What exciting matches in IPL 2023 with three final ball thrillers in the last three days!
On Easter Monday, Rinku Singh of Kolkata Knight Riders became the hero of the IPL match against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad by skying five sixes in the final over to convert a certain defeat into a splendid win.
It aroused in me the nostalgic memory of the legendary West Indian Garry Sobers hitting six sixes in six balls way back in 1968. Playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at Swansea, Sobers had lifted Malcolm Nash for six sixes in an over. It was the first such occurrence in first-class cricket.
Now back to IPL 2023; the thriller between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at Delhi last night [11th April]. Sent into bat, DC was bowled out for 172 in 19.4 overs. Their skipper and opener David Warner hit 51 runs with 6 fours, warmly applauded by the home crowd.
Coming in at number 7, tall Axar Patel kept the spectators delighted by smashing 54 runs off only 25 balls, enriched with 4 fours and 5 sixes. Left-arm fast-medium Jason Behrendroff took 3 for 23 and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla grabbed 3 for 22.
MI started their reply confidently with skipper opener Rohit Sharma (65 runs off only 45 deliveries hitting 6 fours and 4 sixes) adding 71 runs off 7.3 overs for the first wicket with young and talented Ishan Kishan (31 runs sparkling with 6 fours).
Then Tilak Varma took over scoring 41 runs off only 29 balls, hitting four sixes. When Rohit left, the score read 4 for 143. Now MI needed 30 runs off 19 balls and then15 runs off the final two overs.
With tension mounting, two players previously representing Western Australia; 6’ 5” tall Tim David and Australian Test player Cameron Green, got together. Singapore-born David (13 not out with a six) and Green (17 not out with a four and a six) added 30 runs in the final three overs and MI won by six wickets off the final ball of the match. David hit the winning shot.
Victorious skipper Rohit Sharma was adjudged Player of the Match. To quote CricInfo, “His match-winning 65 against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday night was an innings of two phases. He raced to 37 off 17 balls in the power play as Mumbai [MI] made a blazing start to their chase of 173, and slowed down thereafter, his last 28 runs coming at exactly a run a ball.”
What a climax, fortunes fluctuating every hour, every over!
Winless so far, MI grabbed their first victory of the season. However, DC still remain winless despite a sizzling final over from their fast bowler Anrich Nortje.
Currently, Lucknow Super Giants under the captaincy of KL Rahul are on top of the table with six points. But the scenario changes every match. Make sure you watch every match.
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