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IPL PIX: Venkatesh, Narine power KKR to comfortable win over RCB

Last updated on: March 30, 2024 00:12 IST

Images from the IPL 2024 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, on Friday.

IMAGE: Venkatesh Iyer hit 4 sixes and 3 fours while scoring 50 off 30 balls as Kolkata Knight Riders easily beat Royal Challengers in the IPL match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bangalore, on Friday. Photograph: BCCI

A ruthless fifty by Venkatesh Iyer worked as the catalyst for Kolkata Knight Riders's smooth seven-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match in Bengaluru on Friday.

His 50 off 30 balls (3x4, 4x6) and stunning blitzes by openers Sunil Narine (47, 22b, 2x4, 5x6) and Phil Salt (30, 20b, 2x4, 2x6) propelled the Knight Riders past the RCB's 183-run target, built around Virat Kohli's skilful unbeaten 83.

 

The KKR batters never got bogged down either by the slow pitch or RCB bowlers as they hunted down the target in just 16.5 overs.

IMAGE: Venkatesh Iyer went on the attack from the start. Photograph: BCCI

Their approach on the night was best exemplified by Venkatesh, who is trying hard to regain his relevance in white ball formats. He added 75 runs for the third wicket with skipper Shreyas Iyer (39 not out).

The left-hander found his range from the word go, as pacer Alzarri Joseph suffered the brunt of his aggressive intentions.

IMAGE: Kolkata Knight Riders's Sunil Narine and Phil Salt steal a quick single. Photograph: BCCI

He biffed the West Indian quick for 20 runs in an over that contained two sixes over cover and mid-wicket and a steered four to third man, besides a leg-bye boundary.

Shreyas, who was dropped on five by Yash Dayal off highly impressive local pacer Vysakh Vijayakumar (1/23), just had the supporting role on the night.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine Riders hits a four. Photograph: BCCI

KKR should profusely thank Narine and Salt, who subjugated the RCB bowlers in the Powerplay with astonishing power-hitting, for the easy win.

The visitors' chase began frenetically as Narine and Salt added 86 runs in just 6.3 overs with an array of dazzling shots.

IMAGE: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Vyshak Vijay Kumar celebrates the wicket of Phil Salt. Photograph: BCCI

Salt started the carnage, smoking pacer Mohammed Siraj for 18 runs in the very first over, finding two sixes and a four.

Narine followed suit. After smashing Joseph for two sixes in the third over, the left-hander vandalised the figures of left-arm pacer Dayal, clobbering him for 21 runs, including a four and two sixes in three consecutive balls in the sixth over.

IMAGE: Venkatesh Iyer celebrates his half century. Photograph: BCCI

There was a hint of sluggishness in the Chinnaswamy surface but there was hardly any effort by the RCB bowlers to exploit it with slower balls like their Knight Riders counterparts.

It required a yorker from left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar to break the opening wicket partnership as Narine failed to block the full-length delivery on the off-stump.

But by then, he had done his job.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli waves to the crowd after completing his 50. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, Kohli's skillful unbeaten fifty formed the foundation of RCB's competitive 182 for six.

Kohli (83, 59b, 4x4, 4x6) and Cameron Green (33 off 21b) milked 65 runs off 42 balls for the second wicket, the primary alliance in RCB innings, as the home side produced a two-faced effort on a track that was on the slower side.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli and Cameron Green celebrate a boundary. Photograph: BCCI

An archetypal Dinesh Karthik cameo (20, 8b, 3x6) added gravitas to the RCB total as usual towards the end.

Skipper Faf du Plessis departed early as the Royal Challengers captain's attempt to scoop pacer Harshit Rana ended in the hands of Mitchell Starc inside the circle.

But a period of stability followed as Kohli and Green kept RCB on the track with a busy stand that saw them reach 61 for 1 in the Power Play segment.

IMAGE: Kolkata Knight Riders's Andre Russell celebrates the wicket of Cameron Green. Photograph: BCCI

Kohli dished out drives and lofts over covers, a new addition to his batting, sweeps and slog-sweep to fetch his runs, but the shot of the night was a swat-flick off Starc that sailed for a six.

In fact, no other shot really encapsulates Kohli's batting like the swat-flick – a child of his desire to find newer ways to sustain the domination of bowlers.

IMAGE: KKR's Harshit Rana celebrates the wicket of Faf Du Plessis. Photograph: BCCI

A simple snap of wrists and power emanating from a strong bottom hand can turn this traditionally gentle shot into a malevolent run-making option.

Kohli brought his fifty in 36 balls whereas other batters, except Green, struggled for timing.

But Green wasn't really bothered about such technical angles, as his batting was all about brute power.

IMAGE: KKR's Rinku Singh takes the catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell. Photograph: BCCI

Narine, who was playing his 500th T20 match, was given a hammering as Green took 15 runs off the spinner's first over that included a sequence of 4, 4, 6 – a sweep, slap past cover and a hoick over long-on.

However, the burgeoning alliance was snapped when Green's effort to play a pull off Andre Russell saw the ball crashing onto his stumps.

IMAGE: Dinesh Karthik launches into a bouncer. Photograph: BCCI

Glenn Maxwell, who was dropped twice on 11 and 21, en route a 19-ball 28 could not exploit the largesse of KKR fielders as his luck finally ran out against Narine.

A slash off the West Indian spinner ended in the hands of Rinku Singh at deep point, and Maxwell had to depart after adding 42 runs for the third wicket with Kohli.

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