Jadeja tries to bowl like Kadhav but it doesn't matter. It is right in Patel's slot, and he lofts it well over long-on for a clean six. What a cameo from Axar. Stepping out of Jadeja's shadows. At least in the IPL
CSK vs DC, 34th Match at Sharjah, IPL, Oct 17 2020 - Ball by Ball Commentary
DC won by 5 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)
So Delhi Capitals have converted their penalty shot and regained the top position. They have done well to find ways to win matches in the absence of Pant and Hetmyer. It is expected Pant will be back for their next game, which will also bring Hetmyer back. They are back to the top of the table. Well at least till Mumbai play their next game, take their shot. And that will be tomorrow. So don't forget to join us. Goodbye
Shikhar Dhawan, Man of the Match: "It is very special. Been playing for 13 years, and this is the first. So really happy. At the start of the season also I was hitting the ball well but I wasn't converting those 20s into 50s. Once you do that, you take that confidence into the next game. I keep my mindset quite positive. Just look to score runs, and not think pitch is doing this or that. I play with courage. I am not afraid to get out. Fitness is very important. We were lucky we got so much time off so it allowed me to refresh myself both mentally and physically. I am running faster, feeling fresher."
Shreyas Iyer: "I was sitting inside and I was pretty nervous. I knew if Shikhar stayed till the end, we would win, but the way Axar came out and hit those sixes, it was brilliant. Whenever we give out dressing room Man of the match awards, he is always there. You see his preparations, they are always on point. We know the strengths and weaknesses of our team very well. We enjoy each other's progress. I just told one of my team-mates today that the way Shikhar batted it was mesmerising to see. As a captain, that gives you breathing space that someone can take your team to the end."
With Watson not having bowled at all this season and Jadhav not having bowled at all in IPL, Bravo's absence meant Dhoni's options were Sharma and Jadeja. Dhoni went with Jadeja's experience. Patel was good enough to take him down. You have got to realise Jadhav and Watson are the kind of gambles you take when it is six or seven required off the last over. It was 17 this time. So Dhoni played percentages
MS Dhoni: "Bravo was not fit. He went out and didn't come back. The options were Jaddu and Karn. I went with Jaddu. Shikhar's wicket was important but we dropped him quite a number of times. If he keeps batting, he will keep the strike rate high. Also the wicket played better in the second half, but we can't take the credit away from Shikhar. There wasn't a lot of dew, but there was just enough to make the pitch better. That makes a big difference: minus 10 when you are batting, and the extra 10 for the team batting second. A positive was Sam's last over. He needs convincing he can execute the wide yorkers. He is not usually confident with that, but today he did well with that. So that is one ball that can be difficult to hit."
Aakash Chopra said on Hindi commentary that Bravo was off the field, which is why Jadeja bowled the last over. You won't often say this because T20 is more a game of big hitters and not fielders and runners, but CSK have lost this one because of their lack of fitness. Dropped catches, ordinary fielding, a player down, meaning the worst match-up in the last over. In a close game, that makes all the difference. Also, it has to be said that 179 was below par against a full-strength DC batting line-up. The pitch wasn't extremely slow, and there was some dew later in the night
And Dhawan can now, finally, celebrate his century, which he does with two kisses on the bottom of his blade and blown towards his corner. Not sure if his family is there, but it could have been meant for TV sets too
Manan: "Rohit Sharma nailed it yesterday.. he said now more teams will win the matches batting second.. today both teams won chasing.. that's why MI is champion team.. captain assessed beautifully :)"
"Sid, please recall. I was screaming for Axar when Alex was sent :)" I trstify. Anil really was
Questions will be asked: why Jadeja to two left-hand batsmen?
placed into a hole on the leg side, and they come back for the second. Scores level
Patel shows he is not a one-trick pony. Jadeja goes wide outside off, and he shows the more classical inside-out lofted drive for six. Cooler as
Patel takes Jadeja on. They are similar players. You could even argue Patel would have had a longer India career if not for Jadeja in the limited-overs formats. This is flat, just short of a length, and he has used his long limbs to slog it over deep midwicket. Cool as
oh this is in the slogging zone, Dhawan tries the sweep, but gets a bottom edge for a single to deep square leg
stays wide of his reach but bowls too wide. Not happy with the call
It comes down to 17 off the last over. That is what happens if you can isolate one struggling batsman in the final overs. Interesting. Jadeja to bowl the last over despite Bravo's one remaining over. With two left-hand bats in the middle. Dhawan wants to hit a six early
nearly holes out. Hit hard to long-off on the first bounce. The dugout stands up to applaud a maiden T20 century for Dhawan but he is not celebrating. He knows he has a job to do in the last over
Last ball of the over. The same questions for Dhawan as in the last over? Manufacture a boundary, look for a single or just react to the ball?
Dhoni is the only one appealing, and he is given. Dhawan reviews immediately. Dhawan again shuffles across to pick the square-leg gap, but Curran bowls full and wide, and squeezes it under his bat. Bat hits the ground, the ball is nowhere near the bat, no appeal from the bowler, but another umpire finds it hard to deny a Dhoni appeal. Well done, DRS
pinpoint wide yorker, squeezed out for a single
New man on strike. More than two a ball now
full and wide, driven hard, to the fielder in the deep. Curran bowling to his field
short of a length, looks to stay out of Dhawan's hitting zone, but goes too wide. Called for it
yorker outside off, Dhawan caught on leg stump, gets a bottom edge. Nearly played on
Axar Patel is the new man in, but Dhawan is on strike
low full toss, into the body, less room to swing his arms through it, and he holes out to wide long-on. If Pant gets fit, this might be the last we see of Carey this IPL
Carey can't afford to play dots now. Curran to continue. I guess Bravo will bowl the last. Midwicket is back, mid-off is up
he manufactures a four. Shuffles across, down on a knee, sweeps him like a spinner. Over square leg. How well has he picked his spots tonight?
No boundary so far this over. Does Dhawan look to manufacture one? Does he look for a single to take strike next over? Does he just react?
short of a length, outside off, seems like a slower ball, punched down to long-off for one
Right, what does Carey do now?
wide full toss, and Dhawan has missed out. Driven straight to deep cover
low full toss outside off, hit off the toe end, straight of long-on. Jadhav puts in a dive to keep them down to two
slower ball, on a length, Carey early into the shot, ends up dragging this towards deep midwicket but it doesn't reach there on the full
Carey backs away early, Thakur follows him, hits him on the pad. They want Carey on strike all the time
Thakur to continue
yorker, just outside off, dug out back to him. Good comeback but DC have got what they wanted from this over
Over 20 • DC 185/5
DC won by 5 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)