KKR Beat GT by 29 Runs in 100th Home IPL Game
The skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane agrees that it was quite an eventful game, and adds that he feels tired as it was a lot humid out there. But expresses his happiness with the win and getting two important points in front of the home crowd. On the batting display, he is full of praise. Credits the likes of Finn Allen, Raghuvanshi, and Green, who all stood up when it mattered. Says that dominating a quality bowling attack the way they did was simply amazing to see. On the preparation and mindset, he says the focus has always been on taking one game at a time, and that clarity of intent showed in the way the team played tonight.
After the toss fell their way, it was a no-brainer for the Gujarat Titans to bowl first with rain around on the eve of the game. Gujarat, who have been so dominant with the ball in the powerplay this season, had to settle for just a solitary wicket. It was during the middle phase that things really began to go awry for the Titans. It all started with the dropped catch of Finn Allen on 33 by Mohammed Siraj, and that almost seemed like a signal for Allen that it was going to be his day. From there, he teed off in style. The lapses in the field then contagiously spread across the park, while the bowling unit did little to help its own cause either with its inconsistency. Finn Allen eventually fell for 93, but Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green kept the momentum going.
In pursuit of 248, GT raced out of the blocks with 42 runs in the first three overs, but with Sai Sudharsan copping a blow on the left elbow and walking off the field, the momentum dissipated rather quickly. KKR suffered an unfortunate blow of their own as Matheesha Pathirana walked off feeling his left hamstring after bowling just 8 deliveries in his first game of the season. However, his absence was not really felt as KKR managed to steadily push the required run rate higher through the middle phase.
A quick word with KKR's star batter - Angkrish Raghuvanshi says he enjoyed his innings even more because it came in a winning cause. Adds that with the way Finn Allen was batting, his main focus was simply to give him as much of the strike as possible. Raghuvanshi admits that he is not used to wicketkeeping duties and says it is taking everything out of him physically. Says the score reflects just how good the batting surface was and jokes that he hopes to play on wickets like these every game.
The captain of the Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill says that, looking at the pitch, he thought 210 was a par score. He then admits that they dropped too many catches in the field and gave away too many runs in the end. About the pitch, he details that it was good, but the odd one was stopping a bit but he feels they batted well to get to the score they got in the end. On whether there are any concerns after this loss, Gill denies by saying that there are no such concerns, but reiterates that their fielding could have been a lot better tonight. Humbly concedes that they didn't deserve to win this, as they dropped as many as three to four catches. On being asked about the result, Gill says that it is better to have a game where the bowlers have an off day, and the total goes to 240-250 now rather than in the knockouts. It is a timely reality check, he adds further. On their last league match against CSK, he says the focus now is to rest a bit, recover for a couple of days, travel back to Ahmedabad, and then assess the pitch before planning accordingly.
KKR lay down a marker - It was a victory set up by the batters, who posted the team's highest total of the season, before the bowlers stepped up admirably on a ground that is not easy to defend on, but they got the job done in what was the franchise's 100th IPL game at home. The Gujarat Titans let a golden opportunity slip away. A win tonight would have secured their place in the playoffs, but they were made to pay for their errors in the field, while the bowling performance also was not quite at the level they have consistently shown this season.
W
Overs19.6
Score218 - 4
Cameron Green to Rahul Tewatia, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! KKR BEAT GT BY 29 RUNS. In their 100th IPL game at the Eden Gardens, the Knight Riders have marked the occasion in style, dominating the Titans from start to finish to keep their playoff hopes flickering, even if just barely. Short outside off, at 125.6 kph. Tewatia goes deep in the crease and shuffles across, looking to hook it behind square on the leg side. The bounce does the trick, though, climbing sharply and kissing the glove on the way through to the keeper. Raghuvanshi dives forward pouches it comfortably, and that seals the deal for the hosts.
W
Overs18.5
Score207 - 3
Saurabh Dubey to Jos Buttler, OUT! TAKEN EASILY! First IPL wicket for Dubey and he is overjoyed. He bowls it very full by taking all the pace off, and outside off. Jos Buttler stays put, tries to pump it over long off, but does not properly get under the ball. Ends up getting no timing and distance and offers a simple catching practice to the sub fielder, Ramandeep Singh, at long off. A fighting knock from Buttler, but it wasn't enough in a mountainous run chase. GT are 207/3, needing 41 runs from 7 balls.
0
Overs17.3
Score192 - 2
Kartik Tyagi to Sai Sudharsan, Decision overturned! A wild delivery from Kartik, a full toss, just above waist height, angling away from the batter. Sai Sudharsan goes heaving across the line, but gets beaten up. The umpire signals for a No Ball, but KKR have reviewed it to challenge the on-field decision. The side-on replay with the Ball Tracking comes up. Sai's waist height is 1.102 meters, but the ball is passing at 1.028 meters. So, it is a fair delivery. And the on-field decision is changed.
W
Overs16.2
Score177 - 2
Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, OUT! HIGH UP AND CAUGHT! Narine strikes again and continues to weave the web. Pushed fuller from around the stump, around the leg stump line. Shubman Gill sits across in the crease and tries to slog sweep it over deep square leg, but gets a bit of top edge in the process. The ball sails towards Anukul Roy, who shows a good presence of mind. He plucks the ball just a few centimetres in off the ropes and balances himself over his right leg. However, the third umpire is brought in to check for the legality of the catch. A couple of angles come up to see whether Anukul Roy's right leg is in contact with the ropes or not, while holding the ball. But it is deemed a clean catch in the end. Gill is absolutely disappointed and walks back.
STRATEGIC BREAK! The Gujarat Titans need 71 runs off the final four overs, and one of those will be bowled by Sunil Narine, which makes the task even tougher. Kolkata Knight Riders have faltered at the death while defending totals this season, but with one over left from Narine and the promise shown by Kartik Tyagi, who also has an over remaining, KKR will feel confident about closing this game out. The Gujarat Titans have not quite managed to back up one big over with another, but they will believe it only takes one over of more than 20 runs to swing the momentum right back in their favour, and ideally, they would want it to come in the over coming up. It will be Sunil Narine to bowl.
2
Overs15.6
Score177 - 1
Kartik Tyagi to Jos Buttler, A big dive saves the Englishman! With this, Buttler gets to his FIFTY! From 32 balls. Third half century of the season for him, and overall, this is his 27th IPL half-century. At pace, full and wide outside off. Jos Buttler carves it over point and the sweeper, Anukul Roy tidies it up in the outfield, moving to his left. Quickly releases the throw to the keeper, where Buttler is forced to dive. Angkrish Raghuvanshi whips the bails off, but Buttler is well in by then. Two taken. A good recovery from Kartik, though. 14 runs from the over.
4
Overs15.1
Score167 - 1
Kartik Tyagi to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Mishit, but in the gap! Slow, short, outside off. Jos Buttler fetches it off the back foot and pulls it aerially but slices it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg. The sub fielder, Ramandeep Singh scoots across to his left from deep square leg, slides by extending his left hand, but the ball stays far out of his reach and goes away for a boundary.
