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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) steamrolled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 31st match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Virat Kohli, wh♍o recently announced that this would be his last season as RCB skipper, won the toss and elected to bat f🌃irst. However, the decision to bat first went horribly wrong for the Challengers as KKR packed them for a mere 92 in 19 overs.
Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and star all-rounder Andre Russell completely dominated the proceedings and never really allowed RC𝔍B ba🐲tters to bounce back.
Chakravarthy proved why he was named in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup by displaying outstanding bowling. He picked up a three-wicket haul for just 13 runs in his quota of 4 overs. The right-armer got rid of Glenn Maxwell (10), Sachin Baby (7) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0).
Similarly, Russell also bagged three scalps for just nine runs in 3 overs. Russell sent back Srikar Bharat (16), AB de Villiers (0), Mohammed Siraj (8). Apart from Chakravarthy and Russell, Lockie Ferguson also shined with the b🍒all, picking up two wi🔯ckets for 24 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
In reply, the two-time champions chased down the paltry target in 10 overs with nine wi🐼ckets in hand to register their third victory in the f💜ourteenth season.
Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer gave their side a flying start. The duo added 82 runs for the opening wicket and took the game away from RCB. While Gill 🍨missed out on his half-century by two runs, Iyer remained unbeaten on 41.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
You have to love the cool, matter of fact reaction from Varun Chakravarthy when he gets a big wicket. As if to say, I'm a bowler, it's my job, no big deal! Love watching him bowl.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
. outplay in all three departments to register a massive 9-wicket 👍win, finishin🐬g the job in 10 overs flat.
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL)
People are now figuring w🦋hy Varun Cha🐻kravarthy is in that World Cup squad.
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj)
AB de Villiers v Andre Russell this season:
1st match – 36 (12), no wickets
2nd match – 0 (1), 1 wicket— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
KKR's first IPL game (Kohli's IPL debut):
KKR's biggest win/RCB's biggest defeat in runs (140 runs)KKR's 200th IPL game (Kohli's 200th IPL game):
KKR's biggest win/RCB's biggest defeat in balls to spare (60 balls)— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
The three defeats in this season has shaved off a massive -3.297 from RCB's net run rate. Three of their five wins came by a margin under 10 runs.
RCB's NRR of -0.706 is now the worst of all teams in
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks)
//twitter.com/Rk_Harshit/status/143997520637049💞2417
Largest IPL victories by balls remaining in chase:-
For KKR
60 – vs RCB at Abu Dhabi, today
37 – vs RR at Kolkata, 2011
37 – vs RR at Jaipur, 2019Against RCB
60 – by KKR at Abu Dhabi, today
42 – by RR at Abu Dhabi, 2014
37 – by GL at Bangalore, 2017— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Varun Chakravarthy ౠwould surely be in India’s XI, especially against the top sides during the T20 World Cup. The mystery surrounding his bowling would mean India will more likely use him in big games. He’s just destroyed here.
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9)
Biggest win for KKR in IPL history (in terms of ba൲lls left). Score🌄card:
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
RCB making charity dona🦩tion based on their 8 boundaries and 1 wicket.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer)
RCB should change their slogan from "ee 🌟sala cup namde"♔ to "cricket is the real winner".
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt)
moves to number 5 in the points table in .
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
AB de Villiers v Andre Russell this season:
1st match – 36 (12), no wickets
2nd match – 0 (1), 1 wicket— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
