Knight Riders run riot

5/3/2016 6:36:30 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Yusuf Pathan (60 29 balls six 4s three 6s) came to party with Andre Russell (39 24 balls one 4 four 6s) to turn the tables on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and take Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the second spot in the Indian Premier League standings with a five wickets on Monday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

KKR were reeling at 112 for 3 after 15 overs in their chase of 186 for victory against the home team but Russell started the turn around in the 16th over by taking 16 runs off Varun Aaron and then Pathan took Shane Watson to the cleaners taking 24 runs that included four boundaries and a six.

The required run rate came down from 11.75 to 7.66 an over and despite Russell's wicket the KKR crossed the target with five balls to spare. .

Earlier Royal Challengers Bangalore plundered 54 runs in last three overs to post a competitive 185 for seven after skipper Virat Kohli and KL Rahul struck half centuries.

From 131 for four at the end of 17th over RCB went past 180 with Shane Watson (34) Sachin Baby (16) and Stuart Binny (16) playing fine cameos. Watson's 21-ball knock was studded with five boundaries and a six.

Binny smashed two sixes and a boundary in the last over while facing only four balls. Umesh Yadav who was allowed to continue despite bowling two beamers was hit for 20 runs in the last over and finished with expensive figures of 1 for 56 in four overs. Umesh gave away 23 runs in the 18th over which turned things around for RCB.

Sent into bat after the coin landed in favour of KKR captain Gautam Gambhir Royal Challengers Bangalore rode on a 84-run second wicket partnership between Kohli and Rahul to lay the foundation.

Young Rahul smashed six boundaries and two sixes during his 32-ball knock while Kohli found the fence four times while facing 44 balls at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Royal Challengers Bangalore were dealt a blow as Chris Gayle playing in his first game since returning from the West Indies after the birth of his daughter gave away his wicket by going for an extravagant shot against Morne Morkel.

The South African pace ace got a bit of extra bounce that unsettled Gayle who mistimed a pull shot to give an easy catch to wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa. Just before getting out Gayle hit Morkel straight down the ground for a six.

Kohli and Rahul then got together to steady the innings by playing sensibly. Rahul hit Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine for sixes while Kohli preferred to play along the ground.However while trying to shift gears and accelerate the run rate Rahul got out to Chawla in the 12th over with RCB at 92 for two.

A B de Villiers (4) failed to get going as he was trapped by Chawla. Kohli who got a reprieve when Gambhir dropped a sitter off the bowling of Morkel got out in the very next ball while trying to force the pace.

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.