IPl 2023 has proved once again why the game of cricket is beloved across the nation.
The match between KKR and GT ended in a nail-biting fashion where no one imagined KKR winning. Batting first, GT reached a massive total of 204 for 4. The defending champions had two half-centuries from the in-form Sai Sudharsan (53 off 38) and all-rounder Vijay Shankar (63* off 24).
Shubman Gill also boosted the team with a sturdy start, scoring 39 off 31 balls. Sunil Narine appeared to be the only bowler that posed issues in front of GT’s strong batting line-up. The unorthodox spinner ended the inning with a tally of 3 wickets for 33 runs.
Ever since Narine’s IPL debut, the player has been a fan favorite, especially among fantasy players. KKR has used Narine in top order occasionally to rack up some quick runs during the powerplay. That is why the spinner is part of most fantasy teams on cricket sports betting sites.
However, KKR did not open the inning with Narine, sending two Indian youngsters to the crease. The move failed as both Gurbaz (15 off 12) and Jagadeesan (6 off 8) lost their wickets despite looking in good touch.
It was Venkatesh Iyer, the impact player, that turned the tides in KKR’s favor. The left-handed player scored a quick 83 off 40 balls with captain Nitish Rana (45 off 29) to solidify KKR’s position.
Even then, the match looked to be going in Gujarat Titans favor. The team had to defend 29 runs in the final over, with KKR only having 3 wickets available. Umesh Yadav gave a single to Rinku Singh on the first ball, after which the slugfest began. Rinku hit five back-to-back sixes in Yash Dayal’s over to win KKR the match.
The win has brought the Kolkata Knight Riders to second place with 4 points and an NRR of +1.375. The team is only behind the Rajasthan Royals, who also have 4 points but a better NRR of +2.067. The exhilarating win has solidified KKR’s position as one of the best batting lineups in the competition.
While the team has no player in contention for the orange cap, their overall contribution is what makes KKR a dangerous squad.
