After a disappointing performance with the bat, PBKS tried hard to defend a modest score of 137 but Andre Russell had different plans. Despite losing four wickets for 51, Russell ensured that there were no hiccups, and took KKR home with 5.3 overs to spare. However, the star of the match was Umesh Yadav, who bagged yet another Player-of-the-Match- award for his brilliant figures of 4/23. Let’s look at some of the key moments that transpired in match eight of the 2022 IPL.
Rajapaksa’s leg-side domination
Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa was outstanding in the first game against RCB, the hard-hitting left-hander continued his explosive batting against KKR. Coming to bat in just the second over of the match, Rajapaksa counterattacked and took the game to the opponents.
Rajapaksa’s inning of 31 runs off nine balls had the second-best strike rate for any inning of 30+ runs. He was particularly severe against young Shivam Mavi, scoring 22 runs off just four balls before getting off the fifth ball.
What was interesting in the over was how Rajapaksa pre-meditated to hit all balls on the leg side. The first three balls of the over were on good length from over the wicket, which Rajapaksa hit across the line. Mavi then switched to round the wicket and tried a slower ball as a variation. Even that was picked early and dispatched. Although all these balls were different from each other, there was common thing – Rajapaksa targeting the on side. Mavi realized it a bit late but came back with a back of the length ball outside off from round the wicket and Rajapaksa could just mistime the ball to mid off for an easy catch.
Rahul Chahar vs Andre Russell
Andre Russell played a knock that every opposition team dreads. His 31-ball unbeaten 70 made a mockery of the chase; however, there was a mini-battle in the game which stood out.
Since 2016, Russell hits at a strike rate of 164 against leg-breaks, but the strike rate drops down to 108 against the googlies. Rahul Chahar’s stock delivery is his leg-break, and he seldom bowls a googly to a right-hander. 81% of his wickets against the right-handers have come through conventional leg-breaks.
Chahar backed himself with his leg-breaks against the rampaging Russell, but the key difference was Chahar’s length. Chahar consistently kept the balls in the good length area, a length that Russell has found hard to hit. Although Chahar couldn’t get Russell out, he kept the West Indian quiet.
PBKS’ plan against Russell
Unless a bowler nails his yorker right, there is probably no way he will get away with a full pitched ball against Russell. PBKS’ tactics against Russell were a case of risk versus reward. Round the wicket angle against him has barely worked against Russell, and when that went wrong, PBKS were severely punished.
The scoring areas of Russell indicate how badly the ploy went against the bowlers, with 39 runs coming in the arc between long on and mid-wicket – a region that Russell prefers to target.