News Analysis India

Tag: IPL 2022

  • Gujarat Titans commit harakiri as Daniel Sams’ superb last over seal Mumbai Indians’ second win in IPL

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Pacer Daniel Sams displayed ice-cool temperament as he conceded just three runs in the last over to help Mumbai Indians pull off a stunning five-run victory over table-toppers Gujarat Titans in an IPL game on Saturday.

    MI were seemingly down and out with the Titans’ opening pair of Wriddhiman Saha (55 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (52 off 36 balls) sharing a 106-run partnership in 12.1 overs while chasing 178.

    However, the Titans kept losing wickets, including two crucial run-outs as they required nine runs in the last over to win the match.

    They could score just three, while losing one wicket to slump to their second successive defeat in the season.

    For MI, who were already out of contention for a play-off berth, it was only their second win of the season as they remained at the bottom.

    Opting to bowl, Gujarat restricted MI to 177 for six, despite quickfire innings from opening pair of Rohit Sharma (43 off 28 balls) and Ishan Kishan (45 off 29 balls) and Tim David (44 not out off 21 balls).

    Rashid Khan was the most successful bowler for the Titans with his two wickets for 24, while Pradeep Sangwan and Lockie Ferguson got one each.

    Alzarri Joseph also took a wicket but he bled 41 runs in his four overs.

    Chasing 178, Saha looked in full flow as he cracked two fours and a six off Jasprit Bumrah’s first over, before smashing Riley Meredith for two boundaries.

    Shubman Gill slog-swept Murugan Ashwin for a six, before picking up another four as the fifty-run stand came up in quick time, taking the Titans to 54 for one in six overs.

    The Chandigarh batter exploded in the eighth over with three boundaries off Daniel Sams, who had bowled a briliant opening over.

    Kumar Kartikeya was next in line as he yielded 15 runs with Saha smashing his first ball for a four and Gill producing a clean hit over long off before slog-sweeeping the bowler for another four.

    Soon, 100 was up in 11 overs with Saha also completing his fifty.

    Gill too joined him as his single off Pollard took him to a 33-ball half-century.

    Both Saha and Gill smashed six boundaries and two maximums each.

    A bizzare hit wicket ended Sai Sudharsan’s (14) innings, while Hardik Pandya (24) fall short after going for an unnecessary single.

    Needing 20 off last two overs, Miller deposited Bumrah over deep mid-wicket but the Titans couldn’t score nine of the last over lose the match.

    Earlier, invited to bat, Rohit seemed to be in good touch after a series of low scores as he took the early initiative, dominating the proceedings with his strokeplay as Kishan played the second fiddle.

    The MI skipper was particularly harsh on Joseph as he smashed the bowler for four boundaries and a six, while Kishan joined the party in the fifth over, slamming Rashid Khan for a couple of fours to bring up their 50-run partnership.

    Rohit then hit Lockie Ferguson for a four as MI posted 63 for no loss, their best in the powerplay this season.

    Rashid produced the breakthrough in the eighth over, removing the dangerous Rohit, who was trapped in front while looking to play a reverse shot.

    Kishan then took over, dancing down the pitch to send Rahul Tewatia over mid-wicket.

    Suryakumar Yadav produced his trademark whip for a maximum but perished in his next attempt off Pradeep Sangwan.

    Back into the attack, Joseph then struck with a slower delivery which Kishan ended up sending to Rashid at mid-wicket as MI slipped to 111 for 3 in 12 overs.

    Kieron Pollard lived dangerously with Sangwan and Ferguson bowling two quiet overs and was eventually cleaned up by Rashid, who set up the West Indian with two googlies.

    MI thus seemed to have frittered away the solid start but Tilak Verma (21) and Tim David then tried to put together a partnership with the latter launching Mohammed Shami for two fours at mid-off and long leg respectively.

    Varma was run-out with Hardik Pandya producing a direct throw, while Daniel Sams too perished with a second-ball duck.

    However, David smacked Shami for two maximums in the last over to take the team past 170-run mark.

    Mumbai Indians players celebrate after winning the IPL match against Gujarat Titans at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. (Photo | PTI)

    MUMBAI: Pacer Daniel Sams displayed ice-cool temperament as he conceded just three runs in the last over to help Mumbai Indians pull off a stunning five-run victory over table-toppers Gujarat Titans in an IPL game on Saturday.

    MI were seemingly down and out with the Titans’ opening pair of Wriddhiman Saha (55 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (52 off 36 balls) sharing a 106-run partnership in 12.1 overs while chasing 178.

    However, the Titans kept losing wickets, including two crucial run-outs as they required nine runs in the last over to win the match.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    They could score just three, while losing one wicket to slump to their second successive defeat in the season.

    For MI, who were already out of contention for a play-off berth, it was only their second win of the season as they remained at the bottom.

    Opting to bowl, Gujarat restricted MI to 177 for six, despite quickfire innings from opening pair of Rohit Sharma (43 off 28 balls) and Ishan Kishan (45 off 29 balls) and Tim David (44 not out off 21 balls).

    Rashid Khan was the most successful bowler for the Titans with his two wickets for 24, while Pradeep Sangwan and Lockie Ferguson got one each.

    Alzarri Joseph also took a wicket but he bled 41 runs in his four overs.

    Chasing 178, Saha looked in full flow as he cracked two fours and a six off Jasprit Bumrah’s first over, before smashing Riley Meredith for two boundaries.

    Shubman Gill slog-swept Murugan Ashwin for a six, before picking up another four as the fifty-run stand came up in quick time, taking the Titans to 54 for one in six overs.

    The Chandigarh batter exploded in the eighth over with three boundaries off Daniel Sams, who had bowled a briliant opening over.

    Kumar Kartikeya was next in line as he yielded 15 runs with Saha smashing his first ball for a four and Gill producing a clean hit over long off before slog-sweeeping the bowler for another four.

    Soon, 100 was up in 11 overs with Saha also completing his fifty.

    Gill too joined him as his single off Pollard took him to a 33-ball half-century.

    Both Saha and Gill smashed six boundaries and two maximums each.

    A bizzare hit wicket ended Sai Sudharsan’s (14) innings, while Hardik Pandya (24) fall short after going for an unnecessary single.

    Needing 20 off last two overs, Miller deposited Bumrah over deep mid-wicket but the Titans couldn’t score nine of the last over lose the match.

    Earlier, invited to bat, Rohit seemed to be in good touch after a series of low scores as he took the early initiative, dominating the proceedings with his strokeplay as Kishan played the second fiddle.

    The MI skipper was particularly harsh on Joseph as he smashed the bowler for four boundaries and a six, while Kishan joined the party in the fifth over, slamming Rashid Khan for a couple of fours to bring up their 50-run partnership.

    Rohit then hit Lockie Ferguson for a four as MI posted 63 for no loss, their best in the powerplay this season.

    Rashid produced the breakthrough in the eighth over, removing the dangerous Rohit, who was trapped in front while looking to play a reverse shot.

    Kishan then took over, dancing down the pitch to send Rahul Tewatia over mid-wicket.

    Suryakumar Yadav produced his trademark whip for a maximum but perished in his next attempt off Pradeep Sangwan.

    Back into the attack, Joseph then struck with a slower delivery which Kishan ended up sending to Rashid at mid-wicket as MI slipped to 111 for 3 in 12 overs.

    Kieron Pollard lived dangerously with Sangwan and Ferguson bowling two quiet overs and was eventually cleaned up by Rashid, who set up the West Indian with two googlies.

    MI thus seemed to have frittered away the solid start but Tilak Verma (21) and Tim David then tried to put together a partnership with the latter launching Mohammed Shami for two fours at mid-off and long leg respectively.

    Varma was run-out with Hardik Pandya producing a direct throw, while Daniel Sams too perished with a second-ball duck.

    However, David smacked Shami for two maximums in the last over to take the team past 170-run mark.

    Mumbai Indians players celebrate after winning the IPL match against Gujarat Titans at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. (Photo | PTI)

  • David Warner’s magnificent knock sets up Delhi Capitals’ 21-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: David Warner was doing what he does best on Thursday. Up against his old side, it was sort of a grudge match for the Australian veteran, who has been as reliable as a swiss watch with the blade in IPL over the last decade or so (barring last season).

    Last year had been a forgettable season for the Australian, who was wearing the Sunrisers Hyderabad colours. Three-time Orange Cap winner with the team, runs had dried up and his once happy association with the club, with whom he had claimed the title in 2016, had turned sour.

    The southpaw was first stripped off captaincy and eventually reduced to being a cheerleader for the team (was seen waving the flag in the stands in the second half of last season).

    So, ahead of Thursday’s clash between SRH and Warner’s current club, Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, how Warner would go about his business was one of the main talking points.

    The Australian answered that in emphatic fashion, delivering his best this season (an unbeaten 92 off 58), a knock that helped DC post a 21-run win and move to fifth spot in the IPL table.

    Warner had set about with a four off the very first delivery of the second over by Sean Abbott, who was playing in the absence of injured T Natarajan.

    Prior to that, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was making the ball talk and had accounted for the wicket of Mandeep Singh, who had replaced Prithvi Shaw. Nerves were bound to be there for Warner, and that reflected in his shot against Abbott, which just evaded the fielder at cover point.

    Sensing Bhuvneshwar’s threat, Warner played sensibly in the third over before opening up against Umran Malik, who struggled for line and length, in the next over. Two fours and a six later, Warner was showing sign of things to come.

    Mitchell Marsh, No 3, was sent back soon and Warner went back into watchful mode along with skipper Rishabh Pant before finding occasional boundaries.

    SRH spinner, Shreyas Gopal, replacing Washington Sundar, was economical in his first over but Pant, after a 11-ball 4, hit different gear to launch three consecutive sixes and a four off Gopal in the ninth over. However, Pant, building a skyscraper in the DC batting chart, departed soon after.

    With 11 overs remaining, the responsibility was on Warner, batting at 42, to play the anchor role. He was joined by Rovman Powell, who was coming into the match having scored 104 runs of 52 balls in the last three matches.

    The duo kept the scoreboard ticking with some singles and twos. It was in the 12th over that Warner brought up his 54th IPL fifty, his fourth this season, with a pull off Malik’s bowling. Umran conceded as many as 52 runs in 4 overs.

    The fact that Powell was dropped off his bowling in the 15th over by SRH skipper Kane Williamson didn’t help matters. That drop proved to be a massive as Powell unleashed his striking power, hitting sixes at will off almost every bowler.

    Bhuvneshwar, Abbott, Kartik Tyagi, Umran himself. No one was spared as Powell dominated the death overs, racing to half-century in the 20th over. By the time DC’s innings was over, Powell had added more to finish at unbeaten 67, lifting the team to 207/3. Warner, meanwhile, couldn’t have written a better script for himself.  

    In reply, SRH lost three wickets within the first seven overs. In-form Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran kept the team in the hunt with a 60-run parntership before the former was dismissed.

    Pooran, though, was not willing to give up and was dealing in sixes. The West Indian went on to post his second fifty of the season (62 off 34 balls) but that proved to be all in vain for SRH.

    Brief Scores: DC 207/3 in 20 ovs (Warner 92 n.o, Powell 67 n.o) vs SRH 186/8 in 20 ovs (Pooran 62; Khaleel 3/30)

    CHENNAI: David Warner was doing what he does best on Thursday. Up against his old side, it was sort of a grudge match for the Australian veteran, who has been as reliable as a swiss watch with the blade in IPL over the last decade or so (barring last season).

    Last year had been a forgettable season for the Australian, who was wearing the Sunrisers Hyderabad colours. Three-time Orange Cap winner with the team, runs had dried up and his once happy association with the club, with whom he had claimed the title in 2016, had turned sour.

    The southpaw was first stripped off captaincy and eventually reduced to being a cheerleader for the team (was seen waving the flag in the stands in the second half of last season).googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    So, ahead of Thursday’s clash between SRH and Warner’s current club, Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, how Warner would go about his business was one of the main talking points.

    The Australian answered that in emphatic fashion, delivering his best this season (an unbeaten 92 off 58), a knock that helped DC post a 21-run win and move to fifth spot in the IPL table.

    Warner had set about with a four off the very first delivery of the second over by Sean Abbott, who was playing in the absence of injured T Natarajan.

    Prior to that, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was making the ball talk and had accounted for the wicket of Mandeep Singh, who had replaced Prithvi Shaw. Nerves were bound to be there for Warner, and that reflected in his shot against Abbott, which just evaded the fielder at cover point.

    Sensing Bhuvneshwar’s threat, Warner played sensibly in the third over before opening up against Umran Malik, who struggled for line and length, in the next over. Two fours and a six later, Warner was showing sign of things to come.

    Mitchell Marsh, No 3, was sent back soon and Warner went back into watchful mode along with skipper Rishabh Pant before finding occasional boundaries.

    SRH spinner, Shreyas Gopal, replacing Washington Sundar, was economical in his first over but Pant, after a 11-ball 4, hit different gear to launch three consecutive sixes and a four off Gopal in the ninth over. However, Pant, building a skyscraper in the DC batting chart, departed soon after.

    With 11 overs remaining, the responsibility was on Warner, batting at 42, to play the anchor role. He was joined by Rovman Powell, who was coming into the match having scored 104 runs of 52 balls in the last three matches.

    The duo kept the scoreboard ticking with some singles and twos. It was in the 12th over that Warner brought up his 54th IPL fifty, his fourth this season, with a pull off Malik’s bowling. Umran conceded as many as 52 runs in 4 overs.

    The fact that Powell was dropped off his bowling in the 15th over by SRH skipper Kane Williamson didn’t help matters. That drop proved to be a massive as Powell unleashed his striking power, hitting sixes at will off almost every bowler.

    Bhuvneshwar, Abbott, Kartik Tyagi, Umran himself. No one was spared as Powell dominated the death overs, racing to half-century in the 20th over. By the time DC’s innings was over, Powell had added more to finish at unbeaten 67, lifting the team to 207/3. Warner, meanwhile, couldn’t have written a better script for himself.  

    In reply, SRH lost three wickets within the first seven overs. In-form Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran kept the team in the hunt with a 60-run parntership before the former was dismissed.

    Pooran, though, was not willing to give up and was dealing in sixes. The West Indian went on to post his second fifty of the season (62 off 34 balls) but that proved to be all in vain for SRH.

    Brief Scores: DC 207/3 in 20 ovs (Warner 92 n.o, Powell 67 n.o) vs SRH 186/8 in 20 ovs (Pooran 62; Khaleel 3/30)

  • David Warner’s magnificent knock sets up Delhi Capitals’ 21-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: David Warner was doing what he does best on Thursday. Up against his old side, it was sort of a grudge match for the Australian veteran, who has been as reliable as a swiss watch with the blade in IPL over the last decade or so (barring last season).

    Last year had been a forgettable season for the Australian, who was wearing the Sunrisers Hyderabad colours. Three-time Orange Cap winner with the team, runs had dried up and his once happy association with the club, with whom he had claimed the title in 2016, had turned sour.

    The southpaw was first stripped off captaincy and eventually reduced to being a cheerleader for the team (was seen waving the flag in the stands in the second half of last season).

    So, ahead of Thursday’s clash between SRH and Warner’s current club, Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, how Warner would go about his business was one of the main talking points.

    The Australian answered that in emphatic fashion, delivering his best this season (an unbeaten 92 off 58), a knock that helped DC post a 21-run win and move to fifth spot in the IPL table.

    Warner had set about with a four off the very first delivery of the second over by Sean Abbott, who was playing in the absence of injured T Natarajan.

    Prior to that, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was making the ball talk and had accounted for the wicket of Mandeep Singh, who had replaced Prithvi Shaw. Nerves were bound to be there for Warner, and that reflected in his shot against Abbott, which just evaded the fielder at cover point.

    Sensing Bhuvneshwar’s threat, Warner played sensibly in the third over before opening up against Umran Malik, who struggled for line and length, in the next over. Two fours and a six later, Warner was showing sign of things to come.

    Mitchell Marsh, No 3, was sent back soon and Warner went back into watchful mode along with skipper Rishabh Pant before finding occasional boundaries.

    SRH spinner, Shreyas Gopal, replacing Washington Sundar, was economical in his first over but Pant, after a 11-ball 4, hit different gear to launch three consecutive sixes and a four off Gopal in the ninth over. However, Pant, building a skyscraper in the DC batting chart, departed soon after.

    With 11 overs remaining, the responsibility was on Warner, batting at 42, to play the anchor role. He was joined by Rovman Powell, who was coming into the match having scored 104 runs of 52 balls in the last three matches.

    The duo kept the scoreboard ticking with some singles and twos. It was in the 12th over that Warner brought up his 54th IPL fifty, his fourth this season, with a pull off Malik’s bowling. Umran conceded as many as 52 runs in 4 overs.

    The fact that Powell was dropped off his bowling in the 15th over by SRH skipper Kane Williamson didn’t help matters. That drop proved to be a massive as Powell unleashed his striking power, hitting sixes at will off almost every bowler.

    Bhuvneshwar, Abbott, Kartik Tyagi, Umran himself. No one was spared as Powell dominated the death overs, racing to half-century in the 20th over. By the time DC’s innings was over, Powell had added more to finish at unbeaten 67, lifting the team to 207/3. Warner, meanwhile, couldn’t have written a better script for himself.  

    In reply, SRH lost three wickets within the first seven overs. In-form Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran kept the team in the hunt with a 60-run parntership before the former was dismissed.

    Pooran, though, was not willing to give up and was dealing in sixes. The West Indian went on to post his second fifty of the season (62 off 34 balls) but that proved to be all in vain for SRH.

    Brief Scores: DC 207/3 in 20 ovs (Warner 92 n.o, Powell 67 n.o) vs SRH 186/8 in 20 ovs (Pooran 62; Khaleel 3/30)

  • Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell help RCB snap three-match losing streak, beat CSK by 13 runs

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: The whistles are beginning to disappear for the good this season for Chennai Super Kings. Forget where they were before their game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune, Chennai were still with a genuine chance of making it to the playoffs, provided they won all their remaining five matches.

    It was too much to expect from a side that has seldom appeared to click as a unit. But with the pitches beginning to get slower, thanks to the wear and tear, the conditions were getting tailor-made for Chennai to orchestrate a comeback like no other. Which is why, the 13-run defeat against Bangalore on Wednesday, was a real stinker for the defending champions.

    The pitch was there to their liking. And after winning the toss, never mind their batting unit has blown hot and cold this season, Dhoni was bold enough to ask Bangalore to bat first because he thought Chennai have the skill-set to bat first as well as chase. On such pitches, Dhoni knows how to marshal his bowling resources with spinners becoming his trump card. It is his Plan A when he leads his team out in MA Chidambaram stadium.

    With the surface in Pune resembling a lot to Chepauk, Dhoni used the spinners judiciously. Although he introduced both Maheesh Theekshana and Ravindra Jadeja in the powerplay, the only surprise was he didn’t open with one. And after Bangalore had raced to 57/0 in the powerplay, it was the spinners including Moeen Ali, who brought Chennai back into the game. Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli perished to Ali’s off-spin, while Theekshana took care of Mahipal Lomror, Wandindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed. The trio conceded only 75 runs in the 12 overs between them and accounted for five wickets.

    On such pitches, more than what the spinners deliver, it is how the rest of the bowling unit compliments them that tends to decide the outcome. For a team that is without its strike bowler throughout the season and Dwayne Bravo, the inexperience in the pace department once again proved too costly.

    Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Dwaine Pretorius didn’t complete their quota of four overs, and between them conceded 93 in only eight overs as Bangalore targeted Chennai’s weak link. Be it Du Plessis and Kohli at the top or Dinesh Karthik at the death, they went after Chennai’s quicks and took Bangalore to 173/8.

    And despite Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway providing Chennai with a solid start with 54-run stand in 6.4 overs, Bangalore turned the screws through Glen Maxwell.

    The Australian accounted for the wickets of Robin Uthappa and Amabati Rayudu to break Chennai’s back in the middle. And though Conway anchored the chase, scoring his second successive fifty, the rest of the batting unit which includes Moeen, Jadeja and Dhoni failed once again as Bangalore got back to winning ways after three successive defeats.

    With the defeat, the road ahead for Chennai is nearing a dead-end. Though they are not yet completely knocked out yet, they need a lot of things to go their way to progress into the play-offs. But before all of it happens, Chennai should start winning matches.

    Brief Scores: RCB 173/8 in 20 overs (Lomror  42, Du Plessis 38; Theekshana 3/27) beat CSK 193/9 in 20 overs (Conway 56, Harshal 3/35)

  • Harshal Patel and Glenn Maxwell help RCB snap three-match losing streak, beat CSK by 13 runs

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: The whistles are beginning to disappear for the good this season for Chennai Super Kings. Forget where they were before their game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune, Chennai were still with a genuine chance of making it to the playoffs, provided they won all their remaining five matches.

    It was too much to expect from a side that has seldom appeared to click as a unit. But with the pitches beginning to get slower, thanks to the wear and tear, the conditions were getting tailor-made for Chennai to orchestrate a comeback like no other. Which is why, the 13-run defeat against Bangalore on Wednesday, was a real stinker for the defending champions.

    The pitch was there to their liking. And after winning the toss, never mind their batting unit has blown hot and cold this season, Dhoni was bold enough to ask Bangalore to bat first because he thought Chennai have the skill-set to bat first as well as chase. On such pitches, Dhoni knows how to marshal his bowling resources with spinners becoming his trump card. It is his Plan A when he leads his team out in MA Chidambaram stadium.

    With the surface in Pune resembling a lot to Chepauk, Dhoni used the spinners judiciously. Although he introduced both Maheesh Theekshana and Ravindra Jadeja in the powerplay, the only surprise was he didn’t open with one. And after Bangalore had raced to 57/0 in the powerplay, it was the spinners including Moeen Ali, who brought Chennai back into the game. Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli perished to Ali’s off-spin, while Theekshana took care of Mahipal Lomror, Wandindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed. The trio conceded only 75 runs in the 12 overs between them and accounted for five wickets.

    On such pitches, more than what the spinners deliver, it is how the rest of the bowling unit compliments them that tends to decide the outcome. For a team that is without its strike bowler throughout the season and Dwayne Bravo, the inexperience in the pace department once again proved too costly.

    Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Dwaine Pretorius didn’t complete their quota of four overs, and between them conceded 93 in only eight overs as Bangalore targeted Chennai’s weak link. Be it Du Plessis and Kohli at the top or Dinesh Karthik at the death, they went after Chennai’s quicks and took Bangalore to 173/8.

    And despite Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway providing Chennai with a solid start with 54-run stand in 6.4 overs, Bangalore turned the screws through Glen Maxwell.

    The Australian accounted for the wickets of Robin Uthappa and Amabati Rayudu to break Chennai’s back in the middle. And though Conway anchored the chase, scoring his second successive fifty, the rest of the batting unit which includes Moeen, Jadeja and Dhoni failed once again as Bangalore got back to winning ways after three successive defeats.

    With the defeat, the road ahead for Chennai is nearing a dead-end. Though they are not yet completely knocked out yet, they need a lot of things to go their way to progress into the play-offs. But before all of it happens, Chennai should start winning matches.

    Brief Scores: RCB 173/8 in 20 overs (Lomror  42, Du Plessis 38; Theekshana 3/27) beat CSK 193/9 in 20 overs (Conway 56, Harshal 3/35)

    CHENNAI: The whistles are beginning to disappear for the good this season for Chennai Super Kings. Forget where they were before their game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune, Chennai were still with a genuine chance of making it to the playoffs, provided they won all their remaining five matches.

    It was too much to expect from a side that has seldom appeared to click as a unit. But with the pitches beginning to get slower, thanks to the wear and tear, the conditions were getting tailor-made for Chennai to orchestrate a comeback like no other. Which is why, the 13-run defeat against Bangalore on Wednesday, was a real stinker for the defending champions.

    The pitch was there to their liking. And after winning the toss, never mind their batting unit has blown hot and cold this season, Dhoni was bold enough to ask Bangalore to bat first because he thought Chennai have the skill-set to bat first as well as chase. On such pitches, Dhoni knows how to marshal his bowling resources with spinners becoming his trump card. It is his Plan A when he leads his team out in MA Chidambaram stadium.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    With the surface in Pune resembling a lot to Chepauk, Dhoni used the spinners judiciously. Although he introduced both Maheesh Theekshana and Ravindra Jadeja in the powerplay, the only surprise was he didn’t open with one. And after Bangalore had raced to 57/0 in the powerplay, it was the spinners including Moeen Ali, who brought Chennai back into the game. Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli perished to Ali’s off-spin, while Theekshana took care of Mahipal Lomror, Wandindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed. The trio conceded only 75 runs in the 12 overs between them and accounted for five wickets.

    On such pitches, more than what the spinners deliver, it is how the rest of the bowling unit compliments them that tends to decide the outcome. For a team that is without its strike bowler throughout the season and Dwayne Bravo, the inexperience in the pace department once again proved too costly.

    Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Dwaine Pretorius didn’t complete their quota of four overs, and between them conceded 93 in only eight overs as Bangalore targeted Chennai’s weak link. Be it Du Plessis and Kohli at the top or Dinesh Karthik at the death, they went after Chennai’s quicks and took Bangalore to 173/8.

    And despite Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway providing Chennai with a solid start with 54-run stand in 6.4 overs, Bangalore turned the screws through Glen Maxwell.

    The Australian accounted for the wickets of Robin Uthappa and Amabati Rayudu to break Chennai’s back in the middle. And though Conway anchored the chase, scoring his second successive fifty, the rest of the batting unit which includes Moeen, Jadeja and Dhoni failed once again as Bangalore got back to winning ways after three successive defeats.

    With the defeat, the road ahead for Chennai is nearing a dead-end. Though they are not yet completely knocked out yet, they need a lot of things to go their way to progress into the play-offs. But before all of it happens, Chennai should start winning matches.

    Brief Scores: RCB 173/8 in 20 overs (Lomror  42, Du Plessis 38; Theekshana 3/27) beat CSK 193/9 in 20 overs (Conway 56, Harshal 3/35)

  • 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)

  • 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.

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.