After two days of gap due to vote counting of Indian assembly, IPL resumed with a Super Sunday that has a double header. In the first match CSK hosted RCB at forced adopted home, Ranchi while in the other match Sunrisers hosted KKR. Both the matches saw hosts scoring low and then the visitors winning the match in the last over as both winning teams needed 10 runs in the last over with plenty of wickets at hand. Sunrisers tried to mend its ways by finally making Sammy the captain, but then the fielding and batting did not improve much, while Dhoni surprised all by a decision that made many question if he can play similar gamble in knockout matches!!
IPL 2014 Schedule and Results
Points Table
Players of the Matches: AB de Villiers and Umesh Yadav
In the two low scoring matches where the bowlers of all the four teams were the stars of the innings. Still, AB de Villiers 14-ball 28 runs wwith 3 6s and a four was recognised as the best match winning performance of RCB vs CSK match. Even AB was left surprised by the decision.
On the other hand, Umesh Yadav with 3/26 deservingly earned the Player of the Match award for KKR as his team rocked the hosts SRH.
RCB def CSK by 5 wickets
At Ranchi, Dhoni elected to bat first. His star openers Dwayn Smith (15-ball 9 runs) and Brendum McCullum (13-ball 19 runs) were back to pavillion by 4.4 overs and the score was 29/2. Raina at three played another memorable innings remaining unbeaten with 48-ball 62 runs. But David Hussey (29-ball 25 runs), Dhoni (7 runs) and Jadeja (unbeaten 9-ball 10 runs) struggled and CSK scored 138/4.
Abu Nechim (1/18) was their best bowler, while Starc (0/23) was again economical. Muralitharan (1/29), Chahal (0/27) were moderate. Aaron (2/29 in 3 overs) was most successful and expensive too.
RCBs fiery line up appeared to have lost the game as first they scored 17/1, IPLs third lowest total in first 6 overs of an inning. And then despite chasing the low total RCB needed 94 runs in the last 10 overs. Parthiv (14-ball 10 runs), Gayle (50-balll 46 runs with 3 4s 3 6s), , Kohli (29-ball 27 runs) were kept in control by CSK spinners. After that the in-form batsmen AB de Villiers (14-ball 28 runs) and Yuvraj Singh (9-ball 13 runs) broke the shackles and RCB won by 5 wickets.
For CSK 3 of the 6 bowllers had economy of 5 or below. Ashwin (2/16 with a maiden) was most successful. Badree (0/15 in 3 overs) and Raina (0/20) put RCB on backfoot. Jadeja (1/31) and David Hussey (2/38) went for runs. With only Mohit Sharma (0/13) being used as pacer and Iswar Pandey not being given a single over to bowl, Dhoni wanted to choke RCB further with spinners. But use of David Hussey (2/38 in 2.5 overs) in the last over when RCB needed only 10 runs was a gamble that baffled everyone, and helped RCB live another day as they won one of their overall must-win games.
KKR def SRH by 7 wickets
KKR and SRH are competing for semifinal spot and today KKR proved why they have the best chance in comparison to SRH or even RCB. Their bowlers first did not let the home team batsmen to flourish restricting them only to 142/8 with Umesh Yadav (3/26) doing the maximum damage while Narine being the most economical with 1/21. Even Shakib damaged SRH hope with 2/22. Chawla was economical too with 1/24. Morne Morkel was the only expensive bowler with 0/39.
For SRH Warner coming at No. 4 was the most successful scoring 18-ball 34 runs (3 4s and 2 6s). Even Irfan Pathan (unbeaten 19-ball 23 runs) helped SRH increase their score. But Dhawan (14-ball 19 runs) failed again.
In reply, KKR got a shock when Gambhir (10-ball 6 runs) was given out wrongly in 2nd over. But then Uthappa (33-balll 40 runs) had a 51 runs partnership with Manish Pandey (32-ball 35 runs). Yusuf Pathan finally got back to form scoring unbeaten 28-ball 35 runs with 2 6s and 2 4s, and Doeschate (unbeaten 15-ball 25 runs 2 4s and a six) showed why he should be KKRs first choice, took KKR to easy win although they needed to score 10 runs in the last over bowled by Bhuvneswar Kumar.
For SRH, Karn Sharma (1/19) was again the best bowler, while Steyn had a decent outing with 1/24. But Amit Mishra was again unsuccessful with 0/38 and B Kumar had his worst spell of 0/37 in 3.4 overs.
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