Thakur, Unadkat clear Rising Pune's playoffs path
Jaydev Unadkat and Shardul Thakur combined to take five wickets in seven overs to help Rising Pune Supergiant dismantle Kings XI Punjab for 73
ESPNcricinfo staff
15-May-2017
Shardul Thakur returned figures of 3 for 19 in Rising Pune Supergiant's final game of the group stages • AFP
With a playoffs spot on the line, Rising Pune Supergiant were able to get on top of their final group-stages opponent Kings XI Punjab, and stay there. It all began with their seamers, led by Jaydev Unadkat and Shardul Thakur.
Unadkat had Guptill caught at cover off the first ball and kept Kings XI on a tight leash. From the other end, Thakur exacerbated the pressure on Kings XI with his accuracy. He then had Shaun Marsh caught at mid-off with a cross-seaming delivery that bounced extra. His nagging lines earned him his third over in the Powerplay and he delivered again, removing Rahul Tewatia and Glenn Maxwell in the space of five balls.
Unadkat returned in the 14th over to pick up the wicket of Swapnil Singh. Together, both bowlers combined to take five wickets for 31 runs in seven overs, paving the way for Rising Pune's clear road to the first qualifier.