Faf and Hardie’s Brilliance Dismantles New York in MLC Eliminator

Texas Super Kings drubbed MI New York by nine wickets in the Eliminator of ongoing MLC. Batting first, New York posted 163 runs in 20 overs, thanks to Rashid Khan’s (55 off 30) valuable knock. In response, Super Kings surpassed the score with nine balls to spare, courtesy of Faf du Plessis’ (72 off 40) scintillating knock. 

Match Summary 

• Toss: Faf du Plessis (TSK) won the toss and opted to field.
• MI New York Innings: 163/8 in 20 overs
  • Rashid Khan: 55 (30)
  • Monank Patel: 48 (41)
  • Key Bowler: Marcus Stoinis (2/18)

• Texas Super Kings Innings: 167/1 in 18.3 overs
  • Faf du Plessis: 72 (47)
  • Devon Conway: 51* (43)
  • Key Bowler: Nosthush Kenjige (1/24) in three overs

Key Moments

Zia-ul-Haq Draws the First Blood

The left-arm pacer has been the key contributor for Super Kings in this MLC and once again he made an impact with the new ball. He trapped Dewald Brevis for a 4-ball duck in the opening over and provided an early breakthrough for his side. He also reached 50 wickets in T20s during the process.

Rashid Khan’s Pivotal Knock

The Afghan player contributed a valuable knock for the New York side in this crucial clash. He was promoted to number five in the batting order, and it proved fruitful for New York. Rashid smashed 55 runs off 30 balls, including four fours and six sixes, helping his side post a decent total on the board.

Faf’s Fantastic Knock

The Super Kings skipper is in red-hot form in this MLC and continued his streak in this contest as well. He scored at a decent pace, keeping the run rate in check and reducing pressure on Conway, who struggled to time the ball. Du Plessis forged a 101-run partnership for the opening wicket alongside Conway, contributing 72 runs off 47 balls. His scintillating knock laid a solid foundation for his side in the chase.

Aaron Hardie’s Impressive All-round Performance

The 25-year-old batter came out to bat at number three, with the match evenly poised in the 13th over of the innings. Hardie took responsibility on his shoulders and smashed an unbeaten 40 runs off just 22 balls, helping the Super Kings cross the line with 9 balls to spare. The Aussie player also contributed with the ball in the first innings, scalping a couple of wickets at the tail end of the innings.

Implications and Future Prospects

New York’s key players, Dewald Brevis, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, and Trent Boult, faltered in this crucial clash. Despite having a formidable bowling attack with the likes of Rashid Khan and Trent Boult, the New York side struggled to break the opening partnership of Super Kings. They also made multiple blunders in the field and had to bear the brunt of it, ultimately bowing out of the tournament. 

On the other hand, the Super Kings bowlers were up to the mark in restricting their opponent to a below-par total. Despite their key bowler Bravo going off the field due to injury, skipper Du Plessis maneuvered the bowlers nicely, indicating their bowling depth. Devon Conway struggled to time the ball almost throughout the innings, which serves as a wake-up call for the Men in Yellow. The Kiwi batter will look to overcome this in the next match. 

Conclusion

The defending champions, MI New York, looked sluggish throughout the tournament and failed to improve their performance in the Eliminator. Kieron Pollard and Co. couldn’t defend the title and have been eliminated from the tournament. 

Conversely, the Super Kings move one step closer to the title. They will face the loser of the Qualifier in the Challenger on Friday. The Men in Yellow will look to continue their winning streak in the Challenger and secure their place in the summit clash of this MLC.

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