Kolkata Knight Riders broke three hearts at one go. A handsome 86-run victory against Rajasthan Royals in their last league match in Sharjah on Thursday not only almost cemented their place as the fourth side in the playoffs, but also knocked off Punjab Kings and Royals at the same time.
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It's almost curtains for the Mumbai Indians too as the net run rate (NRR) needed for them to deny Knights the place in the last-four stage, will now require some superhuman effort.
KKR openers Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer gave a sedate but steady start after RR skipper Sanju Samson won the toss and put the rivals in. The youngsters built up the innings almost brick by brick on a slow and low wicket where strokemaking was difficult.
Gill once again showed why he is spoken of so highly. The Punjab lad picked up from where he left against SRH, hitting back-back 50s. The Knights' innings in fact, revolved around the youngster as they put up 171 runs for the loss of four wickets, the highest total at Sharjah this season.
The KKR bowlers did not allow any RR batsman to settle down. Losing wickets at regular intervals, they folded up for 85 in 16.1 overs. Pacer Shivam Mavi picked up four and Lockie Ferguson, returning from an injury in place of Tim Southee, claimed three wickets.
Gill found the first six of the match when he came down the pitch to lift left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya for a six over the long on.
In spite of having a rather quiet powerplay (6 overs) which fetched only 34 runs, wickets in hand helped the batsmen to open up thereafter as Iyer found two sixes of Jaydev Unadkat, one over the long-on and then punched another over the bowler's head in the 10th over of the match. Gill greeted Rahul Tewatia with a one-handed six over long-on but the spinner provided the first breakthrough for RR by having Iyer, who was bowled, missing the line while trying to play a reverse sweep.
1/8:KKR's giant step
<p>Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Rajasthan Royals by 86 runs to take a firm grip on the fourth and final spot in the Indian Premier League playoffs. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
2/8:Gill on the rampage
<p>Shubman Gill hit a 44-ball 56 as Kolkata stormed to 171/4 after being put into bat. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
3/8:Opening stand
<p>Gill and Venkatesh Iyer (38) put on 79 for the first wicket to put Kolkata on the road to an imposing score. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
4/8:Useful contributions
<p>Rahul Tripathi, made 21 off 14 balls, while Dinesh Karthik (14) and Morgan (13) all scored quick runs in the death overs. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
5/8:Shivam shines
<p>Shivam Mavi took four wickets for 21 off just 19 balls as Rajasthan collapsed to 85 all out in 16.1 overs. (BCCI/IPL/ANI Photo)</p>
6/8:Mavi man of the match
<p>Mavi won the man of the match award for ripping through the Rajasthan top order, claiming captain Sanju Sansom, Shivam Dube, Glenn Phillips and Rahul Tewatia. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
7/8:RR top scorer
<p>Tewatia top scored for Rajasthan with two sixes and five fours in his 44. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
8/8:Fiery Ferguson
<p>Lockie Ferguson took three for 18 from his four overs. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>Nitish Rana hit a four and a six off Glenn Phillips, but perished in the next delivery going for an encore to be caught by Liam Livingstone, coming in for injured Evin Lewis, at long-off boundary. Rahul Tripathi found another boundary in the over as Phillips went for 17 runs in his only over. Gill got to his half-century off 40 balls with three boundaries and two big sixes. However, he mistimed one to be caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at cover for 56 to become Chris Morris' first victim in the UAE leg of the tournament.
Dinesh Karthik came up the order and the former Knights' skipper didn't disappoint hitting a short one from Mustafizur Rahman over the deep mid-wicket boundary for a six. An out-of-form Morgan came in after Rahul Tripathi departed for a quickfire 21. The England captain still didn't look convincing but hit a useful six off Morris, who gave away 16 runs in the last over of KKR innings.
