IPL 2020 | KKR vs CSK: Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik and Kolkata bowlers propel Kolkata to third spot

Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 167 all out in 20 overs (Rahul Tripathi 81, Sunil Narine 17; DJ Bravo 3/37) beat Chennai Super Kings 157/5 in 20 overs (Shane Watson 50, Ambati Rayudu 30; Varun Chakravarty 1/28) by 10 runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders mounted a sublime bowling effort to refuse Chennai Super Kings a facile 168-run target to nab their third win of the campaign in the 21st match of the Indian Premier League 2020 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Rahul Tripathi accepted the opportunity to open the innings with both hands, smacking a fabulous 81 to mitigate KKR's top-order conundrum once and for all. Losing wickets at vital junctures was the primary reason why CSK concluded on the wrong side of the result despite being in the hunt by and large. KKR displaced Royal Challengers Bangalore from the third position and occupied it courtesy enhanced NRR following tonight's slug-fest at Abu Dhabi.

Even-stevens at the end of the PowerPlay

Given openers Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis were on seventh heaven following their colossal 181-run stand against Kings XI Punjab, many jumped the gun on KKR's ability to defend. But Shivam Mavi was quick to reiterate that the men in purple won't go down without a fight. He dangled the carrot wide of off-stump as du Plessis feathered behind in an approach to carve it through backward point. Another chance tumbled in KKR's basket after Watson and Ambati Rayudu piloted CSK to 54/1 at the point of the first strategic timeout, but Rahul Tripathi erred in judging a flat short-arm hoick from the former.

Wickets topple as CSK feel the heat

Kamlesh Nagarkoti's 13th over evoked a mixed bag of emotions for KKR. While Rayudu miscuing a pull to long-on brought a sense of jubilation, Watson notching his fifty in the final ball of Nagarkoti's over suggested CSK still had the wood on the chase. Though Narine's grubber trapped the half-centurion plumb to lend a bit of drama, as even a tactical review signalled umpire's call.

The equation now asking for 64 runs off the final six, Sam Curran flexed his muscles to garner ten off Narine. But there was yet another befuddling twist in the tale as mystery-spinner Varun Chakravarthy kept his cool to breach through MS Dhoni's agricultural swipe. The gulf kept stretching, and Curran's loft discovering Eoin Morgan at mid-on did little to relieve the nerves in CSK's camp.

A desperate flash of the blade each from Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja midget the requirement to 26 off the final over, but Andre Russell slinging three consecutive yorkers ensured a CSK victory was a long shot from thereon.

Tripathi nips the opening debate in the bud

Better sense finally prevailed for KKR as Rahul Tripathi walked out alongside Shubman Gill instead of customary choice Sunil Narine, who was proving to be nothing more than a dead duck. And he looked the opener manor born, exhibiting a water-tight technique besides taking full toll of easy pickings. The duo tapped to pinch quite a few singles, albeit also committed the cardinal sin of testing Ravindra Jadeja's arm in a couple of near-death shaves.

Though Gill strayed from his natural game and fell prey to an across-the-line heave, Tripathi was in no mood to squander the golden opportunity. He sliced a half-volley from Deepak Chahar over mid-off before just managing to evade Sam Curran's leap at long-on with his murderous slog-sweep.

Jadeja special headlines CSK rebound

Nitish Rana's adventure of smoking Karn Sharma over cow corner - the longest part of the ground - ended up in Jadeja's bucket hands. KKR's think tank chanced their arm by slotting in Narine as a pinch-hitter at number four. The manoeuvre seemed to do the trick, with the left-handed dasher badgering the leggie for a six and a four before Jadeja filed a reminder of his athletic prowess to wind-up his cameo. He zinged from the blocks at mid-wicket and dived parallel to the ground to his right to latch onto an absolute screamer, but as his body was about to skid into the boundary triangles, his excellent presence of mind saw him parrying the ball to Faf du Plessis, approaching in from long-on.

Curran then extracted some real fizz from the track to depart Eoin Morgan nicking behind, leaving KKR searching for a move-on at 114/4. Although Tripathi's steady accumulation of runs prevented a complete blockage of momentum.

Shardul Thakur resurged for a second burst to eke out dangerman Andre Russell, yet an ebullient Tripathi perishing to a soft dismissal must have been of greater value from CSK's perspective. In spite of Pat Cummins' quickfire 17, KKR could only squeeze 39 between overs 16-20, the final kick doing little justice to Tripathi's lone-ranging endeavour.

What's next in store?

Kolkata Knight Riders will cherish a two-day breathing space before they cross swords versus a deflated Kings XI Punjab on Saturday, October 10. Later in the evening, it'll be a dance of fire and ice as Royal Challengers Bangalore tackle the scuppering Dad's Army that is Chennai Super Kings.

Powered by Froala Editor