| 0.0 : Hello and welcome to match number 49 of the Indian T20 League. We are in Bengaluru for the clash of the bottom two and the home side is on the brink of elimination. They need a victory at all costs if they are to remain alive in the competition while a victory for the away side will also put them in a better stead to reach the playoffs. Rajasthan are on a 3-match winning streak against Bangalore and will look to make it 4 at the Chinnaswamy tonight but can Virat and co. thwart their plans? The t |
| Pitch report - Brendon McCullum says that the wicket looks flat. Mentions that it has got a little bit of grass on it and there should be good carry for the bowlers but it should be a good one to bat on. |
| TOSS - Rajasthan win the toss and elect to bowl first. |
| Rajasthan skipper, Steven Smith, says they will bowl first as it's good wicket and it won't change much. Adds that chasing has been the norm here so will do just that. Mentions that as captain, you don't think about anything much and just have to try and play your best. Informs that there is one change as Mahipal Lomror comes in for Ashton Turner. |
| Bangalore skipper, Virat Kohli, laughs and says that he was trying to practice the coin toss but nothing seems to have changed for him, this being his 10th coin-toss loss in 13 games. He states that obviously this is a better chasing ground but a side that bats and bowls well never minds the innings and has a good chance of winning. He feels that it is about enjoying the remaining 2 games and not taking too much pressure as the max they can get to is 12 points. Reckons that it is now important t |
| Rajasthan (Playing XI) - Ajinkya Rahane, Liam Livingstone, Sanju Samson (WK), Steven Smith (C), Riyan Parag, Stuart Binny, Mahipal Lomror (IN FOR ASHTON TURNER), Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Aaron, Oshane Thomas. |
| Bangalore (Playing XI) - Parthiv Patel (WK), Virat Kohli (C), AB de Villiers, Heinrich Klaasen, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Marcus Stoinis, Pawan Negi (IN FOR SHIVAM DUBE), Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kulwant Khejroliya (IN FOR WASHINGTON SUNDAR), Yuzvendra Chahal. |
| We are all set to begin. The Bangalore openers, Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli, make their way out to the middle. However, they have to turn back and run towards the pavilion as the clouds have opened up and it has started to rain and it is pouring down. Let us hope we are in for a short delay. |
| Update 2035 local - It had stopped raining here for a bit but the drizzle is back again now. Not as heavy as before but still enough to keep the groundstaff away from trying to get to work. Oh no, it has just got heavier as I am typing! |
| Update 2100 local - Good news! THE RAIN HAS STOPPED. The covers have been removed and the Super Soppers are doing their job now. The umpires and players are having a look around. We can begin by 2115 local and have a full game! Let's hope action begins soon. |
| Update 2107 local - Meh... bad news again. THE RAIN IS BACK, along with the covers. We are in for further delay. Just in case this match is washed out, Bangalore will be officially knocked out of the tournament. Also, an FYI - we have started to lose overs. |
| Update 2150 local - No good news yet. The rain is pretty steady but the crowd is still waiting on, hopeful of some action at least. Let us hope for the best. The rain needs to stop at least by 2300 local or thereabout to give enough time to the groundstaff to get the playing conditions ready. |
| Update 2205 local - So the rain has stopped and the covers are being peeled off. Let's pray it doesn't start raining again, despite there being forecast of rain till around midnight. |
| Update 2220 local - We are hearing that there will be an official inspection will be at 2240 local. |
| Update 2254 local - After a long inspection and a discussion of the umpires with the groundstaff, we are now hearing that there will be another inspection at 2305 local. There are a few wet patches on the pitch which need to be dried out soon. Let us see what awaits us in about 10 minutes. |
| Update 2312 local - We are going to have a game!!! It will begin at 2326 local. There will be 5 overs allotted for both sides. |
| We are ready to begin. There will be 2 overs assigned for the Powerplay, 1 over for each bowler and a 10-minute innings break. Out walk Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers and the Chinnaswamy crowd goes wild. The Rajasthan players spread out across the field. Varun Aaron will be handed the ball first up. Here we go... |
| 0.1 : V Aaron to V Kohli, SIX! And Virat Kohli wastes no time in getting going. A loud noise across the entire stadium. The Bangalore skipper dumps this into the stands. At 147 clicks, full and outside off, Kohli launches it over wide long off for a maximum. |
| 0.2 : V Aaron to V Kohli, SIX! Consecutive maximums for Kohli. This has come in a rather streaky manner but he's not going to care. Fuller length delivery and outside off, at 144 clicks, Kohli backs away and throws his bat at it. It takes a thick edge and flies over the third man boundary. |
| The ball is being changed. It seems to have lost its shape badly, so a replacement has been called for. |
| 0.3 : V Aaron to V Kohli, Fuller and dipping in on middle and leg, VK flicks it away on the leg side for a single. |
| 0.4 : V Aaron to de Villiers, EDGED AND FOUR! AB de Villiers is off the mark in a not-so-confident manner. The runs keep flowing though for Bangalore. Good length delivery just around off, the batsman goes at it with hard hands and gets a thick edge which goes past short third man and finds the fence. |
| 0.5 : V Aaron to de Villiers, Swings across the line this time. On middle stumps, AB heaves it towards deep mid-wicket and comes back for the second. |
| 0.6 : V Aaron to de Villiers, FOUR! This time he connects and connects well. 23 runs off the very first over, perfect start for Bangalore. Full and right in the slot, de Villiers clears his front leg and slogs it over mid-wicket, beating the man in the deep. |
| Shreyas Gopal to bowl the other over of the Powerplay. |
| 1.1 : S Gopal to V Kohli, SIX! Showing no mercy here. This is exceptional batting from the senior pros of the side. Tossed up delivery on off, Kohli gets down on one knee and smokes it right off the middle over the long on boundary. |
| 1.2 : S Gopal to V Kohli, FOUR! Too much pace on this one. Gopal darts it on middle and off, Kohli stands his ground and hammers it past the man at mid off, all the way to the boundary line. |
| 1.3 : S Gopal to V Kohli, That's a fine effort from Livingstone. Need this with how the Bangalore openers are scoring here. Kohli once more smashes it straight back down the ground, Liam moves to his left from long on and makes an excellent diving stop, keeping the batsmen down to two. |
| 1.4 : S Gopal to V Kohli, OUT! Kohli holes out! Doesn't quite get it off the middle and hands it straight to the fielder. Loopy and full in line of the stumps, Kohli looks to go big downtown once more. Is unable to get underneath the ball cleanly and hits it flat to Livingstone at long on, who runs to his left and takes a good catch. The Bangalore skipper departs, but you could say he's done his job. Given his team a terrific start. |
| Marcus Stoinis walks out to bat at number 3. |
| 1.5 : S Gopal to de Villiers, OUT! Two in two for Gopal! Both the senior and experienced batsmen depart. The leg break around off, it turns away, de Villiers goes deep inside the line and swings. Gets a big top edge which balloons towards covers. Parag the man there and he makes no mistake in taking that. Could this be the point where Rajasthan can claw their way back into the game? |
| Heinrich Klaasen walks out next but Stoinis will face the hat-trick ball... |
| 1.6 : S Gopal to M Stoinis, OUT! HAT-TRICK FOR SHREYAS GOPAL! He's turned the game on its head here. Unbelievable. Marcus Stoinis is out of here as well. Amazing bowling. This ball is given air and it's landed full on off, Stoinis hits it aerially and straight to Smith at mid off where he takes a sharp catch. First-ever Indian T20 League hat-trick for Shreyas Gopal. Superb work from the leggie from his side, after 23 runs were conceded in the first over. 12 did go in this one, but 3 crucial wicke |
| Gurkeerat Singh Mann walks out to bat now. Meanwhile, it is Riyan Parag to bowl the 3rd over. |
| 2.1 : R Parag to H Klaasen, Sliding in on the pads, Klaasen works it away behind square on the leg side for a couple of runs. |
| 2.2 : R Parag to H Klaasen, Full ball with some pace on it, Klaasen drives it through mid on and gets to the other end. |
| 2.3 : R Parag to Singh Mann, Shorter in length, on the hips, nudged behind square leg for two more. |
| 2.4 : R Parag to Singh Mann, FOUR! Top edge and it's away! Shortish ball around leg, Gurkeerat looks to pull this away but the ball takes the top edge and flies over the keeper's head behind. No stopping that, it's a boundary. |
| 2.5 : R Parag to Singh Mann, OUT! Another Bangalore batsman down. Gurkeerat departs in search of the big hits. Shorter in length once again, too straight in line, the batter heaves it off the top edge over mid-wicket. Lomror out in the deep settles under the ball and gobbles it up. |
| Parthiv Patel walks out to bat, at number 6! |
| 2.6 : R Parag to H Klaasen, Leans into the full ball and pushes it through to long on for a single. |
| Jaydev Unadkat to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. |
| 3.1 : J Unadkat to H Klaasen, Comes from around the wicket and angles in a length ball on off, Klaasen punches it to long on and crosses over. |
| 3.2 : J Unadkat to P Patel, FOUR! One more top edge and one more boundary. The 50 comes up for Bangalore. Pace on the ball once again, a length ball around off, Patel swings across the line and gets it off the top edge over short fine leg's head. It's always going to the boundary after that. |
| 3.3 : J Unadkat to P Patel, The cutter on this occasion, close to off, Parthiv smacks it down towards long on and gets a brace to his name. |
| 3.4 : J Unadkat to P Patel, Superb effort from Ajinkya Rahane. Back of a length, slower in pace and outside off, Parthiv cuts it through point. Rahane from sweeper cover makes good ground to his right and stops it with a dive. The batsmen take two more. |
| 3.5 : J Unadkat to P Patel, Dot ball. Crucial, crucial dot ball. Pace off this length delivery again and it's pitched around off, Parthiv swings to go big over the leg side but gets beaten due to the lack of pace. |
| 3.6 : J Unadkat to P Patel, OUT! A soft dimissal in the end. Parthiv is dismissed while he attempts to play a cheeky shot. The slower one wide outside off, the left-hander moves a long way across his stick and plays the paddle scoop. Unfortunately for him, he hands a straightforward catch to Thomas positioned at short fine leg. |
| Pawan Negi will bat next. Meanwhile, the last over of the innings will be bowled by Oshane Thomas. |
| 4.1 : O Thomas to H Klaasen, No ball! And it's going to be a Free Hit! Thomas oversteps and bowls a fuller length ball outside off, Klaasen aims to bang it down the ground but misses it altogether. Has a chance to redeem himself now though. |
| O Thomas to H Klaasen, Not much harm done. Full ball on the stumps, Klaasen slogs it off the inner half in wide long on's direction. A single on offer for the batsmen. |
| 4.2 : O Thomas to P Negi, Length delivery darted well outside off, Negi reaches out to cut it but misses and the batsmen take off. Samson behind the stumps fires it at the bowler's end but ends up hitting Negi instead. |
| 4.3 : O Thomas to H Klaasen, OUT! Thomas gets a wicket to his name as well. Fuller length ball just outside off, Heinrich Klassen stays leg side as he tries to clear probably the cover region. Gets it off the top edge and towards Livingstone at deep point who runs in to his left and takes a very good catch. |
| Umesh Yadav walks out at number 8. |
| 4.4 : O Thomas to P Negi, FOUR! Shouldn't come as a surprise anymore, a lot of edges will be seen today. Short ball on off, Negi looks to pull but the ball flies off the top edge and goes over the keeper's head for a boundary. |
| 4.5 : O Thomas to P Negi, OUT! Edged and gone this time. Thomas angles across a length ball, it's around off, Negi looks to slog this over the leg side but nicks it behind. Sanju Samson moves to his left and takes a straightforward catch. |
| Navdeep Saini is the next man in and will face the last ball of the innings. |
| 4.6 : O Thomas to N Saini, A bye to finish things. Shortish delivery outside off, Saini backs away but fails to put bat on ball. The batsman cross over either way as Samson misses his shy at his end. BANGALORE FINISH ON 62/7! |
| That began like a whirlwind and ended really meekly for Bangalore. After bludgeoning 35 runs in the first 9 balls of the innings, the hosts completely lost their way courtesy a Shreyas Gopal hat-trick. The procession never stopped from that point on and they ended up adding just 27 runs more to their total in the last 21 balls of their innings. Rajasthan will be mighty pleased and look favorites to chase this down at a required run rate of 12.6 in a 5-over game. |
| There is usually not much to speak about in a 5-over innings but this one will be specially remembered for Shreyas Gopal's hat-trick. He removed Kohli, de Villiers and Stoinis to break the back of the Bangalore innings. He will now hope that his batsmen do not let his good work go to waste and chase this down. Meanwhile, the home crowd will hope their bowlers bowl out of the skins to defend the 62 runs they have. Don't go too far away, we should be back very shortly... |
| 0.0 : We are back for the chase. The target is 63 and Rajasthan will want to get off to a similar start like Bangalore's. Umesh Yadav will take the ball first for the hosts, while Sanju Samson and Liam Livingstone open the innings for the visitors. |
| 0.1 : U Yadav to S Samson, Appeal for a caught behind from Virat Kohli, but he gets no assurance from either his bowler or keeper. Back of a length outside off with room on offer, Samson frees his arms and looks to crash it through the off side, but misses. |
| 0.2 : U Yadav to S Samson, SIX! That's not such a bad delivery, but what a shot from Sanju Samson. He's an amazing talent. Length ball on middle, Samson just swings hard across the line from inside the crease. Times the ball perfectly as he sends it sailing deep into the mid-wicket stands. |
| 0.3 : U Yadav to S Samson, FOUR! Incredible placement. Finds the gap well here. Samson uses the angle into him, it's on a length, and brings those strong wrists of his into play. Whips it through backward square leg for a boundary. |
| 0.4 : U Yadav to S Samson, A play and a miss! A lot of width offer outside off, much like the first delivery, Samson once again tries to hammer it through the off side but the away movement takes it away from his bat. |
| 0.5 : U Yadav to S Samson, Dot ball. Sanju clubs this as it skids off the surface, towards mid on. Livingstone takes off but is met with a loud NO from his partner. He gets back in his crease in time. |
| 0.6 : U Yadav to S Samson, Straight to the fielder. 10 off the over, a decent over for both sides. Extremely full wide outside off, Samson opens the bat face, gets low and tries to squeeze it past point, but can't get it wide of the fielder. |
| Navdeep Saini will share the new ball. |
| 1.1 : N Saini to L Livingstone, FOUR! That's clubbed away. Almost a tennis-like shot. Back of a length into the body, Livingstone adjusts slightly inside the crease and muscles it over mid-wicket. Nobody out there in the deep, so it will run away to the boundary line. |
| 1.2 : N Saini to L Livingstone, SIX! He's mistimed that but such is the pace on the ball and the power of the batsman that it's cleared the rope. Wow. Short ball in line of the stumps, Livingstone throws his front leg out of the way and hammers it over long on for half a dozen. 10 runs off the first 2 balls. 43 runs to win now off 22 balls. |
| 1.3 : N Saini to L Livingstone, Dropped! But what an effort from Heinrich Klaasen. He's done exceptionally well to even get his hand to it. Full toss outside off, Livingstone tries to loft it over covers but doesn't get enough elevation. Klaasen there moves to his right, dives full stretch with a leap and gets his right hand to it. The ball just doesn't stick. He doesn't catch it, but saves a sureshot boundary. The batsmen only manage a single. |
| 1.4 : N Saini to S Samson, This back of a length ball is pulled behind square leg for a run. |
| 1.5 : N Saini to L Livingstone, Slower length ball outside the line of off stump, Livingstone swings hard and gets an inside edge behind to the keeper. It missed the off stump by a fair margin. |
| 1.6 : N Saini to L Livingstone, Excellent delivery. Excellent. Every dot ball is like gold dust. The wide yorker from Saini, Livingstone tries to reach out to it but it's too good for him. Can't make any sort of connection. 12 runs off this one. |
| Kulwant Khejroliya will bowl the third over of the innings. |
| 2.1 : K Khejroliya to S Samson, SIX! Khejroliya is welcomed in fine style by Samson. A length ball on middle and off, Sanju plants his front foot forward and gives this the full swing of his bat. It's right off the meat and away she goes over the cow corner. |
| 2.2 : K Khejroliya to S Samson, Plays this on the up. Goes after it with hard hands and hits it down to long off for a single. |
| 2.3 : K Khejroliya to L Livingstone, Tries to be cheeky, maybe too cheeky. Livingstone goes across to this full ball well outside off, attempts to scoop it but misses and wears it on the pads. The ball rolls on the off side and the batsmen manage to steal a leg bye. |
| 2.4 : K Khejroliya to S Samson, No wide called. Just on the line according to the umpire. Kulwant angles across this length ball outside off, Samson goes after it but doesn't put bat on ball. |
| 2.5 : K Khejroliya to S Samson, SIX! One of the sweetest timers of the ball. Incredible hit. Khejroliya makes the mistake of providing pace on the ball, bowls it full and around off, Samson's eyes light up as he comes forward and bangs it straight back over the long on fence. Maximum. |
| 2.6 : K Khejroliya to S Samson, FOUR! We've seen enough of this in this game, the edges will fly and most likely go away. 18 runs off the over, massive for Rajasthan. Length ball outside off, Samson goes after it without any foot movement and gets a thick edge. It goes through the vacant slip cordon and away to the third man boundary. |
| Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl now. Bangalore will want him to bowl a really good over with just 23 needed off 12 balls now, so that the bowler to bowl the final over has something substantial to defend. |
| 3.1 : Y Chahal to L Livingstone, Spinning away from outside off, Livingstone goes a step across and kneels down to play the big slog sweep. It goes under his bat and past the keeper. The batsmen steal a bye. |
| 3.2 : Y Chahal to S Samson, OUT! Samson is gone. Chahal provides the breakthrough for his side, like he does so often. Slows this up and lands it on a driving length outside off, it turns away as Samson looks to go big down the ground. It goes off the outside edge and skies towards point, where Negi comes under the ball and catches it safely. |
| Steven Smith walks out to bat now but wait... the rain has turned up once more and that means the game is over! It's been called off. |
| What an anti-climatic finish to this rain-marred affair. We waited... and waited... and waited... and waited... and finally, after several gruelling hours passed by, the rain, which came after the toss, subsided and we have a 5-over game. Bangalore went ballistic at the start when Kohli and de Villiers opened and scored 23 runs off the first over, but post that, it all went downhill. Gopal's hat-trick really derailed them and eventually, the home side only finished with 62 on the board. |
| In response, Rajasthan paced the chase well with Samson and Livingstone finding the fence comfortably without taking much risk. When 23 runs were needed in 12 balls, Chahal came on and got rid of Samson. And just when we thought things could get interesting, the rain decided to make an appearance again and the game had to be called off, as we had no more time left for any more breaks. Quite a tame finish, to this game and Bangalore's chances in this tournament. They needed a win but having no re |
| So that's it from this one. We move on though, as on Wednesday, the two qualified teams face off against each other. Chennai host Delhi at 2000 local (1430 GMT), so do join in for all the action. Goodbye and take care! |
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