Rabada flies, but can't get a hand to it! Length ball outside off, and Rana has cut this past the third-man fielder on the boundary! Knight Riders win by three wickets
KKR won by 3 wickets (with 10 balls remaining)
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Sunil Narine, the Player of the Match: "Watching a few games here, knew there's a bit of spin here. Didn't want to get too full. I've been through a lot. Need to give credit to bowling coach, that's a plus and that's been key for me to come back. Batting in the middle-order is challenging. Its pleasing to see hardwork paying off after a long time. I think we are playing some good cricket. A few niggles, but that said we are playing good cricket."
Eoin Morgan, the winning captain: "Delighted. Tough playing two day games in three days. But delighted to get a couple of points. Winning toss and fielding is not an easy thing to do. Guys were more calculated today, and it came off. When the outfield is slow, if you are cagey it can come back to hurt you. Both sides played the game hard. On a hot day, things can boil over. Thankfully it didn't. We all played in the right spirit. And its a tough contest against Delhi Capitals. Full credit has to go to our coach Brendon McCullum. Its his ethos, his mindset, and the boys have bought into that."
Venkatesh Iyer, two wickets today: "Felt good with the ball. Always had the confidence that I can deliver with the ball. I do practice the yorker a lot. I practice with my bowling coach Anand Rajan. For me, it's about accuracy and bowling to my field. As long as my execution is current, I am extremely satisfied. I think to be a player who can help in all three departments is good. I thrive fielding as well. I've always wanted to be that cricketer."
Mustafa Moudi : "Funny enough but this is the worst Win for KKR in UAE this season in terms of Balls remaining. Such is the dominance for KKR !!"
Losing captain Rishabh Pant: "I think we were 10 short, not much. We knew wicket would slow down in the second innings. But every team is trying to win the match. We want to give 100% and if it doesn't go our way we will learn and move on. Batting was pretty difficult for new batters. We wanted to capitalise in the end with the bat, but we lost wickets and ended up 10 short. Bowling performance - really happy. There isn't a massive change that we need to do."
5.38pm We all knew even 128 would be tricky on this surface, but the Knight Riders have found a way to win, and have defeated top-two side Delhi Capitals. That means the Knight Riders are sitting pretty on fourth with 10 points, with other teams now needing to chase them. Knight Riders will be especially happy that Narine and Rana got runs with the bat. The Capitals camp will surely rethink their bowling strategy for this match. A win would've secured a top-four finish for the Capitals, but that wasn't to be.
Johann: "Sunil Narine for MoM. 2/18 and he slayed the dragon!"
Has an unfit Ferguson been sent out?
good length on middle. And he nudges to the leg side. Ferguson hobbles his way out half-way down, but Rana sends him back. Ferguson is slow to get back and Axar nearly had him run out!
twist in the tale? Avesh Khan gets his 50th T20 wicket in style. Fullish outside off. Angling into the stumps. Southee goes for the glory shot with a leg-side slog, but he gets the inside edge instead. Off stump rattled
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full on off. Pushed to mid off and another quick single taken. The batters know that the pressure is on the fielders
full outside off. Skips down the ground and drills a shot to Rabada at mid off. Southee is off for one, and he will be out only if there's a direct-hit
high, in the air, but lands safe! Back of a length outside off stump. Looks to pull over the leg side, but the drag goes up in the air instead. Deep midwicket and fine leg come together to get under it, but it falls between both players
good length outside off. Tries to punch it through the off side but mistimed to midwicket instead
full ball angling into middle stump. Tapped off the back foot to midwicket, but no single
back of a length ball on middle and off. Lets it go through to the keeper
Hamza: "Seven sixes from KKR as compared to 0 from DC. surely this is enough to decide the victorious team in a T20 game."
slices it to the off side. Back of a length ball. Angling away. Looks to club it over the leg side but the bat's face turns in his hand. Pops up for Axar at cover
Physio Patrick Farhart having a look at Pant's fingers. Think he got a blow while getting behind the last delivery
good length just outside off stump. Looks to guide one to third man but misses
slower ball, but too full and more importantly too wide. On the bounce to Pant
Werries: "Nortje, your best bowler in the tournament, has only bowled 1 over so far with only 4 remaining. Before this match he has only conceded 30 runs in his 8 overs in this tournament. Surely he has to bowl."
full toss, nearly waist-high. Around middle stump, and whipped to square leg for a single
slower ball, good length wider outside off. Tries to cut, misses
Nortje has 2.5 overs left today. Did Pant get his captaincy wrong with the extra Lalit over?
overpitched, lands just outside off but beyond the stumps. Narine can't get bat on all
Nortje.
It's the time out, but the damage has been done. Not much that 'strategy' can help with right now.
What's interesting is that Matt Roller's strategy punt in the match preview has come out right. This is what he had written: "Could KKR return Narine to his middle-order role with the bat? He made 64 off 32 balls against Capitals from No. 5 last season, with Ricky Ponting memorably irate on the sidelines at Shreyas Iyer's reluctance to bring back one of his fast bowlers to bounce him out, but Narine showed in the Hundred that he has improved again the short ball and has the ability to hook quicks for sixes."
good length, outside off. Flat-batted to cover's left. 21 off the over
smacked! Narine is now toying with Rabada. He goes for a length ball outside leg stump, and Narine swings it leg side like a baseball player. Swung off the bat's sweet spot...and six over deep midwicket!
that's been tonked! Rabada bowling gentle offcutters. Length ball on leg stump and Narine turns to the leg side before shoveling a shot through deep midwicket. One-bounce four
top edged for six! Short ball on leg stump. Narine swivels to pull over square leg. But it takes the edge, flies over short fine leg, and goes for half a dozen. Extra pace is a double-edged sword in Sharjah
over Rabada's head! But doesn't have the best connection. Knee-high full toss on off and thumped back past. Long off and long on both come together to stop the four
Free hit. Very useful delivery when the asking rate is 6.
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Sharjah Cricket Stadium | |
Toss | Kolkata Knight Riders, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2021 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 14.00 start, First Session 14.00-15.30, Interval 15.30-15.50, Second Session 15.50-17.20 |
Match days | 28 September 2021 - day (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Delhi Capitals 0 |
Over 19 • KKR 130/7
KKR won by 3 wickets (with 10 balls remaining)