In a pulsating high scoring, must win game for both sides, #RajasthanRoyals prevailed over #KolkataKnightRiders by 10 runs to ensure qualification into the knockout stage of this year's #IPL.
#ShaneWatson and #AjinkyaRahane set tone for RR innings right upfront with a brisk 80 run partnership in 7 overs. After Rahane's dismissal to a silly run-out, their innings wandered a bit but #Watto took responsibility to hold fort and carried his bat through with a brilliant hundred to setup a massive 199 in 20 overs.
Although the target looked high, there was one team that could overhaul it and that was KKR. With top guns #Gambhir, #Utthappa, #Yusuf and #Russell you wouldn't bet against them chasing it down, especially with thin RR bowling attack.
Gambhir departed early off a mistimed pull off #Morris. #Dhawal struck in his first over to get rid of Utthappa to send KKR reeling. This is when the two #powerhitters #YusufPathan and #AndreRussell came together. They stitched a wonderful partnership and took the attack to RR through some lusty hitting.
With all RR bowlers under the hammer, #SteveSmith threw the ball to #Morris in desperation. And He turned the game around for RR with a magnificent spell of seam bowling. First he induced a mistimed shot off Russell (who was looking extremely dangerous with his powerpacked shot making). In the same over, he had Suryakumar Yadav caught behind for nought. This is where the game changed big time.
With 5 wickets down, it was left to Yusuf to rescue KKR. He fought on gainly but Watto got his scoop one to long on and the game virtually ended there. Shakib tried some fancy shots but it was Umesh Yadav who kept KKR in the chase with his lusty hitting.
Morris bowled a wonderfully tight last over to deny KKR a win. RR bowlers somehow managed to wriggle out of this situation today. Had it not been for Watto's century and Morris' matchwinning bowling performance, RR would be back on their way.
With this win, RR qualify (althoigh their exact position will be determined only after the last two league games #RCB v #DD and #SRH v #MI.
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Who will make it to the top 4 at this year's IPL?
With just a game or two remaining for most teams, the picture is very unclear! The last three results have made it even more interesting and puzzling!
As if last week's action wasn't intriguing enough, this week is proving to provide greater suspense and drama than a Sherlock Holmes' mystery.
Take a look
- 6 teams out of 8 have a chance to qualify for the knockout stages of this tournament.
- Positions 1 to 4 are completely hazy and no one can pin-point their standing with just a game or two remaining per team
- The two ousted teams #DD and #KXIP won their latest games throwing the field wide open yet again
#DD steamrolls #CSK
With CSK really looking to close out its pole position in the points table, facing DD was their easiest game. This considering DD have been hot-cold all the way through and their inconsistency in batting has let them down badly. CSK, although not red hot, were expected to breeze through this one. What happened was nothing short of amazing.
First CSK was shot out for 120 on a pretty good wicket owing to some solid bowling and fielding from DD. Then their batsman took center-stage (Yuvraj and Nayyar) and annihilated a rusty CSK bowling attack and easily chased the set target, It was as if DD had nothing to loose and played with gay abandon. Result a thumping win for DD, a big dent for CSK on two counts. No points and their #NRR took a solid beating (which seems to be extremely critical for position qualification considering state of the points table)
#KXIP hurts #RCB badly
The other ousted team, KXIP had nothing to lose either.
What made matters worse for #RCB was #rain curtailed the game to 10 over a side. A clear lottery. In such cases the minnows clearly have an edge because the pressure to win solely lies with the stronger team! And it turned out exactly that way.
Edgy RCB bowlers leaked out too many runs upfront. Saha smashing Starc, Aravind to take away the initiative. Some poor batting at the end meant they scored 112 in 10 overs. OK but not a great total to challenge Gayle, Kohli and Devilliers? Well, as it panned out, KXIP broke through the batting order with good bowling and fielding getting the Big 3 out cheaply and then choking the innings wonderfully by 20 runs! Big margin. No points to RCB and dent in their #NRR just like CSK.
#MI surprise #KKR
Needing to win badly, MI went out with purpose while KKR needing one win to assure a top two positioning on the points table went cautiously. Result? even after a poor start and early wickets, MI's Pandya and Pollard managed to pile on 171 in 20 overs. Pandya was brilliant while Pollard, for a change, played second fiddle but ensured he stayed there to avoid any further damage.
KKR never looked ready for that run chase and ran out of steam. Yusuf Pathan did try to pull a rabbit out of the hat but a brilliant final over by Pollard ensured MI defended and won by 5 runs (12 runs were needed for last over with Pathan at the crease)
So, where is all this heading?
Looks like the last game will decide the top 4.
And boy will that not be interesting? and DD/KXIP playing spoilsport means its anyone's guess to choose a winner....
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What an extra ordinary last week at #IPL8!!
From a 4 four war battle for 2 spots, its come down to 5 way battle for 3 spots and everything is so uncertain!
#RRs under big threat of not qualifying in top 4
From a seemingly safe Top-2 spot a week ago, RR have slid considerably and look on the brink of finishing outside the top 4. Thats an amazing turnaround of fortunes for this team that looked absolutely dominant at the beginning of the tournament. Just goes to show its about momentum. The day they lost that super over to KXIP, their fortunes and momentum have turned for worse! They're losing game after game and stand on verge of elimination from the #playoffs. With just one game to go, a victory doesnt guarantee them that spot unless one the lower teams flounders badly. Watson as captain or Steve Smith, is not making any difference to their performance at the moment.
#CSK just about holding onto its lead
An off color CSK has just about managed to win sufficient games to stay top of the points table. This is courtesy #MSDhoni captaincy and overall balance of their team. Their home record in enviable and that has helped them too. The playoffs however are outside #Chennai and that will worry them no ends. They need to pull up their socks to maintain their reputation as the best side in the IPL over the years. Reversal to Mumbai at Chidambaram Stadium due to miscalculated gamble by Dhoni had gotten them into a tight spot, but a typical hard fought victory against RR ensured they stay top. With two games to go, they seem all set to play in the #knockouts.
#KKR marching on their overall ability and attitude to win
Led wonderfully by Gautam Gambhir, the defending champions rose to the top for a short while. However, its their overall ability both with bat but more so with the bowl thats helping them stay in hunt for Qualifier 1 (a game where loser gets another crack to make it to the final). Andre Russell has been a revelation for them while Yusuf and the spin trio of Piyush, Hogg and Narine have pushed KKR along wonderfully well.
#RCB on the charge after #ABdevillers, #Gayle and #ViratKohli strike rich form
The batting, that seemed to be their bane in the first half of the tournament has started clicking and how? First it was the Killer "Gayle" show with a stunning 117 vs KXIP. This was followed by an even more entertaining 133* by AB deVilliers and solid 82* by Virat Kohli to demolish MI. Mitchell Starc and Co are bowling oppositions out consistently to ensure they get much need wins to get into the knockouts.
#SRH could be the dark horse
While the top teams have been hogging all limelight, SRH has quietly sneaked into 3rd place after their win against KXIP. avid Warner, Shikhar Dhawan, Moses Henriques are winning games with the bat and surprisingly their bowling lineup is bowling other teams inspite of resting both their bigwigs - Steyn and Boult. Watch for this team, if they reach playoffs.
#MI, once again from behind...
first 5 games lost, then 5 games won. This is how it has been for MI this season. Backs to wall on one day and outright dominant the other. Inconsistency has been their biggest threat and worry all through. Bowlers need to pull up their socks. Batsmen seem to coming into their own but a collective effort will be critical to put them into the playoffs
#DD and #KXIP - Could they play spoilsport for the top 6?
DD and KXIP are out of the reckoning but can they beat one the top 6 and upset all equations. Dont count that out and thats what the excitement of IPL is all about!!
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#IPL - Points Table Standings
The end race has begun...
As all 8 teams play out their last few games in the league stage of this tournament, its one hell of a battle to grab the top four positions in the points table at #IPL8.
Just a few games ago, CSK and RR seemed to have consolidated those top 2 positions in the table. It has changed a bit and more drama seems to be in store.
RR slipping big time!
That #superover defeat to KXIP turned it around for worse for this team.
Since that game, they have never looked an invincible side as they did in the first five unbeaten games to soar to the top. After that, they have shared points twice (and should be thankful), won one game and lost three more! Things are going wrong for Watson's men at the wrong time. They need to be at their best at this business end of the IPL and they are slipping.
12 games 14 points. 2 more games to go. Perhaps a win will ensure a top 4 berth for them but unless they win both their next games, they cannot guarantee a top 2 finish (and ensure entry into Qualifier 1 - a game that provides opportunity to the loser to play another game - Qualifier 2 against winner of the Eliminator game (played between 3rd and 4th placed teams))
KKR looking solid
The spinners have turned things around for this team, especially in the home games at #EdenGardens, a traditional spin powerhouse. Brad Hogg has been a revelation at 44 years of age! His bowling has left opponent teams in tatters and they dont seem to have answers to his #chinamen and legbreaks!
He is wonderfully supported by Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine's entry into the fray lately has boosted KKR no ends. They seem to defend low totals easily. Their batting remains steady but chasing totals will be their biggest test as the tournament goes on,
11 games, 13 points
MI, RCB SRH on the charge
Three teams are making a charge for the fourth position in points table. And each team seems to be on the mission. MI, after the most dismal start to this IPL, has bounced back tremendously and hit peak form at the right time. RCB is making a big charge too with their batsmen flourishing while SRH is slowly sneaking up too. They could be the dark horse moving forward.
RCB: 10 games, 11 points
SRH: 10 games, 10 points
MI: 10 games, 10 points
CSK - undisputed leaders of the pack yet again!
Without a doubt they are the team to beat at this and every IPL season.
They just seem to make it to the top 2 positions in the table at will. Their balance, quality and captaincy abilities make them the perfect IPL team.
10 games, 14 points
DD and KXIP - Could they play party-crashers for other teams?
With both teams virtually out of running for knockout stages in this tournament, the best they can now do is disturb the table standing above them by surprising some of the other top teams and upsetting their equations.
All in all, things heating up at the business end of the #IPL8.
Lets hope the best 4 teams make it to the knockouts!
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#ChrisGayle vs #KXIP
The sleep whale, #ChrisGayle, woke up today and covered up for that poor form he was carrying all throughout this #IPL8. He's just that kind of a player. On his day, he can literally decimate any bowling attack in the world. Neither big names in bowling matter, nor where they pitch the ball does! That's why he is an impact player and this innings will have impacted #RCB no ends and they will look to soar ahead in the points table from now on, clearly knowing other teams will be vary of a Gayle storm possibility every game.
Today he was simply unstoppable right from the word go!
Mitchell Johnson was selected to start his run feast and he carried that along to all other bowlers including Axar Patel, Karn Singh, Glenn Maxwell and Sandeep Sharma. Anureet Singh was the only bowler to hold his head high with a brilliant spell for 0 for 25 in 4 overs when there was carnage at the other end.
Gayle's innings included 7 fours and 12 massive sixes i.e. exactly 100 runs came in boundaries. He was so dominant that his other superstar colleagues Virat Kohli and AB Devilliers were rendered mere spectators in that onslaught. Not that they were complaining but they are brisk scorers in their own right and to see them as bystanders in an innings indicates the complete domination shown by Christopher Gayle!
This is only the second century at this year's IPL (next to Brendon McCullum's 100 against KXIP as well). No wonder the two most explosive batsmen in world cricket have centuries to their name. On their day, no bowler is great enough to take them out.
In response, the jolted and shocked KXIP team capitulated poorly for 88 all out in 13 overs. Aravind and Starc grabbed 4 wickets each. The impact by Gayle was so much that no batsmen looked settled or focused.
There are Thunderstorms forecasted for many venues in coming days. We witnessed a Gayle storm yet again today! Thank you very much maannn!!
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#ViratKohli, a.k.a. the poster boy of Indian cricket is on the charge ...
Needing a win to stay in touch with qualification for Qualifier1/Eliminator, the #RCB are trying their best to post a win here.
Their bowlers produced the goods earlier in the day, led once again by the man in supreme form - #MitchellStarc with a superb spell of 3 for 24 to restrict CSK to a 149 for 9 in 20 overs.
In reply, the RCB lost track early. #ABDevilliers and Mandeep Singh both departed at close interval to put them in a dock. But #Cheeku is fighting on gamely...
He has strung a good partnership with Dinesh Karthik and they seem to be rolling through at the moment.
Dont count the CSK out for one moment. That man #MSDhoni is capable of turning this around with some masterstroke or the other. Virat has also know to throw away games lately. So, its moving towards and exciting clash towards the end....
Score:
CSK: 148 for 9, 20 overs
RCB: 86 for 3, 12 overs
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Whats happening to #CSK captain and "cool" #MSD?
He seems to have developed a habit of getting bowled at this IPL.
In the last two games he has been out bowled to fairly innocuous deliveries from opponent bowlers.
In the first instance, he was bowled right through the gate by a Piyush Chawla (of #KKR) delivery that googled a bit and took his middle stump. Agreed that the ball seemed to stay a bit low but never seen MS getting out in this manner.
In the following game against #SRH, a rookie Ashish Reddy sneaked in a straighter one yet again to dislodge Dhonis stumps. This time, too, he was trying to push the delivery to on side and completely missed it.
Although its just two games and cannot look too much into it, MS has rarely been bowled playing nothing shots like these. Is something bothering him? His personal form at the moment isn't great too. He hasn't won a game for this team single handedly so far. Perhaps, a game like that could just ignite him?
Inspite of his poor form, CSK still sitting pretty at #2 on the points table.
Just goes to show, its not about the MS show with this team. Others are standing up brilliantly to guide their team home on most occasions.
As with MS, we're looking for that super cameo (that we've related to him all these years) in coming games!
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#IPL2015
And so we thought IPL, or T20 for that matter, was a batsman's game?
Think again. With all rules stacked heavily in their favor - the powerplay, the two bouncers per over rule, the Freehit, massive bats (but the ball has remained unchanged over the years), field restrictions and everything else - the batsmen are still not able to strike it rich in this year's edition so far!
Just one century in 34 games!
#Brendon McCullum is the only one to get to the three figure mark this year with a stunning 100 for 56 deliveries against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit has come close with 98 but other than that there havent been huge individual scores from batsmen.
Goes to show, its not about the rules or advantages, its about skill and applying it to score runs!
Edges are flying for sixes, mishits are clearing ropes easily, defensive shots are screaming to the fence and short boundaries making life easy for batsmen.. Yet .. just one century.
Why?
Is the level of batsmanship and skill going down overall?
Are bowlers doing better than expected?
Too much pressure on batsmen to perform given their advantages?
Just feel, the overall skills are dropping and cricketers making entry to international sides, especially in test cricket, via IPL will struggle big time. There will be odd exceptions but generally the level of batting is going down. Sad but true!
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