When two teams owned by Bollywood superstars clash, you know you are in for an entertaining evening.
And Saturday was no different as Shah Rukh Khan witnessed some edge-of-the-seat action with his team, Kolkata Knight Riders, pulling off a narrow two-run win over the Preity Zinta co-owned Kings XI Punjab in an Indian Premier League clash.
Chasing 165 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Kings XI seemed to be in control till the 18th over of the chase, with captain K.L. Rahul on 71 off 55 balls.
Two quick wickets
However, things went horribly wrong thereafter. Needing 20 off 12 balls, KXIP lost two wickets — including Rahul’s — in the space of three balls in the 19th over bowled by Prasidh Krishna.
It was then seven needed off the last delivery to take the game to the Super Over, but Glenn Maxwell missed out on a six by inches.
Kings XI Punjab players celebrate a wicket during the IPL 2020 match against Kolkta Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on October 10, 2020. | Photo Credit: PTI
Earlier, things looked promising for Kings with openers Rahul and Mayank Agarwal forging a 115-run partnership. Rahul got a reprieve in the second over after Andre Russell dropped a chance at mid-off.
Making use of the opportunity, Rahul and Agarwal (56, 39b, 6x4, 1x6) went about their business calmly.
Even when Shubman Gill caught Agarwal at deep mid-wicket off Prasidh, it seemed to be too late for the Knights. But the game took a dramatic turn after Nicholas Pooran’s exit. KXIP’s decision to promote youngster Prabhsimran Singh at No. 4 — ahead of Maxwell — backfired. The youngster succumbed to pressure and managed just four runs off seven balls.
Batting first, KKR struggled till the 11th over, making 63 for three. However, captain Dinesh Karthik’s counter-attacking 58 off 29 balls and opener Gill’s 57 guided the side to a competitive total. Karthik, who has been struggling, brought up his half-century off just 22 balls. And it was the 82-run stand between him and Gill that set the tone for the Knights.
Scoreboard
Kolkata Knight Riders Innings: Rahul Tripathi b Shami 4; Shubman Gill run out (Mandeep/Simran Singh) 57; Nitish Rana run out (Shami/Pooran) 2; Eoin Morgan c Maxwell b Ravi Bishnoi 24; Dinesh Karthik run out (Pooran/Simran Singh) 58; Andre Russell c Simran Singh b Arshdeep Singh 5; Pat Cummins not out 5. Extras: (B-1, LB-2, W-6) 9
Total: (6 wickets in 20 Overs) 164
Fall of Wickets: 1-12, 2-14, 3-63, 4-145, 5-150, 6-164.
Kings XI Punjab bowling: Mohammed Shami 4-0-30-1, Arshdeep Singh 4-1-25-1, Chris Jordan 4-0-37-0, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4-0-44-0, Ravi Bishnoi 4-0-25-1.
Kings XI Punjab innings: KL Rahul b Prasidh 74; M Agarwal c Gill b Prasidh 56; N Pooran b Narine 16; PS Singh c Rana b Prasidh 4; G Maxwell not out 10; M Singh c (sub) Green b Narine 0; C Jordan not out 0. Extras (lb-2) 2
Total (For 5 wkts, 20 Overs) 162
Fall of Wickets: 1-115,2-144, 3-149, 4-151, 5-158,
Kolkata Knight Riders bowling: Cummins 4-0-29-0, Krishna 4-0-29-3, Nagarkoti 3-0-40-0, Chakravarthy 4-0-27-0, Narine 4-0-28-2, Rana 1-0-7-0.