New Delhi [India], May 19 : With Gujarat Titans' win over the Delhi Capitals (DC), the 2022 champions, GT and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), made it to the playoffs on Sunday.
Also, with a narrow 11-run win over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) have also become the third team to make the playoffs.
Coming to the first match of the double-header on Sunday, opting to bat first, PBKS was 34/3. Following that, a 67-run stand between skipper Shreyas Iyer (30 in 25 balls, five fours) and Nehal Wadhera (70 in 37 balls, with five fours and five sixes) and a 58-run partnership between Wadhera and Shashank Singh (59* in 30 balls, with five fours and three sixes) solidified PBKS's hold on the game. Then an explosive partnership between Shashank and Azmatullah Omarzai (21* in three balls, with three fours and a six) took PBKS to 219/5 in their 20 overs.
Tushar Deshpande (2/37) was the leading wicket-taker for RR.
In the run-chase, young openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 in 25 balls, with nine fours and a six) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40 in 15 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) provided RR with the start they needed, getting 76 runs in just 4.5 overs. RR kept up with the run-rate despite losing wickets later, with Dhruv Jurel (53 in 31 balls, with six fours and four sixes) playing another fine knock. However, other batters failed to respond to the scoreboard pressure, falling 11 runs short, with RR finishing at 209/7.
Harpreet Brar (3/22) was the top bowler for PBKS, who was also awarded the 'Player of the Match' award. Marco Jansen (2/41) and Omarzai (2/44) also were solid with the ball.
With this victory, PBKS has climbed to the third spot, with eight wins, three losses, and a no-result, giving them 17 points.
On the other hand, fans at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi were also treated to some high-scoring cricket, with KL Rahul's fifth IPL century being the main highlight from the first innings after GT, who won the toss and opted to field first.
After DC lost Faf Du Plessis early, a 90-run stand between KL Rahul and Abishek Porel (30 in 19 balls, with a four and three sixes) and cameos from skipper Axar Patel (25 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (21* in 10 balls, with two sixes) helped DC reach 199/3. KL had a solid 45-run stand for the third wicket and a 48-run stand for the fourth wicket with Axar and Stubbs, respectively.
Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshad Khan each got a wicket.
However, DC's bowling struggled against ultra-consistent Shubman Gill (93* in 53 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) and Sai Sudharsan (108* in just 61 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes). They put on a dominant 205 run partnership, helping GT win with an over left. Sudharsan got the 'Player of the match' award and leads the Orange Cap race with 617 runs in 12 innings at an average of 56.09 and a strike rate of 156.99, with a century and five fifties.
With this loss, GT have climbed to the top with nine wins and three losses, giving them 18 points. With two matches left, their qualification is sealed. On the other hand, RCB is in second place, with eight wins, three losses, and no result, giving them 17 points as well.
GT, RCB and PBKS have two matches left. GT is supposed to play Lucknow Super Giants (May 22) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ahmedabad. RCB is left to play Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 23) at home and Lucknow Super Giants (May 27) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Also, PBKS is yet to play Delhi Capitals (May 24) and Mumbai Indians (May 26) in Jaipur.
After winning their first five matches, DC's road to the playoffs has become difficult. They won just one, lost five of their next six matches, and one ended in a no-result. They are at fifth spot with 13 points. Their matches against the Mumbai Indians (May 21) at Wankhede and the PBKS (May 24) in Jaipur have become must-win matches.
Mumbai Indians (fourth with seven wins and five losses, 14 points) and LSG (seventh with five wins, six losses and 10 points) are still in contention for the playoffs.