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Kolkata Knight Riders launched a perfect comeback to clinch their first victory of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as they rode on Shardul Thakur's all-round show and spin magic from Suyash Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy to bulldoze Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 81 runs at the Eden Gardens stadium on Thursday (April 6).
While Shardul turned batter to hammer the joint fastest fifty (68 off 29) of IPL 2023 and helped the former champions KKR post a colossal total of 204/7, the 19-year-old debutant Suyash (3/30) and Varun (4/15) left RCB batters in a spin and won the match with 15 balls to spare. Shardul too picked a prized wickets of Michael Bracewell as he returned with an impressive spell of 15/1.
Chasing a daunting target of 205, RCB got off to a cracking start with Virat Kohli and skipper Faf Du Plessis smashing KKR bowlers all around the park. But Sunil Narine pulled off a magical delivery to halt nip Kohli storm in the bud that spun right into the stumps. Kohli returned to the hut in the fifth over after scoring 21 off 18. It was all on De Plessis' shoulders then who took looked in great touch but too only follow Kohli's suit as he was dismissed in the following over by Varun after notching a 12-ball 23.
Glenn Maxwell and Harshal Patel had no answer to Varun's spin wizardry as both the batters were dismissed in quick succession in the same over (eighth) on the paltry scores of 5 and 0 respectively. RCB's last hope was Dinesh Karthik who along with Shahbaz Ahmed standing on the crease when the team's scoreboard read 54/4. But Shahbaz was given the marching orders by Narine after scoring just 1 run to leave Karthik in lurch.
The hero of the match Shardul then removed Bracewell in the 12th over as the New Zealand's star batter holed out to KKR skipper Nitish Rana after his short stay of 19 off 18. The debutant Suyash, who was playing his first competitive match, turned everyone's head with his impactful performance. He snared Anuj Rawat's (1 off 5) wicket followed by Karthik's (9 off 8) to shatter RCB's hope. He didn't stop there and went to pick one more to dismiss Karn Sharma (1 off 3) to record a sensational spell of 3/30. Varun then summed up RCB's innings by sending Akash Deep (17 off 8) to pavilion.
Earlier, Asked to bat, KKR relied on magnificent fifties from two traded players, Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Shardul, to enable KKR post a formidable 204 for seven. Gurbaz (57, 44b, 6x4, 3x6), traded from Gujarat Titans, impressed a packed house by single-handedly gathering runs to give KKR a decent start despite the loss of three wickets inside seven overs.
Even as the experienced David Willey, who bowled a good length and extracted some movement, castled Venkatesh Iyer and Mandeep Singh in consecutive deliveries, and Michael Bracewell removed captain Nitish Rana, Gurbaz, gifted with a clear head and a pair of agile feet, was at ease against pacers and spinners alike in executing some stunning hits and gathering useful singles.
Karn Sharma removed Gurbaz and Andre Russell in consecutive deliveries. However, Shardul (68, 29b, 9x4, 3x6), who made a transition from Delhi Capitals, capitalised on the situation to showcase his awe-inspiring big hits, lording over the area between cover and long-off on one side and between fine-leg and midwicket on the other. Shardul notched up his fifty in 20 balls, the joint fastest with Jos Buttler this time, and forged a valuable 103-run partnership with Rinku Singh (46, 33b, 2x4, 3x6), who joined the party late, before exiting in the final over. The sixth-wicket stand took KKR past 200, which looked difficult at one stage.
RCB began the chase briskly before KKR’s trusted spin duo, Narine and Varun, bamboozled the visiting batters, including the famed Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell, with their variations to share the first five wickets inside nine overs. Shardul, who scalped Michael Bracewell, and Suyash contributed in completing the formality.
RCB will next face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 10, while KKR will lock horns with defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 9.
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