KKR Pull Off Stunning Comeback Win Over RCB in IPL Thriller
Kolkata, April 21, 2024: In an absolute nail-biter at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders pulled off an incredible comeback victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2024. Chasing 203 for victory, RCB were cruising at 137/2 in the 11th over before KKR’s windies duo of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell turned the match on its head with a devastating spell.
Put into bat, RCB got off to a flyer thanks to a blistering 18 off 7 balls from Virat Kohli before a controversial dismissal caused uproar. Faf du Plessis (7) fell cheaply but Will Jacks (55 off 32) and Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) counterattacked brilliantly to put RCB in the driver’s seat with a 92-run stand.
Just when it seemed RCB had the match in the bag, Narine (2/34) and Russell (3/25) combined to take 5 wickets for just 16 runs in a game-changing spell. From 137/2, RCB collapsed to 155/6 as the KKR spinners turned the screw.
Dinesh Karthik (25) and Suyash Prabhudessai (24) tried to resurrect the chase but Mitchell Starc (2/36) bowled a magnificent final over, defending 3 off the last ball to seal a nerve-wracking 1-run win for KKR.
Earlier, KKR posted 202/8 after a blazing start from the in-form duo of Venkatesh Iyer (44 off 29) and N. Jagadeesan (37 off 24). Rinku Singh chipped in with a handy 26 but it was Varun Chakaravarthy’s 15-ball 33 that propelled KKR past 200.
Patidar was the star with the ball for RCB, claiming 3/29, while Cameron Green’s 1/25 was also economical. Despite the batting collapse, Kohli’s men walked away with a solitary point by virtue of their defiant rearguard action.
Ultimately, it was spin twins Narine and Russell’s magic that stole the show and gave KKR an incredible come-from-behind victory that will be remembered for years to come.
ALSO READ: KKR vs RCB – Russell, Narine Spin Magic as KKR Pull Off Heist of the Season vs RCB in IPL 2024
KKR vs RCB Best Batting performances
- Will Jacks (55 off 32) – The English batter played a blazing innings, smashing 4 fours and 5 sixes to give RCB a flying start in the chase. His 92-run stand with Patidar seemed to have put RCB on course for victory before KKR fought back.
- Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) – Continuing his red-hot form, Patidar tore into the KKR bowling with a whirlwind 52 off just 23 balls, clobbering 3 fours and 5 massive sixes. His explosive innings gave RCB the momentum in the middle overs.
- Varun Chakaravarthy (33 off 15) – Coming in at No. 8, the KKR all-rounder provided the late impetus with a blistering 33 not out off just 15 balls, smacking 2 fours and 3 sixes to propel KKR past 200.
ALSO READ: KKR vs RCB – KKR Blitz Leaves RCB Chasing 223 After Salt’s Pyrotechnics
KKR vs RCB Best Bowling performances
- Andre Russell (3/25) – The KKR superstar produced another game-changing spell, triggering RCB’s collapse with the key wickets of Patidar and Karthik en route to figures of 3/25.
- Sunil Narine (2/34) – The mystery spinner was miserly yet again and turned the match decisively in KKR’s favor by dismissing the set Jacks and then having Lomror caught and bowled.
- Rajat Patidar (3/29) – In addition to his batting heroics, Patidar was RCB’s best bowler, claiming 3 crucial wickets including that of the dangerous Venkatesh Iyer.
KKR vs RCB – Powerplay Performances (0-6 overs):
RCB Batting: RCB got off to a blazing start in the powerplay, thanks to Virat Kohli’s 18 off 7 balls and Will Jacks’ aggressive 43 off 25 balls. They scored 74/2 in the powerplay, putting pressure on KKR early on.
KKR Bowling: KKR’s pacers Harshit Rana (1/20) and Mitchell Starc (0/14) kept things relatively tight but couldn’t find a breakthrough. The introduction of Varun Chakaravarthy in the 4th over paid dividends as he dismissed the well-set Faf du Plessis.
ALSO READ: SRH vs DC IPL Yesterday’s match – Abhsishek Sharma and Travis Head’s batting mayhem crumble DC
KKR vs RCB – Death Overs Performances (16-20 overs):
RCB Batting: RCB’s batting collapsed spectacularly in the death overs, going from 137/2 in the 11th over to being bowled out for 202 in the final over. They scored just 65 runs but lost 8 wickets in the last 5 overs.
KKR Bowling: The KKR bowlers were simply outstanding in the death overs. Sunil Narine (2/34) and Andre Russell (3/25) ran through the RCB batting, triggering a dramatic collapse. Mitchell Starc bowled a superb final over under immense pressure to defend 3 off the last ball.
So in summary, while RCB dominated the powerplay, it was KKR who decisively won the death overs battle to pull off an incredible comeback victory.
