Kolkata: In a high-octane clash at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) held their nerve to secure a narrow one-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 36th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Sunday.
Chasing a challenging target of 223 runs, RCB's chase got off to a rocky start as they lost their skipper, Virat Kohli, for 18 runs in the third over. The early departure of Faf Du Plessis, who could only manage 7 runs, further dented RCB's momentum.
However, a resilient partnership between Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar breathed life into RCB's innings. The duo stitched together a crucial 101-run partnership for the third wicket, with Patidar playing an explosive innings of 52 runs off just 23 balls, laced with three fours and five sixes.
Despite the loss of Patidar, RCB's middle order showed some fight with contributions from Cameron Green (6), Suyash Prabhudesai (24), and Mahipal Lomror (4). Jacks top-scored for RCB with a blistering 55 off 32 balls, smashing four fours and five sixes.
With the match hanging in the balance, Dinesh Karthik (25 off 18 balls) and Karan Sharma (quickfire 18 off 7 balls) kept RCB's hopes alive. However, after Sharma's dismissal, RCB's tail-enders failed to cross the finishing line as Lockie Ferguson was run out for just one run, leaving RCB agonizingly short at 221/7 in their 20 overs.
For KKR, Andre Russell was the pick of the bowlers, scalping three crucial wickets to derail RCB's chase. Harshit Rana and Sunil Naraine provided valuable support, claiming two wickets each, while Varun Chakraborty and Mitchell Starc chipped in with a wicket each.
With this loss, RCB's struggles in the tournament continue as they suffer their seventh defeat in eight matches, languishing at the bottom of the IPL points table.
Earlier, Shreyas Iyer played a pivotal role in guiding KKR to a formidable. He showcased his class with a captain's innings, scoring 50 runs off 36 deliveries. His innings was studded with seven boundaries and one six, anchoring the KKR innings and providing stability after the early wickets.
Supporting Iyer's efforts, Rinku Singh contributed a brisk 24 off 16 balls, while Andre Russell unleashed his power-hitting skills to score a quickfire 27 not out off just 9 deliveries. Ramandeep Singh also played a crucial cameo, scoring an unbeaten 24 off 9 balls.
These valuable contributions towards the end of the innings propelled KKR to a commanding total of 222/6 in their allotted 20 overs, setting a challenging target for RCB to chase down.
Bengaluru made early inroads into Kolkata batting lineup after captain Faf Du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl first.
KKR's opening pair, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine, provided a blazing start, adding 56 runs for the first wicket. Salt was particularly aggressive, smashing 48 runs off just 14 deliveries, which included seven fours and three sixes. However, Mohammed Siraj provided the breakthrough for RCB, dismissing Salt and halting KKR's momentum.
Narine followed soon after, departing for a modest 10 runs, as RCB's bowlers tightened their grip on the match. The wickets of Angkrish Raghuvanshi (3) and Venkatesh Iyer (16) further
Yash Dayal and Cameron Green were the standout performers with the ball for RCB, picking up two wickets each to keep the KKR batsmen in check. Meanwhile, Mohammad Siraj and Lockie Ferguson also made valuable contributions, claiming one wicket apiece to stifle KKR's batting firepower.
