Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as we call in short had their moments in this game but once again when the pressure came, they lost out on the big moments as Lucknow Super Giants or LSG as we fondly call them came out of nowhere to upstage the 3-time champions at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. KKR had their moments but faltered badly when the clutch moments came as a certain Mukul Choudhary stole the game from there. There are a few areas where KKR were found wanting and we will highlight those for you.
Losing 3/17 in overs 11-15 pegged KKR back
KKR were put into bat first by Rishabh Pant and LSG and after losing Finn Allen early in the second over of the contest, KKR began progressing well courtesy of captain Ajinkya Rahane and form keeper batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi. The duo complimented each other really well and took the team forward as they played the powerplay overs and the initial part of the middle phase as well. The duo took KKR’s score to 98/1 in 10 overs and the platform was set for a 200+ score perhaps.
But then things turned on its head after the halfway stage of the innings. The partnership between Rahane and Raghuvanshi was broken when the score was 99 in the 11th over and from here LSG made a roaring comeback in the contest. Soon, Raghuvanshi fell in the next over as both set batters were dismissed after scoring 40s. After these twin setbacks, vice-captain Rinku Singh came out to bat and struggled out there before being dismissed. Cameron Green too struggled in this phase as well. Scoring 17/3 in 5 overs from a position of strength was a recipe for disaster. This 5-over phase which is very important pegged KKR back a lot.
Overs 11-15 is an important phase and KKR generally tends to struggle in middle overs and middle order something they need to fix as soon as possible. KKR recovered in the back 5 overs to score 66 runs off 30 balls to get the total over 180 which was a competitive total. But they were 10-20 runs short which may have been covered up if that phase went well for them. This is an area they seriously need to work on looking ahead to the tournament.
Conceding 41 runs in first 4 overs of chase puts KKR on backfoot
After posting 181 on the board, it was imperative for KKR to start well with the ball and put pressure on LSG by taking wickets. Instead, they were off their lines and lengths and allowed LSG to get a platform to move forward in the contest. The two openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh came out all guns blazing and took the attack to the KKR bowling which lacked experience and were there for the taking. Markram was the aggressor of the two while Marsh played second fiddle.
The duo dominated the first 4 overs of powerplay getting runs at ease and thereby in a big 180+ run-chase, allowed the platform for the batters to follow. Yes, LSG did mess it up in middle phase and a bit of end phase but eventually got the job done in the end. Had LSG lost early wickets, things may have been different. KKR needs to be more incisive in their bowling. They might be depleted on their resources, but needs to find a way to make it happen this season and get wins. They are one of two teams yet to register a win this season.
KKR needs to come up with better plans and execution in their bowling to do well because if they don’t fix their bowling, they ain’t going to do well this season. Bowling in powerplay initial overs was an issue and so was death bowling. They need to find ways to do well or else more struggle could be on the cards for the Purple army and 3-time champions.
Inability to stop Mukul Choudhary seals the fate of the match
KKR did well after the powerplay to put the squeeze on the LSG team. They first got two wickets inside the powerplay getting rid of both the openers. Then, they got wickets at regular intervals as the big guns like Marsh, Markram, Pooran and Pant went relatively early. Impact Player Ayush Badoni stood up and scored a half-century but he was lacking support at the other end. When Badoni fell, the game was as good as over and then Shami also got out. KKR must have thought the two points are sealed.
But then came Mukul Choudhary out of syllabus. The LSG team were 128/7 in 16 overs needing 54 runs off 24 balls when Avesh Khan joined Mukul in the middle. Mukul then decided to show his prowess and boy he did that with aplomb. Known as a big hitter, Mukesh farmed the strike and took on the ineptness of the KKR bowling. KKR were not up to the mark in the death overs and they were found wanting today as well. Mukul played some audacious shots as 30 off 12 balls was chased down in the end despite lack of remaining resources.
KKR needs to sort out its death bowling woes as soon as possible. With this bowling, they might win an odd match here and there, but progressing to the playoffs will be a tough road going ahead for them. Yes, it is true KKR are missing key players due to injuries, but that is the story for most teams in the IPL. They must find a way and do things nicely as time will run out soon for the 3-time champions.
What Lies Ahead
KKR will next face CSK in what could turn out to be a battle to avoid wooden spoon as both teams are languishing in 9th and 10th place at the moment. LSG will face GT over the weekend in what will be another crunch clash for both teams. Coming up next is the battle of the Royals as Rajasthan Royals host Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati later tonight in the last match at the Barsapara Stadium.
Let’s see how things unfold in tonight’s match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
Also Read:Â KKR vs LSG: Ajinkya Rahane & Rovman Powell Help KKR Set Challenging Target For LSG