A win by the narrowest of margins is still a win. The Kolkata Knight Riders won their match against the Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens by 1 run, but the worth of that victory is no less than a 100-run win.
The two points they pocketed on Sunday keep the Knight Riders alive in the playoffs race. It’s still an uphill task though as they need to beat Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their remaining matches to be absolutely sure of advancing beyond the group league stage.
Andre Russell was one of the major architects of the Knights’ triumph over the Royals. Even at 37, Russell can unleash those meaty blows as well as anyone. On a dry and slow Eden Gardens wicket, the Jamaican, promoted up the order at No.5, muscled his way to an unbeaten 57 off 25 balls.
Thanks to Russell’s four boundaries and half a dozen maximums, the Knights plundered 85 off the last five overs to post 206/4 after opting to bat. But as the Eden waited for another Vaibhav Suryavanshi special, the 14-year-old Royals opener disappointed lasting just two balls.
A blitz from stand-in captain Riyan Parag (95 off 45 balls) and his fabulous 92-run sixth-wicket partnership with Shimron Hetmyer brought the Royals right back into the contest. With Riyan’s dismissal off Impact Player Harshit Rana’s bowling, it seemed KKR were back in control.
Vaibhav Arora had 22 to defend off the last six balls with Shubham Dubey and Jofra Archer at the crease. Shubham, the Impact Player, hit two sixes and a four to turn the tables. However, with the visitors needing three off the final ball, Arora got his yorker right and Archer was run out at the non-striker’s end trying to go for the second run.
Brute force
The conditions weren’t quite ideal for Russell to blaze away. Off the first nine balls he faced, he scored just two, coming out to bat following the departure of skipper Ajinkya Rahane (30 off 24 balls) in the 13th over.
Russell had a bit of trouble reading spinner Wanindu Hasaranga. But just as pacer Akash Madhwal erred in length at the start of the slog overs, he warmed up with a couple of fours and a six.
Then, in the Archer-Russell contest, whenever the England pacer pitched it up, Russell ensured he picked the bones out of it, smacking the England quick for two fours and as many maximums.
Russell also smoked Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana for three sixes and a four in the 18th over.
Raging Riyan
KKR must have thought of an easy victory after the Royals were 71/5 in the 8th over. But Riyan had other plans. He hit back with six sixes, five of which came in the 13th over bowled by Moeen Ali.
With superb strokeplay, Riyan took the Royals tantalisingly close to victory. But his dismissal by Harshit Rana, who bowled an excellent 18th over, tilted the scales in KKR’s favour.