Delhi Daredevils suffered a four-run defeat against Kings XI Punjab at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on Monday. After posting their fifth win in six games, Kings XI Punjab jumped to top of the IPL standings with 10 points. And with five defeats in six matches, Daredevils languished at the bottom of the pile. Needing 17 off the final over, Shreyas Iyer scored 12 runs off the first five balls but young spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman got the better of him and dismissed the right-hander in the final delivery of the match to stop Daredevils on 139/8. Iyer top-scored for the hosts with 57 off 45 balls, which included a six and five fours.
Thrilling win for Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals won a thrilling three-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on Sunday following a sensational knock of 33 not out in 11 balls by all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham. In a see-saw battle, Rajasthan required 28 from the last two overs after they collapsed from 123/3 to 125/6 in the 17th over while chasing 168. Rajasthan did not have a brisk start but Sanju Samson and Ben Stokes kept them in the hunt before Gowtham finished the job in great style.
CSK men hold nerve to beat Sunrisers
Chennai Super Kings registered a four-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. Ambati Rayudu scored 79 runs in 39 balls and laid cornerstone for Chennai’s score of 182 for three. Chasing their second highest total this season for the second straight match, the Sunrisers, handicapped by Shikhar Dhawan’s absence, needed an aggressive start, but with debutant Ricky Bhui nervously nibbling at Chahar in the first over, and Manish Pandey and Deepak Hooda handing it on a platter, it was left to Sunrisers’ skipper Kane Williamson to plough a lonely furrow. He hardly put a foot wrong in scoring 84, his third straight half-century, till Dwayne Bravo’s change of pace did him in, but his two partnerships helped the Sunrisers make a tight fist of it.
AB de Villiers shines again
AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 39-ball 90 to take Royal Challengers Bangalore to a six-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. The South African’s show clinched RCB their second win in five games while Delhi fell to their fourth defeat in five matches.
Earlier, a fantastic rearguard action from Rishabh Pant (85) along with a purposeful innings from Shreyas Iyer (52) propelled Delhi Daredevils to 174/5 in 20 overs.
Gayle, Rahul make short work of KKR
Kings XI Punjab once again showed that they are the most explosive team in Power Play overs while their bowlers have proved to be the most economical in the death overs in IPL-11. KXIP cashed in on these two aspects of their game to crush Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets in a rain-truncated match on Saturday. It was their fourth win this season - their first at the Eden Gardens since 2012. The win took KXIP to the top of the points table with eight points from five matches. Chasing KKR’s tally of 191/7, the visitors rattled up 96 runs without loss in just 8.2 overs when a sharp shower stopped play. But by then Chris Gayle and KL Rahul had done enough damage and put the game beyond the hapless Knights.
Watson helps in Chennai win
Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson scored 106 off 57 balls and helped Chennai Super Kings to score 204 for five and register their 64 run victory over Rajasthan Royals. It was their second consecutive loss while CSK, coming on the back of a defeat to Kings XI Punjab, started their journey at their adopted 'home' in Pune on a welcome note. Watson found a strong ally in Suresh Raina (46). Raina, who was making a comeback after missing CSK’s last game with a calf-muscle injury, showed no signs of illness as he smashed Stokes for four consecutive boundaries. Together they stitched a partnership of 81 off 44 balls for the second wicket.
Chris Gayle guides Kings XI to victory
Maverick West Indian batsman Chris Gayle smacked 11 sixes en route his 21st T20 century at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali and guide Kings XI Punjab to a 15 run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday. This is Kings XI's third victory in four games and Snrisers first loss in this season. There was a solitary boundary in Gayle’s knock and he remained unbeaten on 104. Despite suffering cramps in the later part of his innings, Gayle never threw away his wicket and it was evident that he wanted to be at the crease till the last over. Sunrisers arguably have the strongest bowling team in this IPL and were shell-shocked after the leather hunt they were subjected to by Gayle.
Kolkata Knight Riders clinch top spot
Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders displaced Sunrisers Hyderabad from the top spot in the IPL points table after they beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets in 18.5 overs. As Sanju Samson failed to produce a magical knock, RR managed to score just 160/8. But that was not enough and Knight Riders overtake the score in 18.5 overs.
Rohit Sharma powers MI to first win
Mumbai Indians registered their first IPL win by registering a comprehensive 46-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday. Chasing a mammoth 214-run target, RCB managed 167/8 in 20 overs. The main architect of MI's big score was skipper Rohit Sharma who regained his form and scored 94 runs. Chasing 214, RCB skipper Virat Kohli found himself playing the lone ranger, as he scored a gallant, unbeaten 92 even as the others around him seemed to be in no mood to fight.
