IPL Review X - Gujarat record-breaking 10 wicket victory, RCB qualify for play-offs

For the second week in succession there were only two completed matches in the now elongated IPL 18 but there was no lack of quality T20 cricket.

Gujarat Titans record-breaking 10-wicket victory puts them a point ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings but all three have qualified for the Play-Offs with two league matches to go.

Neil Manthorp looks back at Week Ten of the IPL...

Best South African:  There is little doubt that Kwena Maphaka will fulfil his potential and do justice to his talent but it was another tough lesson on the journey with figures of 3-0-32-1 for Rajasthan against Punjab. Educated eyes, however, noted that he bowled according to the plan.

Sometimes it goes wrong, however well you bowl. Tristan Stubbs only faced 10 balls but hit two of them for six in his 21* in Delhi’s losing cause.

Match of the Week: Unless you’re a fan of massively one-sided whippings let’s go with Punjab’s 10-run victory against Rajasthan Royals. The Kings crafted a text-book innings with a fast start and even faster finish but the Royals made the fastest start in the tournament so far and for long periods were ahead of the run-rate before slipping behind at the end.

Best Batter:  Viabhav Suryavanshi continues to stagger. Not himself, obviously, but those watching him. The 14-year-old smashed 40 from 15 balls for RR against Punjab with four fours and four sixes. It may take years before people get used to this phenom. By the time he’s a legal adult they may even have become blasé.

Best Bowler:  Left arm spinner, Harpreet Brar, who claimed 3-22 in his four overs while seamers Arshdeep Singh (0-60) and Marco Jansen (3-0-41-2) were being fetched from most corners of the ground. To be fair, both quick men bowled superb overs at the death to the clinch Punjab’s 10-run win but it wouldn’t have been possible without the spinner.

Best Performance:  Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan posted a record IPL opening stand of 205 and looked like they could have scored 500 if it had been a 50-over match.

Best Overseas Player:  Azmatullah Omarzai – the Afghan allrounder smashed 21 from nine balls in the ‘finisher’ role to put the Punjab total beyond Rajasthan.

Best Indian Player:  Punjab’s Nehal Wadhera isn’t mentioned often for international honours but the if the 24-year-old left-hander keeps playing innings like the 70 from 37 balls (5x4, 5x6) he produced for Punjab it may not be long. KL Rahul’s 112* from 65 balls (14x4, 4x6) was another reminder of the 33-year-old’s prevailing class.

Talking Point: Will there be repercussions for the overseas players who have either chosen not to return – or been withdrawn by their national boards?

IPL teams have become increasingly frustrated by international stars picking and choosing their game-time but surely they understand that South Africa’s players did commit to the full tournament when the final was scheduled for May 25. Don’t they?

Look out for: Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. It’s a straight shoot-out for the fourth and final place in the Play-Offs, a knockout match before we even get to the knockouts.