Both KKR and RCB won a game against each other in the round-robin league stage. However, Kolkata won a one-sided affair in the most recent meeting between the two teams and they were full of confidence going into the elimination match. The batters failed to cope with the pitch, thus the eliminator was a low-scoring affair. Kolkata won the match in the last over as Shakib Al Hasan scored the winning run for his team. Kolkata Knight Riders will play Delhi Capitals in qualifier 2 on Wednesday (October 13) for a spot in the final. Match Report: KKR vs. RCB       Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli chose to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders in the eliminator match on Monday (October 11) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.  Bangalore’s Innings Batted first, Royal Challengers Bangalore barely managed to score 138/7 in their allotted 20 overs. They got off to a good start in the innings, scoring 49 runs in the first five overs. Captain Virat Kohli and new sensation Devdutt Padikkal, started cautiously but were eager to rotate the strike to put pressure on the bowlers. Read Mahmudullah out of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match They were doing well until Kolkata got their first breakthrough with a wide outside off delivery to Padikkal (21) from Kiwi pacer Lockie Ferguson. The left-handed batsman failed to connect with the ball and was clean bowled in the first delivery of the sixth over. Losing opener Padikkal (21) put the Bangalore innings under strain, as they only managed to score 21 runs in the following five overs and lost Srikar Bharat's wicket. Bangalore had 70 runs on board for the cost of two wickets at that stage. The Bangalore campaign was hoping that skipper Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and AB de Villiers would lead the team to a competitive score. Though neither of the players ignited in the death overs and Bangalore were forced to settle for a low total to defend.  Also read: Junaid Siddique to play in T10 League Virat Kohli played a 39 off 33 balls knock before getting clean bowled by Sunil Narine in the 13th over. It was a fruitful day for Narine, who rattled Bangalore’s top and middle orders with some tight bowling and later played a crucial part with the bat. Narine finished his spell with 4-0-21-4. Apart from him, Ferguson took 2 wickets and Shakib Al Hasan had an economical spell as well.  Kolkata’s Innings  Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer got Kolkata off to a strong start with a 41-run opening partnership in pursuit of a modest score. The most successful bowler in IPL 2021, Harshal Patel interrupted their momentum by taking the first wicket in the sixth over. He removed Kolkata’s top scorer Shubman Gill (29) in an off-cutter slower delivery. Kolkata lost inform Rahul Tripathi in the following over.   Kolkata's batsmen had battled to get the scoreboard moving due to the slow nature of the pitch. Kolkata's innings were interrupted due to losing wickets at regular intervals, and the fate of the match was swinging both ways.  Read: IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs? Nitesh Rana (23) and Sunil Narine (26) batted well in the middle of the innings to keep Kolkata in the run chase. Bangalore's campaign looked positive to clinch the contest when Sunil Narine and Dinesh Karthik went back to the pavilion in the 18th over. However, Shakib Al Hasan and captain Eoin Morgan’s patient approach eased Kolkata’s victory with two balls to spare. Shakib took the winning run in the fourth ball of the final over. Siraj, Patel, and Chahal bagged two wickets each for Royal Challengers Bangalore.  Player of the Match All-rounder Sunil Narine was named the best player of the IPL 2021 eliminator match for his outstanding performance with the ball. Read Bangladesh jersey for T20 World Cup revealed  Way Forward Kolkata Knight Riders had been struggling before the postponement of the Indian Premier League last May. They came back strong when the competition resumed in September in the United Arab Emirates. The Kolkata team management has found their ideal formation with the addition of Shakib Al Hasan to the playing XI. However, sources indicate that the ace all-rounder is unlikely to play in the second qualifying match given his commitment to the Bangladesh national team. Andre Russell may replace Shakib Al Hasan and the West Indian knows what it takes to win a big match. Sunil Narine, Lockie Ferguson, and the openers did well in the eliminator match. They would play vital roles in the qualifier 2 encounter against Delhi Capitals in Sharjah.   Read Tigers start training in UAE Monday

​​​​​​​Delhi Capitals team was confident that they could make it three in a row after winning their two round-robin league matches against Chennai Super Kings. However, Chennai captain MS Dhoni displayed his flamboyant charisma at the most crunch moment of the game, leading his team to victory with two balls to spare. Chennai advanced to the 14th edition of the tournament final after defeating Delhi in the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match. Delhi Capitals will play the winner of the eliminator match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore in qualifier 2 for a final berth. Match Report: CSK vs. DC The captain of Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni opted to field first against Delhi Capitals in the first qualifying match in Dubai on Sunday (October 10) Delhi’s Innings  Delhi Capitals batted first and set up a challenging 172/5 runs in their allocated 20 overs. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan partnered for a 36-run opening stand, with Prithvi taking the initiative to get the scoreboard moving quickly. Shikhar Dhawan was struggling to time the ball and was finally bowled by Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over. Read: Shakib, Mustafiz set to leave IPL to join national team Getting the first wicket helped Chennai to increase the pressure on the Delhi batsmen. They lost three more wickets within 11 overs, including Prithvi Shaw. The excellent left-hand batsman lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja after an aggressive 60 off 34 balls. Delhi skipper Rishab Pant and Windies power hitter Shimron Hetmyer (37) repaired the innings with an 83-run partnership in the fifth wicket and took the total to 163. Rishab Pant remained undefeated with a 51* off 35 balls. Josh Hazlewood was Chennai's most successful bowler, taking two wickets for 29 runs in four overs. Chennai’s Innings Chasing 173 runs, Chennai's most inform batsman Faf du Plessis was dismissed in the opening over. He was clean bowled by compatriot Anrich Nortje on the fourth ball of the first over. However, the loss of an early wicket had little effect on Chennai's momentum in the run chase. Read: IPL 2021: Who will play whom in the playoffs? A 110-run second-wicket partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and the experienced Robin Uthappa helped Chennai stay in the game. They took the total to 113 in the 14th over. Both batsmen were steady and did not take any needless risks while forming the partnership. Uthappa was dismissed in the14th over after a 63-run knock. On the other hand, Gaikwad remained at the crease till the 19th over, ensuring Chennai's progress in the run chase. However, the match took a dramatic turn when in-form Avesh Khan sent Gaikwad back to the pavilion on the first ball of the 19th over. Chennai needed 24 runs in 11 balls at that point. With two new batsmen at the crease, they were under a lot of pressure to get those runs. However, skipper MS Dhoni came out as a savior for his team and ensured victory with some blistering strokes. Read:IPL 2021: Delhi secure Qualifier 1 with 3-wicket win against Chennai Dhoni sealed the victory by smashing Tom Curran for a boundary in the last over's fourth ball. He stayed unbeaten, with a match-winning 18 off 6 balls knock. Taking three wickets, Curran was Delhi's most successful bowler in this game.  Player of the Match Chennai Super Kings opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was awarded the best player of the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match for his responsible 70-run knock. Way Forward Delhi Capitals lost to Chennai Super Kings for the first time of the IPL 2021 season. They overcame Chennai twice in the league phase and were considered favorites to win the IPL 2021 qualifier 1 match. However, responsible knocks by Ruturaj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa, as well as MS Dhoni's fiery innings, saw Chennai defeat Delhi in the first match of the playoffs round. This will be the 9th IPL final for Chennai Super Kings. Read:IPL 2021: Kolkata, Mumbai, Rajasthan in three-way race for a playoffs spot On the other hand, Delhi Capitals must win the second qualifier match to advance to the IPL final for the second year in a row. Delhi finished runner-up after losing the IPL 2020 final to Mumbai Indians. The qualifier 2 match will take place in Sharjah on Wednesday (13th October).

Delhi Capitals have secured the qualifier 1 spot in the playoffs round after defeating Chennai Super Kings by 3 wickets in Dubai. Delhi currently top the points table with 20 points and a game in hand. They will play Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday (October 8) and have a chance to finish top in the IPL 2021 round-robin league points table. On the other hand, Chennai must win their last league match against Punjab Kings on Thursday (October 7) to finish in the top two spots in the standings. The match report of CSK vs. DC is discussed in this article. Match Report: CSK vs. DC Delhi Capitals captain Rishab Pant chose to field first against Chennai Super Kings on Monday in Dubai. Chennai’s Innings   Chennai Super Kings batted first and managed to score 136/5 In their allocated 20 overs. They got off to a good start, as the opening pair put up 28 runs in three overs. However, Chennai's batting collapsed when Faf Du Plessis left the crease, as they lost four wickets for 62 runs in nine overs. Read: IPL 2021: Kolkata, Mumbai, Rajasthan in three-way race for a playoffs spot Indian spinner Axar Patel was the real difference-maker between the two teams. He provided the first breakthrough for Delhi by taking Faf Du Plessis' wicket. He also sent Moeen Ali back to the pavilion in the eighth over. MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu put on a 70-run partnership to help Chennai rebuild their innings. They kept a close eye on the scoreboard in the middle but didn't strive too hard to accelerate the run rates. These two players stayed at the crease till the last over for a competitive total. However, they were unable to produce big shots in the death overs and were forced to settle for a low total. Ambati Rayudu scored the highest runs with 55 off 43 balls, while Dhoni made 18 runs. Delhi's spinners had shown excellent discipline in the middle. They were on target and didn't let them free their arms. Axar Patel took the highest two wickets for 18 runs in his four overs. Ravi Ashwin and pacer Kagiso Rabada were both outstanding with the ball for Delhi. Read: KKR vs. PBKS: KL Rahul guides Punjab to 5-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021 Delhi’s Innings Delhi Capitals bowlers did their job very well by limiting Chennai to a manageable score. Delhi reached the 137-run target with two balls to spare. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave Delhi a solid start with a 24-run opening partnership between them. Dhawan assumed control of the innings following the departure of Prithvi Shaw (18). Delhi looked strong in the middle but their batting order crumbled, and things looked worse when Dhawan (39) lost his wicket in the 15th over. Delhi were 99/6 at the time. Delhi fought back with an undefeated 28* off 18 balls knock from West Indian power batter Shimron Hetmyer, and triumphed in 19.4 overs. Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were outstanding with the ball. For Chennai, they each took two wickets. Read T20 World Cup: Bangladesh team reaches Oman Player of the Match Delhi Capitals spinner Axar Patel was named the best player of the match for his brilliant effort with the ball.     Bottom Line Chennai Super Kings have now lost two consecutive games, and the momentum has shifted back to the Delhi Capitals, who have won two successive matches. Chennai must defeat Punjab in order to secure qualifier 1 spot in the playoffs. Otherwise, they will have to rely on the results of Bangalore's fixtures. Chennai's top order struggled against Delhi, putting the middle order under strain. As a result, they had to settle for a low total to defend. Chennai's top order must rediscover their best rhythm before the crucial playoffs round. On the other side, the Rishab Pant-led Delhi Capitals team has done well as a unit. They have the depth and balance in their squad to win the IPL 2021 tournament. Read: IPL 2021: Shakib's Kolkata leads over Mustafiz's Rajasthan in the playoffs race

Punjab Kings needed to win over Kolkata Knight Riders to stay in contention for a playoff spot in IPL 2021. They won the match courtesy of a short cameo by Shahrukh Khan while chasing a challenging total. Punjab and Kolkata currently have the same number of points in the standings, with the net run rate separating them. Knight Riders will play two of the bottom teams in their next two matches. On the other hand, the Kings will play RCB and CSK in their final round-robin league matchups. The match report of KKR vs. PBKS is discussed in this article. Match Report: KKR vs. PBKS Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul chose to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday in Dubai. Kolkata’s Innings Kolkata batted first and scored 165/7 in their allotted 20 overs. They lost their star opener, Shubman Gill in the third over with only 18 runs on the board. However, a 72-run partnership between Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi for the second wicket helped Kolkata reach 90 runs in 12 overs. Read IPL 2021: Shakib's Kolkata leads over Mustafiz's Rajasthan in the playoffs race Knight Riders were on set for 200 runs at that point. However, Punjab managed to disrupt the flow of runs by taking two successive wickets in the 14th and 15th overs, respectively. In the dying overs, Nitesh Rana's fiery batting helped Kolkata put up a competitive total on the board. Venkatesh Iyer scored the highest 67 runs for the Knight Riders. Apart from him, Rahul Tripathi made 34 runs and Nitesh Rana played a 31 off 18 balls knock. Arshdeep Singh was a little expensive, but he took the highest three wickets for Punjab Kings.    Punjab’s Innings Chasing a difficult target, openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal gave Punjab Kings a perfect start with a 70-run stand between them in 8.5 overs. They were a bit watchful but they kept a solid pace in the middle. Kolkata's spinner Varun Chakravarthy provided the much-needed breakthrough in the ninth over, dismissing Mayank Agarwal (40). He struck again in two overs, sending West Indian Nicholas Pooran back to the pavilion. Read Tigers to leave for T20 World Cup on October 3 KL Rahul and Proteas power hitter Aiden Markram then put up a crucial 45-run partnership to take the total to 129 in 16 overs.  Markram lost his wicket after an important 18-run innings.  Despite losing wickets at the other end, Captain KL Rahul stayed at the crease till the last over and made sure Punjab remained in the chase. Rahul's anchoring innings (67) came to an end in the second delivery of the 20th over. Punjab's young power hitter Shahrukh Khan played a key role with the bat. He scored an unbeaten 22* from 9 balls to give Punjab a five-wicket victory. Kolkata's most successful bowler was Varun Chakravarthy (4-0-24-2). Read Mushfiqur, Imrul hit fifties as Bangladesh A register easy win Player of the Match Punjab Kings captain KL Rahul was named the best player of the match for his guided 67-run innings.  Bottom Line Kolkata lost the KKR vs. PBKS contest after three consecutive victories in the UAE phase. Kolkata cannot afford to lose momentum at this crucial stage of the round-robin league. The Knight Riders must win their next two matches for a playoff berth. Otherwise, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings will seize the opportunity and move up the points table. On the other hand, defeating Kolkata was a huge result for the Punjab team. Now they are heading to their next two matches with greater confidence. Punjab's next two opponents, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have already qualified for the playoffs. Both teams may deploy some young players against Punjab in order to test the strength of their respective squads. If they do, Punjab will have the upper hand in both the fixtures. Read BCB election 2021: 32 candidates submit nomination papers