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Tag: IPL 2021

  • Glenn Maxwell’s run-out was probably turning-point of match against SRH: RCB director Mike Hesson

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell was scoring at a good pace and his runout was probably the turning point of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, said Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson.

    Maxwell smashed three fours and two sixes in his quickfire 25-ball 40 to keep RCB in the hunt but he was run-out due to a poor call by opener Devdutt Padikkal in the 15th over. RCB’s chase derailed after that as they ended with 137 for six in their 20 overs for a narrow four-run loss. SRH had posted 141 for 7.

    “…the fact that Glenn was scoring at a rate of over 10 an over, he is probably the only batsman who really had fluency on the surface and he was set, so he was probably the man we wanted at the crease, so look it probably was,” Hesson said when asked if Maxwell’s run-out was the turning point.

    It was SRH skipper Kane Williamson, who produced the sensational effort while fielding at cover. He collected the ball quickly and hit the bull’s eye while still in motion as Maxwell was way short of the crease.

    “An exceptional piece of work in terms of that run out and yeah probably did turn the game. We just left a little-bit too much for us to do at the end. We weren’t quite good enough for those key moments to get over the line,” said said Hesson, who has coached New Zealand in the past, at the post-match press conference.

    Another highlight of the game was the bowling by rookie SRH pacer Urman Malik, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir.

    Asked how did RCB prepare for Malik, Hesson said, “We looked at his pitch maps and in terms of, we know he bowls good pace, what sort of lengths and the general areas he looks to bowl, he tends to bowl hard length, so that was pretty clear in terms of what we were expecting today.

    “Looks like he has got a good bouncer. He is a very promising bowler. In terms of preparation, it is more about watching a bit of footage, looking at the pitch maps and then making that adjustment to the surface out there,” he added.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Jason Holder also lavished praise on Malik, who was constantly hitting the 150 kmph mark. “I think, the first thing to mention is his pace, that’s his asset. He is just consistent in training and given us quite a hard time, he is very hard to get hold of. It is good to see his control as well. He is being pretty consistent and he has grouped really good deliveries together,” he said.

    According to Holder, Abhishek Sharma gave the team a “pretty good” start after being asked to open the innings and it is unfortunate that he couldn’t not carry on a little further. Holder also said dismissing Virat Kohli in the first over was also a plus for his side.

    “You have got your best bowler in the world in Rashid Khan to match-up against their best batters, we got Virat (Kohli) in the first over, which was very crucial. We know what type of player he is, so to get him out pretty early was a plus for us and it put pressure on them,” said the West Indian.

    Holder said that the SRH bowlers were good in the death overs. “Our bowlers were excellent in the end. All the years Sunrisers has had a trend for good death bowling and good bowling in general and it showed today,” he said.

    “Siddharth Kaul was outstanding, young Urman Malik and obviously myself and Bhuvneshwar finishing off nicely, so it was a good team effort and hopefully we can continue to go in this way and finish well against Mumbai (Indians),” he signed off.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their final match of the competition against Mumbai Indians on Friday.

  • IPL 2021, MI vs SRH preview: With an eye on play-offs spot, Mumbai face Hyderabad in ‘must win’ game

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will need to outclass bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last league match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Friday, knowing fully well the tricky situation they have found themselves in their bid for a play-offs spot.

    Courtesy their eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals, the defending champions are currently at the fifth spot, with 12 points from 13 games, with a net run rate of -0.048. But, Kolkata Knight Riders, with a net run rate of +0.294, are sitting on the fourth spot with 12 points from 13 games and will play Rajasthan Royals on Thursday evening in Sharjah.

    A win for KKR against RR will take them to 14 points and also improve their net run rate further. In that scenario, MI may find it very difficult to qualify for the play-offs even if they beat SRH as the gap in their NRR with KKR is not small.

    Asked if it is an advantage to play a team like SRH on the last day, MI captain Rohit Sharma had said, “All eight teams are capable of beating each other. But the good thing is that KKR plays before us, so we will know what to do.”

    In case KKR lose, then a win will be enough for MI to seal the fourth play-offs spot as they then will have 14 points. In any case, Rohit (363 runs) will have to lead from the front again. He has got starts but has not been able to convert them, and the great white-ball exponent would be itching for a big score.

    And so would be his opening partner Ishan Kishan (157 runs), whose confidence would have been boosted from his unbeaten fifty against RR.

    MI’s horribly out of form middle order, comprising the supremely talented Suryakumar Yadav (235 runs), all-rounders Hardik Pandya (117 runs), Kieron Pollard (232) and Saurabh Tiwary (115 runs), will have to come good.

    On their day, they can take any opposition attack to the cleaners and SRH’s would be no exception. MI team management would, however, be pleased with the performance of their bowlers, who had restricted RR for a meagre 90 and are unlikely to tinker with the combination.

    Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (19 wickets) was exceptional and would be raring to bowl his yorkers again. He would need support from Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, who grabbed four wickets in the last game, and spinner Jayant Yadav.

    The Sunrisers, who are already out of reckoning for a play-offs berth, will look to finish the tournament on a high. Skipper Kane Williamson was back among the runs and would be keen to start from where he left on Wednesday.

    But the Kiwi will need support from others like Jason Roy and relatively inexperienced guys like Abhishek Sharma, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad and aggressive Wriddhiman Saha.

    With the addition of pace sensation Urman Malik, SRH have one of the best bowling attacks and the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan and Siddharth Kaul would have to be at their best to contain MI’s explosive batting line up.

    Also, the contribution of West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder, both with the bat and ball, could be decisive.

    Teams:

    Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Aditya Tare, Anmolpreet Singh, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Anukul Roy, Simarjeet Singh, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, James Neesham, Jayant Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Singh, Adam Milne, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson (captain), David Warner, Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, Urman Malik, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Abdul Samad, J Suchith, Jason Holder, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Kedar Jadhav, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Jason Roy.

    Match starts at 7:30pm IST.

  • IPL 2021, RCB vs DC preview: Bangalore eye win against Delhi before heading into play-offs

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Assured of a play-off berth, Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to quickly recover from their loss in the previous game and finish the league phase on a high when they take on table-toppers Delhi Capitals in their final IPL round-robin game here on Friday.

    While the Delhi side (20 points from 13 matches) has made sure of a top-two finish, a defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday night has dented RCB’s chances of ending second in the points table.

    With 16 points and an inferior net run-rate to second-placed Chennai Super Kings, RCB’s hopes of a top-two finish has reduced after losing to SRH.

    However, skipper Virat Kohli will keep an eye on the result of the CSK-Punjab Kings match on Thursday to get a clear idea about how to go about in their final match to snatch the second spot, which appears a tough task to say the least.

    Despite possessing a formidable batting line-up that includes AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal apart from Kohli, RCB couldn’t chase down a below-par 141-7 against SRH and they would need to sort out their batting before entering the knockout stage.

    Maxwell has been in scintillating form for RCB after a moderate run in 2020 and can turn things around single-handedly as can de Villiers. The Australian power-hitter has 447 runs with five 50s and will want to continue the good run, while de Villiers hasn’t quite had the impact he would have liked to.

    If Kohli can get off to a strong start at the top alongside the impressive Padikkal, the powerful middle-order can do a lot of damage. RCB’s bowling unit too have done well with the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel and George Garton doing the job in the pace department.

    In spin department, Yuzvendra Chahal has overcome his past struggles with some very impressive spells this season, while Shahbaz Ahmed too has kept things in check for his team.

    The Rishabh Pant-led Delhi team, on the other hand, has been in formidable form, winning four of the last five matches and will look to end things on a high in the league phase before going into the qualifier.

    Skipper Pant has come in for criticism for being over-aggressive and it has to be seen if he shows a sense of restraint and makes bigger contributions. DC has a strong batting line-up despite the inconsistency of Prithvi Shaw, who most often seems to blow hot and cold while Shikhar Dhawan (501 runs from 13 innings) has shown his value at the top.

    Shreyas Iyer and Pant too have rescued the team few times but they will seek more consistency. Delhi has a potent bowling attack.

    While South African pacer Anrich Nortje has breathed fire and is a constant threat, his compatriot Kagiso Rabada and Avesh Khan (second in the wicket-takers list with 22 scalps) have been at the batsmen all the time.

    The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel (14 wickets) also have not been easy to get away.

    Teams:

    Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (captain), Navdeep Saini, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, Rajat Patidar, Dushmantha Chameera, Pavan Deshpande, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Sachin Baby, Wanindu Hasaranga, George Garton, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shahbaz Ahmed, Devdutt Padikkal, Kyle Jamieson, Suyash Prabhudessai, KS Bharat, Tim David, Akash Deep, AB de Villiers.

    Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimrom Hetmyar, Shreyas Iyer, Steve Smith, Amit Mishra, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, Ben Dwarshuis, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Kulwant Khejroliya, Lukman Meriwala, Pravin Dubey, Tom Curran, Umesh Yadav, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Billings and Vishnu Vinod.

    Match starts at 7:30 PM IST.

  • IPL 2021: KKR eye handsome win over Rajasthan Royals to remain ahead in play-off race 

    By PTI

    SHARJAH: Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders would strive for a handsome win over struggling Rajasthan Royals in their last round-robin game to stay ahead in the IPL play-offs race here on Thursday.

    With 12 points from 13 matches, KKR are currently sitting at the fourth position in the pecking order, just ahead of defending champions Mumbai Indians on net run-rate.

    MI too have 12 points from 13 games and still have a match to play against bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.

    If both KKR and MI win their last matches, then it will boil down to net run rate and that’s where the Eoin Morgan-led side (0.294) would have an edge as it currently enjoys a positive run rate compared to the Mumbai outfit (-0.048).

    KKR had a mixed bag in the second leg of the tournament so far, winning four and losing two games.

    While KKR started the second phase with back-to-back wins over Royal Challengers Bangalore and MI before suffering a defeat to Chennai Super Kings, they came back to beat table toppers Delhi Capitals.

    A defeat against Punjab Kings followed before they outplayed SRH by six wickets to keep their nose ahead in the race for the final play-offs spot.

    KKR have been impressive in the second half and even their two defeats were narrow, where they lost in the last over.

    In the batting department, Venkatesh Iyer has been the star performer in the second leg for KKR, while Rahul Tripathi too has been impressive this season.

    Young Shubman Gill scored a fine half-century in KKR’s last match, which holds good for the team.

    Nitish Rana, up in the batting order, has also done well but the form of skipper Morgan remains a cause for concern.

    The induction of star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan in the last match for the first time in the second leg, has given a new dimension to the side.

    In bowling, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been the team’s go-to man while Sunil Narine too has been among the wickets.

    In the absence of Andre Russell and Lockie Ferguson, who missed a few games following injuries, Tim Southee and Shivam Mavi are the new pace bowling pair for KKR.

    Pacer Prasidh Krishna did well to snap four wickets in the matches that he had played, before being dropped for conceding 22 runs in the 19th over, against CSK.

    RR are out of the race, languishing at the seventh spot in the eight-team standings with 10 points from 13 games. And come Thursday, RR would look to dent KKR’s hopes and end their campaign on a positive note.

    RR have been hit hard by the form of their Indian batsmen. Barring Yashahvi Jaiswal and, to some extent, skipper Sanju Samson, the team’s Indian batsmen lacked intent.

    With Mustafizur Rahaman as their most experienced overseas signing and young Chetan Sakariya in the ranks, RR’s bowling is a bit thin on experience.

    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.

    Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain), Liam Livingstone, Evin Lewis, David Miller, Chris Morris, Oshane Thomas, Mustafizur Rahaman, Tabraiz Shamsi, Glenn Phillips, Chetan Sakariya, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Akash Singh, Anuj Rawat, KC Cariappa, Yashashvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldip Yadav, Mahipal Lomror.

    Match starts at 7:30 PM.

  • Cool and calm Maxwell: Aussie veteran makes the difference for RCB in IPL 2021

    By Express News Service

    CHENNAI: 145, 179, 310, 169 and 108 runs. These were Glenn Maxwell’s numbers in his last five IPL seasons. Such numbers are staggering for a player, who has done well in the shorter format of the game at the international level and leagues like the Big Bash. 

    He had a thing or two to prove in the 2021 campaign, and has delivered in style, scoring 407 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore so far.

    Previously with other teams, the 32-year-old was seen as someone who can smash.

    Things have been a tad different in the 24th edition where he has played as the number four batsman allowing  him more time at the crease.

    Maxwell has also take upon himself the responsibility of being much more responsible.

    Much more calculated.

    So what has really worked for Maxwell in Bangalore colours? Previously with other teams, the 32-year-old was primarily looked up as someone who can smash quickfire runs at the end. As a result, he did not have much time to settle down. 

    He was also expected to deliver from ball one. Things have been a tad different in the 14th edition as the number four batsmen, allowing him more time at the crease.  

    An impressive opening stand between Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal has helped Maxwell a lot, ensuring he does not walk in under pressure.

    It would not be wrong to say that Maxwell has been one of the main reasons for Bangalore’s success this season as they have already reached the Playoffs. 

    And if things go as per plan, they could well finish in the top two. More importantly, when he has walked to bat for Bangalore, the element of pressure is quite non-existent with the likes of AB de VIlliers, who can score at blistering pace at the end, batting at number five.

    “It is more about the overs that we are trying to get our batters out there. For me, I am looking to get out there just after powerplay. If I can have that opportunity to bat a little more than 10 overs to go, then I give myself an over or two out  there to get used to the conditions and give myself a platform to go. AB is a little bit later…he has the ability to hit boundaries early on in his innings, he is suited to back end and later overs, where he can cash in. Having (De Villiers) come after me and be there to finish the innings is a hell of a luxury,” said Maxwell, who has scored three half-centuries in a row in his last three innings.

    Maxwell has also taken upon himself to be much more responsible. 

    Often criticised for playing reckless shots in the past, he has been much more calculative and taken time to understand the conditions before taking charge. 

    After getting his eye in, he has been dangerous, hitting sixes at will against both the spinners and pacers.

    “I know I score quickly in ODI and T20 cricket. It was more about having a solid technique at the start of my innings and making sure I take in much information before taking the first risks. With this (RCB) line-up I am afforded a little bit more time to gather information and spend more time in the middle and then when I decide to flick the switch and have a crack, it is a well informed decision.”

    It remains to be seen if he can outdo his best (552 runs in 2014) for the then Kings XI Punjab.

  • Hope my last game is in Chennai: Dhoni gives hint of retiring from IPL  

    By Express News Service

    CHENNAI: With a full-fledged player auction lined up at the end of the ongoing IPL, MS Dhoni has hinted at continuing with the Chennai Super Kings at least for another season.

    No other captain has won more matches than Dhoni in the IPL and he also has three trophies to show and in the ongoing edition, Chennai have already made it to the play-offs.

    However, over the past couple of seasons, Dhoni’s performance with the bat has been nowhere close to what it was during his heydays.

    Dhoni is now 40-year-old and there were questions whether this season could be his last as he had already retired from international cricket in 2020.

    On Tuesday, speaking at India Cements 75 not out — organisation’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations — Dhoni in a virtual conference, said: “When it comes to farewell, you can always come and see me play for CSK. You will still get the opportunity to bid me farewell. Hopefully, we will come to Chennai and I will play my last game there and meet all the fans.”

    In the one-hour live event hosted on the franchise’s YouTube channel, apart from Dhoni, CSK players Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir also took part. Also part of the virtual interaction was N Srinivasan, vice-chairman and MD India Cements. 

  • I’ll be back stronger, says injured CSK all-rounder Sam Curran

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out of IPL 2021 and the upcoming T20 World Cup due to a lower back injury. But the English player has promised to come back stronger.

    “Unfortunately I have received a gutting news that I will, unfortunately, be missing the remainder of the IPL season and the World Cup. Extremely gutted…absolutely loved my time with Chennai this season,” CSK website quoted Curran as saying.

    “The boys are doing extremely well. It hasn’t really sunk in yet but I’m leaving with the team in a fantastic space. The boys are playing really good cricket. I want to be supporting them from where I am in the next few days. Once it’s all sunk in, I’ll definitely be supporting the team and I’m sure they can go all the way and lift the trophy.

    “Just want to say a massive thank you to all the Chennai Super Kings fans, I’ve absolutely loved all your support in the last two seasons I’ve been playing. It won’t be long until I’m back running, bowling and batting in front of all you guys. I’ll be back stronger, until then stay safe. Cheers guys,” he added.

    Talking about Curran’s injury, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said: “It’s really unfortunate that Curran won’t be available for the rest of the season due to a lower back injury. We wish him a speedy recovery and I’m sure he will emerge stronger from this. BCCI has been informed about the injury.”

    Curran, 23, has played 24 Tests, 11 ODIs and 16 T20Is for England. He was a part of the England Test squad that played India in England prior to the IPL.

    For England, Curran’s brother, Tom, has been drafted into the squad for the T20 World Cup.

    In addition, Surrey’s Reece Topley has been added as a travelling reserve. Topley will join the England party in due course. The England players and management not part of the IPL arrived at their Muscat base on Tuesday and will remain in Oman until October 16 before moving to Dubai for the start of the tournament.

  • Poor contributions by Indian players has let Mumbai Indians down: Ex-England cricketer Mark Butcher

    By IANS

    LONDON: Former England cricketer Mark Butcher feels that the lacklustre performance of Indian players, unlike the previous editions, has let down the defending champions Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2021.

    Mumbai’s batting has been off-colour and it’s the reason behind their slide this season. The key Indian players like captain Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Panday, and Krunal Panday have failed to take responsibility and post big totals.

    Mumbai Indians, who are currently in the seventh position in the points table, face Rajasthan Royals — placed just one place above them, on Tuesday evening in Sharjah. The Rohit-led Mumbai Indians came into this match with a defeat against Delhi Capitals while Rajasthan Royals stunned Chennai Super Kings in their last clash.

    “If all your eyes are turning towards Quinton de Kock at the top and if all eyes are turning towards Trent Boult as a wicket-taker in the powerplay, th’n you’ve got a problem. Mumbai Indians’ success has been built around the fact that they’haven’t looked to overseas players to win the tournament. They have great overseas players, but the Indian players have come to the party and done the job,” said Butcher on Crick’t.com’s show Man vs Machine.

    “Rohit Sharma hasn’t made the ‘uns you’d expect him to make.’Yes, he’s a brilliant captain.’Yes, he’ll probably become India’s T20I captain in the near future. But they need runs from him. Ishan Kishan has found himself out of the team, such has been his form. Contribution from Indian players is just as important, in fact, more important when it comes to winning IPL and qualifying than anything else,” he added.

    In the past, Mumbai have qualified for the playoffs and won titles after being in improbable positions and the former England batsman feels the defending champions have what it takes to pull a rabbit out of the hat once again.

    “They have pulled rabbits out of their hat’ before. It’s in the feature of their success in the IPL. Their fans would be confident that they can beat these two teams – Rajasthan Royals — they took them down in April,” said Butcher.

    “They would also think Sunrisers are there for the taki’g as well. It’s simply a case of concentrating on the job in your hands. No point worrying about ifs and buts. Win this one and the next one. Get two points on the board and then worry about the net run-rate,” he added.

  • Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan’s shot selection has not been exactly correct: Sunil Gavaskar

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians batsmen Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have failed to rise to the challenge in the second leg of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League in the UAE. Not only has their form hurt MI, but also questions have been raised on whether they deserve to be a part of India’s T20 World Cup squad for the showpiece event.

    Speaking on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, legend Sunil Gavaskar said: “I think it looks to me like, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have just relaxed a little bit after getting the India cap. They might not have, but some of the shots they are playing — it looks like they are trying to play these big shots just because they are India players.

    “Sometimes what happens is, you gotta give yourself a little bit of time, and you gotta get your shot selection right. And I think that is where they have missed this time around, where their shot selection has not been exactly correct, and that’s why they’ve got out cheaply.”

    Throwing light on all-rounder Hardik Pandya not bowling in the IPL, the former India skipper said it is a big blow not just for the franchise, but also for the national team.

    “Hardik Pandya, not bowling is a big blow, not just for Mumbai Indians, but for India as well, because he was taken in the team as an all-rounder. And if you are in the team, batting at No.6 or No.7, and you’re not able to bowl, then it makes it difficult for the captain. He doesn’t get the flexibility and option, that is so required for somebody batting at No.6 or 7 like an all-rounder.”

    The Indian national selectors on September 8 picked the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup to be hosted by the BCCI in UAE and Oman. In a surprise move, R Ashwin was included in the team which will begin its campaign in the showpiece event against arch-rivals Pakistan. Ashwin had last played a T20I against West Indies in July 2017. Yuzvendra Chahal missed out while MS Dhoni will be the mentor of the team.

    Interestingly, RCB spinner Chahal has had a brilliant outing in UAE and has been one of the top bowlers in the second leg of the IPL.

  • Had a good chat with MS Dhoni, he gave me lot of confidence: Delhi Capitals batter Ripal Patel

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Delhi Capitals moved to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 table after securing a three-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

    The Delhi Capitals bowlers restricted Chennai Super Kings to 136/5 in their 20 overs before the Delhi batsmen wrapped up the chase in 19.4 overs.

    Middle-order batsman Ripal Patel, who made his IPL debut against the Chennai Super Kings, was thrilled about the fact that MS Dhoni saw him bat from behind the stumps.

    “It was a different feeling altogether to see Mahi bhai behind the stumps when I took guard. It felt really good that Mahi bhai was watching me play. I started playing cricket watching Mahi bhai and I am looking to become a finisher like him. After the game, I asked him how he finishes every match, how he thinks on the field and what goes on in his mind while chasing a score. We had a good chat and he gave me a lot of confidence,” said Ripal in an official DC release.

    When asked about his emotions when he received the Delhi Capitals cap before the game, he said: “I was really happy when I received my cap from Mishy bhai. It didn’t feel like it was my first match. I felt really good going into the match. I just looked to back myself and enjoy every part of the game.”

    The 26-year-old, who scored 18 runs off 20 balls in the match, said that he looked to take his time at the crease, “When I went into bat (at 71/3), we needed to score at a run-a-ball pace. I aimed to finish the match for the team. Shikhar bhai told me to take my time at the crease, so I took my time and enjoyed my batting.”

    Ripal also enjoyed watching Kagiso Rabada finish the match with a boundary in the last over. “It was very important for us to win the match. It was a crunch situation when we needed 2 runs from 3 balls. We were looking for a couple of runs and it was great to see Rabada hit a boundary. I was disappointed that I didn’t finish the match, but it was great that the team won the match and reached 20 points,” he said. (ANI)