KKR beat RR by 25 runs | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals, Highlights And Cricket Score Eliminator T20 Match
Indian Premier League, 2018
Date: May 23, 2018 Start Time: 19:00 IST | 13:30 GMT | 19:00 LocalVenue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Following a cracking first play-off match of the 11the edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between two-time winners Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, the attention will now switch to the Eliminator where resurgent Rajasthan Royals will come up against `home favourite` Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. KKR have had an excellent IPL campaign this year as they won eight of their 14 group stages match, including their last three matches to storm into the playoffs.
The Dinesh Karthik-led side defeated table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets in their last league fixture of the IPL season. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, once had just three wins in hand and were placed at the bottom of the table following their ninth IPL match.
However, Rajasthan rebounded strongly and rode on England batsman Jos Buttler's three consecutive match-winning knocks to finish the group stage at the fourth spot.
But, Rajasthan would head into the match without the services of England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler, who have flown back to England to fulfill national duties.
While the winner of this match will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 on May 25 for a place in the finals, it will end of the IPL journey for the IPL team that loses this match.
A plenty of trial by spin can be expected in this contest as the two sides consist of outstanding spinners.
KKR's Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, and Piyush Chawla, as well as RR's K Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal, have dismissed many opponents this season. However, KKR have been the most productive as far as the team with the best spin bowling attack in the 2018 IPL is concerned, with their spinners having bagged a total of 45 wickets.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals Highlights And Cricket Score Eliminator Match - T20 Summary
Hyderabad now have their opponents. They will be facing Kolkata in Qualifier 2 on 25th May at 1900 local (1330 GMT) at Eden Gardens. The task won't be an easy one by any means for Kane Williamson and his merry men, given they will be facing Kolkata in their backyard. Rajasthan crash out, but they will feel proud for having got this far without key players. They will try to come back stronger next time. Anyway, join us on Friday, to find out who joins Chennai in the final. Later!
Man of the Match, Andre Russell, states it's been a hectic time for him and his side but they have pulled through every single time. Feels that keeping a clear head is the most important thing and then it's just a matter of believing in your ability. Says that he backs himself when he swings his bat hard, so despite the fact that he got it off the toe end one time during his knock, he knew it would sail over the fence. Ends by saying that every game has been a final and the game against Hyderabad will be crucial, so is happy that they will be playing in front of their home crowd.
Dinesh Karthik says winning 4 matches in a row is great and a real turning point for his side. Credits Shubman Gill for playing fluently under pressure and Andre Russell for providing a good finish. Is happy with his batsmen for putting up a good enough score on the board. Praises his bowlers, in particular his spinners, for performing consistently throughout and standing up when counted. Remains humble when his captaincy is praised and says he just wants to do better and better for the team.
Ajinkya Rahane says they are disappointed at the loss, especially after the way they started with the ball. Reckons that chasing such a target, that too with wickets in hand, should have been gettable but Kolkata knew the conditions and bowled well. Credits the spinners for choking the runs in the middle and then the pacers for backing them up at the death. Mentions that when he and Sanju Samson were batting, the plan was to bat deep and then try to finish it off, but unfortunately it didn't end up happening. Applauds that everyone worked hard and did a fantastic job through the season, but there is room for improvement, particularly in the batting and fielding departments.
Rajasthan will be wondering where the game slipped away from them. One would feel the partnership between Samson and Rahane was on the slower side which didn't take care of the required rate and that in a way cost them. Right then, that's the end of the season for Rajasthan. They did a brilliant job by reaching this stage and somewhere the likes of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes were sorely missed today.
Kolkata will be pleased with this win. The scoreline suggests an easy victory but it wasn't. They were under the pump while batting as they were reduced to 51/4 in no time and found it extremely tough to deal with the guile of the Rajasthan spinners. Dinesh Karthik's captain's knock and Andre Russell's blitzkrieg powered them to 169 and eventually, it proved to be more than enough. Also, credit to the Kolkata spinners. Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav were clinical on a helpful pitch, and Prasidh Krishna once again impressed with his smart execution.
Patience is the mother of all virtues! Kolkata showed plenty of it when the partnerships at the top of the Rajasthan innings were growing and eventually it paid off. After a quickfire beginning, the visitors were on course but the wicket of Rahane hurt their charge. Sanju Samson played a sublime knock but got out at the wrong time when the asking rate was pretty demanding. The batsmen who followed never got going and failed to do what Andre Russell did for Kolkata in the death overs.
Prasidh Krishna to Krishnappa Gowtham. FOUR! Boundary to finish the innings. Gowtham pulls this short ball across the fine leg fence, but it won't matter. KOLKATA WIN BY 25 RUNS! A comprehensive victory in the end for the hosts, did quite well with the ball.
Prasidh Krishna to Heinrich Klaasen. Yorker fired in on the stumps, drilled to long on for a run.
Prasidh Krishna to Krishnappa Gowtham. Well-disguised slower one, full outside off, Gowtham is low to swing across the line but ends up spooning it off the splice just in front of short third man. Single taken.
Prasidh Krishna to Krishnappa Gowtham. Not a wide called. Krishnappa walks a step across as Krishna slips it down the leg side. The umpire remains unmoved for some reason.
Prasidh Krishna to Krishnappa Gowtham. Aiming the base of off stump, lofted over the cover region for a double.
Prasidh Krishna to Krishnappa Gowtham. Length delivery in the channel outside off, Gowtham winds up to go big downtown but fails to connect. All but over now, it seems.
Andre Russell to Heinrich Klaasen. Short ball in line of the stumps, a big pull and a miss from the batsman. 34 off the final over. Rajasthan need 6 maximums to win this.
Andre Russell to Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen has flicked the ball off his pads. They manage to come back for the second.
Andre Russell to Krishnappa Gowtham. Four singles off four deliveries. Dre Russ feels no pressure, does he? Terrific bowling, this. Angles in a length delivery on middle and leg, Gowtham swings and gets it off the inner portion first onto his pads, then in front of mid-wicket for a run.
Andre Russell to Heinrich Klaasen. Keeps it full again, close to off, it's smacked down towards wide long off for another one.
Andre Russell to Krishnappa Gowtham. Two off the first two. Full on off stump, Gowtham drives this off the outer half behind point and takes one.
Andre Russell to Heinrich Klaasen. Just the one. Full just outside off, Klaasen throws everything he has at it, only to get an inside edge to Lynn at backward square leg. One run taken.