IPL 2021, RR vs KKR as it happened: Steady Sanju Samson sees it through for RR as KKR stumble again

Player of the match: Chris Morris for his four-wicket haul.

IPL 2021 points table, fixtures, results: KKR slide to bottom of the table with 4th straight loss

Post-match reaction: Sanju Samson has often spoken about not sacrificing his natural game but tonight, as RR captain, he showed he can play the anchor role to good effect if he wants to. He wouldn’t need to bat this way most times in an IPL season, but when RR needed someone to just see it through, he did that.

Royals win by 6 wickets: With seven balls to spare, Royals cruise past the target. A hiccup here and there but they controlled pretty much the whole match in Mumbai. Samson takes his side home with a 41-ball 42. Much to ponder for Morgan and KKR.

After 18 overs, RR 129/4: After playing and missing a few, Miller timing brilliantly now. A four through midwicket in that over was a delight. Another 8-run over.

After 17 overs, RR 121/4: Easily done, a four for Miller off Cummins down the third. 8 runs in that over.

Correction: 113/4. RR need 21 from 24 balls.

After 16 overs, RR 113/4: Eventful over. Misfield by Rana gives Miller (who is struggling to get going) a boundary. The South African then nails a flick that is stopped by Morgan at midwicket and the diversion goes to Narine at mid-on who has plenty of time to get a direct hit right. Samson well short at non-striker’s but he misses. KKR needed to do better on the field.

REVIEW LOST: Another LBW appeal in that Mavi over. It’s going to be so hard to get the decision when he is bowling over the wicket to a LHB. This time given not out. Morgan reviews, and pitching well outside leg stump again. Good over though. RR 104/4 after 15 overs.

GOOD REVIEW: Umpire Navdeep Singh seemed to shake his head “no” for a LBW appeal from Mavi and then belatedly gives out. But Miller is right to review, it’s pitching outside leg. (I would like to more umpires to do this, when unsure. Err on the side of being wrong — if that makes sense — so that a review can help arrive at the right decision). RR 101/4 after 14.1 overs.

Over 13.4: WICKET! RR lose another. Surely not another run-chase unravelling late in this IPL? Prasidh removes Tewatia with a short ball. The Royals LHB usually thrives against pace but he cannot connect there, Nagarkoti (sub) takes the catch. 100/4 after 13.4 overs.

After 13 overs, RR 97/3: Almost a superb effort on the boundary line by Gill as he does well to throw the ball back while tip-toeing but it goes away too far to catch it again. Saved a six off that Tewatia hit. Varun has quietly gone about being the go-to guy for KKR again. 4-0-32-2.

After 12 overs RR 91/3: Rahul Tewatia in the middle, RR holding Miller back. Baz says a couple of wickets here and the game could be interesting. He wants the wicket of Sanju Samson but, as things stand, RR easing through.

Over 10.5: WICKET! An opening for KKR? Shivam Dube looked well set, Varun strikes to break the partnership. RR still cruising but a chance here for Morgan and Co and it is once again Varun doing it for this captain. 85/3 after 11 overs.

After 10 overs, RR 80/2: No risks taken against Narine. Sensible from RR here.

Timeout, as RR are coasting to a win in Mumbai. Need 57 from 66 balls.

After 9 overs, RR 77/2: One of the shots of the night! (Not a tough highlight package to break into, to be fair). Sanju Samson latches on to a short ball from Cummins and sends it soaring over the square leg fence for a six. Big over for RR, that.

After 8 overs, RR 64/2: Decent couple of overs for KKR but a misfield for boundary in the 7th over hurt them. Dube and Samson in no hurry here, looking to steady the ship.

After 6 overs, RR 50/2: A six for Dube in Narine’s over, that made a brilliant sound. Cracked over midwicket.

For lovers of symmetry...

End of powerplay. 

 After 6 overs: KKR 25/1 

After 6 overs: RR 50/2   

After 5 overs, RR 41/2: Narine to bowl the last over of powerplay.

Over 4.4: WICKET! FOUR AND OUT, again. Another RR wicket in the powerplay this tournament. Jaiswal rode his luck, played some lovely shots but falls going for a big drive over offside. Mavi strikes. RR 40/2.

After 4 overs, RR 30/1: A mixed bag for Varun. A four, followed by a wicket, followed by a four each for Samson and Jaiswal. 13 runs and a wicket.

Over 3.2: FOUR AND OUT! Oops. We spoke too soon. RR have consistently lost wickets in the powerplay and it is Jos Buttler who is given out LBW. Varun CV strikes with one that came back into Buttler. No review taken, that might have been missing you know? (No, Umpire’s Call). RR 21/1 (3.2)

After 3 overs, RR 17/0: Another boundary for Jaiswal in that Mavi over. Clipped through midwicket. Three overs in the powerplay, and RR haven’t lost a wicket. A mini win.

After 2 overs, RR 12/0: Buttler given the green light to carry on it seems. Two boundaries earlier in the Cummins over for Jaiswal, who gets going after that dropped chance.

Over 1.5: OUCH! A short ball from Pat Cummins, it crashes into the side of helmet as Buttler misses the pull. The Englisman needs attention. He looks a bit dazed.

After 1 over, RR 2/0: A superb first over by Mavi and he deserved the wicket of Jaiswal there. After making him play and miss a couple, he gets Jaiswal to cut one straight to Gill at point. Came quickly at him, but in and out. Got to go down as a sitter.

Time for run-chase. RR have struggled in the powerplay. This is a really good chance to earn 2 points and get some batting rhythm back. Buttler opens with Jaiswal, Mavi to start off.

INNINGS BREAK: A terrific bowling performance by RR in Mumbai. KKR: 133/9 (20)

Chris Morris: 4-0-23-4
Mustafizur Rahman: 4-0-22-1
Jaydev Unadkat: 4-0-25-1
Chetan Sakariya: 4-0-31-1

Over 19.6: W-0-0-0-W! What a way to finish the innings by Chris Morris, who has his fourth. Mavi bowled, tried to play one behind the wickets. Four wickets for Morris. KKR 133/9.

Over 19.2: SIX AND OUT! It’s selfie time again for Parag. Another catch in the deep made to look ridiculously easy the youngster as Cummins falls in the last over. Felt like he nailed that pick up shot as well he did that lofted off drive. But not to be. Morris with his third wicket. KKR 133/8.

After 19 overs, KKR 127/7: End of a fantastic bowling spell today by The Fizz. 4-0-22-1. A boundary for Mavi, when the bowler erred in line. Almost had another in that over, a superb slower delivery as Cummins lobs one into no-man’s-land.

Over 17.6: WICKET! Lovely catch by Sakariya at cover. Timed his jump to perfection, otherwise that was a four. Two wickets in the Morris over, as DK is out caught at cover. KKR 118/7.

Over 17.4: WICKET! A couple of deliveries after smacking the sightscreen with a straight six, Morris removes Russell. DreRuss goes for another big shot, he is out caught at long on. You cannot help but think if he should have batted a bit earlier in this innings. It’s just not been KKR’s night so far with the bat and their tactics have been bizarre too. 117/6.

After 17 overs, KKR 110/5: Three overs to go, Russell batting on 3 off 3. Just leaving that here. It’s a decent over for KKR though as DK nails a straight drive off a free hit for four.

After 16 overs, KKR 98/5: DreRuss in the middle, but yet to face a ball with 24 to go in the innings. DK hits a four to finish that Fizz over.

Over 15.2: WICKET! 94/5. That’s a high catch made to look remarkably easy by Riyan Parag. Rahul Tripathi, KKR’s best batsman in this innings so far, is deceived by a slower one. Slog swept to Parag at square leg. Out for a 26-ball 36. Another one to add to Parag’s celebration handbook: he fakes a selfie with Tewatia. What a character, the young man from Assam.

After 15 overs. KKR 93/4: A boundary and five singles in that over Sakariya over. RR wouldn’t mind that at all. DK found the gap to make it at least a decent one for KKR as we get more visuals of DreRuss chilling in the dugout.

Timeout. A penny for DreRuss’ thoughts.

After 14 overs, KKR 84/4: DK nails a sweep for his first four but it still a good over for RR. Another timeout as we see DreRuss sitting in the dugout while KKR look desperate for runs. The curious case of under-using your most valuable asset.

After 13 overs, KKR 76/4: A rare bowling appearance for Dube. He does well, just five in that over.

After 12 overs, KKR 71/4: Tripathi has been the sole bright spark for KKR so far. Another six in that over, lofting Tewatia over the offside. The batsman was disgusted with himself after the Morgan runout, can he channel that into a big innings here?

After 11 overs, KKR 62/4: That Morris over had started so well for KKR with a scoop six by Tripathi. But that Morgan runout sums up their day so far.

Over 10.2: WICKET! Oh dear. A 0-ball 0! Eoin Morgan can only smile wryly at this dismissal. Tripathi nails a straight drive, the ball hits Morgan and falls nicely to Morris on the followthrough. Morgan is out of his crease, and is run out.

Unadkat finishes with 4-0-25-1

Over 9.5: WICKET! Jaiswal with a superb running catch! He dropped one earlier but makes no mistake this time, swooping in from square leg. Unadkat strikes, Narine’s promotion up the order is shortlived. Everything happens quickly with Narine, says Bishop on air.

After 9 overs, KKR 51/1: Narine gets going with a four off the first ball, as the 50 comes up in the 9th over for KKR. They are in desperate need for a few big overs here.

Over 8.1: WICKET! Chetan Sakariya strikes immediately after a timeout. The short of length ball, edged behind by Nitish Rana. First wicket of a RR bowler after a match and then some. KKR 45/2 after 8.2 overs, Narine walks in.

After 8 overs, KKR 45/1: First sign of spin. Rahul Tewatia comes on. Four singles to start off, a great fielding effort by Parag saves a boundary. RR will take this, you think. Timeout for the bowling team.

After 7 overs, KKR 37/1: Finally some sign of momentum for KKR. A four for Tripathi and a pick-up shot by Rana for six in that Unadkat over.

Pommie Mbangwa on commentary says RR have got their lengths spot on when they have changed the pace on this pitch. It’s been a good mix of full and length balls so far, KKR have not quite gotten used to the pace of it all.

After 6 overs, KKR 25/1: A reminder that this match is happening in Mumbai and not Chennai. That’s a poor powerplay for Kolkata. Tripathi joins Rana in the middle.

Over 5.4: WICKET! KKR have struggled in the powerplay and the lack of boundaries has resulted in a runout. Shubman Gill is caught short by a direct hit from Jos Buttler, who covered ground quickly from short cover and hit the target under-arm. Sharp fielding. Gill is out for 11 off 19 balls.

After 5 overs, KKR 23/0: Morris comes on and the struggle continues for Gill. RR pacers have kept the length largely short of good length, plenty of play and misses so far. Five dot balls and a two in that over.

After 4 overs, KKR 21/0: The Fizz comes on, and almost provides the breakthrough. A lofted inside out shot attempted, Jaiswal runs in from deep point but cannot hold on. Not quite happening for KKR at the moment.

After 3 overs, KKR 14/0: The first four of the night comes in the third over as Rana plays a delightful late cut past short third. But it is another decent over for RR, no early wickets for now but they have kept things quiet.

After 2 overs, KKR 8/0: A couple of wides in Sakariya’s over but it is another tidy one from RR’s point of view.

After 1 over, KKR 3/0: Solid start from Unadkat. Just three runs from it. Rana and Gill play it out watchfully.

Unadkat to start off. Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill begin the proceedings for KKR.

The players are out in the middle, and before we start off, a look at the messages from some of the cricketers today regarding the Covid-19 situation in the country:

07.25 pm: All set for the penultimate game in Mumbai. Another run-fest on the cards. KKR, for starters, would love for Shubman Gill to come good tonight while RR would hope to avoid yet another collapse in the powerplay when they come out to bat.

Playing XIs:

RR XI: Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, David Miller, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Jaydev Unadkat, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman

KKR XI: Nitish Rana, Shubmna Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan, Sunil Narine, Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prasidh Krishna

TEAM NEWS: Manan Vohra, who has flattered to deceive at the top of the order like he often has in the IPL, makes way for Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaydev Unadkat comes back in for Shreyas Gopal. For KKR, Shivam Mavi gets a game instead of Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

TOSS: Sanju Samson opts to bowl first, no surprises there. Eoin Morgan would have liked to do the same. Team news coming up.

Pre-match reading:

From Chennai’s dominance to Kolkata’s resurgence: How KKR vs CSK turned into an IPL classic

Hello all and welcome to the live coverage of Indian Premier League, as Rajasthan Royals take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai for match No 18.

Both teams are coming into this match on the back of defeats. Both teams have only one win from four matches and a defeat tonight will set them back significantly in the tournament. Sanju Samson and Eoin Morgan will be desperately hoping for a turnaround tonight, especially given Punjab Kings’ win against Mumbai Indians last night.

Who are you backing in this one?