IPL 2024: 2 Wins in 2 Matches for Kolkata, RCB Become First Team To Lose at Home

IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders made light work of RCB's 182/6, chasing the target down in merely 16.5 overs.

IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 7 wickets.

(Photo: BCCI)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team to lose a home match in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, as Kolkata Knight Riders handed them a seven-wicket defeat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a target of 183 runs, the Knight Riders secured victory in merely 16.5 overs, at the expense of seven wickets. This is also Kolkata's sixth consecutive triumph over Bengaluru on this ground.

The away team’s openers did not waste any time in making their intent clear, as in the first over, Phil Salt won the latest instalment of his battle against Mohammed Siraj by accumulating 18 runs, with a couple of sixes and a four.

Narine, perhaps reminiscing his 17-ball 54 against the same opposition, and at the same ground in 2017, opted to throw his hat into the ring soon, striking two maximums off Alzarri Joseph’s bowling in the third over.

It took Knight Riders only 21 deliveries to cross the 50-run hurdle, and by the end of the powerplay, they had already accumulated 85 runs – the highest powerplay score in this year’s IPL.

Bengaluru did have rare moments of celebration in an otherwise one-way traffic, the first of which came in the seventh over when Mayank Dagar bowled Narine when the latter was batting on 47. After scoring 30 runs, Salt lost his wicket to impact substitute Vijaykumar Vyshak in the next over.

The onslaught, however, was unceasing, with Venkatesh Iyer being the latest Kolkata batter to lead the charge. A 20-run over off Joseph, which included two fours and a six from Iyer’s willow, set the tone for what was to transpire. By the fifteenth over, he recorded his maiden IPL half-century against RCB.

Though he did lose his wicket in the next over, skipper Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 24-ball 39-run knock ensured there were no undesired late twists to the late, as Kolkata reached the target without any hindrances.

Earlier, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 83 off 59 balls and a quick-fire 33 in 21 balls by Cameron Green propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to 182/6 in 20 overs.

Virat Kohli's 83 Goes in Vain

Earlier, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 83 off 59 balls and a quick-fire 33 in 21 balls by Cameron Green propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to 182/6 in 20 overs.

Asked to bat first, RCB lost their skipper Faf du Plessis for a mere 8 runs. However, Virat Kohli and Cameron Green played with authority in the Power-play, the dynamic duo added 65 runs for the second wicket, with Green falling prey to Sunil Narine after scoring 33 runs. Just when it seemed like RCB was set for a massive total, Narine struck, dismissing the dangerous Green. The momentum swung slightly in KKR's favour, but Kohli stood tall, anchoring the innings with his masterful stroke play.

Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Kohli continued to pile on the runs, reaching yet another fifty in his illustrious career. However, the KKR fielders were not at their sharpest, dropping Glenn Maxwell twice, providing crucial lifelines to the RCB batsman.

Maxwell, however, failed to capitalise on these chances and departed after a breezy cameo, scoring 28 in 19 deliveries. With Rajat Patidar and Anuj Rawat departing for three each, the onus was on Kohli to stay in the middle and guide RCB to a competitive total. He did that and found an able partner in Dinesh Karthik, the seasoned campaigner, who once again proved his mettle in the dying overs.

With a blazing 20 in 8 deliveries, Karthik propelled RCB past the 180-run mark, ensuring a challenging target for KKR. Kohli and Dinesh Karthik's late surge helped Bengaluru finish on a high note. He and Kohli scored 29 runs in the final two overs as Bengaluru reached 182 runs.

It did not start well for Kolkata as they went for 61 runs with the solitary wicket of Faf du Plessis in the batting Power-play. Harshit Rana and Andre Russell bagged a couple of wickets each for KKR, while Sunil Narine celebrated a solitary wicket.

(With inputs from IANS)