The final league stage game of IPL was here and was a decisive encounter for SRH as a win would guarantee a spot in the playoffs stage and a loss would ensure that KKR make it through. It’s been a very competitive IPL with all teams playing such quality cricket but these teams made the cut and have certainly set themselves apart.

MI looked complacent in their approach or rather were testing their bench strength resting the backbone of their bowling with Bumrah and Boult making way for Kulkarni and with both the foriegn exports of Patinson and Coulter-Nile featuring. Their captain Rohit Sharma was finally making his way to the playing 11 and this was a good match to make a return. SRH on the other hand presented a strong playing 11 leaving no stone unturned for this all important do or die encounter.

SRH won the toss and decided to field first, a decision which would certainly reap benefits for them as what unfolded for MI in the course of this match was perhaps their worst nightmare before the playoffs.

Off to a disastrous start losing skipper Sharma for 4, MI seemed to get off on the wrong footing. Sandeep Sharma got this all important wicket and his consistency with wickets at the start of the match continued.

De Kock was in a rich vein of form hitting some delightful boundaries but his stay came to an end when an inside edge unfortunately clipped the stumps and he was out for 25. This was after dispatching him for two 4s and a six. But Sandeep Sharma fought back and was the one who got the wicket and he surpassed Zaheer Khan for most wickets in the powerplay. What a feat!

MI was two wickets down and Suryakumar Yadav was still at the other end striking the ball well. Ishan Kishan joined him and a big partnership from the two would greatly help MI. Batting well stiching a partnership, at the halfway mark MI was 78/1.

But the 11th over saw SRH stage a comeback and inroads to enforce control with Shahbaz Nadeem getting striking twice dismissing Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya, the latter getting dismissed courtesy a screamer of a catch by Williamson who made that impossible catch look so easy. MI was suddenly facing an unfortunate collapse.

The 12th over wasn’t any better as Rashid Khan dismissed Saurabh Tiwary for 1. MI was now staring down the barrel with 5 wickets down. They needed another knock from their stan in captain and man, he delivered in style. But in the meanwhile Kishan’s lukewarm stay at the crease yielded a wily 33 off 30 and he was out. The whole burden of putting a respectable total fell on Pollard.

Scoring a magnificent 41(25) laced with effortless boundaries, Pollard once again revived this innings for MI but was dismissed by Holder. Eventually MI ended with 149/8 on the board and SRH shouldn’t find this a tough one and book their place in the playoffs should be an easy one. SRH’s bowling was outstanding on all fronts and now it’s on their batting to seal the match.

SRH was off to a brilliant start with Warner and Saha laying the foundation with a comprehensive partnership leaving the MI attack minus Boult and Bumrah toothless and listless. At the end of 6 overs, they were 56/1.

Giving nothing away to the MI attack that was desperate for a breakthrough, both Saha and Warner were really exceptional and ag the enf of 10 overs, SRH was cruising with 89/0 on the board requiring another 61 to win this match. The duo was also nearing their personal milestones of 50s.

Warner brought in his 50 off 35 balls in style with a 6 and Saha in this same over brought in his 50. What a partnership this was turning out be and much to the agony of KKR fans. MI bowling was ghastly and certainly not inspiring confidence and the fielding was also very average.

With brilliant knocks of 85 by Warner and 58 by Saha, SRH won this match comfortably and sealing their playoffs finish. A massive 10 wickets victory and a morale boosting one. MI was outplayed on all fronts by SRH but not taking away the breathtaking league stages they had topping the table.

The final league stage game of IPL was here and was a decisive encounter for SRH as a win would guarantee a spot in the playoffs stage and a loss would ensure that KKR make it through. It’s been a very competitive IPL with all teams playing such quality cricket but these teams made the cut and have certainly set themselves apart.

MI looked complacent in their approach or rather were testing their bench strength resting the backbone of their bowling with Bumrah and Boult making way for Kulkarni and with both the foriegn exports of Patinson and Coulter-Nile featuring. Their captain Rohit Sharma was finally making his way to the playing 11 and this was a good match to make a return. SRH on the other hand presented a strong playing 11 leaving no stone unturned for this all important do or die encounter.

SRH won the toss and decided to field first, a decision which would certainly reap benefits for them as what unfolded for MI in the course of this match was perhaps their worst nightmare before the playoffs.

Off to a disastrous start losing skipper Sharma for 4, MI seemed to get off on the wrong footing. Sandeep Sharma got this all important wicket and his consistency with wickets at the start of the match continued.

De Kock was in a rich vein of form hitting some delightful boundaries but his stay came to an end when an inside edge unfortunately clipped the stumps and he was out for 25. This was after dispatching him for two 4s and a six. But Sandeep Sharma fought back and was the one who got the wicket and he surpassed Zaheer Khan for most wickets in the powerplay. What a feat!

MI was two wickets down and Suryakumar Yadav was still at the other end striking the ball well. Ishan Kishan joined him and a big partnership from the two would greatly help MI. Batting well stiching a partnership, at the halfway mark MI was 78/1.

But the 11th over saw SRH stage a comeback and inroads to enforce control with Shahbaz Nadeem getting striking twice dismissing Suryakumar Yadav and Krunal Pandya, the latter getting dismissed courtesy a screamer of a catch by Williamson who made that impossible catch look so easy. MI was suddenly facing an unfortunate collapse.

The 12th over wasn’t any better as Rashid Khan dismissed Saurabh Tiwary for 1. MI was now staring down the barrel with 5 wickets down. They needed another knock from their stan in captain and man, he delivered in style. But in the meanwhile Kishan’s lukewarm stay at the crease yielded a wily 33 off 30 and he was out. The whole burden of putting a respectable total fell on Pollard.

Scoring a magnificent 41(25) laced with effortless boundaries, Pollard once again revived this innings for MI but was dismissed by Holder. Eventually MI ended with 149/8 on the board and SRH shouldn’t find this a tough one and book their place in the playoffs should be an easy one. SRH’s bowling was outstanding on all fronts and now it’s on their batting to seal the match.

SRH was off to a brilliant start with Warner and Saha laying the foundation with a comprehensive partnership leaving the MI attack minus Boult and Bumrah toothless and listless. At the end of 6 overs, they were 56/1.

Giving nothing away to the MI attack that was desperate for a breakthrough, both Saha and Warner were really exceptional and ag the enf of 10 overs, SRH was cruising with 89/0 on the board requiring another 61 to win this match. The duo was also nearing their personal milestones of 50s.

Warner brought in his 50 off 35 balls in style with a 6 and Saha in this same over brought in his 50. What a partnership this was turning out be and much to the agony of KKR fans. MI bowling was ghastly and certainly not inspiring confidence and the fielding was also very average.

With brilliant knocks of 85 by Warner and 58 by Saha, SRH won this match comfortably and sealing their playoffs finish. A massive 10 wickets victory and a morale boosting one. MI was outplayed on all fronts by SRH but not taking away the breathtaking league stages they had topping the table.

Social media was abuzz with permutations and combinations of who’d still make it to the top 4. This win would guarantee either teams the 2nd place well above the teams placed below at 14 points and a direct qualification. With pressure mounting on both teams who’d performed well at the start of the season and suddenly facing major loses, who would make through was the question in everyone’s mind.

RCB enforced changes in the form of Dube, Shabaz Ahmed and DC getting in the experienced Rahane and Daniel Sams also reserving his place in the playing 11. DC won the toss and decided to field first.

RCB was off to a decent start scoring at almost 6 an over but Philippe throughout the season wasn’t able to find his groove and today wasn’t any different as he was out for an indifferent 12. Rabada got this all important wicket.

Kohli was the new man in and was decisively forging a partnership with Padikkal taking those singles, hitting boundaries and at the halfway mark, RCB was 60/1.

Kohli looked slightly shaky in his approach and wasn’t able to connect as well as he would’ve ideally wanted. And he also faced a close dismissal call and Aswin dismissed him when he got him for 29. This was a crucial breakthrough for DC.

Padikkal looked solid at the crease hitting boundaries and was an anchor in this innings. He was an uncapped player but they way he had been playing the entire season has been nothing short of impressive. He brought in his 4th IPL 50. What a knock.

But he couldn’t carry on the momentum and was out clean bowled by Nortje. He also got the wicket of Morris for 0 and was really incisive with his line and length. AB was still at the crease and still a good total could be expected. Shivam Dube’s cameo of 17 was a good one but he didn’t quite time Rabada to get the elevation for the boundary and now with 1 over to go, RCB was 5 wickets down with 145 on the board and Mr.360 still at the crease.

A strong last over finish was really crucial for RCB and they needed this at any cost. An unnecessary 2nd run costed RCB the big wicket of AB and now it just seemed done and dusted with RCB falling short of ideally what they’d be expecting to post. Udana hit a 4 but was out the very next ball. DC really bowled well and ensured they restricted RCB to 152/7 and Nortje and Rabada really did a good job. RCB continues their disappointing run batting first.

DC was in to bat and had the duo of Dhawan and Shaw to open. Losing Shaw early for 9, Siraj got this wicket. Rahane the experienced campaigner in past editions was in.

Rahane partnering Dhawan were exceptional, and were not giving anything away to the RCB attack. They even cemented a 50 runs partnership and with good running and a partnership flowering at the end of 10 overs, DC was 81/1.

Shikhar Dhawan got to his 50 and DC was cruising when they lost him for 54. Shahbaz Ahmed got this wicket but with the equation clearly tilting in DC’s favour, the run chase shouldn’t be tough considering they don’t lose wickets and the control they have. Rahane also looked poised and got a well deserved 50. This was redemption for him after warming the bench for the better part of the season.

Shahbaz Ahmed struck again dismissing Iyer and it was a crucial wicket and quite an unnecessary rash shot at the stage where singles would’ve got them the win.

Pant was in now. Was RCB sparking a revival? Sundar got Rahane to play an orthodox shot and got him out for 60. 4 wickets down, could we expect the unexpected with RCB snatching victory from the jaws of defeat?

Stoinis with a 10 and Pant with a four sealed the deal for DC and got them the 2nd place and as RCB ended with a better NRR than KKR, they still qualified. Now with the SRH vs MI match, we’d have to see if RCB makes it to the 3rd and 4th position (currently RCB has qualified, read that again and are 3 but KKR/SRH still have the potential to make it through and dislodge RCB to 4 but that wouldn’t make a difference as RCB has still qualified and are good contenders for the elimanator).

This was a very important encounter for both the teams sitting at 12 points each and needed this win to fuel their campaigns for a playoffs finish. KKR was sitting at 8 (because CSK won the previous match and had the likewise 12, but a qualification for them seemed out of question) but this win for KKR would push their position very high on the table. RR on the other hand looked like a really strong team on paper with the star players and this win would be imperative. The loser of this encounter could bid adieu to all the playoffs dreams. This IPL will be etched in history as how many times a team placed 8 (KKR for now) can actually still make it to the playoffs and win the title. That’s how crazy and beautiful this league is. Incredible stuff.

One point to note is how David Miller didn’t get a single game for RR and to see him warm the benches throughout was not a pretty sight and Russell was having a very average season, very unlike him and this match getting selected ahead of Lockie Ferguson proves what an asset he is to the KKR team and the faith imposed on him by the management was really special.

Rajasthan Royals won the toss in this all important encounter and chose to field first, always a safe bet in such a high octane match. KKR was off to a disastrous start losing Nitish Rana for a golden duck of the very first ball of the match. Jofra Archer got this wicket.

Tripathi now joined Gill who was timing the ball brilliantly getting some exceptional boundaries. Tripathi also looked in fine touch hitting those boundaries and was rotating the strike well. At the end of the powerplay, KKR was 55/1 and even a 50 runs partnership between the two was up.

Shubman Gill was not able to convert his score to a big one and was out for 36. Tewatia got this wicket and he struck again dismissing Narine for a 2 ball duck.

The 11th over saw even Tripathi get out for 39. KKR was 4 wickets down at this stage and lost Dinesh Karthik get out to Tewatia for a disappointing duck. Was another batting collapse on cards?

Andre Russell and Morgan were at the crease resurrecting this innings and Russell looked in full flow hitting effortless boundaries and didn’t even look half of his poor vein of form Russell of this season. But his cameo came to an end for 25 when Kartik Tyagi took his wicket after being hit for 2 sixes.

Morgan was still at the crease and was primed for a half century, ably supported by Cummins a decent 185 and more looked possible for them. Morgan finally brought in his 50 off 30 balls and in style with a 6. Hitting Stokes for one more 6, they were now piling on the runs and putting the pressure on RR. 24 off the over and KKR was really pulling back things under their control after seeing 3 ducks.

Tyagi struck dismissing Cummins but KKR really fought back well for this turnaround thanks to their skipper Morgan who ensured this with a knock of 68(35). But what was surprising was the two possible singles he could’ve taken but didn’t.

A big finish? And yes, he did hit a glorious six helping KKR end on 191/7. Tewatia was the pick of the bowlers with a spell of 3/25 and Tyagi with 2 wickets was noteworthy. Considering this was a do or die encounter, we’d be hoping to see a good run chase on cards.

RR was in the chase and sent in the dynamic duo of Stokes and Uthappa. The latter started off with a six and with a wide and a single RR was cruising right from the start with 8 off 2 balls and a lucky boundary hitting the edge of the bat went for a 4 and a scoop went for a six. Uthappa washout in his 2nd ball for 6 off Cummins. But 19 off the over and there was still a lot to play for. Dream start for RR who needed to seal this match early as their NRR was poor, a quick win was certainly on their mind. Stokes was looking to attack from ball 1 and one could see it in his intent.

But his approach seemed that too attack and didn’t last as he was out for 18 courtesy a brilliant dive by keeper Karthik, perhaps his only high this season as he’s been very disappointing and as a skipper didn’t inspire any confidence. Getting retained by KKR next season seemed unlikely, the way he was going but this catch was brilliant. Cummins got this wicket.

Cummins struck the 3rd time getting the skipper of RR for a disappointing 4. It was a good comeback for Cummins who went for 19 in his 1st over. Mavi got another brilliant dismissal of Samson and RR was in deep trouble. 4 wickets down.

Parag and Buttler were at the crease. Cummins again got the wicket of Parah who underwhelmed with a dismal 0 off 7 balls and his stay was hurting RR and DK took another jump to perfection dismissing him. Tewatia was the new man in and could his stay at the crease spark a revival for this collapse. RR was 5 wickets down. At the end of the powerplay they were 41/5.

Buttler and Tewatia were still at the crease battling it out at the crease and at the end of 10 overs, RR was still at 74/5 still keeping the hopes afloat. But Varun Chakravarthy removed Buttler, one of the best to rely on for this chase. 6 wickets down and another 111 needed off 54. It looked really difficult for RR.

Wickets continued to tumble as Tewaria was dismissed for 31. Chakravarthy got this wicket. 7 wickets down only a miracle could save RR. Archer and Gopal would have to bat out of their skins which seemed impossible. Archer was out. Another wicket in the form of Tyagi was gone and we got to see a screamer of a catch by Mavi, a singlehanded catch. 9 wickets down.

RR lasted till the final over and finally the curtains were drawn on their campaign as KKR pulled off a glorious 60 runs and what a campaign for KKR this has been further sending the calculations and combinations for the playoffs into a tizzy.

CSK was perfectly playing the role of ‘spoliers’ as they were out of contention but were making life extremely difficult for the teams who were looking forward to making the playoffs. This match perhaps would have even the most ardent RCB fan hoping they win as KXIP winning would ensure they get 14 and then give stiff competition also factoring in what if RCB loses to DC. There were a plethora of possibilities and a lot of buzz and wity Dhoni also affirming that this was not the last time we’d be seeing him in yellow, CSK fans would’ve breathed a sigh of relief.

KXIP needed this win at any costs as it would ensure a playoffs finish and quite honestly, they deserve it. Having a relatively poor start, they really turned things around winning consecutive matches and with their openers, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were brilliant throughout and they really deserved it. Today’s match was going to be a crucial one and a big win would make life tougher for RR and KKR today. Tricky things and a lot to play for. CSK won the toss and decided to bowl first on this top notch Abu Dhabi pitch.

Mayank Agarwal was back today. Off to a brilliant start, Rahul and Agarwal were hitting some really good boundaries and looked in fine touch. But this didn’t last long as Agarwal was dismissed for 26. Ngidi got this wicket. At the end of the powerplay, KXIP was 53/1 and looked poised for a big one.

Lungi Ngidi stole the spotlight getting the much needed wicket of Rahul for 29. Brilliant bowling. CSK was really pulling things back.

KXIP was now facing a collapse as they lost Pooran and Gayle in quick succession. Shardul Thakur and Tahir got these prized wickets and CSK was now imposing themselves so well in this match.

With even Mandeep and Neesham getting dismissed without effecting the scorecard greatly, the onus fell on Jordan and Hooda. Neesham was dismissed courtesy a fabulous catch by Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Perhaps, Hooda’s drills in the dugout in the initial phase paid off as he was batting really well dispatching Ngidi at ease. He continued his onslaught making use of the offside to hit the boundaries and even hit the often deceiving ‘knuckle ball’ for a 4 and brought in his 50 off 26 balls. Solid innings.

14 off the last over and what a recovery courtesy Hooda who made 62 off 30 taking KXIP to a competitive and defendable 153/6. He saved the blushes for KXIP and this match still could still be sealed by anyone. Ngidi for his 3 wickets was the pick of the bowlers in terms of the wickets.

CSK who didn’t feature Watson in today’s encounter sent Gaikwad and du Plessis in to open. Off to a slow start, they were aided by some.ot the extras that KXIP was conceding. At the end if the powerplay, CSK was 57/0 and were cruising.

Faf faced a close dismissal call and a poor umpiring decision would have almost cost CSK this crucial man during the chase but a timely review revived him. But Gaikwad’s stay was almost going to be shortlived as he was going to be dismissed for 21 owing to a good catch by Pooran but it was controversial as the umpire ruled out saying the part of the ball touched the ground.

With Faf almost reaching a 50 and seeming certain, Jordan got the crucial wicket of Faf and now at the halfway mark, CSK was 84/1. Batting well, Rayadu and Gaikwad were stringing a good partnership. With now just 41 needed off 36, CSK looked in control of the chase and the emotions of fans from other franchises hoping KXIP get knocked off from the race.

Gaikwad was playing a fine knock certainly bringing that stability to their run chase. He brought in his 50 off 38 balls and brought the equation to a comfortable position. This was his 3rd IPL 50. What a revelation for CSK.

CSK finally clinched this match with a gem of a 62(49) by Gaikwad ably supported by Rayadu who made a run a ball 30 ensuring CSK sealed the deal and a ‘respectable’ high was what they got. A template finish for them in this match and CSK would’ve wanted this the entire season but there’s always a next time.

RCB in spite of some good wins were at 2 in the table but were having a tipsy turvy run to secure their place in the playoffs. SRH on the other hand were in a do and die situation and needed this win more than anything. This was going to be a very tricky encounter for both teams. SRH won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Off to a slow start on this wicket in Sharjah here, Padikkal was dismissed early on for 5. Virat Kohli’s stay was shortlived as he was out for 7. Sandeep Sharma got these prized wickets.

At the end of the powerplay, RCB was 30/2. Josh Phillipe and AB de Villiers were at the crease and were trying to stabilize the sinking ship. At the 10th over mark, RCB was 60/2.

But SRH immediately tilted the match in their favour getting the wicket of AB de Villiers who had a very uncharacteristic of him type of stay getting dismissed for 24 off 24. Nadeem got this wicket and his celebration proved how much this meant to him.

Soon enough, Philippe was out for 32, Rashid Khan got this wicket. With the rest of the batting collapsing, with noteworthy scores of 21 from Sundar and a very unhelpful 15 off 24 from Gurkeerat who didn’t show any intent while batting, RCB made a dismal 120.

SRH had a field day with their bowlers striking gold and the whole bowling unit clicked as a unit. What a stellar bowling performance. With 120 to still keep them in the race, would they seal the deal or fall prey to their competencies like the time when chasing a paltry 126 vs KXIP they faltered and lost by 12 runs. Could RCB still pull things back and get the job done with this win guaranteeing a straight play offs berth. The scales were in the favour of SRH, time would tell.

Warner and Saha, the backbone of this SRH batting walked in to open. Before Warner could settle in and make his stay count, he was dismissed by Washington Sundar for 8. Some respite but with the batting quite deep and not a lot to defend, RCB fans didn’t have a lot to rejoice.

Manish Pandey and Wriddhiman Saha were batting really well, hitting some exquisite shots and building on the agony for RCB fans and at the end of the powerplay, SRH was 58/1.

Chahal finally got the breakthrough for RCB getting the wicket of Pandey. They were cruising and now Kane Williamson was at the crease. With just 61 needed off 78, SRH could easily win still.

There were still hiccups on the way for SRH as Chahal struck again blessed by a stumping by de Villiers, SRH was 3 wickets down. They needed 39 off 54 balls, with still a lot of batting they needed more overs with wickets too.

Isuru Udana also struck getting the wicket of Williamson caught well by captain Kohli. The pressure was certainly building on SRH and Jason Holder hit a massive six. There was also a close LBW call for him, but he seemed unfazed pulling Saini for a six and a 4. Then followed by a wide, the gap was certainly getting bridged and SRH was now moments away from sealing the match and their prospects.

Looking to finish with a bang, Abhishek Sharma hit a lofted one that landed comfortably in the hands of Gurkeerat. 5 wickets down. They were looking for an early finish before 14 overs to better their NRR, but this approach was hurting them as they were losing wickets.

Jason Holder with a knock of 26 off 10 finished the match in style dispatching Chahal for a six and with this SRH handed RCB a 5 wickets loss and got this two points. They still keep their hopes alive for playoffs and RCB will have a lot to evaluate upon and maybe a bigger total today to defend would’ve made this a tougher finish.

MI was the first team to qualify for the playoffs as they had been consistently been performing well and some breathtaking performances by their players propelled them to this position. What helps this champion side the most is how every match they have someone new performing and they aren’t reliant on a single player. With their captain Rohit Sharma out of action, they’re still playing so well and Kieran Pollard was leading the side really well.

DC on the other hand had a brilliant start to the IPL topping the charts and was playing some good cricket. However, their old habits were back for them losing 3 consecutive matches and risking their playoffs berth with some very disappointing cricket. Today they would be looking to change that as if they lose this match their qualification hangs in the balance.

MI won the toss and chose to bowl first which in retrospect seemed like a good call as what followed was the worst nightmare for a DC fan.

DC’s champion batsman and Dream 11 consistently top Fantasy player, Dhawan was out for a duck. Trent Boult got this wicket and Iyer was the new man in.

Prithvi Shaw carrying on from his unimpressive run of form was out for a dismal 10. Trent Boult again got this crucial breakthrough again and DC was in a docile position.

Iyer and Pant were at the crease and the runs were not coming by easily. At the end of 10 overs, DC was 49/1. The powerplay didn’t yield a lot of runs and they had to accelerate now.

Iyer couldn’t convert his start to something big as he was dismissed for 25 courtesy an exceptional piece of stumping by Quinton de Kock. Rahul Chahar bowled that excellent delivery. Jasprit Bumrah was introduced late into the attack but he left no stone unturned as he struck twice dismissing Stoinis and Pant for low scores. Suddenly, DC was looking listless.

Bumrah continued in his wicket taking spree dismissing the ferret Harshal Patel and Nathan Coulter-Nile got the wicket of Hetmyer. He was now the new purple cap holder overtaking KG Rabada on account of a better economical rate with 23 wickets apiece. Now, DC was in deep trouble as all their main batsman were back to the pavilion and they were 7 wickets down.

Ravi Ashwin’s cameo of 12 off 9 came to an end when he was dismissed by Boult and a fantastic catch by Krunal Pandya near the boundary ensured that. Rabada hit a glorious 6 off Boult and DC finally crossed the three digit mark.

Rabada’s 12 off 6 and Dubey’s 7 off 13 ensured DC put at least 110 on board. The last ball of this excellent spell didn’t end without drama as Bumrah quickly ran out Rabada and DC ended with 9 wickets down. Good finish for MI. This would be a regular and easy chase for MI, but would the DC bowling line up have other plans making it tough? Time will tell.

MI was in and Kishan and de Kock opened the innings for them. Ishan Kishan was hitting some tremendous boundaries and de Kock was playing the role of a second fiddle and was taking time to settle in. Batting well, at the end of the powerplay, MI was 38/0.

The 7th over was turning out to be tricky for Kishan as he faced a close stumping call and the next one he was given out LBW, but a timely review revived him and he seemed unfazed. Whipping boundaries at ease, Kishan looked in top notch form. MI was 68/0 and this was turning out to be a comfortable run chase as they needed 43 off the last 10 overs.

But Nortje got the first breakthrough for DC when a pitched ball close to the stumps dislodged the bails and de Kock couldn’t push it away. Unfortunate dismissal and DC finally wore a smile but this was a disappointing outing for them.

Ishan Kishan’s stellar show continued as brought in a 50 off 37 balls and was working on improving his on side shots which was really showing.

Finally, Kishan with an exceptional 72 off 47 and Suryakumar Yadav’s 12 off 11 sealed the deal and MI extended their winning run sealing this match in style with a cracking six coming from Kishan’s bat.

With clearly less than a week to go for the top 4 to separate and make their presence on top felt, the race was still on and each match was going to count. With KXIP riding on 5 consecutive wins in a purple patch, RR on the other hand still had chances of making it to the playoffs but they’d also need some other outcomes to go in their favour.

The last time these two took on each other was an absolute delight with KXIP making 223 and then RR riding on a glorious ‘Tewatia’ special that elevated his position and his heroics will be remembered for a long time. Today’s match was crucial for both. Who’d seal the match to further their progress in this tournament? RR won the toss and decided to bowl first.

KXIP was in to bat sending in KL Rahul and Mandeep Singh. Off to a sluggish start, the 6th ball of the 1st over saw Mandeep Singh mistiming a ball that saw it get lofted in the air and a brilliant dive from Stokes ensured the ball landed comfortably in his hands giving RR their first breakthrough.

Chris Gayle joined skipper KL Rahul at the crease. Both of them were seamlessly hitting boundaries and batting fearlessly. At the end of the powerplay, KXIP was 53/1.

Gayle was hitting some exquisite shots and Rahul was complementing him well. At the halfway mark, KXIP was 81/1.

Soon enough, Gayle brought in a well crafted 50 and unlocking another major milestone was KL Rahul who brought in 2000 runs in his IPL career. This season has been a very fruitful and productive one that has really helped him find his ground and establish himself as a good T20 batsman. This partnership was brought to an end when Stokes got the skipper Rahul for a lukewarm 46.

Nicholas Pooran hit some delightful shots and sixes making 22 eventually falling to Ben Stokes again. KXIP was 3 wickets down. Maxwell joined Gayle at the crease who looked solid and at this stage 190 looked on cards for KXIP.

Gayle was batting so beautifully and hitting them well but was dismissed for 99 and man was he disappointed flinging his bat but congratulated Archer for that ball that dismissed him.

Maxwell and Hooda with 6 and 1 were the last men and KXIP finally ended with a very dominant and competitive 185. Archer and Stokes were the pick of the bowlers with 2 wickets apiece.

RR sent in their duo of Stokes and Uthappa who finally persisted in their cut and chop scheme at the drop of the hat throughout this season. Off to a exceptional start, Stokes was accelerating hitting really well making a mockery of the KXIP attack.

Bringing up the 50 for the team off just 4.2 overs with Stokes doing most of the runs contribution, RR was cruising. Stokes brought in his 50 off a mere 24 balls and Jordan provided some respite getting this paramount dismissal.

Uthappa looked solid at the crease and was joined by Samson. Building on a partnership laced with boundaries and some good running, at the end of 10 overs with that monstrous start given by Stokes, RR was 103/1.

Murugan Ashwin right after this powerplay and strategic timeout got the prized wicket of Uthappa for 30, Steve Smith was the new man at the crease.

Samson was batting well and complemented very well by Steve Smith and was turning out to be a very comfortable run chase, but an untimely run out of Sanju Samson fir 48 off 25 shook the chase and RR drill needed 41 off 34. J Suchith, the sub fielder again was brilliant in ensuring this run out and was a valuable fielder whenever he’s out there in the field.

Now with 40 required off 30, RR still had it well within bounds to ensure they could seal the deal. Steve Smith with a glorious knock of 31 off 20 and Buttler with 22 off 11 and a disappointing wide of the last ball by Jordan helped RR secure this win by 7 wickets.

CSK was playing for pride and for them this was the perfect opportunity to try different team combinations. KKR on the other hand needed this win to elevate their position on the table earning 14 points and overtake KXIP and rub shoulders with DC and RCB as well. KKR had presented a strong playing 11 today and their batting was deep. CSK won the toss and decided to bowl first.

KKR was off to a flyer with Shubman Gill getting 3 fours in the very first over off Chahar. Nitish Rana also looked in very good touch hitting some cracking boundaries. At the end of the powerplay, KKR was 48/0.

But Shubman Gill’s stay ended in the 7th over when Karn Sharma got this crucial breakthrough. KKR was now 53/1. Back to back wickets fell as Narine didn’t affect the scoreboard much getting dismissed for 7. Mitch Santner got this crucial breakthrough.

Nitish Rana was playing a stellar role with good boundaries and some excellent running. Rinku Singh was taking time to settle in and one would certainly wonder as to why captain Morgan, the better of the southpaws not walk out ahead. But with Rinku getting dismissed early on for 11, KKR was 3 wickets down.

Nitish Rana brought up his 50 and started accelerating hitting 3 consecutive sixes off Karn Sharma and was primed for a 100. However, he in the pursuit of more runs was dismissed for a well crafted 87 off 61 balls. What a splendid knock. Lungi Ngidi got this exceptional wicket.

Dinesh Karthik joined skipper Morgan at the crease. Morgan playing a not so significant 15 off 12, KKR still had DK and now Tripathi walked in. DK with a whirlwind 21 off 10 and an unfortunate shuffle that saw Tripathi come so down make 3 off 2. KKR ended with 172/5.

CSK was in to chase and had Watson and Gaikwad to start the proceedings for them. Off to a very good start, at the end of 6 overs, CSK was 44/0. Gaikwad was playing with ease and finesse hitting some seamless boundaries, complemented well by Watson.

Watson’s stay was cut short for 14 when Varun Chakravarthy got his wicket. Rayadu was the new man in and with some brilliant shotplay with consecutive boundaries, at the 10 overs mark, CSK was 74/1.

Gaikwad played some classy cricket and brought in his 50 off 37 balls. He looked at ease and was in control throughout. At the end of 13 overs, CSK was 109/1 and now needed 64 off 42 balls to win. 7 overs with the asking rate was 8 and with a clear mind and the approach they’d been employing, this ideally shouldn’t be a tough chase.

Rayadu couldn’t convert his stay to a big one and was dismissed by Cummins for 38. Dhoni was the new man in and now the equation demanded 53 off 36 balls. Varun Chakravarthy was once again back to get a crucial wicket getting Dhoni for 1.

Was CSK again scripting their dramatic collapses and making it tougher for themselves, well it did look like that. Sam Curran, the backbone of their batting was in and would expect a big one from him partnering Gaikwad to take CSK safely across the shore.

But wickets were still tumbling as Gaikwad misread the ball that bowled him out for a well played 72 and Pat Cummins did what he does the best get those crucial wickets.

CSK still needed 29 off their final 2 and with Curran and Jadeja it still didn’t look impossible. Making the most of this Lockie Ferguson over, Jadeja was striking some big ones as the over yielded 20 runs. The last over needed 10 to finish the match.

Nagarkoti was handed the reins for the final over. He was bowling brilliantly making it difficult for the CSK batsmen to score. But Jadeja hit a glorious 6 and now 1 was needed off 1. Another super over in the offing?

Jadeja then finished the match for KKR and dramatically scripted a win with a magnificent 6. Jadeja’s blinder knock 31 off 11 was a gamechanger of a knock and CSK won by 6 wickets further stalling KKR’s march to the playoffs.

The last time these two teams were faced each other, RCB secured a thumping win. RCB and MI were at 14 points each sitting at 1 and 2 at the table and this win would elevate either of the teams to a playoffs berth with a 16 points and good lead. MI was going unchanged and RCB had Phillipe, Steyn coming in for Saini and Finch. MI won the toss and decided to bowl first.

RCB was in to bat first and sent in Josh Phillipe and Devdutt Padikkal to bat. Off to a good start, at the end of the powerplay RCB was 54/1.

This partnership didn’t last long as Philippe was dismissed for 29 off a brilliant piece of stumping by Quinton de Kock. Padikkal got to his 50. It was a very clinical knock.

Kohli was the new man and was dismissed for a dismal 9. Bumrah got this wicket and a Kohli-Bumrah tussle is always fun to watch out for. This was Bumrah’s 100th IPL wicket and not to forget skipper Kohli was also his 1st wicket. He’s certainly come a long way.

Padikkal looked set for a big one but de Villiers was out and Pollard got this wicket. RCB had a good powerplay but their inability to make capitalize is what’s going to hurt them.

RCB lost back to back wickets with Dube and Padikkal getting dismissed back to back. This were some really disappointing visuals. Credits to Padikkal for a stellar 74. Bumrah got both of these wickets and what a magical spell.

Morris started off with a 4 but Boult got the better of him dismissing him. RCB was 6 wickets down. Sundar and Gurkeerat with cameos of 10 and 14 at the end ensured RCB at least had something to bowl to MI for 164 in their 20 overs.

MI was off to a good start with Ishan Kishan and de Kock opening the innings. At the end of 3 overs, they were well on course with 21/0.

Siraj got the 1st breakthrough for RCB dismissing De Kock. At the end of the powerplay, MI was 45/1.

Ishan Kishan, the set batsman was dismissed by Chahal. Suryakumar Yadav and Saurabh Tiwary were building a partnership but Siraj got another crucial wicket complemented by a brilliant catch taken by a diving Devdutt Padikkal. MI was 3 wickets down and Krunal Pandya was in now. Although MI was losing plot they still had set batsman and a lot of batting still.

Suryakumar Yadav was in real good touch hitting some magnificent boundaries. Chahal was once again amongst the wickets in this runs flurry when he dismissed Krunal Pandya.

Suryakumar Yadav brought about his 50 off 29 balls which was a stellar knock and was reducing the equation greatly further sucking out any form of hope the RCB fans had but was a delight to watch.

With the last 4 overs demanding another 35, the game was still far from over although the scales were tipped in MI’s favour owing to the brilliant batting display by Suryakumar Yadav.

Morris provided some respite getting the wicket of Hardik Pandya not without some exchange of words and an animated gesture while walking out. Pollard was in and unless RCB gets these two wickets, a win seemed highly unlikely.

Pollard sweetly timed the ball to a 4 and just 3 were needed for MI to avenge the loss the 1st time the teams faced each other. Suryakumar Yadav with a 4 sealed the deal and MI won this match. What a glorious 79*. And the celebration that followed really proved what an asset he is to the MI set up.