Abu Dhabi:, A fast and furious Lockie Ferguson produced one of the most incredible bowling performances in the IPL this season as he led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a thrilling ‘Super Over’ win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), here Sunday.
Ferguson proved to be the ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ with his storehouse of variation as he dismissed David Warner and Abdul Samad in the ‘Super Over’, leaving KKR with only a three run-target to chase. This was after Warner’s unbeaten 47 (33b, 5×4) had helped SRH tie the score at 163 for five. Warner took 18 runs off the final Andre Russell over to level the total put up by KKR.
Ferguson (3/15) was magnificent during the regulation 20 overs also as his 3/15 in 4 overs had SRH in all sorts of trouble. He bowled a first spell in which he dismissed Kane Williamson (29) with a short ball, got rid of Priyam Garg (4) with a slower one and saw the back of Manish Pandey (6) with a yorker.
Ferguson’s five wickets in the game got KKR the much-needed two points to take their tally to 10 while SRH stayed put on six points and are in serious danger of missing the play-offs.
Earlier, ex-captain Dinesh Karthik’s (29 n o, 14b, 2×4, 2×6) carefree approach was well complemented by skipper Eoin Morgan’s (34, 23b, 3×4, 1×6) as KKR managed managed a par 163 for five after being put into bat. Morgan and Karthik put on 58 runs for the fifth wicket in five overs to rescue the Knights.
T Natarajan (2/40) was the most successful bowler for SRH but it was Vijay Shankar (1/20) who was the most economical.
Rahul Tripathi (23) gave the first charge in the power play as he hit Natarajan for a straight six and a pulled boundary. However, Shubman Gill (36, 37b, 5×4) struggled to time the ball, save an over from Thampi when he got three successive fours.
After Tripathi’s dismissal, Nitish Rana (29, 20b, 3×4, 1×6) looked in good nick. He straight away took on rival team’s best bowler Rashid Khan and deposited him straight for a six and also found a couple of boundaries. However, both then fell in quick succession to put KKR on the backfoot.
With Andre Russell (nine) failing again it was left to Morgan and Karthik to necessitate the turnaround and they did it with ease.
Brief Scores: KKR 163 for 5 (Shubman Gill 36, Eoin Morgan 34, Dinesh Karthik 29 n o, T Natarajan 2/40); SRH 163 for 6 (David Warner 47 n o, Jonny Bairstow 36, Lockie Ferguson 3/15).
KKR won in Super Over