat Kohli written all over. He took the team home by scoring 65 off 51 balls and was rightly adjudicated as the man of the match. This must be the start of a long and successful CSK career for this highly talented opener.

This loss must be hurting RCB a lot because they have 2 matches next with the two top teams in this year’s IPL. They are yet to confirm their spot for the playoffs and a slip off against a bottom-ranked team can hurt their chances to finish in the top 2.

So what do you think? Will RCB remain in the Top 2?

Kings XI Punjab has been on the rise over the last couple of weeks. They defeated all the top 3 sides (Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals) recently and are serious challengers for the 4th spot. They have an excellent team but somehow they found ways to lose winnable matches. But with the advent of Chris Gayle and Jordan getting some form it looks like a different outfit altogether. They needed to keep the momentum going because Sunrisers Hyderabad also had a chance to replace them as the challenger for the 4th spot. So when these 2 teams met in Dubai yesterday – I expected a close encounter. So how did it go?

Here are my 5 points highlights of the match.

1. Jason Holder

Jason Holder came as a replacement for Mitch Marsh midseason. And he had an impact straight away from the time he was drafted into the side. He is not one of those who is super quick but he is one man who will keep coming at you relentlessly. And with the height advantage, he gets a good bounce on any wicket. Chris Gayle on the other hand had an equal impact on Kings XI Punjab. From the time he has been drafted into the side – Kings XI’s fortunes have changed and they are yet to lose a match. So his wicket was very vital for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Jason Holder did the trick by picking him up. His final bowling analysis read 2/27 and that was a pretty good effort by the lanky pace bowler from West Indies.

2. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan plays a very vital role in the Sunrisers’ set up. This year though he has not been able to pick up a lot of wickets because the teams have cut down on their shots when he is coming into bowl. That of course meant that he was able to keep things quiet and that’s good enough because Sunrisers is one team where the inexperienced bowlers have done well. Yesterday though Rashid Khan made a bigger impact because he picked up two vital wickets including one of KL Rahul. He finished with 2/14 in 4 overs and was instrumental in keeping Kings XI to only 126 which should have been an easy total to chase for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

3. Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh has been a revelation in this IPL. An absolutely unknown bowler has now become one of the main strike bowlers for Kings XI Punjab. He doesn’t have much pace but what he has is good line and length and he also bowls good yorkers outside the off-stump which makes it mighty difficult for batsmen to hit him. He just kept bowling that length consistently yesterday and wickets kept coming. In the middle overs, Shankar became the mainstay and his wicket at an important point turned out to be the real turning point at the end. Arshdeep finished with 3/23 and played a very big role in yesterday’s come from the behind victory for Kings XI Punjab.

4. Ravi Bishnoi

Ravi Bishnoi made quite a name for himself in the U-19 world cup. I have rarely seen a wrist spinner with so much accuracy in line and length. He hardly bowls hittable balls and hence it’s not so easy to hit him. At just 18 years old, this kid seems to be ready to play for India. Yesterday one man who was all set to take Sunrisers home was David Warner. No batsmen played with any authority yesterday other than David Warner. David Warner was batting on 35 off 19 balls when Ravi Bishnoi foxed him. With the team score above 50 runs in the 6th over – it looked like an easy victory for Sunrisers but that one wicket of Warner changed everything and somehow none of the batsmen thereafter came in terms to the slowness of the wicket. Bishnoi finished with 1/13 in 4 overs – a job well done.

5. Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan is regarded as a T20 specialist in International cricket but he has not been bowling to his potential and he had been missing his length way too much in the earlier matches. But we saw a different Jordan in the field yesterday. I guess the slowness of the pitch helped him and with other bowlers keeping their end tight he ended up taking some important wickets. This was not a big score to defend and with Shami bowled out early in the innings – the onus was on Jordan to take the team home. He did it with aplomb finishing with 3/17 in his 4 overs and guided his team to victory.

A pretty easy chase turned into a nightmare for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their brittle middle order was exposed again. They are now virtually out of the tournament. 

For Kings XI Punjab though it was 4 wins on the trot and they are very well placed to take down KKR.

What do you think – will Kings XI Punjab defeat KKR in the next match?

Kolkata Knight Riders are one team that has not been able to play to their true potential but still somehow hung on to the 4th spot in the table. With Kings XI Punjab breathing down the neck it was vital for KKR to beat Delhi Capitals more so because they have had no wins against the top 3 teams in this IPL. Delhi Capitals has the best bowling attack in this IPL and it was expected to be another walk in the park for them when they met KKR in Abu Dhabi yesterday. So how did it go?

Here are my 5 points highlights of this match.

1. Nitish Rana

Losing a near one is very traumatic and nobody knows that better than me – I lost my mother in August this year – but 2020 is such that most have lost some near and dear one. But playing right after the death of a near one must be very difficult. Nitish Rana lost his Father-In-Law just 24 hours before the match and it must have been very difficult for him to start the match. KKR on their part did the right thing to make him open so that he can put his mind away from the tragedy right from the word go. Nitish Raa with all his talent is another cricketer who is not consistent at all. But everything came together yesterday and nothing could stop him. KKR once again didn’t start well and were tottering at 44/3 in the 8th over. But after Sunil Naraine came in and started belting the bowlers – Rana’s confidence was back and slowly but surely he helped KKR out of the rut. He finished with 81 off 53 balls with 13 boundaries. I really loved the way he paid his homage to his late Father-In-Law after hitting the half-century.

2. Sunil Naraine

Sunil Naraine with the bat has been a failure this year. He has a big problem with bouncers in his body and all bowlers sorted him out. KKR did the right thing today to send him in when the slow bowlers were bowling. KKR was already struggling at 44/3 and another wicket would have doomed them. But Naraine started hitting the ball cleanly and all the slow bowlers were taken to the task. in the space of the next 8 overs, KKR scored more than 100 runs and the momentum completely shifted from one team to the other. By the time Naraine got out, KKR reached 157 with 3 overs still to go. He scored 64 off just 32 balls and helped KKR reach 194 which was too big a score for any team to chase in Abu Dhabi.

3. Anrich Nortje

The Nortje – Rabada bowling partnership has been the most fearful bowling partnership this IPL. They have bowled with pace and have taken buckets full of wickets throughout the tournament. Nortje once again took out 2 vital wickets at the top of the order sending back Shubhman Gill and Rahul Tripathi. KKR was tottering at 42 for 3 due to the heroics of Nortje and Rabada. Nortje finished with 2/27 in his 4 overs and if you look at the final score of KKR – 194 – it was a very good bowling analysis. 

4. Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins has been pretty economical in the powerplay throughout the season. Other than 2 matches out of the 10 that KKR played before this match – he has been extremely economical. But the problem is that KKR has too many inexperienced bowlers in their line up. Add to it – Kuldeep and Naraine are no longer the force they used to be. So with Cummins not picking up top-order wickets – KKR has struggled to rein in the opposition. Yesterday something changed and Cummins didn’t give a single hittable ball. He took the wicket of Rahane on the very first ball and he was relentless. He ended with 3/17 in 4 overs and KKR will hope that he continues with this form in the coming matches.

5. Varun Chakravarthy

When the IPL started this season, Varun was the backup spinner but very soon he became the primary spinner and he was the lone spinner in many of the matches that KKR played this season. Quite an achievement considering that KKR has Kuldeep Yadav and Sunil Naraine within their ranks. In multiple matches this season he has given consistent performance and has bowled with aplomb in both powerplay overs as well as in the death overs. Yesterday with Pat Cummins giving a good start, Varun was kept on hold till the 12th Over. When he came into bowl, Delhi Capitals was very much in the race with Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer building a good partnership. He broke the partnership straightaway by picking the wicket of Pant and for the next 4 overs kept pegging back the Delhi Capitals team. He ended up picking 5 wickets – the first time it has happened this IPL. He finished with 5/20 in his 4 overs and was rightly adjudicated as the Man of the Match.

This was a vital win for KKR because they had not beaten any top-ranked side this season. It’s now a race to the finish between KKR and Kings XI Punjab for the coveted 4th spot.

What do you think? Will KKR make it to the top 4?

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