Bengaluru was buzzing with anticipation for the title clash between the league’s best batting team and the most efficient bowling lineup. With the threat of rain around, Sunrisers skipper David Warner surprisingly decided to set a target.
The Australian’s terrific form continued as he began to carve away the Royal Challengers bowling unit. Yuvraj Singh and Ben Cutting ensured that the final touches were provided to take SRH to an imposing total.
Chris Gayle kick-started the chase with uninhibited striking and sent the adoring crowd into a frenzy. But, the versatile SRH bowlers fought the onslaught and struck regularly to help their team lay hands on the IPL trophy.
Let us take a look at what each player did in the high-stakes contest and who rose to the occasion.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ben Cutting – 8.5/10
The little-known all-rounder from Brisbane came to the party when his team needed it the most. When the end overs loomed, even 190 did not appear to be a possibility. Cutting changed all that with some lusty hitting which included a stadium-clearing six.
He was not done yet. When Gayle was going ‘hammer and tongs’, Cutting snared the prize wicket with a clever piece of bowling. The breakthrough had brought his team back into the contest with a heartening spell.
David Warner – 8/10
When the entire cricketing fraternity was immersed in the Kohli-ABD show, Warner had been in an immaculate run of form as well. He led from the front once again with a fierce display.
Taking only 24 balls to bring up yet another half-century, Warner was at his attacking best before he unsuccessfully tried to cut a shorter delivery. When the match was slipping away quickly, his leadership skills stood out with an uncluttered and positive body language.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 8/10
The most impressive bowler in the league by a huge distance, Bhuvneshwar's quality was evident at different stages of the innings. During the death overs, the right-armer delivered one seething yorker after another to seal the contest.
Yuvraj Singh – 6.5/10
The elegant Yuvraj came in at a crucial juncture and did not disappoint. Coming into the middle overs, the left-hander turned back the clock with some stunning shots. The pertinent aspect of his knock was that he did not take a lot of time to get in. Before the showman could cause more damage, Chris Jordan’s slower one did the trick.
Mustafizur Rahman – 6.5/10
The ‘Fizz’ returned from injury and pretty much held his own against a destructive batting unit. Aside from bringing out his assortment of cutters in the middle-overs, Mustafizur saw the back of Shane Watson in the 17th over.
Bipul Sharma – 5/10
Arriving into the middle in the business stage of the innings, Bipul could not do much with the bat. While ‘upping the ante’, he could only send a skier to mid-wicket. But, the Amritsar-born cricketer redeemed himself when he scalped the dynamic De Villiers.
Shikhar Dhawan – 5/10
The left-hander was given a reprieve early on in his innings when Chris Gayle dropped a tricky return catch. While Warner was flaying hard from the other end, the 30-year old acted as a silent foil and played his part in the opening partnership. When it looked like he was settling in, Shikhar threw it all away with a mistimed sweep shot.
Barinder Sran – 4/10
When his bowling figures are observed, one might think that this was an insipid effort from the lanky seam bowler. In spite of dropping two catches as well, Sran was directly responsible for ending Kohli’s stay at the crease.
Naman Ojha – 3/10
A sparkling cameo was required from the wicket-keeper batsman to set the tone for the death overs. However, Ojha’s stay was cut short when he was ‘sold down the river’ by Cutting.
Deepak Hooda – 2/10
Touted as one of the most promising batsmen in the country with regards to the shorter formats, Deepak Hooda had a huge opportunity to prove his worth. But, he could not take it and perished while trying to clear the fence.
Moises Henriques – 1.5/10
Apart from being an inconspicuous partner during a 34-run stand with his captain, Henriques could not do much with the bat. After facing only four deliveries, the all-rounder tried to whip one through the leg-side only to get a top edge. With the ball, he was pretty expensive and got some serious stick from the powerful RCB top-order.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Chris Gayle – 8/10
In what was a bold move, Gayle was entrusted with bowling one-half of the Power Play. However, he held his own by keeping both openers quiet and almost got rid of the dangerous Dhawan.
The burly Jamaican stamped his authority with the bat in hand and sent the Hyderabad bowlers scurrying for cover. Though he got himself out in the 11th over, Gayle had given a blazing start to the chase.
Sreenath Arvind – 7.5/10
The left-arm seamer was the unsung hero in restricting the hemorrhage of runs. He prised out the key wicket of Warner which was a critical moment in the match. In a stadium where the bowlers are considered to be an afterthought, Arvind showed his value to RCB.
Virat Kohli – 7/10
After seeing his bowlers smashed all over the park, the RCB leader was content with giving the strike to his opening partner. Once the big man was sent back, Kohli expanded his repertoire and continued the momentum with 11th fifty-plus score of the tournament. Having gotten out at the wrong time, the 27-year old’s wait for an IPL title was prolonged.
Yuzvendra Chahal – 6.5/10
Tasked with controlling the middle-overs, the leg-spinner started well by varying his length and pace in an astute manner. But, the 25-year old was taken apart by the seasoned Yuvraj in the final over of his spell.
Chris Jordan – 6.5/10
The England fast bowler’s day was a mixed bag with moments of brilliance interspersed by helplessness. Despite picking up three wickets, he gave away 45 runs including 16 in the penultimate over.
Sachin Baby – 4.5/10
Often a useful finisher for the Royal Challengers in the finishing stages, Sachin Baby tried his best to bring the chase back on track. With wickets falling regularly at the other end, he was left stranded.
Stuart Binny – 3/10
While he did not get an opportunity to roll his arm over, Binny raised hopes with a massive six. But, he was unable to judge his running ability and ran himself out to effectively end RCB's chances.
KL Rahul – 3/10
The highly talented Karnataka batsman failed to take responsibility once the big names were in the pavilion. Attempting an almighty slog, Rahul shunned his classical style and was castled in the process.
Iqbal Abdulla – 3/10
The left-arm spinner was given only one over in which he conceded ten overs. In the batting department, he could not match his efforts from the qualifier as he came in too late.
AB de Villiers – 2.5/10
The South African had delivered a breathtaking knock in the qualifier to take his side to the final. However, in the summit clash, AB de Villiers was not able to replicate the heroics and fell cheaply.
Shane Watson – 1/10
In what was a far cry from his previous match, the vastly experienced Watson was abominable with the ball. Struggling to find the perfect pace on a batting-friendly surface, he gave away as many as 61 runs from his full quota. The powerful hitter also flattered to deceive when the match was nearing its end.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
