Indian Premier League
Kohli to step down from Bangalore captaincy after IPL season
Virat Kohli will step down as captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of this season's Indian Premier League.
Kohli had already announced he will relinquish the captaincy of India in the Twenty20 format after the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.
“(I’ve) spoken to the squad this evening, before the second leg of the tournament starts, to inform everyone that this is going to be my last leg in the IPL as captain of our city,” Kohli said in a video message posted on RCB’s Twitter account on Sunday.
Also read: Virat Kohli to step down as India's T20 skipper
“(This was) something that was on my mind for a while … to manage my workload which has been immense over the last so many years. I want to continue to be committed to the responsibilities that I’m fulfilling, and I felt I needed the space to refresh, to regroup and be absolutely clear in how I want to move forward.”
Kohli has led Bangalore since 2013 but has not yet won the world's most lucrative T20 league. Kohli said he will continue with Bangalore as a player.
“I’ve made it clear to the management that, you know, I can’t think of me being in any other team than RCB,” he said. “That has been my commitment from Day 1 (and) I will continue to be RCB player till I play my last game in the IPL.”
Also read: IPL 2021: Those who are at the Top Before the Tournament Resume
Bangalore is currently third after winning five of its seven games in India before the IPL was suspended in May due to coronavirus. The league resumed in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday with Chennai Super Kings beating defending champions Mumbai Indians by 20 runs.
Bangalore plays Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.
Shakib prefers DPL over PSL
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan may miss the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for what he has been contracted with the Lahore Qalandars in the replacement draft recently.
The allrounder is reportedly more interested to take part in the Dhaka Premeir Divison Cricket League which is set to begin on May 31.
Mohammedan Sporting Club has bid to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to secure the service of Shakib.
Also read: BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
The allrounder missed the last season of the league, which was cancelled after only one round of the games, due to his ban.
Since he is a free player now, any team can bid to secure his service.
Tarikul Islam Tito, a Mohammedan official, has recently submitted a letter to the BCB saying that the allrounder is keen to take part in Dhaka League for them. Tarikul said to the Cricbuzz that the board is yet to say yes to them.
Also read: Shakib Al Hasan vs Mustafizur Rahman: Who is the most successful player in IPL?
“Instead of playing PSL, Shakib is interested to take part in Dhaka League for us. He was not a part of the league last season, and he is now a free player who can sign for any team. We have sown our interest to secure his service,” Tarikul told the media.
Shakib was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently-suspended Indian Premier League (IPL). He somewhat was out of form in this cash-rich event.
Along with Shakib, Bangladesh allrounder Mahmudullah Riyad and wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das were also contracted with two different PSL franchises. But like Shakib, these two are also uncertain for the remainder of PSL which may take place in early July.
Also read: Mahmudullah, Shakib and Liton set to feature in PSL
This year’s Dhaka League will be played in the T20 format, unlike the other seasons. Kazi Inam Ahmed, the chairman of the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM), has earlier said that due to the Covid-19 situation around the country, they like to host the league in a shorter period of time.
“As decided earlier it will be a T20 event. Considering the busy international schedule and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, we believe that T20 is the ideal format for the 2019-20 League,” he told in a statement early this month.
BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is trying to convince the government to relax the quarantine rules for Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, the board's CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said Saturday.
Shakib and Mustafiz returned home from India on Thursday, and are under a 14-day institutional quarantine in Dhaka.
Both players were playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended as some cricketers had tested positive for Covid-19.
Although the government's Covid protocol requires all the inbound passengers to go through a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, the general protocol is not supposed to apply to athletes, Nizamuddin said.
Also read: Shakib, Mustafizur return to Dhaka
"We are not expecting any special arrangement or privilege for Shakib and Mustafiz. The Covid protocol followed by our country is for general people. But it is different for the international players.
"The general protocol is for people who come to the country by passenger flight after receiving a Covid negative certificate, but Shakib and Mustafiz returned home in a chartered flight and maintained a tight protocol," the BCB CEO added.
He also said the board was working closely with the health authority to minimise the quarantine period of these two cricketers.
The BCB earlier urged the health authority to reduce the period of quarantine for them, but the Directorate General of Health Services declined the request.
Also read: 14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
The Tigers are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting May 23.
If the authority stays firm to not reduce the quarantine period of Shakib and Mustafiz, the players will have to stay in institutional quarantine till May 19. This means they will get only four days to practice ahead of the series.
The Tigers recently played a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and lost it 1-0.
Bangladesh's last ODI series was in New Zealand where they lost the series 3-0 to the hosts.
Shakib Al Hasan vs Mustafizur Rahman: Who is the most successful player in IPL?
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman are the two best cricketers in Bangladesh. Shakib has been one of the best all-rounders in the world over the past several years. In 2015, he became the first cricketer to top the ICC all-rounder rankings in all formats at the same time. On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman stunned the cricketing world in 2015 with impressive performances against Pakistan, India, and South Africa. These two cricketers are regular participants in IPL tournaments. This article analyzes the performances of Shakib and Mustafizur in the cash-rich franchise league to identify who is the most successful player in IPL?
Shakib and Mustafiz's IPL performances based on stats
Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman have been key players for their respective teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in recent years. Mustafizur made his IPL debut in 2016 for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Shakib made his debut in 2011 for Kolkata Knight Riders. Both players have also won IPL titles with their respective teams.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Key ODI Records
IPL Trophy
Shakib Al Hasan has won the IPL trophy twice in his 9-year career. Shakib won the IPL trophy with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2012 and 2014 seasons. Shakib was also a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad team that finished second in the Indian Premier League in 2018.
On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman won the title for Sunrisers Hyderabad in his first season, in 2016. He was a member of the Hyderabad franchise in the 2017 season as well. Mustafizur also played for the Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians in 2018 and the Rajasthan Royals in 2021.
Batting & Bowling Record
Shakib Al Hasan Batting Performance in IPL
Match
Runs
HS
Ave
SR
100
50
6s
66
784
66*
20.63
124.84
0
2
21
Shakib Al Hasan Bowling Performance in IPL
Match
Wkts
BBM
Ave
SR
Econ
5W
CT
66
61
3/17
28.40
22.75
7.49
0
12
Mustafizur Rahman Batting Performance in IPL
Match
Runs
HS
Ave
SR
100
50
6s
31
01
01
1.00
14.28
0
0
0
Mustafizur Rahman Bowling Performance in IPL
Match
Wkts
BBM
Ave
SR
Econ
5W
CT
31
32
3/16
28.40
22.15
7.69
0
04
Sources: https://www.iplt20.com/
Shakib Al Hasan had his best IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018. In 17 matches, he scored 239 runs at a strike rate of 121.31. Shakib also took 14 wickets at an economy rate of 8.
On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman had his best IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. The Fizz took 17 wickets with an average of 24.76 and a 6.90 economy rate.
When comparing the figures of the two players, it can be seen that Mustafizur Rahman's contribution in bowling is relatively better than Shakib's. On the other hand, Shakib has scored some runs with the bat since he is an all-rounder. But Shakib has not been as aggressive as a T20 batsman in the Indian Premier League.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2021: Bangladesh Team Report Card
Performance in the championship matches
Shakib Al Hasan was a crucial player for Kolkata in both the 2012 and 2014 finals. Kolkata reached the target with 3 balls to spare after chasing 200 runs in 2012 final against Kings XI Punjab. In that match, Shakib scored 12 runs off 7 balls. But it was his balling that thrived in the championship match. Shakib was the most economical (4 - 0 - 26 - 0) among the Kolkata bowlers.
Two years later, all-rounder Shakib played an important role once again in the final against Chennai in 2014. Batted first, Chennai scored 190 runs for the loss of three wickets. Shakib bowled three overs and took one wicket for 25 runs. Shakib contributed to Kolkata's victory by playing an unbeaten innings of 11 * off 7 balls after losing the wicket of Yusuf Pathan at the crucial moment.
On the other hand, in 2016, Sunrisers Hyderabad batted first and scored 208 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. In reply, Royal Challengers Bangalore only managed to score 200 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Mustafiz didn't bat in the final. He took the wicket of Shane Watson in his 4 overs spell and gave away 36 runs.
Read: BAN v SL ODI 2021: How Bangladesh Can Rank Top in ICC ODI Super League
Verdict
Shakib Al Hasan is believed to be ahead of Mustafizur Rahman in terms of having an impact on a team's success. Shakib has just two half-centuries and has yet to complete a thousand runs despite appearing in more than 50 IPL matches. He has also 61 wickets at an economy rate of 7.49. On the other hand, Mustafizur Rahman has appeared in five IPL tournaments and has taken 32 wickets in 31 matches with an economy rate of 7.69. Mustafizur was named the best emerging player in 2016 following a stellar season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. But Shakib should be regarded as the most successful player in IPL since he was outstanding for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018 and made an impact in both finals for Kolkata.
14-day quarantine must for Shakib, Mustafizur
Bangladesh cricket stars— Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman— are set to return home from India within 48 hours, and right after arriving in Dhaka, they will have to maintain a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a government-specified institute, confirmed the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The duo were playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was postponed on Tuesday after some players tested positive for Covid-19. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has earlier applied to DGHS to relax quarantine for these two, but DGHS said they have no choice but to maintain a quarantine period.
Currently, there is no flight operational between India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh authority has put international flights with India on hold aiming to avoid the risk of bringing Covid-19 infected people to Bangladesh.
Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the chief executive officer of BCB, has said Shakib and Mustafizur will have to return home with a special arrangement. He, however, didn’t specify what the special arrangement would be to bring them back home.
BCB is eager to ensure the service of these two in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka which will take place later in May. BCB has already announced a preliminary squad for this series which includes both Shakib and Mustafizur.
Bangladesh’s last international assignment was in Sri Lanka where they played two Tests. The first match of the series ended in a draw, the other game was won by the hosts by 209 runs.
Bangladesh returned home on Tuesday from Sri Lanka. After arriving in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s head coach Russell Domingo talked to the media. While talking about Shakib and Mustafizur, he said their inclusion is vital for Bangladesh to win the series against Sri Lanka at home.
“It’s good to have Shakib and Mustafizur back (in the team). The next series will be important as (World Cup) qualification points are up for grabs. We need to bounce back after a tough series in New Zealand,” Domingo told the media.
“It's good to be playing in the home conditions again. As I said, it's good to get experienced players like Shakib and Mustafiz back. We will be playing against a very dangerous side. So, we have to play really well to beat them,” Domingo added saying that the team will practice for three days before the Eid vacation.
Delhi, Mumbai record identical 7-wicket victories in IPL
Delhi Capitals and reigning champions Mumbai Indians notched identical seven-wicket victories in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
Delhi’s clinical win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Ahmedabad lifted it to 10 points to share lead at the top of the table with Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kolkata, after losing five of its seven games, is fifth with four points.
Mumbai pushed themselves into the top four with a resounding win over Rajasthan Royals at New Delhi. Mumbai, coming off two consecutive losses, is now fourth while struggling Rajasthan has dropped three of its past four games to sit seventh.
Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw’s six fours in the opening over of the run-chase helped Delhi cruise to 156-3 in 16.3 overs as the right-hander made a blistering 82 off 41 balls.
Kolkata’s batsmen continued to struggle before Andre Russell’s quickfire 45 off 27 balls lifted his team’s total to 154-6. Off-spinner Lalit Yadav dented Kolkata’s hopes when he dismissed captain Eoin Morgan and hard-hitting batsman Sunil Narine both without scoring in the 11th over and left-arm spinner Axar Patel also grabbed 2-32.
Shaw gave Delhi an electrifying start when he hit fast bowler Shivam Mavi for six boundaries in the first over. By the time Morgan turned towards the experience of Pat Cummins in the sixth over, Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan had piled 66 runs in five overs and had taken the game well under Delhi’s grasp.
Cummins picked up 3-24, but not before Shaw and Dhawan had raised a 132-run stand -- their second century stand in this season’s IPL.
Cummins also had Dhawan lbw off a low full toss and then dismissed Shaw and captain Rishabh Pant in his last over. Shaw hit 11 fours and three sixes before he spliced a catch at point while Pant holed out at long-on boundary while going for a winning boundary.
BUMRAH SHINES
Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (1-15) was brilliant, with both the new and old ball, to restrict Rajasthan at 171-4 after Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field at Delhi.
Chris Morris, Rajasthan’s multimillion-dollar signing, picked up 2-33, but Quinton de Kock (70 not out) was always in control to take Mumbai to 172-3 with nine balls to spare.
De Kock, who had struggled for runs in the first leg of the tournament in Chennai, finally found his batting form with a fine half century.
De Kock’s 15th half century in the IPL featured six fours and two sixes as the South African left-hander drove and pulled well against the fast bowlers.
“We needed that win badly after a couple of losses,” Sharma said. “We did everything right today, right from ball one … very happy with Quinny’s knock, we know how good he can be. Not to forget Krunal’s innings as well.”
Krunal Pandya (39) added 63 runs with de Kock for the third-wicket stand before he was bowled by Mustafizur Rahman in the 17th over. But de Kock sealed the game with two boundaries against the Bangladesh left-arm fast bowler in the penultimate over.
Earlier, Jos Buttler posted 41 runs off 32 balls and had given Rajasthan a platform, but Trent Boult clean bowled captain Sanju Samson (42) in the 18th over before Bumrah had Shivam Dube (35) caught off his own bowling off a low full toss.
“We were a few runs short, 20-25 short,” Samson said. “We built it up nicely and didn’t capitalize. I think they had a very decent bowling lineup … it’s just about our batters performing a little more and I’m sure we’ll do it.”
Kolkata suffers second defeat as Shakib disappoints
Kolkata Knight Riders suffered their second consecutive defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday against Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 38 runs.
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan had a bad day as well as he failed both while bowling and batting. He bowled two overs and ended up giving away 24 runs. While batting, he faced 25 balls and posted 26 runs with a four and a six.
Bengaluru won the toss and opted to bat first. They posted a big total of 204 for four wickets in 20 overs, with Glenn Maxwell scoring 78 off 49 balls with nine fours and three sixes while AB de Villiers posted an unbeaten 76 off 34 balls with nine fours and three sixes.
Also read: Shakib's KKR fail to close the deal against Mumbai
Virat Kohli, the captain of Bengaluru, was the first batsman to get dismissed scoring only five. With only nine runs on the board, Bengaluru lost their second wicket when Rajat Patidar fell prey to Varun Chakravarthy who bagged the first wicket as well.
In the third wicket stand, Devdutt Padikkal and Maxwell added 86 runs. Coming to bat at number five, de Villiers smashed a fierce innings of 76.
For Kolkata, Chakravarthy took two wickets while Pat Cummins and Prasidh Krishna took one wicket each.
Also read: Kolkata kicks off IPL with 10-run win despite Shakib’s lean show
In reply, Kolkata ended up on 166 for eight in 20 overs with Andre Russell scoring the highest runs of 31 for the team. Four of Kolkata's batsmen surpassed the 20-run mark including Shakib but failed to come up with a big innings to change the game.
For Bengaluru, Kyle Jamieson took three wickets conceding 41 runs while Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel bagged two wickets each.
Who will win the IPL 2021? The favorites, underdogs, and outsiders
The IPL of the 2021 season kicked off on April 9th. The final match of the IPL 2021 will be played on May 30 at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad after a month and a half of the competition. Mumbai Indians have won the last two editions of the IPL and they are again a strong contender for the title this year. However, other teams are determined to dethrone Mumbai and win the IPL but which team has more chance to win the trophy? In this article, we discussed who will win the IPL 2021? The favorites, underdogs, and outsiders.
Who are the favorites to win the IPL 2021?
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians are now the most confident team in the league after winning the previous two IPL tournaments.So they were not seen to be very active in this year’s IPL auction. Mumbai have complete trust in their IPL-winning squad in the search for a hat-trick title. There are a handful of match-winning players in the squad who can decide the outcome of a match on their own.
Top five players of Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma (captain, batsman), Kieron Pollard (all-rounder), Hardik Pandya (all-rounder), Trent Bolt (pacer), Jasprit Bumrah (pacer)
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders have not won an IPL tournament since 2014. So, Kolkata have put together a very strong team for the 2021 season in order to reclaim the title.After a three-year absence, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan is back in the Kolkata squad this season. The squad also has a number of spinners. As a result, Kolkata Knight Riders are the strongest spin-reliant team in this year's IPL. Ian Morgan-led Kolkata Knight Riders have a genuine chance to win the IPL 2021 if they can stay consistent in the final part of the season.
Top five players of Kolkata Knight Riders:
Ian Morgan (captain, batsman), Andre Russell (all-rounder), Shakib Al Hasan (all-rounder), Sunil Narine (all-rounder), Pat Cummins (pacer)
Read: BAN vs SL Cricket Test series 2021: Expected personal milestones to achieve
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Every year, Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore enter the IPL as a tournament favorite. However, they are yet to win an IPL tournament. As always, Bangalore have put together a formidable squad for the 14th edition of the IPL. Australia's Glenn Maxwell has been added to their squad for the 2021 IPL campaign. In addition, the squad contains a number of star cricketers. Let's see if team Bangalore can change its IPL fortune this time!
Top five players of Royal Challengers Bangalore:
ViratKohli (captain, batsman), Glenn Maxwell (all-rounder), AB de Villiers (batsman), Kyle Jamieson (pacer), YuzvendraChahal (spinner)
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Test Squad for Sri Lanka Series
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sunrisers Hyderabad haven't won the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2016. Sunrisers Hyderabad have been led by Australian David Warner for the past few years and they have consistently made it to the knockout stages of the tournament. Sunrisers have some great t20 format players. As a result, they are one of the favorites of this year's tournament like every time.
Top five players of Royal Challengers Hyderabad:
David Warner (captain, batsman), Rashid Khan (spinner), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (pacer), Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Kane Williamson (batsman)
Who are the underdogs to win the IPL 2021?
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings have always been considered a favorite, but they are labeled underdogs this season. Dhoni's team has a number of world-class cricketers, but most of them are over 30 years old. With such a team, the odds of winning the IPL are slightly lower than with other teams. So it would not be right to expect much from team Chennai this time.
Top five players of Chennai Super Kings:
MS Dhoni (captain, wicket-keeper), Faf du Plessis (batsman), Suresh Raina (batsman), Moeen Ali (all-rounder), Sam Curran (all-rounder)
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: Five Things Bangladesh Cricket Team Must Do To win the Test Series in Sri Lanka
Delhi Capitals
Many people are betting on Delhi Capitals to win the 14th edition of the IPL since they were runner-up in the previous edition. While Delhi have some talented players, their lack of experience may lead them to fall behind other teams. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will take over as captain in place of the injured ShreyasIyer. It will be interesting to see how far Delhi will go under his leadership.
Top five players of Delhi Capitals:
Rishabh Pant (captain, wicket-keeper), ShikharDhawan (batsman), Marcus Stoinis (all-rounder), Tom Curran (all-rounder), Steve Smith (batsman)
Who are the outsiders to win the IPL 2021?
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals have a number of outstanding T20 cricketers, among them is South African all-rounder Chris Morris. He was the most expensive player in the 2021 IPL auction. Rajasthan paid $ 2.3 million for Morris at auction. Rajasthan is predicted to do well in this year's IPL under the leadership of CaptainSanju Samson. However, they are currently regarded as one of the outsiders to win the trophy.
Top five players of Rajasthan Royals:
Sanju Samson (captain, batsman), Chris Morris (all-rounder), Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Ben Stokes (all-rounder), Mustafizur Rahman (pacer)
Read: T20 World Cup 2021: Five Things the Bangladesh Team Needs To Address Before the World T20 2021
Punjab Kings
PreityZinta's team will compete in the IPL 14 under the new name Punjab Kings this year. Although the squad has some talented players, it is not particularly strong in comparison to other teams. As a result, dreaming of winning the championship right now would be wrong. Punjab will have to maintain continuity at the league level in order to secure a spot in the top four of the points table.
Top five players of Punjab Kings:
KL Rahul (captain, wicket-keeper), Riley Meredith (pacer), Jhye Richardson (all-rounder), Chris Gayle (batsman), Mohammad Shami (pacer)
Verdict
We have analyzed the strengths of the teams to identify who will win the IPL 2021? And also to find out the favorites, underdogs, and outsiders of the tournament. After assessing each team's strengths, it is apparent that the Mumbai Indians are once again the hot favorite. In addition, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad all have an equal chance of winning the IPL in 2021. However, teams in good form at the end of the tournament would have a great chance of winning the trophy. Overall, we expect the tournament's best team will win the trophy.
Read: How to Become a Cricketer in Bangladesh: An Overall Guideline
Rajasthan taste first win with much-improved bowling performance
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman took 2/29 as his team Rajasthan Royals bounced back with a much-improved bowling performance to score their first points in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Thursday.
Chris Morris hit an 18-ball 36 with four sixes to lead the team to a three-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
In their first outing, Mustafiz returned unflattering figures of 0/45 off 4 overs, as Rajasthan's bowlers were flayed around the park as KL Rahul's Punjab Kings piled on 221/6 off their allotted overs. Rajasthan ended up losing a high-scoring thriller by just 4 runs.
In Thursday's game, Rajasthan won the toss and opted to bowl first again.
As part of a new gameplan that clearly seemed to work better, Mustafiz didn't take the new ball, instead coming on to bowl right after the Powerplay. By then, Delhi were already rattled, having fallen to 3/36 as Jaydev Unadkat, introduced into the team today as a third left-arm seamer, ran through the Delhi top order with the new ball. He finished with immaculate figures of 3/15 off 4 overs.
Mustafiz too had an immediate impact, taking a wicket in his first over - Australian Andrew Stoinis all at sea against an old special, the off cutter, looping an easy catch to mid-off. His second scalp would come at the death, with Englishman Tom Curran playing all over another delivery that seemed to take forever to arrive, beating everything but the stumps.
Delhi were restricted to a sub-par 147/8 off their 20 overs. In a remarkable turnaround from the game against Punjab, no Rajasthan bowler conceded a single 6.
In reply however, Rajasthan lost four wickets for just 36 runs, and looked set to make a meal of the relatively small chase. Chris Woakes removed the openers – Jos Buttler and Manan Vohra – in three balls of the third over. Number five batsman David Miller smashed a 43-ball 62 with seven fours and two sixes to keep the dream alive for Rajasthan.
In the last three overs, Rajasthan needed to score 34 runs to seal the game. Tom Curran conceded only seven runs off the 18th over, and Rajasthan needed 27 off the last two overs. That was the cue for Chris Morris to now step up to the plate, which he did with aplomb, facing the next 10 balls and hitting 4 of them for 6.
Kagiso Rabada gave away 15 runs in the 19th over as Morris hit two big sixes.
In the last over, Curran failed to defend 12 runs as Morris hit two more sixes to seal the game with two balls to play.
It was a win set up by the bowlers however, and Unakat deservingly got the man of the match award.
Shakib's KKR fail to close the deal against Mumbai
Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan bowled well for Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday when they took on Mumbai Indians in their second game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. KKR, however, lost the game due to careless batting during the last five overs of the game- and there Shakib must share in the blame. Some might say he even started it.
KKR won the toss and opted to bowl first against Mumbai who lost the first game of the season to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. KKR, on the other hand, came to his game with a win in their first game to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Andre Russell bagged five wickets for KKR conceding only 15 runs in two overs, and thus, he was the best bowler of his team while Shakib bagged one wicket conceding only 23 runs in four overs. Shakib’s economy was 5.75, the lowest for KKR’s bowlers who have bowled all four overs in this game.
For Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav hit 56 off 36 before Shakib sent him back while Rohit Sharma posted 43 off 32 balls. Mumbai scored 152 for all wickets in 20 overs.
Also read: Kolkata kicks off IPL with 10-run win despite Shakib’s lean show
In reply, Nitish Rana and Shubham Gill posted 72 runs in the first wicket stand, and it looked like KKR will have an easy win. But the failure of the other batsmen made it tough for them.
Rahul Chahar bagged the first four wickets of Kolkata conceding 27 runs in four overs. Shakib got a promotion in the batting order, coming to bat at number five. But the left-hander failed to exploit the chance as he fell for 9 off 9 deliveries.
In the last five overs, KKR needed 30 runs with six wickets, including Shakib, Russell and Dinesh Karthik, in hand, but they failed to do it.
They lost Shakib during the 16th over while in the last over when KKR needed to score 15 to seal the game, Trent Boult removed Andre Russell, 9 off 15 balls, and Pat Cummins off two consecutive deliveries. Karthik remained unbeaten at 8 off 11 balls.
And eventually, KKR tumbled for 142 for seven in 20 overs and lost the game by 10 runs.