Maxwell, Chahal shine as RCB seal play-offs berth
MUMBAI: Punjab Kings have become known for choking under pressure in recent years but on a hot Sharjah afternoon, it wasn’t just the asking rate pressure that derailed their run-chase in a six-run loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore. A poor effort in their second batting half on yet another challenging surface combined with Yuzvendra Chahal’s (3-29) class all but shut down PK’S chances of making the playoffs. RCB with their third win in the UAE leg of 2021 IPL became the third side to qualify for the playoffs.
Their attacking approach in the powerplay and yet another exemplary innings from Glenn Maxwell (57—33b, 3x4, 4x6) were the foundation of their 164 batting first. Everything else in the middle overs was a bit of a struggle. But riding your form and striking before the pitch goes slow have been the key to scoring at Sharjah. And RCB managed that well.
The best time to bat on the sluggish Sharjah surface has been against the new ball with the field restrictions. Punjab bowlers missed their radar and RCB openers took full toll of that, accumulating a crucial 55 runs in the first six overs. The only time RCB looked in trouble was in the fourth over bowled by Ravi Bishnoi. The leg-spinner should have got Virat Kohli stumped off the first ball. Unfortunately for the young bowler, skipper KL Rahul couldn’t match up to his tricks, failing to collect one down the leg.
Devdutt Padikkal was at sea against Bishnoi’s googlies and should have been given caught behind on 35 in the 8th over but the third umpire’s howler saw a clear spike off the gloves missed. Soon after the field opened up, PK bowlers tightened the screws as the pitch began to show its true colours. Punjab’s luck changed when Moises Henriques was introduced. He began by first getting past Kohli’s (25) defences with a full-length pace-off delivery. He got Dan Christian off the next ball and Padikkal in the next over by employing a simple template for success at Sharjah—lack of pace on a good length. RCB were reduced to 73/3 after 12 overs with big-hitters Glenn Maxwell and AB De Villiers at the crease.
Maxwell has been RCB’S main man this season, striking the most sixes in the middle overs. That would be gold on this surface and the Australian was up to the task. He began chancing his arms against the spinners, unsettling Bishnoi by using switch hits. As he got on top of the slower bowlers, his strike rate had soared to 175 by the time he raced to 50 in the 18th over. While it was carnage at his end, every other batter was going at around run-a-ball. Mohammad Shami did get three wickets in the final over, but his lack of celebration was a giveaway that Punjab were unhappy they had conceded 71 runs in the final six overs.
Taking a cue from RCB’S batting plans, Punjab went firing in the first six. Without taking undue risks, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were able to post 49, with three sixes. PK were coasting at 81/0 at halfway stage, but their over-reliance on the openers has proved their Achilles’ heel. Rahul got out in the 11th over to Shabaz Ahmed and Agarwal to a tossed up Chahal leg-break in the 16th. Chahal had already removed Nicolas Pooran and getting Sarfaraz Khan after Agrawal sent another reminder to the national selectors before the deadline to revise the T20 World Cup squads. Big hitter Shahrukh Khan managed a couple of lusty blows towards the end, but PK could never find the momentum needed to close down the run-chase. Brief scores: RCB 164/7 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 57, Devdutt Padikkal 40, Moises Henriques 3/12, Mohammed Shami 3/39). PK 158/6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 39, Mayank Agarwal 57).