RCB crush KKR by eight wickets
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) cruised to an emphatic eightwicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
After restricting KKR to 84/8 – the lowest team score in a completed 20 over innings in the IPL – Virat Kohli’s RCB reached their target with 39 balls remaining.
The win sees RCB replace the Mumbai Indians as the second best team in the standings, with 14 points in 10 games, while KKR remain in fourth place.
RCB started their run chase with a 46-run partnership before Kiwi fast-bowler Lockie Ferguson was introduced into the attack in the first over after Powerplay, and struck almost immediately. Ferguson found the edge of Aaron Finch’s bat, dismissed for a 21-ball 16. In the same over, opener Devdutt Padikkal (25 off 17 balls) walked back to the hut after getting run out due to a mix-up in the middle.
With RCB reduced to 46/2, still needing 39 runs off 80 balls, captain Kohli joined Gurkeerat Singh at the crease and stitched an unbeaten 39-run partnership to take their team home.
Virat’s 17-ball 18* included two boundaries while Gurkeet scored 21 off 26 balls and hit four fours.
After Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan won t he toss and opted to bat, Mohammed Siraj (3/8) became the first to bowl two IPL maidens in one game.
KKR’S innings marked the first time that more than three maiden overs were bowled in an IPL innings – two by Siraj, and one each by Chris Morris and Washington Sundar.
The Dinesh Karthik-led franchise was reduced to 14/4 in the first 21 deliveries. Pacer Siraj struck early, removing opener Rahul Tripathi (1) and number three batsman Nitish Rana (0), on successive deliveries of the second over.
Navdeep Saini struck in the next over to dismiss opener Shubman Gill for 1. Siraj returned to get Tom Banton caught behind for an 8-ball 10.
KKR were tottering at 17/4 at the end of six overs – their lowest score in the Powerplay, and also the lowest among all teams this season.