## Hello Cricket Lovers,
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<a href="https://cricketaddictor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IPL-2021.png">Image Courtesy</a>
###### Indian Premier League T20 Cricket tournament has to be postponed since some of the players as well as some support staff members tested Positive for Corona CoVid 19 and that has brought a temporary end to this luxurious tournament.
###### No doubt, Cricket lovers like me will miss all the action.
###### Since no matches, I can't write blogs with updates and hence, I thought of bringing out some more blogs highlighting some of individual performances we witnessed in 29 matches played in this year's IPL.
###### In that way, I am just hoping to relish the memories of this year's IPL until we get to see the action again after Corona is under control.
## Match 1 - Mumbai Indians vs RCB - A 5 For by Harshal Patel on his re-union with RCB:
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<a href="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2021-04/9g7umd1o_harshal-patel-bcciipl_625x300_09_April_21.jpg">Source</a>
###### *Five for* in any format will be a sweet one for any bowler, but, if that happens in T20 format, it will be one of the best considering the limited number of overs of 4 by a bowler.
###### Harshal Patel did it in the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians played on Ninth April 2021 at Chennai.
###### Incidentally, it was his first match after his re-union with RCB after he was traded by DC with Umesh Yadav moving to DC.
###### Harshal's figures read as 4-0-27-5 with him getting 3 wickets in the final over of Mumbai Indians innings.
###### Mumbai were cruising by the end of 15<sup>th</sup> over with them scoring 128 runs for the loss of 3 wickets and the likes of Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya at the crease by then.
###### But, Harshal's 3 overs from then pegged them back with Harshal taking a wicket in 16<sup>th</sup> over, another one in 18<sup>th</sup> over and 3 wickets in 20<sup>th</sup> over to restrict them to 160, a score which looked below par on Chennai pitch.
###### With that performance, RCB found a solution to their death bowling woes and also a bowler who can be relied for wicket taking and Harshal continued his good form throughout the 7 matches they played although he was a bit off color in the last 2 matches RCB played.
## Match 1 - Mumbai Indians vs RCB - Return of vintage AB Devilliers:
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<a href="https://bsmedia.business-standard.com/_media/bs/img/article/2020-10/15/full/1602760513-5451.JPG">Source</a>
###### When **Glenn Maxwell** got out at the start of 15<sup>th</sup> over, RCB had scored 103 runs and still needed 57 runs from the last 6 overs with required rate of 9.5 runs per over.
###### In walked the *Legend* **AB Devilliers** and a failure from him means a loss for RCB, but, he didn't disappoint his team and his fans.
###### He started off with a 4 and a 6 in 16<sup>th</sup> over and there was no looking back after that and gave a glimpse of vintage **ABD** as he scored 48 runs from just 27 balls with 4 Fours and 2 Sixes to bring them on the verge of victory.
###### That stellar performance re-iterated the importance of ABD for the RCB and why the team RCB retained him despite him not playing the International cricket any more.
###### Scoring 9 10 runs per over when there are 2 proper batsmen at the crease, will be not difficult.
###### But, when you have a bowler as your partner and need to score those runs, will be totally different and challenging and ABD was trusted with that role in that match against Mumbai and he took RCB home with his strokes all over the ground.
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##### So, those 2 players mentioned above, were the main architects of RCB's win against MI in the tournament opener and Mumbai, once again proved they are the slow starters although they controlled the match for most part of it, but Harshal and ABD were the difference in that win.
## Match 2 - Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings: The rise of Sam Curran, the Batsman:
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<a href="https://cdn.insidesport.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/10222318/20currancsk.jpg">Source</a>
###### We all know how good as a bowler Sam Curran is with his controlled death bolwing.
###### But, he has been a revelation with the bat as well in this year's IPL with him touted to be coming to the crease ahead of captain MS Dhoni.
###### He was breathtaking against DC in their First match of this year's IPL as he scored quickfire 34 from 15 balls to take CSK to 188 although that wasn't sufficient for them as the DC's opening pair had other plans.
###### Sam Curran has played well in most of the matches this year as an allrounder and he will be the player to watch out not just in IPL, but also in England team jersey.
## Match 2 - Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings: Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan crush CSK for an easy win:
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<a href="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2021-04/3v0ligeo_shikhar-dhawan-prithvi-shaw-twitter_625x300_11_April_21.jpg">Source</a>
###### **Delhi Capital's** opening pair of **Prithvi Shaw** and **Shikhar Dhawan** have been instrumental in their 6 wins from 8 matches they played and they weren't different in their opening match against **Chennai Super Kings** played at Mumbai.
###### Chasing 189 for a win, DC knew that, they need a good opening partnership and **Shikhar** and **Prithvi** were up to the task by scoring 138 runs from 13 overs with more than 10 runs per over and they maintained that scoring rate throughout their stay at the crease.
###### **Prithvi Shaw** was more destructive with 72 runs from 38 balls before he became the first to get out.
###### **Shikhar Dhawan** at the other end, played anchor role as **Prithvi** was scoring faster than him and once **Prithvi** got out, he started to be more aggressive and scored 85 from 54 balls.
###### That opening partnership made the work of other batsmen easy and DC cruised home 19<sup>th</sup> over to hand a defeat to **CSK**.
###### **DC** is playing bold like last year under the new captain **Rishabh Pant**, who has also been scoring well and leading his team from the front.
###### Those were some highlighting performances from First 2 matches in this year's IPL and many more to follow to keep remembering IPL even though we aren't seeing the live matches now.
###### Thanks for reading this and I would like to know what your felt about this blog as I prepare to write few more such blogs with many thrilling knocks by IPL players. Do let me know :)
## <center>Thanks and Have a Wonderful Thursday/Friday :)</center>
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