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Kolkata Knight Riders limp past Delhi into final

cricket13 October 2021 18:10| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Lockie Ferguson (2nd R) © Sportzpics

Rahul Tripathi hit the penultimate ball of the match for six to overcome a spectacular batting collapse to see the Kolkata Knight Riders through to a shuddering three-wicket victory in their IPL Qualifier match against the Delhi Capitals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday night.

Chasing a modest target of 136 for victory KKR reached 125 for two needing just 12 runs from 20 balls with eight wickets in hand but suffered a horrific choke with five wickets falling in the space of 18 balls for the addition of just five runs.

Brilliant defensive bowling from the KKR attack set the platform for Venkatesh Iyer (55) and Shubman Gill (46) to conclude what should have been a straightforward victory with an opening stand of 96 but an extraordinary drama unfolded.

But four batsmen failed to score as Kagiso Rabada bowled Dinesh Karthik, Anrich Nortje bowled Eoin Morgan, Shakib al Hasan was lbw to R Ashwin and Sunil Narine was caught at long-on off the same bowler. It was nerve-shredding carnage.

Just seven runs were required from the final over but Ashwin claimed two wickets and reduced the equation to six off the final two deliveries when Tripathi threw caution to the wind and launched a straight drive that had enough on it to carry the ropes.

MEMORABLE OUTING

Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan earlier top-scored with 36 but his struggles were evidenced by the fact that he required 39 balls and managed just a single four and two sixes.

Fellow opener Prithvi Shaw belted 18 from 12 balls (2x4, 1x6) before he was trapped lbw by legspinner Varun Chakravarthy who also had Dhawan caught at short third man by a diving Shakib al Hasan.

But the legspinner turned from hero to villain in the 16th over when he had Shimron Hetmyer caught at long-on off a no-ball and the Guyanese left-hander threatened to make him pay with a rapid 17 from 10 balls (2x6) before he was run out by a fine through from Venkatesh Iyer.

Mystery spinner Narine bowled two rare full tosses in his first over which Dhawan gleefully hit for six over square leg but Narine bounced back to concede just 13 runs from his final three overs to finish with 0-27 from his four overs.

Shakib’s four overs of left-arm spin cost just 28 runs and New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson (1-26) was no less effective.

Medium-pacer Shivam Mavi (1-27) also had a memorable outing despite conceding 15 off the final over when Shreyas Iyer (30* from 27 balls 1x4, 1x6) struck the final ball of the innings for a straight six.

Marcus Stoinis returned to the Delhi line-up after injury and was promoted to No 3 where he struggled to a painful 18 from 23 balls with just a single boundary.

Kolkata will now play Chennai Super Kings in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

DELHI CAPITALS: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS: Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (capt), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakaravarthy

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