IPL 2020: Nitish Rana guides KKR to 172 for 5 against CSK

Asked to bat first, KKR openers Rana along with Young Shubman Gill gave Kolkata a decent start as the duo added 53 runs for the first wicket in 7.2 overs.

Dubai: Nitish Rana struck 87 off 61 balls as Kolkata Knight Riders scored 172 for five against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match here on Thursday.

• Innings Break!#KKR post a total of 172/5 on the board. Will #CSK chase this down?
  
  Scorecard - https://t.co/pxx3yYaVsq #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/QXMxtQUY6b

  — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 29, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Innings Break!#KKR post a total of 172/5 on the board. Will #CSK chase this down?
  
  Scorecard - https://t.co/pxx3yYaVsq #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/QXMxtQUY6b

  — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 29, 2020

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  Innings Break!#KKR post a total of 172/5 on the board. Will #CSK chase this down?
  
  Scorecard - https://t.co/pxx3yYaVsq #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/QXMxtQUY6b

  — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 29, 2020

Asked to bat first, KKR openers Rana along with Young Shubman Gill gave Kolkata a decent start as the duo added 53 runs for the first wicket in 7.2 overs.

Karn Sharma drew the first blood for Chennai Super Kings by dismissing Gill from the attack. Gill scored 26 runs off 17 balls with the help of four boundaries before all-rounder Sunil Narine joined Rana at the crease.

Eoin Morgan's strategy to promote Narine up in the batting order was not much fruitful as he was sent back to the pavilion after facing just seven balls.

Rinku Singh, who was included in the side in place of Prasidh Krishna, walked to bat at number four and was removed by Ravindra Jadeja in 13th over after adding just 11 runs in KKR's scoreboard.

Morgan joined Rana in the middle following Rinku's departure but was not able to do much damage to Chennai either. He scored just 15 runs off 12 balls but snitched a crucial 44-run stand with Rana.

Even though KKR kept losing wickets on a regular interval, Rana anchored Kolkata's innings from the other end as he smashed 87 runs with the help of 10 fours and four sixes.

Rana became the first victim of Lungi Ngidi in 18th over while trying ti escalate Kolkata's innings and soon KKR skipper Morgan followed suit. Morgan scored 15 runs off 12 balls.

Former skipper Dinesh Karthik also played a cameo, smashing a quickfire 21 from 10 balls. Sam Curran looked the best bowler despite going wicketless finishing with 0/21 from three overs.

For Chennai Super kings Lungi Ngidi bagged two wickets, while Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja and Karn Sharma picked one each.

Brief Scores: KKR 172/5 in 20 overs (Nitish Rana 87 off 61 balls, Dinesh Karthik 21 not out off 10 balls, Lungi Ngidi 2/34).