IPL 2024: 3 players who starred and 2 who flopped in the KKR vs RCB match ft. Virat Kohli & Mitchell Starc
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continued their good form in IPL 2024 as they beat the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by one run at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 21.
With the win, the Knight Riders moved into second place, ahead of the SunRisers Hyderabad on net run rate. The Royal Challengers, meanwhile, suffered their sixth successive defeat in the competition and find themselves moored to last position in the standings.
The thrilling contest produced notable performances and poor displays in equal measure from both sides. On that note, here are three players who starred and two who flopped in the KKR vs RCB IPL 2024 match.
#5 Star - Rajat Patidar (RCB)
Rajat Patidar has come into his own as the tournament has progressed, and he turned in a sensational display of spin-hitting against KKR. Playing at a venue that he has found success at in the IPL, the No. 4 batter was rampant in the middle overs and gave his team an excellent chance of victory.
Patidar didn't bother using his feet much and instead picked anything in his arc over the legside boundary with ease. He wasn't afraid to go over long-on and took the attack to Suyash Sharma, in particular.
Patidar's dismissal was disappointing, but he was in his element while he was at the crease.
#4 Flop - Mitchell Starc (KKR)
The most expensive player in the history of the IPL auction is turning out to be the most expensive bowler in the tournament. Mitchell Starc's woes continued as the RCB batters plundered him for runs.
Will Jacks took a liking to him in the powerplay, after which Shreyas Iyer was understandably hesitant to bring the Aussie fast bowler on. In the last over, when he should've taken pace off, Starc dished out pacy freebies in Karn Sharma's hitting arc.
Even when he was hit for a couple of sixes, Starc didn't change things up. It was a truly terrible performance from the world-class pacer, so KKR were lucky to come away with the two points.
#3 Star - Will Jacks (RCB)
Will Jacks took some time to get into the RCB XI, but he seems to be here to stay. Making his first real impact of the season with the bat, the Englishman smacked a half-century to keep his team in the hunt in the chase.
Jacks was severe on pace and didn't seem too out of his depth against spin. He struck four fours and five sixes in his knock, making a name for himself as a long-term prospect for the franchise.
#2 Flop - Virat Kohli (RCB)
![Kohli was foxed by a slower one [Image Courtesy: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/be2f4-17137136374083-1920.jpg?w=500)
Virat Kohli was livid after being given out. He yelled at the umpires, smashed his bat into anything he could find and ironically even toppled a trash can while wearing a "go green" shirt.
However, Kohli had only himself to blame after being outfoxed by a slower one from Harshit Rana that dipped. The technology adjudged that it would've been below waist height at the crease and rightfully so.
After making a bright start, Kohli needed to carry on and make the chase easier for Bengaluru. But he couldn't and surely cost his team a few fair play points too.
#1 Star - Phil Salt (KKR)
![Salt has been deadly in IPL 2024 [Image Courtesy: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/21f47-17137136637287-1920.jpg)
Phil Salt set the tone for KKR's win with a dazzling display of hitting under the sun in the powerplay. The keeper-batter's unmatched intent come to the fore once again, with him taking Kolkata ahead of the game in the first few overs.
Salt was particularly severe on Lockie Ferguson, off whom he massacred 28 runs in the fourth over of the first innings. By the time he was dismissed in the very next over, the Knight Riders had already made a statement.
Salt was also excellent with his glovework. He needed to be perfect off the last ball to ensure that the game didn't go into a Super Over.