IPL 2018: Match 53, RR vs RCB – Most Valuable and Liable Player of the game

Rajasthan Royals stepped up in the do-or-die game at their home venue in Jaipur to defeat the Royal Challengers Bangalore by a huge 30-run margin. In the absence of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, Royals decided to strengthen their bowling after electing to bat first. An unbeaten 80-run knock from Rahul Tripathi was crucial in taking the team to 164/5 in 20 overs. RCB were cruising in the chase at a point with AB de Villiers and Parthiv Patel scoring at nine an over. However, they collapsed from 75/1 in the 9th over and managed to post only 134 before being bowled out.

Shreyas Gopal‘s spell was crucial and it swung the game into Rajasthan’s hands as the leggie registered his best bowling in the Twenty20 format. Gopal conceded nine runs in his first over before breaking the dangerous 55-run stand between Parthiv and de Villiers. He dismissed last match’s hero Moeen Ali in the same over and then booked the return for Mandeep Singh and the ABD in successive overs. Gopal was the Most Valuable Player of the match as per the CricTracker’s Player Value Algorithm. He earned a value of 90 lakhs for his 4/16 which is 4.5 times his auction price as Royals bought him at his base price of 20 lakhs.

Rahul Tripathi had gained some form coming into the game after a decent knock in the last game against KKR. He scored an unbeaten 80 in this match from just 58 balls with five fours and three sixes. Tripathi’s knock was valued at 85.5 lakhs which is 3.5 times more than his average match salary. Heinrich Klaasen had a field day with both bat and behind the stumps as he scored 21-ball 32 and effected four dismissals. His match performances were valued at 62 lakhs, that is more than his base price of 50 lakhs.

Colin de Grandhomme was the Liable Player of the game as he scored only two runs and conceded 23 runs in his two overs. Umesh Yadav RCB’s best player in the game as he took 3/25 in his four overs including a maiden which was valued at 72 lakhs. AB de Villiers was the only hope for the Royal Challengers Bangalore once their batting started to fall apart. He departed after scoring a 35-ball 53 which was valued at 56.5 lakhs.