Kolkata: It was a contest dominated by the batters when Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings met in the IPL fixture at Eden Gardens on Friday and the latter won the fixture by eight wickets.
PBKS opted to bowl first but the KKR openers made them rethink their decision with a 138-run opening stand in just 10.3 overs. Philip Salt scored 75 runs while Sunil Narine notched up 71 runs during his stay at the crease. Wickets kept falling after the first blow but the batters ensured that the momentum isn't hampered and the team posted 261/6 on the scoreboard which was the highest total at the venue.
The real carnage was yet to be unleashed and when PBKS batters walked in for the chase, they made it look easy. The opening pair of Jonny Bairstow (108 not out) and Prabhsimran Singh (54) racked up 93 runs from just six overs for the opening stand before the latter was dismissed via a run-out. Rilee Roussouw contributed with 26 runs and Shashank Singh ensured that it would be a smooth sailing for the chasing side after arriving upon the crease. Plethora of records were broken in the game.
It was the highest target successfully chased in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also in Men's T20 cricket. Also, the match saw most sixes being hit in a Men's T20 game.
Live Updates from the second innings
Over 16-18.4 (262/2)
No score is safe this season and the sheer hitting by PBKS batters tonight indicated it. The 16th over was a calm one as nine runs were scored in it and Bairstow scored joint second-fastest hundred for PBKS in 45 balls. But, there was a storm after that as neither Bairstow (108 not out) nor Shashank (68 not out) stopped themselves from smashing the white Kookaburra out of the park. The duo amassed 43 runs in the next two overs. Shashank finished the game to ensure eight-wicket victory for the chasing side.
- Over 11-15 (201/2)
Bairstow is unleashing an electrifying version of him today and the batter smacked Chakravarthy for 17 runs thanks to a couple of sixes in the over. Next over, it was Russell who faced the brute hitting from the duo of Bairstow and Rossouw. The duo seems to have taken a leaf straight out of the computer games and they are hitting every delivery out of the park now. Narine brought some sigh of relief to the bowling team as he dismissed the South African batter with a loopy delivery outside off.
Shashank Singh came in to bat and he is not sparing the KKR bowlers either and smacked a couple of sixes to Chakravarthy upon his arrival.
- Over 7-10 (132/1)
Although Prabhsimran is back in the hut, Bairstow is now going gung-ho with his ferocious strokes. Narine slotted an economical seventh over conceding only one run as Rossouw was not able to read him. However, Harshit Rana got whacked for 14 runs in the next and PBKS have maintained their attacking scoring rate. One more maximum from Bairstow in the ninth over and it is an indicator of how simple it is to clear the boundary fence. It was a mistimed shot but still, Bairstow went through it and earned six runs.
- Over 0-6 (93/1)
The out-of-form Jonny Bairstow showed some glimpses of returning to form in the first over as he hit a powerful stroke through the offside on the third delivery of the over against a full-length delivery outside off. PBKS have come out with a befitting reply and Prabhsimran Singh is wreaking havoc with the bat. He collected 23 runs from the third over bowled by Chameera and then took Narine to the cleaners in the fifth over and KKR got 12 runs from it. PBKS are off to a flier now thanks to Prabhsimran and his flourish at the crease is giving confidence to Baristow to go big.
But, the last over of the powerplay brought a big moment for KKR as Prabhsimran got run out while taking a risky single courtesy of Narine’s direct throw.
Live updates from the first innings
- Over 16-20 (261/6)
This is the highest T20 total at Eden Gardens. A stellar batting display from the KKR batting unit.
Kolkata Knight Riders added 71 runs in the final five overs with left-handed batter Venkatesh Iyer playing a cameo of 39 off 23 balls. He hammered three fours and two sixes in his quick-fire knock. Iyer was dismissed on the final ball of the innings. However, KKR lost four wickets in the last five overs. Andre Russel, popularly known as De Russ, made a quickfire 24 off just 12 balls, hitting two fours and as many sixes. He was caught by Harshal Patel off left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. Skipper Shreyas Iyer also made a blistering 28 off 10 balls, with one boundary and three maximums. All-rounder Rinku Singh, however, was dismissed cheaply for 5. For Punjab Kings, Arshdeep (2 for 45) was the pick of the bowlers.
- Over 11-15 (190/2)
A much-needed breakthrough was provided by Rahul Chahar as Narine (71) tried to pull a short delivery and ended up providing a catch at long-on. However, the wicket didn’t affect the scoring rate of the side but Salt tried to maintain the scoring rate with a couple of sixes against Sam Curran but was clean bowled by the bowler on the third delivery. Russell has walked in the crease and KKR will look towards him to steer the scoreboard.
- Over 7-10 (137/0)
The scoring rate is continuously maintained by both the batters and Narine completes his fifty from 23 balls thanks to a couple of fours he struck in the eighth over. PBKS need to break the partnership as soon as possible, otherwise, KKR are heading for a huge target. Salt also inked a half-century in just 25 balls and the duo is smashing all the bowlers from the opposition. The duo is looking dangerous and they are on their way to setting a platform for a big total for KKR.
A whopping run rate of 13.7 after 10 overs and KKR are set for a huge total if they capitalise on such a capitalising start.
- Over 0-6 (76/0)
While Phil Salt is taking his time to settle at the crease, Sunil Narine is doing the job he has been assigned by the team with ease. The West Indian all-rounder whacked a boundary in the opening over and then hit a maximum to Arshdeep Singh in the second over. Harshal Patel was introduced into the attack in the third over by the PBKS skipper.
However, Salt also joined the party and switched the gears by thrashing Harshal for a couple of sixes and a boundary and the KKR batters gathered 18 runs from the over. Both the openers Narine and Salt are scoring at a rapid pace and have given KKR a blistering start.
- Playing XI
KKR: Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Dushmantha Chameera, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana
PBKS: Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran(c), Rilee Rossouw, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
- Toss
PBKS won the toss and chose to bowl
