Lynn blasts 62 to help KKR prevail over RCB
bengaluru — Chris Lynn scored a 52-ball 62 not out as Kolkata Knight Riders chased down a 176run target set by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 19.1 overs for a six-wicket victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday.
Chasing 176, Kolkata Knight Riders started off the chase well before the match was stopped due to rain. After resumption, they lost a couple of wickets in quick succession but Chris Lynn struck an unbeaten half-century as the team earned full points.
Earlier, a good opening stand followed by skipper Virat Kohli’s unbeaten half-century helped Royal Challengers Bangalore to post 175/4.
Kohli’s unbeaten 68-run knock came off 44 balls, containing five boundaries and three sixes.
Put into bat, Bangalore started on a cautious note as openers Quinton de Kock (29 off 27) and Brendon McCullum (38 off 28) shared a 67run partnership for the first wicket.
KKR spinner Kuldeep Yadav came up with the first breakthrough as he packed de Kock in the ninth over.
With the addition of just seven runs in Bangalore’s overall score of 67, Andre Russel jolted the hosts after dismissing McCullum and Manan Vohra (0) in the next over.
However, Kohli kept one end tight and added 65 runs for the fourth wicket with Mandeep Singh (19).
Mandeep however, didn’t show a fight and was dismissed on a Russel delivery in the 18th over with Bangalore’s score reading 140/4.
Kohli continued his good work and slammed yet another halfcentury and some fireworks by him in the final moments helped the hosts reach a respectable total of 175/4.
For Kolkata, Russel was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/31 while Kuldeep scalped a wicket for 20 runs.
Before the start, KKR were fourth with six points from seven games but coming off two successive defeats, RCB were at the sixth spot with four points from six games.
KKR’s last two games saw them lose to Kings XI Punjab (by nine wickets via DLS method) at home and Delhi Daredevils (by 55 runs) at the national capital.