IPL 2018 Playoffs, KKR vs RR: Hits and Misses from the Eliminator match between Kolkata Knightriders and Rajasthan Royals

Kolkata Knight Riders recovered from early trouble with the bat to post a competitive total before coming back well in the second half with the ball to win the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals.

Put into bat first by Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders were off to a poor start as they slipped to 24/3 in the fourth over.

But an excellent 52 from skipper Dinesh Karthik, a brutal unbeaten 49 from Andre Russell and a handy 28 from Shubman Gill propelled KKR to 169.

In reply, RR got off to a good start. Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Tripathi put on 47 in five overs before Chawla broke the threatening stand.

But Sanju Samson who has been disappointing in the last few games looked in very good touch and scored a very good half-century while Rahane seemed to be anchoring the chase. But the duo fell at crucial junctures as it derailed RR’s chase.

The Rahane-led side fell short by 25 runs as Kolkata Knight Riders will now play the second Qualifier against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday (May 25).

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#5 Hit: Krishnappa Gowtham

Gowtham once again impressed with a fine show in the powerplay

Krishnappa Gowtham has been Rajasthan Royals’ impact player this season. He has been fantastic in all three departments.

He’s scored some valuable runs at the death, he’s bowled very well and has been electric in the field. He’s often bailed RR out of trouble as well.

The Karnataka off-spinner was a touch under-par before the RCB game as he went wicketless in the three games prior to the must-win encounter.

But in that game, he got the big wicket of Virat Kohli and gave away just six runs in his two overs. And he carried his form into this Eliminator.

Opening the bowling, Gowtham was smashed for a boundary off the first delivery by Sunil Narine.

But the all-rounder came back strongly as he dismissed the West Indian the next delivery. He pulled his length back a touch as Narine ventured down the track looking to go for another boundary but missed it and was out stumped.

And then in his next over, he had Robin Uthappa caught and bowled which put KKR under some early pressure.

Gowtham finished with figures of 2/15 in his three overs and he was brilliant upfront in the powerplay.

#4 Miss: Sunil Narine

Narine failed to deliver with both bat and ball in a crucial game

Sunil Narine has been KKR’s key player this season as he’s delivered with both bat and ball. Giving explosive starts had become a habit for Narine in addition to his four overs. However, in a crunch game, the 29-year-old West Indian failed to come to the party.

Narine started the game with a bang as he crashed one to the cover boundary to get off the mark.

However, he couldn’t resist the next ball and he went down the track to smash another one to the fence and was out stumped as Krishnappa Gowtham had the last laugh.

Narine didn’t have a great game with the ball either. He was taken for 39 runs in his 4 overs as most RR batsmen played him with ease.

Rahul Tripathi struck a couple of sixes in his first over as he went for 15 runs in his first over. He then conceded a four or a six in every over as he bowled a wicketless four-over spell.

#3 Hit: Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik continued his good form with the bat

The KKR skipper has been in terrific form in this IPL. He’s largely batted at No. 5 and No. 6 and has donned the finisher’s role excellently.

He has finished games for KKR and has more often than not batted till the end, especially while chasing.

Coming into this eliminator, Karthik was unbeaten in his last two innings and he continued his excellent touch.

He walked out to bat in the fourth over after KKR were reduced 24/3. Despite the team under pressure, Karthik didn’t look too fussed. He remained calm and was looking at his fluent best.

He got going with a couple of boundaries off Jaydev Unadkat. He then just rotated the strike with an odd boundary here and there as he kept the scoreboard ticking.

He got to his fifty in 35 deliveries and looked set for more but he fell trying to up the ante. But nonetheless, it was an excellent knock as he bailed KKR out of early trouble.

#2 Miss: RR death bowling

Ben Laughlin disappointed as he conceded 35 in his three overs

Barring Jofra Archer, RR’s pace bowling has struggled. The likes of Jaydev Unadkat, Ben Laughlin and Dhawal Kulkarni haven’t really stood up and delivered.

With just one over from Archer left in the last five overs, the other pacers needed to step up. However, they failed as KKR plundered 53 runs in the last four overs which helped them post 169.

KKR were 116/5 in 16 overs with Karthik and Andre Russell at the crease. Unadkat who had conceded 14 runs in his first over, bowled the 17th over and conceded 19 runs (two sixes and one four in that over).

Laughlin did manage to dismiss Karthik but he was hit for a couple of sixes by Russell as he was taken for 14 runs before he conceded 12 runs in the final over as well.

Hence, those death overs proved quite costly as KKR posted an above-par total.

#1 Hit: KKR wrist-spinners

Kuldeep Yadav was once again brilliant as he had figures of 1/18 in four overs

With all the rain that Kolkata has received leading up to the game, the pitch was a touchy tacky. The pitch was holding up and there was decent spin.

The RR spinners bowled very well and hence, with three quality spinners in their line-up, the KKR spinners were expected to fare better. Narine failed to make an impact but the two wrist-spinners, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav bowled brilliantly.

Chawla was brought into the attack in the third over and he started with a six-run over. RR got off to a very good start as the openers put on 47 runs in five overs.

But Chawla took the important wicket of Tripathi and broke the opening stand. After two overs in the powerplay where he conceded just 10 runs, the Uttar Pradesh leggie came back at the death and picked up the wicket of Samson who had scored a very good half-century. Chawla finished with figures of 2/24.

On the other hand, Yadav might have picked up only one wicket, he kept the pressure on from his end. He used his variations very well and the RR batsmen couldn’t quite read him. In his final over, the chinaman dismissed Rahane and shifted the momentum.

The wrist-spinners had an excellent day as they had combined figures of 8-0-42-3.

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