IPL 2023 KKR vs PBKS
With a last-ball boundary to help Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Punjab Kings by five wickets on Monday and maintain their chances of making the IPL play-offs, Rinku Singh added another triumphant chapter to his resume as a finisher.
Nitish Rana, the team’s captain, scored a half-century, while Andre Russell added strength to the 180-run chase before Rinku ended the game with a 10-ball-21 not out.
Earlier, after the visitors decided to bat on a slow pitch, Varun Chakravarthy once again successfully led his bowling department to collect 3/26 as KKR put on a neat bowling performance to restrict PBKS to a below-par 179 for seven. Rana, who moved up to No. 3, led the KKR batting display in response with an outstanding performance that included a 38-ball 51 (6×4, 1×6).
Rana and Venkatesh Iyer (11) put together a critical fifty-plus stand on a track where the oddball was gripping and hitters had trouble finding their timing until Andre Russell and Rinku Singh put an end to it.
After Rana became Rahul Chahar’s second victim, Russell exploded against Sam Curran in a 20-run over, hitting him for three sixes in four deliveries to turn the game in favour of KKR, who needed six off the last over and needed 56 off 28 balls.
Arshdeep Singh, a death-over expert, though, who had six to defend, brought it home with four out of the first four balls. Recently, Arshdeep has struggled a lot, unable to hit his yorkers.
After Russell was out in the last ball, there was further suspense as Rinku Singh (21 not out; 10b) once more came to KKR’s aid, securing the victory with a boundary off the final ball.
In just 26 balls, Russell and Rinku’s combination scored 54 runs, winning the game.
With five teams vying for a playoff spot in the middle of the table and all having 10 points to their names, KKR (-0.079) surpassed Royal Challengers Bangalore (-0.209) thanks to their second consecutive victory, moving them up to the top five on the net run rate.
There are 5 teams on 10 points today. GT is most likely to have confirmed their place in the playoff. The rest are fighting for their spot in the playoff.
Keep watching the IPL 2023 for real excitement and thrill.