Pietersen's suicidal run
Plays of the day from the match between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders in Delhi
Abhishek Purohit
07-May-2014
Robin Uthappa: Double-touch timing • BCCI
The suicidal run
Kevin Pietersen had a hard time negotiating the Shakib Al Hasan, left-arm spinner, who was brought in immediately at the Delhi Daredevils captain's arrival. He had tried stepping out, he had tried sweeping; nothing was working. Unable to hit out, he became increasingly eager to get off strike. So much that in Shakib's second over, Pietersen pushed one close to the pitch on the off side and started to run. There was no single to be taken. The wicketkeeper was almost onto the ball, and non-striker M Vijay was going nowhere. But Pietersen kept running regardless and did not even attempt to turn back.
Kevin Pietersen had a hard time negotiating the Shakib Al Hasan, left-arm spinner, who was brought in immediately at the Delhi Daredevils captain's arrival. He had tried stepping out, he had tried sweeping; nothing was working. Unable to hit out, he became increasingly eager to get off strike. So much that in Shakib's second over, Pietersen pushed one close to the pitch on the off side and started to run. There was no single to be taken. The wicketkeeper was almost onto the ball, and non-striker M Vijay was going nowhere. But Pietersen kept running regardless and did not even attempt to turn back.
The deft dab
There is often a case for batsmen trying too hard to hit Sunil Narine as they have no clue which direction it going to turn. While JP Duminy was able to slog him for a couple of sixes, Kedar Jadhav went the other way. In the 18th over, he stood calmly in the crease as Narine delivered it flat and quick outside off. Even as it turned in slightly and bounced, Jadhav, instead of throwing his bat at it, allowed it to come on and just opened the face of his bat to time it past short third man for four.
There is often a case for batsmen trying too hard to hit Sunil Narine as they have no clue which direction it going to turn. While JP Duminy was able to slog him for a couple of sixes, Kedar Jadhav went the other way. In the 18th over, he stood calmly in the crease as Narine delivered it flat and quick outside off. Even as it turned in slightly and bounced, Jadhav, instead of throwing his bat at it, allowed it to come on and just opened the face of his bat to time it past short third man for four.
The double touch
Mohammed Shami dropped it short in the third over of the chase and Robin Uthappa swatted it over midwicket for four with a dismissive short-arm pull. It travelled so fast it seemed to have come off the middle of the bat. It had, but before that, the ball had hit the bat much higher, on the sticker. Had it not been for the slow-motion replay, we might have never known. It was incredible that Uthappa had managed to time it so well on the second touch.
Mohammed Shami dropped it short in the third over of the chase and Robin Uthappa swatted it over midwicket for four with a dismissive short-arm pull. It travelled so fast it seemed to have come off the middle of the bat. It had, but before that, the ball had hit the bat much higher, on the sticker. Had it not been for the slow-motion replay, we might have never known. It was incredible that Uthappa had managed to time it so well on the second touch.
The drop
Kolkata Knight Riders had raced to 51 for 0 in the sixth over when Gautam Gambhir tried to dab a slower delivery from Siddarth Kaul. He only managed to feather it, and the ball went towards the wicketkeeper. However, even as he tumbled forward, Dinesh Karthik failed to take it as it dipped in front of him. By the time Gambhir offered another chance, and Karthik held on to a sharp catch, Knight Riders were just ten short of victory.
Kolkata Knight Riders had raced to 51 for 0 in the sixth over when Gautam Gambhir tried to dab a slower delivery from Siddarth Kaul. He only managed to feather it, and the ball went towards the wicketkeeper. However, even as he tumbled forward, Dinesh Karthik failed to take it as it dipped in front of him. By the time Gambhir offered another chance, and Karthik held on to a sharp catch, Knight Riders were just ten short of victory.
Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo