Yet another league stage exit for Punjab Kings

It was yet another heartbreak for Punjab Kings’s fans as the team failed to qualify for the IPL Playoffs for the 10th consecutive time. The 2014 finalists are led by English all-rounder Sam Curran after Shikhar Dhawan was sidelined due to a niggle after five matches. The Preity Zinta-owned franchise began the tournament with a convincing win over Delhi Capitals. However, they managed to win only one out of the next seven matches. They made a comeback by emerging victorious in the next two games, including a T20 record chase against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before losing their last two league matches at their second home ground in Dharamsala.

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A record 200-plus totals in both innings

IPL-17 has seen teams go in with a never-say-die attitude while chasing big targets. This season has witnessed 200-plus runs scored 13 times in both innings—the most in an IPL season, the last being Rajasthan Royals (RR) managing 201-8 in reply to Delhi Capitals's 221-8 on Tuesday. Earlier in the tournament, despite SRH scoring a then-IPL record 277-3, MI put up a good fight to reach 246-5. A few days later, SRH smashed 287-8, to beat the IPL’s highest score for the second time this season. In reply, RCB gave the Pat Cummins-led side hiccups, before going down by just 25 runs. The season also witnessed IPL's highest-ever chase with Punjab Kings achieving a 262-run target against KKR with eight balls and as many wickets to spare. Meanwhile, the 2009, 2013 and 2015 editions saw no teams scoring 200-plus in the second innings, while in the 2011, 2012 and 2016 editions, 200-plus was scored just once in the second innings.

Two teams getting bowled out, a rare sight 

It's rare to see a team getting all out in T20 cricket. However, the MI v KKR match at Wankhede saw both teams getting bowled out for the first time in six years in an IPL match. Batting first, KKR were dismissed for 169 in 19.5 overs. In reply, the hosts were bundled out for 145 in 18.5 overs. The last instance of both teams getting all out was at Wankhede as well, with MI losing their encounter against SRH in 2018.

Toss is not always the boss

Winning toss gives you an advantage. However, that doesn’t guarantee you a win. The eight games witnessed this week saw captains making wrong decisions on six occasions, while it went right only twice. RCB skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss against Gujarat Titans, while MI captain Hardik Pandya called it right versus SRH. Their decision to bat second proved right as both sides registered a convincing win.