IPL 2020 points table: Updated standings after MI and CSK secure clinical victories
Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clinched crucial wins in Sunday's IPL 2020 games to improve their respective positions on the points table.
The defending champions, Mumbai Indians, attained the top spot after overpowering Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 34 runs. Batting first, MI posted a challenging total of 208 runs courtesy of a whirlwind 67 from Quinton de Kock and quick-fire cameos from the Pandya brothers as well as Kieron Pollard at the back end.
By Sharjah's standards, however, the target was not that tedious to achieve, and bowlers were expected to remain cannon fodder in the 2nd innings, too. However, Rohit Sharma's men proved that it's possible not to concede a total in excess of 200 runs on that dreaded venue. On the back of excellent performances from Trent Boult and James Pattinson, MI successfully defended the target.
Over in Dubai, Chennai Super Kings' opening pair routed Kings XI Punjab's (KXIP) bowling battery to seal a remarkable 10-wicket victory, the second one this season for the Yellow Army.
KXIP won the toss and opted to bat first. They got off to a sluggish start but picked pace midway through the innings as the skipper, KL Rahul, upped the ante and brought up a well-made half-century. Nicolas Pooran's breezy 33 at the rear-end propelled them to a total of 178 runs.
With a disappointing chasing record in IPL 2020 behind them and a daunting task ahead of them, CSK's experienced opening duo strolled out into the middle. Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis raced along right from the get-go, abandoning the cautious approach that CSK's top-order had adopted in the previous games.
Through sustained assault and exceptional striking, the pair wreaked havoc on KL Rahul's men, and his bowlers remained clueless throughout the run-chase. Both of them batted through, scoring 83* each, to pull off the second-highest run-chase in IPL history without the loss of a single wicket.
IPL 2020 Points Table
With a thumping triumph, MS Dhoni's men have finally clambered up the ladder from the No 8 position. They are now poised at 6th, and it is their 2nd win in 5 IPL 2020 matches.
Kings XI Punjab have dropped one more place to become the nether-most ranked side in IPL 2020. Sunday's defeat is their third on the trot and they have now suffered 4 losses in 5 IPL 2020 outings so far.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will cross swords with the Delhi Capitals (DC) later today. Both teams are squared at six points, and the winner will displace Mumbai Indians from the top-most spot.