The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 21 runs in Match 36 of the TATA IPL 2023. KKR had lost their previous four matches and desperately needed a win. Batting first, KKR posted an imposing total of 200/5 thanks to a blistering 56 off 29 balls from Jason Roy and an attacking 48 off 21 from captain Nitish Rana.
In response, RCB got off to a good start, with Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis going on the attack from the first ball. However, they lost wickets at regular intervals, with Varun Chakaravarthy (3/27) and Suyash Sharma (2/30) spinning a web around the RCB batters. Despite Kohli's half-century, RCB could only manage 179/8, falling short by 21 runs.
The KKR innings got off to a flier, with Roy showing his attacking intent straight away. He charged down the track and hit a four-and-a-second boundary followed in the same over. Along with N Jagadeesan, he hit a slew of straight and cover drives and then went after David Willey, hitting a couple of fours and a six to make it 17 off the over.
Roy continued to attack, hitting four sixes in an over from Shahbaz Ahmed, taking the score to 25 off the over. Rana also played an attacking innings, hitting six fours and two sixes before being dismissed for 48. KKR's total of 200/5 proved too much for RCB.
In response, RCB's openers, Kohli and du Plessis, attacked the KKR bowlers from the outset. They hammered 19 off an over from Umesh Yadav, with Kohli hitting a four and du Plessis hitting two sixes.
However, Suyash Sharma took the wicket of du Plessis, caught at long on for 17 off 7 balls. Kohli and Shahbaz Ahmed added 23 runs before the latter was dismissed by Suyash Sharma. Chakaravarthy then got the wicket of Glenn Maxwell, who was caught at mid-off after hitting Chakaravarthy for a four off the previous ball.
Kohli reached his fifty off 33 balls but was dismissed soon after, caught brilliantly by Venkatesh Iyer at deep mid-wicket off the bowling of Andre Russell. Despite Dinesh Karthik and Suyash Prabhudessai adding 22 brisk runs off 16 balls, RCB could only manage 179/8, falling short by 21 runs.
Overall, it was an impressive performance by KKR, who were desperate for a win after losing their previous four matches. They will take confidence from this victory and look to build on it in their next match. RCB will be disappointed with the loss, but they have the quality to bounce back in their next match.