IPL 2021: Top 3 bowling performances in SRH vs KKR matches
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the third match of IPL 2021 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai tonight.
KKR have a 12-7 advantage over SRH, winning three of their last games against the Hyderabad-based team. They also defeated SRH in both matches last season.
If one looks at consistent performances in the tournament, though, SRH have definitely fared better than KKR. They made their IPL debut in 2013 and went on to win the title in 2016. SRH have made it to the playoffs in all subsequent editions of the tournament and were runner-ups in 2018.
Meanwhile, KKR have struggled to put together decent performances in the competition. They have won the IPL twice (2012 and 2014). However, KKR were eliminated before the playoffs in the last two seasons. They finished fifth in both 2019 and 2020.
With SRH and KKR all set to take on each other tonight, let's take a look at three of the finest bowling performances in matches between the two teams.
#3 Nathan Coulter-Nile (KKR) - 3 for 20
IPL 2017 Eliminator in Bengaluru
Underrated Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile came up with an excellent bowling performance for KKR in the IPL 2017 Eliminator against SRH in Bengaluru.
KKR elected to field first after winning the toss, and Coulter-Nile proved it was the right decision by claiming wonderful figures of 3 for 20. He got the massive scalp of Kane Williamson (24) and added the wickets of Vijay Shankar (22) and Chris Jordan (0) to give KKR the upper hand.
SRH had got off to a confident start in their chase, reaching 75 for 1 in the 12th over when Coulter-Nile struck to send back Williamson. The pacer did not allow the SRH innings to get into any sort of rhythm.
Umesh Yadav also chipped in with two wickets as KKR restricted SRH to 128 for 7 in 20 overs. With the weather playing spoilsport, KKR’s target was revised to 48 from six overs.
KKR lost three wickets in pursuit but got home with four balls to spare. Captain Gautam Gambhir did the bulk of the scoring with an unbeaten 32 off 19.
#2 Rashid Khan (SRH) - 3 for 19
IPL 2018 Qualifier in Kolkata
SRH leg-spinner Rashid Khan came up with a memorable all-round show in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2018 against KKR in Kolkata.
KKR sent SRH to bat first after winning the toss. Struggling at 138 for 7 in the penultimate over, SRH were lifted to 174m courtesy of a brilliant counter-attacking knock by Rashid Khan. The spirited Afghanistan international smashed four sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 34 off ten balls.
It was only half the job done, though. The leg-spinner then starred with the ball to halt KKR. The two-time IPL winners had raced away to 87 for 1 in the ninth over when the run-out of Nitish Rana (22) created an opening for SRH.
Rashid Khan himself was responsible for the run-out, as he charged in from the deep and got in a fine throw to the keeper to catch Rana short of his crease.
The leg-spinner soon cleaned up Robin Uthappa (2) as the batsman attempted an ungainly reverse sweep.
Rashid Khan then beat the well-set Chris Lynn (48) when the batsman missed a sweep and was plumb in front. His third wicket was also a big one, as he foxed Andre Russell (3) with a googly and had him caught at slip.
The SRH spinner's 3 for 19 restricted KKR to 160 for 9 as SRH won Qualifier 2 by 14 runs.
#1 Lockie Ferguson (KKR) - 3 for 15
IPL 2020 in Abu Dhabi
New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson’s 3 for 15 against SRH in IPL 2020 will go down as one of the most fiery spells by a fast bowler in IPL history.
Sent into bat by SRH, KKR huffed and puffed their way to 163 for 5, courtesy of Shubman Gill’s 36 and Eoin Morgan’s 34. Rahul Tripathi and Nitish Rana perished in their 20s, while Dinesh Karthik made an unbeaten 29 off 14. At the halfway stage, though, most cricket pundits felt that KKR did not have enough on the board.
SRH raced away and reached 58 without loss at the end of the powerplay. With the first ball of the seventh over, though, Ferguson struck by having Williamson (29 off 19) caught at third man with a short and wide delivery outside off.
Ferguson then bamboozled young Priyam Garg (4), cleaning him up with a well-disguised slower ball. The New Zealand fast bowler took a third when he uprooted Manish Pandey’s stumps with an unplayable yorker.
Abdul Samad’s impressive cameo of 23 off 15 enabled SRH to tie the match. Ferguson wasn’t done yet, though. Bowling the Super Over, he castled David Warner first ball. With the third delivery, he dislodged Samad with another slower one.
Needing only three to win, Ferguson’s exploits with the ball meant KKR's win was a formality.