Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emerged victorious in a nail-biting IPL 2024 encounter against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by a mere margin of 1 run. Harshit Rana, the young KKR pacer, played a crucial role in securing the win, and after the match, he shed light on the team’s bowling strategy.
Rana’s Crafty Bowling: Taking the Pace Off
Rana, who picked up two wickets and conceded a frugal 33 runs in his four overs, explained the thought process behind his bowling approach. “The plan was to take the pace off and that’s what I did,” he stated during the post-match presentation. Maintaining composure under pressure proved vital for Rana. “Whenever I have the ball, different thoughts come into my mind, but I try to keep a calm head and execute,” he added.
Earlier, batting first after RCB skipper Faf du Plessis’ decision to field, KKR put up a competitive total of 222/6 on the board. Openers failed to capitalize, but a collective effort from Shreyas Iyer (50), Rinku Singh (24), Andre Russell (27*), and a late cameo from Ramandeep Singh (24*) ensured a fighting total. Cameron Green was the standout performer for RCB’s bowling attack, taking two wickets for 35 runs.
RCB’s Fightback Cut Short
In reply, RCB’s chase started poorly with the early dismissals of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. However, a scintillating 102-run partnership between Will Jacks (55) and Rajat Patidar (52) rekindled their hopes. The tide turned again with exceptional spells from Andre Russell (3/25) and Sunil Narine (2/34), putting KKR back in control.
Despite a late flurry from Karn Sharma, who smashed three sixes in the final over, RCB fell agonizingly short of the target, being bowled out for 221. Andre Russell’s all-around performance, with a crucial knock of 27 runs and three wickets, earned him the Player of the Match award.
This victory propels KKR to the second spot in the IPL 2024 points table. Conversely, RCB finds itself languishing at the bottom of the table, with just one win from eight matches.
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