Srikar Bharat ended the match with an unbeaten 78 off just 52 deliveries and constructed a 111-run stand with Glenn Maxwell who scored 51 off 33.
Follow Us
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have a new hero in their ranks in the form of Srikar Bharat. In a game that went to the very last ball, the Challengers recorded one of the most dramatic wins of the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the thick of it all was Srikar Bharat who smashed a massive six off the last ball to clinch RCB’s 100th IPL win. He emerged as a hero since the Challengers required five runs to get off the last delivery. Bharat ended his innings with an unbeaten 78. Australian batter Glenn Maxwell also played a brilliant knock as he made an unbeaten 51. The partnership between Bharat and Maxwell was 111 runs and it was a thing of beauty. DC had made 164-5 in 20 overs and RCB scored 166-3.
The RCB openers were quite woeful on the day. Skipper Virat Kohli only made four runs off eight deliveries while Devdutt Padikkal was dismissed for a duck. South African batter AB de Villiers played a useful knock of 26 runs off 26 deliveries. However, the limelight was stolen by Bharat and Maxwell. RCB were 55-3 when the two were out in the middle and not a single wicket fell since.
The 111-run partnership between the two middle-order batters showcased a well-balanced batting display. The duo played cautiously when they needed to and let loose at exactly the right moments. Bharat ended with an unbeaten 78 off just 52 deliveries while Maxwell recorded his sixth IPL half-century. The Aussie scored 51 runs off just 33 balls.
Rishabh Pant will have some serious concerns regarding his bowling unit after today’s match. While the match did go down to the wire, only three wickets were taken. That is simply not good enough if one wants to be crowned the IPL champions. Anrich Nortje and Axar Patel were the only ones to bag wickets. Nortje acclaimed a couple of wickets in four overs for 24 runs while Axar bagged one and conceded 39 runs.
Avesh Khan and Kagiso Rabada were expensive on the day. Avesh went for 31 runs in four overs while Rabada conceded 37. It is a day to forget for the Indian pacer. He was the one who bowled the last over off which RCB needed 15. He bowled a horrendous wide in what should have been the last delivery of the game, giving the chance to an in-form Bharat to snatch the game away.
When he sees the Capitals’ batting order for the day, Rishabh Pant will be overjoyed as captain despite the loss. The middle-order did not score many runs, but they did enough to ensure that the team reached a competitive total. Dhawan scored 43 runs off just 35 deliveries, while Shaw scored 48 runs off just 31 balls. Shaw hit four boundaries and two maximums in his innings, while Dhawan hit three fours and two sixes.
Pant struggled with the bat on the day, scoring 10 runs off eight deliveries. Former captain Shreyas Iyer batted well for the Capitals, scoring 18 runs off 18 deliveries. The scoring rate may not have been quick, but the runs are still valuable. Hetmyer was the one who brought things to a close, scoring 29 runs off 22 deliveries in a knock that included two boundaries and two maximums. Ripal Patel remained unbeaten on seven.
Mohammad Siraj was the bowler of choice for Virat Kohli’s men on the day. He took two wickets in four overs while allowing only 24 runs. As the DC batters smashed them around the park, no one else had a memorable performance. Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, and Dan Christian, on the other hand, each picked up one wicket.
