END OF OVER:20 | 19 Runs 2 Wkts | RCB: 221/10 (2 runs required, RR: 11.05)
- Mohammed Siraj0 (0b)
- Mitchell Starc3-0-55-1
- Andre Russell3-0-25-3
That's all we have from Kolkata tonight. It was fun bringing the thriller to you. The second game of the double-header Sunday is on. Do jump in to follow all the action from PBKS vs GT in Mullanpur. Till the next time, on behalf of Sudeep and Abhimanyu, take care! Ciao!
7:55pm Time for the presentation
Shreyas Iyer: "We go through so many emotions, tough to stay calm. Elated to get these two points. I feel that every individual should take responsibility to deliver. Russell came on and completely changed the momentum. It's a funny game, when you need 18 off 6, the pressure is on the bowler. One six here and there, the bowler is under pressure. It is important we maintain our calmness and stay in the present. Make the batter hit where you want to. It is a challenge that will be thrown at us. It was a pivotal knock. Wanted to stay till the end and see if I can hit fours here and there. The players walking with me were rotating the strike. That was I was happy about. Want to continue in the same vein."
Andre Russell, Player of the Match: "I always back my bowling. Getting the ball in a crucial time, I know I have to come good. Happy for the two points. When I was batting earlier, change-ups was difficult to hit. As a bowler, that is what I tried - length ball, slower cutters, it was gripping on the surface. I was happy to get the two set batters out and that's what changed the game. When I look at the bowling equation, Harshith had one, Starcy had one, I had two. So my aim was to bowl an important over and give Starcy as much to defend. I was looking to bowl six deliveries at DK and mixing up with the short ones and slower ones. Worked well tonight."
7:40pm Breathe! Hush! What a game. How do KKR celebrate now? How do RCB handle this defeat? Some finish this. Cricket's a team game, alright. But how many times have we seen a one-man effort turn things around? The game swung one way and then the other.
When Jacks and Patidar were going along, it was all RCB. But then they lost a few quick wickets and all hinged on DK. He fell short, and then it was all KKR. Till Karn reminded everybody of his batting mettle. And a bit about Starc's form with the ball, too. All of it was not enough for RCB to turn their form around.
Faf du Plessis, RCB captain: "It was crazy. Rules are rules, Virat and myself in that space thought the ball was higher than his waist. You always find one team happy and the other not so with such decisions. With a target like 220, takes a hell of a lot to get there. When you haven't won for a while, just that clarity. Narine's over was the turning point for me. We feel like the game is changing. We don't feel like there is time to get in. Guys who take 7-8 balls to get in, it feels like the game does not allow you to do that anymore. It is tough. You just play the match-up with Narine, he is such a quality bowler. If you are winning games and get the confidence of getting the team over the line, you take such decisions. I am proud of the boys, a lot of fight out there. We though the total was chaseable and thought it was a par score. You have to maximise the powerplay, and be okay with losing two or three wickets. We are as desperate. That's why I am saying I am proud. Guys put their bodies on the line. We are just as desperate to get back to winning ways. We have an unbelievable fan base. The RCB chant is the loudest. Desperately want to make our fans proud."
Harshit Rana: "[On his last over] The plan was from before. The wicket was good to bat if there was pace on the ball. So our plan was to take pace off. Whenever I have the ball in hand, I get a bit nervous. But i try to keep my cool and think about my execution. The talk was about taking pace off [towards the end]. Dre bowled well, Sunny also bowled well."
Abby: "I negotiated with my 3 year old to let me watch overs 16-19, while I let go off remote for him to watch Duck Tales after 19th, thinking it was a done deal...AND..oh boy.."
Shaik: "The last 2 over runs given by RCB haunted them the most. The innings was under their control, and KKR could not have scored more than 210 after being 186 at 18th over."
BarestOfMargins: "Unbelievable that Ferguson didn't put in the dive. " He was not that close anyway.
LH Ferguson run out 1 (2m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
Lockie Ferguson is certainly not a No. 11!
KV Sharma c & b Starc 20 (17m 7b 0x4 3x6) SR: 285.71
Who would have thought! 3 needed in 2. Still a similar field
Salt is unhappy and has a good long word with the leggie. Seems to suggest they just looked at one angle
Siraj is the next man in. Starc to bowl the last to Karn
END OF OVER:19 | 10 Runs 1 Wkt | RCB: 202/8 (21 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 10.63, RRR: 21.00)
- Karn Sharma2 (2b)
- Andre Russell3-0-25-3
- Harshit Rana4-0-33-2
KD Karthik c †Salt b Russell 25 (32m 18b 3x4 1x6) SR: 138.88
Suyog: "RCB should focus on Suyash Prabhudessai as their long time prospect. They shouldn't do it like Chahal, in him they invested and lost him."
Russell to bowl with RCB needing 31 off 12
Gambhir and Pandit, KKR's head coach, seen in an animated chat with the fourth umpire. Must be about Narine being off the field. He comes back on. Gurbaz had come on, he goes off now
END OF OVER:18 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | RCB: 192/7 (31 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 10.66, RRR: 15.50)
- Dinesh Karthik15 (12b)
- Karn Sharma2 (2b)
- Harshit Rana4-0-33-2
- Varun Chakravarthy4-0-36-1
Karn Sharma in next
SS Prabhudessai c Raghuvanshi b Harshit Rana 24 (29m 18b 3x4 0x6) SR: 133.33
Srihari: "What was Prabhudessai doing all this while???" warming the bench?
Rana vs DK now
END OF OVER:17 | 5 Runs | RCB: 186/6 (37 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.94, RRR: 12.33)
- Suyash Prabhudessai24 (17b)
- Dinesh Karthik12 (9b)
- Varun Chakravarthy4-0-36-1
- Harshit Rana3-0-27-1
Abhishek : "How about a first super over of the season?" Bring it onnn!!!
Salt runs to the doc with his helmet for a check. Saving time
