Rising Pune Supergiant eased their way into the playoffs and into the second spot on the IPL 2017 table with a thumping performance to beat Kings XI Punjab. Opting to bowl first, RPS used the bounce on the wicket to great effect to demolish the KXIP top-order. Shardul Thakur helped himself to three wickets for 19 runs, while Jaydev Unadkat, Dan Christian and Adam Zampa picked up two wickets each. The team effort meant KXIP were blown away for their lowest ever IPL total – 73 all out in 10 overs.
RPS needed just 12 overs, and lost just 1 wicket, as they polished off the target and confirmed their spot in the next phase. They will now travel to Mumbai for the Qualifier 1 match against table-toppers Mumbai Indians.
How does this change the points table?
The win lifts Rising Pune Supergiants to the all-important second spot on the table. They will now play Mumbai Indians at Mumbai for a direct spot in the final. It is worth noting that Pune have beaten Mumbai on both occasions in this IPL. The eliminator will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Where did it all go wrong for KXIP?
With a lot riding on them, King XI Punjab came unstuck as their top-order crumbled against a disciplined Rising Pune Supergiant line-up. Jaydev Unadkat struck off the very first delivery to send back Martin Guptill, while Shaun Marsh chipped a catch to Steve Smith at mid-off after making just 10. Eoin Morgan ran himself out for four, while Shardul Thakur added to his wickets tally with the scalps of Rahul Tewatia and Glenn Maxwell in the same over. By the end of the powerplay, KXIP found themselves in total disarray at 32 for 5 and in need of a miracle. The implosion was contagious apparently, as the rest of the line-up buckled under pressure, and were bowled out for 73.
Did Punjab forget how to bat?
It certainly seemed so. Pressure can do funny things to even the most experienced. But their downfall was mostly due to some shambolic batting. Guptill started off with a loose shot off the very first ball, while Marsh made no attempt to keep his drive down. Morgan’s decision to take a single after hitting to mid-on was ill-judged, while Maxwell deposited a hit-me ball straight to deep square leg. Tewatia, who came in to bat above Maxwell, hit a short delivery on leg stump to short fine leg.
RPS did well to take the chances that came their way, but with a little more application KXIP could have found themselves in a position to assert a lot more control.
How did RPS go about their chase?
In clinical fashion. Ajinkya Rahane settled into a role he cherishes – playing the anchor – while Rahul Tripathi carted the ball around the park. Tripathi was out in the last over of the powerplay, bowled to Axar Patel, but by then RPS had wiped out more than half the target. Steve Smith and Rahane had their chance to spend some time out in the middle, and they did exactly that by stitching together patient 39-ball 37-run partnership to take their side home after 12 overs.
Where do they go next?
KXIP – Home. Their campaign is done and dusted, and they will look back at it with a mixture of pride and disappointment. They were almost out of the reckoning midway through the tournament but fought back hard with a string of wins to keep themselves in contention till their last game – in which they spectacularly failed.
RPS – To Mumbai to play the Mumbai Indians for a spot in the final.
Brief Scores: KXIP 73 in 15.5 overs (Axar Patel 22; Shardul Thakur 3-19, Jaydev Unadkat 2-12) lost to RPS 78/1 in 12 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 34*, Steve Smith 28*) by 9 wickets
