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Well, that's that from this tournament opener, Knight Riders coasted to victory in the end, they didn't put a foot wrong right from the toss. Super Kings will need Chahar and Moeen Ali to be back to strengthen their side. That's all from this particular contest, we have a double header coming up tomorrow, the first of it between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at 3:30pm IST and then second of the double header is between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at 7:30pm IST! Don't forget to tune into to Disney+ Hotstar to catch all the live action. Until next time, this is me(Pradeep) on behalf of Sooryanarayanan Sesha signing off for the night, stay safe and take care!
Umesh Yadav has been adjudged the Player of the match for his sensational start that he gave to set the tone for them!
Umesh Yadav (Kolkata Knight Riders): It's my first man of the match after 2 years, really happy with things went, thanks to team management and the captain for showing me faith in me. I'm working on my ethics, keep the rhythm throughout whether it is red ball or white ball, the effort is always there. Feels always happy when you get a wicket off the out-swinger, when you pick wicket early you set the tone for the game. I've been a good training, the trainers have kept me in good shape.
Shreyas Iyer (Captain, Kolkata Knight Riders): Always a trouble when Dhoni is batting, especially in the last three overs, the dew was coming, it wasn't easy to grip the ball and wasn't easy to field as well. Really happy with the team management, coaching staff and just need to carry forward the momentum and time to set things right. It was a definitely spongier than we imagined, I thought the wicket would good fast at the start of the tournament, going further in the tournament, it might slow down. He's (talking about Umesh Yadav) been working hard in the nets, like his work ethics, he's been outstanding and he was at his best today.
Time for the presentation!
Sheldon Jackson (Kolkata Knight Riders): In the start I had nerves but the coaching staff are brilliant, they have helped a lot to calm it. Dhoni has been always been inspiration for me, I look up to him and always learn a lot from him. I always look up to him and whatever he does, I just try to imitate him. I have a lot to do and a lot to learn from him.
Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings Captain): I think dew played a vital part. If you win the toss you definitely look to bowl first. In the first 6-7 overs the wicket was a bit damp. In the second half the ball was coming nicely onto the bat. We were looking to take the game as deeply as we could. Everybody bowled brilliantly with the dew being a factor. As a batting unit, we didn't get a partnership. Next game, we'll look to come up better.
Kolkata Knight Riders won the game by 6 wickets!
The chase was led by Rahane's pure class from the word go, he's been able to find the timing to perfection and scored some boundaries which was a treat to watch. Super Kings didn't have fairly a good powerplay where they failed to pick up wickets and also stop the run flow as well.
Bravo, the savior who's always had his skipper's back, comes in and picks up the much needed breakthrough but then Rana who wsa sent up the order ahead of Iyer clobbered around the park and sent Super Kings down the abyss. Bravo once again had to be brought back to break that partnership between Rahane and Rana.
After Rana's dismissal Rahane follows him sooner but it wasn't the time to panic for the Knight Riders as they were well ahead with the asking rate. Iyer and Billings took the game to close quarters but then Billings perishes trying to finish this in a canter at the end.
Iyer ensured they got unscathed in the end as they coasted to victory with over 9 deliveries to spare still, that'll help their NRR a bit and might come handy in the later stages of the tournament. All in all, it's a comprehensive victory for Knight Riders tonight, they were brilliant in all departments and the skipper, Iyer will be very happy with how things turned around for him and the team.
Lot to ponder for Super Kings, they need to get their act together especially with the bat, if not Dhoni's fifty they would've posted a paltry total on the board and the bowling looked a bit off color too and they need to regroup after this loss!
Kolkata Knight Riders coasted to victory in this tournament opener. Super Kings just didn't have enough runs on the board and the bowling looked a bit ordinary as well except for Bravo!
18.3 Adam Milne to Shreyas Iyer, FOUR! THE SKIPPER SEALS IT IN STYLE! Full and slanting into the leg stump, Shreyas backs away and kicks his front leg out of the way to drag it through the vacant mid-wicket region as it rockets to the ropes to draw the curtains on a one-sided contest. Kolkata Knight Riders beat Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets with 9 deliveries to spare!
Awkward dive for Rayudu and might've hurt himself in the process here and he's limping across, he goes off the ground as the physio is taking a look at him!
18.2 Adam Milne to Shreyas Iyer, full outside off, Shreyas drives forward and flays it off the edge well to the right of Rayudu at deep third man. He puts in a dive but digs his right knee into the turf as the batters run two. Rayudu is in pain here!
18.1 Adam Milne to Sheldon Jackson, inch-perfect yorker at the stumps, Jackson manages to dig it out off the toe-end towards extra cover before haring across for a single.
Milne [2-0-13-0] is back into the attack!
Bravo had to turn every time his skipper needed a breakthrough and that has been a problem as well for them as the other bowlers weren't quite effective tonight, would've made a match out of this otherwise!
Kolkata Knight Riders need 6 runs in 12 balls!
18
overs
126/4score
0
1
W
1
1
1
runs
Shreyas Iyer
14(17)
Sheldon Jackson*
2(2)
Dwayne Bravo
3/20
17.6 Dwayne Bravo to Sheldon Jackson, slower one outside off, in the slot as Jackson comes forward and whips it up and over the infield. On the bounce to the fielder at long on as the batters cross over.
17.5 Dwayne Bravo to Shreyas Iyer, aims for the blockhole around off, doesn't quite nail it though as Shreyas shovels it out for a single wide of mid-off.
17.4 Dwayne Bravo to Sheldon Jackson, INSIDE EDGE! Short in length outside off, Jackson swivels into a pull but chops it just past his stumps off the inside edge before it rolls well to Dhoni's left. Off the mark with a streaky single!