
It was billed as a heavyweight bout, and for the first couple of overs, MI New York looked willing to throw punches. Quinton de Kock started rapidly, Kieron Pollard looked ready to rip up the script, and yes, a chase of 224 looked slim – but not impossible. But as the overs wore on, New York’s hope evaporated on the Dallas slab, beaten by 39 runs from the relentless Texas Super Kings. When did the momentum shift away from MI NY? Let’s dissect the demise.
MI New York’s Bowling Was a Leaky Ship
We need to face the harsh truth in the dugout: the collapse of the bowling attack. MI New York’s attack seemed as flat as a soda bottle left uncapped overnight. After early breakthroughs by George Linde and Rushil Ugarkar, the bowling unit still couldn’t find any rhythm. Trent Boult and Ehsan Adil, both seasoned campaigners with plenty of experience, went for a combined 87 runs in their 8 overs, and didn’t take a wicket! Marcus Stoinis and Donovan Ferreira made them pay, smashing sixes and fours all over the ground.
But it was Faf du Plessis that hurt – he bided his time, then went boom, finishing 103 not out from just 53 balls. Once we could not break his momentum or even slow him, the innings turned ugly quickly. With no one filling in the gap with any control at all in the death overs, Texas finished at 223/4 – a target that was truly going to need more than fireworks to chase down.
Akeal Hosein Turned Wizard with the Ball
Then came Akeal Hosein—an unassuming killer with a golden arm. While Faf du Plessis was demolishing records, it was Hosein who derailed the match with his three-wicket spell of wizardry. He dismissed de Kock, Monank Patel, and Tajinder Singh with deliveries that whispered deception to the batsmen. His 4-over spell went for just 15 runs—a massive victory in a game that would produce more than 220 runs.
Hosein didn’t simply pull out all the stops; he was putting New York’s middle order in reverse. Every time the chase looked like it was gaining momentum, Hosein was there to make them think again—literally, with his hilarious cup-of-tea celebration. It was another one of those classic spells where the ball was talking, and MI New York had no idea how to interpret the dialect.
Overreliance on Stars, Underperformance from the Rest
And to finally address the eternal issue of the overreliance on the badging system. Nicholas Pooran, the captain, lasted 7 balls. Monank Patel didn’t last long either. Once Pollard and Bracewell built a small partnership, the rest of the batting order fell apart like a Jenga tower. It was like the other batsmen thought to let Pollard do all the hard work—and fair enough, his 70 off 39 balls innings gave us some hope.
Once he got cleaned up by Burger late in the innings, the chase collapsed in a heap, spectacularly. Too many passengers, not enough drivers. No finishing punch. And fielding? Let’s not even get started on the two run-outs in the final over-it was a comedy of errors (a rhapsody of incompetence).
Ultimately, MI New York had all the firepower but little fuel economy, while Texas Super Kings practically outplayed them with tactics, technique, and temperament., Akeal’s spin unknown, Faf’s class, and the jumbled MI New York game plan all amalgamated to create a one-sided affair, and they will need a lot more than a couple of fireworks if they want to stay alive in the playoff chase; they will need a full-on laser show.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.