Captain Eoin Morgan and big-money signing Pat Cummins came up with stellar performances to keep Kolkata Knight Riders’ playoff hopes alive in the Indian Premier League with a resounding 60-run victory over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday in Dubai.
With the win, KKR moved into fourth on the table. But the team could not assure a place in the playoffs as Royals went past the 112-run mark in the run-chase.
On a day when it mattered, Morgan owned the stage with a power-packed 68 not out off 35 balls with a half a dozen of sixes apart from five boundaries in KKR’s 191/7.
Then it was the turn of Cummins (4/29) to produce a deadly opening spell that rattled the Royals and they could only muster 131/9 as another campaign ended without qualifying for the play-offs.
In fact, the margin of defeat was so bad that the Royals are finishing last on the table with (a record tally) 12 points, while Chennai Super Kings moved into seventh after their win over KXIP earlier.
Varun Chakravarthy (2/20 in 4 overs) has been buoyed since his India call-up and produced another performance of note as Jos Buttler (35) and Rahul Tewatia (31) were the only notable contributors for Royals. Those were the wickets that Varun ended up claiming.
One of the highlights was a spectacular airborne take by Dinesh Karthik to dismiss Royals’’ premier player Ben Stokes off Cummins’ bowling. Karthik had four catches on the day.
KKR finished the league stage with 14 points from 14 games with a net run-rate of -0.214, which currently puts them in fourth spot in the table for a day.
Their entry into the play-offs will now depend on the result of the matches between Delhi Capitals (-0.159) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (-0.145) as well as the one where Sunrisers Hyderabad (+0.555) take on defending champions Mumbai Indians, who have already qualified.
Morgan’s top-notch knock was studded with six maximums and five fours as KKR amassed 59 in last five overs.
Earlier, Shubman Gill (36) and Rahul Tripathi (39) shared a 72-run stand for the second wicket, while Andre Russell (not even close to fully fit, reportedly) smashed a superb 11-ball-25 to his credit.
For Royals, leg-spinner Rahul Tewatia (3/25) and Kartik Tyagi (2/36) were the most successful bowlers.
Sent in to bat, Nitish Rana fell for a first-ball duck after he edged a Jofra Archer delivery and was caught behind. But the opener went for a review only to waste it early.
Shubman Gill (36), however, looked in good touch as he blasted three boundaries off Varun Aaron and then sent spinner Shreyas Gopal soaring over the ropes twice.
Rahul Tripathi (39), who looked uncomfortable against pace early on, also got into the act, smashing Gopal for a couple of fours as KKR scored 17 runs in the fourth over.
Ben Stokes then went for 11 runs with Tripathi pulling him for a six in the last ball.
The two batsman hit one four each off Aaron as KKR scored 55 for one in the powerplay.
Tewatia then struck twice, dismissing Gill and Sunil Narine (0) to reduce KKR to 74/3 in 9 overs. While Gill holed out to Buttler at deep mid-wicket, Narine’s miscued shot landed safely in the hands of Stokes at long-on.
In the 13th over, Gopal returned to remove Tripathi, who was caught by Robin Uthappa at deep square leg.
Dinesh Karthik (0) then became the third victim of Tewatia after his inside edge was caught by Steve Smith at short mid-wicket as KKR slumped to 99/5.
Morgan then exploded, smashing Gopal for two fours and as many as sixes as KKR piled up 21 in the 14th over and their innings regained momentum.
Russell blasted successive sixes before being sent back by Kartik Tyagi.
In the 19th over, KKR racked up 24 runs off Stokes with Morgan picking up two sixes and a four.
Morgan then ended the innings with another six off the last ball as KKR’s desire to keep pushing despite wickets paid off at the end.
Now, a couple of nervy days await for the franchise and its fans.
With PTI and iplt20.com inputs
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