Former Indian batsman and current commentator Sunil Gavaskar believes KKR should replace Dinesh Karthik with Eoin Morgan as captain should Kolkata Knight Riders make a poor start to their IPL 2020 campaign.
KKR will be playing against current champions Mumbai Indians at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Though the Rohit Sharma-led team lost the opening match to Chennai Super Kings, the squad looks promising with names like Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard among others.
On the other end, Kolkata’s team, led by Dinesh Karthik, now has Eoin Morgan, which makes the team an even more dangerous unit than before. Morgan’s World Cup winning streak from last year has garnered high hopes from the team. Former Indian Captain Sunil Gavaskar too believes that Morgan’s induction in KKR’s team has made their middle order even more stronger.
“Kolkata Knight Riders is such a team that has a very attractive and aggressive batting order. But the addition of Eoin Morgan to the middle-order has added more stability and experience to it. Thus, he can prove to be very dangerous,” Gavaskar said in an interview on Sports Tak.
Gavaskar went on to say that there are slight chances that the team managemenet would replace the current captain Dinesh Karthik with Morgan if the first few matches don’t go as planned. “Even this can happen that if in the first four-five games if KKR do not start well, then Eoin Morgan can replace Dinesh Karthik as the captain of the side because we always have had that complex,” Gavaskar said.
Both MI and KKR look strong going by their squad as Hardik Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell are all key players who can change the course of the match. After the first loss for MI, it will be exciting to see how the four time champions strategise for the upcoming game. On the other hand, KKR’s bolstered squad ensures enought quality on field. This season, the Knight Riders have also bought Pat Cummins for a whopping price of 15.5 crore at the auctions last year.
“KKR have the biggest T20 player in Andre Russell, but they also have the costliest player in Pat Cummins. In the recently concluded limited-overs series between Australia and England, his performance was not impressive. So there will be some kind of pressure on him. Whenever you are a costly player, the weight of the price tag is always there. Will he play all the matches? That is also something that we will need to look at,” said Gavaskar.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
IPL 2020 Day 4: Twitter reactions from a crazy CSK vs RR game | Twitter reactions as Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020
Moving from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Sharjah is like moving from the MCG to Eden Park in Auckland.
The boundaries were small and the hits were huge, with a record-equalling 33 sixes hit in one crazy evening of cricket. Sanju Samson contributed to nine of them, hitting throwdowns from the CSK spinners down the ground. Jofra Archer slammed four sixes in two legitimate deliveries, before MS Dhoni decided to confuse even his most ardent fans by his approach.
Here are the Twitter reactions from a very high-scoring match between CSK and RR, which saw 416 runs scored.
Yashasvi Jaiswal shows nothing but respect for MS Dhoni
A heartwarming moment before the match. 18-year old Yashasvi Jaiswal folded his hands in the presence of MS Dhoni, a show of utmost respect to the Indian legend.
Sanju Samson goes bonkers and Piyush Chawla concedes 47 in 2 overs
Before this match, Sanju Samson had scored 79 runs in seven innings vs CSK. In this match, he smashed 74 in 32 balls, including nine sixes. Piyush Chawla was the bowler most impacted, going for 47 in two overs. Lungi Ngidi then gave away 30 in a single over, in a tough night for the CSK bowlers.
End of a crazy crazy knock from Sanju Samson – 74 runs from 32 balls including 1 four and 9 sixes. He has started #IPL2020 with a storm.
I observe Chawla or Lungi aren't even getting 10% the criticism in my TL like what Umesh got. Upar se Chawla conceded same runs in 2 overs what Umesh did in 4.
Jofra Archer hit 27 off 8 balls, with four sixes. Those four sixes were hit off two legitimate deliveries, as Ngidi bowled two no balls. An awful evening for Ngidi.
MS Dhoni confuses everyone with his decision to bat 7 and approach
Gautam Gambhir was critical of MS Dhoni’s decision to bat at 7 in such a huge chase. Fans on Twitter were just as confused – even his most passionate fans.
Even to a die-hardest of hard Dhoni fans, this is bonkers. Good night. #CSKvsRR
This is not to blame anyone for loss but CSK lost by 17 runs. The way Faf and Kedar batted (during that particular partnership) and then Dhoni did before the last over, you'd think they were losing it by 70 80 runs. They had a chance if they'd have tried. Blunder
So, an enthralling match with many talking points. Rajasthan Royals, who aren’t favoured by many in IPL 2020, start with a win and will welcome back Jos Buttler for their next game against KXIP on 27 September at Dubai. CSK will look to bounce back against DC on 25 September at Dubai.
IPL 2020 Day 4: Twitter reactions from a crazy CSK vs RR game | Twitter reactions as Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020 Day 4.
IPL 2020 Match 5: KKR vs MI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | KKR vs MI Dream11 Prediction Today | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
What a clash. The kind of clash that makes the wait for Kolkata Knight Riders, one of the tournament’s teams to watch, worth it. Two of the IPL’s most prestigous teams, with six titles between them, do battle in an early-season blockbuster at Abu Dhabi.
And this match has an interesting backstory. 2020 has been one unpredictable year, but one source of predictability is Mumbai Indians losing their first match. It’s tradition. Not since 2012 have MI won their opening game, but four titles in that period suggests there is no need to panic. Even though they miss the playoffs in even years. Or even though Jasprit Bumrah didn’t have his best day out last match. He can bounce back, and so can Rohit Sharma’s team.
KKR were knocked out of playoffs contention in 2019 by MI. And they have a horrible head-to-head record against them. So, it will be interesting to see if that is on the minds of the KKR players who were involved in last season’s disappointing campaign. However, there is plenty to be optimistic about. The addition of Eoin Morgan adds such great experience and dynamcy to the middle order, making for an irresistible top six. Of course, eyes will be on record purchase Pat Cummins on the impact he can make, as well as how well KKR perform at the death, with both bat and ball.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Rohit Sharma has an outstanding record vs KKR. He has the most runs of any player in MI-KKR matches (708), and he scores these runs at an average of 50.57.
Shubman Gill is an Orange Cap contender. He is set to get an extended run as opener – a position where he has made a promising start in IPL cricket: 6 innings, 236 runs, avg. 47.20.
He and Sunil Narine can form an incredible opening partnership. But, Narine has just 32 runs in eight innings with the bat vs MI. However, he has 21 wickets against them – the most of any bowler in MI-KKR matches, so will be key.
Suryakumar Yadav vs KKR: 4 matches, 167 runs, avg. 55.67, 1 50. Saurabh Tiwary was a surprise selection in MI’s first game, and he played well vs CSK: 42 off 31 balls.
Hardik Pandya was looking mighty dangerous vs CSK before a great catch by Faf du Plessis ended his innings. H Pandya was superb in 2019 (204 runs, SR 191.42), which included an incredible 91 off 34 balls against KKR. Hardik also has 11 wickets vs KKR, and it will be interesting to see if Rohit chooses to bowl him today.
Hardik vs Andre Russell could go some way to deciding this match. Russell was outstanding in IPL 2019, scoring 510 runs at an extraordinary SR of 204.81. He was man of the match in one of KKR’s meetings vs MI in 2019 (80 off 40 balls).
Although Russell wasn’t at his best during the recent CPL, he still scored three fifties in four knocks at one stage.
Eoin Morgan is a superb addition to KKR. His recent form has been full of starts, scoring 23, 42 and 23 in the recent ODIs vs Australia. Can he fire right away?
Eyes will be on Pat Cummins. His form was scratchy during Australia’s recent tour of England, where he took 1/24 (3) in 0/24 (3) in the T20Is, and 1/74, 1/56 and 1/53 in the ODIs.
Eyes will also be on Jasprit Bumrah. One of the key Indian seamers to watch, it will be interesting to see how he bounces back. Bumrah has nine wickets in 10 games vs KKR, with 2/31 in his last game against them.
Can Kuldeep Yadav have a big season? His 2019 campaign was a struggle, with just four wickets in nine games. Prasidh Krishna could be key for KKR at the death – he also struggled in 2019, with four wickets in 11 games.
Trent Boult and James Pattinson bowled well vs CSK (1/23 and 1/27 respectively).
IPL 2020 Match 5: KKR vs MI Preview Dream11: Andre Russell is an incredible power hitter.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 25, KKR 6, MI 19.
MI have won nine of their past 10 matches against KKR.
Dinesh Karthik has an excellent record against Jasprit Bumrah in IPL: 23 deliveries, 50 runs, 0 dismissals.
MI could look to bowl short at Andre Russell, particularly given the long boundaries at Abu Dhabi. In IPL 2019, Russell’s strike rate was 155 against short pitched deliveries – his lowest strike rate against a bowling type by pacers.
Quinton de Kock has an underwhelming record vs KKR: 7 matches, 91 runs, avg. 13.00. However, he has the class to deliver, and looked dangerous in match 1 of IPL 2020 (33 off 20 balls).
MI have never won an IPL game in the UAE. They have lost six straight games, including vs KKR in 2014.
Kieron Pollard is set to play his 150th game in IPL.
Possible Playing 11
England legend Kevin Pietersen pinpointed Shubman Gill as one of two key Indian players to watch out for in IPL 2020. Gill is set to open. Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who joined KKR in 2018, is yet to play a game due to an unfortunate run with injuries. Many believe he has what it takes to deliver the goods, given his supreme talent. He will likely play his first game, and is one Indian seamer to watch in IPL 2020.
One decision KKR will need to make is who bats at seven. Rahul Tripathi could play as a floater, or KKR could look to bring in Rinku Singh, who strikes at 137.97 in 53 T20s. Also, depending on the situation, KKR could promote Russell up the order.
Mumbai Indians lost their first game, but previous years have told us that it is not cause for panic. However, a change they might make in this clash is Nathan Coulter-Nile for James Pattinson, if the former is fit enough to play. Another they might make is bringing in Jayant Yadav, given the number of left-handers in the KKR lineup.
Abu Dhabi hosted the first match of IPL 2020 between MI and CSK. The track had a very decent covering of grass, and the same can be expected for this match given it is still early in the tournament. Scores in the region of 160 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are proving to be very competitive given the longer boundaries, so one can expect that whichever power unit comes out on top at the death could win this.
More warm weather is on the way, with late 30s the forecasted temperature at 6:00PM.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
IPL 2020 Match 5: KKR vs MI Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
IPL 2020 Match 5: KKR vs MI Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Super Over, anyone? This one has the makings for a close match. Given that MI have a match under their belt and KKR will be seeking their best combinations, MI could have an edge. However, the death bowling for both teams will prove crucial with some magnificent power hitters on show. The team that copes better at this stage could go on to win the game.
IPL 2020 Day 3 Twitter reactions: RCB beats SRH – Memes galore
Royal Challengers Bangalore secured their first victory of the ongoing IPL season. Devdutt Padikkal and AB de Villiers notched half-centuries to take Virat Kohli’s men to a respectable total in the first innings. After David Warner’s rather awkward dismissal through a run-out, Jonny Bairstow looked set to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a win. However, Yuzvendra Chahal struck three wickets whilst conceding merely 18 runs in his four overs to turn the game on it’s head.
RCB’s commendable comeback evoked some interesting reactions on Twitter on IPL 2020 Day 3.
Virat Kohli was full of praise for IPL debutant Devdutt Padikkal, and rightly so.
I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt. I love you Devdutt.
Yes, he has played some brilliant strokes but what's been so impressive about this knock from Padikkal is his game awareness, displayed by his running between the wickets. Just shows his temperament. Played Devdutt.
He now has a 50 in each of his FC, List A, T20, and IPL debut.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Yuzvendra Chahal, has started off the IPL season with a win, giving their fans a promising start. The clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Virat Kohli’s team showed a few glaring flaws in both teams, however it was Yuzvendra Chahal’s sticky bowling that helped the team cross the finish line.
After pulling down the prime three batsmen Manish Pandey, Jonny Bairstow, and Vijay Shankar, Chahal proved that the middle order of the opposition was a matter of concern. Chahal’s attacking performance made him Kohli’s go-to archangel.
Yuzvendra Chahal was also the Man of the Match (3/18). “When I bowled my first over, there was a little grip. I decided to bowl a stump to stump line and my captain told me to go for attacking deliveries. One point of time they were batting well, so I can’t bowl every ball fast. So I bowled wider and turning, which is difficult to hit. For Bairstow I went straighter and a little leg side because it’s difficult to hit from there. For Shankar, Kohli came up to me and we decided to go for the googly first up”, he said.
Due to Mitchell Marsh’s injury, SRH was under pressure, though the chasing number (164) was certainly not impossible for a T20 match. But after Bairstow, Shankar got out very easily putting all the pressure on India’s Under 19 captain Priyam Garg who was dismissed for 12 off 13 balls.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
Devdutt Padikkal scored a perfect 50 in his IPL debut match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Dubai. The left-hander has a good record in domestic cricket and his rich form garnered alot of applause in last night’s match too.
Picked by RCB for just Rs 20 lakh in the last year’s auction, the opening batsman looks promising in 20-over format too. Previously, he had scored 580 runs in 12 games for Karnataka at an average of 64.44 including one century and five half centuries in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
While RCB has an impression of scording great numbers in the Powerplay, Padikkal’s record of hitting sixes can come as for a great help. The 19-year-old is known for playing the big shots and has a strike rate of 175.75 in T20 cricket. He has a record of 33 sixes in 12 T20 games.
By the time Vijay Shankar dismissed him in the 10th over, he had scored a scintillating 56 of 42 balls at a strike rate of 133.33 including four boundaries.
“Devdutt [Padikkal] was really good on debut, Finchy as well. But when you lose two in two, you have to consolidate. If not for two in two, you were looking at maybe 10-20 runs more. In the past if we had 43 off 5, you’d see the shoulders dropping but the guys kept believing, kept attacking. Someone like Washy not bowling enough and a part-timer doing it are good signs” said team captain Virat Kohli in post match presentation.
RCB will be playing their next match with Kings XI Punjab on 24th September in Dubai.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
IPL 2020 Match 4: RR vs CSK Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | RR vs CSK Dream11 Prediction Today | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
Chennai Super Kings once again showcased their capabilities in an outstanding opening game, overcoming challenging periods to register victory against their archnemesis, Mumbai Indians. Faf du Plessis produced gold on the boundary rope, Sam Curran had a wonderful CSK debut and Ambati Rayudu reminded everyone of his ability. Now, in a competitive tournament, CSK have the chance to make it two straight against a side that has question marks about them and key players missing.
Indeed, it is not the ideal scenario for Rajasthan Royals. Coach Andrew McDonald last week said that they could be at an advantage given their key overseas players have been in action in recent times. However, the absence of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, as well as Steve Smith’s limited run in recent times due to a concussion, provides Rajasthan with a significant challenge to overcome. Their Indian core needs to deliver right away, along with strong performances from whoever is selected in the overseas slots, particularly Jofra Archer.
So, which team will prevail in the tournament’s first game at Sharjah? The boundaries are much smaller on this ground compared to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so it will be interesting to see which team adjusts best.
Ambati Rayudu showcased his IPL 2018 form and the CSK fans were loving it. Can he back it up with another strong display here?
How good was Sam Curran on CSK debut? His bowling (1/28), catching and superb cameo (18 off 6 balls) makes him an important X-Factor for Dhoni’s men.
Faf du Plessis was also outstanding vs MI. His 58* (44) anchored the chase, after three catches, including two gamechanging ones, brought CSK right in the game.
Shane Watson has a century vs Rajasthan in IPL, achieved two years ago.
Rajasthan struggled against spin last season, so Steve Smith has a crucial role to play. He has been short of cricket recently, but has a strong strike rate in T20Is since 2019 (147.12). Also, Smith scored a century in his only ODI at Sharjah.
Robin Uthappa could prove to be one of the great auction buys of IPL 2020. He has a solid career record vs CSK, with 538 runs at an average of 31.65 and SR 135.52.
MS Dhoni currently has the most runs for a Chennai player against Rajasthan (423). Also, Dhoni was player of the match in both games against RR in IPL 2019.
Jofra Archer was in superb form in Australia’s recent tour of England. He took 10 wickets across the T20I and ODI matches. He will be crucial for RR in this clash.
As will Tom Curran. Curran’s bowling capabilities are well known (22 wickets in 14 matches in BBL 09), but he has also been in good batting form. He hit 37 and 19 in his last two ODIs against Australia.
Deepak Chahar (2/32) and Lungi Ngidi (3/38) bounced back after difficult starts vs MI. Both are genuine wicket-takers.
But, it was Piyush Chawla who initially halted MI’s early momentum. His 1/21 showed he has plenty to offer for CSK.
Shreyas Gopal took 20 wickets in IPL 2019, the fourth-most in the tournament.
IPL 2020 Match 4: RR vs CSK Preview Dream11 – It was a winning start for MS Dhoni and his team.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 22, RR 8, CSK 14. CSK have won four of their past five matches vs RR.
Other than Jos Buttler, no RR batsman had a strike rate of over 120 vs spin in IPL 2019.
Sanju Samson averages just 11.29 in seven innings vs CSK (79 runs). RR will be hoping he improves on this record today.
Murali Vijay had a poor game vs MI. However, he has a decent record vs RR: 309 runs, avg. 34.33.
Ravindra Jadeja has dismissed Steve Smith six times in T20s. Plan of attack for Dhoni and CSK? Also, Jadeja has enjoyed bowling vs Rajasthan in the past, with his best figures 4/11.
Possible Playing 11
RR skipper Steve Smith is all set to go after passing the necessary concussion tests. Yashasvi Jaiswal could open in the absence of Buttler, and is one Indian talent to watch out for in IPL 2020. He was player of the tournament at the 2020 U19 World Cup, with 400 runs at an average of 133.33.
Rajasthan Royals: 1. Robin Uthappa (wk), 2. Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3. Sanju Samson, 4. Steve Smith (c), 5. David Miller, 6. Riyan Parag, 7. Shreyas Gopal, 8. Tom Curran, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Jaydev Unadkat, 11. Varun Aaron
CSK have the option of bringing in another seamer, i.e. Shardul Thakur, should they feel they need another bowler on the small Sharjah field. Also, it remains to be seen if they bring Imran Tahir in for this game. However, given that Ngidi was in the wickets last game, as well as the fact that seamers have done well on this ground in recent times, Tahir could sit out again.
Chennai Super Kings: 1. Shane Watson, 2. Murali Vijay, 3. Faf du Plessis, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. MS Dhoni (c & wk), 6. Kedar Jadhav, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Sam Curran, 9. Piyush Chawla, 10. Deepak Chahar, 11. Lungi Ngidi
Grass covering saw the Abu Dhabi and Dubai pitches offer assistance for all. Bowlers have found movement, and batsmen (those who have applied themselves) have been able to score runs. The same could be the case at Sharjah, to ensure that the square copes as best as possible with greater traffic as the tournament progresses.
Pacers have enjoyed success on this ground in recent times. Pacers have taken 64% of the wickets to fall in T20s at Sharjah since 2018, which puts the spotlight on the seamers from both sides. The average first innings score in this period is 161, but teams need to reach 175 to win batting first – the team batting second has won 26 of the last 46 T20s at Sharjah.
A higher scoring game could be in store given this is a smaller ground than Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The weather will be hot once again (late 30s).
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
IPL 2020 Match 4: RR vs CSK Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
IPL 2020 Match 4: RR vs CSK Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
CSK have an excellent recent record vs RR, and there is every chance that will continue today. RR are missing key players, whereas CSK will look to build on their excellent first up effort. CSK to win.
Delhi Capitals’ captain Shreyas Iyer had a satisfying start to the 13th edition of IPL, which ended with a Super Over win. The very second match of the tournament between Kings XI Punjab and the Capitals went right down to the wire from a stage at which Punjab looked to be down and out from the match.
Chasing 158 to win, KL Rahul’s men were well in place to score the winning number after Mayank Agarwal played a resilient knock of 89 runs. However, Kagiso Rabada came to rescue for Iyer’s team as the sides met for a one-over faceoff after the game ended in a tie. Shreyas Iyer shared that he had total belief in Rabada to deliver the goods, who had also performed brilliantly in another tied encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2019.
“It was so difficult to stand out there. I would like to say that we’re used to this – even last season. Kagiso is a gamechanger for us. If you see out top-order batsmen, it’s difficult to stop them when they get going, so it’s difficult to tell them not to. There was grass on the pitch and it was moving and we discovered that in 3-4 overs. I wouldn’t give the lights as the reason for poor catching. But that’s not the reason because we got one session to train here under the lights. It was really important for us to get wickets because the total was small. Back of my mind, I knew that if I save KG’s overs for the end, it’ll work out”, he said in the post-match presentation.
However, it was new recruit Ravichandran Ashwin who turned the game in Delhi’s favour. The off-spinner dismissed the duo of Karun Nair and Nicholas Pooran in his first over in the game, thus breaking the back of Punjab’s batting order. However, the former Chennai Super Kings player had to be taken off the field as he seemed to have injured his shoulder whilst fielding off his own delivery.
“Credit to Ashwin, he almost changed the game in that over. It’s up to the physio but Ashwin said he is available for the next game. It was really gutsy of [Axar] to lead the team in that area. It’s good to know in the back of mind that I have an extra spinner who can pick it up. [Super Over combo] we usually go left-right combination, it becomes difficult for the bowler”, Iyer added.
Delhi Capitals have again commenced their campaign on a stellar note and look set to continue this momentum going ahead in the competition. Next up, they will square off against Chennai Super Kings on September 25 at Dubai International Stadium.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
IPL 2020 Day 2 Twitter Reactions: DC beats KXIP in thriller
IPL may be different this year, but the drama remains. What promised to be a close game between two sides looking to make a point proved exactly that, with a seesawing contest ending in a Kagiso Rabada special in the Super Over.
Before that, there were special displays from KXIP’s Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal. Both did their absolute all to deliver victory for their side, but Marcus Stoinis produced one of his greatest ever performances to help DC to victory.
In striking 49 off the final three overs on his own, Stoinis propelled DC to 157, after the team sat precariously at 100/7 after 17 over. In 34 IPL knocks at number four or lower, Stoinis struck at just 118 before this game. But, he went a long way to proving he can finish an innings, striking an incredible 53 off 21 balls. He also took two wickets in the final over, defending one run off three balls for good measure.
Here are the Twitter reactions from a game that had just about everything, including controversy.
Marcus Stoinis lights up Dubai, Chris Jordan has a day to forget
The victim of Stoinis’ onslaught was Chris Jordan. Jordan, who was picked for his death bowling, had an awful night, conceding 30 off the final over. Opinions were strong regarding Jordan, both for and against his T20 capabilities.
Kings XI Punjab’s worst nightmares came to life, as a middle order collapse once again hurt them. But, Mayank Agarwal produced one hell of a knock to put KXIP on the brink of victory.
Not a meme. Fan is trying to understand why KL Rahul didn't send Mayank Agarwal to bat in Super over? #DCvKXIPpic.twitter.com/tRoZgCk34J
DC win in the end but hatts of to Mayank Agarwal what a knock what a brilliant player going to be a gun player in every format for India very soon ❤️? pic.twitter.com/T2AQuZFsfH
What a knock from Mayank Agarwal, at one stage he was struggling to score runs, started his innings slowly but soon took the charge and played a magnificent knock. pic.twitter.com/QdlIS85tZi
Super Over.. 1st Ball – 2 runs, 2nd ball – Short Ball Bouncer, 3rd ball – Perfect Yorker.. 2-2.. His name ladies and gents, is Kagiso Rabada pic.twitter.com/l2yGTnFwc3
Kagiso Rabada might actually well be the best pick of DC in recent times. Really happy that King Kagiso has been gem in every IPL season for them he's played so far!
On another day, Mohammed Shami’s 3/15 would have been worthy of a player of the match award. These figures are now his best ever in IPL, after bowling with excellent pace and control.
Shami can Swing the new ball, Shami can reverse the old ball, Shami can bowl Yorkers at death. Shami clocks 140 Consistently.
Controversy struck late in the game. The square leg umpire called “one-short” against Chris Jordan in the 19th over, and that run proved crucial on the scoreboard. However, KXIP had many chances to win, and KL Rahul agreed, admitting they made other costly mistakes.
Umpiring error costing #KXIP the game for now. Should have been clear double when umpire gave a short run. Both these teams anyway find ways to lose a winning game. Well played Mayank Agarwal. Solid proper cricket. #DCvKXIP#IPL2020
So, there it was. A classic match between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab. The Capitals will hope R Ashwin is fit for their next game against CSK on September 25, while KXIP will need to bounce back vs RCB on September 24.
KL Rahul had positive words to say about fellow opener Mayank Agarwal after the latter’s splendid knock of 89 runs took Kings XI Punjab extremely close to a victory against Delhi Capitals on Sunday. Batting second, they were reduced to 55 runs at the loss of five wickets at the end of 10 overs. Agarwal stuck around right from the start and stitched valuable partnerships with Krishnappa Gowtham and Chris Jordan to eventually level the scores.
“It is bittersweet. At the end of 10 overs, I would have taken the Super Over. We wish to learn from our mistakes and build as a team. Mayank was unbelievable. To get the game that close is a magical effort. That is the type of innings we expect from someone like him. Nice to see him bring his confidence to the IPL,” KL Rahul said of his teammate who started the game ahead of T20 maestro Chris Gayle in Punjab’s first encounter of the season.
It is a known factor that the tracks in the Middle East aren’t going to be exactly batsmen-friendly to produce high-scoring games. Both the teams barely managed to cross the 150 run barrier last night and this makes one wonder whether the pitches will be of a similar nature going ahead in the tournament. “Like I said at the toss, we didn’t really know what to expect of the pitch. Didn’t think it would be sticky, but both teams got 150+,” the skipper remarked about the pitch.
The Karnataka-based batsman is known to possess a calm demeanor and many believe that it will reflect in his captaincy too. Kings XI might have been a tad bit short of a positive result yesterday, but the comeback that they made in the second half of the innings courtesy of Agarwal’s innings was quite commendable. Considering it was his first match leading a franchise in the IPL, Rahul mentioned, “I’d gladly take it as a captain, most important is the effort. We made a few mistakes, but that’s a learning for the group. If you saw the dressing room, even at 55 for 5 it was a calm dressing room.”
Kings XI Punjab next play Royal Challengers Bengaluru on September 24 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
