IPL 2020, RR vs KKR: Kolkata Knight Riders destroy Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs
In the 12th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 37 runs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Kolkata Knight Riders had given a target of 175 runs for the Rajasthan Royals to chase. The KKR's bowlers destroyed the batting lineup of the RR. Tom Curran's last-minute explosive knock of undefeated 54 runs helped Rajasthan Royals limiting the lost margin to 37 runs. Tonight's match marks as the first defeat of the season for the RR.
Steven Smith won the toss and elected to field first. KKR had a great start with opener Shubhman Gill scoring 47 runs off 34 balls. The other opener Sunil Narine got out after making just 15 runs for the KKR. Nitish Rana and Andre Russell played average innings with the former scoring 22 runs off 17 balls while the latter scoring 24 runs off 14 balls. Skipper Dinesh Karthik remained unsuccessful tonight with the bat as he lost his wicket after making 1 run. Eoin Morgan's classy knock of 34 runs off 23 balls helped KKR set a target of 175 runs for the RR to chase. Jofra Archer remained the most economical bowler in his spell and took 2 wickets. Tom Curran had a decent economy rate tonight and he also took a wicket for the RR.
Rajasthan Royals had a bad start from the beginning of the match. Opener Joss Buttler made only 21 runs for the RR, while the next three batsmen Steven Smith, Sanju Samson, and Robin Uthappa, lost their wickets without reaching the two-digit figures in run tally. Tom Curran made the highest 54 runs undefeated for the RR. Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, and Varun Chakravarthy shined for the Kolkata Knight Riders as they took two wickets each while also being very economical in their spells. Pat Cummins remained the most economical bowler of the lot in his spell of 3 overs.
Rajasthan Royals suffered a humiliating defeat as their best-performing batsmen remained unsuccessful in making a mark in tonight's game. Tom Curran rose as a hero for the RR with his explosive knock of 54 runs off 36 balls. Sanju Samson, who played well in the past matches of the 13th edition of the IPL, remained unsuccessful tonight. Rajasthan Royals was the topper in points table before their defeat tonight. RR has to make a comeback in their next match to continue their dominant run in the current season.
Kolkata Knight Riders's gameplay has seen a drastic change from their defeat in the season opener match. KKR won their last match against SRH as well. The batting lineup of the KKR showed consistent performance tonight and were successful in putting a decent target of 175 runs for the RR to chase. The highlight tonight remained the bowlers of the KKR, who managed to outperform and dominate the opponent team with ease. With tonight's win KKR sits at 2nd position in the points table while Delhi Capitals (DC) rose to the top position.
