IPL: A Super Super Sunday

BY Karan Puri

Oct 22, 2020

New Delhi: It was a Super Super over Sunday as Ravi Shastri exclaims in his tweet. This IPL has given us something to cheer about in the year 2020 and cricket fans all over the world have got something to look forward to every day.

Starting on 19th September, The Dream 11 IPL Season has had its share of close matches. The teams that have impressed and are at the top of the table till now has been the Delhi Capitals.

On Sunday, we were witness to two superb close matches that went to the wire and eventually were decided in the super overs. Both the matches had some classic performances from number of players. The main highlight was that it was a team effort and both teams gave it their best. We were witness to some superb batting, bowling and fielding displays and there were moments of magic too.

The first match was a close encounter where Kolkatta Knight Riders edged past Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was completely a special day for fast and furious Lockie Ferguson who produced one of the most incredible bowling performances of this IPL edition to lead KKR to a thrilling Super Over win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. He was a storehouse of variation with his dismissals of David Warner and Abdul Samad.

And then the evening had a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, the latter being at the bottom of the table. They had suffered a string of heartbreaking defeats earlier in the season and were hoping the tide would turn in their favour against the table toppers and ruthless Mumbai Indians. But the Punjab team under the leadership of KL Rahul showed nerves of steel as they defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians that was decided via a second Super Over for the first time in the history of the tournament on Sunday.

There were few bloopers by both captains Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul that led to the match being a tie. At the start of the super over, KL Rahul did not send the regular openers and nearly lost the match. The highlight was Bumrah who bowled a superb super over yet again. He has always been the go to bowler for Sharma.

But then the senior team bowler Mohammad Shami saved the match by bowling a superb spell in the first super over. In the second super over, Mumbai Indians player Kieron Pollard helped MI score 11 for one in the second Super Over bowled by Chris Jordan. On the last ball, there was a moment of magic when Mayank Agarwal jumped in the air and saved an eminent six by catching the ball and releasing it in one motion. He falls over the ropes but prevents the Mumbai team from getting 15 runs in the over and they score just 11.

For Kings XI, Chris Gayle then hit the first ball bowled by Trent Boult for a six, who was a surprise choice by captain Rohit Sharma as he had gone for more than 40 runs in his four over spell earlier. The ball went for a six before Mayank Agarwal cracked successive fours as KXIP notched up an incredible win to keep their IPL play-off hopes alive.

We had a surprise at the end of the game as Rohit sharma sent in deputy Kieron Pollard at the post match conference owing to being unwell. I am sure he must have been really disappointed with the loss.
“Obviously there are decision-makers to make the decision, you know we can look at those things and say that’s where we lost the game but we played a very good game of cricket. We batted well and getting to 170 odd and bringing the game to the last over,” said Pollard.

The games on Sunday was a testament to the true nature of T20 cricket. Two edge of the seat thrillers and what was heartening to see was that young Indian talent is flourishing and getting such a big platform to showcase their skills. The IPL 2020 year is enticing. It is fast, relentless, unpredictable, and exhilarating.

–INDIA NEWS STREAM