Preview: Match 20 – MI v SRH

MI and SRH battle it out in their quest for precious points

What

The final match of the UAE leg of Pepsi IPL 2014 will feature the Mumbai Indians and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Both teams have had a disappointing tour of the UAE and occupy the bottom two spots in the Pepsi IPL 2014 standings. The defending champions, Mumbai Indians, are yet to open their account after four outings, while Sunrisers Hyderabad managed their lone victory in their game against the Delhi Daredevils.

In the most recent outing, MI lost to the Delhi Daredevils at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, while SRH were defeated by the Chennai Super Kings.

When

Wednesday, April 30, 2014, 8 pm IST

Where

Dubai International Stadium, Dubai

The Protagonists

The bowling attack of the Mumbai Indians has done a reasonable job and the team finds itself in a tight spot because the batsmen haven’t done justice to their respective reputations. With a lot of firepower down the order – in Kieron Pollard and Corey Anderson – it is important that the three men at the top, led by their captain Rohit Sharma, lay the foundation. Sharma – the only MI player to score a half-century so far this season – and Michael Hussey are the most crucial players in MI’s top three, and the team will expect the runs to flow from their willow.

The only time the Sunrisers Hyderabad – comprising skipper Shikhar Dhawan, Aaron Finch and David Warner – fired in unison, the team went on to post a win. Therein lies the formula for the team to succeed – sufficient runs from the top three.

Notes from Previous match

Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils: There is a lot of onus on runs from the top order in this format of the game – especially because they get the most overs to bat and have the advantage of the fielding restrictions. However, in their previous match, the MI top three only managed 25 runs and that must surely be an area in which they will look to improve. The other area that MI will most definitely need an improvement in is the number of dot balls played; the MI innings had 53 dot deliveries last time around – that is close to half the innings!

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings: Given the composition of their XI over the last few matches, there is a lot of pressure on the big three – Dhawan, Finch and Warner – to come up with the goods. The team needs to work out a way to get the most out of these three; in the last match, SRH realised only 51 runs from the big three. The other worry for the SRH team management must be the form of two of their senior bowlers – Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra. Against CSK, Ishant came in for a lot of stick and conceded 37 runs in his four overs. Mishra had a good start to the season but has come in for plenty of punishment over the last three matches. Being the premier spinner in the team, he needs to pick up wickets.

Previous Meetings
The Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad won their respective home matches when they met in Pepsi IPL 2013. SRH chased down 129 in their first ever meeting against MI, in Hyderabad. In the next clash, a Kieron Pollard blitz helped MI chase down 178 at Wankhede Stadium. Needing 62 off the last four overs, Pollard got stuck into Thisara Perera, hitting him for a four and three consecutive sixes. That wasn’t the end of the carnage; Amit Mishra too came in for punishment as he was hit for three sixes as the required rate plummeted to a run-a-ball. The Trinidadian finished off the match in style by slamming Perera for two sixes to take his team home with three balls to spare.

Trivia

Mumbai Indians have the lowest boundary percentage of all teams in Pepsi IPL 2014; only 40.16 percent of the runs they’ve scored this season have been through boundaries.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Amit Mishra needs one more wicket to become the second bowler to take 100 wickets in the IPL.

This is the second time that Mumbai Indians have lost their first four matches in a season. They had a similar run in the inaugural season in 2008 before they made a stunning comeback by winning their next six matches.

What Next

Mumbai Indians’ next outing will be in the familiar setting of Wankhede Stadium when they take on table-toppers Kings XI Punjab on May 3. Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, head to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 4.

Quick Stats : Match 19, KKR v RR

Faulkner produces best bowling figures by a birthday boy in the IPL

95 Number of consecutive matches after which Yusuf Pathan missed an IPL match. He played all 43 games for Rajasthan Royals between 2008 and 2010, and all 52 for Kolkata Knight Riders since 2011 before sitting out today.

72 Ajinkya Rahane’s score – the highest by a Rajasthan Royals batsman against Kolkata Knight Riders. Swapnil Asnodkar had made 60 in 2008.

5 Number of tied matches in the IPL – first in this edition.

3 for 11 – James Faulkner’s figures in the match – best for any bowler in IPL on his birthday.

2 Number of tied games won by Rajasthan Royals in the Super Over – Kolkata Knight Riders were the opponents both times. 

Report: Match 19 – KKR v RR

RR bag two points in tense Super Over thriller

Rajasthan Royals bagged two points from their tied game against Kolkata Knight Riders as they snuck ahead of their opposition based on their boundary count when even a Super Over could not separate the two teams.

Earlier, Shane Watson won the toss and chose to take first strike in Abu Dhabi, and Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair came out to open the innings for RR. However, Vinay Kumar bowled Nair (1) out in the third over itself. Sanju Samson then joined Rahane in the middle. The pair kept the scorecard ticking and took RR past the 50-run mark in the eighth over. They added 41 runs before Shakib Al Hasan cleaned up Samson (20), leaving RR on 54 for two.

Shane Watson then took strike opposite Rahane, who had already got his eye in. The duo ensured they laid the platform for a competitive score as they constructed a valuable third-wicket stand. They brought up the team’s 100 and the 50 of the partnership in the 15th over; and shortly thereafter, Rahane reached his half-century as well. But finally, KKR caught a break as Watson (33) was run-out after adding 64 runs in seven-and-a-half overs.

Rahane, however, kept going after the KKR bowlers. And while he was separated from Stuart Binny (0) just a short while later, the diminutive opener ensured his team put up a competitive total on the board. However, even Rahane (72) departed in the 20th over when he was caught at long-on while going for a big one off Vinay Kumar. Steve Smith (18*) and James Faulkner (2*) then took RR to 152 for five at the end of regulation.
For KKR, Vinay Kumar took two wickets, while Morne Morkel and Shakib Al Hasan claimed a scalp each.

In response, skipper Gautam Gambhir and Manvinder Bisla took guard for KKR up front. And after a spate of misfires, Gambhir finally found form. While Bisla (3), in his first game of the season, was dismissed by Kane Richardson cheaply, Gambhir held the innings together. On a day when even the experienced Jacques Kallis (13) – the next man in – failed to make much of an impact, the southpaw lent stability to the run-chase.

Gambhir was then joined by Manish Pandey, with KKR still 103 runs adrift of the target. But despite Gambhir’s best efforts, the required run-rate kept creeping up, and at one point, the run-chase equation read 80 off 48 balls. That is when Pandey (19) stepped up to the plate and took the attack to Pravin Tambe, who had earlier claimed Kallis’ wicket. But after smashing the leggie for a six and a four, the right-hand batsman was trapped leg-before by the bowler in the same over.

With KKR on 85 for three and the match interestingly poised, Suryakumar Yadav came to bat with his captain. But before the duo could add any substance to the chase, Gambhir (45) got out off the bowling of Rajat Bhatia in the 14th over. Then with Shakib Al Hasan for company, Yadav stepped on the accelerator. Thanks to both batsmen’s exploits, KKR brought down the run-chase equation to 16 off the last two overs. That’s when Faulkner took rolled his arm over and ended the dangerous Yadav’s (31) 19-ball knock off his first delivery. The Australian pacer then bowled Robin Uthappa (0) out with KKR needing 12 runs off eight balls. And off the very next delivery, Faulkner repeated the feat against Vinay Kumar (0). However, he missed out on a hat-trick by a whisker as the next ball barely missed Piyush Chawla’s stumps.

Richardson then bowled a full-toss first up in the 20th over, and it was dispatched for a boundary by Shakib Al Hasan. However, Chawla (0) was run-out off the next delivery while attempting a dangerous second run. After a wide and a single by Sunil Narine (1*), Shakib Al Hasan was back on strike with KKR five runs away from victory. Richardson then bowled a dot-ball, after which the batsmen ran for a double. With three required off one ball, Shakib Al Hasan (27*) struck the ball down the ground to steal another double. With KKR ending their 20 overs on 152 for eight, the regulation period ended in a tie and the game headed into the Super Over.

Super Over

KKR, who took first shot at the Super Over, went with Yadav and Shakib Al Hasan, while Faulkner took the ball for RR. Yadav was run-out off the first ball while trying to sneak in two quick runs. Pandey then walked in for KKR, and he took a single off the first delivery he faced. Even the next ball only produced a single, but one after that was struck for a maximum by Pandey. The ball after that produced another single. And then off the final delivery, Shakib Al Hasan was run-out while sneaking in a two. In all, KKR managed to score 12 off the Super Over.

In response, RR sent out Watson and Smith to face the wily Narine. The RR captain got a single off the first ball, while Smith snuck in for two off the next. The next ball produced a one, but the delivery after that was struck for a four in the midwicket region by Watson. He then took a single off the next ball, while Smith smartly placed the ball for a double off the final delivery. Despite a tied Super Over, RR took home the two points on offer since they had a higher boundary count in the game.

Man of the Match: James Faulkner for his outstanding bowling performance (2-0-11-3)

Preview: Match 19 – KKR v RR

Confident Royals to battle it out with Knights in Abu Dhabi

What

The Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals will vie for precious two points when they go head to head in Match 19 of Pepsi IPL 2014.

Kolkata Knight Riders faltered in the chase of the 133-run target set by Kings XI Punjab in their previous outing, while the Rajasthan Royals will be bubbling with confidence after they decimated the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last match.

On the eve of the match, the KKR assistant coach Vijay Dahiya told the media that he expected the match to be a run feast and also indicated that KKR would shape their line-up accordingly.

When

Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 8 pm IST

Where

Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The Protagonists

For KKR to compete, their batting line-up needs to fare better than they have done in recent times. And the onus lies on the two men right at the top of the order – Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey. On the bowling front, look no further than the mystery spinner Sunil Narine, whose 16 overs have fetched nine wickets and have cost the team only 4.93 runs per over.

The one common factor in RR’s two wins this season is the bowler’s setting the match up by restricting or dismissing the opposition. In a format that is heavily loaded in favour of the batsmen, RR will know they need their batsmen to step up their game so they can start competing with the heavyweights. Hence, the two experienced batsmen in their line-up – Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Shane Watson – need to come good, and fire consistently thereafter.

Notes from Previous match

Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab: KKR will be worried about the indifferent form of some of their key batsmen. Skipper Gautam Gambhir cannot seem to buy a run these days and that will be their foremost concern. However, given how seriously he takes his cricket and how hard he works on his game, he will need to remain confident and believe that runs are just round the corner. Yusuf Pathan – who has managed just 18 runs in four innings at a strike-rate of 94.73 – too remains a worry for the team. Manish Pandey and Jacques Kallis are KKR’s top two run-getters; yet they – along with their skipper – managed only 18 runs in the previous match against KXIP. Positives from that match would be the performance of the two spinners – Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla – whose combined figures read 8-0-43-6.

Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore: RR would have taken a lot of positives – especially on the bowling front – from their previous match. It is not often that teams get polished off for 70, and hence, mentor Rahul Dravid would have given the bowlers a pat on the back. But there should be a degree of concern about the batsmen not polishing off the required runs. There were a few jitters in the RR run-chase when four batsmen were dismissed – even without the pressure of a lofty chase.

Previous Meetings

The head-to-head record between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals stands at six matches apiece. In the four matches between the two teams in the last couple of seasons, both teams won their respective home matches.

Trivia

The Kolkata Knight Riders have conceded the fewest sixes in Pepsi IPL 2014 – 11.

Kolkata Knight Riders are one of two teams – the other being Mumbai Indians – whose wicketkeeper hasn’t pouched a catch in Pepsi IPL 2014. Robin Uthappa has managed to effect three stumpings though.

Four Rajasthan Royals batsmen have been run-out – the most for any team alongside Mumbai Indians – in Pepsi IPL 2014.

What Next

KKR will feature in the opening fixture of Pepsi IPL’s India leg when they take on the Chennai Super Kings in Ranchi on May 2. Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, travel to the nation’s capital to take on the Delhi Daredevils on May 3.

Quick Stats : Match 18, KXIP v RCB

Dominant KXIP notch up longest IPL winning streak

586 Runs scored by Chris Gayle against Kings XI Punjab in all IPL games - most by a batsman against any one opposition.

15 Number of wickets taken by Sandeep Sharma in 7 IPL matches - most by any bowler in his first seven matches in the IPL.

8 Number of consecutive matches won by Kings XI Punjab in the IPL – three last year and all five this year. This is the longest winning streak for any side in IPL history.

2 Number of maiden overs bowled by Sandeep Sharma in IPL 2014 - most by any bowler.

1 Chris Gayle became the first batsman to aggregate 6000 runs in Twenty20 cricket.

Report: Match 18 – KXIP v RCB

It’s five out of five for Kings XI in UAE

Kings XI Punjab continued their dominance in Pepsi IPL 2014 by registering a five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Dubai. With this victory, KXIP end their UAE leg as the only undefeated team in the league. Powered by outstanding bowling performances from Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan and Mitchell Johnson, the Mohali franchise restricted a strong RCB line-up to 124 for eight. And later, their batsmen ensured they scaled the meagre total with five wickets in hand and seven balls to spare. With this win, KXIP solidify their position atop the points table heading into the India leg of the tournament.

Earlier, KXIP won the toss and asked RCB to take first strike. And upon his return in RCB colours, Chris Gayle got off to a flyer. He made his presence felt almost immediately by striking two fours and two huge sixes. However, after taking his team to 21 in just 1.2 overs, Gayle’s (20) seven-ball cameo ended; Sandeep Sharma bowled him out, much to the delight of the KXIP faithful. Virat Kohli (4) then joined Parthiv Patel in the middle, but the RCB skipper was trapped leg-before by Sandeep Sharma immediately after he dispatched the first ball he faced to the fence.
The situation worsened for RCB as Yogesh Takawale (0) was caught behind the wicket by Wriddhiman Saha off Mitchell Johnson in the third over of the innings. Even Parthiv Patel (2) did not last long; he became Sandeep Sharma’s third victim of the night. At that point, RCB’s score read 26 for four in 3.5 overs.

That is when Yuvraj Singh joined forces with AB de Villiers. The duo somewhat stabilised the faltering innings and entertained the crowd with some great strokeplay. They even took their team past the 50-run mark during their 41-run partnership. However, with the score on 67, the duo was separated by Rishi Dhawan, who dismissed de Villiers (17) in the 10th over. Then, Albie Morkel (15) paired up with Yuvraj Singh, but even he departed before converting a decent start into a meaningful score; Lakshmipathy Balaji bowled him out, leaving RCB on 93 for six in the 14th over.

Soon after that, Dhawan dismissed a well-set Yuvraj Singh (35) to make it 97 for seven. Mitchell Starc (8) and Varun Aaron then added 23 runs for the eighth wicket, until the former was bowled out by Mitchell Johnson in the final over of the innings. Aaron (11*) and Ashok Dinda (2*) then played out the rest of the innings and stretched the RCB score to 124 for eight at the end of the 20th over, which cost KXIP a mere four runs.

While Sandeep Sharma (3-1-15-3) was the pick of the KXIP bowlers, Johnson (4-0-19-2) and Dhawan (4-0-14-2) also played a big role in dismantling the RCB line-up.

In response, KXIP persisted with the opening pair of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virender Sehwag. The duo added 22 for the first wicket, until Pujara (10) was dismissed by Dinda in the fifth over. And while Sehwag continued playing some fabulous strokes, he lost another partner in Saha (2) just a short while later; Aaron got rid of the KXIP wicketkeeper-batsman – courtesy a great catch by Starc – in the sixth over. Kings XI managed 33 for the loss of two wickets during the powerplay.

At the fall of the second wicket, Glenn Maxwell (6) came in to bat. However, much to the disappointment of KXIP fans, the current Orange Cap holder got out early; Starc took another spectacular catch in the deep off Aaron’s bowling to get rid of the hard-hitting Australian. He was replaced by another flamboyant stroke-maker, David Miller, with the scorecard reading 40 for three in 7.1 overs. And while it wasn’t Maxwell’s night, Miller did contribute with a valuable knock. In Sehwag’s company, the South African batsman added 45 for the fourth wicket. Eventually, Miller (26) was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, leaving KXIP on 85 for four in 12.2 overs.

And just when it seemed like RCB were out of the contest, Chahal struck again in the same over to end Sehwag’s (32) knock. However, KXIP skipper George Bailey (16*) and the ever-reliable Rishi Dhawan (23*) ensured their side did not suffer any more setbacks as they took their side over the line with seven balls to spare.

Man of the Match: Sandeep Sharma for his game-changing bowling performance

Preview: Match 18 – KXIP v RCB

Can Virat and co. upset unstoppable Kings XI?

What

Kings XI Punjab, who have steamrolled all the teams they have faced, and Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have lost their way after wins in their opening two matches, go head to head in Match 18 of Pepsi IPL 2014.

KXIP are the only unbeaten team in the competition, registering convincing wins in each of their four matches. Victory margins of six wickets (v CSK), seven wickets (v RR), 72 runs (v SRH) and 23 runs (v KKR) illustrate how good they have been. The batting didn’t quite fire as expected in their most recent outing, but their bowlers stepped up just when needed and polished off the KKR line-up in a clinical manner.

Royal Challengers Bangalore started their Pepsi IPL 2014 campaign with convincing wins over Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians. However, they lost the plot in the dying stages of the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, after which the wheels came off in spectacular fashion in their most recent game against the Rajasthan Royals. After the disastrous outing against RR, RCB skipper Virat Kohli told the media that his team just did not turn up for the match and needed to flush this game out of their memory pretty quickly. Will they be able to do that and match the might of KXIP, is the big question.

When

Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 8 pm IST

Where

Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The Protagonists

Glenn Maxwell, who has set the tournament alight with his unorthodox stroke-play, will continue to be the mainstay in KXIP’s scheme of things. Though the Australian made his lowest score (15) in the previous match, he still successfully pulled off a reverse-sweep against the dangerous Sunil Narine. KXIP will also be relieved that Virender Sehwag got back among the runs – much to the delight of his fans; if he gets going, the Nawab of Najafgarh can toy with bowling attacks singlehandedly.

Among the others, David Miller and Mitchell Johnson will play support acts with bat and ball respectively.

With Yuvraj Singh a pale shadow of the destructive batsman he was and Chris Gayle’s availability far from certain, RCB will look for runs from skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. The pair – ranked first and second respectively in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings – will have to shoulder the burden of batting the majority of overs and ensure they post enough runs on the board.

Notes from previous match

Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders: Five KXIP batsmen got off to starts, but none converted those into big scores. The highest score by a KXIP batsman in this particular match was Virender Sehwag’s 37. KXIP – more than any other team – know the importance of set batsmen carrying on to make big scores. Among the positives, KXIP will have made note of how they strangled the opposition. The first massive over of the KKR run-chase – which saw 10 or more runs being added to the scoreboard – was the 16th of the innings. KXIP will have realised the virtues of building up pressure and how it generally results in batsmen succumbing to it.

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals: How many notes can the support staff make if the team folds up for a dismal 70? The positives RCB can take from their previous outing is of the bowlers putting up a brave show – despite not having too many runs to defend – by picking up four wickets and sending a few jitters in the RR dressing room.

Previous Meetings

Kings XI Punjab have the best record among all the teams who have played against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. KXIP have won 7 of the 12 matches against the team from the south to give them a success rate of 58.33 percent. RCB haven’t defeated KXIP since 20 April 2012 – after which they have ended up on the wrong side of the result thrice.

Trivia

9 – The number of times in 12 matches between KXIP and RCB the game has been decided in favour of the team chasing.

David Miller scored his only century in T20 cricket against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Pepsi IPL 2013.

What Next

The action will shift to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for Kings XI Punjab who will square off against the Mumbai Indians on May 3. Royal Challengers Bangalore, meanwhile, head back to their home ground – M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru – to host Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 4.

Quick Stats: Match 17, SRH v CSK

Economical Steyn becomes king of dot-balls

1 Suresh Raina is the first player to aggregate 2000 runs in matches his team has won in the IPL.

2 David Warner got out LBW for only the second time in 59 IPL innings. The only other instance was against Mumbai Indians in 2011 (off Harbhajan Singh).

23 Number of times Dale Steyn has bowled at an economy of 5 runs or less in an innings in IPL. He now shares the IPL record with Amit Mishra.

27 Number of times MS Dhoni has remained not-out in an IPL match – most for any batsman.

64.60 Average runs added by the Brendon McCullum-Dwayne Smith pair for the opening wicket. Among all opening pairs batting together at least five times, only one pair - Rahul Dravid and Shane Watson - has a higher average – 72.83

868 Number of dot-balls bowled by Dale Steyn in the IPL – most by any bowler. He went ahead of Praveen Kumar’s tally of 855 dot-balls.

Report: Match 17 – SRH v CSK

CSK pull off last-over win, maintain 100 percent record against SRH

The Chennai Super Kings maintained their 100 percent winning record against the Surisers Hyderabad with a last-over win. Despite getting a flying start – courtesy Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum – CSK briefly stumbled during their chase of 146 runs. However, they eventually got over the line with five wickets in hand and three balls to spare.

SRH won the toss and elected to bat first, earlier in the evening. Shikhar Dhawan (7), however, got out in the third over itself off the bowling of Ben Hilfenhaus. Even David Warner (0) did not last long and became Hilfenhaus’ second victim in the space of three balls. Aaron Finch was joined by Lokesh Rahul with the scorecard reading 15 for two. The duo needed to resurrect the SRH innings, and that is exactly what they did. They added 52 runs during a nearly eight-over stretch, before Rahul (25) was dismissed by Dwayne Smith in the 11th over.

Finch and Venugopal Rao (13) then took the SRH innings forward with a quick 31-run partnership. However, Mohit Sharma got rid of the latter in the 15th over to leave the Sunrisers on 98 for four. Even Finch (44) departed a little while later; Mohit Sharma cleaned him up in the 18th over. Thereafter, Darren Sammy (23*) and Karn Sharma (17*) took charge of proceedings. With little more than two overs to go, they compiled an unbroken 36-run stand.

During his seven-ball knock, Karn Sharma smacked Hilfenhaus for two monstrous sixes in the 19th over. Even Sammy got in on the act and struck a maximum in the final over of the innings. Punishing any loose offerings they got, the duo managed to take the SRH score to a respectable 145 for five in their allotted 20 overs.

For CSK, Hilfenhaus and Mohit Sharma picked two scalps each. And while R Ashwin did not dismiss any SRH batsman, he was extremely miserly during his four overs, which ended up costing just 17 runs.

In response, CSK’s openers – Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum – started lashing out from the word go. Known for their explosive, yet distinct, batting styles, both batters routinely clobbered the SRH bowlers all over the park. In what turned out to be a successful opening stand for CSK, their openers notched up 85 runs in 10.5 overs to put their team on top. Their partnership ended when Karn Sharma bowled McCullum (40) out. Before departing, the Kiwi batsman struck three fours and two massive sixes.

Then, Suresh Raina came to the crease. While content with playing second fiddle to Smith, the southpaw also smashed a four and a six during his stay in the middle. Smith too continued his onslaught and reached his half-century in quick time. The pair also took CSK past the 100-run mark. However, Raina’s (14) cameo ended when he tried to go for a big hit off Ishant Sharma, but could only find the safe hands of Venugopal Rao in the outfield.

But there was no stopping the on-song Smith (66), who kept dispatching the ball to, and over, the fence almost at will. The hard-hitting West Indian struck a total of four fours and five sixes during his 46-ball knock, which brought CSK to the brink of another big win. He was finally dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over, with CSK just 20 runs adrift of the target.

After getting rid of Smith, Kumar had Faf du Plessis (0) caught behind in the same over. And then after adding 11 runs with Dhoni for the fifth wicket, Ravindra Jadeja (6) was bowled out by Ishant Sharma. With the run-chase equation suddenly coming up to a run-a-ball in the final over, Amit Mishra came into the attack. But after conceding two singles in two balls, the leg-spinner bowled a full-toss to Dhoni (13*), who promptly dispatched it to the fence to strike the winning runs.

For SRH, Kumar and Ishant Sharma picked up two wickets each.

Man of the Match: Dwayne Smith for his match-winning knock (66 off 46 balls) 

Watson as cool as Dravid: Rahane

RR batsman admires his skipper’s ability to stay calm under pressure

In the end, it was the birthday boy, James Faulkner, who stole the limelight, but it was Ajinkya Rahane’s 59-ball 72 that laid the platform for Rajasthan Royals’ nerve-wracking Super Over win over Kolkata Knight Riders.

As the victory celebrations reached their zenith, Rahane emerged demurely from the change room and spoke to iplt20.com about his team’s sensational win. He also spoke of the team’s changed balance without Rahul Dravid as a player and compared the captaincy of Dravid and Shane Watson.

Here are excerpts from his interview:

You started the UAE leg with a 50 and now finishing it with another one. And what a win!

What a game! Absolutely nail-biting. I am elated with the team’s performance. Everybody held their nerve in tense conditions. The credit goes to the bowlers for the way they pulled the game in our favour in the end overs. I am very happy for all the bowlers, particularly James Faulkner. He actually brought us back in the game with that three-wicket over. He absolutely deserves his Man of the Match award, which is a great birthday present for him.

Did you get tempted to ask the captain if you could go bat in the Super Over?

I actually wanted to tell him that but then I thought it was wise to back Stuart (Binny). Although he got out without scoring in the match, he is a big hitter and it was only logical to back him for something like a Super Over.

Has it been a very different experience for you to open with Karun Nair after opening with Dravid last year?

It is different but Rahul bhai and Shane Watson have already spoken to the new guys about what their roles are in the team’s batting set-up. That makes my job easy to stick to my own game. If I play the first six overs off, I try to stay till the end and maintain the run-rate by hitting the loose balls.

Has your approach changed in any way now that you don’t have Dravid at the other end?

No, thanks to Rahul bhai, it hasn’t. At the beginning of the season, he told me specifically not to change my game just because my opening partner is different. He said, ‘Don’t try to be someone else. Be yourself and bat like yourself’.

Is this the time when you take the first step towards being a senior batsman in the team?

I am not really thinking on those lines but I do feel I have some more responsibility on the batting front now that Rahul bhai is not playing. I love added responsibilities as they make me work hard, and in turn, help me improve as a cricketer.

How’s it been playing under Shane Watson this year?

He has been wonderful. In so many ways he is very similar to Rahul bhai as captain. Like him, Shane too is very calm in the middle and makes his decisions with a cool head. They both have the ability to hold their nerves in pressure situations and take their own time in making the right decision.

Faulkner’s triple strike the turning point: Smith

After sealing a Super Over win, RR batsman credits the birthday boy’s efforts

Although Steve Smith contributed a handy 19 not-out off 11 balls, it was a gentle push of the ball to extra cover for a couple of runs off Sunil Narine that will be cherished. It was the shot that got Rajasthan Royals home in a thrilling Super Over finish against Kolkata Knight Riders.

After sealing the incredible win, Smith relived the drama in a chat with iplt20.com. Here are excerpts from that chat:

Reaction to that game?

It was an exciting game and it is just great to be at the right end of it.

With what mindset did you go in to bat in the Super Over?

I tried to keep my mind as clear as possible. I was certain of one thing – I will only hit the ball if it is in my area, otherwise, I’ll just run a couple and that’s it. I had decided that no matter what happens, I will not force a big shot where it is not there. I just got a double and a single and gave the strike to Watto, who I knew will surely launch one, as he did. He got one boundary away and that really set the over up.

An all-Aussie show that – Faulkner’s over included?

Oh, yes! It was nice to be batting in the Super Over with Watto. The way we fought back with the ball was outstanding. Faulkner bowled beautifully; three wickets in an over changed the game completely. He is pretty excited. Hopefully, the form continues in India and we can win a few more.

What was the turning point of the match – the Faulkner over or you running Piyush Chawla out in the final over?

I think that over from Faulkner turned the match in our favour. Until then, the game was pretty much in the balance, and in fact, they were probably in front. With three wickets falling in one over, it got really tough for the new batsmen to have a go straight away. Credit to James for the way he handled himself in that situation and got us back into the game.

What is more important in such situations – calm nerves or excellent skills?

It depends on what you’re trying to do. If you decide to so something funky, like a lap shot or any other outrageous shot, you need things to go your way a bit. On the other hand, if you are sure you’ll only execute the skills that you know, you tend to remain calmer.

Did you grow in confidence when you saw a KKR spinner coming on to bowl?

I will not say confident because Sunil Narine is a very guileful bowler and he has improved so much by playing in the IPL. He is very hard to go away, but at that time, we had to try. Watto got one over and it proved crucial in the end. 

Sandeep Sharma unplugged

KXIP pacer talks about his bowling strengths, Johnson’s mentoring and his ‘amazing’ Viru pa

He was India’s star in their 2012 Under-19 World Cup final victory and has been emerging stronger by the day, coming through the ranks. These are the exciting and priceless times for 20-year-old Punjab pacer, Sandeep Sharma.

Sandeep’s stock has gone several notches higher in the last two IPL matches he has played, for Kings XI Punjab. With figures of 4-0-21-3 and 3-1-15-3 respectively, he has won successive Man of the Match awards in KXIP’s wins.

After their five-wicket win over RCB, Sandeep opened his heart out to iplt20.com. He spoke about his bowling strength to left-handers, being mentored by the likes of Mitchell Johnson and L Balaji, and beamed with gratitude as he described his idol, Virender Sehwag, as “an amazing person”.

Here are excerpts from Sandeep’s exclusive interview:

After the way you have performed, especially in the last two matches, who says T20 is a batsman’s game?

I have been getting the new ball and I am swinging the ball well. The one thing that all my coaches have told me is that it’s okay if you don’t have too much pace. If you can swing the ball, it will create problems for the best batsmen in the world. That’s what I have kept in mind so far and have concentrated on my swing.

Your stock ball, the one that shapes away from the left-hander, was very useful today. It got you the wickets of Gayle and Parthiv.

Yes, it did. I knew RCB have a lot of lefties and so during the practice yesterday, I concentrated solely on getting my stock ball right. The left-handers often have a problem with the away-going deliveries and it was my plan to bowl maximum balls to the left-handers. I am glad I executed it well today.

Are you someone who believes in the importance of having a perfect stock ball and not look to do too many experiments?

Mentally, till now I have been focused on working on my swing. Now, I have started to also work on variations like yorkers, slower ones, slow bouncers, etc. which are needed if you’re bowling in the death overs and when the ball has stopped swinging. I have improved a lot since the last year when it comes to bowling with the old ball.

Mitchell Johnson told me he is trying to be as good a mentor to you as he can. How do you find his inputs?

Johnson and I are completely different type of bowlers, so there isn’t much I can take from him technically. But what I have been leaning immensely from him is how to prepare yourself for the match in your practice sessions, how to conduct yourself confidently on the field and how to plan your moves based on the batsmen and situation. For instance, in our last match (against KKR), I was bowling my last over and was hit for boundaries off the first two balls. Mitchell came to me and said that the bowling plan and the field that I was using was for a top-order batsman and it will not work against the tailenders. He asked me to bowl straight length balls from over the wicket instead of using variations and trying to create angles. He knew that the lower-order batsmen will find it tough to hit the simple balls and that will get me their wickets. He was right.

How are you using L Balaji’s experience as an Indian bowler to improve?

Bala paaji has been really helpful when it comes to preparing me for situations where I might get hit for runs and will have to maintain my cool.
This is his seventh IPL and he has faced a lot of difficult situations while bowling. Talking to him about it will keep me better mentally and physically equipped to face such situations when they arrive.

Who from RCB is more difficult to bowl to for you – Gayle, Virat, AB or Yuvraj – and why?

Virat with the new ball and de Villiers with the old. Virat has a very good technique to play the new ball and batting one-down for India, he has the experience of handling some of the best new-ball bowlers in the world. de Villiers, on the other hand, is a master at plundering runs in the death overs with the old ball. He is very unpredictable and you can never tell where he is going to hit you next.

How has it been with Virender Sehwag? Has he been giving you advice from the batsman’s perspective?

Viru pa is an amazing person! In the nets, we inform the batsman of our hypothetical field and bowl to them. Sometimes, when I don’t bowl to my field or do something wrong and Viru pa happens to see it, he stops his own batting and comes to talk to me. He tells me exactly where I went wrong and goes out of his way to help me become a better cricketer. He is really a gem of a person. I am so lucky to be playing in Kings XI Punjab this year with Viru pa in my team. He has been my favourite batsman since I was a kid and now I get to play alongside him and learn from him. 

Mitchell’s ‘Starc’ catching brilliance

RCB pacer discusses his twin stunners at the boundary to dismiss Saha and Maxwell

Over 5.5: Varun Aaron to Wriddhiman Saha (2) – length ball, whipped off the hips in the air. Mitchell Starc runs in from fine-leg and holds the ball just inches inside the rope and balances his body like a tightrope walker.

Over 7.1: Aaron to Glenn Maxwell (6) – back-of-a-length ball, pulled away without complete control.This time, Starc runs forward from the boundary and takes a forward diving low catch.

The two moments described above were the silver linings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as they conceded a five-wicket win to Kings XI Punjab in Dubai. Starc’s twin catches were an addition to the Aussie book of outfield stunners, bolstered a few days back by Chris Lynn’s incredible pouch against RCB.

After the match, Starc chatted with iplt20.com and spoke about his brilliance in the field. He compared both catches, discussed his catching technique and picked his favourite fielders in the RCB camp.

Here are excerpts from his interview:
What is with the Australians and stunning catches at the boundary?

I was just lucky I held one inside the rope this time. We work pretty hard at RCB and devote a lot of time in the field.

Which catch was more difficult – Saha's or Maxwell's?

Maxi’s catch was more satisfying because he has been scoring heavily and I was happy to get him out cheaply. It didn’t do us any good in the end but I was happy to take a couple of good ones. Technically, however, I found Maxi’s catch a little easier. Saha had hit the ball hard and I didn’t know to which part of the boundary it was going. Also, I had to maintain my balance very close to the rope. For me, getting low in front is easier than the balancing act.

Which catching technique do you favour – the cup or reverse cup?

I always have my fingers pointed down; I don’t like to catch with fingers facing skywards. Back home, most players favour the reverse cup method and some also say it is easier to get into the right position. But I have been used to the other method since childhood and it has stayed with me.

What was your reaction to Chris Lynn’s catch?

If he’d held his feet in the air, it would have been even more spectacular. But still, it was a very, very good catch under pressure and it also won them the match. So, well done to Chris.

Who’s your favourite fielder in your team and you can pick only one – Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers or Yuvraj Singh?

We’ve got some great fielders. We have AB patrolling the outfield. The ball hardly passes him. Virat is a class act and one of the best fielders in the world. It’s hard to pick but probably Virat and AB are the best. Virat is also my favourite Indian fielder.

MI replace Saxena with Simmons

The West Indian eligible to play for MI with immediate effect

Media Release

The IPL Event Technical Committee has approved Lendl Simmons as a replacement player for Jalaj Saxena for the remainder of the Pepsi IPL 2014 season.

Simmons is eligible to play for Mumbai Indians with immediate effect.

Shane Watson – the crowned prince

A Royal rendezvous with Rajasthan Royals’ new captain

In the ever-changing world of the franchise culture, Shane Watson has found a home in the Indian Premier League. He calls it Rajasthan Royals and he feels like he truly belongs there. Not surprising, considering he is the only survivor of the Royals’ fairytale title triumph in IPL 2008.

With the Jaipur-based team, the Aussie all-rounder has gained some valuable experiences, good and bad, that have helped him grow as a cricketer and person. After the Australian yellow and green, it’s the Royal blue that Watson keeps close to his heart.

In Pepsi IPL 2014, the long-time heir apparent has finally taken the Royal throne. Although Watson hasn’t had a honeymoon period with RR having a mixed start to the tournament, he has endured enough troughs and has ridden enough crests with the Royals to give up.

In a freewheeling chat with iplt20.com, Rajasthan Royals’ new captain talks everything that’s Royal and vows to take forward the legacy so proudly formed and nurtured by Shane Warne and Rahul Dravid.

Here is what the Royals’ new leader had to say:

How are you enjoying the captaincy?

It has been a lot of fun. There have been a few more ups and downs than I thought I would experience. It’s filled with more lows as it happens when you lose a few games and things don’t go to plan. But when we have won, it has been more satisfying than my personal performance.

RR have had inspirational leaders, in Shane Warne and Rahul Dravid. Did you ever feel you had big shoes to fill?

I know I have big shoes to fill, knowing what Shane Warne brought to the Rajasthan Royals from the very day that he arrived. He was an amazing captain, one of the very best I have played under. Then there’s Rahul Dravid, who took over from Warne and did an incredible job himself. To be able to observe closely someone who knows the game so well and yet remains a great student of the game, has been very enlightening. He has a stature in the game and he portrays that well in and around the team, but he is also one of the most humble people I have ever met. My style will be a bit different from Warne and Dravid but hopefully it is not different in a worse way. I am trying to be the best captain that I can be and have much to live up to.

You were one of the senior international players in the side. Were you groomed for leadership under the likes of Dravid and Paddy Upton and did that make taking up the captaincy easier?

It did definitely. Even last year, the input that Rahul and Paddy allowed me to have around the group meant that this year wasn’t a shock to the system. Also, the help that they have provided me this year has made my job so much easier. These two guys are as good as they get. I have a lot of ideas, having played under different captains and now I can put my stamp on the team by using them. I have been very lucky to have Rahul and Paddy around me to help me through that.

Do you go to Paddy Upton a lot to talk about individual players, given his background as a mental conditioning coach?

Paddy is one of the best coaches that I have had in a team. He is extraordinary in being able to get the best out of the people around him. He is one of the most impressive people I have come across. The knowledge he has on so many different things, and especially how people operate, is something I have never experienced before. I am using all his knowledge to become a better leader and he has helped me a lot already.

In these T20 leagues, the stress is on professionalism rather than loyalty and belonging since your team keeps changing. But you are the sole constant in RR’s squad since the first season. Does that make things different for you?

I really do care for the Rajasthan Royals. Apart from playing for my country, this is the only team I have been with for so long without having to move around. At home in Australia too I have moved around to different domestic teams in my life, but Rajasthan Royals has been very special since I have been with them since day-one. I have experienced the highs and also the lows a few times, when we got kicked out of the tournament. There have been other tough situations, which have made the journey even more touching. I have experienced all different types of emotions with the Royals and now leading the team is really an honour. It’s up to us to grow and learn from what we have been through as a franchise and take forward the legacy that Warne and Dravid have left behind.

Is it fair to say that as a star overseas player in RR, very early in your career you’ve had younger guys looking up to you? Has that matured you earlier as a cricketer?
The IPL has matured me a lot quicker. I have had interactions with a lot of different people here than I would have had normally. Playing for Australia, you are just with people from the culture you know very well and the one you have grown up in. Coming to play for the Royals, I’ve got to experience many different cultures – the Indian culture for sure but also the South Africa way with Graeme Smith in the first season and Paddy Upton now, the New Zealand ways, how different people go about their business – to study all that just broadens my horizon in an amazing way. It has made me much mature as a person and helped me be a better man to be around in a team.

I spoke with Stuart Binny the other day and he said that the best thing about your captaincy is that being an all-rounder you are able to think as a batsman and bowler while making decisions. Do you think that is an advantage?

I think it’s a big advantage. A majority of captains are just batsmen, which is good from the batting point of view. But it can be quite different from the bowling point of view in terms of how they think and I am very lucky in that regards because I understand both aspects inside out. It means there’s a bit more on my plate as compared to someone who just bats. But having a chance to contribute with bat and ball is something I have always loved and thrived on.

Are you a bowler’s captain? How much freedom would you give a young bowler, for instance, to form his own plans and set his own fields?

It involves a lot of understanding about the particular bowler in question and the situation he is faced with. Every individual needs to be treated differently on the field. Some players are very much in control of what they are doing and don’t need too many suggestions when faced with tough situations. Others need more guidance at times. My role as a captain is to understand the individuals and their needs and provide them with assistance accordingly. I understand that perspective as a bowler because I also know at times I’ve needed help from my captain and there were times when all I’ve needed is just a bit of a calm word before I figure out how to handle the pressure situation myself. I just try to balance it out the way my captains did with me.

To manage most young groups, there is a good cop and a bad cop. Which one are you? Are you hard on the boys after defeats or is that role taken up by someone else in the leadership group?

The great thing about the leadership group we have is that there are no bad cops. We’re not here to criticize or expose people when they make a mistake. That’s the way the game goes and mistakes are a part of the beauty of the game. We’re just there to help people learn from the things that don’t go well and encourage things that do go well on and off the field. I’d say we’re all good cops, there to help our players get the best out of themselves.

Is it easier to lead a team like RR where you don’t have to shoulder the weight of too many international super stars?

It is definitely less complex. If you have a team with big players and big egos, it provides very different dimensions to the environment. At the Royals, we’ve never had that; we’ve always had players who put the team before themselves and who are always looking to engage with the team rather than take away from the team. That was also part of our auction strategy, to make sure that along with bringing in cricketing talent, we also invest in personalities who would bring value to the team.

At times, do you wish you had someone like an AB de Villiers, a Steyn or Maxwell at your disposal or have you made peace with the strategy that RR have always had?
If getting those type of players fitted our strategy, we certainly would have moved in that direction. But one thing we’ve always done at the Royals is find raw talent and strive to get the best out of that talent. Everyone at the Royals knows that it is part of what we stand for as a franchise and it’s a legacy we intend to take forward – to develop young or even more experienced talent, like Pravin Tambe. Seeing people develop as cricketers and persons is more exciting for us than having a big player and hoping he has a great day and wins us the game.

How big a factor does it play in your comfort level as the leader that six out of RR’s eight overseas players are Australians?

It doesn’t make me any more comfortable than I would have been if we had players from other countries. It just turned out that some of the good overseas player I knew of are from Australia. The likes of Brad Hodge and James Faulkner, I don’t only know their game but also their personalities and that makes it a bit easier for me to captain them. It just so happened that we ended up with so many Australians. It also makes it a bit difficult when the English and the Sri Lankans are not so much available. But we also have someone like Tim Southee, who is a very nice guy. Before this, we had seen each other in a different light as compared to how we are now. Under pressure he is outstanding.

You’ve played under exceptional leaders like Ricky Ponting, Warne and Dravid. What is the one aspect of their leadership that you’d want to inculcate into yourself?

From Ricky Ponting, I’d want to learn how to have faith and belief in your players. He always saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He always backed me, no matter what. That’s when I started doing things I never thought I could do. That’s something I want to take from him – having that unwavering belief in your players that makes them realize their own worth.

Shane Warne has this amazing ability to get the best out of individuals. I saw that with my own eyes in the first season of the IPL. He interacted with every individual differently and found different ways to get the best out of them. To be able to see that from such close quarters, it’s a very special talent that Shane Warne has.

With Rahul Dravid, the influence that he has because of his stature in the game, he provides such great role model to any young Indian cricketer coming through. As a leader he is extremely calm under pressure, but the example he sets with his actions to any young player coming up, speaks a million words in itself.

Rossouw to replace Maddinson at RCB

Replacement player available for RCB's game against KXIP

Media Release

The IPL Event Technical Committee has approved Rilee Rossouw as a replacement player for Nic Maddinson for the remainder of the Pepsi IPL 2014 season.

Rossouw is eligible to play as from today when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Kings XI Punjab at Dubai International Stadium.

No questions on Gambhir’s place: Dahiya

KKR assistant coach says the skipper is their best batsman and they will stick with him

Kolkata Knight Riders have had a mixed start to Pepsi IPL 2014, with two wins and losses each. On Tuesday, they end their UAE leg with a match against Rajasthan Royals.

On the eve of their game, in Abu Dhabi, Vijay Dahiya, KKR’s assistant coach, said a win would put them in a favourable position when they resume the tournament in India.

“It’s our last game here and ideally we’d like to go to India with three wins,” Dahiya said. “Our last game was a close one and I think we should have won it. We have to put that behind us and try to finish this leg strongly.

“A win will be very important because that will allow us to finish this leg in the top-four. No team starts the tournament thinking ‘we’ll win it’. The first target is always to get to last four and then take it from there.”

One of the main reasons for KKR’s inconsistent form so far has been the lack of runs from the bat of Gautam Gambhir, who has managed 0, 0, 0 and 1 in the tournament so far. While admitting the skipper’s poor form is a major concern, Dahiya refuted the idea of his place in the XI being in question.

“If you ask me, Gautam is our best batsman and there are no two ways about it that if your best batsman is not in form, it is a problem for the team. But we know him and we know that he will come back to his best. It will be a different team when he starts scoring runs at the top. 

“There is not single talk about his place in the side. Let’s not forget that he is not only one of our batsmen but also our leader. He has led the team very well and we need him in the mix.”

In the wake of his bad form, Gambhir demoted himself to No. 3 in the last match. Dahiya said he would like to see him continue to open the innings. “Honestly, if you ask me, he is an opener and I would love to see him open the innings. The pressure will be there but what if he comes after two quick wickets have fallen? He’d feel even more pressure,” he said.

With Gambhir nor among runs, the onus falls on Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey to lend solidity to the KKR innings. Both the batsmen have been scoring runs but not enough to see the innings through. Dahiya said the top-three batsmen should ideally bat out 15 overs.

“In this format 30-plus is as good as 50-plus. However, in close games, a 40-50 run knock goes a long way. In such situations you need somebody to carry on for 20 overs and anchor the innings. The top-three batsmen have to bat for 15 overs; that’s something that hasn’t happened so far for us.”

Another batting worry is the unreliability of Yusuf Pathan. KKR’s assistant coach said his place in the side is being monitored. “You cannot deny the fact that he is not among runs and that is a big concern, for him and the team management. Let’s see if things improve in the next couple of games,” Dahiya said.

While the batting is giving the KKR management sleepless nights, the bowlers have been impressive. Dahiya praised the bowling attack as the team’s strength and described them as real match winners.

“This year our bowling has been our strength,” Dahiya said. “People say that T20 is a batsman’s game but we believe it’s the bowlers who win you matches in this format too. We’re very pleased with the kind of strength we have in our bowling, even on the bench.”

When asked if the team is expected to make a few changes for the RR match, Dahiya answered in the affirmative.

“Yes, we’ve had a look at the wicket and it looks completely different from the one in our last match. This is the wicket where CSK got 205 and KXIP chased it. So, it looks a very good batting wicket. The good thing about our side is that we have options and we can change our playing XI according to the opposition and the wicket. So, there will be a couple of changes.”

Quick Stats : Match16, DD v MI

Defending champs endure worst losing streak

0 Number of times Mumbai Indians have reached 150 in IPL 2014.

2 Number of times the ball has hit the fielding teams helmet in IPL history (thus causing five penalty runs). The only other instance was also in a Delhi Daredevils innings, against Deccan Chargers at Hyderabad in 2008

4 Number of consecutive matches lost by Mumbai Indians – their worst losing streak in IPL. They had also lost four in a row in the 2008 edition.

6 Number of times a batsman’s innings has ended retired hurt in the IPL. This was the second such instance for Harbhajan Singh. The earlier instance was against Rajasthan Royals in 2010. Harbhajan now equals Sachin Tendulkar’s record of getting retired hurt on most occasions in the IPL.

42.35 Kevin Pietersen’s batting average in T20 cricket while chasing a target. Batting first he averages 31.46

IPL Stars to Watch: Week 3

These stars are likely to create a buzz during the coming week

There are seven matches scheduled for the third week of Pepsi IPL 2014. Except the Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils, who will play one match apiece, the remaining six teams will have two outings in the next seven days. Glenn Maxwell is firmly perched atop the Orange Cap standings for a while now, but the Purple Cap has been changing hands every now and then. The likes of David Miller, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Sunil Narine and Lasith Malinga have already made their presence felt this season. Will they be able to carry their form into the coming week? Will the out-of-form players hit a bit of a purple patch in the coming days?

Here’s a look at some players to keep an eye on in Week 3:

Glenn Maxwell

After three blitzkriegs and solo efforts, the law of averages eventually caught up with the Australian when he was dismissed for 15 in KXIP’s match against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The 25-year-old is riding high on confidence and will back himself to cause more damage. The Australian loves to pepper the leg-side, and chances are if he connects the ball, it will be deposited in orbit. But that’s not to say the man cannot tap the unmanned regions on the off-side; how long with he be able to make merry with the switch-hits and the reverse-sweeps? Will captains and bowlers work a way out to stop him from muscling his way to glory?

David Miller

David Miller will go up against the team against whom he made headlines for the first time in the IPL. It was after the game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore last season that David Miller was proclaimed “Killer Miller”. The 23-year-old had played useful knocks until then and had provided glimpses of what he was capable of. But on May 6, 2013, in Mohali, he smashed the RCB bowlers to smithereens scoring a 38-ball century and powering KXIP to a convincing and famous win. The situation is somewhat similar this time around. He has been playing cameos so far. Will he be able to inflict the damage he did on RCB last season yet again?

Gautam Gambhir

Cricket is so much a confidence game. Just ask Gautam Gambhir about it. The southpaw – who is the only Indian to score centuries in five consecutive Test matches – cannot seem to buy a run these days. After being dismissed for blobs in his first three innings, the KKR skipper dropped down to bat at No.3 in the previous match, against Kings XI Punjab. He survived anxious moments when a leading edge flew just out of reach of Sandeep Sharma. Couple of balls later, he tucked a full delivery on the pads to get off the dreaded duck! The next time he was on strike, he made room and tried to force a ball through extra cover, but only miscued it as far as the fielder at mid-off. That was the end of that!
Gambhir is a very talented cricketer, a genuinely nice guy and one who works very hard at his game. Form and luck cannot surely desert a nice bloke and a hard worker like him for too long. He should believe that the one knock that will set the ball rolling is just round the corner. KKR fans, stay with your captain!

Harbhajan Singh

Do statistics hide more than they reveal? You’d have to say yes where Harbhajan Singh’s bowling is concerned. The off-spinner has bowled 15 overs so far this season, has conceded runs at an economy rate of 5.93, but has only two wickets against his name. What those numbers don’t tell you is how beautifully he has bowled. The stats don’t tell you how he hasn’t been afraid to toss the ball up, how he has discovered the guile that bamboozled many a batsmen in the past, how he has shown plenty of control and how he has sparingly used the doosra. Seeing Harbhajan Singh throwing up the ball and outfoxing batsmen was a throwback to the olden times when spinners tossed the ball in the air and kept the batsmen waiting, working tricks in their minds, only for the ball to suddenly drop and do things before the batsman realised what was happening and had time to react. If Harbhajan Singh can carry this form forward, it will make for some terrific stuff, especially given that Indian surfaces will have more purchase for him.

Zaheer Khan

Indian cricket followers will be pleased with the resurgence of Zaheer Khan. The Mumbai Indians medium-pacer looks a lot leaner and fitter these days. Like in the case of his teammate Harbhajan Singh, even his statistics do not reveal how well he has bowled in Pepsi IPL 2014. 14.5 overs, 92 runs and three wickets do not paint the entire picture. The 35-year-old has carried forward his good form from the domestic T20 competition into Pepsi IPL 2014. He has also run in well, hit the right areas often and has been unplayable on certain occasions. To illustrate, off the 89 balls he has bowled this season, he has found the edge or beaten the bat 20 times and has built and sustained pressure by bowling plenty of dot deliveries (44 percent). With India having several important overseas tours lined up, a fit and in-form Zaheer Khan is good news for Indian cricket.

IPL Hidden Gems: Week 2

Here are five players who have silently made a big impact on proceedings this week

The Pepsi Indian Premier League is the most coveted tournament in cricket. Performances here – against quality players from across the globe – are keenly followed by almost every stakeholder in the game. Be it selectors of various national teams, owners of league sides, coaches of county outfits or corporates keen to sign on cricketers as brand ambassadors. Hence, there is always going to be someone or the other seizing the opportunity with exceptional performances. Here’s a look at some key players who set the stage ablaze with their performances in the last week:

Dwayne Smith

Smith, who turned out for the Mumbai Indians previously, was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings in the 2014 Pepsi IPL Player Auction. And the 31-year-old from Barbados has wasted little time in establishing himself in his new team. Given how reluctant CSK and MS Dhoni are to ring changes in the team, it was important that Smith made an impact early in the season. And he has done just that! Starts in each one of his five innings so far – three of them converted into half-centuries – and a rocking partnership with Brendon McCullum means Smith has now nailed his place in the team. At the end of Week 2, Smith was second only to Glenn Maxwell in the Orange Cap standings; his 240 runs – 70 percent of which were scored in boundaries – came at a strike-rate of 143.71.

Pravin Tambe

There’s a school of thought that players need to be young, very fit, agile, athletic and possess sharp reflexes to do well in T20 cricket. But Pravin Tambe – all of 42 years old – has broken that myth. The leg-spinner from Mumbai – who has grown to be an integral part of the Rajasthan Royals team – has shown that performance (in whichever particular discipline – batting or bowling) should be the foremost criteria to judge players. Tambe picked up five wickets in his last two outings – including the scalps of the ever-so-dangerous MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli – conceding only 47 runs in eight overs.

Yogesh Takawale

Royal Challengers Bangalore sprung in a surprise when they fielded Yogesh Takawale in their playing XI for their match against KKR. After a brief stint with the Mumbai Indians in the inaugural season of the IPL, the 29-year-old fell off the radar and was banished to the wilderness. However, this time when opportunity presented itself, the Maharashtra-born – who scored 839 runs in the Ranji Trophy this season – did not let it slip. Takawale set the ball rolling for his team by scoring an impressive 28-ball 40. What was impressive about that knock was his attitude against the best; he singled out the menacing Morne Morkel for special treatment, hitting him for six boundaries and scored 27 runs off 12 balls against him.

L Balaji
T20 is fast-paced cricket… but not so much for Kings XI Punjab’s L Balaji. The 32-year-old is capable of surprising batsmen every now and then with a delivery that skids off the surface. But his strength lies in taking the pace off the ball and making batsmen generate bat speed to take chances against him. And his ploy worked brilliantly in his two outings in the last week. Apart from conceding only 34 runs in seven overs, he returned with five wickets – including the scalps of destructive batsmen like Jacques Kallis, Aaron Finch, David Warner and Darren Sammy.

Akshar Patel

Akshar Patel continues to impress with his left-arm spin in Pepsi IPL 2014. The 20-year-old from Gujarat, who never got an opportunity to play for the Mumbai Indians previously, has excelled in all four matches for KXIP so far. With not-too fussy action, Patel hits the right areas consistently and has a deceptive arm-ball. In his last two outings, he picked up four wickets, conceding only 36 runs in eight overs. Not only has he been KXIP’s most economical bowler so far this season, he is also the only one in the team to bowl the complete quota of four overs in every match. Impressive stuff! 

Around the IPL: Week 2

From screamers in the outfield to Ump Vision, Week 2 had it all!

The Pepsi Indian Premier League 2014 juggernaut rolls on and as the second weekend of the season drew to a close, one was witness to plenty of mind-blowing action. Here are some of the top picks from the week that has gone by:

More Max from…Well…Maxwell 

Glenn Maxwell had blown away two formidable sides in the first five days of the season. Chennai Super Kings – despite posting 205 on the board – were demolished by the Australian who smashed 95 off 43 balls. The Rajasthan Royals were at the receiving end next; playing a wide range of shots, finding the unmanned regions on the field precisely and packing some muscle in his strokes, Maxwell smashed six sixes and eight fours in his 45-ball 89.

Maxwell’s first innings last week mirrored his efforts against CSK. His 43-ball 95 versus SRH contained an incredible nine sixes – including a 98 m hit, which set the record for the longest six in the tournament at that point. The leg-side was undoubtedly his preferred scoring area – he scored 74 percent of his runs on that side of the pitch. There was a lot of rationale in Maxwell’s choice of shots; he normally packed a punch in his sweeps and slog-sweeps, but he pulled out the unorthodox reverse-sweep and switch-hit from his repertoire when the bowlers packed the leg-side field and bowled a restrictive line. And he picked the gaps playing those unorthodox shots too!

Incredible Catches

Dropped catches continued to cost teams during Week 2; some 16 catches were put down in the 10 matches played in that period. However, there were some screamers too.

Chennai Super Kings’ Faf du Plessis pulled off two stunning catches in the space of one over in Chennai Super Kings’ match against the Delhi Daredevils. The two catches he took – to send backMurali Vijay and Manoj Tiwary – reflected on how complete an athlete he is. With the airborne cricket ball flying away from him, du Plessis – stationed at mid-off – ran in pursuit of it, covering a lot of ground. He kept looking upwards to keep his eyes on the ball, and as the ball came crashing down, he lunged and came up with the ball in both hands.

The second effort was even better – he had to stretch completely at the last moment and had to be airborne for a moment even as the ball made contact with his palms. Such catches happen once in a while. But to pull it off twice in quick succession is simply astounding.

Lynn’s Limbo near the Fence

If one thought du Plessis had set the new standards for catching, there was more to come in Week 2. Kolkata Knight Riders’ Chris Lynn pulled off a screamer against Royal Challengers Bangalore. With RCB on the brink of victory, AB de Villiers made good connection as he attempted to deposit R Vinay Kumar into the stands at midwicket. Chris Lynn positioned squarer on the leg-side boundary, ran to his left in an attempt to take the catch.

Just as he appeared to get to the position where the ball was coming down, he slipped – right on the edge of the fence – almost as if he was doing the limbo. The Australian was not one bit distracted despite losing his footing. He held his poise, settled down nicely under the ball, with his knees firmly on the ground. And as the ball came down, he raised himself ever so slightly, and then, arched backwards to come up with the ball.

What was more astonishing was the follow-up. The 24-year-old lost his balance during the act of arching backwards to get enough elevation to come in contact with the ball. However, he showed good awareness as he realized the momentum would have resulted in his head landing on the padding of the boundary rope. He dragged his body forward just enough to ensure he landed inside the field of play with the ball in his hand. Unreal!

Ump Vision

One of the innovations of Pepsi IPL 2014 has been wiring the on-field Umpires with cameras and getting to see bits of action from their perspective. And one got to see two fantastic visuals from the Umpire’s Cam during Week 2. First up, in RCB’s match against KKR, the camera mounted on Umpire Vineet Kulkarni’s hat provided visuals of Yuvraj Singh muscling Umesh Yadav for a six over midwicket. The camera gave an insight into the pace of things in the middle – the speed at which the ball travels to the batsman, the time the batsman has to react and play the shot, how well Yuvraj Singh middled it on that occasion, and finally how far he hit it.

There was another piece of brilliance captured by the Umpire’s Cam in the match between the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils. DD opener Quinton de Kock pounced on a wide delivery from Corey Anderson and cut it right out of the middle of the bat. But 38-year-old Michael Hussey, positioned at point, moved swiftly to his left and pulled off a sharp catch right in front of the Umpire at the striker’s end. The Umpire’s Cam gave us a good look into the positioning of the point fielder, how quickly the ball traveled to him and how agile Hussey was to move swiftly to his left and pluck a sharp catch.

This is as close as one can get to all the action in the centre!

Selection of the Week 

‘Why fix things when they ain’t broke?’ they say. But Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir made the huge decision of leaving out R Vinay Kumar, who had bowled the fantastic last over – successfully defending nine runs – in KKR’s previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Speaking at the toss, Gambhir explained his team was going with “horses for courses” and had hence picked leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for their match against Kings XI Punjab. And didn’t the move work! The 25-year-old spinner returned as the most successful bowler for KKR with figures of 4-0-19-3. Who were his three scalps? The dangerous David Miller, George Bailey and Virender Sehwag!

The Doctor & Bazz: Partners in prime

A closer look into the batting manual of CSK’s new opening pair

We talk about hunting in pairs and many a times have referred to batting partnerships in cricketing folklore that have become iconic. Be it in whites or in coloured clothing, partnerships have always been about complementing one another and enjoying each other’s success and company on and off the field. In the shortest format of the game, this camaraderie between players becomes equally important. It is the duo at the top that sets the platform for the players to follow. If they get off to a cracker, the foundation for a big score is laid.

Such has been the case with Chennai Super Kings’ brand new opening pair that has got the team off to a rollicking start this IPL. They started off with a bang with a 123-run stand against Kings XI Punjab, and in the following games, they pitched in with two half-century partnerships for their side. In their first match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum scripted yet another flying start that helped their side chase a target of 146 with ease.

Smith was severe as he smashed five sixes in his match-winning half-century and was complemented by Brendon McCullum at the other end, who scored a 33-ball 40. In his post-match chat withIPLT20.com, McCullum was all praises for his new batting partner – “The Doctor." We also got a little peek into the duo’s psyche while opening the batting for CSK.

Excerpts from his interview:

CSK’s UAE leg comes to an end. Four out of five sure makes for good reading.

It has been a good time here. We have played some good cricket, and if we had been given four out of five wins for this part of the tournament before the start of the competition, we would have been pretty happy. We have played well and gelled quite nicely as a team with a couple of new changes with me coming into the unit too. Hopefully, we continue that form when we get to India.

Dwayne Smith and you seem to be enjoying batting at the top in yellow.

There is still a long way to go in the tournament, but I have certainly enjoyed my partnership with Dwayne Smith, “The Doctor”. It is great to bat with him because he is so powerful and has a lot of options in his batting. He is a very intelligent cricketer as well. We seem to have a good rapport and get a good partnership going. It is nice to be able to contribute, and personally too I am enjoying my time with CSK so far.

Two explosive batsmen at the top. Do you feel CSK has the most explosive opening pair in the IPL?

So far we have done well. We may not be the most explosive pair, but in terms of how we have been playing, we have managed to give our team a good start in most games. We are pretty lucky that both of us hit the ball and hit it in different areas. I saw a comment from our captain, MS Dhoni, earlier in the week when he said that Smith and I don’t compete against each other but we complement each other,which is nice to have in an opening partnership. We also have so much power to follow that we both have the confidence to play positively.

All these years, CSK have had Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay opening the batting. Hussey would play anchor most times with Vijay going for his shots. What do you do given that both you and Smith are aggressive batsmen by nature?

Michael Hussey did outstandingly well for the Chennai Super Kings all these years and those are tough shoes to fill for the two of us at the moment. Hussey has served this franchise incredibly well and now we have this opportunity to do the same. We have started well and there is still long way to go.

The captain and the coach have complemented our abilities to play our games. They don’t want us to be too aggressive, but just play the style of cricket, which has got us to where we are in world cricket at the moment. It is always nice to get a leadership team like that to give the confidence to go out and play. What we have seen are reasonably aggressive starts from us, which are in character with how we are as players.
We are not trying to be what we are not; we are just trying to play our natural game and be as good as we can at the top.

What kind of talks do you and Smith share while batting?

Smithy normally talks. (Laughs) We get along really well, which is helpful. We enjoy each other’s company and enjoy each other’s batting and have struck up decent enough partnerships till now. Some of the other things we talk about are the tactical stuff in the middle, but we also talk about the confidence and approach to certain situations of the game. I am not going to give too many secrets away, but certainly I enjoying batting with him. I enjoy how wise a head he has about his game. He has certainly shown his experience in this format of the game.

UAE done, will be back in India soon. Can't wait to play at Chennai, can you?

It will be fun to be back in India and play at Chennai. I have played there against Chennai Super Kings a few times and it will be nice now that I am playing with them. I am sure we will get good support there as well. If we keep playing good cricket, it will certainly help.