News Analysis India

Tag: Indian Premier League 2022

  • Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan lead Punjab Kings to 8-wicket win over Gujarat Titans

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Gujarat Titans have enjoyed chasing. Five matches. Five wins. Their middle-order (David Miller, Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia) averages 99.75, strikes at over 165, hits sixes in all areas against all bowlers and have been the side’s magic workers at the death under the lights.

    But with qualification to the play-offs almost assured and a lot of spare games in the bank, Hardik Pandya wanted to test the battle-readiness of the franchise. So he became the first captain of the 2022 season to bat first in a night game.

    Their opponents, Punjab Kings, would have killed to have been in such a state of mind. With their gung-ho approach in tatters after a series of largely underwhelming performances with both bat and ball, they needed a win to resuscitate their campaign.

    Resuscitate they did with a commanding performance with bat and ball to pick up their fifth win of the season.

    Considering the stakes, it was only apt that their bowlers belatedly came to the fore on a surface where scoring freely was proving to be a difficult proposition. That Gujarat managed to hit only two sixes was an indication of this. At one point of time during the first innings, even the ones and twos required the batters to improvise.

    The passage of play, the six overs between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over summed up the first 20 overs in a microcosm: 13 dots, 18 singles, 2 wickets and one boundary. In the end, they limped to 143/8, their worst score of the season so far. Curiously, it was also the second most economical bowling display by Punjab.

    Chasing down 144 was never going to be a problem even if Jonny Bairstow, promoted to open the batting, perished cheaply. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (40 off 28) provided the initial thrust before Liam Livingstone finished it off with 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4 in the 16th over to win the game with four overs and eight wickets to spare.  

    Coming back to the Gujarat innings, the target would have been smaller if not for Sai Sudharsan’s gritty, unbeaten 65 off 50 balls. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination but the Tamil Nadu man applied himself, dotted up even as wickets fell at the other end (he was 31 off 30 at one stage) before hitting out at the end. Sudharsan’s knock will please the management because No 3 has been a sticky spot for them. If the southpaw can showcase the same nous going forward, it will further enhance Gujarat’s chances of progressing in the tournament.

    If the 20-year-old was the glue that held the innings together, Punjab’s Kagiso Rabada acted as the adhesive remover. The South African pacer is elite but not necessarily so in this format. He has frequently gone for plenty, especially at the death (economy of 9.38 at the death in IPL).

    That aspect of his game was visible on Tuesday as well, Wriddhiman Saha, who plays the role of powerplay destroyer, took him for 20 runs (three fours and a six) off his first 10 deliveries. Then Rabada extracted additional bounce off the surface — a trait this surface had in abundance — to account for the ‘keeper. He then returned at the death to dismiss Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan off consecutive deliveries to derail the innings in some fashion.

    If Punjab are to fashion an unlikely late season run to have a chance of making the playoffs, this version of Rabada has to lead from the front. He is their most experienced bowler but he has frequently been outbowled by the likes of Arshdeep Singh.

    Brief Scores: Gujarat 143/8 in 20 overs (Sudharsan 65 n.o; Rabada 4/33) lost to Punjab 145/2 in 16 overs (Dhawan 62 n.o, Rajapaksa 40)

    CHENNAI: Gujarat Titans have enjoyed chasing. Five matches. Five wins. Their middle-order (David Miller, Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia) averages 99.75, strikes at over 165, hits sixes in all areas against all bowlers and have been the side’s magic workers at the death under the lights.

    But with qualification to the play-offs almost assured and a lot of spare games in the bank, Hardik Pandya wanted to test the battle-readiness of the franchise. So he became the first captain of the 2022 season to bat first in a night game.

    Their opponents, Punjab Kings, would have killed to have been in such a state of mind. With their gung-ho approach in tatters after a series of largely underwhelming performances with both bat and ball, they needed a win to resuscitate their campaign.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Resuscitate they did with a commanding performance with bat and ball to pick up their fifth win of the season.

    Considering the stakes, it was only apt that their bowlers belatedly came to the fore on a surface where scoring freely was proving to be a difficult proposition. That Gujarat managed to hit only two sixes was an indication of this. At one point of time during the first innings, even the ones and twos required the batters to improvise.

    The passage of play, the six overs between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over summed up the first 20 overs in a microcosm: 13 dots, 18 singles, 2 wickets and one boundary. In the end, they limped to 143/8, their worst score of the season so far. Curiously, it was also the second most economical bowling display by Punjab.

    Chasing down 144 was never going to be a problem even if Jonny Bairstow, promoted to open the batting, perished cheaply. Bhanuka Rajapaksa (40 off 28) provided the initial thrust before Liam Livingstone finished it off with 6, 6, 6, 4, 2, 4 in the 16th over to win the game with four overs and eight wickets to spare.  

    Coming back to the Gujarat innings, the target would have been smaller if not for Sai Sudharsan’s gritty, unbeaten 65 off 50 balls. It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of imagination but the Tamil Nadu man applied himself, dotted up even as wickets fell at the other end (he was 31 off 30 at one stage) before hitting out at the end. Sudharsan’s knock will please the management because No 3 has been a sticky spot for them. If the southpaw can showcase the same nous going forward, it will further enhance Gujarat’s chances of progressing in the tournament.

    If the 20-year-old was the glue that held the innings together, Punjab’s Kagiso Rabada acted as the adhesive remover. The South African pacer is elite but not necessarily so in this format. He has frequently gone for plenty, especially at the death (economy of 9.38 at the death in IPL).

    That aspect of his game was visible on Tuesday as well, Wriddhiman Saha, who plays the role of powerplay destroyer, took him for 20 runs (three fours and a six) off his first 10 deliveries. Then Rabada extracted additional bounce off the surface — a trait this surface had in abundance — to account for the ‘keeper. He then returned at the death to dismiss Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan off consecutive deliveries to derail the innings in some fashion.

    If Punjab are to fashion an unlikely late season run to have a chance of making the playoffs, this version of Rabada has to lead from the front. He is their most experienced bowler but he has frequently been outbowled by the likes of Arshdeep Singh.

    Brief Scores: Gujarat 143/8 in 20 overs (Sudharsan 65 n.o; Rabada 4/33) lost to Punjab 145/2 in 16 overs (Dhawan 62 n.o, Rajapaksa 40)

  • Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap five-match losing streak

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday.

    KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief.

    Nitish Rana (48 not out) anchored the chase, while Rinku Singh played a 23-ball unbeaten 42-run cameo to help KKR overwhelm the target with consummate ease.

    Aaron Finch’s poor run continued as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep Sen early on as KKR made a sedate start to their chase.

    KKR batters found the going tough on a slow paced Wankhede pitch, where shot-making wasn’t easy at all.

    Baba Indrajith (15) was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna soon but captain Shreyas Iyer (34 off 32) and Nitish Rana batted sensible to help KKR reach fifty in nine overs.

    It was Rana who finally managed to free his arms in the 11th over, and used the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect to hit R Ashwin for a 4-6-4 to pick up 16 runs.

    Iyer then clobbered Yuzvendra Chahal over wide long-on boundary to bring up the half-century stand for the third wicket with Rana.

    Just when it seemed Iyer was breaking loose, he edged a Trent Boult delivery to Samson behind the stumps in the next over.

    Iyer struck three boundaries and one six during his knock.

    New man Singh marked his arrival at the crease with a boundary of the first ball.

    Needing 46 off 30 balls, Singh played the shot of the day, a paddle scoop to a 141 kmph Sen delivery on his legs high and mighty over the fine leg fence.

    Singh meant business as he found the fence at crucial junctures to first bring down the equation to 31 runs off 18 balls.

    Samson’s decision to bring Chahal back into the attack in the 18th over backfired as Singh took his chances against the spinner and struck consecutive fours to make it 18 off last 12 balls.

    Singh continued his onslaught against Prasidh, who conceded 17 runs in the penultimate over, which included two boundaries from the left-hander’s blade, as KKR wrapped up the match in style.

    Earlier, KKR restricted RR to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Samson’s half-century.

    For RR, Samson’s 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

    KKR bowlers justified skipper Iyer’s decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets.

    A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark.

    RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over.

    Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn’t allow RR batters to free their arms.

    Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one.

    Samson and and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs.

    The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them.

    Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play.

    The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary.

    But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on.

    Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners.

    He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19).

    Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three.

    While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy’s only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at deep-mid wicket off Southee.

    Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Singh at deep-midwicket.

    Hetymer and Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR’s total beyond the 150-run mark.

  • Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap five-match losing streak

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday.

    KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief.

    Nitish Rana (48 not out) anchored the chase, while Rinku Singh played a 23-ball unbeaten 42-run cameo to help KKR overwhelm the target with consummate ease.

    Aaron Finch’s poor run continued as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep Sen early on as KKR made a sedate start to their chase.

    KKR batters found the going tough on a slow paced Wankhede pitch, where shot-making wasn’t easy at all.

    Baba Indrajith (15) was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna soon but captain Shreyas Iyer (34 off 32) and Nitish Rana batted sensible to help KKR reach fifty in nine overs.

    It was Rana who finally managed to free his arms in the 11th over, and used the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect to hit R Ashwin for a 4-6-4 to pick up 16 runs.

    Iyer then clobbered Yuzvendra Chahal over wide long-on boundary to bring up the half-century stand for the third wicket with Rana.

    Just when it seemed Iyer was breaking loose, he edged a Trent Boult delivery to Samson behind the stumps in the next over.

    Iyer struck three boundaries and one six during his knock.

    New man Singh marked his arrival at the crease with a boundary of the first ball.

    Needing 46 off 30 balls, Singh played the shot of the day, a paddle scoop to a 141 kmph Sen delivery on his legs high and mighty over the fine leg fence.

    Singh meant business as he found the fence at crucial junctures to first bring down the equation to 31 runs off 18 balls.

    Samson’s decision to bring Chahal back into the attack in the 18th over backfired as Singh took his chances against the spinner and struck consecutive fours to make it 18 off last 12 balls.

    Singh continued his onslaught against Prasidh, who conceded 17 runs in the penultimate over, which included two boundaries from the left-hander’s blade, as KKR wrapped up the match in style.

    Earlier, KKR restricted RR to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Samson’s half-century.

    For RR, Samson’s 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

    KKR bowlers justified skipper Iyer’s decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets.

    A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark.

    RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over.

    Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn’t allow RR batters to free their arms.

    Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one.

    Samson and and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs.

    The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them.

    Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play.

    The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary.

    But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on.

    Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners.

    He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19).

    Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three.

    While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy’s only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at deep-mid wicket off Southee.

    Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Singh at deep-midwicket.

    Hetymer and Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR’s total beyond the 150-run mark.

    MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated in-form Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to snap their five-match losing streak in the Indian Premier League here on Monday.

    KKR first restricted RR to 152 for five after opting to bowl and then chased down the target with five balls to spare to return to winning ways and heave a sigh of relief.

    Nitish Rana (48 not out) anchored the chase, while Rinku Singh played a 23-ball unbeaten 42-run cameo to help KKR overwhelm the target with consummate ease.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Aaron Finch’s poor run continued as he was cleaned up by Kuldeep Sen early on as KKR made a sedate start to their chase.

    KKR batters found the going tough on a slow paced Wankhede pitch, where shot-making wasn’t easy at all.

    Baba Indrajith (15) was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna soon but captain Shreyas Iyer (34 off 32) and Nitish Rana batted sensible to help KKR reach fifty in nine overs.

    It was Rana who finally managed to free his arms in the 11th over, and used the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect to hit R Ashwin for a 4-6-4 to pick up 16 runs.

    Iyer then clobbered Yuzvendra Chahal over wide long-on boundary to bring up the half-century stand for the third wicket with Rana.

    Just when it seemed Iyer was breaking loose, he edged a Trent Boult delivery to Samson behind the stumps in the next over.

    Iyer struck three boundaries and one six during his knock.

    New man Singh marked his arrival at the crease with a boundary of the first ball.

    Needing 46 off 30 balls, Singh played the shot of the day, a paddle scoop to a 141 kmph Sen delivery on his legs high and mighty over the fine leg fence.

    Singh meant business as he found the fence at crucial junctures to first bring down the equation to 31 runs off 18 balls.

    Samson’s decision to bring Chahal back into the attack in the 18th over backfired as Singh took his chances against the spinner and struck consecutive fours to make it 18 off last 12 balls.

    Singh continued his onslaught against Prasidh, who conceded 17 runs in the penultimate over, which included two boundaries from the left-hander’s blade, as KKR wrapped up the match in style.

    Earlier, KKR restricted RR to a modest 152 for five, despite rival skipper Samson’s half-century.

    For RR, Samson’s 54 off 49 balls was the only saving grace, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

    KKR bowlers justified skipper Iyer’s decision to ask the opposition to bat first with quick wickets.

    A late onslaught by Shimron Hetymar (27 not out off 13 balls) took Rajasthan beyond the 150-run mark.

    RR lost opener Devdutt Padikkal (2) cheaply as pacer Umesh Yadav (1/24) grabbed a return catch in the third over.

    Samson, who hit seven boundaries and a six, joined in-form Jos Buttler (22 off 25 balls; 3x4s) and the duo tried to rally the innings, sharing 48 runs for the second wicket as KKR bowlers didn’t allow RR batters to free their arms.

    Samson carved through the point to get his first four in the fourth over as RR crawled to 12 for one.

    Samson and and Buttler tried to break the shackles in the fifth over, which fetched RR 15 runs.

    The duo hammered Umesh for three boundaries, with the skipper hitting two of them.

    Samson lofted Anukul Roy (1/28) over deep extra cover for his first maximum as RR amassed 11 runs in the sixth over, scoring 38 runs in power-play.

    The RR skipper then cut Sunil Narine (0/19) for another boundary.

    But RR slipped to 55 for two after pacer Tim Southee (2/46) removed a rusty looking Buttler, who was caught by Shivam Mavi at long on.

    Samson struck two successive boundaries off Mavi (1/33) but was devoid of partners.

    He was able to add only 35 runs with Karun Nair (13) and 25 with Riyan Parag (19).

    Karun (13), Parag (19) and Samson fell in quick succession as RR slipped to 115 for five from 90 for three.

    While Nair became left-arm spinner Roy’s only victim, Parag was caught by Roy at deep-mid wicket off Southee.

    Samson, in a bid to score quickly, gave a skier to Singh at deep-midwicket.

    Hetymer and Ashwin (6 not out) added unbeaten 37 runs in 18 balls to push RR’s total beyond the 150-run mark.

  • Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson within striking distance of T20 World Cup

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: “That guy has got talent, man… He’s got the skillset to succeed, now that is the whole point about this sport. Lot of people have skillset, have talent. How you utilise them is the most critical part.” If one reads this without knowing the context and timing of it, this could easily be about Rohit Sharma of the early 2010s.

    Except that it wasn’t. It was coming from Rohit himself while talking about Sanju Samson in February 2022. The 27-year-old has been around the scheme of things for the better part of a decade now. And yet, somehow the first thought that comes to anyone’s mind when asked about him is that he hasn’t been consistent enough. But, what does the numbers say?

    In IPL 2019, Samson had the eighth-highest strike rate (148.69) among those with more than 300 runs. In 2020, he was second (158.89) on the same list. 717 runs in two seasons at a SR of 153.8. Last year, he toned his SR (136.72), finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 484 runs. So, the comment on his consistency seemed to be passed with no backing of data. If not, he wouldn’t have been a part of the Indian T20I contingent since the 2020 Australia tour.

    That said, whenever he has got a chance with India, he has played those little cameos where you’d go wow at one moment and pluck your hair the next. It’s not to say that he didn’t play the role assigned to him well, but he could have done more.

    With the T20 World Cup around the corner, this IPL was once again his chance to do that extra bit, something he had done in the past for Rajasthan Royals. One look at 298 runs, while averaging 33.11 in 10 games doesn’t tell much as someone like Shreyas Iyer has scored 290 runs at a better average. But it’s the 153.60 SR that makes Samson stand out. Among the top 13 in batting charts — where Samson is at 7th — no one has a better SR, not even Buttler (150.76), who’s at the top and has had a vital role in RR sitting comfortably in the top four with six wins.

    On Monday against Kolkata Knight Riders, Samson had to do that extra bit. After all, he hadn’t hit a 50-plus score since their opening game. He came into bat in the third over, he had to bide through an over each of searing Umesh Yadav and dangerous Sunil Narine. But when Umesh overstepped in his next over, it was the moment for him; he hit consecutive fours off the pacer. A six off Anukul Roy and a four off Narine followed.

    However, with Buttler dismissed, Samson had to play a different role. He, along with Karun Nair, and then Riyan Parag, anchored the innings, cruising to his fifty in 38 balls. Over the next ten balls, he managed just four runs before getting out, but it was much-needed innings for RR and even more for Samson.

    With the player pool for the World Cup shrinking, every innings is an opportunity for him. “I think it is up to Sanju now, understand how he wants to utilise it and maximise,” Rohit said back in February. It’s safe to say, he’s on the right path.

  • Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson within striking distance of T20 World Cup

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: “That guy has got talent, man… He’s got the skillset to succeed, now that is the whole point about this sport. Lot of people have skillset, have talent. How you utilise them is the most critical part.” If one reads this without knowing the context and timing of it, this could easily be about Rohit Sharma of the early 2010s.

    Except that it wasn’t. It was coming from Rohit himself while talking about Sanju Samson in February 2022. The 27-year-old has been around the scheme of things for the better part of a decade now. And yet, somehow the first thought that comes to anyone’s mind when asked about him is that he hasn’t been consistent enough. But, what does the numbers say?

    In IPL 2019, Samson had the eighth-highest strike rate (148.69) among those with more than 300 runs. In 2020, he was second (158.89) on the same list. 717 runs in two seasons at a SR of 153.8. Last year, he toned his SR (136.72), finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 484 runs. So, the comment on his consistency seemed to be passed with no backing of data. If not, he wouldn’t have been a part of the Indian T20I contingent since the 2020 Australia tour.

    That said, whenever he has got a chance with India, he has played those little cameos where you’d go wow at one moment and pluck your hair the next. It’s not to say that he didn’t play the role assigned to him well, but he could have done more.

    With the T20 World Cup around the corner, this IPL was once again his chance to do that extra bit, something he had done in the past for Rajasthan Royals. One look at 298 runs, while averaging 33.11 in 10 games doesn’t tell much as someone like Shreyas Iyer has scored 290 runs at a better average. But it’s the 153.60 SR that makes Samson stand out. Among the top 13 in batting charts — where Samson is at 7th — no one has a better SR, not even Buttler (150.76), who’s at the top and has had a vital role in RR sitting comfortably in the top four with six wins.

    On Monday against Kolkata Knight Riders, Samson had to do that extra bit. After all, he hadn’t hit a 50-plus score since their opening game. He came into bat in the third over, he had to bide through an over each of searing Umesh Yadav and dangerous Sunil Narine. But when Umesh overstepped in his next over, it was the moment for him; he hit consecutive fours off the pacer. A six off Anukul Roy and a four off Narine followed.

    However, with Buttler dismissed, Samson had to play a different role. He, along with Karun Nair, and then Riyan Parag, anchored the innings, cruising to his fifty in 38 balls. Over the next ten balls, he managed just four runs before getting out, but it was much-needed innings for RR and even more for Samson.

    With the player pool for the World Cup shrinking, every innings is an opportunity for him. “I think it is up to Sanju now, understand how he wants to utilise it and maximise,” Rohit said back in February. It’s safe to say, he’s on the right path.

    CHENNAI: “That guy has got talent, man… He’s got the skillset to succeed, now that is the whole point about this sport. Lot of people have skillset, have talent. How you utilise them is the most critical part.” If one reads this without knowing the context and timing of it, this could easily be about Rohit Sharma of the early 2010s.

    Except that it wasn’t. It was coming from Rohit himself while talking about Sanju Samson in February 2022. The 27-year-old has been around the scheme of things for the better part of a decade now. And yet, somehow the first thought that comes to anyone’s mind when asked about him is that he hasn’t been consistent enough. But, what does the numbers say?

    In IPL 2019, Samson had the eighth-highest strike rate (148.69) among those with more than 300 runs. In 2020, he was second (158.89) on the same list. 717 runs in two seasons at a SR of 153.8. Last year, he toned his SR (136.72), finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 484 runs. So, the comment on his consistency seemed to be passed with no backing of data. If not, he wouldn’t have been a part of the Indian T20I contingent since the 2020 Australia tour.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    That said, whenever he has got a chance with India, he has played those little cameos where you’d go wow at one moment and pluck your hair the next. It’s not to say that he didn’t play the role assigned to him well, but he could have done more.

    With the T20 World Cup around the corner, this IPL was once again his chance to do that extra bit, something he had done in the past for Rajasthan Royals. One look at 298 runs, while averaging 33.11 in 10 games doesn’t tell much as someone like Shreyas Iyer has scored 290 runs at a better average. But it’s the 153.60 SR that makes Samson stand out. Among the top 13 in batting charts — where Samson is at 7th — no one has a better SR, not even Buttler (150.76), who’s at the top and has had a vital role in RR sitting comfortably in the top four with six wins.

    On Monday against Kolkata Knight Riders, Samson had to do that extra bit. After all, he hadn’t hit a 50-plus score since their opening game. He came into bat in the third over, he had to bide through an over each of searing Umesh Yadav and dangerous Sunil Narine. But when Umesh overstepped in his next over, it was the moment for him; he hit consecutive fours off the pacer. A six off Anukul Roy and a four off Narine followed.

    However, with Buttler dismissed, Samson had to play a different role. He, along with Karun Nair, and then Riyan Parag, anchored the innings, cruising to his fifty in 38 balls. Over the next ten balls, he managed just four runs before getting out, but it was much-needed innings for RR and even more for Samson.

    With the player pool for the World Cup shrinking, every innings is an opportunity for him. “I think it is up to Sanju now, understand how he wants to utilise it and maximise,” Rohit said back in February. It’s safe to say, he’s on the right path.

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway set up Chennai Super Kings’ 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Ahead of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings could get a maximum of 16 points by winning all their remaining matches and thereby, had a mathematical chance of making it to the playoffs depending on other outcomes.

    So the tie against SRH was a must-win game and they were also looking to ensure a handsome win, keeping the net run rate in mind (something that could come into play).

    With Ravindra Jadeja handing over the captaincy back to MS Dhoni, CSK were hopeful for a turnaround.

    The crucial game against Hyderabad was billed by many as Kane Williamson’s pace battery comprising of the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Marco Jansen, Umran Malik versus CSK batting.

    In the last edition of the IPL, both Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad had kept scoring in turns in crucial games and had helped CSK bag the title. With Faf in the RCB camp and Ruturaj yet to discover the form of the last season, CSK have found it difficult to get off to good starts and register big partnerships.

    Robin Uthappa, Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu have also been inconsistent. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja, the two spin-bowling all-rounders, are yet to play to potential.

    Ahead of Sunday’s vital tie, CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said that he was hopeful that the CSK batting can click as a unit and also wanted one player to take the game deep till the end.

    Keeping in mind the situation, CSK dropped Shivam Dube and Dwayne Bravo and brought in Devon Conway and Simarjeet Singh. Those changes worked as half-centuries by Ruturaj (99) and Conway (85 not out) enabled CSK to post 202 for 2 in 20 overs.

    The duo added 182 runs for the first wicket in 17.5 overs and put their team in a solid position.

    Put into bat, Ruturaj and Conway began the proceedings on a positive note and runs started to flow from the meat of the blade. To counter genuine fast bowling, one needs to bring the cut, pull and hook into their range of play. That is exactly what Conway and Ruturaj did. Conway pulled Bhuvneshwar to the square leg fence for a four and Ruturaj did the same against Jansen over long leg for a six to show their intent as CSK reached 40/0 at the end of powerplay.

    A wide slash off Umran marked Ruturaj’s 50. Confidence was visible in Ruturaj’s play as he continued to find the gaps. Conway played the perfect foil at the other end to lend solid support as the CSK openers made merry and posted 151 runs in less than 15 overs. It was not all about hitting as the opening duo did show excellent understanding while running between the wickets too.

    The only miss was perhaps Ruturaj missing a century after getting so close. Eager to reach the magical figure, he mistimed the ball and scooped it to Bhuvneshwar at backward point off the bowling of T Natarajan.

    Chasing 203, Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson began the chase in an aggressive manner. Newcomer Simarjeet erred in line and length and was thus hit all over the park. His first spell of two overs cost 24 runs.

    Thereafter, Mukesh Chaudhary, who had dropped Abhishek on 20, made up for his lapse to get rid of the Hyderabad opener and also sent Rahul Tripathi back in the very next ball.SRH skipper Kane Williamson (47) and Nicholas Pooran (64 not out) played well but that was not enough. In the end, CSK were the victors by 13 runs.

    Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 202/2 in 20 overs (Gaikwad 99, Conway 85 n.o) bt Sunrisers Hyderabad 189/6 in 20 overs (Williamson 47, Pooran 64; Choudhary 4/46)

    CHENNAI: Ahead of the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings could get a maximum of 16 points by winning all their remaining matches and thereby, had a mathematical chance of making it to the playoffs depending on other outcomes.

    So the tie against SRH was a must-win game and they were also looking to ensure a handsome win, keeping the net run rate in mind (something that could come into play).

    With Ravindra Jadeja handing over the captaincy back to MS Dhoni, CSK were hopeful for a turnaround.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The crucial game against Hyderabad was billed by many as Kane Williamson’s pace battery comprising of the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Marco Jansen, Umran Malik versus CSK batting.

    In the last edition of the IPL, both Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad had kept scoring in turns in crucial games and had helped CSK bag the title. With Faf in the RCB camp and Ruturaj yet to discover the form of the last season, CSK have found it difficult to get off to good starts and register big partnerships.

    Robin Uthappa, Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu have also been inconsistent. Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja, the two spin-bowling all-rounders, are yet to play to potential.

    Ahead of Sunday’s vital tie, CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said that he was hopeful that the CSK batting can click as a unit and also wanted one player to take the game deep till the end.

    Keeping in mind the situation, CSK dropped Shivam Dube and Dwayne Bravo and brought in Devon Conway and Simarjeet Singh. Those changes worked as half-centuries by Ruturaj (99) and Conway (85 not out) enabled CSK to post 202 for 2 in 20 overs.

    The duo added 182 runs for the first wicket in 17.5 overs and put their team in a solid position.

    Put into bat, Ruturaj and Conway began the proceedings on a positive note and runs started to flow from the meat of the blade. To counter genuine fast bowling, one needs to bring the cut, pull and hook into their range of play. That is exactly what Conway and Ruturaj did. Conway pulled Bhuvneshwar to the square leg fence for a four and Ruturaj did the same against Jansen over long leg for a six to show their intent as CSK reached 40/0 at the end of powerplay.

    A wide slash off Umran marked Ruturaj’s 50. Confidence was visible in Ruturaj’s play as he continued to find the gaps. Conway played the perfect foil at the other end to lend solid support as the CSK openers made merry and posted 151 runs in less than 15 overs. It was not all about hitting as the opening duo did show excellent understanding while running between the wickets too.

    The only miss was perhaps Ruturaj missing a century after getting so close. Eager to reach the magical figure, he mistimed the ball and scooped it to Bhuvneshwar at backward point off the bowling of T Natarajan.

    Chasing 203, Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson began the chase in an aggressive manner. Newcomer Simarjeet erred in line and length and was thus hit all over the park. His first spell of two overs cost 24 runs.

    Thereafter, Mukesh Chaudhary, who had dropped Abhishek on 20, made up for his lapse to get rid of the Hyderabad opener and also sent Rahul Tripathi back in the very next ball.
    SRH skipper Kane Williamson (47) and Nicholas Pooran (64 not out) played well but that was not enough. In the end, CSK were the victors by 13 runs.

    Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings 202/2 in 20 overs (Gaikwad 99, Conway 85 n.o) bt Sunrisers Hyderabad 189/6 in 20 overs (Williamson 47, Pooran 64; Choudhary 4/46)

  • Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway set up Chennai Super Kings’ 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    By PTI

    PUNE: Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway’s effortless six-hitting exhibition was well complemented by a four-wicket haul from Mukesh Choudhary as Chennai Super Kings notched up a 13-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match here on Sunday.

    Gaikwad (99 off 57 balls) and Conway (85 not out off 55) put SRH’s attack to the sword, notching up a scintillating 182-run partnership, the highest opening stand of the season, as CSK posted an imposing 202 for two after being invited to bat.

    In reply, SRH fell short, reaching 189 for 6 in 20 overs despite late heroics from Nicholas Pooran (64 not out) and a 47-run innings by skipper Kane Williamson at the top.

    Choudhary emerged with the best figures for CSK, scalping four for 46, while Mitchell Santner (1/36) and Dwaine Pretorius (1/40) took one wicket each.

    The win, which coincided with MS Dhoni’s return to captaincy, kept CSK afloat for an improbable play-off berth as they now have six points with five matches remaining, while SRH remained in the fourth position with 10 points in the overall standing.

    Abhishek Sharma (39) and Williamson gave SRH a flying start to their chase but Choudhary struck twice in two balls to reduce the Hyderabad outfit to 58 for 2 in six overs.

    While Sharma was caught by Dwaine Pretorius at long-on, Rahul Tripathi was out for a duck after giving catching practice at short third man.

    Aiden Markram hit two sixes before falling prey to Mitchell Santner.

    Pooran hit Ravindra Jadeja for a six before unleashing a monstrous reverse sweep for another maximum, while Williamson too notched up a one-handed six to keep the scoreboard ticking.

    The SRH skipper, however, was trapped in front by Pretorius as it became 126 for 4 in 15th over.

    Pooran then kept fighting in vain while scoreboard pressure took a toll on the other batters.

    Earlier, Gaikwad, who has been blowing hot and cold this season, was at his destructive best as he smashed six sixes and as many fours before tragically falling short of a ton by just one run.

    The 25-year-old was in his zone as he stood on his backfoot, and played some exceptional shots to dominate the formidable SRH bowling unit.

    Anything short was pulled with immaculate ease, while pitched up deliveries were treated with equal disdain as Gaikwad didn’t miss a trick to send SRH on a leather hunt during his classy innings.

    Conway too showed great temperament as he was the perfect foil for Gaikwad.

    He bide his time initially before going for the big shots in the slog overs.

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/22) was the best bowler on display for SRH, while pace sensation Umran Malik had a really bad day in office, having conceded 48 in his four overs.

    T Natarajan (2/42) picked up two wickets but also went for runs.

    With Washington Sundar suffering an injury while fielding, SRH was forced to use Markram and Shashank Singh as the fifth bowler, who conceded 46 from their combined four overs.

    After a watchful start, Gaikwad broke free as he pulled Marco Jansen for two maximums, while Natarajan was sent across the mid-wicket boundary as CSK reached 40 for 0 after the powerplay.

    Gaikwad was particular harsh on Malik, smashing him over cover first before lifting him over long-on for another maximum in his first over.

    Malik cranked up the pace, bowling the fastest delivery of the tournament, clocking 154kmph in the 10th over, but ended up conceding two more boundaries off Gaikwad’s blade as the opener completed his half-century off 33 balls.

    Markram too faced the fury of the duo with Conway sending him across the fine leg before going down the wicket for a flat six.

    Gaikwad too clobbered him for successive sixes as the 100 was up in the 11th over.

    Malik was again in the line of fire as Gaikwad slogged him over long-on for a boundary before lifting him over long-off for another maximum.

    A top-edge six off Marco Jansen, meanwhile, helped Conway bring up his fifty in 39 balls and he ended the 15th over with another four and a six.

    Natarajan was brought back but he too conceded 13 runs with Gaikwad producing another pull.

    Conway too sent one over the bowler’s head in the 18th over.

    Gaikwad, however, missed out of a deserving hundred when he gave an easy catch at point.

    Back at the helm of affairs, M S Dhoni promoted himself but couldn’t make an impact as he was holed out by Malik off Natarajan.

  • LSG take a step towards play-offs as Mohsin Khan, KL Rahul star in six-run win over Delhi Capitals

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.
    At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

  • LSG take a step towards play-offs as Mohsin Khan, KL Rahul star in six-run win over Delhi Capitals

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: Ever since he missed the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a shoulder injury, KL Rahul has set the stage on fire on his return. On Sunday, with his 51-ball 77, the Lucknow Super Giants skipper not only helped his side post a daunting total of 195/3 against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai but also crossed the 400-run mark for the fifth consecutive season. 

    In the end, the target proved more than enough for the Rishabh Pant-led side as they responded with 189/7, losing the match by six runs. The win also helped Lucknow leapfrog Rajasthan Royals to be placed second on the table with 14 points from 10 matches.

    Opting to bat first, Rahul, along with his opening partner Quinton de Kock, gave the team a flying start scoring 42 from 4.2 overs before the latter departed after a quick-fire 23 off just 13 balls. The Karnataka batter then joined forces with Deepak Hooda (52 off 34 balls), adding 95 runs for the second wicket and more importantly, nullifying the spin threat posed by the DC troika of Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel, who went wicketless. The trio conceded 70 runs from a combined eight overs they bowled during the innings.

    Given his form with the willow over the past five seasons since 2018 (2999 runs from 65 matches so far), Rahul can aptly be termed as Mr Consistent of the cash-rich league. He had finished in the top-3 of leading run-getters from 2018 to 2021 winning the Orange Cap in the 2020 edition. In the ongoing edition, he is placed second behind Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler (566, 9 matches) with 451 runs from 10 matches including two centuries and as many half-centuries.

    If Rahul and Hooda starred with the bat for the Lucknow franchise against Delhi, it was Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm medium-pacer Mohsin Khan, who impressed with the ball. Opening the bowling for his side, the 23-year-old Mohsin claimed 4/16 from his four overs including the important wickets of David Warner (3), Pant (44) and Rovman Powell (35). He was later adjudged player of the match for his brilliant spell.At one stage, Pant and Powell were threatening to run away with the game as the latter hit Krishnappa Gowtham for two consecutive sixes and a four, plundering 18 runs from the 12th over of the innings. 

    Mohsin then castled the Delhi skipper in the next over with a fuller delivery. Pant’s departure, however, didn’t slow down the Jamaican, who continued scoring at a brisk pace. 

    With 50 needed off the last four overs, Mohsin once again did the trick as he bowled a short cutter angling across to finish just outside off. The West Indian tried to clear the longer leg-side boundary only to find Krunal Pandya at the deep midwicket. He then accounted for Shardul Thakur in the same over, almost sealing the deal for his side.

    Axar (42 not out) and Kuldeep (16 not out) though used the long handle to good effect towards the end but their efforts could not bring the desired result for the team. Needing 21 from the last over, Kuldeep hit Marcus Stoinis’ first delivery for a six, raising some hopes in the process. However, the Aussie and Lucknow held nerves to come out triumphant.

    Brief Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 195/3 in 20 overs (Rahul 77, Hooda 52; Thakur 3/40) bt Delhi Capitals 189/7 in overs (Pant 44, Axar 42 n.o, Powell 35; Mohsin 4/16)

  • How Shikhar Dhawan changed the batting strategy after debacle against Delhi Capitals

    By IANS

    MUMBAI: Punjab Kings seem to have learnt a lesson from their defeat in the previous game against Delhi Capitals on April 20, where their ultra-aggressive approach let them down big time.

    On Monday, Shikhar Dhawan — who made just nine in the nine-wicket thrashing by DC — took his time to establish himself at the crease before unleashing a flurry of strokes as he ended up making a 59-ball 88, which proved decisive in the end and helped PBKS return with a vengeance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

    The ultra-attacking approach in the previous game had been massively criticised as PBKS had folded up for 115, but on Monday, the put on an imposing 187 at the Wankhede.

    Dhawan said he focused on the process after the debacle against DC, adding that staying calm early on proved decisive.

    “The process, I always talk about it, I focus on it. About my fitness, my approach — I keep working on those skills. Results will take care of itself. The wicket was stopping a bit (like the previous game against DC), I tried to go for the big shots, but I couldn’t connect. But I kept my calm. Once I get set, I can get those boundaries; that’s what I bank on. While batting first, it’s about putting pressure on the bowlers and getting boundaries. We don’t have to lose too many wickets, that was our conscious effort,” said Dhawan.

    He added about his interaction with the PBKS camp following the loss to DC. “I have become a senior in the team (laughs), I give a lot of input to the players and my captain, on the field. The youngsters think a lot, sometimes they overthink, so I try to communicate with them. I talk about the law of attraction and how to achieve big in life,” he said.

    It was a big win for the Punjab Kings in terms of how important these two points were at this crucial stage in the tournament. The team will take on Lucknow Super Giants next on April 29.

    Rabada opened up about the way PBKS began the game and later, the nerves in the bowling department. “In the powerplay, we were a bit behind the rate, but I must commend Shikhar and Mayank (Agarwal) the way they held their nerve, and then the way Shikhar and Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) played was just unbelievable,” the South African pacer said.

    He added, “They set the platform for our batters to come in and play freely and then Liam Livingstone came in and hit a few gentle strokes out of the park and that set us up nicely. We got ourselves a winning total and I thought each and every individual in our bowling attack put their hand up.”

    MUMBAI: Punjab Kings seem to have learnt a lesson from their defeat in the previous game against Delhi Capitals on April 20, where their ultra-aggressive approach let them down big time.

    On Monday, Shikhar Dhawan — who made just nine in the nine-wicket thrashing by DC — took his time to establish himself at the crease before unleashing a flurry of strokes as he ended up making a 59-ball 88, which proved decisive in the end and helped PBKS return with a vengeance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

    The ultra-attacking approach in the previous game had been massively criticised as PBKS had folded up for 115, but on Monday, the put on an imposing 187 at the Wankhede.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Dhawan said he focused on the process after the debacle against DC, adding that staying calm early on proved decisive.

    “The process, I always talk about it, I focus on it. About my fitness, my approach — I keep working on those skills. Results will take care of itself. The wicket was stopping a bit (like the previous game against DC), I tried to go for the big shots, but I couldn’t connect. But I kept my calm. Once I get set, I can get those boundaries; that’s what I bank on. While batting first, it’s about putting pressure on the bowlers and getting boundaries. We don’t have to lose too many wickets, that was our conscious effort,” said Dhawan.

    He added about his interaction with the PBKS camp following the loss to DC. “I have become a senior in the team (laughs), I give a lot of input to the players and my captain, on the field. The youngsters think a lot, sometimes they overthink, so I try to communicate with them. I talk about the law of attraction and how to achieve big in life,” he said.

    It was a big win for the Punjab Kings in terms of how important these two points were at this crucial stage in the tournament. The team will take on Lucknow Super Giants next on April 29.

    Rabada opened up about the way PBKS began the game and later, the nerves in the bowling department. “In the powerplay, we were a bit behind the rate, but I must commend Shikhar and Mayank (Agarwal) the way they held their nerve, and then the way Shikhar and Bhanu (Bhanuka Rajapaksa) played was just unbelievable,” the South African pacer said.

    He added, “They set the platform for our batters to come in and play freely and then Liam Livingstone came in and hit a few gentle strokes out of the park and that set us up nicely. We got ourselves a winning total and I thought each and every individual in our bowling attack put their hand up.”