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Rediff.com  » Cricket » IPL PICS: Narine excels as Kolkata eliminate Bangalore

IPL PICS: Narine excels as Kolkata eliminate Bangalore

Last updated on: October 12, 2021 00:37 IST
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Images from the Indian Premier League 'Eliminator' between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Sharjah, on Monday.

Shakib Al Hasan and Eoin Morgan celebrate after Kolkata Knight Riders clinch victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 'Eliminator', in Sharjah, on Monday.

IMAGE: Shakib Al Hasan and Eoin Morgan celebrate after Kolkata Knight Riders clinch victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League 'Eliminator', in Sharjah, on Monday. Photograph: BCCI

Sunil Narine gave glimpses of his 'old mystery' with the ball and then topped it up with three monster sixes as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets in the Indian Premier League ‘Eliminator’ in Sharjah, on Monday.

 

The defeat dashed Virat Kohli's dream of winning the IPL while leading the Bangalore franchise.

The Knight Riders will now meet Delhi Capitals, who lost to Chennai Super Kings in ‘Qualifier 1’ in the second Qualifier on Wednesday to decide CSK’s opponents for the title clash on October 15.

Sunil Narine hit three sixes in his 26 off 15 balls to set up victory for Kolkata Knight Riders.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine hit three sixes in his 26 off 15 balls to set up victory for Kolkata Knight Riders. Photograph: BCCI

Narine, who had to remodel his action after coming under the scanner due to a suspect action multiple times, singlehandedly "eliminated" the Royal Challengers with bowling figures of 4 for 21.

He then produced a crucial 26-run knock off 15 balls that made a tricky chase of 139 slightly easier in the end.

Yuzvendra Chahal successfully appeals for the wicket of Rahul Tripathi.

IMAGE: Yuzvendra Chahal successfully appeals for the wicket of Rahul Tripathi. Photograph: BCCI

The Knight Riders got home with two balls to spare.

Kohli, who captained the Royal Challengers for the last time, did make a contentious decision by opting to bat on a sluggish surface which also offered turn.

Harshal Patel celebrates with skipper Virat Kohli after dismissing Venkatesh Iyer.

IMAGE: Harshal Patel celebrates with skipper Virat Kohli after dismissing Venkatesh Iyer. Photograph: BCCI

Narine exploited the offering of a track to his liking to return figures of 4 for 21.

Defending the low total was never going to be easy for RCB. Save Harshal Patel's all-time highest-wicket tally, in a single edition, of 32, they had nothing to write home about as another season that started with a bang ended in a whimper.

Sunil Narine is bowled by Mohammed Siraj.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine is bowled by Mohammed Siraj. Photograph: BCCI

Once again, captain Kohli's inability to win pressure matches and big-ticket tournaments was confirmed by KKR's spinners, who were successful in tying the batters in knots.

Not to forget the skipper not being at his best during middle overs in any of the games. 

KKR's chase could have been a bit dicey but Narine just chanced his arms in the 12th over to muscle Dan Cristian for three sixes, which proved to be decisive in the end.

Sunil Narine celebrates with his Kolkata Knight Riders teammates after dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore's Glenn Maxwell during the Indian Premier League 'Eliminator', in Sharjah, on Monday.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine celebrates with his Kolkata Knight Riders teammates after dismissing Glenn Maxwell. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, Narine showed glimpses of his vintage past with a magical spell that fetched him four wickets as Kolkata Knight Riders restricted Royal Challengers Bangalore to a below-par 138 for 7.

Narine dismissed the Royal Challengers’ big three -- Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell – to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 21.

With Varun Chakravarthy (0-20) not conceding a single boundary and Shakib Al Hasan (0-24 in) also keeping the batters on a tight leash, the Knight Riders’ spin troika conceded just 65 runs, including four boundaries, from their 12 overs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal is bowled by Lockie Ferguson.

IMAGE: Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Devdutt Padikkal is bowled by Lockie Ferguson. Photograph: BCCI

Devdutt Padikkal (21 off 18 balls) and skipper Virat Kohli (39 off 33 balls) gave the Royal Challengers a good start, putting up 49 runs in the first five Powerplay overs, after Eoin Morgan started with the left-arm spin of Shakib.

The opening duo attacked an under-pressure Shivam Mavi, scoring as many as five boundaries in those first few overs.

Virat Kohli dives to make his crease as Dinesh Karthik takes the bails off.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli dives to make his crease as Dinesh Karthik takes the bails off. Photograph: BCCI

However, Lockie Ferguson (2-30) broke the partnership, his extra pace off the first delivery of the sixth over proving too hot for Padikkal.

The left-hand batter, trying to cut, inside-edged a delivery pitched well outside off onto his stumps.

The Royal Challengers were 49 for 1.

Virat Kohli is bowled by Sunil Narine.

IMAGE: Virat Kohli is bowled by Sunil Narine. Photograph: BCCI

Srikar Bharat, the hero of RCB's last league match against Dehi Capitals, was clearly troubled by the lack of pace from the track as the spinners got the ball to grip off the surface. He failed to get going before he was foxed by a delivery from Narine and caught by Venkatesh Iyer for 9 off 15 balls.

He was Narine's first of four victims after he lofted the spinner over long-off but was unable to get to the pitch of the delivery and holed out in the deep.

Sunil Narine is congratulated by his Kolkata Knight Riders teammates after dismissing A B de  Villiers.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine is congratulated by his Kolkata Knight Riders teammates after dismissing A B de Villiers. Photograph: BCCI

Kohli, who had a good start like in most of the matches this season, lost the momentum post the Powerplay overs with the field spread.

The shot that got him out had desperation writ large over it as the slog-sweep to a fuller delivery from Narine was never on. The result was a pegged back leg-stump, which reduced the Royal Challengers to 88 for 3 in the 13th over.

Lockie Ferguson takes the catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell.

IMAGE: Lockie Ferguson takes the catch to dismiss Glenn Maxwell. Photograph: BCCI

AB de Villiers (11) was out to a real beauty from Narine. A classical off-break went through the gate to embarrass the legendary Proteas batter.

RCB's best player of the season Maxwell (15) was supposed to have a bad day as per the 'Law of Averages' and it did catch up with him trying to slog-sweep Narine's off-spin delivery which ballooned to short third-man to make it a dream day for the Trinidadian spin ace.

With the big hitters back in the dug-out the Royal Challengers struggled to get some big hits and had to settle with 138 in the end.

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