IPL 2018: KKR restrict RCB to 176/7 in Kolkata

Reminding the KKR fans of an explosive knock of 154 runs against RCB in Bengaluru in 2008, Brendon McCullum started off in a similar fashion but wearing the jersey of RCB this time.

The visitors scored 14 runs in the first over of the match.

As the first success in the match, KKR got Quinton de Cock. Attempting a reverse sweep in a delivery of Piyush Chawla, de Cock fell into the hands of Vinay Kumar, who was placed at short third man. He was dismissed at just four runs.

Following the fall of de Cock’s wicket, RCB skipper Virat Kohli walked out in the midst of a jam-packed stadium. Giving a solid support to his partner McCullum, Kohli looked for quick singles at different parts of the ground to keep the scoreboard moving.

At the end of the powerplay, boasting on an aggressive batting of McCullum, RCB put 52 runs on board losing just a wicket.

Immediately after the finish of the powerplay, KKR skipper Karthik brought Sunil Narine and Mitchell Johnson from both the ends.

Though Narine’s over was cheap, McCullum took a toll on Johnson’s over to push the RCB score further. The New Zealand batsman scored two boundaries in the over followed by a single to bring Kohli on strike.

But McCullum’s knock was put to an end by Sunil Narine, who is considered to be a trump card for the Knights. Narine’s straight delivery went to hit the stumps as McCullum missed it completely. He went to the pavilion by scoring 43 runs from 26 balls.

McCullum had entertained his fans with six fours and four sixes.

McCullum was however followed by another explosive batsman AB de Villiers who went for two back to back sixes at the close of the 10th over, which was bowled Kuldeep Yadav.

In the next over only, Kohli shown his class by going in the midoff region as he earned four runs for it.

With a pull from de Villiers, RCB reached 100 at just 11.2 overs. Showing no sign to stop, he went for a maximum in the next ball.

The flow of runs was halted for an over when Andre Russell brought into action as he conceded only five runs in the over.

The only thing KKR was hoping for a breakthrough and it was provided by Nitish Rana. Shocking RCB, Rana clichéd both the wickets of de Villiers and Kohli in two successive balls of the 15th over, ending the

While de Villiers had lost his wicket as he was going for a big one, Kohli was stunned by a Yorker from the right-arm spinner, whose delivery dislodged the stumps.

While de Villiers went for 44 (23), Kohli was dismissed at 31 from 33 balls.

With the fall of the two massive wickets, Rana put KKR right into the driver’s seat.

Johnson picked his first wicket of the match by picking up Sarfaraz Khan, who was caught by Rinku Singh at the long on. He was heading towards the pavilion after scoring just six. Johnson clinched one wicket for 30 runs in four overs.

Though RCB was reeling at 160/6 in 19 overs, Vinay Kumar’s expensive last over helped the visitors to push the score to 176/7 in 20 overs.

However his two wickets in the 20th over in the form of Mandeep Singh and Chris Woakes acted as compensations for the men-in-purple.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh,Image: IPL Twitter page)