Two rounds of IPL matches got over with the match between Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) was the eight of the IPL 2019 qualifiers and all the teams have played two matches each. While Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lead the league table having both their respective matches, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals are languishing at the bottom. There were some brilliant cricketing moments as well as controversies during the matches.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli before the inaugural IPL match

The much-touted opening match between RCB and the reigning champions CSK turned out to be a not so exciting affair to kick start the most watched T20 league. The ground staff rolled out a slow and a rank turner that saw Harbhajan Singh take three wickets to literally decimate the RCB batting line-up. RCB limped to a score of 70 all out. Nor did CSK find it easy to chase 71 runs. They needed all of 17.4 overs to reach the Target. Both captains roundly criticised the state of the pitch at the end of the match.

In the next match between KKR and SRH, the fans at the Eden Garden went into a frenzy as Andre Russell pummelled the SRH bowler to four fours and four sixes to help KKR score 53 runs off the last three overs and secure victory. David Warner’s brilliant comeback effort of 85 runs off 53 balls to enable SRH to put together a challenging 181 runs on a difficult pitch went in vain. Earlier Arnold had taken 2 SRH wickets for 32 runs off his four overs. KKR got even with SRH who had sent them packing in the semi-final last season.

Andre Russel scored a blistering 49 off 19 balls to deprive SRH of victory Source

Delhi Capitals (DC) were propelled to a mammoth 213 for six by Rishab Pant who blasted Mumbai Indians (MI) for 78 runs off just 27 balls. Colin Ingram and Shikhar Dhawan weighed in with 47 and 43 runs respectively after a shaky start to the DC inning. The Mumbai reply never really took off with Ishant Sharma claiming Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock early. Yuvraj Singh, who was bought by MI as an afterthought, played a brisk inning scoring 53 off 35 balls but could not see MI home. Keiron Pollard and Hardik Pandya were dismissed within three balls of each other which set MI back.

There was controversy when Ravichandran Ashwin, the captain of Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) did a Mankad on Jos Butler of Rajasthan Royals. KXIP had compiled a score of 184 assisted by 47 balls 79 by Chris Gayle. Jos Butler was on 69 runs off 43 balls and RR was well on track at 108 for one wicket. AS Ashwin came into bowl Butler was shaping to back up at the non-striker’s end and not watching Ashwin. Ashwin stopped in his delivery stride and ran Butler out. While Ashwin was criticised for his action, which was not in the spirit of the game, Rajasthan Royals suffer a major collapse and could only manage 170 runs.

Ashwin 'Mankading' Butler Source

Delhi Capitals put together 147 runs riding on a half-century by Shikhar Dhawan against Chennai Super Kings. Prithvi Shaw (24 off 16)and Rishab Pant (25 off 13) threatened to break away but Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo got the better of them. Shane Watson (44) and Suresh Raina (30) gave Super Kings a good start after losing Ambati Rayadu early. Kedar Jadhav and Dhoni then took the game deep and scored the required runs in the last over of the match making it two out of two for Super Kings.

Sunil Narine played a brisk inning (24 off 90) to give KKR a good start against KXIP. Robin Uttapa and Nitish Rana then put together a partnership of 110 runs at 10 runs per over. Andre Russel came to the crease and blasted 48 runs off just 17 balls and KKR finished their 20 overs with 218 on the board. Russel was actually bowled by Mohammed Shami when of 3. But the Umpire called him back because there were only three fielders inside the 30-yard circle at the time of the delivery when there should have been four. Kuldeep Yadhav had KL Rahul of KXIP and Russel had Chris Gayle caught to reduce them to 37 for 2 wickets. Mayank Agarwal, David Miller both got half-centuries but could not keep up with the asking rate and KXIP finished at 190 for 4 at the end of 20 overs.

Robin Uthappa and Nitish Rana set up the stage for Russel Arnold to play his cameo that secured victory for KKR Source

Another controversy erupted when Royal Challengers lost to Mumbai Indians off the last ball of the last over. This time the Umpire failed to note that Lasith Malinga had bowled a no-ball. Had he done so, RCB would have AB de Villiers on strike to a free hit with five runs required to win.

Mumbai Indians had earlier got off to a good start from Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock. Chahal who had bowled de Kock, also had Yuvraj Singh caught after being hit for three sixes in a row. But Indians lost four quick wickets for only five runs before a cameo of 32 off 14 balls by Hardik Pandya saw them finish with a score of 187 for 8 wickets. Sharma ran out Moeen Ali early when RCB were chasing. Kohli started with three consecutive fours off Bumrah. After Kohli was caught off Bumrah, AB de Villiers tried valiantly to achieve the targeted 188 runs. He remained 70 not out off 41 balls and RCB finished the match 7 runs short because of the umpiring error. Chahal got 4 wickets and Bumrah bowled well at the death.

Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged the Man of the Match for his bowling against RR Source

Sanju Samson struck the first century of the IPL 2019 for Rajasthan Royals only to end up on the losing side. He struck a brilliant 102 off 55 balls (10 4s and 4 6s) and along with Ajinkya Rahane (70 off 49) helped Rajasthan to a score of 198 for 2 wickets off twenty overs. But David Warner just continued from where he left off at the Eden Gardens. Along with Jonny Bairstow, he put up a century stand for the opening wicket, the first this season. He scored 69 runs off just 37 balls. Bairstow (45 off 28) and Vijay Shankar (35 off 15) made the target look easy as SRH reached 201 runs with one over to spare.

With the league going into the third round of matches, Royal Challengers and Rajasthan Royals have some catching up to do. David Warner, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Rishab Pant and Robin Uttapa are among the heaviest scorers this season. Yazuvendra Chahal leads the field among the bowlers with 5 wickets at a strike rate of 9.6. Imran Tahir, Jasprit Bumrah, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russel have all claimed four wickets each.

David Warner spoiled the Rajasthan Royals party Source

Royal Challengers Bangalore did not bargain for the pitch that was laid out for them when they visited Chennai. They were unfortunate also when they were the victim of an umpiring error and could not have ago at victory against Mumbai Indians at home. Rajasthan Royals were hit with the ‘Mankding’ of Jos Butler in their first match. They will be wondering what steps they have to take when they could not defend a score of 198 runs against Sun Risers. All the IPL sides look balanced and these two, RCB and RR will have to pull up their socks and be counted.