IPL 2019: Top 5 moments from Week 2

It’s been a manic second week in the Indian Premier League. Super overs, matches taking drastic turns, centuries, brutal hitting, and some smart bowling as well.

But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed and that’s RCB’s luck. The Virat Kohli-led side have simply not been able to get past their opponents despite being in winning positions. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders have emerged as strong contenders as they’ve been playing some consistent cricket.

David Warner currently holds the Orange Cap while despite RCB’s slump, Yuzvendra Chahal is the leading wicket-taker. In the week gone by, there were a lot of moments to capture. Here are the top five from the second week of the IPL.

Note – The week considered is Saturday (match 9) to Friday (match 17).

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#5 Hardik Pandya’s helicopter

Ever since Mahendra Singh Dhoni has arrived at the international arena, one shot has been etched to his name and that is the helicopter shot. Very few players could play that shot but in recent times, quite a few players have tried to play the helicopter.

Hardik Pandya became the latest to try the shot and was successful as well. But what made it special for Pandya was that the inventor of the helicopter, Dhoni was watching from behind. Dwayne Bravo had dished out a half-volley and the Mumbai Indians all-rounder smashed it for six unleashing the helicopter shot.

He did admit that he had been practicing the shot for quite some time and there have been videos where he’s played the shot in the nets as well.

“After playing that shot I was kind of proud, I was expecting MS to come and say ‘good shot’. Generally, people like to bowl at the stumps against me. It’s a shot which is not easy but I have seen MS hitting them so many times,” Pandya was quoted saying by iplt20.com.

#4 The Warner-Bairstow hug

Warner and Bairstow, Image Courtesy: IPLT20/BCCI

Australia and England are fierce rivals and every time they face each other, there’s a lot of hostility. However, the IPL does something that very few leagues can, it unites players from rival sides and creates great friendships as well.

But an Englishman and an Aussie in an Ashes year hugging it out in the middle of the pitch is something unheard of. However, this did happen. Jonny Bairstow and David Warner, two fierce competitors for their respective countries, hugged and embraced each other when the former reached his maiden IPL ton against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad.

The duo struck hundreds as they shared a massive 185-run opening stand. It was just the second instance of two players getting tons in the same IPL innings. SRH beat RCB by a huge margin of 118 runs and simply increased RCB’s woes.

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#3 Delhi Capitals’ stunning collapse

Image Courtesy: IPLT20/BCCI

Delhi Capitals have blown hot and cold this season. They’ve produced some fascinating yet hair-pulling moments in this tournament, none bigger than their stunning collapse against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.

30 runs in four overs, seven wickets in hand – you expect the chasing team to stroll through the chase. However, Delhi Capitals lost by 14 runs from the aforementioned position. In fact, they lost their last 7 wickets for 8 runs to surrender in dramatic fashion. It was Rishabh Pant’s dismissal that started the collapse.

The Delhi dasher was out bowled by Mohammed Shami before Chris Morris was run out off the next ball. Sam Curran then got two in one over before completing his hat-trick in the final over to give KXIP a memorable win.

Not only Curran, but Shami also bowled well at the death to squeeze and pull the choke on Delhi. Also, the last six DC batsmen combined to score just six runs off the bat and it included three ducks.

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#2 The super over

Image Courtesy: IPLT20/BCCI

No Kolkata Knight Riders game has been devoid of action. Every game they play, it has produced some thrilling moments. They’ve come back from behind in almost every game and it’s Andre Russell who has been the center of attraction.

In the game against Delhi Capitals (DC), KKR looked down and out. That was the only game that they’ve batted first so far. But with 18 needed off 18 and 8 wickets in hand, DC were clear favorites.

However, KKR stormed back in the game to level the scores. Kuldeep Yadav bowled an excellent 18th over, conceding just three runs and picking up the wicket of Rishabh Pant. Lockie Ferguson conceded 9 runs in the penultimate over but Kuldeep held his nerve in the final over to take the game into a Super Over.

Delhi made 10 runs in the Super Over but KKR were halted by Kagiso Rabada’s brilliant death bowling. But the game was a thriller and the first super over of the season.

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#1 Russell does it again

Image Courtesy: IPLT20/BCCI

Andre Russell has become a beast who has been smashing bowling attacks into the orbit. Match after match, he has been hurting the opposition with his brute power and monstrous hitting. He has won KKR games out of nowhere and turned things around every time.

He failed to get KKR over the line in the Super Over but didn’t disappoint in the game against RCB in Bengaluru. The hosts put up 205 in the first innings and KKR needed 53 off the last three overs.

They had done it in their opening game against SRH and Russell was at the forefront. He was at the crease once again but he struggled for the first few deliveries. However, one six is all it took for him to get going.

Mohammed Siraj bowled a beamer which the Jamaican all-rounder smashed it out of the park and from then on there was no stopping him. He turned his beast mode on and smashed every bowler to pieces.

He hit seven sixes and one four as he helped KKR hunt down 53 runs in 13 balls. 205 was eventually chased down with 5 balls to spare and it was Russell once again who did the almost impossible.

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