RCB vs KKR Live Score, IPL 2023: Splendid KKR drub RCB by 21 runs to return back to winning ways

RCB vs KKR Live Score, IPL 2023, Match 36 Updates: Kolkata Knight Riders outplayed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 21 runs on Wednesday on their home turf in Bengaluru to register second victory against them this season. A clinical performance by Jason Roy (56) and Nitish Rana (48) to propel KKR to 200 in the first innings was followed by the sharpness by the spinners while defending the huge score. Varun Chakravarthy (3/27) Suyash Sharma (2/30) bowled phenomenally well to turn things back in their team'a favour after RCB opener's scored 30 runs in the first two overs. Virat Kohli scored a fifty that went in vain as the efforts from the lower middle order weren't sufficient to take them past the finish line. (Follow RCB vs KKR Live Score of IPL 2023 at Sportskeeda.

So there you have it! The first reverse fixture of IPL 2023 is done and we're in for another cracker tomorrow. Rajasthan Royals breached the Chepauk fortress a couple of weeks ago and denied MS Dhoni at the death but the Chennai Super Kings have a chance to pull one back as they lock horns with the Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Do join us for our coverage of that contest right here on Sportskeeda while keeping yourselves updated with further cricketing news and action from around the world on this very platform. For the moment, this is the duo of Shashwat Kumar and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us as we hope you enjoyed our coverage. See you tomorrow - take care and good night!

His focus on accuracy over more variations has worked beautifully this season. Chakravarthy has been magnificent for KKR and was instrumental towards his team's cause today. Never easy staying away from your family during such an important time too having just become a father but we do hope he gets to see the little one soon. Will this get the Knights rolling along for the rest of the season is something that remains to be seen but this is a good start. As for RCB, they've continued their trend of winning and losing alternately at home. They're now going to travel for their next five matches now and that is bound to pose new challenges along the way. How will they step up? Will getting away from the Chinnaswamy Stadium prove to be a blessing in disguise? Time will tell...

Live Score

Kolkata Knight Riders

200/5 (20)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

179/8 (20)

Kolkata Knight Riders won by 21 runs.

Varun Chakravarthy is the Player of the Match for his superb spell of 3/27. Here's what he has to say: (On turning up against RCB again) Nothing much, that's how the game of cricket is. Last match I went for 49, this match I did well. That's how crazy life is. More focused on my accuracy than more variations. I didn't want to add more variations. I thought it was time to be more accurate. I've been working a lot and I would definitely credit AC Prathiban - he has been working with me and also Abhishek Nayar. I definitely like the challenge (of bowling in the powerplay) and Nitish is giving me the ball whenever I want to. I would like to credit this to my new-born son - I'm still not able to see him but I would like to dedicate this to him and my wife. (When does he meet him?) After the IPL (gives a wry smile).

Nitish Rana (Kolkata Knight Riders captain): In the last 3-4 matches I have been saying at the toss that if we play collectively as a team the result will come in our favor. The way Jason Roy is batting in the last three games and I'd like to say the environment in the dressing room, you need a lot of character after the last few performances. Credit goes to the full team. Belief plays a huge role - there was always belief that we would bounce back. (On his knock today) As long as we win it's good (grins). We thought of putting a total on the board and then bringing the spinners into play. It felt as though the ball would spin and dew wouldn't come in but it didn't spin as such in the second innings. Credit to the spinners and Dre (Russell). (On Suyash Sharma) He has always been positive and always says that he'll do the job for us. That boy is playing his 3rd or 4th game and is doing so well.

Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders): We really needed that victory. We've been under the pump for the last couple of games. We've been playing some good cricket but it feels better when you have two points at the end of the night. Batting first tonight, we knew once we got a good total on the board and it was anything over 200 runs, runs on the board are special. With the ball we wanted to keep it simple. We wanted to keep them under 55 in the powerplay but they got away by a couple. But we managed to pull it back. I think we kept our calm tonight and hats off to the guys. Once I get the ball I try to do my best and contribute in whatever way. I've been struggling with the bat but I'm still confident and know what I can do. I got a very good yorker tonight. It's all part of the game. The runs were on the board and we worked with it. We just have to take it day by day and for me, recovery is very important as well. The older I get, the more conscious I am about my body.

Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain: (On where it went wrong) We handed over the game to them. We deserved to lose because we were not professional enough in the field. Bowlers bowled decent areas but we could not hold on to our chances. This is what you call a freebie, we handed over the win to them. Tonight we were not up to the standard and we are not shy to admit it. If you look at the game, there was just a few instances when we did not capitalise on the crunch moments. In the field, in a period of 4-5 overs, we dropped chances and it cost us 20-30 runs. Batting, we set ourselves up well but gave away too many soft dismissals. These are some of the soft plays in cricket that you want to avoid. If you do 6-7 of those in one night, obviously you will be on the losing side. (On practicing six-hitting) We do not think about these things. It is about how many are on the board and how we can get there. Even after losing wickets, I thought one partnership brought us back, we were just one more partnership away (from winning the game). We have won one and lost one on the road, so obviously it is going to be tougher. On the road, it gives you a chance to toughen yourselves up. We want to be on the road and want to get some momentum moving into the second half.

Match Summary: Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 21 runs.

Jason Roy 56 (29) | Varun Chakravarthy 3/27 (4)
Virat Kohli 54 (37) | Wanindu Hasaranga 2/24 (4)

Smiles all around the faces of the Kolkata Knight Riders players, team management and the owners. It's been a tough tournament for them and entering the cauldron of the Chinnaswamy which is a graveyard for bowlers was not going to make their job easy. But they showed just why they wanted to defend today had they won the toss, even as Jason Roy and Nitish Rana set it up with a big total of 200 on the board.

It was a wicket where the slower ones were gripping but on this ground, 200 isn't often safe. The way Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli took off in the first couple of overs, that notion was being proved right again. Within no time, Rana was forced to turn to spin and it worked a charm instantly as the Knight Riders pulled things back incredibly. Young Suyash Sharma enhanced a burgeoning reputation with the big wicket of du Plessis before following it up with Shahbaz Ahmed's scalp. When Glenn Maxwell perished inside the powerplay as well, it made life difficult for the Royal Challengers.

Kohli was running the singles hard and didn't show any discomfort against spin either. Sunil Narine's poor tournament continued as he dished out too many short deliveries which Mahipal Lomror latched onto. With the asking rate mounting, RCB needed a liftoff and Lomror provided them that with an invaluable cameo as that partnership brought the rate within check. Lomror looked to keep attacking but Chakravarthy prized him out before a ridiculous catch by the ropes by Venkatesh Iyer sent Kohli packing for a well compiled 54.

That was always going to complicate matters for RCB with Dinesh Karthik struggling ahead of this game. He took his time although Suyash Prabhudessai failed to respond to a call on time and found himself short. The spinners continued to keep it tight and sent the asking rate to gargantuan proportions, even as Andre Russell did his bit with the ball himself. Even as wickets tumbled, Karthik harbored RCB's hopes but it was his dismissal that was the final nail in the coffin for the hosts.

There was no evident dew as such but one stark difference between the two sides was the way they fielded - RCB shelled some sitters, KKR caught everything and flung themselves around the park. The energy was up and Nitish Rana got most things right. The moment they nipped du Plessis and Maxwell inside the powerplay though, the onus fell on Kohli to do bulk of the heavy-lifting. As it turned out, the middle-order came a cropper again to surrender the initiative even as KKR walked away with two pivotal points to keep their hopes alive. Stick around for the presentations...

Defending at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium isn't easy. They entered this game on the back of four losses on the spin. But Nitish Rana and Co. have stepped up and how! A win they should be very satisfied with.

End of over 20 (13 runs), Royal Challengers Bangalore 179/8

Vijaykumar Vyshak 13(8)
David Willey 11(10)
Vaibhav Arora 22/0

19.6 Vaibhav Arora to Vijaykumar Vyshak

KKR WIN BY 21 RUNS! Full delivery just outside off stump. Vyshak swings like a rusty gate and squirts it towards deep mid wicket. Gets back for a couple but that does not alter the result! KKR have snapped their four-match losing streak; RCB, meanwhile, lose another night game at home!

19.5 Vaibhav Arora to David Willey

OH DEAR! Low full toss just outside off stump. Willey, for the umpteenth time, tries the reverse scoop and makes a mess of it. Cops a blow on the toe for his troubles

Around the wicket now.

19.4 Vaibhav Arora to David Willey

low full toss outside off stump. Willey throws his hands at it and slices it towards deep cover point for a couple of runs

19.3 Vaibhav Arora to David Willey

FOUR! In the slot just outside off stump. Willey clears his front leg and hacks it towards deep mid wicket for a boundary!

19.3 Vaibhav Arora to Vijaykumar Vyshak

slower bumper outside off stump. Vyshak looks for the upper cut and misses. The keeper does not gather, though, and concedes a single. Called a wide too!

19.2 Vaibhav Arora to David Willey

OH WELL! Full delivery outside off stump. Willey tries the reverse scoop again and somehow manages to get it down to square leg for a single

Third man is up. Still some chants of 'RCB! RCB!' around the ground. Their fans are always passionate alright!

19.1 Vaibhav Arora to Vijaykumar Vyshak

length delivery on off stump. Vyshak swings for the hills and jams it off the inside edge into his pads

Vaibhav Arora [1.0-0-11-0] to bowl the final over of the innings

Not a run out, but that last throw tells you all you need to know about the difference in fielding between the two sides. RCB slacked on that front, KKR haven't and the situation of the game is a poetic reflection of how things stand. Royal Challengers Bangalore require 35 runs to win off the final over! Six sixes, anybody?

End of over 19 (9 runs), Royal Challengers Bangalore 166/8

Vijaykumar Vyshak 10(6)
David Willey 4(6)
Andre Russell 29/2

18.6 Andre Russell to Vijaykumar Vyshak

full delivery outside off stump. Vyshak backs away and powers it towards mid off. He then sets off for the single and could be in trouble as Wiese hits the stumps at the bowler's end. Nope, nothing of that sort, makes it comfortably!

Just over! The Challengers will want to get as close as they can to reduce the margin of defeat.

18.5 Andre Russell to Vijaykumar Vyshak

GOES TO THE MOON AND JUST CLEARS THE FENCE! Back of a length delivery on leg stump. Vyshak backs away and slogs at it. It goes miles up into the air and just manages to evade deep mid wicket

18.4 Andre Russell to Vijaykumar Vyshak

full delivery just outside off stump. Vyshak shuffles across and looks for the scoop. Makes no contact whatsoever

Great stuff from Russell. He has been superlative with the ball today!

18.3 Andre Russell to David Willey

full delivery on middle and leg stump. Willey hangs back in his crease and drills it down the ground for one

He is very fortunate that he hasn't played that onto his stumps there! 44 needed off 10...

18.2 Andre Russell to David Willey

excellent yorker just outside off stump. Willey tries the reverse-lap and does not get the purchase he is after. He might have hit his toe with his bat there!

18.1 Andre Russell to Vijaykumar Vyshak

full toss angled into the pads. Vyshak is cramped for room and cloths it towards deep mid wicket for just another single

Top work by Varun Chakravarthy! He bows out with the wickets of Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik and that is a match-winning effort by the mystery spinner. You can never rule anything out in this game but if KKR are to lose it hereon, it would take an outrageous display of bowling on their part. Royal Challengers Bangalore require 44 runs off 2 overs at 22.00 RPO.

End of over 18 (4 runs), Royal Challengers Bangalore 157/8

Vijaykumar Vyshak 2(2)
David Willey 3(4)
Varun Chakravarthy 27/3

17.6 Varun Chakravarthy to Vijaykumar Vyshak

flighted on a full length outside off stump. Vyshak plants his front foot and drives it down the ground for one more run

17.5 Varun Chakravarthy to David Willey

back of a length delivery just outside off stump. Willey has a huge waft at it and squirts it off the inside edge towards short fine leg

17.4 Varun Chakravarthy to Vijaykumar Vyshak

full delivery darted into the stumps. Vyshak comes forward and works it towards deep mid wicket to get off the mark

Vijaykumar Vyshak, RHB, comes to the crease

That should be the game! The happy reactions amongst the KKR owners tells you everything you need to know. Chakravarthy barely celebrates - might be a sense of relief or satisfaction but the visitors have almost got through now with Dinesh Karthik back in the hut. Going to take something ridiculous for Willey to pull this off now!

17.3 Varun Chakravarthy to Dinesh Karthik

KARTHIK BITES THE DUST! KKR ARE ALL OVER RCB NOW! Back of a length delivery at the stumps that seems to gather pace off the pitch. Karthik has a mow at it but like Maxwell and Lomror, is late on the stroke. Splices it towards deep mid wicket, and Rinku makes no mistake whatsoever!

Dinesh Karthik c Rinku Singh b Varun Chakravarthy 22 (18b, 1x4, 1x6)

17.2 Varun Chakravarthy to David Willey

length delivery just outside off stump. Willey nibbles at it and gets a thick outside edge that bobbles down to short third man

17.1 Varun Chakravarthy to David Willey

googly on a back of a length outside off stump. Willey has a swish at it but only manages to swat away a few flies in the process

Varun Chakravarthy [3.0-0-23-2] is back into the attack.

Anukul Roy is such a fine fielder alright! A sharp throw off the final delivery to limit a run and also ensure that Karthik stays off strike. It's coming down to Karthik having to do it here for the Royal Challengers although Willey can surely hit it a long way himself alright. Royal Challengers Bangalore require 48 runs off 3 overs at 16.00 RPO.

End of over 17 (8 runs), Royal Challengers Bangalore 153/7

David Willey 1(1)
Dinesh Karthik 22(17)
Andre Russell 20/2

16.6 Andre Russell to David Willey

dug into the track on off stump. Willey waits in his crease and heaves it away towards deep mid wicket to get off the mark

David Willey, LHB, comes to the crease

Hasaranga cannot believe it! It wasn't the yorker from Russell but excellent bowling to his field there with the boundary rider placed by the backward point fence. The big man has a wide grin on his face and his reaction suggests that it was a plan that worked to perfection!

16.5 Andre Russell to Wanindu Hasaranga

STRAIGHT TO DEEP BACKWARD POINT! Full and outside off stump. Hasaranga backs away and scythes it away. He gets it right out of the middle but he could not have picked out that fielder better. Excellent field placement and planning as RCB lose their seventh!

Wanindu Hasaranga c sub (Anukul Roy) b Andre Russell 5 (4b, 0x4, 0x6)

16.4 Andre Russell to Dinesh Karthik

wide yorker outside off stump. Karthik throws his hands at it and slices it down to short third man for a single

MAGNIFICENT STRIKE! It was there to be hit but he got into fantastic position there did Karthik. 150 up for Royal Challengers Bangalore!

16.3 Andre Russell to Dinesh Karthik

SIX! Slower delivery that lands right in the slot on leg stump. Karthik shuffles across, crouches down low and shovels it over deep backward square leg!