The Rising Pune Supergiant inflicted a crushing nine-wicket defeat over Kings XI Punjab to secure themselves a place in the Playoffs. Led by Shardul Thakur's 3 for 19, the Supergiant bowlers shot out KXIP for 73, and chased it without breaking a sweat with 48 balls to spare.
We break down the match in five
Wicket of the first ball
This was a virtual knockout, with the winner becoming the fourth and final team to secure a Playoff berth. Hence, a good start is what both sides desired. The first blood was drawn by Jaydev Unadkat, off the very first ball of the match. Martin Guptill, chasing a wide delivery, was out caught at covers. Wriddhiman Saha and Shaun Marsh survived a couple of close catches, and the initial spell from Unadkat and Shardul Thakur shifted the tide early in favour of the Supergiant. Unadkat in particular was nothing short of spectacular on the field. After his first-ball wicket, his terrific piece of fielding resulted in the run out of Eoin Morgan. That wasn't all. He then threw himself at short fine-leg to take a diving catch stunner that sent back Rahul Tewatia. In 5 overs, KXIP were 31/4.
Shardul triple floors KXIP
The Pune surface offered variable bounce, but still bowlers had to deliver. And Shardul Thakur took that mantle to strike three crucial blows. First, it was his wicket of Shaun Marsh, where the batsmen aired a drive and found his Aussie mate Smith at mid off. Smith could have taken him off after two overs, but instead persisted with Thakur. And in reply, the bowler responded to his skipper's call by removing Tewatia and Glenn Maxwell in three balls. While Tewatia fell to that brilliant catch from Unadkat, Maxwell clipped a fuller delivery off his legs straight down Ajinkya Rahane's throat at deep square leg. In three overs, Thakur had stellar figures of 3/14.
Christian, Zampa feast on KXIP batsmen
From 32/5 at the end of Powerplay, there wasn't much scope of restoring order. Wriddhiman Saha and Axar Patel tried doing so but it was always going to be a herculean effort. Saha had a pretty ordinary outing. After struggling for 16 balls, in which he scored 13 runs, the wicketkeeper edged Daniel Christian to MS Dhoni behind stumps. The former Supergiant captain, who had earlier spilled a tough chance latched on to this one for his 100th IPL catch. Christian removed Axar in his next over, leaving KXIP tottering at 62/7 and at a spot from where there just wasn't any coming back. The last three wickets could add just 11 more before being shot out for 73, their lowest IPL total and the third-lowest this season behind Royal Challengers Bangalore's 49 and Delhi Daredevils' 67 (that ironically came against KXIP).
Supergiant cruise in chase
A target of 74 was never going to make Supergiant sweat much, and openers Rahul Tripathi and Ajinkya Rahane ensured there weren't any early speed-bumps. The pair put on 41 patient runs for the opening wicket with Tripathi being the aggressor of the two, hitting four boundaries and a six over midwicket off Tewatia. Rahane seemed content biding his time and rotating the strike and was on 20 when Guptill dropped him at midwicket. KXIP however, did get a breakthrough as Axar cleaned up Tripathi but by then the equation had come down to 33 needed off 87, which Rahane and Smith achieved with 48 balls to spare. Rahane remained unbeaten on 34 with a four, and a six that he hit to score the winning runs.
Supergiant secure Playoff berth
After a dismal last season, the Supergiant joined Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders as the fourth team to make it to the Playoffs. With this dominant win, the Supergiant also finished second in the standings next to Mumbai, whom they now face them in Qualifier 1 - they've beaten Mumbai twice already this season. What was expected to be two teams batting hard and tough in this knockout, turned out to be a damp squib. KXIP lost wickets in heap, and the Supergiant got some throw downs ahead of their crucial Qualifier tie.
We break down the match in five
Wicket of the first ball
This was a virtual knockout, with the winner becoming the fourth and final team to secure a Playoff berth. Hence, a good start is what both sides desired. The first blood was drawn by Jaydev Unadkat, off the very first ball of the match. Martin Guptill, chasing a wide delivery, was out caught at covers. Wriddhiman Saha and Shaun Marsh survived a couple of close catches, and the initial spell from Unadkat and Shardul Thakur shifted the tide early in favour of the Supergiant. Unadkat in particular was nothing short of spectacular on the field. After his first-ball wicket, his terrific piece of fielding resulted in the run out of Eoin Morgan. That wasn't all. He then threw himself at short fine-leg to take a diving catch stunner that sent back Rahul Tewatia. In 5 overs, KXIP were 31/4.
Shardul triple floors KXIP
The Pune surface offered variable bounce, but still bowlers had to deliver. And Shardul Thakur took that mantle to strike three crucial blows. First, it was his wicket of Shaun Marsh, where the batsmen aired a drive and found his Aussie mate Smith at mid off. Smith could have taken him off after two overs, but instead persisted with Thakur. And in reply, the bowler responded to his skipper's call by removing Tewatia and Glenn Maxwell in three balls. While Tewatia fell to that brilliant catch from Unadkat, Maxwell clipped a fuller delivery off his legs straight down Ajinkya Rahane's throat at deep square leg. In three overs, Thakur had stellar figures of 3/14.
Christian, Zampa feast on KXIP batsmen
From 32/5 at the end of Powerplay, there wasn't much scope of restoring order. Wriddhiman Saha and Axar Patel tried doing so but it was always going to be a herculean effort. Saha had a pretty ordinary outing. After struggling for 16 balls, in which he scored 13 runs, the wicketkeeper edged Daniel Christian to MS Dhoni behind stumps. The former Supergiant captain, who had earlier spilled a tough chance latched on to this one for his 100th IPL catch. Christian removed Axar in his next over, leaving KXIP tottering at 62/7 and at a spot from where there just wasn't any coming back. The last three wickets could add just 11 more before being shot out for 73, their lowest IPL total and the third-lowest this season behind Royal Challengers Bangalore's 49 and Delhi Daredevils' 67 (that ironically came against KXIP).
Supergiant cruise in chase
A target of 74 was never going to make Supergiant sweat much, and openers Rahul Tripathi and Ajinkya Rahane ensured there weren't any early speed-bumps. The pair put on 41 patient runs for the opening wicket with Tripathi being the aggressor of the two, hitting four boundaries and a six over midwicket off Tewatia. Rahane seemed content biding his time and rotating the strike and was on 20 when Guptill dropped him at midwicket. KXIP however, did get a breakthrough as Axar cleaned up Tripathi but by then the equation had come down to 33 needed off 87, which Rahane and Smith achieved with 48 balls to spare. Rahane remained unbeaten on 34 with a four, and a six that he hit to score the winning runs.
Supergiant secure Playoff berth
After a dismal last season, the Supergiant joined Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders as the fourth team to make it to the Playoffs. With this dominant win, the Supergiant also finished second in the standings next to Mumbai, whom they now face them in Qualifier 1 - they've beaten Mumbai twice already this season. What was expected to be two teams batting hard and tough in this knockout, turned out to be a damp squib. KXIP lost wickets in heap, and the Supergiant got some throw downs ahead of their crucial Qualifier tie.
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