IPL 2019: After a sub-par opener, the IPL is gaining momentum

As IPL 2019 kicked off, everyone expected an action-packed opening match, and why not? The opener was between two star-studded teams, the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

While CSK were looking to open their campaign at home with a bang, RCB went to the field with the aim to break the jinx of Chepuk (They have not won in Chennai since 2008). But what was expected to be an action-packed thriller, turned out to be perhaps one of the most boring IPL openers ever.

Match 1- CSK vs RCB: A slow opener...

Opting to bowl after winning the toss, CSK bowlers ran through the RCB batting lineup on a spin-friendly track. None of the RCB batsmen got to settle and take on the opposition bowlers, looking clueless to CSK spinners such as Harbhajan Singh (3-20) and Imran Tahir (3-9) who demolished the RCB batting lineup to restrict them to a paltry score of 70. CSK too stretched the game to the 18th over to reach a target of 71 runs and register the first win of the season by 7 wickets.

Match 2- KKR vs SRH: Andre Russell blows apart SRH bowling...

KKR vs SRH is the pick of the games so far in the IPL

Fortunately for cricket fans, the scene has changed on the very next day. The match between KKR and SRH turned out to be a high scoring game with an unbelievable finish. Batting first, David Warner had a blast against the KKR bowlers, scoring 85 runs off just 53 balls. Vijay Shankar too played a cameo of 40 runs off 24 balls, propelling the SRH score to 181-3 in 20 overs.

The chase for KKR was never going to be easy. Chris Lynn and skipper Dinesh Karthik failed. Nitish Rana (68 runs off 47 balls) held one end to keep the chances of KKR alive but after his departure, it looked as if the match had slipped out of KKR's hands. But the cameo from Andre Russell changed all the equations, taking on the SRH bowlers and scoring 49 not out off just 19 balls to clinch the victory by 6 wickets from a most unlikely situation.

Match 3- MI vs DC: Pant and Yuvraj steal limelight...

Rishabh Pant enthralled the fans in Mumbai

The action continued in the match that followed too, with MI taking on DC at the Wankhede Stadium. Rishabh Pant stole the show, scoring 78 runs off just 27 balls to help DC to score 213-6 in 20 overs. Chasing 214, MI managed 176 runs from 20 overs, courtesy the disciplined bowling by DC bowlers.

The only Highlight of the MI innings was the innings of vintage Yuvraj Singh who scored 53 runs off 35 balls, although it was not enough to turn the game in his side's favour.

Match 4- RR vs KXIP: Gayle Storm and the controversial Mankading...

Ashwin dismissed Butler in controversial fashion

Courtesy the Gayle Storm from Chris Gayle (79 runs off 47 balls) which tore the backbone of RR bowling and an able contribution from Sarfaraz Khan (46* runs off 29 balls), KXIP posted a total of 184-4 in 20 overs.

RR gave a fight in the chase, with Jos Buttler (69 runs off 43 balls) and Sanju Samson (30 runs off 25 balls) trying hard but the failure of the middle order cost them their first match of the season by 14 runs. However, a controversial runout of Jos Buttler by R Ashwin via mankading sparked an incredible 'spirit of cricket' debate.

Looking forward...

Although the tournament kicked off with a slow opener, it is only 4 matches old till now. And given how quickly the momentum has changed to the high scoring, action-packed matches, one can expect a lot more from the upcoming matches in the days to be followed.

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