(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Kolkata knight riders scored an improbable win 2-run victory on a night of high octane thrills that came very late.
on a night when the royal challengers bangalore (rcb) supporters out numbered the kolkata knight riders (kkr) fans the rcb batsmen had themselves to blame for being edged out by the narrowest of margins.
kkr scored an improbable win 2-run victory on a night of high octane thrills that came very late.
kolkata knight riders players celebrate their victory over royal challengers bangalore at the sharjah cricket stadium on thursday night. — kt photo by m. sajjad
rcb needed nine runs from six balls leaving vinay kumar of kkr to carry out the death over which he did admirably.
the 11th match of the uae phase of pepsi ipl 2014 at the sharjah cricket stadium saw kkr put up a decent 150-7 from their allotment in the first innings but gave away too many runs especially in the opening spells.
rcb replied with 148-5. for kkr this was their second win in three matches. rcb leaped to 67 before losing opener yogesh takawale (40 runs from 28 balls) plumb in front to the medium pace of jacques kallis.
takawale’s partner parthiv patel (21 off 19) returned to the pavilion soon after newcomer chris lynn pounced on to a chance offered thanks to medium pacer vinay kumar. rcb were comfortably perched on 90-2 from 11 overs as virat kohli and yuvraj singh batted most sensibly.
kohli’s mastery over the cover drive as exquisite as one would see in a test match was put on show again for his fans here. the two consecutive shots off kallis in the 12th over for fours were breathtaking and by the time the 13th was seen through the red gold & red lads were 104-2.
the pair moved into their 50-run partnership with 30 needed of 28 balls for victory. kohli was bowled off his pad for 31 from 23 balls when he tried to fend off a sunil narine googly (122-3).
in came ab de villiers the master in any kind of middle order situation and along with an unusually sedate yuvraj (31 from 34) except for one six kept the scoreboard tickling nicely.
bangalore t20 won the toss and elected to field which looked justified when they had kkr reeling at 16-2 from the two opening overs. skipper gautam gambhir went second ball a low outswinging yorker from the cool mitchel starc (1-1) trapping him from one pitched on middle and leg.
in the second over manish pandey perished caught at point off albie morkel (10-2). the seasoned and evergreen battle hardened jacques kallis and newcomer 24-year old chris lynn got on to 17 runs each just before the first strategic t/o was called (42-2 from 6 overs).
the score jumped to 57-2 in the seventh over when lynn pull swept muttiah muralitharan twice for 6s to the midwicket fence in rohan kanhai style.
meanwhile virat kohli sought medical attention for a cut inside his lower lip when the ball shot onto his face while fielding at covers. lynn survived a starc effort to catch him at deep mid wicket off leggie yuzvendra chahal when starc touched the ropes n the seventh over as the total later moved to 76-2 from nine overs.
lynn was out for 45 with the help of three 4s and three 6s holing out to long off ab de villiers with the score reading 90-3 in 11.3 overs off a straight varun aaron delivery. off the next delivery from aaron an out of sorts yusuf pathan played uppishly for kohli who had returned to his customary midoff spot to pocket the chance waist high.
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