IPL 2023: Week Two Round-Up

Our thoughts on week 2 of IPL

In the second week of action in the IPL, the Rajasthan Royals were the big benefactors of the recent fixture list, taking victories over the Chennai Super Kings and reigning champions the Gujarat Titans.

That made it three wins in a row for Sanju Samson’s men in IPL 2023. Their victory over the Titans came despite struggles at the top of the order, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler falling for one and a duck respectively. However, Samson and Shimron Hetmyer both put in good shifts to help steer the Royals to a three-wicket victory.

The Lucknow Super Giants, the Gujarat Titans and the Punjab Kings all finished the second week of action with three wins each for the season, completing the top four. 

There was a big meeting between the Kings and the Titans on April 14, and it was a tense clash. The Kings posted 153 in the first innings, with their middle order chipping in with most of the runs. However, the in-form Shubman Gill helped steer Gujarat to the victory, scoring 67 of the Titans’ response to see his side win by six wickets in Mohali.

The Delhi Capitals’ miserable start continued as defeats against the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore left them still winless for the campaign. Those were more heavy defeats for Delhi, by six wickets and 23 runs respectively. 

Tim David does it for Mumbai

Tim David, an important finisher for the Mumbai Indians, helped his side gain a nail-biting victory against the Delhi Capitals. David came into the game and formed a crucial partnership with Australia all-rounder Cameron Green. After Delhi had lost main man Rohit Sharma, David recorded an unbeaten 13, part of a 30 partnership with Green that saw Mumbai win the match on the last ball of the game.

Harry Brook nails first 100

England international Harry Brook recorded the first century of the 2023 IPL season. The Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman had gone through some struggles on the scoreboard in his first three innings of the season, but it all came good as Brook rattled off a 55-ball century as he helped his side record a 23-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Venkatesh Iyer ends Kolkata drought

For the first time since 2008, a Kolkata Knight Riders player posted a century in the Indian Premier League. Venkatesh Iyer was the man to do it, as the left-handed batsman came in to do a job of pushing Kolkata’s score along against the Mumbai Indians. Iyer got his century from 49 deliveries, ending with a score of 104, which contained six sixes.

Looking ahead to week 3 of the IPL

One of the upcoming highlights of Week 3 of the IPL is the clash between the Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants on April 19, which could shake up the standings at the top of the table.

The Lucknow Super Giants will also meet the Gujarat Titans on April 22, so K.L. Rahul’s men face a tough little spell of important fixtures. Other exciting matches in Week 3 to look forward to are the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals and the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings. 

The under-pressure Delhi Capitals captain David Warner will be desperate for a change of fortunes in their next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 20. 

Struggling opener Prithvi Shaw will be in the spotlight again as he looks to get over his poor run of form. Could a good innings from him, outshining the loaded Kolkata Knight Riders batting attack led by Rohit Sharma, inspire the Capitals to their first win of the campaign?