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The match between SRH and RCB was another low-scoring thriller in Hyderabad which went right down to the last ball of the Super Over. You don’t get matches as close as that everyday. The spectators were expecting a battle between Steyn and Gayle as a part of the war, and at the end of the day they wouldn’t have been disappointed with what transpired.
Here is a look at some of the players which we would have wanted to enthrall us more during the match:
Steyn - Couldn’t administer his Dale-y dose of swing
A surprise entry after the heroics at the end of the day, but a return of 1 for 37 in 4 overs is something which you would like to forget. Especially if you are the world’s best bowler. And especially if you are the world’s best bowler, fresh from a fiery spell of 3-13 a couple of days ago. Although Steyn generated a lot of pace, the out-swing was largely missing. He, nevertheless, redeemed himself in the Super Over as he held his pace and nerve against Kohli and Gayle.
Chris Gayle - No storms in Hyderabad
The second character in the Dale vs Gayle battle also came a cropper. Being dismissed off the second ball he faced against an hitherto unfamiliar name, Vihari, would have dampened the spirits of the RCB team as much as it did to the millions watching. The lone six off Steyn in the Super Over left us wondering what a battle it could’ve been had he not nicked that ball into Parthiv Patel’s gloves.
FILE PHOTO: Gayle’s early departure doused the hopes of many a fans
Dilshan - Failing to make a contribution yet again.
His inability to make an impression on the IPL stage continues. For the second time in 2 matches this season, he has looked utterly out of sorts against the moving ball. This time the beneficiary was Ishant Sharma, who rattled his stumps with a beautiful in-swinging delivery. When Dilshan came on to bowl, one would’ve hoped that he make a mark with the ball. Instead, he was pulled out of the attack after conceding 10 runs in an over. It remains to be seen whether Kohli will persist with him, especially with someone like AB de Villiers set to return now after his domestic T20 commitments.
Kumar Sangakkara - Nay nay, Captain!
His batting was disappointing. So was his captaincy, especially the futile tinkering with the batting order. He is clearly the best batsman in his team. He might be hitting a trough in terms of runs, but it’s just a matter of time before he comes back into form. It seemed as if he wanted to give the other batsmen a chance to spend some time in the middle, given that they were chasing a low score. Sangakkara should’ve known better that not only could that strategy haunt him in the later part of the match, but if anyone needs to hit a few balls from the middle of the bat, it has got to be the team’s premier batsman.
