8:54pm All RCB since 7pm! Toss went their way, the small percentages on the field went their way and the PBKS went to the dugout continuously. RCB need just 102 to book a direct spot in the final. Should be a cakewalk, methinks. This innings shows the difference a bowler like Hazlewood makes to a T20 XI, let alone this RCB team.
Dayal started it all for RCB but dismissing Arya early. Bhuvneshwar got rid of the other uncapped PBKS opener Prabhsimran. The powerplay was a show-of-might from RCB even though PBKS got 48 from it. The only other time they lost four wickets in the first six overs got them to 111, which proved enough on the day. Stoinis tried hard. He looked in ominous touch. But the evening was such that Suyash's challenge proved too much for the middle order.
Suyash Sharma: "We executed the plans that the coaches gave us. Today I felt good [with the ball]. Felt like batters did not pick the googly. The chat was this was a semi-final but we will take it like a normal game. The previous game we played here helped us."
Do we have any surprises in the second half? Find out shortly with Ashish.
Azmatullah Omarzai c †Sharma b Hazlewood 18 (26m 12b 1x4 1x6) SR: 150
Hazlewood to finish
END OF OVER:14 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | PBKS: 101/9 | RR: 7.21
- Kyle Jamieson0 (3b)
- Azmatullah Omarzai18 (11b)
- Romario Shepherd1-0-5-1
- Suyash Sharma3-0-17-3
Ritesh Gupta: "With result of this match still to come out come out, I think this is a hard fact that concept of playoffs is better than that of Semi Final. Punjab has marvelous performance in 14 league matches and should be given one more chance if they failed to perform in only one game."
Kyle Jamieson is the last man in for PBKS
Harpreet Brar b Shepherd 4 (13m 11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 36.36
Abdul Rehman: "After seeing Suyash bowling on a pitch like this, as a RCB fan I am so happy that Yuzi is not playing today. " Musheer can bowl legspin (I know different styles)
Romario Shepherd for the first time with the ball
Eyes on the coaches: Ponting has an intense chat with Omarzai, crouching and getting up just as Omarzai has drinks. Flower, too, asks Patidar of his plans, and the RCB captain seems to be explaining the ends from which he is planning to get certain bowlers on
END OF OVER:13 | 9 Runs | PBKS: 92/8 | RR: 7.07
- Harpreet Brar4 (10b)
- Azmatullah Omarzai13 (9b)
- Suyash Sharma3-0-17-3
- Yash Dayal4-0-26-2
Timeout
While this over unfolds, here's a question for you! Head to the Jeeto tab, play Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan (mobile web in India only), and answer live match MCQs, rack up points and win an SUV, gadgets, and more!
Narayanan: "92 in 13 overs is not a bad score at all. How bad they gave up the wkts. Still hoping for a 140 "
