why Royal Challengers Bangalore lose game - GAME 11
why Royal Challengers Bangalore lose game - GAME 11 ?
IPL 7, GAME 11—Vinay's over, Lynn's catch turns last-over finish in KKR's favour.
How quickly does a Twenty20 game change? Ask Royal Challengers Bangalore.
For virtually the entire match it was in their grasp: their bowlers had combined to limit Kolkata Knight Riders to 150 on a flat track in Sharjah, their openers had put them on course in the chase, and even though Yuvraj Singh flapped about towards the end, the asking-rate was never out of hand. Even at the start of the final over with two renowned finishers, AB de Villiers and Albie Morkel, in the middle, Royal Challengers were favourites.
Nine runs were needed, and Knight Riders' two major threats, Sunil Narine and Morne Morkel, had bowled out. Vinay Kumar stepped up to the job and delivered an over filled with full deliveries that kept his old team down to six, sparking delirious celebrations from the Knight Riders camp.
When a bowler defends nine off the final over in a Twenty20, that too against some of the finest hitters in the world, you'd expect him to hog the headlines.
It is Chris Lynn who everyone will be talking about, however, after he took an acrobatic catch to send back de Villiers and turn the game in the final over.
De Villiers was looking to clear the long boundary at midwicket - the pitch was at the edge of the square - and though he connected well, there wasn't enough to clear the rope. He might still have survived, as Lynn had slipped and fallen before the ball got to him.
That didn't deter Lynn, who leapt up and plucked that powerful hit bending his back like a high-jumper, and flopped to the ground, somehow managing it all without touching the rope which was a yard behind.
Given the sheer athleticism involved, the stage of the game, and the player who was dismissed by it, it's hard to see how Lynn's catch will be topped this season. "I slipped and I thought if I stood up and dropped the catch, it would look very silly, so just stayed down," was Lynn's straight-faced explanation when asked about his game-changing grab.
After de Villiers' exit Royal Challengers needed six off two, not entirely out of reach, especially for a hitter like Morkel. But the catch left Royal Challengers stunned, and even though the final delivery was a hittable full toss, Morkel couldn't put it away, and Knight Riders' jailbreak was complete.
The high drama at the end masked a diffident performance from Knight Riders for much of the game. The only other passage in the match when they looked in control was when Lynn was in the middle, swatting sixes off the returning Muttiah Muralitharan. Lynn, bought as an afterthought in the IPL auctions showed some of the big-hitting that has earned him loyal fans in the Big Bash League.
Lynn put on 80 for the third wicket with Jacques Kallis, after Gautam Gambhir fell for his third successive duck and the in-form Manish Pandey faltered. Lynn's dismissal in the 12th over drained the momentum from Knight Riders' innings and they finished on what seemed an inadequate score. Varun Aaron showed he had control as well as pace, and legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal turned in his third impressive performance in a row to keep the Knight Riders in check.
Royal Challengers' dominance increased after their openers, Parthiv Patel and Yogesh Takawale, provided a strong start, and Virat Kohli was at his usual best to guide the chase along. Narine was watchfully played out till Kohli was bamboozled off the penultimate ball of his spell to give Knight Riders a faint chance. Yuvraj couldn't force the pace towards the end giving Knight Riders more of a grip on the game, before Vinay and Lynn yanked it out of Royal Challengers' hands.
Friends Views
why is Yuvraj playing like Pujara in T20... we all know Pujara is not a big hitter but the way Yuvraj has been playing lately he is making Pujara's strike rate look better and he has been more consistent with the bat than Yuvi.
The way Yuvi has been playing lately he is putting pressure on other batsman to hit the boundaries... Seems like he is too worried about himself not getting out... AB De Villiers should come ahead of Yuvi
Yet another show of a game that in this short form of 20/20 nothing can be predicted till the last ball is bowled. AB and Albie hailing from SA had all the time in the world to plan the strategy seriously between them, especially when there were 12 balls left and the target was within reach...alas! it was not to be...one fielder (Lynn) diving acrobatically to catch the flying ball bravely and another intelligent bowler (V. Kumar) without wavering or panicking at the last 6 balls reversed the result to the amazement of thousands of fans in the stadium and millions watching on TV! Congrats Gambir! No one to my rememberance got 3 ducks in a row! excepting ofcourse Rohit in 50 over match against Srilanka in their soil for 6 ducks!
Wow! It's again a Yuvi show all the way. Any youngster watching, this is how you make your life miserable and miserable for the team too. The match was lost because of Yuvi's yet another pathetic show. Poor RCB, they wasted a fortune on this "Goner"!!! The most expensive players is also the worst player in this tournament. It is like he has become a huge burden on RCB.
Gambhir and Shewag were doth playing well for India, when they both eyed thr Indian captaincy. When Dhoni had a short period of slump, they doth tried to aggravate the situation by purposely playig sadlt according to a plan. And, see, both are out of the team and will never make a come gack.
Siddarth Ravindran | ESPNcricinfo
