Clinical Knight Riders in line for final playoff spot after Royals demolition job
They enjoyed the perfect game on Thursday, keeping Royals to their second successive sub-100 total
They enjoyed the perfect game on Thursday, keeping Royals to their second successive sub-100 total
Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: @himanshu_a30
So a good day of cricket comes to an end, but don't forget there are two concurrent matches tomorrow. Until then, see you! Goodnight and goodbye!
Shivam Mavi is the Player of the Match: "[Performance in important time] Very happy to do this in this stage of the game. Plan was to bowl wicket-to-wicket and not give room. Because the ball was staying low. [Transition from U-19 to IPL, what have you learnt?] When I was playing U-19, I came to KKR. You have to keep learning when you arrive, and I have learnt when to use the slower balls, when to bowl the yorkers, and what to deliver in which period of the game. [Favourite wicket?] Shivam Dube's. When you get someone lbw or bowled, you feel good as a bowler. We've done what we need to. Lets see what happens tomorrow."
Morgan after a dominant win: "I don't think it could have got better. Losing the toss and batting was difficult. The start we got was fantastic. Gill and Iyer have been our shining light. To get 170 we thought was in a commanding position. A really strong performance today. Having aggressive players coming in in the middle order helped us kick... Shakib coming in and performing the way he has in the last two games has made replacing Andre Russell easier. He has contributed massively. We are taking it day by day [with Russell], so he's working incredibly hard. Fingers crossed. I hope [I can play golf tomorrow]. I am not too attached to things as to what will happen and what won't happen... We have done everything tonight. We deserved to win..."
Time for the presentations
Anubhab Mukherj: "So basically SRH can knock MI out with a coin toss."
Ayush: "Does these mean Mumbai needs to score 250 and then bowl srh under 80" --- Absolutely. As simple as that!
Satishakumar: "KKR investment in Indian young lads last two seasons giving yields now."
Vishal Kahate: "What if Sunrisers bat first tomorrow? Can MI qualify?" --- Nope, they can't.
Ferguson after his three-wicket haul: "Tried to bowl the natural, hard length as much as possible. Credit must go to the batters... We watched the Mumbai game here over the weekend... Just icing [the niggle] and jogging around there. The medical team at KKR is fantastic. Impressive young bowler [Mavi]. Bowls clearly according to his plans. He's got a bit unlucky at times... It's awesome to see him develop over the years..."
Here's Samson after the loss: "It was a much better wicket we got last time. This was staying low... 171 was easy chaseable on this wicket with the batting line-up we have. We wanted to execute whatever we planned, but we didn't do it today. I am very proud of the character we showed. We were losing some easy games. We wanted to do well mindset wise. We need to play a better standard of cricket. Those were the challenges [losing Stokes, Buttler and Archer]... Being the captain, I changed the way I look at my innings. I look at the conditions and the batsmen around me. Always thinking about the match situation... That got me a bit more runs..."
Meanwhile, Mumbai will need to win by 171 runs tomorrow if they are to qualify for the playoffs. And if Mumbai chase, it is all but impossible for them to make it.
9.21pm Comprehensive win by Knight Riders. An 86-run win coming on the back of all-round dominance. Gill and Iyer set the platform with the bat, and Mavi and Ferguson led the way with the ball. Just two batters got into double figures for Royals, and that pretty much sums it up.
R Tewatia b Shivam Mavi 44 (42m 36b 5x4 2x6) SR: 122.22
Mavi replaces Ferguson. Over the wicket.
Narine around the wicket, with Shakib at short leg and with a slip there too.
Mustafizur is the last man.
Asif: "You can keep Shakib out of bowl, but you can't keep Shakib out of game."
Sarthak: "15.1 - how can you run a bye off a spinner?" --- Why not? The ball took off after striking Karthik's gloves, and so he couldn't collect cleanly. That is what allowed the bye.
Time-out
C Sakariya run out 1 (20m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 20.00
Remains around to Tewatia
It was the sixth time Knight Riders bowled out their opposition for a sub-100 total
Get your dose of stats, colour and analysis on Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals on ESPNcricinfo's live blog
They enjoyed the perfect game on Thursday, keeping Royals to their second successive sub-100 total
"We know that he heals quickly. He has proved that last year," Morgan said of Russell's fitness
Rajasthan Royals, however, could rain down on their parade in Thursday's clash in Sharjah