IPL Week 5 Notes: De Villiers bashes Mumbai to all parts
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It’s the final week of the IPL group stage and still no play-off spots have been sealed. The Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab, who have lost seven games in a row, are both out of the competition, but beyond that everyone has something to play for.
Here is a few highlights from the penultimate week of the tournament:
Narine comes back with a bang
Once he was cleared, for a second time, of bowling with a suspect action, Sunil Narine was able to rejoin the Kolkata Knight Riders’ starting XI for their game against the Kings XI Punjab. He immediately found success.
Although Brad Hogg has been taking the limelight in Narine’s absence, it was the West Indian that had the success, taking 4-19 in his four overs while the three other spinners KKR used, including Hogg, went wicketless:
Kings XI Punjab reach 183 despite Sunil Narine’s return to form https://t.co/uDc0TRXg4m #IPL2015 #KKRvKXIP pic.twitter.com/4iyKVVP3VI
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 9, 2015
AB at it once again
When the Royal Challengers Bangalore faced the Mumbai Indians in match 46 records fell.
AB de Villiers proved he is the best limited overs batsman in the world once again, with a score of 133 not out off just 59 balls.
His total, pierced with 19 fours, was the highest by any non-opening batsman in IPL history and his 215-run partnership with Virat Kohli (82*) became the highest for any wicket in the competition’s history:
AB highlights. Silk and kaboom. https://t.co/GOC4i5Jt8P
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) May 10, 2015
The play-off race heats up
As the IPL’s group stage reaches the final straight, all bar two of the eight teams in the competition are harbouring play-off hopes.
The Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, 13/8 and 4/1 to win the tournament respectively, are in the driving seat with both needing just one win each to book their place.
Any of the next four teams in the table can gate crash the knockout stages, with Sunrisers Hyderabad hoping to advance so that Kevin Pietersen can rejoin them for their final push.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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