Report: Match 52 – KXIP v RR

RR suffer 16-run loss; MI, SRH still in Playoffs race

Despite some late heroics by the likes of Brad Hodge and James Faulkner, the Rajasthan Royals ended up losing their away match against Kings XI Punjab by 16 runs. By virtue of this result, RR (14 points, 4th place), Mumbai Indians (12 points, 5th place) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (12 points, 6th place) are still in the running for the last available Pepsi IPL 2014 Playoffs spot. Meanwhile, KXIP (20 points) are guaranteed a top finish in the league stage thanks to this win.

Earlier, Shane Watson asked KXIP to bat first at Mohali after winning the toss. Virender Sehwag (18) came out with a destructive intent as he helped plunder 15 runs off the first over of the game. And while the senior opener struck three fours and a maximum during his eight-ball innings, James Faulkner got rid of him in the third over itself. Shaun Marsh then joined Manan Vohra, and the duo made a fluent start, taking KXIP to 53 for one by the end of the powerplay. However, Vohra (25) was run out a short while later, just when he was looking in good touch.

Meanwhile, Marsh continued to routinely dispatch the RR bowlers to and over the fence. Wriddhiman Saha gave him great company as KXIP clocked in 83 runs for the loss of two wickets by the halfway point. The pair then brought up their team’s 100 in the 12th over. However, Marsh (40) walked back to the dugout, courtesy a run-out, leaving KXIP on 113 for three. And six runs later, Saha (27) also departed, after he holed out to Ajinkya Rahane off Rahul Tewatia.

This brought the hard-hitting David Miller (29*) and KXIP skipper George Bailey (26*) together. After playing out a couple of overs, the duo stepped on the pedal and took the RR bowlers to the cleaners in the death. They scored a total of 46 runs in the final three overs – including 23 off the 19th over of the innings – to propel the KXIP score to 179 for four.

In response, Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair (11) opened the RR innings. However, the latter was dismissed by Lakshmipathy Balaji with just 21 runs on the board. But Rahane rallied on as he was joined by Sanju Samson. Both batters steadied the innings initially and took the visitors’ score to 44 for one by the end of the powerplay. But then, Rishi Dhawan dealt a massive double-blow in the ninth over; he first cleaned up Rahane (23), and on the very next delivery, he meted out the exact same treatment to Shane Watson (0). Even Stuart Binny’s (7) stay in the middle was brief – debutant Karanveer Singh foxed him with his leg-spin, leaving RR tottering on 70 for four in 11.1 overs.

And while Sanju Samson tried to hold up one end, he ended up being Karanveer’s second victim, in the 14th over. Thanks to some exceptional bowling, the 26-year-old Punjab leggie ended up with figures of 4-0-16-2. Tewatia (16) and Brad Hodge then paired up and took the RR score past the 100-run mark in the 16th over. But Tewatia perished in the same over – off the bowling of Akshar Patel. Even Hodge (31), who was looking dangerous and helped plunder a whopping 22 runs off the 17th over, was unable to carry his bat till the end; the veteran batsman was stumped by Saha off the bowling of Akshar Patel in the next over. The KXIP spinner, who ended up with three for 24, then got rid of Kevon Cooper (2) a couple of deliveries later.

With RR needing 49 runs off 12 balls, Faulkner went after Balaji in the 19th over. He struck two sixes and a four to reap a total of 18 runs during that six-ball stretch. RR still needed 31 off the final six deliveries, and while Faulkner (35*) struck two sixes, he could not save his side from a 16-run loss, as RR ended up at 163 for eight in 20 overs.

Man of the Match: Shaun Marsh for his outstanding performance with the bat and in the field

Report: Match 51 – MI v DD

MI keep Playoffs hopes alive with crucial win

The Mumbai Indians registered a 15-run win against the Delhi Daredevils at Wankhede Stadium to keep their Playoffs hopes alive. The hosts were given a boost by opener Michael Hussey (56 off 33 balls) in the must-win encounter, before a late collapse saw them fold for 173. The MI bowlers then ensured the visitors did not get over the line and were restricted to 158 for four after their 20-over quota.

Earlier, DD won the toss and chose to field first. After Lendl Simmons’ great showing at Mohali a couple of nights ago, today it was his opening partner, Michael Hussey’s turn to shine. The veteran batsman did not take too long to go after the DD bowlers. Thanks to half-dozen boundaries from his willow, MI raced to the 50-run mark in the fifth over itself. He even launched a maximum in the next over to help his team compile a total of 65 runs in the powerplay. At that point, Hussey was batting on 40, while Simmons, who was on 17 at that stage, seemed content with supporting his partner.

However, Simmons perished in the eighth over – off the bowling of Imran Tahir – leaving MI on 87 for one. But Hussey, who soon brought up his half-century, continued to run up the score and took MI to 100 for one at the halfway stage. He was eventually run out in the 12th over with his team going at a rate of 10-an-over. Jaydev Unadkat then gave the visitors a crucial breakthrough with the wicket of Rohit Sharma (30). And thereafter, MI went off track, losing wickets at regular intervals. Kieron Pollard (11) was dismissed by Unadkat a couple of deliveries after his skipper. Even Ambati Rayudu (2) and Aditya Tare (14) did not last long; while the former fell prey to Shahbaz Nadeem in the 16th over, the MI wicketkeeper became Tahir’s second victim of the game, in the very next over.

Wayne Parnell then returned to get rid of Harbhajan Singh (2). Marchant de Lange (1) was the next man to depart; he became the third batsman in the hosts’ line-up to get foxed by Tahir. DD then effected two run-outs – to dismiss Pragyan Ojha in the 19th over, and Shreyas Gopal (11) in the final over – to bowl MI out for 173 with three balls to spare.

In response, Kevin Pietersen started with a flourish. The DD skipper punished all loose offerings from the MI bowlers, while Murali Vijay, at the other end, played the perfect foil. Pietersen struck regular fours and the occasional big hit to keep the DD run-rate up to speed with the required rate. However, he lost Vijay’s company in the sixth over with the score on 43, as Gopal struck for MI. And after adding 16 runs for the second wicket with Dinesh Karthik, even Pietersen (44) departed; he was cleaned up by Harbhajan. de Lange then picked up his first wicket in MI colours when he bowled Karthik (7) out in the 10th over. At the halfway point, DD were playing catch-up, at 62 for three, despite a promising start.

But with JP Duminy and Manoj Tiwary joining forces, DD were very much in the contest. Starting with the 12th over, the duo took the attack to the MI bowlers. Over the next three overs, they added 32 runs, and took their team past the 100-run mark. Then after a slow 15th over, they plundered a combined 25 runs off the 16th and 17th overs. Thanks to their exploits, DD needed 44 runs off 18 balls at that point. The next over cost MI 12 runs, as the match was heading to a thrilling finish. But de Lange bowled a great 19th over in which he conceded only seven runs and picked up the wicket of Tiwary (41) to tilt the match in MI’s favour. And despite Duminy’s (40*) best efforts, DD could only manage 158 for four in 20 overs.

Thanks to the two points earned from this result, MI now have 12 points from 13 games, and hence, are still in the running for the last available Playoffs spot.

Man of the Match: Michael Hussey for his match-winning half-century