The IPL 2019 is in full swing if you’ve noticed. There is much that has changed, some that remains the same. The gap between the leaders and the trailers appears to have narrowed somewhat as a result of recent matches and we will hopefully go into more keenly contested matches in the knockout stages.
Chennai Super Kings cling tenaciously to their lead with 16 points; 8 wins and 4 losses. Royal Challengers continue to languish at the bottom though they are looking a bit more respectable with 4 wins.
The Rajasthan Royals team appears to be having it out with RCB for the honours!
Now at this stage of the competition, the teams are worried not just about their own performance but also that of the other teams.
Everyone is watching run rates and other match stats closely – captains, coaches, the fans; especially fans!
RR made 191 and DC overhauled their total with 6 wickets and 4 balls to spare. It was Rishabh Pant’s knock that sealed the deal for this team. This match also dethroned CSK from their peak position briefly.
Sun Risers Hyderabad made a respectable total of 175 but CSK got there with just one ball to spare. While Manish Pandey gave SRH a great start, the team ultimately did not have enough runs to defend.
It was Shane Watson's 96 off 53 and then a level headed Kedar Jadhav who steered CSK to victory.
RCB made a fighting total of 202 which proved too much for Kings XI Punjab, who collapsed to their second defeat in a row; falling short by 17 runs.
After facing a lot of flack he got grudging admiration from fans for his last over. KXIP needed 27 in the last over. Ashwin hit a six off the first ball but Yadav got him out in the next ball. He also claimed the wicket of Hardus Viljoen to dash all remaining hopes.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ 175 was not a good enough total to deter RR on the day, who overhauled the total with three wickets and 4 balls to spare.
It was the clash of the table toppers and a relatively low-scoring and surprisingly one sided match. Mumbai Indians set an unthreatening looking total of 155 but CSK collapsed in very uncharacteristic fashion for just 109 runs, losing all their wickets by the 18th over.
Obviously everyone blamed stand-in skipper Suresh Raina. Dhoni’s shoes are rather too big to fill, it would seem.
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