Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made short work of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star-studded batting lineup to and script a remarkable 82-run win in a high-voltage IPL game here at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Chasing the KKR’s low 131, the visitors were bundled out for 49, the lowest total in the IPL. The previous being was 58 by Rajasthan Royals against RCB in 2009.
Nathan Coulter-Nile (3/21), Chris Woakes (3/6) and Colin de Grandhomme (3/4) starred with the ball for the hosts as they skittled out their rivals for their lowest score ever.
Coulter-Nile set the tone for the hosts, removing RCB skipper Virat Kohli for a duck as he chased a fullish delivery outside off stump to give a simple catch to keeper Robin Uthappa. Sections of the Eden were stunned to silence as home team supporters brought the house down.
The Indian captain seemed unhappy with the movement behind the sidescreen, fuming on his way back.
Umesh Yadav got Mandeep Singh’s (1) back with the latter cutting straight to Manish Pandey at point, but it was Coulter-Nile who bowled a fiery first spell (3-0-21-3) sending the dangerous A.B. de Villiers (8) back in the hut after the South African hit two boundaries.
Kedar Jadhav (9) too failed to negotiate the Australian as the 2016 runners-up were tottering at 4/24.
Chris Gayle (7), who was the last hope for Kohli’s men, cut a frustrated figure trying to pull Woakes over midwicket but giving Couler-Nile an easy catch at mid off.
Stuart Binny (8) and Pawan Negi (2) fell shortly as the two-time champions completed a remarkable comeback. Samuel Badree, Tymal Mills, and Yuzvendra Chahal were out soon after. Sreenath Aravind was not out on 5.
Earlier, an excellent spell by leg-spinner Chahal helped RCB bundle out KKR for 131.
He returned figures of 3/16 while the other RCB bowlers also did well to restrict the hosts to the low total.
Sunil Narine (34) was the top-scorer for KKR with the off-spinner continuing from where he had left off in the last match. (IANS)
