How did KKR do it?
At the Eden Gardens on Sunday, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by the narrowest of margins after a dramatic last over that featured a lunge for a run-out off the penultimate ball. After seven losses in eight games, RCB was left looking at the IPL-17 exit gate. The Knights’ triumph moved them back up to the second rung of the league table.
The guests approach
The Knights had their heart in their mouths as RCB, despite the early loss of captain Faf du Plessis and player Virat Kohli, came dangerously close to inflicting another heartbreaking setback. The Knights had seen their massive score of 223 crushed by Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. The visitors led the thrilling chase and were up by 192-7 at the end of the eighth over, with KKR behind by 186 at that point. However, the latter failed to make a last-ditch effort.
After dismissing the dangerous Dinesh Karthik in the critical 19th over, Andre Russell gave up only 10 runs, but in the last over, Karn Sharma hit Mitchell Starc for three sixes to get them back on track. Sharma (20 off 7) was sent back by Starc, who held a superb return catch. RCB had to score three runs off the last ball. When he came back for the second run, Lockie Ferguson cut to point but was unable to outrun wicketkeeper Phil Salt’s leap to the wicket.
“That Russell over when he took those two wickets [top-scorer Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar] has to be my choice if I have to pick one pivotal moment.” However, we also bowled quite effectively,” Rana said after the game. Russell was also mentioned by Reece Topley.
Phil Salt ablaze
Earlier, when KKR was sent to bat, Salt lost control right away. He attacked Dayal and then let fly when Fergusson came in to replace the left-arm spinner. The fourth over yielded 28 runs as Salt hit every ball past the boundary, including two sixes from the Kiwi pacer. After hitting a 14-ball 48 with seven boundaries and three sixes, he was trapped in the deep and fell.
KKR scored well over 200 after some lackluster middle-overs, thanks to some massive ones they managed towards the finish. Along with Rinku Singh, captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 40 off 29 for the fourth wicket, then with Andre Russell, he added 42 off 27 for the fifth. Russell and newcomer Ramandeep Singh had an unfinished partnership of 43 off 16 when he fell. There was 67 after the last four overs. When RCB retaliated, Kohli got off to a worrying start but bizarrely left the field in the third over. Even though captain du Plessis was out in the next over, RCB persisted until the very finish.
Quick scores
RCB 221 all out in 20 overs (W Jacks 55, R Patidar 52; A Russell 3-25, H Rana 2-33, S Narine 2-34) were defeated by KKR 222-6 in 20 overs (S Iyer 50, P Salt 48; C Green 2-35, Y Dayal 2-56) by a single run.
