Power-hitters raise the bar in new era of IPL run-fests

Published

3 years ago

May 10, 2023

A marauding Faf du Plessis and emerging power-hitters including Rinku Singh have helped make team totals over 200 the new normal in this high-scoring edition of the Indian Premier League.

The 38-year-old South African Du Plessis, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, leads the batting charts with 576 runs at a destructive strike rate of over 157 and 32 sixes.

This season does not finish until the end of the month but it has already witnessed 30 innings totalling 200 or above.

That happened on 18 occasions in the entire edition last year.

Du Plessis hit 65 on Tuesday and forged a 120-run stand with Glenn Maxwell — but opponents Mumbai Indians still reached the 200 target with 3.3 overs to spare, AFP reported.

This season third-placed Mumbai have chased down three 200 or 200-plus totals with Suryakumar Yadav hitting half-centuries in all of them.

“I have no idea what a safe score is. The last four games we have seen excess of 200 has been scored,” said Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma.

“Most of the teams are taking risks and it is coming off.

“The batters are taking risks and 200-plus scores are being chased.

“The mindset of the batters is to do something special for the team and it is coming off as well.”

Players and pundits say there are a few reasons for the tall totals.

IPL pitches are more batting friendly than before to encourage big-hitting and provide more entertainment.

Former Australia batsman and ex-IPL coach Tom Moody says that the Kookaburra balls could have something to do with it because they are not swinging as much.

The nature of Twenty20 cricket is also evolving, with a new breed of specialists.

But the biggest factor behind the skyscraper scores in the IPL looks to be the new Impact Player rule.

It allows a substitute and effectively adds an extra batsman or bowler to the team line-up.

Lucknow Super Giants have led the high-rise war after they posted the second-highest team total since the IPL began in 2008.

They made 257-5 in a 56-run victory last month against Punjab Kings, with West Indies’ Kyle Mayers and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis smashing 11 boundaries each.

Virat Kohli recently scored a 46-ball 55 in a losing cause for Bangalore and the superstar batsman was criticized for consuming too many deliveries.

Moody called Kohli’s innings “yesterday’s approach or last year’s approach”.

“Now we have an impact player, the game has changed,” the Australian, who took Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 title, told ESPNCricinfo.

“We already have evidence of that with the number of teams who have scored over 200, (it) is a record number of 200-plus scores of any IPL and we are not even close to the finish.”

While the likes of greats Kohli and David Warner have struggled to meet the intensity, left-handed batsman Rinku has come into his own as a finisher this season.

He raised the hitting stakes when he smashed five sixes in the last five balls to pull off a miracle chase for Kolkata last month.

The tournament has witnessed six last-ball finishes this season and Mumbai batsman Nehal Wadhera pointed to the impact sub again.

“The Impact Player rule also gives the batters a bit of freedom to play fearlessly as they know they have an extra batter in their wings,” Wadhera said.

“The rule has also led to more close finishes in the IPL, which we love to watch.”

ILT20: Nissanka fires Gulf Giants to four-wicket win over Dubai Capitals

Azmatullah Omarzai dented the innings at crucial moments, finishing with 3/46 and tightening his grip on the White Belt for leading wicket-taker.

Published

18 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Ariana News

Pathum Nissanka produced his second consecutive half-century of the season on Saturday to guide Gulf Giants to a convincing four-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals, taking them to the top of the DP World ILT20 Season 4 standings.

Nissanka smashed 67 off just 31 deliveries in a dominant display that included six fours and five sixes. His 97-run stand with James Vince (50* off 45) proved decisive in the Giants’ chase of 161, which they completed with seven balls to spare at Dubai International Stadium.

Earlier, the Capitals posted 160/6 thanks to useful contributions from Sediqullah Atal (35), David Willey (29) and Jordan Cox (31). Captain Dasun Shanaka added late impetus with an unbeaten 23 off 9 balls, including two sixes in the final over.

But Azmatullah Omarzai dented the innings at crucial moments, finishing with 3/46 and tightening his grip on the White Belt for leading wicket-taker.

The Giants’ reply wobbled briefly after the early loss of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (9) but Nissanka took charge, hammering James Neesham for three sixes in the fourth over as the Giants cruised to 60/1 by the end of the powerplay. He reached his half-century in just 23 balls.

Mustafizur Rahman and Shanaka struck in back-to-back overs to remove Nissanka and Moeen Ali, but Vince held the chase together with a composed knock. Cameos from Omarzai (14 off 12) and Tom Moores (13 off 8) ensured the required rate never spiralled out of reach, and Vince sealed victory with a well-paced fifty.

In the first innings, after Omarzai removed Shayan Jahangir early, Atal and Willey stabilised the Capitals with a 61-run partnership. But the middle overs proved costly, producing only 18 runs between the 10th and 14th overs as wickets fell to Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson and Aayan Afzal Khan. Cox and Neesham revived the innings before Omarzai returned to snuff out the momentum by dismissing Cox and Rovman Powell in the 18th over.

Speaking after the match, Giants captain Moeen Ali praised his side’s all-round display: “Getting the points while knowing we can still play better is a good sign. We squeezed them well in the middle with the ball. Nissanka is a brilliant player, and Vince controlled the chase perfectly.”

Dubai Capitals skipper Dasun Shanaka admitted his team lost control through the middle overs: “Nissanka is in the form of his life — small guy, massive hitting. We lacked intent in the middle period. We waited too long to rotate strike. Powell and I probably should have gone earlier.”

Brief Scores:

Gulf Giants beat Dubai Capitals by 4 wickets

Dubai Capitals 160/6 (20 overs): Sediqullah Atal 35, Jordan Cox 31, David Willey 29, Dasun Shanaka 23*; Azmatullah Omarzai 3/46, Aayan Afzal Khan 1/3, Moeen Ali 1/23

Gulf Giants 161/6 (18.5 overs): Pathum Nissanka 67, James Vince 50*, Azmatullah Omarzai 14; Dasun Shanaka 2/16, Mustafizur Rahman 2/26

Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka

Sport

Sorkh Poshan Khafi and Sarafan Herat edge out 1-0 wins in ACL

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

Ariana News

In the 27th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Sorkh Poshan Khafi edged out Arman FC 1-0 in a tightly contested clash.

On Saturday, Sarafan Herat secured a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq Khanzadah, keeping the league race intense and unpredictable.

Looking ahead to Monday, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 2:00 p.m., promising another thrilling showdown for fans.

All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, allowing football enthusiasts across Afghanistan to follow the action and enjoy the excitement of the Champions League season.

Sport

FIFA confirms all 12 groups for 2026 World Cup

Published

2 days ago

December 6, 2025

Ariana News

The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.

In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.

FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.

With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.

There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.