Play-off spot up for grabs
FOUR TEAMS IN FIGHT FOR REMAINING SLOT AS IPL LEAGUE STAGE NEARS END
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore are through to the play-offs, and the tussle is now for the fourth spot as the league stage of IPL 2021 in the UAE draws to a close.
Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (match 40):
Opting to bat first Rajasthan, riding on skipper Sanju Samson’s 57-ball 82, put up 164 for 5, but didn’t had the bowling firepower to defend it as Jason Roy and Kane Williamson, with scores of 60 and 51 not out, respectively, won the match for Hyderabad with nine balls remaining.
Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (match 41):
On a tricky two-paced Sharjah track, Sunil Narine won the match for Kolkata with an all-round performance. After Delhi was asked to bat, Narine bowled a brilliant spell of 2 for 18 to restrict them to 127 for 9. The chase was stopstart for Kolkata, but Narine took the pressure off by scoring a quick 21 off 10 balls. There were still tense moments when Narine fell but Nitish Rana helped Kolkata win with 10 balls to spare.
Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians (match 42):
Punjab this season have lost too many key moments and this match was no different as they only managed 135 for 6. They were in control of defending the total until in the 17th to 19th overs, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard turned it around to made it an easy sixwicket win for Mumbai.
Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (match 43):
Rajasthan were looking at a big total when they were 100 for 1 in 11 overs on the back of Evin Lewis’s quickfire fifty. But his dismissal triggered a collapse, with Rajasthan only reaching 149 for 9. Bangalore chased it down easily in 17.1 overs, with Glenn Maxwell scoring an unbeaten fifty.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings (match 44):
Chennai stormed into the playoffs with a crushing six-wicket win over Hyderabad, who were eliminated after their ninth loss in the season. Put in to bat, Hyderabad scored 134 for 7, but Chennai’s opening pair made the run chase easy with a 75-run stand, as Dhoni’s team reached home with two balls to spare.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings (match 45):
Skipper KL Rahul led from the front as Punjab kept their play-off hopes alive with a five-wicket win over Kolkata. Venkatesh Iyer scored 67 as Kolkata reached 165 for 7, but Punjab openers Rahul and Mayank Agarwal ensured a solid start with scores of 67 and 40 as Punjab chased down the total with three balls to spare.
Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals (match 46):
Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin did well to take Delhi over the line in a tricky chase against Mumbai. Avesh Khan and Axar Patel took three wickets each to restrict Mumbai to 129 for 8. But during the run chase they almost got into a tangle before Iyer and Ashwin sealed the win for Delhi.
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (match 47):
Ruturaj Gaikwad hit his maiden IPL hundred to power Chennai to 189 for 4. But Rajasthan were up to the task, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a 21-ball 50 along with Lewis, who hit 27 off 12. Then Shivam Dube with his unbeaten 42-ball 64 aced the chase.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs
Punjab Kings (match 48): Bangalore became the third team to book a play-off berth with a sixrun win over Punjab. Devdutt Padikkal scored 40 and Maxwell 57 as Bangalore put up 164 for 7 on the board. But none of Punjab’s middle-order batters clicked as Yuzvendra Chahal picked three wickets to restrict Punjab to 158 for 6.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders (match 49):
Tim Southee, Shivam Mavi and Varun Chakravarthy picked two wickets each to restrict already eliminated Hyderabad to 115 for 8. Shubman Gill scored 57 and Rana 25 as Kolkata overhauled the total in 19.4 overs.
Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (match 50): After being put in to bat, Chennai reached a decent total of 136 for 5 thanks to Ambati Rayudu’s 55. Delhi almost fluffed the chase but Shimron Hetmyer came to their rescue with an unbeaten 28 and Kagiso Rabada hit a boundary for the winning runs.