The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has wasted another chance of registering their maiden win of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). There is no denying to the fact that, RCb was at the commanding position for most of the situation of the game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. However, the Andre Russell storm struck Bangalore in the last couple of overs and as a result of that the Knights came out trumps by five wickets with five balls to spare.
RCB’s batsmen came out all guns blazing and scored 205 runs in their 20 overs. Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel opened the batting and put on 64 runs for the opening wicket in 47 deliveries. Nitish Rana got the wicket of Parthiv for 25 to give KKR their first breakthrough. Thereafter, Kohli and AB de Villiers carried forward the momentum and cobbled together a stand of 108 runs for the second wicket to put RCB in command.
WATCH – Kuldeep Yadav Takes A Brilliant Catch To Dismiss Virat Kohli
Kohli scored his half-century in 31 balls and eventually scored as many as 84 runs in 49 balls with the help of nine fours and two maximums. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed the RCB skipper, but, at the other end, De Villiers amassed a 32-ball 63 to take the sting out of the Knights’ batting lineup. Sunil Narine got the priced wickets of ABD in the penultimate over. Marcus Stoinus chipped with a quick-fire knock of 28 runs from 13 deliveries to help RCB reach 205/3.
KKR started the run-chase as per the expectations as Narine and Lynn added 28 runs for the first wicket. Navdeep Saini picked up Narine in the second over. Lynn failed to deliver in the first three games but looked like getting back into form with a knock of 43 from 31 with four fours and a couple of maximums. Robin Uthappa failed to deliver big but made sure that the scoreboard keeps ticking with a 25-ball 33.
WATCH – Andre Russell Smashes Two Hat-trick Of Sixes
Nitish Rana threatened with 37 from 23 balls and he was nipped out by Yuzvendra Chahal in a bid to force the issue. Dinesh Karthik also showed some intent but got out at a crucial time. Then came in Andre Russell and he changed the game completely in KKR’s favor. In the last three overs, KKR needed 53 runs and Russell bludgeoned to 48 from 13 balls and decimated the RCB bowlers. He smashed seven sixes and one four to take KKR over the line.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders – 206/5 in 19.1 overs (A Russell: 48*, C Lynn: 43; P Negi: 2/21) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore – 205/3 in 20 overs (V Kohli: 84, Ab de Villiers: 63; S Narine: 1/30) by 50 wickets.
Here is how Twitter praise the efforts of Russell:
Any asking rate is child’s play for Andre Russell . What a victory ! #RCBvsKKR
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 5, 2019
RUUUUUSSSSEEEEELLLLL @Russell12A Take a Bow 🙇♂️ @IPL @KKRiders vs @RCBTweets
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 5, 2019
@Russell12A takes X-Factor to the next level. Unbelievable. Game is never over with players like that in the lineup
— Albie Morkel (@albiemorkel) April 5, 2019
Oh praaavaa 😱😱 @Russell12A take a bow 🙇♂️ out of this world 👏🏼👏🏼 #KkrvsRcb #VIVOIPL2019
— Mandeep Singh (@mandeeps12) April 5, 2019
@Russell12A what a knock😱
— RAMESH POWAR (@imrameshpowar) April 5, 2019
That’s ridiculous hitting by Dre Russ 😱😱😱😱😱
— Chris Morris (@Tipo_Morris) April 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1114229156990947328
Andre Russell is just ridiculous!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) April 5, 2019
I am sorry bowlers… why can’t you bowl Yorkers???? 😡😡😡😡😡#selectdougout #defence
— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) April 5, 2019
A game Siraj would want to forget #RCBvKKR
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) April 5, 2019
It is never over till Andre Russell is over. Brutal hitting once again. 30 needed off two overs and he wins the match with five balls to spare. Insane! #DreRuss #RCBvKKR
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) April 5, 2019
Has to be the scariest in world cricket #DreRuss
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 5, 2019
Russell in IPL 2019:
v SRH – 49* (19) – 4 sixes
v KXIP – 48 (17) – 5 sixes
v DC – 62 (28) – 6 sixes
v RCB – 48* (13) – 7 sixes#RCBvKKR— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 5, 2019
I haven’t seen anyone bat like this. Don’t know how many of you have. This is from a diff planet. @Russell12A playing a diff game.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) April 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/fwildecricket/status/1114230103381368832
