Needing 37 runs in two overs is not an insurmountable task in this year’s IPL. The field is not big enough and the pitch is flat, the bowlers are often helpless in their last moments. So when Rashid Khan, with the help of Sai Kishore, starts using his helicopter, the inexperienced Rasik Salam is up to the challenge. Tristan Stubbs made a special flying stop to prevent a certain six-point over, keeping it at one, which proved decisive in the final analysis. Sai got out after hitting a couple of sixes and Rashid hit two fours and a six in the last over bowled by Mukesh Kumar to take the need to five for one. But this time the Afghan maverick is lacking.
Capture the Titans
The untimely tension plunged violently into the grass. Square leg back fielder Noor Ahmed looked a bit slow to react. But just before the ball grazed the dewy grass, the fingers of Noor’s right palm (his weak hand) scooped it up. His technique is impeccable, he glides with his knees, body fully behind the ball, no head movement, minimal follow through. He couldn’t quite move forward, which gave him no control. Hitting his elbow on the ground can cause the ball to slip out of his hands. He was equally steady when coming under Jack Fraser-McGurk’s skier. The ball seemed lost in the sky, the boundary was just around the corner and the roar of the home fans was refreshing. But Herat’s 19-year-old enigmatic spinner kept his wits about him and caught the ball with a counter-cup trick.
Poverty at the top
Akshar Patel and Shai Hope are not the kind of players who regularly get knocked out by the bowling attack. They found themselves in the middle of the power play at the same time, which showed their lack of hitting talent. The Delhi Capitals have yet to ignite the IPL under David Warner’s absence. Prithvi Shaw and rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk showed positive intent from the start, but the approach was not without risk. Once they fell on the sword, then hope, it was a familiar story for the Capitals, who ended the Powerplay at 44/3 with an unbeaten 34 after three overs. They had a few games with debutant Abhishek Porel at No. 3 but the youngster was pushed in this game due to the plight of the batting order. This points to a lack of clarity and confidence in the struggling campaign.
The trousers are tailored to the rhythm of the Wild West
What you notice is a sharp, springy rotation of the wrist. In the next brush with reality, you realize the ball has hit the fence pad. Unless your eyes are really quick, you won’t notice the blinding bat speed. Pantsuit tailoring is a wicked aesthetic. He doesn’t really flinch, but arches his body, steps forward a bit on his hind legs, and shoots like a thunderbolt. It’s a really bad, bad shot, reminiscent of the Caribbean speedboats of yesteryear. It’s not just a slash, a slash from an ax or an antique double barrel gun shot from a Wild West movie. You can feel the dreamy rhythm of Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western score in the background or the cowboy hat on the helmet. It was also a stroke that informed Pant’s mood, and when he started playing those cuts, it was a clear sign of an impending attack.
Rashid is steady and unyielding
Looking at the general treatment of bowlers in this IPL, the figure of 0/35 is not too bad. But when your name is Rashid Khan, you have a high standard of living. Bowling to Rishabh Pant and Akshar Patel might not be the most advantageous matchup for the Afghanistan leg-spinner, but it is the most consistent matchup in franchise cricket. He had at least one boundary in each of his four overs, but still, there was some comeback in the second half of his spell. After conceding 22 goals in his first two rounds, he conceded just 13 goals in his next two rounds. After hitting six boundaries and two boundaries in his first 12 balls, he hit just two boundaries in his last 12 balls, one of which ended his spell. Aqsa was the more aggressive of the two southpaws against Rashid, as all but one of his four hits fell on his sword.
There was an error at the scene
In this IPL, when the ball is in the air and there is a fielder somewhere under it, chances are not guaranteed. There was one great possession and a couple of good possessions in the first game, which wasn’t something invisible that was granted. Akshar Patel, known to be a safe fielder, had Shubman Gill caught at the edge of the circle at mid off but Sai Sudharsan provided a more comfortable chance soon after. It looked like the fielder was celebrating even before the catch, simple as that. This takes Aksa’s attention off the ball and despite two or three more attempts at landing, she can’t do the job. Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant’s mood did not improve as Henrich Nortze at third man turned a single into a boundary soon after a routine stoppage.
Tags: caught eye Headtohead comparisons Pants heroics tough runs close finish
