IPL 6: RCB vs DD - Heroes of the Match

What a thrilling match! Only the second game in this season to be decided by a Super Over – and once again it became a question of which side would hold their nerves. In the end, RCB managed to do just that, and in the process they consigned Delhi Daredevils to another heart-breaking defeat. By winning the Super Over, RCB also buried their demons – I’m sure Kohli & co must have had flashbacks of the game against the Sunrisers.

Let’s take a look at the Heroes of the Match:

1. Virender Sehwag (25 runs off 23 balls; 4 fours)

The Nawab of Najafgarh set the ball rolling with some brilliant strokeplay. He started off with an exquisite leg-side shot for four against seamer RP Singh, followed by 3 more of the best. The highlight of his brief innings was the fine cut down to the third man fence off a good length delivery from Jaidev Unadkat that was angling in. Sadly, his slam-bang innings ended just as he was beginning to free his arms. Given the final total on the board, his runs were worth gold for the Daredevils.

2. Mahela Jayawardene (28 runs off 31 balls; 2 fours)

Jayawardene’s knock was workmanlike – thanks to some tight bowling by the Royal Challengers. The fact that he was able to hit only 2 fours in his entire innings speaks volumes of the methodical manner in which the Bangalore bowling tied him down. He survived being run-out twice, only to depart when a shot ricocheted off seamer Vinay Kumar’s fingers into the stumps at the non-striker’s end. The DD skipper looked a pale shadow of his former self – perhaps the burden of being the batting mainstay and captain is getting to him.

3. Kedar Jadhav (29 n.o. off 16 balls; 2 fours, 1 six)

Jadhav combined well with all-rounder Irfan Pathan to take Delhi past the 150-run mark. The highlight of his brisk cameo was a ferocious hit into the stands off seamer Ravi Rampaul. Known for his cool temperament in the domestic arena, Kedar may well turn out to be one of the finds in this edition of the IPL.

4. Irfan Pathan (19 n.o. off 8 balls; 2 fours, 1 six)

The Baroda left-hander played a delightful little cameo towards the end of DD’s innings. He started off with a fierce pull to the midwicket fence off Ravi Rampaul, before spoiling RP Singh’s final figures by slamming him for a four and a six, respectively. His blitzkrieg, combined with Kedar Jadhav’s 16-ball 29, lent some respectability to Delhi’s final total. He tried his best to get his side over the line during the Super Over, hitting the lone six, but couldn’t do it in the end.

5. Jaidev Unadkat (2/24 off 4 overs)

The KKR discard bowled well in tandem with colleagues R Vinay Kumar, Ravi Rampaul and RP Singh as he kept Delhi’s batsmen on a tight leash. He dismissed the dangerous-looking Manpreet Juneja courtesy a simple catch by Vinay Kumar, and also accounted for Aussie batsman Ben Rohrer, thanks to a clever tactic by skipper Virat Kohli. The young lad should be licking his lips in anticipation when RCB next play KKR.

6. Virat Kohli (2 catches; 65 runs off 50 balls; 7 fours, 1 six)

The young turk seems to reserve his best for the IPL, post a horrendous 2009 season. With clever tactical changes, outstanding fielding efforts and a magnificent display of batting, it is no wonder that he gets to keep the Orange Cap. His catch to dismiss Ben Rohrer was a very shrewd ploy, and his smart field placings ensured that the Delhi batsmen were unable to break the shackles. Coming in at the fall of Lokesh Rahul, Kohli unfurled the big shots and thoroughly dominated the 103-run stand with AB de Villiers. Unfortunately, like Gautam Gambhir in the earlier game, the skipper threw away his wicket just as his side were strolling towards victory. Nevertheless, it was another fine performance by the young Indian batsman.

7. AB de Villiers (39 runs off 32 balls; 3 fours, 1 six; 13 n.o. in Super Over – 2 sixes)

de Villiers is a busy cricketer. When not playing the big shots, he runs like a hare between the wickets. And he did precisely that after Gayle’s dismissal. He stitched together a mammoth 103-run partnership with his skipper, rotating the strike well and playing the big shots too. No wonder he is the mainstay of the RCB middle order.

8. Ravi Rampaul (12 n.o. off 7 balls; 1 six; 2 wickets in the Super Over)

The Trinidadian seamer did well to hand RCB the win in the Super Over. Before that, he smashed a six off Pathan in the 20th over, bringing the equation down to 6 runs off 5 balls. He then gave RCB the best start in the Super Over, getting rid of David Warner before removing Ben Rohrer to cap a great evening for his side.