Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer was the best batter for his team against Rajasthan Royals (RR) with a score of 85 runs off 51 balls. However, his valiant effort was not enough to condemn KKR to a seven-run loss against the Royals, their third consecutive defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The 27-year-old Shreyas hit seven fours and four sixes and notched a strike rate of 166.66 in the game. However, a brilliant 17th over bowled by spinner Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed the KKR skipper as the match turned back in the favour of the Royals.
After his wicket on the fourth ball of Chahal's innings, Shreyas was seen complaining about something to the head coach Brendon McCullum who was sitting in the dugout. The skipper had his bat and helmet in his hands and was talking to the New Zealand legend about some action on the field. Understandably, the KKR coach too didn’t have anything to say at that point given that emotions tend to take over after losing such a close game.
The Royals were propelled to a high total of 218 courtesy of a brilliant century by Jos Buttler, his second of the season. He scored 61-ball 103 with nine fours and five sixes to his name. Meanwhile, RR skipper Sanju Samson’s 38 off 19 and Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 26 off 13 also helped the inaugural IPL post the mammoth total for the loss of just five wickets in their stipulated 20 overs.
In addition to Shreyas, Australia's limited-overs captain Aaron Finch also slammed a brilliant half-century, before being dismissed for 58 runs in 28 balls. The Knight Riders were in control of the chase, with 40 runs needed off the last four overs and six wickets in hand.
But Chahal, who had started poorly having conceded 38 runs in three overs, picked up a brilliant hat-trick to leave the opposition stunned. In the final overs, KKR bowler Umesh Yadav managed to hit a few boundaries and maximums, but a brilliant final over by IPL debutant Obed McCoy ensured that the Kolkata-based franchise were all out for 210 runs.
