IPL 2018: Match 15- RR vs KKR : Five talking points from the game

Kolkata Knight Riders won the match by 7 wickets.

Kolkata Knight Riders won the match by 7 wickets | Source IANS

Kolkata Knight Riders won the match by 7 wickets against the Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Nitish Rana was awarded the man of the match for his extraordinary, all-rounder skills with the bat and ball that helped Kolkata to reach on top of the points table. Team Circle of Cricket gets down to list the 5 talking points o the match. Click on the links to get onto the next page.

 

Dinesh Karthik running out Rahane

Karthik pulled a brilliant effort to run Rahane out. (IANS)
Rajasthan Royals started off their innings quite well but when Rahane trudged out after missing the flick their team had a collapse. It was Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps who had quick reflexes to run-out Rahane. The latter looked for a flick where he got rapped on the pad, with the ball rolling towards the keeper. Dinesh Karthik took no time to break the stumps of Rahane before he could get back in the crease.

Dinesh's outstanding work behind the wickets got in favour of Kolkata with Rahane a set batsman walking back to the pavilion on 36.

 

Samson failing with the bat

Samson scored just 7 against KKR. (IANS)
After the sudden wicket of Rahane, Rajasthan wanted their star player Sanju Samson to play explosively but in return a quicker one from Shivam Mavi made Sanju walk back to the dugout. He just scored 7 runs to make it worse for the Royals of Rajasthan.

Sanju Samson has always been a quality player for Rajasthan Royals, he played beautifully in the previous match against RCB. He will just need to get his basics right to get back in his turbulent form. Maybe Sanju getting out early in the innings was one of the reasons for Rajasthan's poor batting display.

 

Below par total for Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan registered a below par total. (IANS)
Rajasthan Royals only managed to put 160 runs on the board which accordingly is a below-par total for them. Given the fact they have some wonderful, attacking players who can single handily demolish the oppositions bowling attack but players like Ben Stokes, Darcy Short who are world class cricketers have not yet looked going after their opponent.

This is an area where Rajasthan needs to work as their middle order looks strong but has not really clicked and plus you cannot always depend on your top order to perform.

 

Uthappa and Karthik  guides KKR to victory

Uthappa scored 48 and Karthik was unbeaten on 42. (IANS)

Chasing 160 runs was surely not a tough task for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthik played a great hand to seal a 7 wicket victory for their side. All their batsmen contributed well enough with the bat to secure a comfortable win against the Royals in their home ground.
 
It was totally a team effort by Kolkata Knight Riders players that they were able to upset Rajasthan Royals in front of their home crowd and audience.

 

Rajasthan's winning streak broken

While Rahane failed for Rajasthan, Karthik shone for Kolkata.(IANS)

Kolkata Knight Riders have now finally broken Rajasthan's winning streak at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur of 13 games to reach the top of the points table equalling Sunrisers Hyderabad with six points. Rajasthan Royals are a quality side with refined players who know their responsibility and roles in the team. They will surely bounce back harder in their next context where they face Super Kings of Chennai.

 

 
 

By Kunal Kataria - 18 Apr, 2018

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