Tag: Kagiso Rabada

  • 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)

  • IPL 2021: ‘Pacer Kagiso Rabada’s form is a concern for Delhi Capitals’, feels Brian Lara

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Legendary West Indian batsman Brian Lara reckons Delhi Capitals’ South African pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada could be an anxious man right now given his poor form in the IPL. Rabada, who was the tournament’s highest wicket taker last edition, has struggled to replicate the terrific form in the second leg of the ongoing season.

    “Yes (his form is a concern for Delhi), he is an exceptional talent. He played a very big part in them getting to the finals, he got a lot of wickets in the middle and back end overs with slower balls and that is not been happening for him off late,” Lara said on Star Sports’ ‘Select Dugout.

    A key bowler for the Delhi franchise alongside compatriot Anrich Nortje, Rabada has gone wicketless in the last four games. “So, yeah, when you got Anrich Nortje doing the business upfront, you want a world-class bowler who can do what he did in the previous tournaments, which he hasn’t. And this has caused him a little bit of anxiousness. I suppose Delhi Capital will love to see Rabada back in form,” Lara said.

    The Capitals had reached their maiden finals last season, losing the summit clash to Mumbai Indians. They will take on former champions Kolkata Knight Riders for a place in this season’s final against Chennai Super Kings in the second qualifier in Sharjah on Wednesday.

  • We cannot take our foot off the pedal: Delhi Capitals pacer Kagiso Rabada ahead of RCB clash

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Delhi Capitals pacer Kagiso Rabada says his team cannot afford to take its foot off the pedal as it enters the business end of the IPL in pursuit of a maiden title.

    Leading the pecking order with 20 points from 13 games, DC are already through to the play-offs and will take on another qualified side Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last round-robin match.

    “We’ve given ourselves another chance to play for a spot in the final, so we are thrilled by that. Even though the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore doesn’t hold a lot of significance for us we should not take our foot off the pedal. We should just keep playing the way we have been playing,” said the South African.

    “We’ve done really great work so far. We have earned the right to be in this position and we have been in this position before, which helps. We are going to give it our all in the upcoming matches and look to play our best cricket in the business end of the tournament.”

    Rabada said the loss against RCB in the first half of the tournament will not bother the team much.

    “Our loss against RCB in the first half of the tournament is definitely a thing of the past. However, we know how threatening they can be. They have some really destructive batters and Harshal Patel has been doing extremely well.

    “We need to believe in our strengths. The result in our last match against RCB is a thing of the past, but we still need to learn from that result.”

    Rabada found himself in a rather unusual situation in DC’s last match against the Chennai Super Kings when he needed to close out the match with the bat and he got his side home with a boundary.

    “It wasn’t the most ideal situation, but I backed myself to put the team in a winning position when we needed 2 runs from 3 balls, by at least getting (Shimron) Hetmyer on strike.

    “I tried to watch the ball and anticipate where (Dwayne) Bravo was going to bowl. I just wanted to get bat on ball and that worked for us.”

  • We’ve given ourselves a good chance to qualify for playoffs: Rabada

    Delhi Capitals registered six wins from eight matches in the first half of the tournament and led the points table before the league was suspended midway in May owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Shreyas Iyer hitting the ball well, itching to go: DC teammate Kagiso Rabada,

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Delhi Capitals’ fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who has taken 8 wickets in 7 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season so far, expressed that the team has given itself a good chance of qualifying for the playoffs following a brilliant performance in the first half of the season.

    The Delhi franchise registered 6 wins from 8 matches in the first half of the tournament.

    “I think the guys are in a good space as we have been playing some cricket since the first half of the tournament. That’s a positive for the team. It’s also nice to start the second half of the season being on top of the table. However, we still have a lot of work to do. We’ve given ourselves a good chance to qualify for the playoffs and earn a spot in the final,” Rabada stated in an official release.

    Rabada added that he feels at home whenever he joins the Delhi Capitals family. “It’s no longer foreign to come into the DC environment for me. We know each other very well and we have also connected on a deeper level. We know about each other’s lives outside of cricket as well. We connect with each other when we are not playing the IPL. I’ve stayed in touch with Shreyas and connected with players on their birthdays.”

    Speaking about the return of Shreyas Iyer, Rabada said that the batsman is a phenomenal player and great for the balance of the side.

    “It’s awesome to have Shreyas back. He’s a phenomenal batter and an integral part of our team. He’s good for the balance of the team. I’m sure he’s itching to play. He seems to be in good spirits and he seems to be hitting the ball well,” said Rabada.

    The fast bowler further expressed that the Delhi Capitals will give it their best shot to win the IPL trophy this season.

    “We’ve had unfinished business since the day the Delhi Capitals didn’t win a final. We are coming back after a break and it’s just one final stretch for us. Hopefully, we can do it for our fans and our families this season. We are just going to give it our best shot. The guys believe that they can do it so that’s a great sign,” he added.

    The Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22. 

  • IPL 2021: Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje reach Mumbai, but won’t feature in Delhi’s opening fixture on Saturday

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Delhi Capitals pacers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje arrived here on Tuesday but will miss the team’s opening fixture against the Chennai Super Kings due to the mandatory seven-day quarantine period.

    The South African pacers were retained by the side after their sensational bowling performances that helped the Capitals reach their maiden final last year.

    “Delhi Capitals’ fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje arrived at the team hotel in Mumbai on Tuesday,” the franchise said in statement.

    “Rabada and Nortje will be in quarantine for one week,” it added.

    Name this duo that has just arrived back to our DC FamilyWrong answers only #YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 @TajMahalMumbai pic.twitter.com/El3XLOy74y
    — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 6, 2021

    The duo will undergo a week of quarantine and will thus miss DC’s opening game against the CSK here on Saturday.

    The South African players, who are part of IPL and competed in the ongoing ODI home series against Pakistan, left on Monday to link up with their respective IPL teams.

    This season, DC will be led by swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant in the absence of injured regular skipper Shreyas Iyer.

  • IPL 2021: Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje on their way to link up with Delhi Capitals squad in Mumbai

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: South Africa pacers Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada are on their way to link up with the Delhi Capitals squad in Mumbai ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    “Now Boarding: The only #MondayMotivation you need. @AnrichNortje02 and @KagisoRabada25 are ON THEIR WAY to #IPL2021 #YehHaiNayiDilli,” Delhi Capitals tweeted.

    Last week, the members of the squad started training outdoors after completing their seven-day quarantine in Mumbai.

    On Saturday, Delhi Capitals’ assistant coach Mohammad Kaif, who attended his first practice session with the team at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, expressed that the franchise is aiming for nothing short of winning the title.

    “We want to go one step further this year and that’s the Delhi Capitals’ team goal. We have the players to win the title. We were very close last year and the plus point for this season is that most of the players such as Rishabh Pant have been playing a lot of cricket. They have been in touch with the game and therefore they are in good rhythm going into the IPL,” said the 40-year-old in an official Delhi Capitals release.

    The assistant coach also added that the Delhi Capitals focussed on taking catches under lights during their practice session on Saturday.

    “The players have been carrying out batting and bowling drills in the last few days. As a coaching group, we decided to focus on fielding skills in today’s practice session. The players took some catches under lights. It was a great session. I got to meet many young players in the team and the experienced ones as well. I had a good chat with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane,” he added.

    Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2021 campaign against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10.

  • Economy of Delhi bowlers less than 8

    After 40 matches in the IPL, Delhi Capitals are first in the points table and Chennai Super Kings are in the last place. No one expected 8-time finalist Chennai to have such a position before the tournament started. Delhi is commanded by 26-year-old Shreyas Iyer. Iyer himself is at number 6 in terms of scoring the most runs in the tournament by scoring 335 runs in 10 matches.

    In bowling, 25-year-old Kagiso Rabada has taken the highest 21 wickets in 10 matches. Talking about the three leading bowlers of the team, all three have given runs with an economy of less than 8. All three are under 30 years of age. At the same time, two out of three major bowlers of Chennai are over 30 and their economy is also more than 9. Dhawan, Hetmyer, Stoinis and Prithvi Shaw have scored more than 140 strike rates for the team. In the playing XI, only Shardul (29), Deepak Chahar (28), Karan (22) are under 30 years of age. The team also has a shortage of fast bowlers who can bowl at a speed of 140 kmph. Chennai has none of the top-10 bowlers taking the most wickets. So far only Faf du Plessis has a better strike rate than 140 among the leading batsmen.