Page 48 - The Indian EYE 051724

SPORTS MAY 17, 2024 | The Indian Eye 48

six will be precise. It’s open for the
top six to make it into the top four. It
happens in every big tournament, but
it’s not the first time in IPL, towards
the business end of the tournament
where the top six teams are open to
qualification. These next 10 days will
be crucial for every team,” Ganguly
told ANI.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR),
Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sunrisers
Hyderabad (SRH), and Chennai
Super Kings (CSK) are the top four
teams in the standings of the IPL
2024 currently. Meanwhile, Delhi
Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super
Giants (LSG) hold the fifth and sixth
place on the points table.
Ganguly is serving as the Direc-
tor of Cricket for the Delhi-based
franchise. DC will take on Royal
Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in
their upcoming match of the tourna-
ment at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on
Sunday.
He further said that India is the
epicentre of cricket, adding that the
game has a massive following in In-
dia. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli celebrate the team’s victory against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier
“India is the epicentre of cricket.
There’s so much demand, the game League 2024, at HCPA Stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday (ANI)
is so popular. In IPL every stadium
is full, there are hardly any stands “I remember Graeme Smith. A fine half-century by Rilee Coming to the game, PBKS opt-
empty in an IPL game. This game He was out there for the team. All I Rossouw went in vain as Royal Chal- ed to field first after winning the toss.
has a lot of interest in this part of the needed to do as a youngster was to lengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowlers After the dismissal of skipper Faf Du
world,” he added. follow. Now there’s a Rohit, there’s delivered a brilliant performance to Plessis (9) and Will Jacks (12) early,
a Bumrah. They go like, all we need bundle out Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Virat (92 in 47 balls, with seven fours
DE VILLIERS ON HARDIK you to be is calm. Give us a bit of in- just 181 runs and secure a 60-run win and six sixes) and Rajat Patidar (55
PANDYA’S CAPTAINCY put on how to win matches. We don’t at Dharamsala on Thursday. in 23 balls, with three fours and six
Speaking in the post-match pre-
sixes) steadied the RCB’s ship with a
need the bravado. I’m not having a
head of the fixture between go at Hardik. I love watching him sentation, Virat said, “Still quality 76-run stand, keeping the strike rate
Mumbai Indians and Kolkata play. I love him putting out his chest over quantity. More so at this stage high. Then, a fine knock by Cameron
AKnight Riders, former South because I was like that,” the former of my career. Understanding your Green (46 in 27 balls, with five fours
African cricketer AB De Villiers Proteas cricketer added. game over so many years allows you and a six) and his 92-run stand with
raised questions on Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians became the to practice but still stay switched on. Virat powered RCB to 241/7 in their
captaincy approach in IPL, saying it is first side to get eliminated from the And still aiming to improve aspects of 20 overs.
“ego-driven, chest out” and a lot of ex- ongoing edition of the cash-rich your game that you want to get better Harshal Patel (3/38) was the pick
perienced players don’t buy into that. league. They are currently placed at on. I brought out the slog-sweep to of the bowlers for PBKS. Vidwath
“The captaincy style of Har- the eighth spot in IPL 2024 with four the spinners. I know I can hit it as Kaverappa (2/36) also did fine on his
dik Pandya is quite bravado. It’s wins from 12 games they have played I have done it in the past. I know I debut.
ego-driven in a way, chest out. I don’t so far. The Hardik Pandya-led side need to take risks. It takes more con- In the run-chase of 242 runs,
think how he walks on the field is has a net run rate of -0.212. viction to remove the thought ‘What Rilee Rossouw (61 in 27 balls, with
always genuine, but he has decided if I get out?’.” nine fours and three sixes), Sha-
that is his way of captaincy. Almost “I KNOW I NEED TO TAKE “I am trying to keep up with the shank Singh (37 in 19 balls, with four
like MS. Cool, calm, collective, al- RISKS...”: VIRAT KOHLI strike rate for me and the team. The boundaries and two sixes) and Jonny
ways got your chest out. But when only way to go through a tournament Bairstow (27 in 16 balls, with four
you play with a lot of experienced ollowing his side’s 60-run win is to be honest with ourselves. We boundaries and a six) looked danger-
players, guys who have been around against Punjab Kings (PBKS), had those losses on the trot, we just ous, but lost their wickets on crucial
for ages... They don’t buy into that. It Fin which he played a match-win- had a honest conversation. We need- stages.
worked at GT, where it was a young- ning knock of 92 runs, Royal Chal- ed to pull up our socks. That game The rest of the batters could not
er team. Sometimes, inexperienced lengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Vi- against KKR went down to the wire. really put up a fight and lost the game
players love to follow that kind of rat Kohli said that he was looking to We wanted to play for our self-re- by 60 runs as PBKS bundled out for
leadership,” said De Villiers on his take more risks with his batting and spect. We just can’t go out there and 181 runs.
YouTube channel. played slog-sweep frequently against play in such a way and disappoint Mohammed Siraj was the top
The 40-year-old further urged spinners just like he used to do in the our fans. The confidence is back and bowler for RCB with 3/43. Karn
Hardik Pandya to handle the situ- past. He also said that at this stage of we are on a roll. We have to depend Sharma, Lockie Ferguson and Swap-
ation calmly during the time of the his career, the quality of his game and on several other factors (for playoffs nil Singh also took two wickets. Virat
match. batting matters more over his runs. qualification),” he added. got the Player of the Match award.

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