Hello All.
Welcome to SRH vs RCB Eliminator of Dream11 IPL 2020. RCB would be happy with making it through the play-offs after a break of three years and would be looking to turn the tides on SRH who have been a thorn to them in the qualifying and final stages (IPL Final 2009 and 2016). Meanwhile, SRH would like to continue their newfound rhythm and continue with their good run as they made it to he top-4 after beating the top 3 teams in their final three matches. SRH go in with an injury scare to Saha while RCB would be sweating out for the fitness of Morris and Saini. The winner of tonight’s match gets to play the Qualifier 2 vs DC.
It’s toss time here at Abu Dhabi, the SRH captain calls it right and they have decided to bowl first. SRH make a change- Goswami in for Saha. For RCB, four changes- Finch, Saini, Ali and Zampa replace Joshua Phillipe, Shahbaz Ahmed, Chris Morris and Isuru Udana respectively.
IPL 2020: SRH vs RCB Eliminator.
Live from- Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Time- 7:30 IST
Broadcast- Star Sports Network (1 English) and (3 Hindi) and Disney+hotstar for online streaming.
Umpires- Paul Reiffel & Sundaram Ravi 3rd umpire- Virender Sharma
Match official- Manu Nayyar.
Teams:
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Aaron Finch, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Moeen Ali, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Navdeep Saini, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): David Warner (c), Shreevats Goswami(wk), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Jason Holder, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan.
The SRH players are out in the middle and a surprise from the RCB camp it’s Kohli opening the batting with Dev as his partner. The captain leading from the front in an all-important game. Sandeep Sharma to open the bowling for SRH. Starts off well with a dot. Kohli takes a single of the next. Dev then gets going with a single to mid-on. Kohli then walks down the track to negate the movement and gets a double. A dot and single down third man to end the first. RCB are 5/0 after 1.
Jason Holder to partner Sharma. Kohli again gets a big stride in and gets a couple through the mid-wicket region. The next ball is a disaster for RCB. Holder gets rid of Kohli! Angling down the leg, Kohli looks to play that fine but it bounces a bit higher and Goswami makes no mistake- A good sliding catch down the leg. Kohli’s plan to open the innings is undone. Aaron Finch at 3 tonight. Three dots and a wide later a single to end the second. RCB are 9-1 after 2.
Sandeep Sharma to continue, the keeper is brought up to the stumps. He gives just a single run off the over. Excellent bowling this from SRH. Holder to resume and Finch greets him with a boundary behind square. A pressure release shot. Takes a single off the next. Holder then gets rid of Dev courtesy of an excellent catch by Garg at mid-wicket. Holder digs it in short, Dev goes for the pull but does not get hold of it. Garg at mid-wicket jumps to perfection and takes a good catch. Both RCB’s openers back in the hut. Holder on fire for SRH. AB walks in at 4. Three dots to end the over. RCB are 15/2 after 4.
Sandeep Sharma to bowl his third, keeps up with the pressure. Just 4 singles off 5 balls. Finch then decides to break the shackles- gives himself some room and finds the gap through the overs for a boundary to end the fifth. RCB are 23/2 after 5. Natarajan is introduced in the attack. Just five singles form five ball, Finch then plays a delicate shot to find the gap behind square through the third-man region for a boundary to end the powerplay. RCB are 32/2 after 6.
Shahbaz Nadeem is introduced into the attack. He starts off well just 5 singles from it. AB and Finch trying to get in a partnership. The Afghan star- Rashid Khan is brought in the attack. Just gives two singles from it. A good contest between Finch and Rashid there. RCB are 39/2 after 8. Nadeem to continue and just six singles taken. RCB are 45/2 after 9 and the umpires single for the Time out 1 in SRH vs RCB Eliminator.
Good bowling from the SRH bowlers at the start and we saw Holder getting the rewards with two big wickets. RCB would be hoping for a big partnership between AB and Finch here. The track on the slower side with there two holding the fort would be crucial for RCB. Meanwhile, SRH know that one more wicket in and they are in total domination mode then. RCB would look for a score of about 150 and hope dew does not play a huge role as they have 4 spinners in their team.
Rashid Khan to continue after the break and AB takes a single. Finch then gets one in his arc and it goes towards the cow corner for a maximum. Two dots and two singles to end the over. 9 from it and RCB are 54/2 after 10. Nadeem continues, starts off with a wide. AB takes a single. The next ball Nadeem gets the better of Finch. Slower and wide outside off- Finch tries the lofted shot but hits it straight to the fielder at deep extra cover. The partnership which was looking dangerous has been broken. SRH strike back, Ali walks in at 5. Nadeem to AB, get a thick outside edge but through vacant slip area for a boundary.
The next ball AB takes a single and we are alerted off a no-ball. Ali to face- what a way to face your first ball than a free hit. Nadeem fires in the yorker and Ali hits it straight to Rashid Khan at extra cover and they try to run a risky single. Rashid aims and hits at the non-striker end and Ali is way short of his crease. Disaster for RCB. Getting run-out on a free-hit! The only possible way to get out and Ali finds it. He goes for a duck. Dube walks in at 6. A double and a single to end the over. RCB are 65/4 after 11.
Rashid to continue, three singles and Dube has no clue of Rashid’s tricks. He even gets away with an LBW review as SRH decide against it. Had it been taken Dube would have been back in the hut. RCB are 68/4 after 12. Nadeem to bowl his final. AB greets him with a boundary, much needed for RCB. A misfield from Holder helps. Four singles to end the over. RCB are 76/4 after 13 and Nadeem ends with 1/30 from 4. Natarajan is brought back in the attack, Dube takes a single. AB then gives him some room and hits it over extra cover for a boundary- Classic AB! A double and two singles to end the over. RCB are 85/4 after 14.
Rashid to bowl his final and Dube gets a single. A dot and the AB cuts one to get a couple. The next ball AB sweeps hard and finds a boundary. AB getting into top gear mode. A single and dot to end the over. Rashid completes his 4 giving just 22 runs. Holder is brought back in. AB starts off with a double. Takes a single off the next. Dube pulls one and Garg puts in a dive and saves 2. A wide and Dube falls! Slower ball, Dube was looking to work it on the leg side but is undone by the change of pace and an edge straight to Warner at mid-off. Holder gets his third. Another partnership broken.
Strategic Time-out called in SRH vs RCB Eliminator. RCB are really struggling out there. Somewhat in a similar position they got themselves the last time they played SRH in Sharjah. AB is the only hope now for RCB and hopefully he can get some support from Sundar and the bowlers to follow. SRH just keep getting the breakthrough at the right time. AB holds the key here for a score of 120 or 150. Sundar walks in at 7. Takes a single. Last ball and AB gets a full-toss on his pads and he places one through deep mid-wicket and also his 50! He knows that job yet to be completed, muted celebrations.
Final 4 overs coming up, Sandeep Sharma to bowl his final. He gets another economical over in. Just giving away 7 runs from it. He finishes with 0/21. RCB are 111/5 after 17. The nelson is up. Natarajan is back in the attack and straight away gets Sundar. A full and wide ball outside off. Sundar places it well in-fact hits it too well but straight down the fielders throat. The hole gets deeper for RCB. Saini is out in the middle. Two single taken and then Natarajan gets the big fish- AB has to depart. A perfect yorker was needed and Natarajan gets one. Full, straight and a perfect yorker- Middle stump uprooted. RCB are 113/7 after 18.
Siraj and Saini are out in the center. Holder to bowl his final. He goes for five singles and finishes with 3/25. RCB are 118/7 after 19. Natarajan to bowl the final over. Saini swings and misses. The next ball he connects and gets a boundary over backward point. Welcome runs this for RCB. Takes a single. Siraj then walks wide off the stumps and tries the ramp. No room left and somehow manages to get bat to ball. It flies over short third man and they get a double. Next ball he tries the ramp again and gets the required result this time a boundary and a double to deep mid-wicket to end the innings.
13 runs coming from the last over and RCB have somehow managed to cross the 130 mark. They end with 131/7 on the board. A disappointing day for RCB till now. Holder and Sandeep started excellently by getting two quick wickets in the powerplay. Nadeem and Rashid strangled the RCB innings in the middle and then talk about gifting a wicket off a free-hit that sums up RCB’s innings. Natarajan returned and got rid of a dangerous looking AB to restrict RCB to a minimalistic score. SRH need 132 to play the Qualifier 2 or will RCB pull up an ace from their sleeves?
Warner and Goswami to open for SRH. Siraj will open the attack for RCB. Siraj starts off with a wide. Takes a single off the next ball. Goswami on strike. Two dots and then Siraj induces an edge and caught by AB. RCB strike in the first over. Full and wide drawing Goswami for the drive. No footwork from him and only manages to get an edge. Manish Pandey comes in at 3. Two dots to end the over. SRH are 2/1 after 1.
Saini to partner Siraj. He continues the good spell from Siraj. Just two singles given. Excellent bowling from the two young Indian quicks. SRH are 4/1 after 2. Siraj resumes. He starts with a couple of wides down leg. Three dots in, Siraj goes for the short ball and Pandey dispatches it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. A single and a dot to end the third. SRH are 13/1 after 3.
Saini to continue and the first ball is mistimed by Pandey- gets a leading edge to mid-on where Dube goes in for a catch, just bounces in front of him and it goes for a boundary. Two dots and two singles later Pandey places one through the gap of mid-off and extra cover and gets a boundary. Excellent shot from him. SRH are 23/1 after 4. Sundar is introduced in the attack and Warner greets him with a boundary. The next ball Warner hits it straight to the covers but AB disturbs the stumps so a free-hit is awarded to SRH. Free hit and Warner gets a quick single. The stump mic captures AB saying “Run him Out!”.
Pandey the places another shot ball from Sundar for a boundary. Two singles and a dot to end the over. 12 runs coming from it. SRH are 35/1 after 5. Siraj to continue and Warner greets him with a boundary through the covers. Collects another boundary this time through backward point. Warner looking in great nick. A dot and then a huge shout for caught behind and Kohli takes a review at the final second.
An excellent ball from Siraj basically cutting Warner in half. There is a certain noise and UltraEdge shows a spike when the ball passes the glove but it’s also close to the thigh pad. The third umpire is certainly under pressure here. Multiple replays and UltraEdge later the third umpire overturns on-field umpires decision. A huge wicket this for RCB. They are certainly back in the game. Warner is not happy one bit with the decision but he has to depart. Williamson walks in at 4. Gets a four leg-byes and another leg bye to end the over. SRH are 48/2 after 6.
So, timeout taken on SRH vs RCB Eliminator. RCB are right back in the game. They looked pumped after the wicket of Warner who has played well against them in recent times. SRH have a good run rate going for them and would like to take the game deep with Williamson holding one end.
Adam Zampa is introduced in the attack. He starts off with an excellent first over. Just a single from it. Spin from both end now. Chahal to bowl. He gives away just five singles from his first. SRH are 54/2 after 8. Zampa to resume. Williamson takes a single. A dot later Manish Pandey goes for a cut but ends up only with a toe edge and AB does an excellent job of keeping the eyes on the ball and a good catch to end Panday’s inning. Garg comes in at 5. Three dots to end the over. Just a single and a wicket from it. SRH are 55/3 after 9.
Chahal to resume and Williamson gets a single to deep extra cover. Just two couples to end the over. 5 runs from it. SRH are 60/3 after 10. Zampa to continue and almost gets rid of Williamson. A wide with a single and a double to end the over. Chahal to continue, three singles off the first 4 balls and the Chahal gets the breakthrough. It’s the classic Chahal wicket. Full and wide- spinning away with Garg trying to loft one but hits it straight to extra cover. RCB after choking the runs have now got the breakthrough. Holder walks in at 6. A single to end the over. SRH are 68/4 after 12.
Ali is introduced in the attack. No effect of dew still. RCB are looking to choke the flow of runs now. He gives away just 4 runs off it. Sundar is brought back in. He starts off with a couple of dots. A single and dot later Williamson get hold off one and hits it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. That would release some pressure. Takes a double off the last. SRH are 81/4 after 14. Zampa is brought back in. Just 6 singles off his last over. SRH play him out carefully. He completes his spell with 1/12. SRH are 87/4 after 15.
Chahal to bowl his final. Just 4 singles of the 5 ball. The final ball Chahal bowls in the middle and leg and Williamson takes the aerial route and clears deep mid-wicket. 10 runs from the over. SRH are 97/4 after 16 and Chahal ends with 1/24. Final timeout in the SRH vs RCB Eliminator. RCB are still in the game and so are SRH. RCB would like to get rid of this pair especially Williamson. Meanwhile, SRH would be hoping that this pair would take them home. Final 4 overs coming up. 35 needed from 24 balls.
Dube is brought in the attack. Starts off well with just 3 singles off 4 balls. Then Williamson plays one of the best shot and under pressure through covers. Class of Williamson on display. A dot to end the over. SRH are 104/4 after 17. 28 needed from 18 balls. Saini is brought in the attack. Holder takes a single. Saini bowls an almost waist-high full-toss, Williamson get a good part of the bat. Dev in deep square goes for the catch, he has to move back to adjust to the shot gets hold of it but has to let go as he would have touched the boundary cushion. Certainly saved 5 runs there Dev. A tough chance in the deep.
That catch had it been taken would have certainly swung the game RCB’s favor. But Williamson survives. A single later, Williamson places it beautifully between the keeper and short third man for a boundary. A double and a single to end the over. 10 runs from it. SRH are 114/4 after 18. Siraj to bowl his final. 18 needed from 12. Williamson takes a single. The next ball Holder gets a boundary through a thick outside edge over short third man. Two singles and a double to end the 19th. SRH are 123/4. 9 needed from 6 balls. We are in for a thriller here. Saini is handled the ball.
Williamson takes a single and also gets his 50. The Dark knight has risen for SRH. The next ball Holder swings and misses. A dot from Saini here. The next ball he almost gets the yorker right but holder manages to hit it through the covers for a boundary. Excellent shot under pressure from Holder. 4 needed from 3 balls. Full and wide and Holder slices it perfectly to get the boundary and the win for SRH. RCB have been eliminated and SRH progress through the Qualifiers-2.
Well, the wait for RCB keeps getting longer. SRH go through and have again proved a thorn for RCB. SRH came in the match in lots of confidence and that was shown from the start. RCB changed their opening with Virat leading from the front but that move failed. Dev too departed early. Finch and AB built a partnership but Finch perished and later Ali gets run-out for a duck on a free-hit! AB tried his best and carried the team again but Natarajan with the perfect ball got rid of AB. RCB then managed only a below par score to defend.
RCB bowlers started out well, getting a wicket in the first over itself. The wicket of Warner just at end of powerplay certainly had the match in the balance. The RCB spinners bowled tight spells in tandem and restricted the flow of runs. They kept chipping in wickets but in the end, the partnership between Williamson and Holder was the difference. The guided SRH through a slippery phase and with calculated risks that paid off in the end. Another season of RCB being so near yet so far from the elusive trophy. Awards coming up.
Awards- SRH vs RCB Eliminator: IPL 2020
So another season ends and the wait continues for RCB and it’s fans for the elusive title. RCB have crashed and burned in the end. 5 matches and 5 losses with the last loss a bitter pill to swallow. Choking again at the end-stage- This time the eliminator. RCB bow out while SRH lives to fight another day. For more IPL content click here.
Watch the match highlights: SRH vs RCB Eliminator here-
Stay tuned for Chapter 18… The Final Showdown coming up next. Till then Happy Reading! Ciao.
Vivek Nair
