Though ‘home ground’ for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Ranchi showered more praise on the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday but that couldn’t stop the defending champions from going past RCB by five-wickets to keep their hopes alive, even if they hangs by a thread, for a top-four finish in the city’s IPl debut.
The capacity crowd at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association stadium came to see fireworks from Chris Gayle, Virat Kolhi and AB de Villiers but saw mystery spinner Sunil Narine scalping four RCB batsmen while laxmipathy Balaji and veteran Jacques Kallis chipped in with two each as Bangalore could only manage 115 in their 20 overs.
Marauder Gayle played an uncharacteristic 36-ball 33 which included just one six over after Bangalore were put in to bat by KKR captain Gautam Gambhir after he won the toss on a slow, low pitch, a sudden shower just prior to the match might also have tempted him into the decision.
RCB struggled from the start with their 50 coming in the 10th over at the loss of two wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Kohli. Then, Narine was re-introduced by Gambhir in the 14th over and he outfoxed countryman Gayle to get him stumped by wicket-keeper. Manvinder Bisla. 70 for 3 was the score when the left-hander walked back and after that wickets kept falling and all the star-studded visitors could manage was 115.
After the innings brake, RCB got the desired start with Bisla departing early without bothering the scorers.
Then, Gambhir and Kallis joined hands to resurrect the innings and three trademark cuts of the captain meant KKR were up and away. The dangerous looking Gambhir though went soon after giving a simple catch to Gayle at first slip of Vinay Kumar. The wicket brought big hitting Yusuf Pathan to the crease while the experienced Kallis was to hold one end.
Pathan showed intentions early into the innings with a big six over long on of left arm spinner Murali Kartik but fell to the same bowler after making 18 of 16 deliveries, disappointing once again.
Manoj Tiwari came in and shared a partnership of 35 which took the team to 20 runs away from victory when Man of the Match Kallis fell for a well-made 41.
Some late excitement when Tiwari, playing superbly got out to a full toss bowled by Vinay Kumar for 24 which left the equation to 12 from 13 and two new batsmen Ryan ten Doeschate and Rajat Bhatia at the crease.
But that was all of the tension as ten Doeschate hit the second ball of the last over straight for a four and secured victory for Kolkata and giving them something to cheer about.
With then win, Kolkata now have 12 points from 14 matches and need to win all their matches apart from other favourable results.
Bangalore, on the pother hand, were left stranded with 16 points after the same number of games played.
Brief Scores
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 115 for nine in 20 overs (Chris Gayle 33; AB de Villiers 28; Sunil Narine 4/22) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders: 116 for five in 19.2 overs (Jacques Kallis 41, Manoj Tiwary 24; R Vinay Kumar 2/17) by 5 wickets.