IPL 2021: Top 3 bowling performances in RCB vs KKR matches
In the tenth match of IPL 2021, an undefeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will come up against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai today.
RCB have displayed excellent form in the tournament so far. They got the better of Mumbai Indians (MI) in a last-ball thriller in their IPL 2021 opener. In their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), they came up with a highly proficient effort to register another close win.
Meanwhile, KKR's performances have been a mixed bag so far. They put up a highly competent show to get past SRH in their first match of the tournament. However, against MI, their batting crumbled in incredible fashion. After dominating the game for large swathes, they finished second best, imploding spectacularly in what looked like a straightforward chase.
In their head-to-head battle, KKR have a 15-12 lead over RCB. Virat Kohli and co., however, won both their games against KKR last season, doing so in dominant fashion.
With RCB and KKR set to renew acquaintances in Chennai today, let's take a look at three impressive bowling efforts in matches between the two teams over the years.
#3 Nathan Coulter-Nile (KKR) 3 for 21 in IPL 2017 (in Kolkata)
KKR pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile blew away RCB with figures of 3 for 21 in an IPL 2017 game in Kolkata. RCB kept losing wickets at regular intervals in a modest chase of 132 as they crumbled to an embarrassing 49 all out - the lowest ever total in IPL history.
On that day, Coulter-Nile dealt a body blow to RCB by sending back their captain Virat Kohli for a duck in the first over of the chase. The RCB captain drove away from his body, and the ball moved enough to catch the edge on its way to second slip.
Coulter-Nile then took out the other big RCB fish, AB de Villiers (8), who top-edged a pull to the keeper. The KKR pacer had his third when Kedar Jadhav (9) chipped an incoming length ball straight to mid-off. Jadhav’s dismissal left KKR reeling at 24 for 4.
At the other end, Chris Woakes was also sensational. He claimed 3 for 6 in two overs, including the big wicket of Chris Gayle. He then added a couple of lower-order RCB wickets. New Zealand pacer Colin de Grandhomme also helped himself to three wickets, running through the tail, as RCB were dismissed for 49 in 9.4 overs.
Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal claimed impressive figures of 3 for 16 to restrict KKR to 131. RCB would have been a confident outfit at the halfway stage. When the game resumed, though, they were blown away in unbelievable fashion.
#2 Mohammed Siraj (RCB) 3 for 8 - IPL 2020 (in Abu Dhabi)
This was the performance that brought Mohammed Siraj into the reckoning for national selection. Against KKR in Abu Dhabi, he ran through the top order and put the batting side on the back foot.
KKR decided to bat first after winning the toss. However, Siraj was able to extract movement off the surface and trouble the batsmen. He began by having Rahul Tripathi (1) caught behind with a short-of-a-length delivery.
Nitish Rana (0) lasted one ball. A full swinging delivery beat his defence and crashed onto his stumps. Siraj had his third when Tom Banton (10) got into a tangle and edged a length delivery, bowled with a scrambled seam, behind the wickets.
At 14 for 4, KKR were in real danger of beating RCB’s record for the lowest IPL total (49). A hard-fought 30 from captain Eoin Morgan ensured that did not happen. KKR, though, only managed 84 in their allotted twenty overs.
The chase was a breeze for RCB, who won by eight wickets in 13.3 overs. Devdutt Padikkal contributed 25, while Gurkeerat Singh Mann scored an unbeaten 21.
#1 Sunil Narine (KKR) 4 for 20 - IPL 2014 (in Kolkata)
KKR spinner Sunil Narine came up with an excellent spell of 4 for 20 to stave off a challenge from RCB in an IPL 2014 encounter in Kolkata.
Chasing 196 for victory, RCB were very much in the hunt at 92 for in the 13th over. Narine, however, shifted the momentum of the match by dismissing Kohli. The RCB captain was batting on a well-set 38 when he could not control a cut off Narine. The ball bounced a little, and Kohli was caught at short third man.
Narine then dismissed RCB’s top-scorer of the innings, Yogesh Takawale, for 45. Takawale also went for a cut against a ball that spun back in sharply but only managed to chop the ball onto his stumps.
The KKR spinner’s third wicket was that of Yuvraj Singh (22), who couldn’t find his timing on a lofted stroke and was caught at long-on. Any faint RCB hopes of a win evaporated when AB de Villiers missed a good length delivery and was cleaned up for 13.
Earlier, KKR’s total of 195 for 4 was built around Robin Uthappa's unbeaten 83 and Shakib Al Hasan’s 60. In the second half, Narine did the job with the ball for KKR, restricting RCB to 165 for 5.