Right then. That spells the end of the group stages in the Indian T20 League, 2021. We now know for sure which 4 teams have qualified for the playoffs - Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Kolkata. Qualifier 1 will be contested between the top two sides, which will be Delhi and Chennai, and it will be played on Sunday, 10th October 2021 at 6 pm local (2 pm GMT), but, you know the drill, don't you? Join us early for the build-up. Until then, cheers and see ya! 

SRIKAR BHARAT HAS BEEN NAMED AS THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH! Who else could it have been? What a top knock from him and he is the reason that Bangalore have won this. Well deserved. 

Delhi will be very, very disappointed that they have not ended up on the winning side. The game looked to be in control for them when they removed de Villiers, but fate has something else in store for them as Bharat and Maxwell tore through their bowlers and scripted home a famous victory. They started well as three wickets were taken in a timely manner with Anrich Nortje bowling very well and taking 2 early wickets. Avesh Khan, too, just conceded 4 runs in his first spell. But, then, they could not contain and break the stand between the two champs. Over-after-over, the duo of Bharat and Maxwell kept upping the ante and the Delhi bowlers could not find a way to stop them. Their fielding has to be questioned too as they dropped the catch of Maxwell. Had that catch been taken, the story might have been very different. It seemed like the pressure got to Khan towards the end too, as with 6 needed off the final ball, he first served a wide, and then, bowled a full toss, which made it easier for Bharat to dispatch. 

Bangalore started off in dismal fashion as they lost their openers inside the first 3 overs. A golden duck for Devdutt Padikkal and skipper, Virat Kohli failed to get going again. AB de Villiers was sent up the order and he took time to settle in, but with Bharat, he stitched a 49-run stand, but, while looking for a biggie, de Villiers holed out. The responsibility to take Bangalore home fell on the duo of Srikar Bharat and Glenn Maxwell. They took their time and played calmly for a couple of overs, but, they turned the switch soon after. Both of them started taking the bowlers on. Bharat got to his fifty and Maxwell supported him superbly. Life was injected into the run chase again and both kept the required rate in check. A 100-run alliance was stitched between these two and the game went to the last over. With 5 needed off the last ball, it looked like Bangalore would fall short but Bharat had other plans as he spanked the final delivery over the boundary ropes to help Bangalore win by 7 wickets. 

WOW! What a game we have been treated to! A humdinger between the top placed team and the team that was placed 3rd. The game went right down to the wire, right to the last ball of the game, and Bharat kept his nerve and took his team past the line. Sure, it does not matter in the grand scheme of the tournament but with both these teams making the playoffs, it will surely be a psychological boost for Bangalore. Take a bow, Srikar Bharat! What a champion knock! 

Review time! Rishabh Pant takes the review for this appeal for LBW against Maxwell. Nothing on UltraEdge as per the replays. Ball Tracker shows that the ball had pitched outside leg. Will be not out. 

Anrich Nortje to bowl the penultimate over. 3-0-20-2 are his figures so far.