IPL 2019: Virender Sehwag praises Kagiso Rabada after super over heroics

Kagiso Rabada’s ‘super over’ against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday could be the perfect reference for the bowlers in coming days on how to deliver in the one-over face-off. The Delhi Capitals star had the task to defend just 11 runs against Andre Russell and Co. and the South African did not waste much time in showing the world why he is rated so highly. He started the over on a disappointing note with Russell dispatching an attempted yorker for a four.

But the next five deliveries were all about Rabada. The second ball was a dot before he bowled a vicious yorker to uproot Russell’s middle stump. In the remaining three balls, Dinesh Karthik and Robin Uthappa could only score three. The game was pushed to the super over after it ended in a thrilling manner. Throughout the forty overs of the thriller at the Feroz Shah Kotla, fortunes swung from side to side before it ended in tie.

Asked to bat first, the Knight Riders recovered from a disastrous position of 61 for 5 to post a daunting total of 185 for 8. Russell was once again the star of the show, scoring 62 off just 28. He was well supported by Karthik who hit 50 off 34 balls as the duo shared a 95-run stand. In reply, Delhi Capitals looked set to overhaul the total when Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer were going great guns. The two added 89 runs for the second wicket to put Delhi in the driver’s seat.

When Iyer departed in the 13th over, Delhi were cruising at 116 for 2. Shaw kept going strong and nearly took Delhi over the line before falling on 99 in the 19th over.The equation was finally down to 6 off the last over with Colin Ingram and Hanuma Vihari in the middle against Kuldeep Yadav. However, Delhi capitulated remarkably and could score just 5 while losing two wickets to force the first super over of the season.

Following the game, former India and Delhi Capitals opener Virender Sehwag took to Twitter to praise Rabada and Shaw. He also said that the ongoing season has become ‘Super Exciting’ in the first week itself, writing:

“RA-BA-DA special super over. Well played Prithvi Shaw ! IPL turning out to be Super Exciting in the first week itself.”

Rabada on his super over:

After his match-winning heroics, Rabada said he was nerves at the start but stuck to his plans of bowling the yorkers.

“Obviously, lots of nerves. I just saw it as a simulation and glad it paid off. You have to keep your wits about you and be really clear on what you have to bowl. I just went with yorkers and it worked in the end. I was clear and backed my plan,” Rabada said.

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