KKR vs DC, IPL 2021 Qualifier 2: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi CapitalsKolkata Knight Riders survived a middle order collapse to defeat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets to book their berth in the IPL final. KKR got off to a flying start, courtesy of their openers Shubman Gill (46) and Venkatesh Iyer (55). It looked like an easy chase till a cluster of wickets in the last two-three overs turned the game upside down. From needing 11 off 3 overs to needing 6 off 2, KKR almost shot themselves in the foot. But Rahul Tripathi hit a six in the penultimate ball of the last over to send KKR fans home happy.
Earlier, KKR, led by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, produced a clinical bowling display on a slow pitch to restrict Delhi Capitals to 135 for 5.
Match EndedIndian Premier League, 2021 - Qualifier 2
Kolkata Knight Riders
136/7 (19.5)vs
Delhi Capitals
135/5 (20.0)Match Ended ( Day - Qualifier 2 )
Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets
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KKR wanted 7 runs in 6 balls for a place in the final. Rahul Tripathi could have easily made it "1 run in 5 balls" had he shown the deserving disrespect to Ashwin's rank long-hop. He did swing the bat but the ball rolled to long-on, and equally slowly Tripathi would drag his feet to the non-striker's end. Had he missed the chance to be the hero? The next 4 balls had every possible emotion packed into them. Players on field, those in the dugouts, WAGs in the guest boxes, owners in the VVIP suits were all on one crazy stadium-sized rollercoaster - feeling a heady rush one moment and nauseating the next. Those manic final moments had a couple of embarrassing ducks, one almost-six. Ashwin looked like he was finally having his big IPL moment and Pant was on the threshold of being called the next Dhoni. While all this was happening, Rahul would have been burning within for not taking Ashwin's early gift. On second thoughts, had he killed the climax on the first ball of the final over, it would have been so un-IPLish. KKR, a franchise owned by a Bollywood star, reaching the final without drama would have been so unreal. Next time Rahul was on strike, he didn't miss out. This time the ball sailed over the long-on boundary. Tripathi gave his toothy smile to the delight of the KKR dugout and the millions of pandals around the world. Like in most movies, Rahul first tied himself in knots and when the world thought he was trapped, he cut loose. Just like those Bollywood Rahuls.
Delhi Daredevils in 2012
Gujarat Lions in 2016
Delhi Capitals in 2021
And a 6 to end it. Delhi were so close but yet so far. Tripathi just pumps it over the bowler's end. It's done. KKR win by 3 wickets
And Narine is gone too. What an over by Ashwin. KKR 130/7 after 19.4 overs.
Ashwin comes to bowl. Last over. 1 run off the first ball. And Shakib is gone. KKR are just throwing away this match. 130/6 after 19.3 overs.
Nortje is there to bowl the 19th over. Two off the first ball. Just 2 runs can relieve the pressure now. Just 3 off the over. The pressure is on KKR again. And Morgan is gone. The skipper is gone. KKR 129/5 after 19 overs.
Rabada to bowl the 18th over. Four dots in a row. Pressure is mounting on KKR now. And he has taken a wicket. Oh my!!! Karthik is gone. Just 1 off the over and a wicket. Surely not? KKR 126/4
Avesh in the attack. And now Gill is scalped. Has been caught by Pant behind the wicket. Gill is done. KKR 125/3 after 16.4 overs.
Nortje in the attack. And he is hit for a 6. Gill gives it all. What a pull shot. Clears long on. KKR can almost taste victory now. And rana is taken by him off the last ball. Some revenge but might be too late. KKR 123/2 after 16 overs.
The only slow-and-steady act that R Ashwin did in his first three overs was tying Venkatesh Iyer’s shoelaces carefully. Iyer had requested Ashwin to sort out his laces which had come undone, and Ashwin immediately stopped wiping the dew off the ball and helped out. His bowling though was disappointingly defensive. He kept firing the ball or side-arming them in an effort to contain rather than take wickets. Perhaps, it was the dew factor but Ashwin the high-class off spinner who outwit Eoin Morgan the other night with a lovely loopy off break or the gutsy one who dared to toss it up and take out the likes of Chris Gayle and Rohit Sharma in the past was missing. Instead, we had the version who just kept firing them in. He would furiously towel-dry the ball and remained defensive. Even the fields set for him by Rishabh Pant right from the second over of the chase was defensive. There didn’t seem any clear plan for taking wickets and both Iyer and Shubman Gill kept punching and driving him to rotate the strike. He'd drop a sitter a few overs later.
And Rana joins the party. A 6 off Patel's 4th ball. Right over the bowler's head. 10 runs off the over. KKR comfortable. KKR 108/1 after 14 overs.
Rabada returns and is welcomed by a 4 off the first ball. Outside edge and a little lucky but runs nonetheless. But he takes his revenge. Huge wicket. Iyer goes. He is caught by Smith. KKR 96/1 after 12.2 overs.
And 50 up for Iyer. is third fifty of the season. Just 4 off over 12. Kolkata Knight Riders 92/0 after 12 overs.
Nortje in the attack. And Iyer has hit him for a 4 off the tird ball. These openers are not holding anything back.And a wide. Goes for a boundary. Not something that is needed at this juncture. Absolute gift. 12 runs off the over. KKR 88/0 after 11 overs.
Axar comes into bowl the 10th over and his first ball is promptly hit for a 6. Clobbered over deep midwicket and it's the freeflowing swing through the line.9 off the over. KKR 76/0 after 10 overs.
Ashwin is brought back into the attack. Both batters are batting without a helmet now. Good over by Ashwin. Just 5 off it. KKR 56/0 after 7 overs.
Avesh comes to bowl the last over of the powerplay and gets smacked for a 4 in his first ball. The dew has started playing a factor. It's very difficult to get a grip on the ball. 9 off the over. KKR 51/0 after 6 overs.
And now Rabada is hit for a 6 by Iyer. Off the third ball again. Nonchalantly wallops this over long-on. oh. He has dropped him. Should have been taken. 12 off the over. KKR 42/0 after 5 overs.
Axar Patel gets hit for a 6 in the third ball of the 4th over. Clobbered that over deep midwicket! Onto the roof. That has gone out of the park. 9 runs off the over. KKR 30/0 after 4 overs.
Ashwin will bowl the second over. And Iyer hits a 4 off hios third ball. 9 off this over. KKR 15/0 after 2 overs.