It’s now time for a mouth-watering IPL clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and the mighty Royal Challengers Bangalore. This is one match you can’t afford to miss. Sunil Narine, undoubtedly was the highlight of the match.
Preview: Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata begins a new era under Dinesh Karthik who was named as the skipper of KKR following Gambhir’s transfer move to Delhi Daredevils.
Preview: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Today’s match is all about RCB talisman, Virat Kohli. Both Kohli and AB de Villiers will hold key to RCBs IPL chances this year. They boast a 2212 run partnership between them which also includes 7 centuries.
KKR Win The Toss And Elect To Field
The Kolkata based team wins the toss and elects to field this time around.
Player Under Focus: Virat Kohli
Following the transfer of Chris Gayle and Shane Watson, Virat Kohli remains RCBs only hope of securing that elusive maiden IPL title.
RCB Batting
Bangalore start off with a bang as McCullum brings up 9000 T20 career runs with a six. Both Kohli and McCullum give RCB a strong start. However, McCullum departs early and De Villiers forms a strong 50+ partnership with Kohli to take RCB to a score of 116/2 after just 13 overs. RCB are now struggling after they lose De Villiers and Kohli in quick succession. Some cameo drama as an 18 ball 37 by Mandeep Singh properly RCB to decent first innings score of 176/7.
KKR Bowling
Apart from Piyush Chawla’s early dismissal of De Kock, Kolkata have done nothing significant so far to stop Bangalore. Kolkata are back in business after Nitish Rana takes the wickets of De Villiers and Kohli in successive deliveries.
It could have been worse, but KKR manage to shut RCB for a respectable score of 176/7, despite some last moment sloppy bowling.
KKR Batting
Kolkata begins strongly with a superb 20 run over by Sunil Narine, who bagged a 19 ball fifty to propel KKR to a respective total of 73/3 after 7 overs. Despite losing some key wickets, Kolkata is in a healthy position thanks to a strong partnership by DK and Rana. Rana departs and Kolkata are still in the hunt for a famous victory over Bangalore. Rinku departs are some superb bowling by Woakes.
RCB Bowling
Despite taking 3 wickets in the first seven overs, Bangalore has not yet been able to contain a formidable performance by the Kolkata batting line up. Bangalore has finally made an impact with the ball as Rana departs after some impressive bowling by Sundar. Woakes now takes another wicket and Bangalore are now in a strong position. KKR is going to have a smooth win over RCB with 4 wickets in hand.
Man of the Match
The undoubted man of the match is Sunil Narine whose 19 balls 50 paved the way for a KKR victory.
Click here to read about the action that happened in Match 2 of the IPL 2018 and for highlights about the opening match, click here.
