Indian Premier League: Botha seals a Royal win

Rajasthan upset Mumbai by seven wickets in IPL.

JAIPUR:

Mumbai Indians suffered only their second loss in the Indian Premier League after an all-round show by Johan Botha spurred Rajasthan Royals to a seven-wicket win.

Botha claimed three wickets for just six runs as Mumbai were restricted to 94 before the all-rounder struck a 39-ball 45 to spearhead Rajasthan past the total in the 19th over. He added 39 with Shane Watson and 34 with Ross Taylor as Rajasthan sealed the win, their fourth in eight matches.

Earlier in the match, the spinner destroyed Mumbai’s middle-order with precision after new-ball bowler Amit Singh and Ashok Menaria had reduced last-year’s runners-up to 46 for three. Captain Shane Warne claimed a wicket to further peg back the Indians. Any hopes for a Mumbai comeback were quickly erased by Botha leaving Rajasthan an easy total to chase.

Delhi crash as KKR
prevail in thriller

Delhi Daredevils’ sorry tale in the lucrative tournament continued as Kolkata Knight Riders prevailed in the night game by 17 runs.

Manoj Tiwary helped Kolkata set a 149-run target with 61 before left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla claimed three wickets to halt Delhi to 131.

Tiwary’s innings, off 47 deliveries, was laced with two boundaries and three sixes and provided much-needed impetus to Kolkata who lost wickets at regular intervals. No other batsman managed more than 22 as Delhi ensured they did not have a huge total to chase.

However, Kolkata’s bowlers made sure that Delhi were not off to a flying start and even though captain Virender Sehwag hit a quickfire 34, the hard-hitting opener did not get support from the other end.

The defeat was Delhi Daredevil’s fifth in seven games while Kolkata won their fourth in seven matches.

Haddin ruled out of IPL

While Kolkata may have won the match, there was bad news after Australian Brad Haddin was ruled out of the IPL due to a fractured finger. An MRI revealed that the injury sustained during Australia’s series in Bangladesh had not healed and the wicket-keeper is set to fly home to undergo surgery. Haddin scored 18 in his only appearance for Kolkata in their nine-wicket loss to Bangalore.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2011.