Kolkata: Nitish Rana (85 n o, 46b, 9×4, 5×6) and Andre Russell’s (65, 25b, 2×4, 9×6) blistering half centuries were not enough to deny Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) their second win of the ongoing IPL as the Virat Kohli’s side clinched a narrow 10-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here at the Eden Gardens, Friday.
Chasing a mammoth 214 runs to win, KKR were in a spot of bother as they were reduced to 33/3 in 5 overs at one stage. However, after the dismissal of Robbin Uthappa (nine) in the 12th over, Rana along with Jamaican Russell stitched together 118 runs for the fifth wicket but that wasn’t enough as the hosts finished at 203/5.
Earlier, Kohli (100, 58b, 9×4, 4×6) smashed his first century of the season after Moeen Ali’s (66, 28b, 5×4, 6×6) blistering knock as RCB amassed 213/4.
The Indian skipper paced his innings brilliantly and got out on the last ball of the innings, his fifth in the IPL. RCB scored 91 runs off the last five overs to record their highest total of the season.
It was Ali who gave the much needed oxygen to their innings, after a slow start. Kohli and Ali shared 90 runs off 43 balls for the third wicket and there was no looking back after Ali’s assault.
The match swung in the 16th over when Kuldeep Yadav (1/59) bled 27 runs with Ali going berserk, smashing the star India spinner for three sixes and two boundaries.
Kohli, who scored his first 50 off 40 balls, changed gears in the second half of his innings. Such was his domination that Kohli took just 17 balls for his second fifty.
Put in, RCB got off to an ordinary start and the absence of AB de Villiers, who was indisposed following dehydration, was felt very much.
Kohli mistimed the ball with a couple of inside-edges to the boundary, while his left-handed opening partner Parthiv Patel (11) had a hit-and-miss stay before falling to Sunil Narine (1/32) inside the powerplay.
In the middle of all this, RCB sent in Akshdeep Nath (13) at number three keeping the in-form Ali in waiting. RCB made only 42 runs inside the powerplay.
Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 213/4 (Virat Kohli 100, Moeen Ali 68) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 203/5 (Nitish Rana 85 n o, Andre Russell 65) by 10 runs.
