KKR edged past RCB in a last-ball nail-bitter at Eden Gardens


It was a fun thriller for cricket fans as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) played an absolute breath-taking match on Sunday. With 21 runs to get off the final over, RCB’s Phil Salt pulled off a miracle, hitting Mitchell Starc for three sixes but KKR and Phil Salt held their nerve to effect a run-out off the last, eventually winning the game by 1 run. KKR bowlers stayed calm and bowled brilliantly in death overs to make it tough for RCB.

Earlier, Salt gave a fiery start to KKR, smacking 7 fours and 3 sixes to add 56 runs in 4 overs. Mohammed Siraj managed to get the wicket of Salt who scored a 14-ball 48. In the next over, Yash Dayal gave KKR a double, removing the dangerous Sunil Narine (10) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (3).

Venkatesh Iyer chipped in with 16 while KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer batted well to hit a half-century. Lockie Ferguson got the better of Rinku Singh while he was looking good on 24. Russell scored a crucial 27 while Ramandeep Singh’s blistering cameo of 9-ball 24 pummelled KKR to 222/6. Dayal and Cameron Green picked up two wickets each for RCB.

Chasing a big 223, RCB needed a quick start and Virat Kohli provided that with a few lusty blows before getting dismissed controversially. RCB captain Faf du Plessis (7) went back soon which pushed them on the back foot. However, Will Jacks (55) and Rajat Patidar (52) counter-attacked KKR’s spin bowlers brilliantly. Both looked unstoppable and rained boundaries to put RCB on top, adding 102 runs for the third wicket. But a change in bowling worked well for KKR, Russell removed both the set batters in the same over. Things went worse for RCB with Narine striking twice in the 13th over. Suyash Prabhudessai and Dinesh Karthik chipped in with 24 and 25, but those knocks were not good enough to take RCB home.