Watch IPL 2023 analysis: Brilliant Rinku Singh and Shardul Thakur transform Kolkata Knight Riders
Ex-England star Paul Nixon, Gulf News experts discuss Rahane’s knock, Mumbai’s poor form
The charge of the Kolkata Knight Riders was the talking point of the Indian Premier League last week. Young Rinku Singh deserved all plaudits for his ice-cold nerves and superb skill to blast five consecutive sixes in the final over to script an incredible win for Kolkata on Sunday.
It’s more remarkable since it came up against champions Gujarat Titans, who slumped to their first defeat this season. Buried in the ruins was a superb hat-trick by stand-in captain Rashid Khan which brought Gujarat back into the game, but Rinku’s sixes settled the game.
Why you should never write off Ajinkya Rahane
Rinku also played a part in the turnaround in KKR fortunes with the win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore last Monday. The RCB were in control in KKR’s home ground of Eden Gardens until Shardul Thakur’s hammered a whirlwind 67 in the company Rinku. The RCB never recovered.
But the innings of the week came from the bat of Ajinkya Rahane for the Chennai Super Kings. Just when everyone thought his best days were behind the former India star, Rahane produced an innings of high quality that warmed the cockles of purists. He raced to a half-century in 19 balls, and his 27-ball 67 was filled with orthodox cricketing shots. That was enough to kill off the Mumbai Indians’ challenge.
Mumbai and Delhi are struggling
Mumbai are yet to record a win in two matches, and their performances haven’t been inspiring. The five-time champions have been in wretched form in the last two seasons, and this too hasn’t started well.
So is the case with the Delhi Capitals, who have lost all their three matches, leaving captain David Warner and coach Ricky Ponting to search for solutions.
For more of IPL, watch the video. Our special guest of the week is Paul Nixon, former England cricketer and one of the coaches at the Mentors Academy by JMR Sporting, Dubai. We also have cricket enthusiast Sai Prasad to talk about the IPL week that was.