IPL SRL | KXIP vs KKR Evaluation Chart - Prasidh Krishna’s four-fer seals the deal for Knight Riders
Both sides, with equal firepower at the top of the order, took each other head-on in the contest, with the Men in Gold putting on a total of 184 after the first innings. Despite the valiant partnership from Maxwell and Gowtham, the Punjab side were shut down incredibly by 11 runs in the end.
Match Review
After opting to bat in alien conditions, the Knight Riders side got off to a jittery start, losing Gill in the second over. However, after that, the duo of Narine and Nitish Rana put on a show, scoring 57 runs in just the first six-over phase of the innings. Soon after that, it was a two-man show in KXIP’s homeland, as the southpaws scored runs at a steady pace. Eventually, all good things come to an end, with the partnership ending with the score reading 133/2 after the 15th over. After that, it was carnage from the English batsman Eoin Morgan which took them to a high-scoring total of 184 for the loss of four wickets.
In reply, the hosts never felt comfortable at home, chasing 185, against the power-packed Knight Riders’ bowling unit. A twin wicket over from Prasidh Krishna put the visitors on the map, reducing the hosts to 25/2. From thereon, scoring runs came in pastures for the Kings, who only managed to put on 69 runs in the ten-over period leading to the death overs, thanks to their skipper Maxwell. However, even an inspired partnership from Maxwell and Krishnappa Gowtham could not lead the Reds to a victory in the pulsating fixture.
Turning Point
The turning point of this encounter was the 19th over in the first innings, where Eoin Morgan took on the Afghan spinner for a jolly-good ride. The English limited-overs skipper spotted every one of the spinner’s variations and put them up and beyond the boundary line. In the end, the 19-run over was the difference between a win and loss for the hosts.
Highs and Lows
The Karnataka pacer’s performance in his four-over spell deservedly is the high point of this particular high-scoring fixture. In a fixture, where runs were easy to come by for the batsman, not only did the youngster just concede 26 runs in his spell but also picked up four crucial wickets. Two at the top and two towards the end of the innings ensured that the Knight Riders locked the game in their favour.
Mujeeb ur Rahman’s performance surely would go down as one of the worst spells in the SRL thus far. Not only did he fail to pick a wicket throughout the innings but also conceded 53 runs in the four overs that he bowled on the day. Alongside that, his over in the last phase of the innings was arguably the game-changer for the home side, tilting the contest in the visitors’ favour.
Rating Charts
Powerplay exploitation: KKR 7/10 and KXIP 3/10
Away from home, the approach was always engrained in the KKR setup to start off a bit slow before picking up the pace later in the innings. Here too, nothing was different, as they started the innings off a steady pace, scoring seven of the very first over. However, in the second over, things took a different turn for the visitors, with the exit of Shubman Gill off Sheldon Cottrell’s bowling. After that, the approach was totally different, with Sunil Narine teeing off in sublime fashion, scoring 33 off 21 balls to end the powerplay on a good note, with KKR’s total reading 57/1.
In reply, the hosts just continued their bad run into their batting performance, early on in the powerplay. Despite the acceleration in the third over, where they scored 13 runs, KXIP openers suffered the wrath of the Knight Riders’ bowling attack. A twin wicket over from Prasidh Krishna ensured that the home side faced it tough in their chase. Just when Chris Gayle looked like he was set for a big score, he too exited the scene as KKR reduced the home side to a score of 41/3.
Middle-overs manoeuvring: KKR 4/10 and KXIP 4/10
As soon as the powerplay curtain was raised, the scoring rate slowed down, arguably because of the KXIP spinners, who controlled the tempo of the game. However, after the 10th over mark, the tourists began controlling the innings better, scoring 11 runs in the 11th before seven in the next over. When all-rounder Glenn Maxwell brought himself to the bowling crease, he was greeted by the duo of Narine - Rana with 13 runs of the over. The visitors scored a total of 76 runs, at 7.6 RPO in the dry phase of the T20 innings, losing just the one wicket.
From a struggling position of 41/3, the responsibility was always going to be on the middle-orders’ shoulders to propel the run-scoring. It was exactly that approach from the hosts, with skipper Glenn Maxwell leading the charge from the front. Alongside Nicholas Pooran, the Australian put on a show in the middle overs, taking the spinners head-on. Once Pooran was dismissed, the all-rounder ensured that the asking rate was not too far off before the end phase, with 69 runs in the middle segment.
Death bowling: KKR 3/10 and KXIP 2/10
It was only in the first phase half of the innings where the home bowlers looked dominant and confident. Ever since the powerplay curtain was drawn, the good form was titled in Knight Riders’ favour as the Narine and Rana put on a show. Towards the end of the innings, it was another special innings from a southpaw which took them to 184 after the 20 overs, scoring 51 runs in the last five. Eoin Morgan’s carnage against the Afghan spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman reminded one and all about the 2019 Cricket World Cup, where the southpaw took the bowler for a walk around the park.
In comparison to the KXIP bowlers performance in the first innings, KKR ensured that they bettered them when it came to worst bowling in the death overs. Despite boasting the likes of talented bowlers like Prasidh Krishna, Pat Cummins and Dre Russell in the bowling department, the Knight Riders found themselves digging too late to save themselves from the blushes. Overall, they allowed the KL Rahul-led side to grasp themselves back in the running before the Indian pacer ensured that he sealed the deal.
Match Frenzy O Meter - Good
There is a certain aura around the T20 format of the game - the sixes, the boundaries and plenty of entertainment quotient. In this fixture too, the runs were in plenty, as KKR put on a massive show early in the innings. In the second innings, KXIP did not disappoint, with Maxwell putting on ‘The Big Show.’