KNIGHT RIDERS
C Lynn b Jadeja 22 (16) S Narine c Raina b Harbhajan 12 (4) R Uthappa run out 29 (16) N Rana c Dhoni b Watson 16 (14) D Karthik lbw b Watson 26 (25) R Singh c Bravo b Thakur 2 (4) A Russell not out 88 (36) T Curran not out 2 (5) Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-3)
Total (6 wickets, 20 Overs)
FOW: 1-19, 2-51, 3-80, 4-81, 5-89, 6-165.
Bowling: D Chahar 1-0-18-0, Harbhajan 2-0-11-1, S Watson 4-0-39-2, R Jadeja 2-0-19-1, I Tahir 4-0-26-0, S Thakur 4-0-37-1, D Bravo 3-0-50-0
KKR, IN A RESHUFFLE MODE, STILL KEPT FAITH BY RETAINING RUSSELL. AND ON TUESDAY NIGHT THE 29YEAROLD SHOWED WHY THE FRANCHISE BOSSES STUCK WITH HIM
IPL 2018, the team electing to bowl first had successfully chased down a total with CSK finishing on 205 for five in 19.5 overs.
BILLINGS TO PARTY
Billings, the 26-year-old who replaced the injured Kedar Jadhav in the team, seized the chance with his new franchise. His sheer timing, clean hitting and matching Dhoni in taking quick singles stood out. And he gave Russell the treatment the Caribbean all-rounder had meted out to the CSK bowlers. The best was a scooped six followed by a straight one into the stands.
He fell with CSK needing 19 runs off eight balls, but with CSK needing 17 off the last over, seamer Vinay Kumar turned villain. He conceded a six off a
no ball, two off the free-hit, and a wide later, leaving the home team winners with a ball to spare. Needing four off two, Jadeja sealed it with a six.
RUSSELL RULES
At the halfway point, it was local player Dinesh Karthik-led KKR that looked like sealing the contest, and that was because of Russell.
It would have taken plenty of conviction for KKR to retain the all-rounder ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2018 in January. The big Jamaican had been banned for a year for violating the doping code’s whereabouts clause. He then did his hamstring in during the Pakistan Super League T20.
KKR, in a reshuffle mode, still kept faith by retaining Russell. And on Tuesday night the 29-year-old showed why the franchise bosses stuck with him. His sensational 36-ball 88 not out – his fourth IPL half-century – turned the innings on its head.
Sunil Narine’s 12 off four deliveries and Chris Lynn’ 22 gave a racy start, only for Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja to strike with the new ball in the powerplay overs to remove both openers.