The Free Press Journal

BUTTLER WINS IT FOR ROYALS

The table toppers pull off IPL's biggest run chase, beat host Kolkata Knight Riders by two wickets

- PTI / KOLKATA

Jos Buttler did it for Rajasthan Royals as they pull off a last-ball thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders, in the IPL, here on Tuesday.

Buttler was unbeaten on 107 in the process pulled off a highest chase ever in IPL.

Chasing 224 for win, RR were home with two wickets off the last ball and finished 224 for eight.

A scintillat­ing hundred by opener Sunil Narine powered Kolkata Knight Riders to a formidable 223 for six against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday.

After his team was asked to bat first on a fresh pitch, Narine blazed away to a 49-ball 100 to lead KKR's charge in this top-of-the-table clash at Eden Gardens.

Trent Bolt eventually got the better of Narne, but not before the opener amassed 109 off 56 balls with the help of 13 fours and six sixes, displaying supreme confidence and skill against one of the best attacks of the IPL.

It was a one-man show from KKR as Narine batted till the 18th over, first stitching 85 runs with Angkrish Raghuvansh­i (30) and then adding 51 runs with Andre Russell (13).

Not only did he pierce the field with ease, he also unleashed a relentless attack on R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal, keeping the fielders busy by playing shots in the V.

Having reached fifty in 29 balls, the Trinidadia­n took just 20 deliveries to get to his maiden T20 century, pulling Chahal to the midwicket boundary.

Clad in a crisp white Tshirt, team owner Shah Rukh Khan sent a flying kiss from the stands.

On the field, his West Indies teammate Russell jumped in joy, giving him a bear hug as Narine waved his bat in a muted celebratio­n.

Finally, it took a Boult special to end Narine's innings as the Kiwi left-arm pacer nailed a perfect yorker that also broke the leg stump, causing some delay in the middle.

With Narine taking the centre stage, the Royals spinners had a poor day. Ashwin gave away four wides and conceded 49 runs from his four overs, while Chahal returned with figures of 1/54 from his full quota.

Later, Rinku Singh's nineball 20 not out with two sixes and one four took the total past 200-mark, as KKR scored 62 runs in the last five overs.

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