Picture : Twitter / IPL
The 8th match of the Tata IPL 2022 at Wankhede between The Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings was a one- sided affair as KKR powered home by 6 wickets and 33 balls to spare in the encounter.
KKR Skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl first . His bowlers backed his move superbly. Punjab floundered from the beginning skipper Mayank Agarwal ( 1 ) , Shikhar Dhawan ( 16 ) Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa was sensational promised big with a blazing 9 ball 31 ( 3 fours and three sixes) , Liam Livingstone ( 16) , Shahrukh Khan ( 0 ). With top guns flopping, Punjab were bowled out for 137 in 18. 2 overs.
KKR bowlers were spot on . Umesh Yadav has been bowling very well . With searing pace Umesh bagged an impressive 4/23 (4 overs) , Tim Southee 2/ 36 (4 overs), Shivam Mavi 1/ 39 ( 2 overs) was expensive, Varun Chakaravarthy 0/ 14 ( 4 overs), Sunil Narine 1/23 (4 overs), Andre Russell 1/ 0 ( 0.2)
In reply , Kolkata Knight Riders almost made a mess of the chase . Ajinkya Rahane once again failed to move after a postive start and good shots out for 12, Venkatesh Iyer ( 3 ) skipper Shreyas Iyer ( 26) , Nitish Rana ( 0). KKR was tottering at 51 / 4 .
Then the brute power force of Andre Russell took over. The powerful West Indian came to the party and ripped apart the kings with a stunning power unbeaten innings of 70 off 31 balls ( 2 fours and 8 sixes) , Sam Billings too gave him company , remaining unbeaten on 24 off 23 balls. KKR thanks to Russell Blitz reached 141/ 4 ( 14. 3 overs) with 33 balls and six wickets to spare. Kings bowlers had no answer to Russell onslaught. Russell and Billings partnership took the match away from the Kings the duo putting on 90 off mere 47 balls.
King Bowlers had figures like Arshdeep Singh 0/ 32 ( 3 overs) , Kagiso Rabada 1/ 23 ( 3 overs), Odean Smith 1/ 39 ( 2 overs), Rahul Chahar was impressive 2 / 13 ( 4 overs) , Harpreet Brar 0/ 20 ( 2 over)
