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IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Bikash Mohapatra takes a look at overs in the ongoing IPL that had a significant impact on the eventual result.
The Indian Premier League is essentially a batsman's game.
It is about the big hits, huge totals and adrenaline-rushing chases. The spectators watching the T20 extravaganza expect nothing less.
In such a scenario it is very difficult for bowlers to redeem themselves. With almost everything – pitches, restrictions et al – going against them, more often than not, they can do little besides haplessly watching the opposition batsmen hitting their deliveries all over the ground.
The fifth edition of the tournament is no different.
While a few bowlers have survived the onslaught (with minimal damage), others have not been as fortunate. The tournament has witnessed quite a few matches that have been decided because of a particular over.
These have not only been the most expensive overs but also the game-changers. Well, literally! Those bowling them have no doubt swung the match, albeit the opposition's way.
A look at a few such overs in the ongoing T20 league that had a significant impact on the eventual result.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Irfan Pathan (vs Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The junior Pathan's fourth and final over at the Chinnaswamy stadium proved costly for Delhi Daredevils.
The left-arm bowler had already been expensive in the day, giving away as many as 19 runs in his second over, with Andrew McDonald (30) hitting three boundaries and a six off the final four balls.
If that wasn't enough, Pathan's final over -- the 19th of the Bangalore innings -- cost Delhi another 18 runs, with AB de Villiers (64 not out) scoring 15 of them.
The South African started the over with a reverse sweep that went over the third man boundary before hitting successive boundaries even as the home side reached 157 for eight in their stipulated 20 overs.
Pathan's generosity cost his team dear, Delhi falling short by 20 runs.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Manpreet Gony (vs Chennai Super Kings)
Manpreet Gony used to be a Chennai Super Kings player, having spent an uneventful three seasons with the two-time defending champions.
When MS Dhoni's side turned up at Visakhapatnam to play Deccan Chargers (Gony's present team) in the sixth match of this edition, they got a helping hand from their former teammate.
For starters, Gony conceded 18 runs to Chennai opener Faf Du Plessis (39), including sixes off the last two balls, in his second over. He was about to contribute more towards the visitor's cause.
In the final over of the Chennai innings, Dwayne Bravo (43 not out) took 23 off Gony, including three huge sixes, to take the holders to a formidable 193 for six.
Deccan Chargers were never really in the match following Gony's (4-0-54-0) benevolence. Ravindra Jadeja, who had contributed 48 with bat, picked figures of five for 16 to end the home team's misery as early as the 18th over.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Harmeet Singh/Bipul Sharma (vs Pune Warriors India)
It was a rather forgettable collaboration, but one that ensured Pune Warriors a winning start at their brand new venue -- the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium.
It was the penultimate over of the Pune innings when things went completely wrong for Kings XI, the visitors having restricted the home team to 131 for four till that point.
Harmeet Singh started well, shattering Robin Uthappa's (40) stumps with his second delivery. However, he bowled two beamers -- Manish Pandey hitting the first to the fence -- thereafter and had to be taken out of the attack.
Adam Gilchrist entrusted Bipul Sharma the task of completing the over and Steven Smith (25) and Pandey ensured the decision boomeranged.
Smith hit successive sixes off the third and fourth ball and Pandey ended with a six over deep midwicket as 27 runs came off the over.
Pune eventually managed a total of 166 for six. Kings XI fell short by 22 runs.
No points for guessing which over cost them dear.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Daniel Christian (vs Mumbai Indians)
He was one of the costliest acquisitions for Deccan Chargers in the auction preceding the fourth edition and while Daniel Christian is yet to prove his worth, this performance went a long way in undermining the same.
Deccan Chargers could post a modest 138 for nine batting first against Mumbai Indians in Visakhapatnam.
However, a good show with the ball -- Dale Steyn (4-1-12-3) was impressive -- meant they were still in the game even after the 18th over of the Mumbai innings (with the visitors on 116 for four).
It was at this juncture, their captain, Kumar Sangakkara, had to take a vital decision -- to ask Steyn to bowl the penultimate over or keep him for the final over.
The Sri Lankan decided on the former. The South African not only conceded only five runs in the over but also cleaned up Dinesh Karthik (7), meaning 18 runs were required off the final six balls.
Christian was given the responsibility of bowling the last over. James Franklin (seven not out) took seven off the first three balls before Rohit Sharma (73 not out) took over.
The former Deccan player smashed the fourth ball over the point boundary for a six, took a couple off the fifth and smashed the last ball over long-on to seal the issue in favour of his current team.
Christian (4-0-49-1) not only conceded 21 runs in that all-important final over but was also guilty of bowling a couple of full tosses, both of which went the distance.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Johan Botha (vs Mumbai Indians)
Following Shane Warne's departure, Johan Botha is the most experienced spinner in the Rajasthan Royals' squad and someone whom captain Rahul Dravid relies upon in crucial moments.
Not on this occasion though!
Against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede the South African could do little as Kieron Pollard (64) put him to the sword in the 14th over.
The burly West Indies player picked 23 runs in the over and carried forward the momentum to take another 15 off the next by Ankeet Chavan, his effort helping the home team pile up a mammoth 197 for six.
Pollard returned to claim four wickets as Rajasthan was dismissed for 170, giving Mumbai a 27-run win.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Virat Kohli (vs Chennai Super Kings)
Virat Kohli is usually seen smashing the bowlers all over the park. However, on this occasion he was at the receiving end.
In what was the 13th match of this edition, Royal Challengers Bangalore put up a mammoth 205 for eight batting first at the Chidambaram stadium.
The Bangalore total included a significant contribution by Chris Gayle (68), the West Indian smashing Suresh Raina for 21 runs in what was the latter's lone over.
On any other day the total above would have won the match for Bangalore. In fact, the visitors looked very much on track for a large part of the match, despite Faf du Plessis scoring a vital 71 for the home team.
Captain MS Dhoni's (41) dismissal off the final ball of the 18th over (by Zaheer Khan) meant Chennai required 43 runs off their last two overs.
RCB captain Daniel Vettori then made a blunder -- in the context of the match it can't be termed anything else. He entrusted Kohli the task of bowling the penultimate over.
Thereafter, Albie Morkel took over, smashing the temperamental Indian to all parts of the ground, much to the delight of the Chennai crowd.
Morkel took a whopping 28 runs off those six balls, including two boundaries and three massive sixes, and yet again proved why his captain rates him so high.
With 15 runs needed off the last six, R Vinay Kumar was able to get Morkel's wicket but failed to stop Ravindra Jadeja from hitting the winning boundary off the last ball.
In the final analysis, the South African had played a blinder -- a knock that ensured one of the best run-chases in IPL history.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Dale Steyn (vs Rajasthan Royals)
Surprised to see Dale Steyn's name in this not-so-enviable list?
Let's reassure you by saying this is the only match in which he was expensive thus far.
Deccan Chargers put up a formidable 196 for two batting first at the Sawai Mansingh stadium. The home team was in a spot of bother, at 142 for four after 16 overs, during the chase when Steyn returned for his second spell.
The South African restricted compatriot Johan Botha (14) to a single off the first two balls, but thereafter Brad Hodge (48 not out) took over, hitting four boundaries in succession as 17 came off the over.
The Australian continued his charge to ensure Rajasthan needed only 11 off the final over, to be bowled by Steyn. The South African speedster conceded the required runs in his first four balls, with Dishant Yagnik hitting successive boundaries to seal the issue in Rajasthan's favour.
In Deccan Chargers' match (against Mumbai), Steyn had conceded only 12 runs off his four overs. Against Rajasthan, the South African's economy rate was 12 from 3.4 overs.
To his credit, he got his rhythm back in the next match.
Sreenath Aravind (vs Rajasthan Royals)
Royal Challengers Bangalore was at the receiving end again, in another away match.
However, it was not Virat Kohli this time. (It would have taken a brave captain to hand Kohli the ball after his 'blunder over' in Chennai and Daniel Vettori didn't take the risk).
It was Sreenath Aravind, playing in his first match of the season.
The bowler had conceded 24 runs in his opening spell (two overs) and had been the weak link even as Bangalore kept Rajasthan in check (at 82 for one) till the 13th over.
Then Daniel Vettori brought back Aravind into the attack (in the 14th over) and the bowler made history. Not one that he would be proud of, though.
A rampant Ajinkya Rahane hit him for six boundaries -- a first in the IPL -- as the Rajasthan innings got the fillip it required.
Rahane proceeded to register the maiden hundred of this edition, a 60-ball 103 not out, as the home team piled up a mammoth 195 for two, scoring a whopping 113 runs in the last seven overs of their innings (starting with Aravind).
Siddharth Trivedi (with four for 25) ensured the visitors were dismissed cheap (136).
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Rahul Sharma/Ashish Nehra (vs Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Another forgettable collaboration this; one that undid all the good work done by the Pune Warriors' batsmen earlier in the day.
The visitors had piled up a formidable 182 for six batting first at the Chinnaswamy stadium. To their credit, the Pune bowlers did a good job till the 12th over, one that witnessed Angelo Mathews getting the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli (16), restricting the home team to 76 for three.
With the intention of applying further pressure, Pune captain Sourav Ganguly handed the ball to the otherwise dependable Rahul Sharma. Only on this occasion the move backfired.
Saurabh Tiwary (36 not out) took a single off the first ball to give Chris Gayle (81) the strike. The West Indies' player then took over, smashing five sixes off the next five balls to ensure a whopping 31 runs came off the over and Pune felt the heat for the first time in the match.
To their credit, the visitors pulled things back again, Ashish Nehra cleaning up Gayle with a yorker before Ashok Dinda (4-0-28-1) bowled a spectacular penultimate over, ensuring the home team needed 21 runs off the last six balls.
Ganguly handed the responsibility to Nehra (4-0-54-1). The left-arm seamer, who had conceded only a single in his opening over (keeping Gayle quiet for five balls), flattered to deceive.
Tiwary took a single off the first ball to hand AB de Villiers (33 not out) the strike and the South African used improvisation to good effect to secure 17 runs off the next four deliveries.
Tiwary completed the task with a last-ball six over long-on even as the Bangalore crowd went into delirium.
The fact that it was raining heavily didn't really matter.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
JP Duminy (vs Delhi Daredevils)
It was a Kevin Pietersen masterclass.
Deccan Chargers did almost everything right for about 27 overs at the Ferozeshah Kotla, putting up a competitive 157 for eight batting first before reducing Delhi Daredevils to 42 for three after seven overs.
It was when Amit Mishra was handed the ball (in the eighth over) that the Englishman made his intentions clear, taking 17 runs off the leg-spinner's opening over.
However, it was the 13th over the match, bowled by JP Duminy that turned the tide for the home team.
While just two runs came off the first two balls, the next four cost the visitors 19, with Pietersen hitting three successive sixes. Besides, the South African was also guilty of dropping the Englishman off the last ball.
That 21-run over helped KP get his groove back and when he hoisted the first ball of the final over (by Ankit Sharma) for a six, it not only ensured Delhi a comprehensive five-wicket win but also helped him reach his maiden hundred (103 not out) in the T20 format.
Shahbaz Nadeem (vs Pune Warriors)
'He's a good bowler but nothing special. We batted poorly against him,' said Harbhajan Singh, when asked about Shahbaz Nadeem, who had picked a couple of wickets even as Mumbai Indians were dismissed for 92 at home against Delhi Daredevils.
It was left to Steven Smith (34 not out) to prove what the Mumbai captain had implied.
Being put in to bat at the Ferozeshah Kotla, Pune Warriors were well-placed at 148 for two with three overs left, and a 170-plus total seemed imminent.
Captain Virender Sehwag asked Nadeem to bowl the 18th over. The spinner had failed to take a wicket in his three previous overs but had conceded just 21 runs.
Smith, though, had other plans. The first ball went to the boundary, the second smashed for a six over midwicket while another four and six came off the last two as Nadeem went for 23 runs in his final over.
The Australian's effort helped swell the Pune total to 192 for three. The home team fell 20 runs short.
IPL V: It's Over... and out!
Piyush Chawla (vs Mumbai Indians)
Having inflicted a shocking, albeit convincing, defeat on Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede in the first meeting, Kings XI Punjab were well on course for the double when the teams met at Mohali three days later.
After putting up a formidable 168 for three on home turf, the PCA stadium, Kings XI had Mumbai on the mat at 129 for 4 at the end of the 17th over.
The 18th over ensured them further success, Parwinder Awana accounting for both Rohit Sharma (50) and Harbhajan Singh (0) in the space of three balls to reduce the visitors to 137 for six. It meant 32 runs were required off the final two overs.
David Hussey entrusted in Piyush Chawla the responsibility of bowling the penultimate over, but the latter belied his captain's faith in him, conceding 27 runs.
Robin Peterson used the reverse sweep to good effect to send the first ball to the fence. The South African got another boundary off the second, on this occasion courtesy a switch hit, before smashing the third over deep midwicket for a maximum.
A single off the fourth ball gave Ambati Rayudu the strike and he duly obliged, hitting successive sixes off the last two balls.
The visitors thus added 27 runs to their total in the over, meaning they required only five runs off the last, a task they achieved with considerable ease.
Chawla had impressive figures of one for 19 off his first three overs. However, his final over cost his team the match.