Halfway through the contest, the optimist in Virat Kohli would have looked upon Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) total of 158 for 6 — an arduous effort to say the least — as competitive against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, merely 7 overs into the second innings, all hopes were blown away mercilessly. The opening pair of Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn added 105 in just 36 balls. It was not Lynnsanity if you think that was the case. It was mayhem from the bat of Sunil Narine, about which a very little was known before this IPL began. Yes you read it all right.
Chasing 159 to win, Kolkata Knight Riders produced one of the most brutal batting displays. With 29 balls to spare, KKR won by 6 wickets. Lynn began with 2 fours and 1 six in the first over, and hammered as many in the third over off Yuzvendra Chahal. However, things went bad to worse in a matter of the first four deliveries of the fourth over. As many as 25 runs were scored in that over. Narine smoked three sixes off the first three balls off compatriot Samuel Badree, and followed it up with a four. In the next over, Narine transformed into a monster — 26 were collected off Sreenath Aravind — comprising of 4 fours and 1 six. Mayhem.
The only six which Narine hit off Aravind helped him set a record which many batsmen in this slam-bang format yearn for. IPL pays big money. Narine, after taking a plethora of wickets in his pomp, now has the joint-fastest IPL half-century.
It all did not stop there. Lynnsanity resumed, and RCB were pummelled into submission. He hit 2 sixes and 1 four off Chahal.
It was the end of the powerplay. KKR had 105 runs on the board; an IPL record.
If it can be described as a consolation for the battered and bruised Royal Challengers Bangalore side, Narine fell without embarrassing them further. His onslaught was of 54 runs, off a mere 17 balls, studded with 6 fours and 4 sixes.
Lynn soon perished, but not before bringing what was yet another brisk half-century. He scored 50 off 22 balls with 4 sixes and 5 boundaries.
There was no other way for RCB to have responded but with a flurry of wickets. However, it remains a fact that a team that has three of the best batsmen in the format have a terrible bowling attack. Gautam Gambhir and Colin de Grandhomme got together to do the rest, and they were not even needed to look for boundaries or quick runs.
Amid all this, de Grandhomme showcased the batsman in him. He smacked 2 sixes and 1 four to score 31 off 28 balls and with Gambhir, he added another 45 runs in 5.5 overs to take KKR closer to a victory. When 3 more runs were needed to win, Gambhir played straight to extra cover and perished for 13.
Eventually, Kolkata Knight Riders consolidated their chances to storm into the IPL 2017 playoffs. As of now, only Mumbai Indians (MI) have made it into the final four.
Earlier in the match, RCB huffed and puffed and reached a score of 158 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. The big guns in Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers scored a total of 15, and were dismissed inside the first six overs once again. It was, however, a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket between Mandeep Singh (52) and Travis Head (75 not out) which saved the face for RCB. At the end, none of it was of any match against the rampant KKR side.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 158 for 6 in 20 overs (Mandeep Singh 52, Travis Head 75*; Umesh Yadav 3 for 36, Sunil Narine 2 for 29) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 159 for 4 in 15.1 overs (Sunil Narine 54, Chris Lynn 50, Colin de Grandhomme 31; Pawan Negi 2 for 21) by 6 wickets.
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