KKR spinners bundle out RCB for 123, clinch 81-run win on return to home venue

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 6 (ANI): A superb performance by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinners, led by Varun Chakravarthy and debutant Suyash Sharma helped the home side clinch an 81-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday.
In the chase of 205, openers Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis provided a good start to RCB. Virat started off with a four on the first ball and two fours in the first over. The duo smacked Tim Southee for 23 runs in the fourth over, including two fours and two sixes.
Just when RCB looked to pick up the pace even further, Sunil Narine started his 150th IPL game in style, cleaning Virat's top of off stump to remove him for 21 off 18 balls. RCB was 44/1 in 4.5 overs.
This wicket started the visitors' downfall. Varun Chakravarty also joined Narine in the spin party, dismissing Faf for 23 off 12 balls. RCB was 46/2 in 5.2 overs.
Chakravarty destroyed RCB's top-order, sending back Harshal Patel, promoted up the order for a duck and Glenn Maxwell for five off seven balls. Narine sent RCB into a state of alarm by cleaning up Shahbaz Ahmed for just one. Half of the RCB line-up was in the hut for 61/5.
At the end of 10 overs, RCB was 69/5, with Dinesh (2*) and Bracewell (12*) unbeaten.
Michael Bracewell and Dinesh Karthik tried to bring back RCB into the match by stabilising the innings, but Shardul Thakur added to his batting heroics by dismissing the Kiwi all-rounder for 19 off 18 balls. RCB was reduced to 83/6.
Spinner Suyash Sharma, making his IPL debut made an impact in his second over, dismissing impact player Anuj Rawat, who replaced Mohammed Siraj for one and Dinesh Karthik for nine, sinking RCB to 86/8 in 12.5 overs.
Karn Sharma (1) became Suyash's third wicket. RCB was 96/9 in 14.3 overs. Varun's last wicket was Akash Deep, who was dismissed for 17. RCB was bundled out for 123 in 17.4 overs and lost by 81 runs.
Chakravarthy (4/15) was the pick of the bowlers for KKR. Suyash also got 3/30 in his four overs. Narine took two while Shardul got one scalp as well.
Earlier, explosive half-centuries by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and lower-order batter Shardul Thakur and Rinku Singh's century stand for the sixth wicket with Shardul helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) reach a massive total of 204/7 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday.
Put to bat first by RCB, Rahmanullah Gurbaz helped KKR get off to a solid start, smashing Mohammed Siraj for three straight fours in the third over. Venkatesh Iyer on the other end, started slowly.
However, David Willey, coming to the side as Reece Topley's replacement, made an immediate impact in the next over, castling Venkatesh's middle and leg stump for just three off seven balls and crashing Mandeep Singh's off stump, dismissing him for a golden duck. KKR was reduced to 26/2 in 3.3 overs.
Following these two hiccups, skipper Nitish Rana made his way to the crease.
The fifth over bowled by Akash Deep proved expensive as he got hit for a six on no ball and gave some extras through leg byes and a wide. His over gave away 15 runs.
At the end of six overs of the powerplay, KKR was at 47/2, with Gurbaz (27*) and Rana (1*) unbeaten.
Michael Bracewell's spin helped RCB earn the big wicket of Rana for just one run off just five balls. The batter was caught by wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik. KKR sunk to 47/3 in 6.1 overs.
KKR crossed the 50-run mark in 6.5 overs. Gurbaz continued to counterattack really well, smashing Bracewell for a four and six in the ninth over. He brought up his fifty with a flat six over the long leg in just 38 balls. His knock consisted of six fours and three sixes.
At the end of 10 overs, KKR was at 79/3, with Gurbaz (54*) and Rinku Singh (5*) developing a partnership, with the former as the aggressor.
RCB spinners continued to dominate as Gurbaz's knock was ended by Karn Sharma after he was caught by Akash for 57 off 44 balls. His knock had six fours and three sixes. A catch by Virat Kohli helped Karn get the big wicket of Andre Russell for a golden duck. Half of the KKR line-up was in the pavilion for 89 runs in 11.3 overs.
Shardul Thakur was next up on the crease and announced his arrival with a first-ball four past leg stump. He upped the attack by smashing Akash Deep for two fours and a six in the 13th over, which gave away 19 runs.
KKR crossed the 100-run mark in 12.2 overs.
Thakur continued his counter-attack, smashing Bracewell for two sixes in the 15th over. At the end of 15 overs, KKR was at 140/5, with Shardul unbeaten at 42 in just 15 balls, with Rinku (20* in 19 balls) supporting him from the other end. The duo reached the 50-run stand in 21 balls.
Shardul brought up his maiden IPL half-century in just 20 balls, his knock consisted of six fours and three sixes. KKR crossed the 150-run mark in 16.2 overs.
Rinku smashed Harshal for two sixes and a four in the 19th over, bringing up 100 run stand in just 45 balls. However, Harshal succeeded in putting an end to the partnership by dismissing Rinku for 46 off 33 balls, consisting of two fours and three sixes. KKR was 192/6 in 19 overs.
Siraj ended Shardul's game-changing 29-ball stay at the crease for 68 runs, consisting of nine fours and three sixes after a catch by Glenn Maxwell. KKR was 198/7 in 19.4 overs.
KKR crossed the 200-run mark in 19.5 overs.
KKR ended their innings at 204/7 in 20 overs, with Umesh Yadav (6*) and Sunil Narine (0*) unbeaten. RCB's death bowling was a culprit as the side gave away 57 runs in the final four overs.
Willey was the pick of the bowlers for RCB, taking 2/16 in his four overs. Karn Sharma also took 2/26 in his three overs. Harshal, Bracewell and Siraj managed one wicket each.
Brief Scores: KKR: 204/7 (Shardul Thakur 68, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 54, David Willey 2/16) won against RCB: 123 (Faf du Plessis 23, Virat Kohli 21, Varun Chakravarthy 4/15). (ANI)