That wraps up the proceedings at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, and the IPL caravan now moves to Delhi where the Delhi Daredevils take on the Gujarat Lions. We hope to have your company for that match as well. Till then, it's good bye and goodnight!
"The wicket was good for fast bowlers and I maintained the lines and lengths. Dhoni always helps me to bowl well. I am a big Ronaldo fan and that's why that celebration," says Dinda, the MOTM!
"We had won only one of the first 5 games and we were not even in the middle of the table. 4 point look better than 2 and there are a lot of teams with 4 points. The bowlers exploited the conditions well, Ashwin bowled the way he bowls to bowl. When we have wickets in the first 6 overs, spinners have the license to bowl freely in the middle overs. There are quite a few average to slow fielders in the side. But today the ball went to the good fielders and quite a few catches were taken," says MS DHONI.
"For our standards this is something that we don't expect of ourselves. Things didn't go right at all tonight. Boys tried hard. We lost wickets trying to get the momentum early on. Looking forward to the two home games. YUVRAJ is close (to selection) and let's see what the selectors say. Really appreciate the fans and their support," says DAVID WARNER.
So, Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis take their side home with consummate ease. Rahane's wicket had sent some jitters early on, but Smith and Du Plessis made sure that there were no hiccups from thereon and guided their team past the DLS total. (Not that they knew of it.)
The umpires and the two captains are now in a huddle, and they have decided to call off the match. The RISING PUNE SUPERGIANTS have WON the game by 34 runs, courtesy the DLS Method!
Saurabh Tiwary walks out and quickly sprints back as it has started to rain heavily here! RPSG need 25 runs off 54 balls. It would be safe to say that Pune are way ahead of the D/L par score at the moment if it eventually comes down to that.
10.6 Ashish Nehra to MS Dhoni, OUT, short and wide and Dhoni smashes it off the middle of the bat but fails to keep it down, Tare pouches it at backward point. Tare makes up for his misfield early on in the innings by taking a superb low catch, diving to his left at point to dismiss Dhoni. Smart grab!
10.4 Ashish Nehra to Steve Smith, FOUR angled into the pads, Smith shuffles across and the ball kisses the bat just and that goes across to the fine leg fence. Nehra was interested and appealed too, but the umpire was not interested at all.
9.2 Moises Henriques to MS Dhoni, FOUR, plants his foot and then swings his bat across and gets it over mid-on. It's time to boost the net run-rate as far as Pune are concerned. That's some intent in that direction by the skipper who smashes his first ball for four.
And, as we were speaking of them inching closer, Faf gets a peach from Henriques and nicks off to the keeper. MS Dhoni walks out to bat! The cheers from the crowd would force you to believe that Pune are playing a home game, which they are not.
9.1 Moises Henriques to Faf du Plessis, OUT, slight shape outside off, Faf looks to guide it to third man, gets a faint edge to Ojha. Well a wicket at last!
8.5 Bhuvaneshwar Kumar to Steve Smith, 3 WIDES, once again banged in but it sailed over Smith and Ojha has had a tough time collecting it behind the stumps.
The two experienced international cricketers are executing this chase in some style. They are hitting the shots as well as taking the singles and doubles with ease.
7.6 Moises Henriques to Faf du Plessis, SIX, down the track and clips the length ball on his pads over deep mid-wicket. All timing there from Faf, no real strength and RPS are coasting here. They would looking to boost their run rate as well that has taken a toll after 4 successive defeats.
7.4 Moises Henriques to Faf du Plessis, no run, down the track and backs away and swung the bat, but that ball had shape to it outside off and Faf misses it. A bit of out-swing on that occasion as Faf dances down the track and the ball moves away from him.
6.6 Bipul Sharma to Steve Smith, FOUR, short ball on off and Smith this time waits for it and then cuts it with ease between short third-man and point! Very poor and all going south for SRH!
6.4 Bipul Sharma to Faf du Plessis, SIX, short ball and Faf jumps back and pulls it way over deep mid-wicket. Faf looks to be in some hurry here. Dragged down by Bipul and Faf rocks on to the back foot and pulls it high and deep over midwicket for the innings' first maximum!
SHARE
