News Analysis India

Tag: IPL 2021

  • Ended in heartbreak, but could not be more proud of team of exceptional warriors: Rishabh Pant

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant on Thursday said the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 journey for his side ended in heartbreak but he could not be more proud of leading his team of exceptional warriors.

    “It ended in heartbreak last night, but I could not be more proud of leading this team of exceptional warriors. We battled hard through the season, and while we may have fallen short on some days, we always gave 100 per cent,” tweeted Pant.

    In another tweet, the Delhi skipper said: “To the owners, management, staff, my teammates and most importantly, our passionate fans, I want to say thank you from my heart. You all made this season special. We will come back stronger @DelhiCapitals.”

    It ended in heartbreak last night, but I could not be more proud of leading this team of exceptional warriors. We battled hard through the season, and while we may have fallen short on some days, we always gave 100%. pic.twitter.com/IRPGqsmPT0
    — Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) October 14, 2021
    Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill played knocks of 55 and 46 respectively to follow up Varun Chakravarthy’s two-wicket haul as KKR defeated Delhi Capitals by three wickets in Qualifier 2 here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

    “Can’t change anything after the match. Always we kept on believing and stayed in the game for as long as possible. The bowlers pulled it back. They bowled really well through the middle overs. We were stuck and unable to rotate the strike. Hopefully, we can come back next year for a stronger season,” Pant had told host broadcaster Star Sports after the game ended.

    “We played really good cricket throughout the season. We stuck together and cared for each other. Hopefully, we will improve next year and come back strongly,” he added.

    As a result of this win, KKR will now lock horns against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2021 final on Friday at the Dubai International Stadium.

  • IPL 2021 Final: Thriller on cards as in-form KKR take on ever-reliable CSK

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been played in two parts this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after a long wait, the final is finally here. The summit clash will see MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings clash with Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

    MS Dhoni-led CSK has won the IPL title thrice and after putting on a dismal show in the 2020 season in UAE, the side made a remarkable comeback this year and some fearless cricket from the franchise has seen Dhoni’s men reach the finals.

    Dhoni might have managed to score just 114 runs from 15 matches this season, but he rose like a phoenix when the team needed him most and his best knock came in Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals. He scored 18 runs from six balls, rolling back time, giving fans a perfect nostalgia trip as the Chennai franchise roared into the final. His innings even got Virat Kohli to label Dhoni as the “greatest finisher ever”.

    Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dwayne Bravo have all played their roles to perfection and under Dhoni’s leadership, the bunch has proved to be good on days when it has mattered.

    Moving to KKR, Eoin Morgan’s side was completely down and out in the India leg as the side had won just two games out of seven. However, travelling to the UAE brought about a change in fortunes.

    Venkatesh Iyer’s inclusion provided the much-needed boost to the batting lineup and the Kolkata-based franchise has been playing fearless cricket. Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, and Rahul Tripathi have done their job too this season.

    However, Eoin Morgan’s form remains a concern as the left-handed batter has not played any innings of substance this season. In Qualifier 2 against Delhi, Morgan had a perfect chance to guide the side home, but he was not able to do that, and in the end, it was Tripathi who somehow took KKR over the line in a thriller.

    Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have acted as perfect partners in crime and the duo has spun a web over opponents this season and it would be interesting to see whether the likes of Gaikwad and Faf manage to get better of them.

    KKR might also have the services of Andre Russell for the final and if that indeed happens, the side might just prove to have too much ammunition for Dhoni’s side. However, looking at how Dhoni has led the side this season, one cannot bet against the man who has a knack for keeping his cool under the most intense situations.

    It will undoubtedly be a clash of two top-quality teams come Friday.

    Squads:

    Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Jason Behrendorff, Krishnappa Gowtham, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Hari Nishanth, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif, Harishankar Reddy, Dominic Drakes, Bhagath Varma, Karn Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara.

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Harbhajan Singh, Tim Southee, Andre Russell, Ben Cutting, Karun Nair, Pawan Negi, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Sheldon Jackson, Sandeep Warrier, Tim Seifert, Prasidh Krishna, Rinku Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Vaibhav Arora.

  • IPL 2021: Disappointing way for us to finish the season, says Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: After suffering a defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting on Thursday said it was a disappointing way for his side to finish the season.

    “Thanks all @DelhiCapitals fans for your amazing support. Disappointing way for us to finish the season but it was such a thrill to be a part of as always. Bigger and better next year,” tweeted Ponting.

    Thanks all @DelhiCapitals fans for your amazing support. Disappointing way for us to finish the season but it was such a thrill to be a part of as always. Bigger and better next year.
    — Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) October 14, 2021
    Earlier, Ponting had said that he would like to retain each and every player of his team for IPL 2022.

    Delhi Capitals’ IPL 2021 campaign ended with a hurtful defeat as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got over the line courtesy Rahul Tripathi’s six-off Ashwin in the final over.

    Ponting was disappointed not to win the IPL 2021 title with a “terrific group of people” and said he will try to build the same squad for the next year’s event when the mega auction takes place.

    “I would like to keep everyone, to be honest. We have got this terrific group of people at the Delhi Capitals. The playing staff and the coaches have done an amazing job for the last couple of seasons and I think our performances so to speak for themselves,” said Ponting during the post-match press conference.

  • IPL Final: KKR spinners hold aces as world awaits Dhoni ‘Magic’ one last time

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s astute captaincy in canary yellow will be Chennai Super Kings’ biggest weapon against a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders, whose troika of top-notch spinners promise to hold the aces in the high-octane Indian Premier League final here on Friday, October 15, 2021.

    If numbers are anything to go by, then CSK, in their astonishing ninth final appearance in 12 editions (they were suspended in two), are certain to start favourites against Kolkata Knight Riders on ‘Dussera’ day but in terms of trophies, there isn’t much of a difference.

    CSK has three titles with five final defeats while KKR has won both their finals under the mercurial Gautam Gambhir. No team has mastered the art of reaching finals like Dhoni’s CSK. But KKR will definitely be in the hunt since they won one of the most exciting high-scoring summit clash back in 2012 where they chased a target of 190 with two balls to spare.

    On Friday, CSK’s chances of winning a fourth title will depend on how well they handle the 12 overs from KKR’s spin trio of Varun Chakravarthy (economy rate 6.40), Shakib Al Hasan (ER:6.64) and Sunil Narine (ER:6.44), who have been outstanding in this tournament.

    In fact, Shakib’s all-round abilities have provided more balance to KKR during the business end once Andre Russell sustained a hamstring injury. However, the final match comes with its own set of pressures and how these three perform when put under the pump will be the key against a team of battle-hardened “been there done that” professionals.

    Dhoni’s captaincy mantra is simple — rely on experience as IPL is not a finishing school or place to groom youngsters however talented they may be. He groomed Ruturaj Gaikwad when the pressure of qualification was off his back in 2020 and the Pune lad has played freely.

    He has scored three half centuries and with his rise, Dhoni laid the groundwork for not just next year but many more to come fr his franchise. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Gaikwad becomes the next CSK captain once Dhoni calls time on IPL, which could be next year or the year after that.

    No one knows the drifts and patterns of IPL more than India’s most revered white-ball captain. He understands that for IPL consistency, one needs experienced players primarily along with one or two talented youngsters.

    Therefore, the job that Suresh Raina used to do during his initial years, is now being done by the young Gaikwad, who has scored an astounding 600 plus runs in the tournament with a match to go. Hell or high water, CSK’s batting will revolve around Gaikwad, who if all goes well, will surely be one of the biggest all-format batting stars in the post Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma era. There is abundant experience in the CSK ranks.

    The skipper himself is on the other side of 40 with Dwayne Bravo at 38, Faf du Plessis at 37, Ambati Rayudu (36) Robin Uthappa a few weeks short of his 36th birthday along with Moeen Ali (34) and Ravindra Jadeja (32).

    Add to it, three mid-level experienced internationals like Josh Hazlewood, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur, who understand the pressure situations well and CSK seem immune to big match pressure Dhoni is a master at maneuvering resources.

    An example of it this IPL was his “right-hand man” and a true-blue IPL legend Raina being dropped.

    The former India player looked distinctly overweight and completely out of touch and the ruthless operator replaced him with Uthappa, who had a big role in winning the game against Delhi Capitals with that resounding start to the chase.

    The Knight Riders, on the other hand, also have a captain who has won a World Cup and has been at the heart of England team’s transformation as white ball captain. Many believe that Russell the batter should replace Morgan, who has had an awful IPL with the willow.

    Bur, it’s the leadership that has stood the test of time as he has marshalled his available resources well. He stuck with Shubman Gill as an opener and the youngster has had a decent run. The faith shown in Venkatesh Iyer will also benefit the Indian white-ball team while Narine the bowler found his mojo under him with constant support after remodelled action.

    Morgan is as quiet and as unexpressive as Dhoni even in testing times and it would be a contest of two ticking brains trying to gauge the next move in what promises to be a mouth-watering three-hour battle.

    Teams:

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Morgan (Captain), Dinesh Karthik, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathy, Shubman Gill, Harbhajan Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pawan Negi, M Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Dube, Tim Southee, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russel, Ben Cutting, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Tim Seifert.

    Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KM Asif, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, N Jagadeesan, Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, R Sai Kishore, Moeen Ali, K Gowtham, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, C Hari Nishaanth.

    (Match starts at 7:30 pm IST)

  • Bowlers nearly pulled it back, unfortunate it didn’t go our way: DC captain Pant after losing Qualifier 2

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Kolkata Knight Riders almost committed harakiri in what seemed like an easy run chase against Delhi Capitals in the IPL Qualifier 2 here on Wednesday and captain Eoin Morgan said a proper postmortem of the last four overs will be done later.

    Chasing 136 to win, KKR were cruising at 123 for 1 in 15.5 overs but the match took an incredibly dramatic turn when they lost five wickets for seven runs, with four batters getting out for nought.

    It was Rahul Tripathi, who eventually saved the team the blushes with a penultimate ball six, which sealed KKR a place in the final against Chennai Super Kings.

    “Should’ve been a lot easier after the start we got. The openers gave us a great platform. We will dissect what happened in the last four overs,” Morgan said during the post-match presentation.

    “Dew came in and all, but hey, we have won and we are in the finals. We are delighted to get over the line. Would’ve loved to win convincingly but Capitals are a very good side.

    “Six off two, the odds were probably in favour of the bowling side, but Rahul Tripathi has done superbly well for us.”

    DC captain Rishabh Pant was left stunned by the turn of events after his team managed to take the game to the last over only to fall short in the end.

    “I don’t have words to express at the moment, can’t tell anything,” he said.

    “We just kept believing, tried to stay in the game as long as possible. The bowlers nearly pulled it back, but it’s unfortunate that it didn’t go our way.”

    He credited the opposition bowlers for making it difficult to score runs.

    “They bowled very well in the middle-overs, we got stuck and couldn’t rotate strike,” Pant said.

    “Delhi Capitals are known to be positive and hopefully we’ll come back better next season.”

    KKR opener Venkatesh Iyer, who was adjudged the Man of the Match for his 41-ball 55, said he played freely and didn’t try to restrict himself.

    “I think in the past couple of games, I have been trying to restrict myself a bit as I wanted to stay till the end. But then I thought it is not me. I was losing out on the present trying to be a bit conservative,” he said.

    “(Opening partner Shubman) Gill is an extremely wonderful strokeplayer. My entire focus is on the final now.”

    On his match-winning six, Tripathi said: “It feels great.

    The win was very important.

    One or two tough overs, and it would go so deep we never thought.

    “The 18th over was a great over by Rabada. I had to just connect one, and luckily I connected today, so I am very happy.

    “It was difficult once you go in. Straightaway to get those boundaries was difficult. The ball was keeping a little low. After the first phase, we were a little down. We were always looking for positive options.”

  • Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets in last over thriller to enter IPL final

    By Online Desk

    SHARJAH: Two-time champions KKR beat DC by three wickets on Wednesday, to enter IPL final, at the  at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. 

    KKR struggled to finish the game after solid chase led by openers Venkatesh Iyer (55), Shubman Gill (46). The DC bowlers delivered their best spells in the death overs to take the match until the last over with R Ashwin taking two wickets in the final over.  

    (copy will be updated soon)

  • Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers restrict Delhi Capitals to 135 for 5 in IPL Qualifier 2

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders dished out another superlative bowling display but Delhi Capitals managed to put a competitive 135 for 5 in the second IPL qualifier here on Wednesday.

    Opting to field, KKR bowlers produced exceptional line and length on a slow Sharjah track as DC batters just couldn’t get any momentum for most part of their innings.

    However, KKR conceded 36 runs in the last three overs to allow DC score a fighting total.

    Opener Shikhar Dhawan struggled his way to a 39-ball 36 but couldn’t break the shackles.

    Prithvi Shaw (18) looked good in his brief stay, while comeback man Marcus Stoinis (18) got the start but couldn’t capitalise.

    In the 18th over, Shimron Hetmyer (17) unleashed two sixes off Lockie Ferguson after getting a second lease of life, while Shreyas Iyer (30 not out) hit a four and a last-ball six in the 20th over to take DC to a competitive score.

    Brief Score: Delhi Capitals: 135 for 5 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 36, Shreyas Iyer 30 not out; Varun Chakravarty 2/26).

  • SRH management didn’t give reason for sacking me from captaincy, reveals Warner

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Star Australia batter David Warner on Tuesday claimed that the Sunrisers Hyderabad management did not provide him with any reason as to why he was removed from captaincy in the IPL earlier this season.

    Warner was replaced by New Zealander Kane Williamson as SRH captain during the first half of the IPL in India as the team was lying at the bottom after losing five out of six matches.

    The change in captaincy did not reverse SRH’s fortunes as they finished at the bottom of the IPL points table.

    A struggling Warner was omitted from the playing eleven in the last few matches when the lucrative T20 tournament resumed in the UAE.

    “With the utmost respect for the owners, Trevor Baylis, Laxman, Moody and Murali, when a decision gets made, it has to be a unanimous one. You don’t know who the person is going for you and who isn’t,” Warner told ‘India Today’.

    “The other disappointing thing for me was not being explained why I was dropped as captain. If you want to go along the lines of form, it is a difficult one because, I guess whatever you have done in the past would have some weight moving forward, you would think.”

    The 34-year-old Warner said being stripped off captaincy was “a tough pill to swallow” but he would want to move on.

    “Especially when you have played about 100 games for the franchise, I think I had four bad games in those first five matches in Chennai.

    “It is difficult, a tough pill to swallow. There are still questions to which I think I’ll never get answers, but you have to move on,” he added.

    The Australian said that he would love to represent SRH again but that is not in his hands.

    “I would love nothing more than to represent Sunrisers but obviously, that decision is with the owners,” he said.

    “I really enjoyed my time with Sunrisers, you all out there (fans) make it so special for us (family). Hopefully, I’ll get to come back out there, whether it be in the SRH uniform or someone else’s. I will salute you all when I come back to play in Hyderabad,” he added.

  • Virat Kohli will never be able to understand the kind of impact he has had: RCB’s AB de Villiers

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Virat Kohli will never be able to understand the kind of impact he has had on Royal Challengers Bangalore while leading the side, said AB de Villiers of his longstanding IPL teammate, in a rich tribute.

    Kohli’s nine-year stint as skipper of the RCB ended with a four-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in the eliminator of the 2021 Indian Premier League at Sharjah on Monday. Kohli had said before the start of the UAE leg of the IPL that he would be stepping down as RCB captain at the end of the season.

    #RCBvKKR Dressing Room EmotionsA sudden end to a fine season campaign, Virat Kohli’s last match as full time captain of RCB, the team spirit that brought us until here, – raw emotions in the dressing room at the end of our #IPL2021 journey.https://t.co/UstexXNKIA#PlayBold
    — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) October 12, 2021
    “I have been here through all the years with Virat as captain and I think the word that comes to mind is ‘grateful’. We were very lucky to have had you at the front,” de Villiers said in a video posted by the franchise.

    ALSO READ| Have given my best, says Kohli as he bids goodbye to RCB captaincy

    “The way you captained this team has inspired everyone, certainly inspired me to become better as a player and a person. You have had a much bigger impact than you will ever understand, it has gone miles. There are stories that you don’t even hear of people’s lives that you have touched,” he said.

    Since taking over as RCB’s captain in 2013, Kohli has led the team to the play-offs four times, including the last two seasons, and the final in 2016. Kohli led RCB in 140 matches, winning 66 and losing 70. Four games did not produce any results.

    De Villiers said that Kohli’s contribution goes beyond his performance as a skipper or a batter. “I have known you on the field but away from it as well. You make people believe in themselves, which is much more important than winning a trophy. Which I still believe will come your way,” the versatile South African cricketer said.

    ALSO READ| Virat​ Kohli has given RCB kind of profile, very few could give their franchise: Sunil Gavaskar

    During their eliminator against KKR, on-field umpire Virender Sharma came under fire from the RCB captain after a poor lbw decision during the Knight Riders innings. “You have done a great job, but that book is not finished yet. Whatever you have done for us, we won’t forget it. Thanks for all the memories, and I think some of the umpires will sleep a bit better, very happy for them,” de Villiers said on a lighter note, referring to that particular call by the umpire.

    Not the result we wanted but I am so proud of the character shown by the boys throughout the tournament. A disappointing end but we can hold our heads high. Thank you to all the fans, management & the support staff for your constant support. @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/VxZLc5NKAG
    — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 12, 2021
    On his part, Kohli thanked his teammates and said they can “hold their heads high”. “Not the result we wanted but I am so proud of the character shown by the boys throughout the tournament. A disappointing end but we can hold our heads high. Thank you to all the fans, management & the support staff for your constant support,” Kohli wrote on his Twitter handle.

  • Andre Russell has Grade-II hamstring tear: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan

    By ANI

    SHARJAH: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Eoin Morgan revealed that Andre Russell has a Grade 2 hamstring tear and the all-rounder is working hard with the medical team to be fully fit for Qualifier 2 against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.

    Sunil Narine stole the show as KKR beat RCB in Eliminator in Sharjah on Monday. After the match, Morgan said KKR will take a decision on Russell’s availability on how the all-rounder presents himself on Tuesday.

    “Andre has a Grade 2 hamstring tear, and it’s only been a couple of weeks since that injury. He has worked incredibly hard along with our medical team with intensive rehabilitation to try and get himself back on the park. We only have 48 hours before the next game. So we’ll have to take that decision (on whether he is fit to play) based on how he presents himself tomorrow (Tuesday) and the next day,” Morgan said in the post-match press conference.

    KKR had won two games in the IPL 2021 during the first half but the side came back with strong performances in the UAE leg to qualify for the playoffs. “In the first phase of the tournament, we were still trying to implement Buzz’s (Brendon McCullum) mantra of trying to play positive, aggressive cricket. In the first phase it didn’t quite happen. Throughout this second phase, people have turned up with a different motivation and drive to try and play the aggressive brand of cricket,” said Morgan.

    “Our bowlers have shown us the way – how to be aggressive with the ball in trying to take wickets and identifying when to hold back and be a little bit more defensive. That’s led the way with our batting as well,” he signed off.