From CSK to DD, the most spectacular collapses from IPL 6

Yesterday’s disintegration by Chennai Super Kings continues a disconcerting trend for batsmen this season. With the BCCI handling pitches, the bowlers have had more of a say in the outcome of matches, and a number of batting sides have suffered untimely and embarrassing collapses. We take a look at some of the more dramatic slides we have seen so far in 2013.

Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians: 79 all out

Super Kings have never been bowled out for less than 100 in the IPL. Ever. They had won seven straight games. They were unbeaten on the road. And they had restricted Mumbai Indians to just 139. It should have been cakewalk. And it was. For Mumbai Indians. Despite Kieron Pollard dropping Mike Hussey three times in the first over. The collapse was swift and devastating. Mitchell Johnson took three wickets in the third over. Another fell in the fourth. When Hussey was caught off the first ball of the 10th over, CSK were 40 for 6. That became 54 for 9 and it took the largest partnership of the innings – 25 runs – to lift them to 79.

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils: 129 for 2 to 138 for 7

Royal Challengers were in control and cruising. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers had added a 100 runs together and the target was down to 24 runs from the last 4.1 overs. With eight wickets in hand, that is a doddle in T20 cricket. Even Pune Warriors could have won the match from there. But something strange happened; de Villiers ran himself out going for a risky single when there was no need for such a risk. Andy McDonald lasted two balls. Arun Karthik lasted six and Syed Mohammad two again. Suddenly, RCB were 138 for 6. When Kohli was caught one ball later, they had lost five wickets for 9 runs in 17 balls.

Luckily for RCB, they recovered just enough to tie the match and then de Villiers won it for them in the Super Over.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab: 106 for 2 to 152 for 9

Knight Riders lost two early wickets but Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan were largely untroubled in a 105-run partnership. With seven overs to go, KKR, the defending champions, needed 47 runs to win with eight wickets in hand with set batsmen at the crease. Then Manpreet Gony had Gambhir caught behind for 60. No problem. In Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan and Debratata Das, KKR still had plenty of batting to come. With an asking rate below seven, it was not a particular tough task. Except the batsmen decided to liven up the game. Tiwary was bowled for 1 and Das was leg-before for the same score. Rajat Bhatia hit two sixes but dragged a wide one from Awana onto his stumps. That made it 147 for 7 – five wickets had fallen in 5.5 overs. Still, 11 were needed off the final over with Yusuf at the crease, so the match was still not out of KKR’s reach. That’s when Yusuf swung a ful toss to David Miller at deep midwicket. Yusuf stood at the crease in disbelief. When Sachitra Senanayake was run out with one ball left, KKR had lost 7 wickets in 7 overs and wound up four runs short.

Pune Warriors India vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: 38/0 to 108 all out

Pune Warriors had held Sunrisers to 119, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking 3 for 18. On paper, Warriors bat deep and when they jumped out to 38 for no loss in 4.1 overs, it seemed this would be a statement game for them. Even after Thisara Perera knocked over the openers with consecutive deliveries, it seemed Warriors would reach their target with ease. At 76 for 3 in the 13th over, they needed under 7 an over so there was no need for panic. Yet panic they did. Steven Smith and Angelo Mathews were dismissed going for big shots as was Abhishek Nayar, who lasted just two balls. Amit Mishra then destroyed the rest with four wickets in five balls as Sunrisers wrapped up the game with an over to spare.

Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: 80 all out

This was more slow death than speedy collapse. Delhi Daredevils had been everyone’s punching bag in the early part of the season but seemed to have righted the ship somewhat with two wins in three games, including victory over the defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders. So when they took on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad, they had the look of spoilers as Sunrisers are fighting for a playoff spot.

Daredevils started cautiously, with Sehwag uncharacteristically taking 17 balls to make just 8. Against some disciplined bowling, it took them almost 11 overs to get to 50. And that’s when it really started to go pear shaped. Unmukt Chand was undone by pace and movement from Steyn to lose his offstump. David Warner walked past a googy from Amit Mishra and was stumped. Irfan Pathan doggedly resisted down the order but at 78 for 8, had to throw his bat around with just 12 balls left and was bowled off an inside edge. When Thisara Perera bowled Ashish Nehra first ball, Daredevils had posted the lowest total this season (until CSK went one better)

Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals: 92 all out

Mumbai were the first team to be bowled out for less than 100 this season. Rajasthan Royals had posted a challenging 179 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium and the pressure was on Mumbai to get off to a good start. Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar was still trying to make their opening partnership work and this game proved it was a bad idea. Tendulkar was out in the first over, Ponting in the third as MI slipped to 10 for 2. Rohit Sharma had a rare failure while Pollard had his middle stump knocked back by Stuart Binny. At 31 for 4, MI were staring at defeat and things were to get worse. Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu managed to put on 30 runs, but once Karthik fell trying to push the pace, it was only a matter of whether Mumbai would get to three figures. They would not. James Faulkner finished with the best figures of 3 for 16 but all fours seamers were among the wickets on day Mumbai Indians will want to forget