Abu Dhabi: Kolkata Knight Riders produced a disciplined bowling performance to beat Chennai Super Kings by 10 runs in the ongoing Indian Premier League on Wednesday (October 7). Chasing 168, CSK started well with both the openers Shane Watson (50) and Faf du Plessis (17) taking advantage of the powerplay restrictions.
But the South African got out early going for a cut from young Shivam Mavi only to edge it to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. Watson along with Ambati Rayudu started to build a partnership with the former being more aggressive. They looked to take the game away from Kolkata but Rayudu got out after mistiming his shot off a Kamlesh Nagarkoti delivery for 30.
Meanwhile, Watson kept the scoreboard ticking and brought up his fifty but got out plumb in front off Sunil Narine. Thereafter Kolkata started coming back to the game and slowly tightening their grip. Chennai’s hopes were their ‘Captain Cool’ MS Dhoni but he too got out for a rather struggling 11 off 12 balls by Varun Chakravarthy. Sam Curran along with Ravindra Jadeja tried hard but it became quite difficult. With 26 runs needed of the last over, Andre Russell held his nerve even after being hit for a few making sure Kolkata win the game.
Earlier in the match, Karthik opted to bat first, a decision which they took for the first time after five years and 69 matches to be precise. Rahul Tripathi, who heroics went in vain in the last match was promoted at the top and he didn’t disappoint with a 50-ball 81. Shubman Gill was out cheaply for 11 while Nitish Rana too followed suit going for a big hit off Karn Sharma delivery only to be caught by Ravindra Jadeja at the boundary for 9.
Sunil Narine came and started striking from the word go but got out after Jadeja’s brilliant effort at the boundary while skidding on to the ropes and showing great reflex only to be ably supported by Du Plessis who completed the catch. Andre Russell’s bad patch continued as he went for a slog off Shardul Thakur knicking it to Dhoni for just two.
However, Tripathi made full use of his chance before chasing a wide fullish length delivery off Dwayne Bravo to Watson. Pat Cummins’ quickfire 17 runs from nine balls took Kolkata to 167 in 20 overs.
Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 167 all out (Rahul Tripathi 81; Dwayne Bravo 3/37) beat Chennai Super Kings 157/5 (Shane Watson 50; Kamlesh Nagarkoti 1/21) by 10 runs.
