IPL 2017: Twitter Reacts As Steve Smith’s Fifty Propels RPS To Imposing Total Against KKR
Apr 26, 2017 at 10:13 PM
Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a quickfire knock of 23 runs off just 11 balls while Steve Smith scored his third fifty of the tournament to propel Rising Pune Supergiant to 182 for five against Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing match in Pune.
After being asked to bat first, the Supergiant went off to a good start with Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Tripathi adding 65 runs for the first wicket before the latter was clean bowled by Piyush Chawla for 38.
A 47-run stand between Rahane and Steve Smith further bolstered their innings, as they crossed the 100-run mark inside 13 overs.
The partnership was broken when Rahane was stumped off the bowling of Sunil Narine for 46 but his dismissal did not cause much of a problem for the batting side, as MS Dhoni looked in great touch right from the start.
The former India skipper hit a four and a couple of sixes in his first 10 balls to race to 23. The home team was looking well-set to post big before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Dhoni and the in-form Manoj Tiwary in the 18th over to put the batting side under pressure.
However, Smith and Dan Christian collected 30 runs in the last two overs to help their team post a challenging total.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:
That is just magical from @imkuldeep18. Nobody is picking the wrong 'un. And that includes some top players.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 26, 2017
I simply love Gambhir's captaincy….slip, leg slip and silly point for MSD. Teams couldn't do it in Tests. #IPL #RPSvKKR 👏👍🙏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 26, 2017
182/5 – RPS' third highest first-innings total in IPL and highest this season. #RPSvKKR
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/imSatnam_/status/857256134071025665
Given the RPS bowling attack tonight, MSD has not wasted any time to take Pune to a safe total #IPL
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 26, 2017
That field placement against Dhoni. Savage Gambhir 😂
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/Shahrcasm/status/857257433827123200
Gambhir asked for players to show intensity, MS Dhoni has done just that. #IPL
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 26, 2017
How quick Dhoni does stumping and how others do #Uthappa #StumpingMissed #MSD #cricbuzz #IPL #RPSvKKR pic.twitter.com/xlub5o4B3L
— Rameez Devjiyani (@rameezdevjiyani) April 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/Sarcasticdudee/status/857258310654976000
Robin Uthappa has become the only 2nd keeper to effect 3 stumpings in the same #IPL match.
MS Dhoni has done it twice!#RPSvKKR— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 26, 2017
Uthappa took so much time, Dhoni would have dismissed three batsmen in the meantime #IPL
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 26, 2017
Asked a spinner to bowl 18th over when Dhoni is batting brilliantly on 22(8) and got his wicket
Captain fearless Gambhir for you #RPSvKKR— ___ (@Cr07_suryA) April 26, 2017
Rahul Tripathi might be the only uncapped cricketer worth being selected as the power player in Fantasy XIs #IPL
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) April 26, 2017
What prompted Coulter-Nile to be rested? With Sunil Narine going great guns, Gambhir couldn't have been looking for an opening partner
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 26, 2017