IPL 2021: Bowlers Star As Kolkata Thrash Bangalore By 9 Wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) bowler ran riot in Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB) batting line-up to set up a nine-wicket win in the 31st match of IPL 2021 on Monday at Abu Dhabi. 

Being set a target of just 93, KKR openers - Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer - went all guns blazing from the first over itself. They took their chances which came off well as Kolkata scored 56 runs in the powerplay without losing any wicket. 

Gill hit six fours and a six during his 48-run knock and got out trying to hit a six over long-off in the ninth over. By then, it was all done and dusted as Iyer at the other end too was striking the ball cleanly. He finished the game in the same over by hitting three boundaries off Yuzvendra Chahal and remained not out on 41 off 27 as KKR registered its third win of the season. 

Earlier, RCB captain Virat Kohli, who was playing his 200th match for the franchise, won the toss and opted to bat first. Bangalore started as poorly as it lost Kohli in the second over itself to Prasidh Krishna. 

Youngsters Devdutt Padikkal and KS Bharat couldn't make use of the powerplay restrictions as RCB only scored 41 and lost two wickets by the end of the six overs. 

KKR captain Eoin Morgan kept attacking fields as RCB batters collapsed against disciplined bowling. Andre Russell removed Bharat and AB De Villiers in the same over. Varun Chakravarthy also struck on consecutive deliveries to completely put RCB out of the game. 

The lower order couldn't do much as KKR finished things off in the 19 overs with the score reading 92. Chakravarthy and Russell picked three wickets each, Lockie Ferguson got two, and Krishna got one. 

Kolkata Knight Riders now move to fifth spot in the IPL points table with three wins in eight matches while Royal Challengers Bangalore is in the third spot with five wins. 

Brief Scorecard: 

RCB - 92/10 in 19 overs(Devdutt Padikkal - 22; Varun Chakravarthy - 3/13) 
KKR - 94/1 in 10 overs (Shubman Gill - 48, Venkatesh Iyer - 41*)