A classic T20 thriller unfolded at Eden Gardens!
Explosive batting from both sides kept the outcome uncertain.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, needing 60 runs in the final three overs, fell just short, succumbing to a narrow 4 run defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders.
A look at the best bowling performances in the KKR vs SRH match:
Harshit Rana
Chasing a stiff target, SRH made a valiant effort. With 13 runs required off the final over, the pressure was immense. KKR Skipper Shreyas Iyer entrusted the responsibility to the inexperienced Rana, a gamble that raised eyebrows.
Rana started shakily, conceding a six off the first ball to the rampaging Klaasen. But he displayed remarkable composure, changing his pace and dismissing both Shahbaz Ahmed and the dangerous Klaasen in quick succession. The latter's dismissal, a well-judged catch by Suyash Sharma, proved to be the turning point.
SRH Skipper Pat Cummins needed just five runs off the last ball but failed to connect, handing KKR a narrow but thrilling victory. Rana's resilience under pressure, finishing with figures of 3/33, earned him well-deserved praise.
Andre Russell
Russell wasn't done dominating the match after his explosive knock. He turned his attention to bowling and immediately made an impact.
His first victim was the dangerous Abhishek Sharma, caught deep midwicket for 32 off 19 balls.
Later, Russell struck again, dismissing Abdul Samad for 15 (11).
Samad, who had been keeping SRH in the hunt with his aggressive batting, tried to go big against Russell's pace. However, he mistimed a full toss that dipped just outside off stump.
T Natarajan
Natarajan emerged as the star bowler during the Powerplay, stifling KKR's early momentum with a crucial wickets.
Natarajan accounted for the first wicket with a smart dismissal. Sunil Narine, promoted as opener, was run out in the same over Marco Jansen was being taken to the cleaners. This shift in momentum continued as Natarajan dismissed both Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer in quick succession.
With two crucial wickets in the Powerplay, Natarajan put Sunrisers firmly in control, restricting KKR to a cautious approach after their initial burst.
Natarajan continued his wicket-taking spree, claiming the crucial scalp of Rinku Singh. Rinku's dismissal, for a well-made 23 off 15 balls, was a significant blow to KKR's momentum.
Natarajan, with his third wicket of the innings, had successfully put the brakes on the KKR scoring.
Mayank Markande
MMarkande emerged as a key bowling weapon for Sunrisers, claiming two important wickets in the middle overs to halt the progress of the KKR innings.
First, Markande dismissed Nitish Rana in the eighth over. The execution was poor, resulting in a thick inside edge that flew straight to Rahul Tripathi at backward point. Rana, who could only managed 9 runs off 11 balls, departed cheaply, leaving KKR in a spot of bother.
Phil Salt, who had been building a solid innings, was Markande's second victim. The dismissal came in the 14th over. Marco Jansen, positioned perfectly at deep midwicket, judged the trajectory brilliantly and dived spectacularly to pouch a well-deserved catch. Salt's knock of 54 (40) ended, leaving a void in the KKR batting order.
Markande's twin strikes effectively curbed KKR's momentum in the middle overs, putting Sunrisers back in control of the match.
KKR Vs SRH: Who Bowled The Best Spell?
