Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs in another run-fest match of Vivo IPL 2019. The home side put 218 for 4 in the first innings, highest ever at Eden Gardens. In the end, the target was too big for the visitors as they succumbed to the required soaring run rate and fell short in the end.
Ashwin won the toss and elected to field first. There was no change to the Knights’ playing eleven. Meanwhile, Ashwin made three changes from the last match. David Miller replaced Nicolas Pooran, Viljoen for Curran and Varun Chakravarthy for Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Back to his original batting spot, Sunil Narine gave the Knights a flying start. Varun was welcomed to IPL with three HUGE SIXES and a four. The over he would look to forget went for 25 runs.
It was another disappointing night for Chris Lynn as he got out cheaply. Narine followed him in the next over for 24 runs from nine balls. KKR innings was once again on the shoulder of Nitish Rana and Robin Uthappa. Both used their experience and perfectly picked their targets as they built a big 110-run partnership for the 3rd wicket.
The luck was perhaps not in the favour of KXIP's bowlers. Mohammed Shami did manage to clean up Dre Russ in the last bowl of the 17th over, only for the decision to get overturned due to a no-ball with just 3 players in the inner 30-yard circle.
The Jamaican made the most of the life given and went on to score blistering 48 from just 17 balls. All six KXIP's bowlers went for at least two 6s in their spells.
In reply to the chase, Chris Gayle gave KXIP a flying start with a six and a four in Prasidh's first over. Ferguson was asked to bowl the second over and he straightaway paid dividends with an-all important scalp of KL Rahul. Gayle sent a few into the fence before going down to the man who couldn't do anything wrong, Andre Russell. Dre Russ doubled the joy in his second over with the wicket of Sarfaraz Khan.
Mayank Agarwal and David Miller fought hard to build a partnership but KXIP were well behind the required run rate in the end.
Up next for KKR is Delhi Capitals on 29th March in the first of 4 consecutive away fixtures.
