If T20 is considered too fast, then a match like this, reduced to 10 overs per side, must seem like an extended Super Over. In a tie as short as this, narratives and flashpoints are difficult to identify but at the end of the day, the story of Saturday’s game revolved around two innings of 45 – the first one from Andre Russell of Kolkata Knight Riders, and the second from Mandeep Singh of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Mandeep Singh took a ball more than Russell for his 45, but unfortunately for Russell and KKR, he remained not out to give Bangalore a thrilling win to continue a run of great form.
Rampaging Russell
Considering the rain and thunderstorm around Chinnaswamy, it was an event by itself for the match to start but once it did, KKR’s new star from the West Indies took over.
In a 10-over game, you have to come out swinging, come what may. With Bangalore’s incredible batting line-up, KKR needed to score at a minimum of 10 runs per over. Gambhir and Uthappa started off decently, but not spectacularly. When Gambhir fell, the score read 33 in only 3.5 overs. A good start, but it needed fireworks.
Like he’s made it a habit nowadays, Russell came in and exploded after playing out his first three or four balls. No Bangalore bowler was spared – Aaron was hit for 13 in an over, Chahal for 8 and Wiese for 10. Within no time, Russell was on 40.
Looking back, Russell’s run out, inspired by a sharp piece of keeping from Karthik, proved to be the difference. With Russell out in the penultimate over, KKR managed to score only 7 in the final over. 111 seemed tough, but with the kind of batting RCB possessed, would it be enough?
Finisher Mandeep
Not Gayle, not Kohli. Not even the great ABD. It was a 23-year-old from Jalandhar who held together Bangalore’s chase. Mandeep Singh was adjudged the Rising Star in IPL 2012. It finally looks like he’s delivering on all that potential.
ABD had a rare off day, but both Gayle and Kohli played their parts in the chase. Gayle started it off, racing off the blocks with 21 off 9 balls before being dismissed by Hogg. Kohli, on the other hand, played a decisive knock. His 34 off just 20 balls was crucial in the context of a 10-over chase and kept RCB in the hunt.
Mandeep Singh is a power horse. He knew he had no time to waste and slogged Hogg for a six right after he came in. After Kohli’s dismissal, he quickly assumed responsibility. The required run rate was increasing but Mandeep kept his head.
The 9th over. 26 required off 12. Umesh Yadav gave away only 5 runs in the first four balls. The equation had come down to 19 off 8. Would the youngster start panicking?
No way. That’s not how young Indian players play nowadays. Mandeep first showed incredible presence of mind to scoop Yadav over fine leg for a boundary. The next ball, Mandeep swung and luck rewarded him – a thick edge resulting in a boundary to third man.
Not to be outdone, he did it again in the final over and this time went two better, hitting two magnificent sixes to seal the deal for Bangalore. With 9 required off 4 balls, Russell delivered a full delivery outside leg. Mandeep got low and somehow slashed it over point for the definitive six which decided the game. The next delivery, he settled it once and for all, pulling a short ball over deep square leg to seal it for Bangalore.
The fans at the Chinnaswamy were a delighted lot. They had braved the rain and had been rewarded by RCB’s first home win of the season. After a horror start, RCB have been ticking all the boxes and are on an incredible run of form. Which team are they going to take down now?
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Mandeep Singh took a ball more than Russell for his 45, but unfortunately for Russell and KKR, he remained not out to give Bangalore a thrilling win to continue a run of great form.
Rampaging Russell
Considering the rain and thunderstorm around Chinnaswamy, it was an event by itself for the match to start but once it did, KKR’s new star from the West Indies took over.
In a 10-over game, you have to come out swinging, come what may. With Bangalore’s incredible batting line-up, KKR needed to score at a minimum of 10 runs per over. Gambhir and Uthappa started off decently, but not spectacularly. When Gambhir fell, the score read 33 in only 3.5 overs. A good start, but it needed fireworks.
Like he’s made it a habit nowadays, Russell came in and exploded after playing out his first three or four balls. No Bangalore bowler was spared – Aaron was hit for 13 in an over, Chahal for 8 and Wiese for 10. Within no time, Russell was on 40.
Looking back, Russell’s run out, inspired by a sharp piece of keeping from Karthik, proved to be the difference. With Russell out in the penultimate over, KKR managed to score only 7 in the final over. 111 seemed tough, but with the kind of batting RCB possessed, would it be enough?
Finisher Mandeep
Not Gayle, not Kohli. Not even the great ABD. It was a 23-year-old from Jalandhar who held together Bangalore’s chase. Mandeep Singh was adjudged the Rising Star in IPL 2012. It finally looks like he’s delivering on all that potential.
ABD had a rare off day, but both Gayle and Kohli played their parts in the chase. Gayle started it off, racing off the blocks with 21 off 9 balls before being dismissed by Hogg. Kohli, on the other hand, played a decisive knock. His 34 off just 20 balls was crucial in the context of a 10-over chase and kept RCB in the hunt.
Mandeep Singh is a power horse. He knew he had no time to waste and slogged Hogg for a six right after he came in. After Kohli’s dismissal, he quickly assumed responsibility. The required run rate was increasing but Mandeep kept his head.
The 9th over. 26 required off 12. Umesh Yadav gave away only 5 runs in the first four balls. The equation had come down to 19 off 8. Would the youngster start panicking?
No way. That’s not how young Indian players play nowadays. Mandeep first showed incredible presence of mind to scoop Yadav over fine leg for a boundary. The next ball, Mandeep swung and luck rewarded him – a thick edge resulting in a boundary to third man.
Not to be outdone, he did it again in the final over and this time went two better, hitting two magnificent sixes to seal the deal for Bangalore. With 9 required off 4 balls, Russell delivered a full delivery outside leg. Mandeep got low and somehow slashed it over point for the definitive six which decided the game. The next delivery, he settled it once and for all, pulling a short ball over deep square leg to seal it for Bangalore.
The fans at the Chinnaswamy were a delighted lot. They had braved the rain and had been rewarded by RCB’s first home win of the season. After a horror start, RCB have been ticking all the boxes and are on an incredible run of form. Which team are they going to take down now?
