TSK vs MINY Challenger Results

4:44 AM IST A bit of a chat here. Clearly, Texas Super Kings are rattled and the frustration is getting the better out of them. Faf du Plessis and Marcus Stoinis have a heated argument with the umpire but no one can do anything about it. No reviews for wides or no balls in this tournament.

4:40 AM IST Nothing to take away from MI New York though. They played this to perfection, keeping wickets in hand till the 15th over and then going berserk at the end. They were only 76/2 at the 12th over mark. But hammered 96 in the last 7 overs! It was Monank Patel at the top, who was stunning again, in a brisk 49 while skipper Nicholas Pooran was calm as a cucumber early on, before exploding towards the end, finishing on an unbeaten 52. The skipper dropping himself to number 4 did raise a few eyebrows but it did not matter in the end. Monank's dismissal got in Pollard who did struggle at the start, but got two chances on 9 and later, 27. Eventually, he made Texas pay as Pooran and Pollard added an unbeaten stand of 89 in just 40 balls.

4:39 AM IST The skipper of Texas Super Kings, FAF DU PLESSIS, is visibly very disappointed with the result. Thinks that Texas have been excellent right though the tournament, finishing second in the league stage and even in this game, scrapping hard after losing the toss and adds that even though Pooran and Pollard played really well, the Super Kings' bowling and fielding let them down. On the pitch, du Plessis calls it two paced, with a lot of grip and difficult to play. But he adds that Texas dropped two difficult chances of Pollard and had they got through him, the match could have had a different result. On not bowling out Akeal Hosein, Faf says that the thought was to definitely use him with the new ball and then hold him back against Pooran, but against Pollard who is great against left-arm spin, it was a 50-50 call. Details that he asked Akeal as well, whether he would like to bowl to Pollard and even he did not sound that confident. So, he did not bring him back on. On the washout in Qualifier 1, FdP says that definitely it cost his side a chance in the final. But is quick to add that that even though they played against a team here which has been average throughout the season, come the big night, their (MI's) players stepped up. On the League overall, Faf du Plessis calls it a great competition. Explains that you expect the overseas players to perform but it is when the local lads start to perform that you feel that the tournament is shaping up well. Ends by saying that from season 2 to season 3, he felt Texas' squad was getting more balanced and is looking forward to the next seson.

4:36 AM IST The Super Kings had the game in control till the 15th over. But fielding lapses cost them big time towards the end. MI needed 61 in the last 5 overs. They hammered 66 in 4 overs itself. Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad were fantastic, with combined figures of 7-0-40-2 but the seamers were disappointing. Perhaps, in hindsight, Faf du Plessis could have taken the gamble of bringing back Akeal when the hitting was on, but it is always easy to read the game in hindsight.

4:29 AM IST MI New York's KIERON POLLARD HAS BEEN ADJUDGED THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH, for his unbeaten 47 (22) with the bat. On the communciation in the partnership between himself and Pooran, Pollard says that intent was the key. Details that he signalled his intent on the first ball, by targetting Noor Ahmad. Explains that Noor was there as a matchup for him and he (Pollard) was there to prove a point that he is not here just to play. Adds that to go after Noor was a part of the plan. On the risk of going after a bowler first ball, Pollard admits that it is very difficult to explain if it does not come off. Further says that it is all about backing oneself and adds that having taken him on in the previous game, helped him (Pollard). On the surface, Kieron thinks that it looked like a very good wicket. Feels that to restrict TSK to 166 was a good performance and his side would take it any day but admits that the team found itself in a bit of trouble. Details that MI New York were 90-odd for 3 and knew that they could not afford to get out in that over (the 13th, where Noor dismissed Monank), but if they got through that one, they could score at the back end. On the mental attitude towards a knockout, KP honestly says that as a team, they shouldn't be here the way they have played this season but are here and anything can happen in a knockout. On his thought process, Pollard says that he looks at the knockout this way - you wither win or lose but he looks to stand and put his hand up.

4:27 AM IST The victorious captain of MI New York, NICHOLAS POORAN, says that he is very happy to be in the final. On the conversation with the team through the season, Pooran says that the talks were all about having belief. Not just he alone, but the coaching staff and the senior players as well, not only on the field but off the field as well. Adds that when the big moment came, the senior guys strutted their stuff. On TSK's score of 166, Nicholas says that he was really happy. Explains that his bowlers have been going around the park in this competition but kept getting better and better as the tournament went on. Agrees that Akeal Hosein played well towards the end but believes that to stop Texas at 166 was a good effort. Goes onto say that MI knew that to get to the target of 167, they needed a big effort and has no words to say regarding the big man (Kieron Pollard). For Pooran, Pollard is the definition of T20 cricket, sharing his experience and guiding others. On the inexperienced players, NP shares that a couple of weeks ago, he was asked whether these guys would have the chance to play and he had said yes. Shows that here they are, doing well in a knockout. Details that Trent Boult has been there in the Powerplay but the others have been there and there about. Adds that with the bat, Monank Patel has been doing well. On the thought process for the final, Nicky P says that his team was about to be knocked out in the last week in Miami but here they are, to spend their last week in Dallas. Ends by saying that anything can happen.