That’s all from this contest, folks! The Texas Super Kings have defeated MI New York twice this season and secured their place in the playoffs. For now, it’s me, Deepak Prakash, signing off on behalf of co-commentators Ajay Pal Singh, Saptak Sanyal, and scorer/analyst Ashok Dayma. CHEERS!
Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings Captain): "I think the first six overs were really positive. We had a very good start in the powerplay. But then it did feel like the wicket started to slow down. Before the game, we already thought it might be a bit slower than other venues, and that turned out to be the case. When you took pace off the ball, it wasn’t easy to score. So I thought anything above 185 would be a good total. To get past 200 on that wicket was a fantastic effort from everyone.
Look, the drive inside me is really strong to keep performing while I’m playing. I think I mentioned the other day that I have this fear of not living up to my full potential. So I’m always trying to squeeze every single bit out of myself to be the best player I can be and make sure I use that potential.
The great thing about this game is you always have to keep a good head on your shoulders, keep learning, and keep evolving. If you do that, you’ll enjoy those highs, and you’ll handle the lows much better.
Akeal Hosein was going to open, and we had a sneaky suspicion that Nicholas Pooran might open as well, but we adjusted our plans. I didn’t mind that too much. I knew the two left-handers would be keen to have a go, and getting them in early and trying to remove them quickly was a really important tactic because once they got going, they could be dangerous.
Look, I was just happy that we could turn things around. We started off with the first three games at home not playing the right style of cricket. Moving to a different venue, we adapted quickly, both in our selection and in the way we played. So credit to everyone — they all put their hands up and helped us have a successful few games. Now we move to a new venue where we’ll have to assess what the pitch is like and adjust our batting plans accordingly."
Akeal Hosein (MVP): "I think it is definitely the mindset. They have world class players. You have to be at the peak of your powers to beat these guys.
To be honest, I know those guys (Pollard and Pooran). We are friends off the field. On the field, we take our cricket seriously. I knew it is going to be a no nonsense challenge and thankfully I came out on top today.
I had a long night to work on these guys. I prepared for all situations. You have to be in a mindspace to be ready with your plans to execute whenever your captain calls you.
I think growing up, one of the legends of the games, Dwayne Bravo, once said that if you have to be the best, you have to be the student of the game. As long as cricket is happening, there's always learning that can take place. For me it is about trying to learn and get better every day."
Most Valuable Player of the Match: Akeal Hosein
Play of the Day: Donovan Ferreira
Power Hitter of the Match: Kieron Pollard (308 ft maximum)
Time for the post-match presentation...
Nicholas Pooran (MI New York Captain): "I mean it is tough. We have been struggling with our bowling throughout the tournament. We bowled well in the middle but kudos to Faf and Stoinis, he took it deep and the experience in the end matter. They played well.
We know Akeal is their trump card. That was a match-up for my side. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us. In tournaments like this, you have to be brave. A lot of things haven't gone our way. We have to move on.
(On Pollard) He's been incredible. He is getting older but he is putting in a lot of work. He continues to show us how to go about it in T20 cricket. He scored 70 and once he was out there, we were in the game. Hopefully, he carries on because he has a lot of runs and a lot of wickets still left in him.
It is never over. T20 cricket is all about momentum. We go to Miami, different conditions. We are optimistic. MI franchise are never out of the tournament, it has been difficult for us and we accept that."
9:18 AM IST, 10:48 PM Local Time: A comprehensive victory for the Texas Super Kings, and they secure their spot in the playoffs with this 39-run win over MI New York. On the other hand, MI New York have lost four games on the trot.
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, the Texas Super Kings lost Smit Patel for just three runs, but skipper Faf du Plessis continued his merry run in the ongoing MLC, hammering the bowlers for fun. The right-hander smashed yet another century in this tournament, remaining unbeaten on 103 off 53 balls. Saiteja Mukkamalla and Marcus Stoinis chipped in with 25 runs each, while a scintillating 20-ball 53 from Donovan Ferreira propelled the Super Kings to a hefty 223/4 in their 20 overs. George Linde and Rushil Ugarkar bagged a couple of wickets each for MINY, but were a tad expensive in the process. In reply, MI New York sent Nicholas Pooran alongside Quinton de Kock to open the innings instead of Monank Patel, but the plan misfired as Pooran fell for just 8 runs, and Monank, coming in at number three, was dismissed for only 6. Quinton de Kock looked in good touch, but Akeal Hosein was outstanding with the ball for TSK, as the left-arm spinner sent de Kock packing for 35 runs and dismissed Tajinder Singh for 15 in quick succession, leaving MINY in a precarious position at 75/4 in the 11th over. Kieron Pollard came out all guns blazing and dragged his side back into the contest, but Michael Bracewell struggled to score quickly at the other end and eventually departed for 26 off 20 balls. The equation slipped out of MINY’s hands, and Pollard eventually fell for a 39-ball 70 in the penultimate over of the match. TSK restricted their opponent to 184/9 in 20 overs and clinched a 39-run victory. Akeal Hosein (3/15) shone with the ball for the Super Kings, claiming three crucial wickets. Nandre Burger and Marcus Stoinis chipped in with a couple of wickets each. Stay tuned for the presentation…..