Every year we Indians all await for the IPL to start, last year we had IPL outside India. This year IPL came back to India but still, it misses the fans inside the stadium due to the increase in COVID spike. Although IPL started with a bang as the two greats of Indian cricket faced each other in the battleground of Chepauk, Chennai. In this match, we saw so many ups and downs and it was really a cliff-hanger. In this article, we will see 5 turning points that could have been pivotal in the circumstances of the match which made the match really an edge of the seat contest.
1st of all the first 11 was really surprising for us as Mumbai Indians picked Chris Lynn as opener who was benched last whole season and Marco Jansen the Protean speed-star who debuted for MI and on the other hand, RCB gave Rajat Patidar, Harshal Patel, and Shahbaz Ahmed a chance as Devdutt Padikkal and Navdeep Saini were benched Devdut Padikkal’s inclusion into the team on 7th April without any COVID test raised concerns. So many overseas players like Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamison, Marco Jansen, and Daniel Christian were very eagerly waiting to wear the new jerseys.
The first turning point could have been the runout of Rohit Sharma as he looked in great touch batting with ease and releasing pressure from Lynn but suddenly the runout made the innings of MI a bit slow-paced after that it took a little time for Suryakumar Yadav and Chris Lynn to rebuild another partnership. It was looking good at one point in time even we started to think MI can achieve 200+ easily with the firepower they have towards the end of their innings with the likes of Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and Kieron Pollard but that didn’t happen.
RCB is always considered as a very weak bowling attack at least in terms of quicker bowlers but they invested a lot of money on Kyle Jamison and also hanged on with Kane Richardson even they bought veteran Daniel Christian. Last year’s performance was also commendable as Young Indian pacer duo Saini and Shiraz took the charge on their shoulders to get the team over the line many times. The inclusion of Harshal Patel also made an impact on the other side captain Kholi’s trump card didn’t pay very well because neither Ahmed nor Washinton Sundar even the experienced Chahal got for runs.
Everything was going good MI with a run rate of nearly 9 runs per over but the young Kiwi got the precious wicket of Suryakumar Yadav who was looking good with 31(23) and the wickets started falling like a cycle stand Lynn 49(35) missed the ton and Ishan Kishan made a contribution of 28(19) after that no one made any significant contribution to the scoreboard. Eventually, MI could hardly reach 159 with the loss of 9 wickets and every credit goes to the boy from Haryana who once used to play for RCB, Harshal Patel. His spell of 4-0-27-5 was enough for RCB to get a tight hold on the defending champions.
In the 2nd innings, we got really shocked as Washington Sundar paired up with the Indian Captain Bumrah and Boult as usually made the batsman struggled for the initial overs as Bumrah was removed from the attack this trick of Virat Kholi again got flopped as Sundar returned to the pavilion.
Suddenly another thing started to happen as Krunal Pandya started bowling it seemed like he was bowling on another pitch unlike RCB’s spin triplets conceding just 23 runs picking up Sundar and after that Boult sent the young Indian talent from Madhya Pradesh Patidar to the dugout. For RCB’s new-look middle order it looked impossible although Kholi was on the pitch. This was another turning point as MI gripped the match strongly.
But the real Big show was yet to come so came Maxwell the man in the middle of so many controversies started with some close calls but later took an opposite turn hitting all the bowlers out of the park in nearly 7 overs RCB scored 52 runs with steady run rate everything looked simple enough as one of the best finishers of the game and the greatest chase master were on the field but wait a bit it is IPL the greatest T-20 league around the globe as they were facing the best death bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
As Bumrah took the wicket of his national team’s captain and Jansen took 2 quick wickets to send dangerous-looking Maxwell and Shahbaz Ahmed in the very next over of Bumrah MI got rid of veteran Aussie allrounder Christian it was getting harder and harder for RCB and easier for MI to win the match.
And yes the drama was not over yet as Mr 360 was present on the field even cool and calm Rohit Sharma started sweating when ABD took the opposition on-demand hitting both Bumrah and Boult out of the park taking the match into RCB’s pocket but still the drama remained unended as RCB required 7 runs in last 6 deliveries.
Macro Jansen who bowled truly magnificently in the match had to produce a miracle to snatch the match from his countrymen’s den he tried his best even a late twist came as de Villiers lost his wicket and Md Siraz came to bat requiring 2 out of 2 the only thing he has to do is to run quickly and give the strike to the man himself Mr. Patel who didn’t end the match with the stylish shot instead flicked the delivery on the legside to receive a run which seizes them to the victory.
The 1st trailer was so good even players enjoyed very much don’t know about MI though Harshal Patel’s majestic performance with the ball and small but important contribution with the bat saw him winning the MoM trophy. There were so many twists and turns like a zig-zag path but eventually for me the 2nd spell of Harshal Patel and AB de Villiers’s finish was the turning points of the match along with some bits and pieces performance which gave RCB a great start as now we will march towards the next match CSK VS DC.
