Chasing a target of 164, the Super Kings reached 167/1 in 18.3 overs, with du Plessis scoring 72 off 47 balls. Devon Conway played an unbeaten knock of 51 off 43 deliveries, contributing significantly to the win.
Du Plessis’ knock, which earned him Player of the Match honors, included three sixes and six fours. His 101-run partnership for the opening wicket with Conway set a strong foundation for the chase.
As it happened: Texas Super Kings vs MI New York
Even after du Plessis’ dismissal, Conway and Aaron Hardie ensured a smooth finish. Hardie scored a quickfire 40 not out from 22 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours. The duo put together an undefeated 66-run stand to seal the victory for their team.
Reflecting on the victory, Du Plessis emphasized the importance of a strong start and praised his teammates for their efforts.
“Really good intent. If you get a good powerplay then you can get ahead in the game. We were 50 for no loss and that was important. It was the balance of someone playing with merit; I am the aggressor but batting partnerships work when you complement each other. Conway would be frustrated with that knock; it was one of those scratchy innings but an in-batter is always good to have in such chases. We were there and thereabouts with the run-rate all the time. We didn’t know what to do at the toss; we knew they were a good chasing team and that was the reason to bowl. 160 was below par; 180-185 would have been a good total on that wicket. Yes, Bravo got injured and we needed someone to bowl those last few overs. Stoinis stepping up and bowling the 19th over was unbelievable. Even Hardie bowling the last over made a 5-10 run difference; that is what you expect from experienced guys,” he said in a post-match interaction.
With this victory, the Texas Super Kings remain in the competition and await the loser of Qualifier 1 between Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns.
MI New York’s title defense came to an end with this playoff defeat. Skipper Kieron Pollard acknowledged the team’s shortcomings and expressed a commitment to return stronger next season.
“We wanted to get a few more runs in the last two overs. 170 would have been a good total psychologically. But the conditions did get better in the second innings. You can look at different aspects as to why we lost; yes, fielding was one of the reasons. But credit to Texas, they were better than us and deserved to go ahead. We fought all the way and are not satisfied with this finish. We have to continue working hard and there are some guys who need to get up to standard with the level of cricket. We got through to the playoffs but we didn’t play good cricket. Hopefully, we come back stronger next season,” Pollard said.
MI New York struggled initially after being sent in to bat. They lost opener Dewald Brevis for a duck and Nicholas Pooran for 8 runs, both caught by Marcus Stoinis, reducing them to 18 for 2 inside four overs. A 39-run partnership between Shayan Jahangir and Monank Patel provided some stability before Dwayne Bravo broke the stand, dismissing Jahangir for 26 off 23 balls.
Rashid joined Patel next, and their potential partnership was cut short by Noor Ahmad, who took Patel’s wicket after a 48-run knock off 41 deliveries. Rashid tried to push the team’s total upwards but received little support as Romario Shepherd and Kieron Pollard only managed 8 and 6 runs, respectively. MI New York ended their innings at 163/8 in 20 overs.