Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023: Rinku Singh stands tall in Kolkata's average campaign

Former IPL legend Yusuf Pathan has dropped a bombshell relating to two of the biggest match-winners in KKR side – Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, saying for the greater good and looking into the future, the franchise must look beyond the Windies pair. These comments have come on the back of underwhelming performances from these two this season.

While Russell hasn’t been at his brutal best in IPL 2023, the former several-time purple cap winner Sunil Narine has looked out of rhythm too. Russell, unlike in the previous seasons, registered a few single-digit scores this time – having taken 218 runs in 12 outings with seven wickets, whereas off-spinner Narine has just picked seven scalps at an economy of 8.5.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-he-will-soon-ravi-shastris-bold-remark-on-rr-batsman-yashasvi-jaiswals-future-592251">IPL 2023: 'He will soon...:' Ravi Shastri's bold remark on RR batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal's future</a>

Ahead of the away clash against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Yusuf said the franchise must look at their performances this season or rather of previous seasons too and see how many matches they won for the side.

Considering both Narine and Russell got retained by the former two-time winners, Yusuf feels being so experienced, they haven’t lived up to the expectations and must face a few questions now.

"We should see how Narine and Russell have performed in the last three years, or how many match-winning performances they have put in with bat or ball," Yusuf told ESPNcricinfo.

"As a team, what do you think? If you want to look ahead to the future and go to the next level, then you should surely think about it, because if you look at the last few seasons, their performance hasn't been as good. As a senior player, there are expectations from you that you would get wickets or runs. If you are not able to do it, then you will have to face the questions," the former all-rounder added.

Sharing concerns over their form this season that saw KKR going down in their quest of reaching the playoffs, Yusuf said age has nothing to do with their mediocre run as most players of the same age are also playing and doing well.

"I don't think age should be a factor, because there are others of similar age who are still playing, and are performing well too. Plus, both of them play around the year. I feel if you are playing the entire year, then your body is in good shape,” Yusuf added.&nbsp;

The former IPL winner said he doesn’t know what’s wrong with them, but as others, he expects them to deliver and help the team win more matches.

"I am not able to figure out what is going wrong. These two are your match-winners, and when your match-winners don't perform, your team struggles. Perhaps fatigue could be a reason as they play the entire year. Having said that, everyone wants and expects them to do well,” Yusuf concluded.

Meanwhile, KKR is eighth on the points table with just five wins from 12 matches played, and their chances of breaking into top-four are bleak.&nbsp;

Former IPL legend Yusuf Pathan has dropped a bombshell relating to two of the biggest match-winners in KKR side – Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, saying for the greater good and looking into the future, the franchise must look beyond the Windies pair.

Former IPL legend Yusuf Pathan has dropped a bombshell relating to two of the biggest match-winners in KKR side – Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, saying for the greater good and looking into the future, the franchise must look beyond the Windies pair. These comments have come on the back of underwhelming performances from these two this season. While Russell hasn’t been at his brutal best in IPL 2023, the former several-time purple cap winner Sunil Narine has looked out of rhythm too. Russell, unlike in the previous seasons, registered a few single-digit scores this time – having taken 218 runs in 12 outings with seven wickets, whereas off-spinner Narine has just picked seven scalps at an economy of 8.5. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: 'He will soon...:' Ravi Shastri's bold remark on RR batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal's future Ahead of the away clash against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Yusuf said the franchise must look at their performances this season or rather of previous seasons too and see how many matches they won for the side. Considering both Narine and Russell got retained by the former two-time winners, Yusuf feels being so experienced, they haven’t lived up to the expectations and must face a few questions now. "We should see how Narine and Russell have performed in the last three years, or how many match-winning performances they have put in with bat or ball," Yusuf told ESPNcricinfo. "As a team, what do you think? If you want to look ahead to the future and go to the next level, then you should surely think about it, because if you look at the last few seasons, their performance hasn't been as good. As a senior player, there are expectations from you that you would get wickets or runs. If you are not able to do it, then you will have to face the questions," the former all-rounder added. Sharing concerns over their form this season that saw KKR going down in their quest of reaching the playoffs, Yusuf said age has nothing to do with their mediocre run as most players of the same age are also playing and doing well. "I don't think age should be a factor, because there are others of similar age who are still playing, and are performing well too. Plus, both of them play around the year. I feel if you are playing the entire year, then your body is in good shape,” Yusuf added. The former IPL winner said he doesn’t know what’s wrong with them, but as others, he expects them to deliver and help the team win more matches. "I am not able to figure out what is going wrong. These two are your match-winners, and when your match-winners don't perform, your team struggles. Perhaps fatigue could be a reason as they play the entire year. Having said that, everyone wants and expects them to do well,” Yusuf concluded. Meanwhile, KKR is eighth on the points table with just five wins from 12 matches played, and their chances of breaking into top-four are bleak.

KKR must look beyond Andre Russell, Sunil Narine for greater good, feels IPL legend Yusuf Pathan

Andre Russell and Rinku Singh helped Kolkata Knight Riders steal a thriller against the Punjab Kings with a last-ball four. While Rinku hit the winning runs with KKR needing two to win on the final ball, it was Russell who hit three sixes in the penultimate over to bring the situation down to six off six.

Russell eventually got out on the second-last ball of the match after scoring 42 off 23. The big West Indian all-rounder jammed a wide yorker ball from Punjab's Arshdeep Singh and took off for a single but was found short by the bowler, bringing Rinku on strike.

Talking about the run-out after the match, Russell said, "I wanted to finish the game off, but we have a finisher this year in Rinku. He had told me what if the ball beats you, should we go for the run? I said for sure, I have faith in him to finish it on the last ball.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-rohit-sharmas-struggle-with-the-bat-is-virender-sehwag-opines-on-mi-skippers-form-590574">'Rohit Sharma's struggle with the bat is...' - Virender Sehwag opines on MI skipper's form</a>

Notably, Rinku had previously won a match for his team against the defending champion Gujarat Titans in the current season only, hitting five sixes off the last five balls of the match.

Russell also acknowledged his rise and said that if there had been any other batsman on non-strike apart from Rinku, he would not have taken off for the run.

“In any other game, with any other batter, I'm not sure if I would run (a bye off the penultimate ball from Arshdeep),” Russell said at the post-match press conference. "I've never really done those things before. I would back myself to bat the last delivery and get the job done. But when you have a guy like Rinku who has been so successful in the last couple of overs for us, and when you have such a fearless player who has a shot to counter any delivery, I was definitely confident. I gave him a hug and said 'listen, bring home the bacon for us. At the end of the day, we need you at this point', and he said, 'okay big man. No worries.' Happy days," he added.

With the win, KKR entered the mid-table logjam of 10 points but rose to the fifth position on the table and PBKS now are at seventh place.&nbsp;

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Andre Russell and Rinku Singh helped Kolkata Knight Riders steal a thriller against the Punjab Kings with a last-ball four. While Rinku hit the winning runs with KKR needing two to win on the final ball, it was Russell who hit three sixes in the penultimate over to bring the situation down to six off six.

Andre Russell and Rinku Singh helped Kolkata Knight Riders steal a thriller against the Punjab Kings with a last-ball four. While Rinku hit the winning runs with KKR needing two to win on the final ball, it was Russell who hit three sixes in the penultimate over to bring the situation down to six off six. Russell eventually got out on the second-last ball of the match after scoring 42 off 23. The big West Indian all-rounder jammed a wide yorker ball from Punjab's Arshdeep Singh and took off for a single but was found short by the bowler, bringing Rinku on strike. Talking about the run-out after the match, Russell said, "I wanted to finish the game off, but we have a finisher this year in Rinku. He had told me what if the ball beats you, should we go for the run? I said for sure, I have faith in him to finish it on the last ball.” Also Read: 'Rohit Sharma's struggle with the bat is...' - Virender Sehwag opines on MI skipper's form Notably, Rinku had previously won a match for his team against the defending champion Gujarat Titans in the current season only, hitting five sixes off the last five balls of the match. Russell also acknowledged his rise and said that if there had been any other batsman on non-strike apart from Rinku, he would not have taken off for the run. “In any other game, with any other batter, I'm not sure if I would run (a bye off the penultimate ball from Arshdeep),” Russell said at the post-match press conference. "I've never really done those things before. I would back myself to bat the last delivery and get the job done. But when you have a guy like Rinku who has been so successful in the last couple of overs for us, and when you have such a fearless player who has a shot to counter any delivery, I was definitely confident. I gave him a hug and said 'listen, bring home the bacon for us. At the end of the day, we need you at this point', and he said, 'okay big man. No worries.' Happy days," he added. With the win, KKR entered the mid-table logjam of 10 points but rose to the fifth position on the table and PBKS now are at seventh place. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: 'Not sure if I would...:' KKR's Andre Russell after getting run-out on penultimate ball against PBKS

The man of the tournament for countless reasons, KKR's Rinku Singh does it again for his side against Punjab Kings, as he hit a four off the final delivery to ensure the hosts are crossing the line with five wickets in hand. With a healthy contribution from Dre Russ, aka Andre Russell, in the penultimate over, Kolkata required just six off the last over to get the job done, and they did it with some style.

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WHAT. A. FINISH! 👌 👌 
 
It went right down to the final ball of the match! 👍 👍<a href="https://twitter.com/rinkusingh235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rinkusingh235</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a> held their nerve &amp; how to seal a win over the spirited <a href="https://twitter.com/PunjabKingsIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PunjabKingsIPL</a>! 👏 👏 
 
Scorecard ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/OaRtNpANNb">https://t.co/OaRtNpANNb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvPBKS</a> <a href="https://t.co/9NZLfEzF0l">pic.twitter.com/9NZLfEzF0l</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1655636269748346880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Electing to bat first after winning the toss, the hot-and-cold Punjab Kings lost opener Prabhsimran Singh on 12 inside the Powerplay. Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa followed him on a three-ball duck as PBKS were left reeling at 29 for two inside four overs.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lanka-not-pakistan-set-to-host-2023-asia-cup-reports-590369">Sri Lanka, not Pakistan, set to host 2023 Asia Cup - Reports</a>

Two of Punjab performers this season, captain Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, tried to up the ante, and even though they added a few runs, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy accounted for dangerous Liam in his first over.&nbsp;

While a fifty-plus-stand between keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma and veteran Dhawan tried saving the sinking ship for PBKS, regular fall of wickets never allowed them to settle in. Courtesy of yet another half-century from Gabbar and a late blitz from Shahrukh Khan and Harpreet Brar in the final two overs, the visiting side could pose a fighting total of 179 for seven in 20 overs.

The overseas pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Jason Roy provided a solid yet cautious start to KKR but lost a wicket inside the first six overs. Captain Nitish Rana carried his form from where he had left and went about his business in no time. Even after Jason Roy’s wicket, who was looking determined to win it single-handedly, Rana didn’t allow PBKS to put pressure on them.

A 50-plus partnership with Venkatesh Iyer laid a foundation for the ‘finishers’ Rinku Singh and Andre Russell to come and wrap up the proceedings.

Upon their arrival to the crease, KKR was still playing the chasing game, but it was about time before Dre Russ changed gears and put his team ahead.

With 20 runs off the second last over from Sam Curran, the equation was down to six from six. Though Arshdeep Singh tried repeating his previous heroics, a calmer Rinku Singh stood tall in the end after hitting him for a boundary of a full toss to help his team win the game with five wickets in hand.

As things stand, KKR and PBKS are on the same points, but because KKR’s NRR is better, they are fifth, while PBKS are seventh on the points table.

The man of the tournament for countless reasons, KKR's Rinku Singh does it again for his side against Punjab Kings, as he hit a four off the final delivery to ensure the hosts are crossing the line with five wickets in hand.

The man of the tournament for countless reasons, KKR's Rinku Singh does it again for his side against Punjab Kings, as he hit a four off the final delivery to ensure the hosts are crossing the line with five wickets in hand. With a healthy contribution from Dre Russ, aka Andre Russell, in the penultimate over, Kolkata required just six off the last over to get the job done, and they did it with some style. WHAT. A. FINISH! 👌 👌 It went right down to the final ball of the match! 👍 👍@rinkusingh235 & @KKRiders held their nerve & how to seal a win over the spirited @PunjabKingsIPL! 👏 👏 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/OaRtNpANNb #TATAIPL | #KKRvPBKS pic.twitter.com/9NZLfEzF0l — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 8, 2023 × Electing to bat first after winning the toss, the hot-and-cold Punjab Kings lost opener Prabhsimran Singh on 12 inside the Powerplay. Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa followed him on a three-ball duck as PBKS were left reeling at 29 for two inside four overs. ALSO READ: Sri Lanka, not Pakistan, set to host 2023 Asia Cup - Reports Two of Punjab performers this season, captain Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, tried to up the ante, and even though they added a few runs, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy accounted for dangerous Liam in his first over. While a fifty-plus-stand between keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma and veteran Dhawan tried saving the sinking ship for PBKS, regular fall of wickets never allowed them to settle in. Courtesy of yet another half-century from Gabbar and a late blitz from Shahrukh Khan and Harpreet Brar in the final two overs, the visiting side could pose a fighting total of 179 for seven in 20 overs. The overseas pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Jason Roy provided a solid yet cautious start to KKR but lost a wicket inside the first six overs. Captain Nitish Rana carried his form from where he had left and went about his business in no time. Even after Jason Roy’s wicket, who was looking determined to win it single-handedly, Rana didn’t allow PBKS to put pressure on them. A 50-plus partnership with Venkatesh Iyer laid a foundation for the ‘finishers’ Rinku Singh and Andre Russell to come and wrap up the proceedings. Upon their arrival to the crease, KKR was still playing the chasing game, but it was about time before Dre Russ changed gears and put his team ahead. With 20 runs off the second last over from Sam Curran, the equation was down to six from six. Though Arshdeep Singh tried repeating his previous heroics, a calmer Rinku Singh stood tall in the end after hitting him for a boundary of a full toss to help his team win the game with five wickets in hand. As things stand, KKR and PBKS are on the same points, but because KKR’s NRR is better, they are fifth, while PBKS are seventh on the points table.

IPL 2023: Finishers Rinku, Russell seal last-ball win for KKR as they beat Punjab Kings by 5 wickets

Match 36 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat the hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 26). Being asked to bat first, KKR rode on Jason Roy's 56, quickfire knock from captain Nitish Rana and cameos from Rinku Singh and David Weise to post 200 for 5.

In reply, RCB only managed 179 for 8 in 20 overs to lose by 21&nbsp;runs. With this loss, RCB's two-match winning streak came to an end. They had a chance to reach 10 points along with table-toppers Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) but missed a great opportunity. For KKR, they ended their four-match losing streak and finally earned their third win this year.

Earlier,&nbsp;Roy slammed an impressive 29-ball 56 as he took on the RCB attack in the powerplay overs. While his opening partner N Jagadeesan struggled, making a 27-ball 29, the England opener's knock&nbsp;featured&nbsp;with 4 fours and 5 sixes at 193.10.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-he-will-have-to-harbhajan-singh-shares-advice-for-virat-kohli-before-rcb-vs-kkr-clash-586359">IPL 2023: 'He will have to...' - Harbhajan Singh shares advice for Virat Kohli before RCB vs KKR clash</a>

Nitish's 21-ball 48 along with timely hits from Rinku (10-ball 18*) and Weise's 3-ball 12* ensured KKR did fall behind as they posted 200-5.

RCB's run-chase started with in-form openers Faf du Plessis and Kohli attacking from the word go. In-form spinner Suyash Sharma was brought into the attack in the third over and&nbsp;he instantly removed Faf. The regular captain continued to play as an impact player, with Kohli leading the side, but fell for 17 (7).

Kohli looked in sublime touch. He&nbsp;found the boundaries and the gaps&nbsp;amid the regular fall of wickets. He eventually fell for a 37-ball 54 as KKR came on top. Mahipal Lamror (34) and Dinesh Karthik (22) got starts but the writing was on the wall once Kohli departed.

From KKR, Suyash (2 for 30), Varun Chakaravarthy (3 for 27), and Andre Russell (2&nbsp;for 29) contributed with regular breakthroughs to dent RCB's chase and halt their mini-winning run.

RCB remain in the fifth spot with eight points. KKR move to the seventh position, replacing Mumbai Indians (MI), after this win.

Match 36 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat the hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 26).

Match 36 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat the hosts Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 26). Being asked to bat first, KKR rode on Jason Roy's 56, quickfire knock from captain Nitish Rana and cameos from Rinku Singh and David Weise to post 200 for 5. In reply, RCB only managed 179 for 8 in 20 overs to lose by 21 runs. With this loss, RCB's two-match winning streak came to an end. They had a chance to reach 10 points along with table-toppers Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT) but missed a great opportunity. For KKR, they ended their four-match losing streak and finally earned their third win this year. Earlier, Roy slammed an impressive 29-ball 56 as he took on the RCB attack in the powerplay overs. While his opening partner N Jagadeesan struggled, making a 27-ball 29, the England opener's knock featured with 4 fours and 5 sixes at 193.10. Also read: IPL 2023: 'He will have to...' - Harbhajan Singh shares advice for Virat Kohli before RCB vs KKR clash Nitish's 21-ball 48 along with timely hits from Rinku (10-ball 18*) and Weise's 3-ball 12* ensured KKR did fall behind as they posted 200-5. RCB's run-chase started with in-form openers Faf du Plessis and Kohli attacking from the word go. In-form spinner Suyash Sharma was brought into the attack in the third over and he instantly removed Faf. The regular captain continued to play as an impact player, with Kohli leading the side, but fell for 17 (7). Kohli looked in sublime touch. He found the boundaries and the gaps amid the regular fall of wickets. He eventually fell for a 37-ball 54 as KKR came on top. Mahipal Lamror (34) and Dinesh Karthik (22) got starts but the writing was on the wall once Kohli departed. From KKR, Suyash (2 for 30), Varun Chakaravarthy (3 for 27), and Andre Russell (2 for 29) contributed with regular breakthroughs to dent RCB's chase and halt their mini-winning run. RCB remain in the fifth spot with eight points. KKR move to the seventh position, replacing Mumbai Indians (MI), after this win.

IPL 2023: All-round KKR end four-match losing streak with 21-run win over Virat Kohli's RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders' West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell has had a horrible start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with the bat. Russell has managed only 39 runs so far in four matches and that too with a highest score of 35 runs.

With Russell being out of form, KKR have found it very hard to accelerate or maintain the pressure in middle overs, leaving onus on the likes of Shardul Thakur and Rinku Singh. Russell's struggle becomes even more glaring with KKR top-order not able to perform as well.

Speaking on the same, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag told Rohan Gavaskar on Cricbuzz that he had asked Russell top open batting in 2018 and he found success doing so in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) but doing the same thing with KKR is a bit tricky.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-went-out-there-with-i-dont-care-mentality-harry-brook-opens-up-on-stunning-hundred-for-srh-582665">Went out there with 'I don't care' mentality - Harry Brook opens up on stunning hundred for SRH</a>

"He had a leg injury so could KKR have sent him as an opener? He wouldn't have had to do a lot of running and could have used the field restrictions to his credit," Rohan Gavaskar had asked Sehwag.&nbsp;

“I told Andre Russell the same thing in 2018. I told Russell to go domestic cricket and open. if you get success as an opener then you will become a million-dollar boy. And he did that. He opened in CPL, scored a century in one of the games and messaged me, But he was the captain there, the biggest player. He can take such risks and calls of opening the batting. But can he do the same in KKR? This will have to be decided by the coaching staff and captain," Sehwag replied to Rohan.

“He has no problems against fast bowlers, it's the spinners that can get him into trouble but if he gets set while opening the batting then he will get a lot more balls to play and he can become even more dangerous,” Sehwag further added.

In terms of bowling, KKR skipper only tossed the ball to Russell for the first time in the fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The West Indian made an impact instantly with 3/22 but had to leave the field after being injured as he fell on the ground post bowling only 2.1 overs.

KKR, chasing a target of 229, had a terrible start again but skipper Nitish Rana's 41-ball 75 brought them back in the match. Russell, however, managed just three runs as KKR lost the match by 23 runs.

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Kolkata Knight Riders' West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell has had a horrible start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with the bat. Russell has managed only 39 runs so far in four matches and that too with a highest score of 35 runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders' West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell has had a horrible start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with the bat. Russell has managed only 39 runs so far in four matches and that too with a highest score of 35 runs. With Russell being out of form, KKR have found it very hard to accelerate or maintain the pressure in middle overs, leaving onus on the likes of Shardul Thakur and Rinku Singh. Russell's struggle becomes even more glaring with KKR top-order not able to perform as well. Speaking on the same, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag told Rohan Gavaskar on Cricbuzz that he had asked Russell top open batting in 2018 and he found success doing so in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) but doing the same thing with KKR is a bit tricky. Also Read: Went out there with 'I don't care' mentality - Harry Brook opens up on stunning hundred for SRH "He had a leg injury so could KKR have sent him as an opener? He wouldn't have had to do a lot of running and could have used the field restrictions to his credit," Rohan Gavaskar had asked Sehwag. “I told Andre Russell the same thing in 2018. I told Russell to go domestic cricket and open. if you get success as an opener then you will become a million-dollar boy. And he did that. He opened in CPL, scored a century in one of the games and messaged me, But he was the captain there, the biggest player. He can take such risks and calls of opening the batting. But can he do the same in KKR? This will have to be decided by the coaching staff and captain," Sehwag replied to Rohan. “He has no problems against fast bowlers, it's the spinners that can get him into trouble but if he gets set while opening the batting then he will get a lot more balls to play and he can become even more dangerous,” Sehwag further added. In terms of bowling, KKR skipper only tossed the ball to Russell for the first time in the fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The West Indian made an impact instantly with 3/22 but had to leave the field after being injured as he fell on the ground post bowling only 2.1 overs. KKR, chasing a target of 229, had a terrible start again but skipper Nitish Rana's 41-ball 75 brought them back in the match. Russell, however, managed just three runs as KKR lost the match by 23 runs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Virender Sehwag suggests change in batting order for KKR's Andre Russell

Ranked number T20I bowler in the world, Rashid Khan became the first bowler in&nbsp;IPL 2023 to claim a hattrick. Against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the leg-spinner picked three wickets on three successive balls during the 17th over to achieve this feat.

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/rashidkhan_19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rashidkhan_19</a> 🤝 Hat-trick! 
 
That was simply sensational! 🙌 🙌 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh">https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvKKR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/gujarat_titans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gujarat_titans</a> <a href="https://t.co/sSpYyFcO3S">pic.twitter.com/sSpYyFcO3S</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1645058538543403008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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On the first ball, Rashid removed the most-destructive hitter Andre Russell as he edged one to the keeper off his thigh pads. While the umpire didn’t give him out first, Rashid and Saha were convinced and reviewed the decision that fell in their favour.&nbsp;

On the next delivery, Rashid dismissed Sunil Narine, who smashed it straight to the deep-mid-wicket area. Then comes Shardul Thakur, the player of the match for KKR in their previous group game against RCB. Rashid, who looked confident, bowled a wrong-un and trapped the right-handed Shardul in front on a first-ball duck.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-rinku-singh-hits-five-sixes-in-last-over-to-win-it-for-kkr-after-rashid-khans-hat-trick-580758">IPL 2023: Rinku Singh hits five sixes in last over to win it for KKR despite Rashid Khan's hattrick</a>

As expected, Thakur took the review, but that was a waste of effort as Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the middle stump. With that, the crowd went berserk as Rashid completed his first hat trick for Gujarat Titans.

You can watch the video here -

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𝐇𝐀𝐓-𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧! 👏 👏 
 
Andre Russell ✅ 
Sunil Narine ✅ 
Shardul Thakur ✅ 
 
We have our first hat-trick of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2023 &amp; it's that man - <a href="https://twitter.com/rashidkhan_19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rashidkhan_19</a>! 🙌 🙌 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh">https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTvKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTvKKR</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/gujarat_titans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gujarat_titans</a> <a href="https://t.co/fJTg0yuVwu">pic.twitter.com/fJTg0yuVwu</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1645060460390281216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Rinku wins it for KKR in the end

While for anyone who has watched this game long enough, this match looked well and over for the KKR side. However, as destiny had it, Rinku Singh was standing in the way of Gujarat and the victory.

Needing more than 40 off the last two overs, KKR upped the ante and took the attack to the opposition.&nbsp;

As 29 was required off the final over, Rinku Singh backed himself and smashed the left-arm seamer Yash Dayal for five sixes off five successive ballsto win it for his team.&nbsp;

He scored 48 off 21 balls and helped his team take two points home.

Ranked number T20I bowler in the world, Rashid Khan became the first bowler in IPL 2023 to claim a hattrick. Against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the leg-spinner picked three wickets on three successive balls during the 17th over to achieve this feat.

Ranked number T20I bowler in the world, Rashid Khan became the first bowler in IPL 2023 to claim a hattrick. Against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the leg-spinner picked three wickets on three successive balls during the 17th over to achieve this feat. .@rashidkhan_19 🤝 Hat-trick! That was simply sensational! 🙌 🙌 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh#TATAIPL | #GTvKKR | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/sSpYyFcO3S — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2023 × On the first ball, Rashid removed the most-destructive hitter Andre Russell as he edged one to the keeper off his thigh pads. While the umpire didn’t give him out first, Rashid and Saha were convinced and reviewed the decision that fell in their favour. On the next delivery, Rashid dismissed Sunil Narine, who smashed it straight to the deep-mid-wicket area. Then comes Shardul Thakur, the player of the match for KKR in their previous group game against RCB. Rashid, who looked confident, bowled a wrong-un and trapped the right-handed Shardul in front on a first-ball duck. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Rinku Singh hits five sixes in last over to win it for KKR despite Rashid Khan's hattrick As expected, Thakur took the review, but that was a waste of effort as Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the middle stump. With that, the crowd went berserk as Rashid completed his first hat trick for Gujarat Titans. You can watch the video here - 𝐇𝐀𝐓-𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧! 👏 👏 Andre Russell ✅ Sunil Narine ✅ Shardul Thakur ✅ We have our first hat-trick of the #TATAIPL 2023 & it's that man - @rashidkhan_19! 🙌 🙌 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/G8bESXjTyh#TATAIPL | #GTvKKR | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/fJTg0yuVwu — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2023 × Rinku wins it for KKR in the end While for anyone who has watched this game long enough, this match looked well and over for the KKR side. However, as destiny had it, Rinku Singh was standing in the way of Gujarat and the victory. Needing more than 40 off the last two overs, KKR upped the ante and took the attack to the opposition. As 29 was required off the final over, Rinku Singh backed himself and smashed the left-arm seamer Yash Dayal for five sixes off five successive ballsto win it for his team. He scored 48 off 21 balls and helped his team take two points home.

IPL 2023, GT vs KKR: Rashid Khan picks first hat-trick of this season - WATCH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star man Andre Russell is delighted to return to Eden Gardens as his side gets ready for their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The two-time champions will be playing their first home game of the season having lost their opening match in Mohali by seven runs on Saturday against Punjab Kings. According to Russell, playing at Eden Gardens gives a special feeling for him while they try to end their nine-year drought to lift the IPL title.&nbsp;

"IPL is all about playing in front of your home team, home ground, home fans. It's been a few years since we have had this environment. I am happy and ready to go. Hopefully, we can get the ball rolling and start well," Russell said.

Russell highlighted that he always gives his best whenever he dons the colours of KKR, while also underlining that it is a special feeling to represent them.

"I always try to do my best whenever I represent KKR, but it's something special when you are home. You get a boundary, you get a wicket, the home support cheers that you get from the crowd, that really inspires all of us. It's inspired me for the last couple of years, playing here.

"I am just looking forward to give back to fans who come to support us."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-updated-points-table-gt-remain-atop-after-pbks-edge-past-rr-in-a-thriller-579770">IPL 2023 Updated points table: GT remain atop after PBKS edge past RR in a thriller</a>

KKR started the IPL season on losing note as rain played spoilsport in Mohali. Chasing, 192 runs, they were 146/7 before rain played its part and eventually lost by seven runs.

The game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday, April 6 will be a golden opportunity for them to bounce back and get their first win of the season.

"I think the start is very key, we have a good team. Just like most franchises, once we do the right thing and keep it simple, we will make sure get a good start. Look to win as much games as possible from the start so that at the backend we don't have to be under a lot of pressure. I don't think we should depend on another franchise to lose to go through. If that is what it comes down to that, we will sit down and pray together," he added.

KKR’s opponents on Thursday, RCB will present a stern test for them as they started on the front foot. RCB beat Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in Bangalore on Sunday with Virat Kohli firing on all cylinders. KKR’s first home game of the season will start at 7:30 PM with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star man Andre Russell is delighted to return to Eden Gardens as his side gets ready for their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star man Andre Russell is delighted to return to Eden Gardens as his side gets ready for their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The two-time champions will be playing their first home game of the season having lost their opening match in Mohali by seven runs on Saturday against Punjab Kings. According to Russell, playing at Eden Gardens gives a special feeling for him while they try to end their nine-year drought to lift the IPL title. "IPL is all about playing in front of your home team, home ground, home fans. It's been a few years since we have had this environment. I am happy and ready to go. Hopefully, we can get the ball rolling and start well," Russell said. Russell highlighted that he always gives his best whenever he dons the colours of KKR, while also underlining that it is a special feeling to represent them. "I always try to do my best whenever I represent KKR, but it's something special when you are home. You get a boundary, you get a wicket, the home support cheers that you get from the crowd, that really inspires all of us. It's inspired me for the last couple of years, playing here. "I am just looking forward to give back to fans who come to support us." ALSO READ | IPL 2023 Updated points table: GT remain atop after PBKS edge past RR in a thriller KKR started the IPL season on losing note as rain played spoilsport in Mohali. Chasing, 192 runs, they were 146/7 before rain played its part and eventually lost by seven runs. The game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday, April 6 will be a golden opportunity for them to bounce back and get their first win of the season. "I think the start is very key, we have a good team. Just like most franchises, once we do the right thing and keep it simple, we will make sure get a good start. Look to win as much games as possible from the start so that at the backend we don't have to be under a lot of pressure. I don't think we should depend on another franchise to lose to go through. If that is what it comes down to that, we will sit down and pray together," he added. KKR’s opponents on Thursday, RCB will present a stern test for them as they started on the front foot. RCB beat Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in Bangalore on Sunday with Virat Kohli firing on all cylinders. KKR’s first home game of the season will start at 7:30 PM with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Andre Russell gets ready for first home game of season, says 'Playing at Eden Gardens is special'

Top 5 Indian Premier League seasons with the highest number of sixes

Kolkata Knight Riders finally found the team balance they were looking for to outclass Mumbai Indians by 52 runs here on Monday and keep their slim IPL play-off hopes alive. Lead Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in IPL history to restrict KKR to 165 for nine after fine knocks from Venkatesh Iyer (43 off 24) and Nitish Rana (43 off 24).

Barring a 43-ball 51 from Ishan Kishan, Mumbai batters struggled to get going in the chase as their innings ended at 113 all out in 17.3 overs. KKR finally played Tim Southee (1/10) and Pat Cummins (3/22) together and the move worked with the seasoned pacers sharing four wickets. Andre Russell too chipped in with couple of wickets.

Another big positive was the return to form of Venkatesh Iyer, who had to be dropped earlier in the competition due to his lean run after a sensational debut season in 2021. While MI were already out of the play-off race, KKR, who have five wins from 12 games, can still sneak into the top four with two games remaining.

Earlier, KKR openers Venkatesh and Ajinkya Rahane (25 off 24 balls) added 60 runs in just 5.4 overs after they were put into bat but the Shreyas Iyer-led side failed to capitalise on that promising start. Rana blazed his way to a 26-ball 43, with three boundaries and four sixes, but it was Bumrah (5/10), who took five wickets in two overs, to put the brakes on KKR, who suffered a middle-order collapse.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-bowls-triple-wicket-maiden-against-kkr-bags-fifer-to-record-his-best-ever-figures-in-ipl-477696">Bumrah bowls triple wicket-maiden over against KKR, bags fifer to record his best-ever figures in IPL</a>

In the 15th over, Bumrah removed Russell (9) and Rana and then clinched three wickets -- Sheldon Jackson (5), Cummins (0) and Sunil Narine (0), in the 18th over, a maiden, to bring MI back into the game. Venkatesh smashed three boundaries and four sixes, but perished in the sixth over, giving a sitter to Daniel Sams at point, with spinner Kumar Kartikeya Singh (2/32) getting his first wicket.

Venkatesh was brutal on spinner Murugan Ashwin (1/35), hitting him for his first maximum, a pull shot and then hammered a boundary. The southpaw then walloped his second six over deep mid-wicket off Daniel Sams (1/26), as KKR raced to 26/0 after three overs. He then targeted Riley Meredith (0/35), hammering him for boundary and a six, a scoop shot, in the fifth over where KKR amassed 17 runs.

Mumbai bowlers conceded only 23 runs from overs 7-10. Kartikeya cleaned up Rahane, with a full delivery that turned in as the opener was beaten while attempting a reverse-sweep.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fans-slam-3rd-umpire-as-ultra-edge-error-leads-to-rohit-sharmas-controversial-dismissal-against-kkr-477704">Fans slam 3rd umpire as ultra edge glitch leads to Rohit Sharma's controversial dismissal against KKR</a>

After Rahane's dismissal, Rana upped the ante and launched into Kartikeya, hitting him for two successive sixes, one over long-on. He then tore into Kieron Pollard, hammering two sixes and a boundary in the 13th over, where the side got 17 runs.

But then it was Bumrah, who wreaked havoc with the ball and firmly brought MI back into the contest.&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders finally found the team balance they were looking for to outclass Mumbai Indians by 52 runs here on Monday and keep their slim IPL play-off hopes alive.

Kolkata Knight Riders finally found the team balance they were looking for to outclass Mumbai Indians by 52 runs here on Monday and keep their slim IPL play-off hopes alive. Lead Mumbai Indians pacer Jasprit Bumrah picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in IPL history to restrict KKR to 165 for nine after fine knocks from Venkatesh Iyer (43 off 24) and Nitish Rana (43 off 24). Barring a 43-ball 51 from Ishan Kishan, Mumbai batters struggled to get going in the chase as their innings ended at 113 all out in 17.3 overs. KKR finally played Tim Southee (1/10) and Pat Cummins (3/22) together and the move worked with the seasoned pacers sharing four wickets. Andre Russell too chipped in with couple of wickets. Another big positive was the return to form of Venkatesh Iyer, who had to be dropped earlier in the competition due to his lean run after a sensational debut season in 2021. While MI were already out of the play-off race, KKR, who have five wins from 12 games, can still sneak into the top four with two games remaining. Earlier, KKR openers Venkatesh and Ajinkya Rahane (25 off 24 balls) added 60 runs in just 5.4 overs after they were put into bat but the Shreyas Iyer-led side failed to capitalise on that promising start. Rana blazed his way to a 26-ball 43, with three boundaries and four sixes, but it was Bumrah (5/10), who took five wickets in two overs, to put the brakes on KKR, who suffered a middle-order collapse. Also Read: Bumrah bowls triple wicket-maiden over against KKR, bags fifer to record his best-ever figures in IPL In the 15th over, Bumrah removed Russell (9) and Rana and then clinched three wickets -- Sheldon Jackson (5), Cummins (0) and Sunil Narine (0), in the 18th over, a maiden, to bring MI back into the game. Venkatesh smashed three boundaries and four sixes, but perished in the sixth over, giving a sitter to Daniel Sams at point, with spinner Kumar Kartikeya Singh (2/32) getting his first wicket. Venkatesh was brutal on spinner Murugan Ashwin (1/35), hitting him for his first maximum, a pull shot and then hammered a boundary. The southpaw then walloped his second six over deep mid-wicket off Daniel Sams (1/26), as KKR raced to 26/0 after three overs. He then targeted Riley Meredith (0/35), hammering him for boundary and a six, a scoop shot, in the fifth over where KKR amassed 17 runs. Mumbai bowlers conceded only 23 runs from overs 7-10. Kartikeya cleaned up Rahane, with a full delivery that turned in as the opener was beaten while attempting a reverse-sweep. Also Read: Fans slam 3rd umpire as ultra edge glitch leads to Rohit Sharma's controversial dismissal against KKR After Rahane's dismissal, Rana upped the ante and launched into Kartikeya, hitting him for two successive sixes, one over long-on. He then tore into Kieron Pollard, hammering two sixes and a boundary in the 13th over, where the side got 17 runs. But then it was Bumrah, who wreaked havoc with the ball and firmly brought MI back into the contest.

IPL 2022: KKR keep playoffs hopes alive with comprehensive 52-run win over Mumbai Indians

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28). With both teams struggling in the bottom half&nbsp;of the points table, amid&nbsp;the playoffs race intensifying with each passing game, both sides fought hard in a modest-scoring affair before DC completed a double over KKR.

Opting to bowl first, Pant &amp; Co. got off to a dream start. The pair of Mustafizur Rahman-Chetan Sakariya delivered the goods -- keeping things tight and sharing a wicket among each other in the early overs -- as KKR openers Aaron Finch and Venkatesh Iyer got out for cheap. Skipper Shreyas Iyer got going and pushed the scoreboard forward, he didn't get much help from the inexperienced middle-order with Baba Indrajit and Sunil Narine being dismissed early.

The pressure was felt by Iyer as he also threw his scalp for a 37-ball 42. DC's leading wicket-taker Kuldeep Yadav once again led the charge against his previous franchise by getting rid of the middle order and danger man Andre Russell -- for a 3-ball duck -- he surprisingly didn't complete his full quota of overs (3-0-14-3). Pant received some flak for opting to go ahead with Lalit Yadav instead as Nitish Rana's 56 and Rinku Singh's cameo propelled KKR to a modest 146-9.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-has-lifetimes-worth-of-credit-in-bank-shane-watson-opines-on-rcb-stars-batting-struggles-474729">'Virat Kohli has lifetime's worth of credit in bank' - Shane Watson opines on RCB star's batting struggles</a>

In reply, DC opener Prithvi Shaw got dismissed for a first-ball duck as Umesh Yadav struck early. He dismissed Shaw with a low one-handed stunner of his own bowling. Later, he&nbsp;also&nbsp;removed David Warner, who returned with a 26-ball 42. Mitchell Marsh, who returned after recovering from Covid-19, contributed with a chancy 7-ball 13 whereas Lalit Yadav got a start before Sunil Narine sent him back.&nbsp;

Despite some setbacks, DC's lower order stood tall with all-rounders Axar Patel, Rovman Powell (33&nbsp;not out) and Shardul Thakur (unbeaten 8) maintaining&nbsp;their composure and taking on the likes of Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer to take Delhi past the finish line. Shreyas' captaincy was a bit of a letdown as he preferred Venky Iyer in the 17th over, with the game still not completely out of hand, despite overs available from Russell-Tim Southee. Injury to debutant pacer Harshit Rana also didn't help his cause as they continue their winless streak (which is now stretched to five).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-ms-dhoni-to-parthiv-patel-wicketkeepers-with-most-dismissals-in-ipl-474665">From MS Dhoni to Parthiv Patel: Wicketkeepers with most dismissals in IPL</a>

For DC, they remain alive in the playoffs race and move to the sixth spot, replacing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the points table.

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28).

Match 41 of IPL 2022 saw the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face the struggling Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday evening (April 28). With both teams struggling in the bottom half of the points table, amid the playoffs race intensifying with each passing game, both sides fought hard in a modest-scoring affair before DC completed a double over KKR. Opting to bowl first, Pant & Co. got off to a dream start. The pair of Mustafizur Rahman-Chetan Sakariya delivered the goods -- keeping things tight and sharing a wicket among each other in the early overs -- as KKR openers Aaron Finch and Venkatesh Iyer got out for cheap. Skipper Shreyas Iyer got going and pushed the scoreboard forward, he didn't get much help from the inexperienced middle-order with Baba Indrajit and Sunil Narine being dismissed early. The pressure was felt by Iyer as he also threw his scalp for a 37-ball 42. DC's leading wicket-taker Kuldeep Yadav once again led the charge against his previous franchise by getting rid of the middle order and danger man Andre Russell -- for a 3-ball duck -- he surprisingly didn't complete his full quota of overs (3-0-14-3). Pant received some flak for opting to go ahead with Lalit Yadav instead as Nitish Rana's 56 and Rinku Singh's cameo propelled KKR to a modest 146-9. ALSO READ | 'Virat Kohli has lifetime's worth of credit in bank' - Shane Watson opines on RCB star's batting struggles In reply, DC opener Prithvi Shaw got dismissed for a first-ball duck as Umesh Yadav struck early. He dismissed Shaw with a low one-handed stunner of his own bowling. Later, he also removed David Warner, who returned with a 26-ball 42. Mitchell Marsh, who returned after recovering from Covid-19, contributed with a chancy 7-ball 13 whereas Lalit Yadav got a start before Sunil Narine sent him back. Despite some setbacks, DC's lower order stood tall with all-rounders Axar Patel, Rovman Powell (33 not out) and Shardul Thakur (unbeaten 8) maintaining their composure and taking on the likes of Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer to take Delhi past the finish line. Shreyas' captaincy was a bit of a letdown as he preferred Venky Iyer in the 17th over, with the game still not completely out of hand, despite overs available from Russell-Tim Southee. Injury to debutant pacer Harshit Rana also didn't help his cause as they continue their winless streak (which is now stretched to five). ALSO READ | From MS Dhoni to Parthiv Patel: Wicketkeepers with most dismissals in IPL For DC, they remain alive in the playoffs race and move to the sixth spot, replacing Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the points table.

IPL 2022: Kuldeep Yadav, all-rounders shine as Rishabh Pant-led DC complete a double over KKR

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots. Amid this, Delhi Capitals (DC) take on a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 41 of the ongoing 15th season on Thursday evening (April 28).&nbsp;

Both teams have not had a great run in IPL 2022. Talking about the Rishabh Pant-led DC unit, they have been plagued with injuries, players' unavailabilities, Covid cases, and were hit by a no-ball controversy in their last encounter, versus Rajasthan Royals (RR). They are languishing at the seventh spot with three wins from seven games.&nbsp;

On the other hand, things haven't been smooth for the KKR franchise ever since they faced DC earlier this season. Prior to the DC clash, they had three wins from four games and have now lost four on the trot. Their bowling is an issue and many key players need to rise up and perform consistently (such as skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, etc.).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-sunrisers-hyderabad-fast-bowler-umran-malik-enters-history-books-with-maiden-five-wicket-haul-474579">IPL 2022: Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler Umran Malik enters history books with maiden five-wicket haul</a>

Talking about the last time both sides faced each other, DC rode on openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw's respective half-centuries to post 215-5. In reply, KKR were all-out for 171, losing by 44 runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed did the job for Delhi with the ball in hand.

Match prediction for DC vs KKR clash:&nbsp;Given that both sides are in the bottom half, they will come hard against each other. Playing at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai has been a tricky affair for sides. Earlier, teams batting second were winning easily before chasing became difficult (although Gujarat Titans pulled off a hiest versus Sunrisers Hyderabad yesterday). DC will be hoping for Mitchell Marsh and Anrich Nortje's return. With their bowling being better than KKR at present, they have an edge. Above all, toss will remain crucial at the Wankhede.

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots.

IPL 2022 has been a huge hit. Almost every game has gone down to the wire. With each passing day, the race for the playoffs is intensifying as all teams, sans Mumbai Indians (MI), are very much in contention for the last four spots. Amid this, Delhi Capitals (DC) take on a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 41 of the ongoing 15th season on Thursday evening (April 28). Both teams have not had a great run in IPL 2022. Talking about the Rishabh Pant-led DC unit, they have been plagued with injuries, players' unavailabilities, Covid cases, and were hit by a no-ball controversy in their last encounter, versus Rajasthan Royals (RR). They are languishing at the seventh spot with three wins from seven games. On the other hand, things haven't been smooth for the KKR franchise ever since they faced DC earlier this season. Prior to the DC clash, they had three wins from four games and have now lost four on the trot. Their bowling is an issue and many key players need to rise up and perform consistently (such as skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pat Cummins, Venkatesh Iyer, Aaron Finch, etc.). ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler Umran Malik enters history books with maiden five-wicket haul Talking about the last time both sides faced each other, DC rode on openers David Warner and Prithvi Shaw's respective half-centuries to post 215-5. In reply, KKR were all-out for 171, losing by 44 runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed did the job for Delhi with the ball in hand. Match prediction for DC vs KKR clash: Given that both sides are in the bottom half, they will come hard against each other. Playing at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai has been a tricky affair for sides. Earlier, teams batting second were winning easily before chasing became difficult (although Gujarat Titans pulled off a hiest versus Sunrisers Hyderabad yesterday). DC will be hoping for Mitchell Marsh and Anrich Nortje's return. With their bowling being better than KKR at present, they have an edge. Above all, toss will remain crucial at the Wankhede.

DC vs KKR, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders clash?

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell added a unique feat to his already illustrious career as he took four wickets in the final over of the innings against Gujarat Titans on Saturday.

This was the first time that any cricketer has taken four wickets in a spell of one over or less as Russell ended the match with figures of 1-0-5-4 to restrict GT to a below-par total of 156.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-on-field-umpires-check-waist-hieght-no-balls-with-3rd-umpire-heres-what-ipl-rules-say-473181" hreflang="en">Can on-field umpires check waist-height no-balls with 3rd umpire? Here's what IPL rules say</a>

Previously, former KKR cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla had taken 3/6 against Delhi Daredevils way back in 2008 after bowling just five balls in his spell while Rajasthan Royals spinner Shreyas Gopal took three wickets for just 12 runs in a spell of one over against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019.

Gujarat Titans looked well set for a big total with Hardik Pandya leading by example with a gritty 49-ball-67 to steady the innings with partnerships with Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller.

However, they lost the plot completely towards the latter half of the innings as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. Tim Southee started the fightback for KKR as he dismissed Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-will-faf-du-plessis-make-changes-royal-challengers-bangalore-predicted-xi-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-473169" hreflang="en">Will Faf du Plessis make changes? Royal Challengers Bangalore predicted XI vs Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

But the icing on the cake was Russell who took the wickets of Abhinav Manohar and Lockie Ferguson on the first two balls of the final over and he came back brilliantly after conceding a boundary on the fourth ball of the over and took the wickets of Rahul Tewatia and Yash Dayal with the last two balls.

This was also the second instance that any IPL side has scored less than 30 runs in the final five overs of the innings after losing two or less wickets in the first 15 overs of their innings.

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell added a unique feat to his already illustrious career as he took four wickets in the final over of the innings against Gujarat Titans on Saturday.

Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell added a unique feat to his already illustrious career as he took four wickets in the final over of the innings against Gujarat Titans on Saturday. This was the first time that any cricketer has taken four wickets in a spell of one over or less as Russell ended the match with figures of 1-0-5-4 to restrict GT to a below-par total of 156. Also read | Can on-field umpires check waist-height no-balls with 3rd umpire? Here's what IPL rules say Previously, former KKR cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla had taken 3/6 against Delhi Daredevils way back in 2008 after bowling just five balls in his spell while Rajasthan Royals spinner Shreyas Gopal took three wickets for just 12 runs in a spell of one over against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019. Gujarat Titans looked well set for a big total with Hardik Pandya leading by example with a gritty 49-ball-67 to steady the innings with partnerships with Wriddhiman Saha and David Miller. However, they lost the plot completely towards the latter half of the innings as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. Tim Southee started the fightback for KKR as he dismissed Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan. Also read | Will Faf du Plessis make changes? Royal Challengers Bangalore predicted XI vs Sunrisers Hyderabad But the icing on the cake was Russell who took the wickets of Abhinav Manohar and Lockie Ferguson on the first two balls of the final over and he came back brilliantly after conceding a boundary on the fourth ball of the over and took the wickets of Rahul Tewatia and Yash Dayal with the last two balls. This was also the second instance that any IPL side has scored less than 30 runs in the final five overs of the innings after losing two or less wickets in the first 15 overs of their innings.

IPL 2022: Andre Russell achieves unique feat with four-wicket haul in final over against Gujarat Titans

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. While Jos Buttler's 103 and rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson-Shimron Hetmyer set it up for RR as they posted 217-5, after being asked to bat first, Yuzvendra Chahal's five-fer and&nbsp;Obed McCoy's twin strikes helped Rajasthan beat KKR by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller.

Apart from Chahal, Buttler and the likes, R Ashwin also contributed to RR's famous win over KKR. While Ashwin returned with 4-0-38-1, he accounted for the wicket of danger man Andre Russell. The West Indian came out to bat at No. 5 with more than six overs left in KKR's run-chase. With skipper Shreyas Iyer going well from the other end, Russell could've easily completed the run-chase with a few overs to spare had he got his eye in.

Nonetheless, Samson decided to end Ashwin's spell by making him bowl the 14th over as the wily off-spinner aimed to send off&nbsp;Russell. The 35-year-old succeeded and bamboozled the all-rounder for a golden duck. Here's the magical delivery from Ashwin which led to Russell's dismissal and spun RR back into the contest:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuzvendra-chahal-is-most-experienced-lasith-malinga-heaps-praise-on-rr-star-after-kkr-win-472093">'Yuzvendra Chahal is most experienced....': Lasith Malinga heaps praise on RR star after KKR win</a>

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What a superb delivery from ashwin to dismiss Andre Russell for a duck and the celebration 🔥🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvsKKR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvsKKR</a> <a href="https://t.co/GEsewsIls2">pic.twitter.com/GEsewsIls2</a>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-shreyas-iyer-loses-cool-at-venkatesh-iyer-after-latter-denied-a-double-to-kkr-skipper-vs-rr-472053">Watch: Shreyas Iyer loses cool at Venkatesh Iyer after latter denied a double to KKR skipper vs RR</a>

Highlighting Ashwin's contribution to RR's win over KKR, captain Samson said in the post-match presentation, "I think I don’t need to talk much about Chahal and Buttler. Their performances are there for the world to see. We are lucky to have great players. Special mention to (Ravichandran) Ashwin for his delivery to (Andre) Russell."

With a victory over KKR, RR have now moved to the second spot in the overall standings with 8 points under their belt.

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

There were plenty of top performers in Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clash in match 30 of IPL 2022 edition, held on Monday evening (April 18) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. While Jos Buttler's 103 and rapid knocks from skipper Sanju Samson-Shimron Hetmyer set it up for RR as they posted 217-5, after being asked to bat first, Yuzvendra Chahal's five-fer and Obed McCoy's twin strikes helped Rajasthan beat KKR by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller. Apart from Chahal, Buttler and the likes, R Ashwin also contributed to RR's famous win over KKR. While Ashwin returned with 4-0-38-1, he accounted for the wicket of danger man Andre Russell. The West Indian came out to bat at No. 5 with more than six overs left in KKR's run-chase. With skipper Shreyas Iyer going well from the other end, Russell could've easily completed the run-chase with a few overs to spare had he got his eye in. Nonetheless, Samson decided to end Ashwin's spell by making him bowl the 14th over as the wily off-spinner aimed to send off Russell. The 35-year-old succeeded and bamboozled the all-rounder for a golden duck. Here's the magical delivery from Ashwin which led to Russell's dismissal and spun RR back into the contest: ALSO READ | 'Yuzvendra Chahal is most experienced....': Lasith Malinga heaps praise on RR star after KKR win What a superb delivery from ashwin to dismiss Andre Russell for a duck and the celebration 🔥🔥#IPL2022 #RRvsKKR pic.twitter.com/GEsewsIls2 — Rahul Choudhary (@Rahulc7official) April 18, 2022 × ALSO READ | Watch: Shreyas Iyer loses cool at Venkatesh Iyer after latter denied a double to KKR skipper vs RR Highlighting Ashwin's contribution to RR's win over KKR, captain Samson said in the post-match presentation, "I think I don’t need to talk much about Chahal and Buttler. Their performances are there for the world to see. We are lucky to have great players. Special mention to (Ravichandran) Ashwin for his delivery to (Andre) Russell." With a victory over KKR, RR have now moved to the second spot in the overall standings with 8 points under their belt.

WATCH: Ravichandran Ashwin bamboozles Andre Russell with a peach of a delivery in RR vs KKR clash

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise.

Billings has been showing glimpses of form with the bat in the last couple of games and his sharp reflexes behind the stumps has added a lot of value to his regular selection.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview with WION, Billings opened up about his impressions of the KKR franchise this season and his experience of playing under newly appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-him-for-life-send-him-to-rehab-ravi-shastri-on-cricketer-who-bullied-yuzvendra-chahal-at-mi-in-2013-469664">After Chahal's shocking revelations, Shastri demands life ban for offender</a>

“I have had the pleasure of playing with Shreyas for quite a few years now starting with Delhi. His captaincy style is extremely cool, calm and collected. He also has a lot of experience considering his age. So, he has done a fantastic job and I am sure he will continue to grow,” he said.&nbsp;

“As a team, we have all bases covered. There is no reason why we cannot win the IPL this year.”&nbsp;

Billings started the season as a specialist middle order batsman for KKR with Sheldon Jackson keeping wickets. But the change in team composition meant that KKR went with an extra fast bowling option and that meant that Billings had to take over the wicket-keeping role for the team.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravindra-jadeja-makes-150th-appearance-joins-ms-dhoni-and-suresh-raina-in-elite-list-469670" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list</a>

“I have kind of gotten used to both keeping wickets and being an outfield player. I have had to field a lot for England. I like fielding on the ground but I also like to keep wickets specially against mystery spinners like Varun and Narine,” Billings explained when asked about his preferred role.&nbsp;

“It is very hard to keep against them. But it takes a bit of practice and concentration but I think that makes it even more enjoyable as you are feeling the game every single ball,” he further explained.&nbsp;

Billings has been contributing regularly with his bat for KKR and he is currently the second top scorer in the competition for his team. The England cricketer has been stitching together valuable partnerships in the middle overs and he was on the other end of the crease as West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell slammed 70 off just 31 deliveries to guide KKR to victory over Punjab Kings.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-no-ms-dhoni-now-ravi-shastri-backs-rcb-star-to-return-as-a-finisher-in-indias-t20-wc-2022-squad-469601" hreflang="en">'There is no Dhoni': Shastri backs RCB star to return in India's squad</a>

Billings was all praise for Russell and said that any team will love to have a cricketer in their ranks.&nbsp;

“Any team loves to have Andre Russell. The power that he has is absolutely phenomenal and he can win a game on his own. I would never complain about having Russell in my team,” he concluded.&nbsp;

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise.

England international Sam Billings was picked quite late by Kolkata Knight Riders in the mega auction ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but he has already proven himself as a valuable asset for the franchise. Billings has been showing glimpses of form with the bat in the last couple of games and his sharp reflexes behind the stumps has added a lot of value to his regular selection. In an exclusive interview with WION, Billings opened up about his impressions of the KKR franchise this season and his experience of playing under newly appointed skipper Shreyas Iyer. Also read | After Chahal's shocking revelations, Shastri demands life ban for offender “I have had the pleasure of playing with Shreyas for quite a few years now starting with Delhi. His captaincy style is extremely cool, calm and collected. He also has a lot of experience considering his age. So, he has done a fantastic job and I am sure he will continue to grow,” he said. “As a team, we have all bases covered. There is no reason why we cannot win the IPL this year.” Billings started the season as a specialist middle order batsman for KKR with Sheldon Jackson keeping wickets. But the change in team composition meant that KKR went with an extra fast bowling option and that meant that Billings had to take over the wicket-keeping role for the team. Also read | IPL 2022: Jadeja makes 150th appearance, joins Dhoni and Raina in elite list “I have kind of gotten used to both keeping wickets and being an outfield player. I have had to field a lot for England. I like fielding on the ground but I also like to keep wickets specially against mystery spinners like Varun and Narine,” Billings explained when asked about his preferred role. “It is very hard to keep against them. But it takes a bit of practice and concentration but I think that makes it even more enjoyable as you are feeling the game every single ball,” he further explained. Billings has been contributing regularly with his bat for KKR and he is currently the second top scorer in the competition for his team. The England cricketer has been stitching together valuable partnerships in the middle overs and he was on the other end of the crease as West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell slammed 70 off just 31 deliveries to guide KKR to victory over Punjab Kings. Also read | 'There is no Dhoni': Shastri backs RCB star to return in India's squad Billings was all praise for Russell and said that any team will love to have a cricketer in their ranks. “Any team loves to have Andre Russell. The power that he has is absolutely phenomenal and he can win a game on his own. I would never complain about having Russell in my team,” he concluded.

Exclusive | No reason why Kolkata Knight Riders cannot win the IPL this year, says Sam Billings

The cricketing action will continue in the IPL 2022 edition as the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be up against the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the&nbsp;Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06).

So far, both sides have had contrasting seasons. While the KKR outfit opened their campaign with a bang, courtesy a six-wicket win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), they lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a low-scoring thriller before returning to winning ways in their previous game, versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). With momentum on their side, they will start as favourites against the experienced MI line-up, who remain winless after two games.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rcb-join-mi-csk-and-kkr-in-elite-list-becomes-4th-team-to-win-100-games-after-rr-heist-468812">IPL 2022: RCB join MI, CSK and KKR in elite list, becomes 4th team to win 100 games after RR heist</a>

Despite starting with an upper hand, KKR will be wary of the fact that they need to bring out their A-game against the Mumbai Paltan, who had a staggering 22-7 head-to-head tally versus the Knights in 29 face-offs. KKR can also draw some inspiration from their last clash versus MI, in IPL 2021's UAE leg, where they beat MI by seven wickets.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-mi-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-mumbai-indians-match-468790">KKR vs MI, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians match?</a>

Predicting KKR's XI vs MI

While some can argue that KKR need not change their line-up after a win in their previous outing, Pat Cummins' availability is likely to see his inclusion straightaway. Cummins' slot was filled by Kiwi speedster Tim Southee, with five wickets in two outings, and, thus, Shivam Mavi is likely to way make for the Aussie Test captain.

It will be interesting to see if KKR go ahead with Sam Billings, who has scored some runs but his strike rate is on the lower side, or Sheldon Jackson (with a golden duck and run-a-ball 3 not out). Nonetheless, the latter outscores Billings with the gloves. With Cummins' entry, Billings' place looks in threat.

KKR's likely playing XI:&nbsp;Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sheldon Jackson, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

The cricketing action will continue in the IPL 2022 edition as the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be up against the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06).

The cricketing action will continue in the IPL 2022 edition as the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be up against the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Wednesday evening (April 06). So far, both sides have had contrasting seasons. While the KKR outfit opened their campaign with a bang, courtesy a six-wicket win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), they lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a low-scoring thriller before returning to winning ways in their previous game, versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). With momentum on their side, they will start as favourites against the experienced MI line-up, who remain winless after two games. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: RCB join MI, CSK and KKR in elite list, becomes 4th team to win 100 games after RR heist Despite starting with an upper hand, KKR will be wary of the fact that they need to bring out their A-game against the Mumbai Paltan, who had a staggering 22-7 head-to-head tally versus the Knights in 29 face-offs. KKR can also draw some inspiration from their last clash versus MI, in IPL 2021's UAE leg, where they beat MI by seven wickets. ALSO READ | KKR vs MI, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians match? Predicting KKR's XI vs MI While some can argue that KKR need not change their line-up after a win in their previous outing, Pat Cummins' availability is likely to see his inclusion straightaway. Cummins' slot was filled by Kiwi speedster Tim Southee, with five wickets in two outings, and, thus, Shivam Mavi is likely to way make for the Aussie Test captain. It will be interesting to see if KKR go ahead with Sam Billings, who has scored some runs but his strike rate is on the lower side, or Sheldon Jackson (with a golden duck and run-a-ball 3 not out). Nonetheless, the latter outscores Billings with the gloves. With Cummins' entry, Billings' place looks in threat. KKR's likely playing XI: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Sheldon Jackson, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

IPL 2022: Will Pat Cummins get a look-in for Shreyas Iyer & Co.? Predicting KKR's playing XI for MI clash

Umesh Yadav continued his dream run with a four-wicket haul before Andre Russell returned to his brutal best to fire Kolkata Knight Riders to an easy six-wicket win over Punjab Kings here on Friday.

Umesh (4/23), coming into the season with just two games over two IPL seasons and going unsold initially at the auction, produced career-best T20 figures to help KKR dismiss Punjab for a below par 137 in 18.2 overs.

It was supposed to be a straight forward chase but Rahul Chahar raised Punjab's hopes with a double wicket maiden to reduced KKR to 51 for four.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kolkata-knight-riders-tim-southee-pulls-off-sensational-catch-against-punjab-kings-watch-467517">IPL 2022: Tim Southee pulls off sensational catch against Punjab Kings - WATCH</a>

However, Russell (70 not out off 31 balls) came out in the middle and changed the game with his barrage of sixes, eight in total, to make it a cakewalk in just 14.3 overs.

He smashed three sixes off Odean Smith in an over that went for 30 runs. No rope is long enough when Russell is going all guns blazing and he was in that kind of zone on Friday night.

The Jamaican dasher fittingly ended the game with a couple of sixes off Liam Livingtsone's friendly leg-breaks. It was KKR's second win in three games while Punjab suffered their first loss of the season after the win over RCB.

Earlier, KKR bowlers stifled a power-laden Punjab Kings batting line-up. With heavy dew setting in later half of the games, fielding first has become a no-brainer this IPL and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer called it right at the toss.

Punjab, which had successfully chased 200 plus in their opening game, enjoyed a good powerplay that yielded 62 for 3 in six overs. Veteran pacer Umesh, who has been proving his critics wrong this season., once again provided the breakthrough early in the game, removing opposition skipper Mayank Agarwal, who was found plumb in front after missing a rather straight and full delivery in the first over of the match.

Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31 off 9) who had produced a match-winning knock in the first game, looked in sensational touch at the Wankhede Stadium.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-chennai-super-kings-pacer-deepak-chahar-provides-update-on-indian-premier-league-return-467512" hreflang="en">CSK fast bowler Deepak Chahar provides update on IPL 2022 return</a>

In his brief stay in the middle, the top-order batter hammered three fours and as many sixes, mostly towards the mid-wicket region, leaving the spectators in awe. His breathtaking effort was perhaps the lone bright in an otherwise underwhelming innings. Iyer impressed with his leadership.

He brought back Umesh in the middle overs to ensure there was no fightback from Punjab. He also employed a slip in the 15th over and was rewarded for that with the wicket of Rahul Chahar.

His new ball partner Tim Southee and KKR's retained spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine were also too good for the Punjab batters. Livingstone (19 off 16) could convert his start while India U-19 star Raj Angad Bawa found the going tough for the second game in a row. Kagisa Rabada (25 off 16), playing his first game of the seasons, saved Punjab the blushes by getting much needed boundaries to take the total close to 140.

Umesh Yadav continued his dream run with a four-wicket haul before Andre Russell returned to his brutal best to fire Kolkata Knight Riders to an easy six-wicket win over Punjab Kings here on Friday.

Umesh Yadav continued his dream run with a four-wicket haul before Andre Russell returned to his brutal best to fire Kolkata Knight Riders to an easy six-wicket win over Punjab Kings here on Friday. Umesh (4/23), coming into the season with just two games over two IPL seasons and going unsold initially at the auction, produced career-best T20 figures to help KKR dismiss Punjab for a below par 137 in 18.2 overs. It was supposed to be a straight forward chase but Rahul Chahar raised Punjab's hopes with a double wicket maiden to reduced KKR to 51 for four. Also read | IPL 2022: Tim Southee pulls off sensational catch against Punjab Kings - WATCH However, Russell (70 not out off 31 balls) came out in the middle and changed the game with his barrage of sixes, eight in total, to make it a cakewalk in just 14.3 overs. He smashed three sixes off Odean Smith in an over that went for 30 runs. No rope is long enough when Russell is going all guns blazing and he was in that kind of zone on Friday night. The Jamaican dasher fittingly ended the game with a couple of sixes off Liam Livingtsone's friendly leg-breaks. It was KKR's second win in three games while Punjab suffered their first loss of the season after the win over RCB. Earlier, KKR bowlers stifled a power-laden Punjab Kings batting line-up. With heavy dew setting in later half of the games, fielding first has become a no-brainer this IPL and KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer called it right at the toss. Punjab, which had successfully chased 200 plus in their opening game, enjoyed a good powerplay that yielded 62 for 3 in six overs. Veteran pacer Umesh, who has been proving his critics wrong this season., once again provided the breakthrough early in the game, removing opposition skipper Mayank Agarwal, who was found plumb in front after missing a rather straight and full delivery in the first over of the match. Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31 off 9) who had produced a match-winning knock in the first game, looked in sensational touch at the Wankhede Stadium. Also read | CSK fast bowler Deepak Chahar provides update on IPL 2022 return In his brief stay in the middle, the top-order batter hammered three fours and as many sixes, mostly towards the mid-wicket region, leaving the spectators in awe. His breathtaking effort was perhaps the lone bright in an otherwise underwhelming innings. Iyer impressed with his leadership. He brought back Umesh in the middle overs to ensure there was no fightback from Punjab. He also employed a slip in the 15th over and was rewarded for that with the wicket of Rahul Chahar. His new ball partner Tim Southee and KKR's retained spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine were also too good for the Punjab batters. Livingstone (19 off 16) could convert his start while India U-19 star Raj Angad Bawa found the going tough for the second game in a row. Kagisa Rabada (25 off 16), playing his first game of the seasons, saved Punjab the blushes by getting much needed boundaries to take the total close to 140.

IPL 2022: Umesh Yadav, Andre Russell guide Kolkata Knight Riders to victory over Punjab Kings

It will be a tough test for Kolkata Knight Riders as they look to get back to winning ways against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Friday.

After a dominant win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener, the Shreyas Iyer-led side slumped to a loss against Royal Challengers Bangalore after posting the lowest total in IPL 2022 till now.<o:p></o:p>

With Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch still unavailable due to their commitments with the Australia cricket team, there are not many changes expected in the playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-punjab-kings-head-to-head-record-trivia-stats-and-squads-467393" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings - Head-to-head record, trivia, stats and squads</a>

Ajinkya Rahane is expected to open the batting with Venkatesh Iyer with Nitish Rana at No. 3. <o:p></o:p>

Shreyas Iyer can go down one position in the batting line-up to provide more stability to the middle order after the collapse against RCB. Sam Billings will continue to be the explosive choice in the middle order with Sheldon Jackson playing as the wicketkeeper after pulling off brilliant dismissals.<o:p></o:p>

Andre Russell was the top scorer for KKR but he injured himself while diving on the field and he was not able to bowl his full quota of overs. The West Indies all-rounder is expected to feature in the playing XI but in his absence, KKR can opt for the experience of Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkr-vs-pbks-ipl-2022-prediction-today-who-will-win-kolkata-knight-riders-vs-punjab-kings-match-467369" hreflang="en">KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings match?</a>

In the bowling department, Umesh Yadav has been a revelation in the first two matches and he will be partnering Tim Southee while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarty will play as the spin duo.<o:p></o:p>

Kolkata Knight Riders predicted XI: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer, Sam Billings, Sheldon Jackson, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy<o:p></o:p>

It will be a tough test for Kolkata Knight Riders as they look to get back to winning ways against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Friday.

It will be a tough test for Kolkata Knight Riders as they look to get back to winning ways against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Friday. After a dominant win against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener, the Shreyas Iyer-led side slumped to a loss against Royal Challengers Bangalore after posting the lowest total in IPL 2022 till now. With Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch still unavailable due to their commitments with the Australia cricket team, there are not many changes expected in the playing XI for Kolkata Knight Riders. Also read | IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings - Head-to-head record, trivia, stats and squads Ajinkya Rahane is expected to open the batting with Venkatesh Iyer with Nitish Rana at No. 3. Shreyas Iyer can go down one position in the batting line-up to provide more stability to the middle order after the collapse against RCB. Sam Billings will continue to be the explosive choice in the middle order with Sheldon Jackson playing as the wicketkeeper after pulling off brilliant dismissals. Andre Russell was the top scorer for KKR but he injured himself while diving on the field and he was not able to bowl his full quota of overs. The West Indies all-rounder is expected to feature in the playing XI but in his absence, KKR can opt for the experience of Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi. Also read | KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2022 prediction today: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings match? In the bowling department, Umesh Yadav has been a revelation in the first two matches and he will be partnering Tim Southee while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarty will play as the spin duo. Kolkata Knight Riders predicted XI: Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer, Sam Billings, Sheldon Jackson, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

IPL 2022: Will Andre Russell play? Kolkata Knight Riders predicted XI against Punjab Kings

It was a tough outing for Kolkata Knight Riders as they were defeated by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 encounter in Mumbai on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>

KKR suffered a mini batting collapse as they were bowled out for 128 thanks to brilliant bowling performances from Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga. In response, RCB found the going difficult but were able to reach the target with just four balls to spare.

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Russell bowled just 2.2 overs and ended up conceding 36 runs as he was taken to task by the RCB batsmen. The West Indies all-rounder did not look completely fit and in the post-match press conference, head coach Brendon McCullum explained why he did not bowl his full quota.<o:p></o:p>

"Dre had run around the boundary and dived, and unfortunately picked up a little bit of a bump. His shoulder was a little bit sore. But Dre being Dre, he still wants to try to get the job done, and he wasn't quite able to. Those are things which happen in low-scoring games," McCullum said.

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"I actually thought the intent was great. You back the fact that you played the extra batter, and you played a long batting line-up. You don't anticipate being bowled out obviously."<o:p></o:p>

"Honestly I felt we didn't have a lot of luck today. Every time we sort of went for our aggressive option, we seemed to find a fielder or things didn't quite go our way. That can happen sometimes. But I want us to continue to keep that intent because that served us so well last year. The way we set our teams up at the auction, and the players we picked, it suits them as well," he added.<o:p></o:p>

It was a tough outing for Kolkata Knight Riders as they were defeated by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 encounter in Mumbai on Wednesday.

It was a tough outing for Kolkata Knight Riders as they were defeated by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 encounter in Mumbai on Wednesday. KKR suffered a mini batting collapse as they were bowled out for 128 thanks to brilliant bowling performances from Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel and Wanindu Hasaranga. In response, RCB found the going difficult but were able to reach the target with just four balls to spare. Also read | EXCLUSIVE: Raina, Dhoni & ABD were the toughest to bowl to - Sandeep Sharma Russell bowled just 2.2 overs and ended up conceding 36 runs as he was taken to task by the RCB batsmen. The West Indies all-rounder did not look completely fit and in the post-match press conference, head coach Brendon McCullum explained why he did not bowl his full quota. "Dre had run around the boundary and dived, and unfortunately picked up a little bit of a bump. His shoulder was a little bit sore. But Dre being Dre, he still wants to try to get the job done, and he wasn't quite able to. Those are things which happen in low-scoring games," McCullum said. Also read | Faf du Plessis lauds RCB's finisher DK, compares him to MS Dhoni "I actually thought the intent was great. You back the fact that you played the extra batter, and you played a long batting line-up. You don't anticipate being bowled out obviously." "Honestly I felt we didn't have a lot of luck today. Every time we sort of went for our aggressive option, we seemed to find a fielder or things didn't quite go our way. That can happen sometimes. But I want us to continue to keep that intent because that served us so well last year. The way we set our teams up at the auction, and the players we picked, it suits them as well," he added.

IPL 2022: Brendon McCullum reveals why Andre Russell did not bowl his full quota against RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) locked horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After a terrific start to the 15th season, beating the defending champions and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), KKR fought hard versus Faf du Plessis-led RCB before falling short to lose a low-scoring thriller by three wickets.

Being asked to bat first, at the&nbsp;Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai, KKR franchise were bundled out for 128 in 18.5 overs as the big guns such as Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, captain Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, Sam Billings, etc. couldn't make the most of their chances in the middle. With the ball in hand, KKR kept RCB on the toes -- courtesy Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee -- before Sunil Narine curtailed the run-flow.

While many praised Shreyas Iyer for his leadership and bowling changes, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer feels he missed a trick by not making Nitish Rana bowl in the middle overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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"I was surprised that Shreyas Iyer did not bowl Nitish Rana when there were two left-handers there and Chakravarthy was clearly struggling against them. One or two overs from Rana would have meant that Russell wouldn't have had to bowl. He could have bowled Venkatesh Iyer earlier if Russell was struggling. Things could have been a little bit different if he had saved Chakravathy's over there and used it for right-handers.

"Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee made a match out of it by getting RCB 17/3 in the powerplay. KKR would have had a better chance if Chakravarthy had bowled better," the former cricketer-turned-expert Jaffer said on&nbsp;ESPNCricinfo.

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After this loss, KKR will now face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 2 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The two-time winners will now like to move past the missed opportunities versus RCB and return to winning ways versus the Punjab franchise.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) locked horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After a terrific start to the 15th season, beating the defending champions and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), KKR fought hard versus Faf du Plessis-led RCB before falling short to lose a low-scoring thriller by three wickets.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) locked horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After a terrific start to the 15th season, beating the defending champions and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), KKR fought hard versus Faf du Plessis-led RCB before falling short to lose a low-scoring thriller by three wickets. Being asked to bat first, at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai, KKR franchise were bundled out for 128 in 18.5 overs as the big guns such as Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, captain Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, Sam Billings, etc. couldn't make the most of their chances in the middle. With the ball in hand, KKR kept RCB on the toes -- courtesy Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee -- before Sunil Narine curtailed the run-flow. While many praised Shreyas Iyer for his leadership and bowling changes, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer feels he missed a trick by not making Nitish Rana bowl in the middle overs. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: MS Dhoni on cusp of joining Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in T20 elite list "I was surprised that Shreyas Iyer did not bowl Nitish Rana when there were two left-handers there and Chakravarthy was clearly struggling against them. One or two overs from Rana would have meant that Russell wouldn't have had to bowl. He could have bowled Venkatesh Iyer earlier if Russell was struggling. Things could have been a little bit different if he had saved Chakravathy's over there and used it for right-handers. "Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee made a match out of it by getting RCB 17/3 in the powerplay. KKR would have had a better chance if Chakravarthy had bowled better," the former cricketer-turned-expert Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo. ALSO READ | Dinesh Karthik is as close as it gets to MS Dhoni: Faf du Plessis lauds RCB's finisher after KKR win After this loss, KKR will now face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 2 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The two-time winners will now like to move past the missed opportunities versus RCB and return to winning ways versus the Punjab franchise.

'I was surprised that Shreyas Iyer did not...': Wasim Jaffer on KKR captain's decision-making vs RCB

Royal Challengers Bangalore batters overcame some nervy moments after leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga spun his way to a four-wicket haul to register a three-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a low-scoring IPL match here on Wednesday.

Hasaranga lived up to his Rs 10.75 crore price tag as his four-wicket burst helped RCB dismiss KKR for 128. 
The Sri Lankan was ably supported by the pace trio of Akash Deep (3/45), Harshal Patel (2/11) and Mohammed Siraj (1/25) after RCB won the toss and elected to bowl at DY Patil Stadium here.

In reply, Sherfane Rutherford (28), David Willey (18) and Shahbaz Ahmed (27) played crucial innings as RCB survived some anxious moments before overhauling the target, scoring 132 for 7 in 19.2 overs after Tim Southee (3/20) and Umesh Yadav (2/16) blew away their top-order.

Yadav and Southee troubled the top-order batters with their pace and bounce, leaving RCB at 17 for 3 at one stage. 
While Anuj Rawat (0) got a thick outside edge off Umesh, Faf Du Plessis (5) got a leading edge to the point fielder and Virat Kohli (12) paid the price for playing away from the body.

Willey and Rutherford then tried to rebuild the chase with a 45-run stand but Sunil Narine broke the partnership in the 11th over as he had the former caught at midwicket. Coming to the crease, Shahbaz pulled Andre Russell for two maximums as RCB amassed 15 runs to ease the pressure.

Needing 36 off 30 balls, Shahbaz hit another six off Chakravarthy before being deceived by the bowler as RCB slumped to 101 for 5. With pressure mounting, Rutherford went for a slog only to be caught behind off Southee. 
Needing 17 off the last two overs, Harshal Patel smashed two fours, while Dinesh Karthik (14 not out) blasted a six and a four in the first two balls of the last over to take the team home.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-kolkata-knigt-riders-vs-royal-challengers-bangalore-game-467009">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore game</a>

Earlier, KKR batters struggled with the extra bounce and went for shots too many despite losing wickets at regular intervals. None of the batters could capitalise on the starts as KKR lost six wickets for 57 runs to slip from 44 for 3 to 101 for 9 in 14.3 overs.

Big-hitting West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell was the highest scorer for KKR with an 18-ball 25, while Umesh Yadav (18) and Varun Chakravarthy (10) added 27 runs, the fourth-highest for the 10th wicket in IPL history, to provide some respectability to the total.

Venkatesh Iyer was the first to be dismissed with Akash Deep striking on his first delivery, while Ajinkya Rahane's shaky start ended when he was holed out in the fifth over off Siraj as KKR slipped to 32 for 2.

Nitish Rana too perished quickly with David Willey producing a stunning catch as KKR slipped to 44 for 3 in the first six overs. Skipper Shreyas Iyer then paid the price for an irresponsible shot, hitting straight to Du Plessis at long-on for Hasaranga's first wicket.

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Despite the match situation, West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine went for his shots, sending Akash Deep across mid-off before top-edging him for a maximum. However, Hasaranga came back to strike twice in two balls as KKR slumped to 67 for 6 in 9 overs.

While Narine ended up giving an easy catch to point fielder, Sheldon Jackson was cleaned up with a ripping googly. 
Sam Billing, who survived an LBW appeal in his first ball, slammed a six before making his way back to the hut with a miscued pull which was comfortably held by Kohli at long-on.

Russell then smashed three sixes and a four before edging Patel to Karthik, while Tim Southee mistimed one to Du Plessis to become Hasaranga's fourth victim.

Royal Challengers Bangalore batters overcame some nervy moments after leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga spun his way to a four-wicket haul to register a three-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a low-scoring IPL match here on Wednesday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore batters overcame some nervy moments after leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga spun his way to a four-wicket haul to register a three-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a low-scoring IPL match here on Wednesday. Hasaranga lived up to his Rs 10.75 crore price tag as his four-wicket burst helped RCB dismiss KKR for 128. The Sri Lankan was ably supported by the pace trio of Akash Deep (3/45), Harshal Patel (2/11) and Mohammed Siraj (1/25) after RCB won the toss and elected to bowl at DY Patil Stadium here. In reply, Sherfane Rutherford (28), David Willey (18) and Shahbaz Ahmed (27) played crucial innings as RCB survived some anxious moments before overhauling the target, scoring 132 for 7 in 19.2 overs after Tim Southee (3/20) and Umesh Yadav (2/16) blew away their top-order. Yadav and Southee troubled the top-order batters with their pace and bounce, leaving RCB at 17 for 3 at one stage. While Anuj Rawat (0) got a thick outside edge off Umesh, Faf Du Plessis (5) got a leading edge to the point fielder and Virat Kohli (12) paid the price for playing away from the body. Willey and Rutherford then tried to rebuild the chase with a 45-run stand but Sunil Narine broke the partnership in the 11th over as he had the former caught at midwicket. Coming to the crease, Shahbaz pulled Andre Russell for two maximums as RCB amassed 15 runs to ease the pressure. Needing 36 off 30 balls, Shahbaz hit another six off Chakravarthy before being deceived by the bowler as RCB slumped to 101 for 5. With pressure mounting, Rutherford went for a slog only to be caught behind off Southee. Needing 17 off the last two overs, Harshal Patel smashed two fours, while Dinesh Karthik (14 not out) blasted a six and a four in the first two balls of the last over to take the team home. Also Read: Updated IPL 2022 points table after Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore game Earlier, KKR batters struggled with the extra bounce and went for shots too many despite losing wickets at regular intervals. None of the batters could capitalise on the starts as KKR lost six wickets for 57 runs to slip from 44 for 3 to 101 for 9 in 14.3 overs. Big-hitting West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell was the highest scorer for KKR with an 18-ball 25, while Umesh Yadav (18) and Varun Chakravarthy (10) added 27 runs, the fourth-highest for the 10th wicket in IPL history, to provide some respectability to the total. Venkatesh Iyer was the first to be dismissed with Akash Deep striking on his first delivery, while Ajinkya Rahane's shaky start ended when he was holed out in the fifth over off Siraj as KKR slipped to 32 for 2. Nitish Rana too perished quickly with David Willey producing a stunning catch as KKR slipped to 44 for 3 in the first six overs. Skipper Shreyas Iyer then paid the price for an irresponsible shot, hitting straight to Du Plessis at long-on for Hasaranga's first wicket. Also Read: David Willey takes exceptional catch running backwards to send Nitish Rana packing against KKR - WATCH Despite the match situation, West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine went for his shots, sending Akash Deep across mid-off before top-edging him for a maximum. However, Hasaranga came back to strike twice in two balls as KKR slumped to 67 for 6 in 9 overs. While Narine ended up giving an easy catch to point fielder, Sheldon Jackson was cleaned up with a ripping googly. Sam Billing, who survived an LBW appeal in his first ball, slammed a six before making his way back to the hut with a miscued pull which was comfortably held by Kohli at long-on. Russell then smashed three sixes and a four before edging Patel to Karthik, while Tim Southee mistimed one to Du Plessis to become Hasaranga's fourth victim.

IPL 2022: RCB beat KKR by three wickets in a low-scoring thriller to bag first win of the tournament

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).&nbsp;

This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win.&nbsp;

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If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter.&nbsp;

On the other hand, similar problems persist&nbsp;with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets.

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Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash:&nbsp;The venue is expected to remain good&nbsp;for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30). This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: RR captain Sanju Samson gives cheeky reply to Danny Marrison's title-drought question post SRH win If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter. On the other hand, similar problems persist with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash: The venue is expected to remain good for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

RCB vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.&nbsp;

The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million).&nbsp;

In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain.

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KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee&nbsp;in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million).

KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload.

Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mumbai-indians-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-ishan-kishan-jofra-archer-top-buys-for-rohit-sharma-co-453026">Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022:&nbsp;

Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar,&nbsp;Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee,&nbsp;Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana,&nbsp;Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi

Purse Remaining:&nbsp;INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a good run in the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction, held in Bengaluru. The mega auction was an entertaining affair as several marquee players were sold at a whopping price whereas some unknown and relatively inexperienced campaigners also made a mark by attracting quite a lot of bids. The mega auction, held after four years, also stood out for many players being shifted to a new franchise as the IPL 2022 edition promises to be an enthralling and engaging ten-team tournament, set to be held in March-May this year. Talking about the two-time winners and IPL 2021 runners-up KKR, they entered the auction pool with INR 480 million (INR 48 crore). Prior to the mega auction, the Shahrukh Khan-co-owned franchise had retained four players: Varun Chakravarthy (INR 80 million), Sunil Narine (INR 60 million), Venkatesh Iyer (INR 80 million) and Andre Russell (INR 120 million). In the mega auction, KKR have revamped decently with plenty of new additions whereas they have also managed to bring back some vital cogs. However, some questions still remain. ALSO READ | Chennai Super Kings complete squad for IPL 2022: Deepak Chahar most expensive in Raina-less line-up KKR's 22-member squad comprises 15 Indian players along with 7 foreign recruits. They have invested heavily on various all-rounders, such as Pat Cummins (re-signed for INR 72.5 million), Md Nabi, Nitish Rana, etc. The KKR unit managed to include wily swing bowler Tim Southee in their line-up as well and got some big names to fill their batting department, such as Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (INR 10 million), Sheldon Jackson, Alex Hales, Sam Billings (INR 20 million). KKR broke the bank for Iyer, the former Delhi Capitals' (DC) skipper, for INR 122.5 million (INR 12.25 crore). The Kolkata-based franchise, however, will feel too dependent on Cummins and Southee in the pace department. While they did manage to add Umesh Yadav (INR 20 million) to the squad, the Indian pacer hasn't been a regular in IPL and in Team India's white-ball squads. On the other hand, a lot of onus will be on Varun and Narine to handle the spin workload. Overall, Iyer seems like a frontrunner to succeed Eoin Morgan -- not re-signed by the team management -- to lead KKR in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | Mumbai Indians complete squad for IPL 2022: Ishan Kishan, Jofra Archer top buys for Rohit Sharma & Co. Complete squad of KKR for IPL 2022: Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer, Sunil Narine, Shreyas Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Baba Indrajith, Abhijit Tomar, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Rasikh Dar, Ashok Sharma, Tim Southee, Pat Cummins, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Anukul Roy, Chamika Karunaratne, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Md Nabi Purse Remaining: INR 4.5 million

Kolkata Knight Riders complete squad for IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer joins Galaxy of Knights, Cummins returns

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.

KKR had reached the final of the Indian Premier League 2021 season but lost against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai to miss out on their second league title. Not many had expected KKR to make it to the playoffs after a disappointing show in the first leg of the tournament.

However, the Eoin Morgan-led side, which managed only two wins in their first seven games, bounced back with five wins in their next seven matches to make it to the top four and reach the final. However, KKR have released Morgan, who led them to their first final since IPL 2014.

KKR complete list of retained players:

Andre Russell - Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million)

Varun Chakaravarthy - Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million)

Venkatesh Iyer - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million)

Sunil Narine - Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million)

Russell has been retained by KKR as the first-choice player and will be drawing a salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) for the next three seasons. Chakaravarthy, who picked up an impressive 18 wickets in the IPL 2021 has been kept by the two-time champions.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chennai-super-kings-complete-retention-list-csk-retain-ms-dhoni-ravindra-jadeja-and-two-others-433058">Chennai Super Kings complete retention list: CSK retain MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and two others</a>

Iyer has had a remarkable rise and has been retained by KKR as their third-choice player for a whopping Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). Iyer had a sensational debut campaign for KKR last season as he took the second leg of IPL 2021 by a storm with his all-round performances.

Iyer scored 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches for KKR last season and was expected to trigger a bidding war had he gone to the auction pool. However, he has been kept by KKR, who have let go of promising young talent Shubman Gill to retain the all-rounder.

&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced the list of retained players ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. KKR have retained all-rounders Andre Russel, Sunil Narine, young Indian sensation Venkatesh Iyer and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. KKR had reached the final of the Indian Premier League 2021 season but lost against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai to miss out on their second league title. Not many had expected KKR to make it to the playoffs after a disappointing show in the first leg of the tournament. However, the Eoin Morgan-led side, which managed only two wins in their first seven games, bounced back with five wins in their next seven matches to make it to the top four and reach the final. However, KKR have released Morgan, who led them to their first final since IPL 2014. KKR complete list of retained players: Andre Russell - Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) Varun Chakaravarthy - Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million) Venkatesh Iyer - Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million) Sunil Narine - Rs 6 crore (INR 60 million) Russell has been retained by KKR as the first-choice player and will be drawing a salary of Rs 16 crore (INR 160 million) for the next three seasons. Chakaravarthy, who picked up an impressive 18 wickets in the IPL 2021 has been kept by the two-time champions. Also Read: Chennai Super Kings complete retention list: CSK retain MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and two others Iyer has had a remarkable rise and has been retained by KKR as their third-choice player for a whopping Rs 8 crore (INR 80 million). Iyer had a sensational debut campaign for KKR last season as he took the second leg of IPL 2021 by a storm with his all-round performances. Iyer scored 370 runs and picked up three wickets in ten matches for KKR last season and was expected to trigger a bidding war had he gone to the auction pool. However, he has been kept by KKR, who have let go of promising young talent Shubman Gill to retain the all-rounder.

Kolkata Knight Riders complete retention list: KKR retain Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer and two others

West Indies and Bangladesh will lock horns with each other in match 23 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the first match of the day, with Pakistan-Afghanistan face-off to follow suit.&nbsp;

Defending champions Windies have had a torrid run in the showpiece event. The Kieron Pollard-led side not only lost their warm-up games, but also conceded their first two games in Super 12 round in Pool A. Their margin of defeats, by 6 and 8 wickets respectively, is also hurting them and the Men in Maroon need a revamp at the earliest.&nbsp;

Bangladesh, on the other hand, is also desperate to get off the mark in the Super 12. While they did compete well versus Sri Lanka, only to lose by 5 wickets, they were humbled by England by 8 wickets at Dubai.&nbsp;

In head-to-head, Windies lead Bangladesh by a slender margin of 6-5. Who among the two will get off the mark in the points table and which will be the side to remain winless?

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-ishan-kishan-and-shreyas-iyers-reactions-to-virat-kohlis-brilliance-in-nets-go-viral-watch-424867">T20 World Cup: Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer's reactions to Virat Kohli's 'brilliance' in nets go viral -Watch</a>

Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match:

Where is the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies taking place?

The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.

What time does the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies begin?

The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies begins at 3:30 PM IST on Friday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stand-in-unity-behind-racism-former-south-africa-star-on-quinton-de-kocks-knee-snub-424784">Stand in unity behind racism: Former South Africa star on Quinton de Kock's knee snub</a>

Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies?

The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between ENG vs WI will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports

West Indies and Bangladesh will lock horns with each other in match 23 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the first match of the day, with Pakistan-Afghanistan face-off to follow suit.

West Indies and Bangladesh will lock horns with each other in match 23 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the first match of the day, with Pakistan-Afghanistan face-off to follow suit. Defending champions Windies have had a torrid run in the showpiece event. The Kieron Pollard-led side not only lost their warm-up games, but also conceded their first two games in Super 12 round in Pool A. Their margin of defeats, by 6 and 8 wickets respectively, is also hurting them and the Men in Maroon need a revamp at the earliest. Bangladesh, on the other hand, is also desperate to get off the mark in the Super 12. While they did compete well versus Sri Lanka, only to lose by 5 wickets, they were humbled by England by 8 wickets at Dubai. In head-to-head, Windies lead Bangladesh by a slender margin of 6-5. Who among the two will get off the mark in the points table and which will be the side to remain winless? ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer's reactions to Virat Kohli's 'brilliance' in nets go viral -Watch Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match: Where is the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies taking place? The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah. What time does the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies begin? The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies begins at 3:30 PM IST on Friday. ALSO READ | Stand in unity behind racism: Former South Africa star on Quinton de Kock's knee snub Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies? The T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh vs West Indies will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between ENG vs WI will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports

T20 World Cup, BAN vs WI live streaming: When and where to watch Bangladesh vs West Indies match?

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year.

The biggest cricket stars from around the globe, including but notwithstanding Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle will feature in the fifth season of the one-of-a-kind cricket extravaganza, which will be held from November 19 - December 4, 2021.

With the Abu Dhabi T10 League players draft set to be held, a whopping 1186 players from 26 cricketing nations have put their hands up to have an opportunity to play in one of the most exciting cricket leagues in the world.

With a monument of runs and experience in his career, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will take centre stage as the icon player for the Bangla Tigers. The stylish right-hand batsman has proved his firepower with over 6,500 runs in his T20 career.

With over 500 sixes to his name in T20s, the West Indian superstar Andre Russell will feature as the icon player of the Deccan Gladiators. The hard-hitting all-rounder has racked up more than 6,000 runs and 300 wickets in T20s.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abu-dhabi-t10-records-massive-increase-in-global-audience-reach-announces-sponsors-for-season-5-418191">Abu Dhabi T10 records massive increase in global audience reach, announces sponsors for season 5</a>

Speaking about the power-packed icon player line-up for season 5 of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management said, "We are absolutely thrilled to have these star players feature as the icon players in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The league is nothing without its players and fans and therefore we couldn`t be more delighted about welcoming some of the biggest cricket stars to the Abu Dhabi T10 League once again."

"We are absolutely overwhelmed to see the number of cricketers registering for the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft. The talent pool of the Abu Dhabi T10 League grows manifold with each season."Meanwhile, aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran is primed to set the stage on fire as the icon player for the Maratha Arabians. The West Indian has scored over 3,700 runs in T20 cricket along with taking 108 catches and effecting 17 stumpings.

With exuberant hitting and wicket-taking abilities, Liam Livingstone will headline Team Abu Dhabi as its icon player for this season. The English all-rounder has smashed over 3,900 runs and picked up over 50 wickets in T20 cricket.

The hard-hitting opening batsman Jason Roy is all set to show his ball-striking prowess as the icon player of the Delhi Bulls. The Englishman has smacked over 6,600 runs in his T20 career with a strike rate of well over 140.

Experienced campaigner Chris Jordan, who has taken over 250 wickets in his T20 career, will feature as the icon player of the Northern Warriors. The English fast bowler has recorded an impressive bowling average of 27.45 in 243 T20 matches.

The full squads of each of the franchises will be confirmed following the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft on 7 October 2021.

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year.

The fastest and the most entertaining format of cricket - the Abu Dhabi T10 League is in readiness to enthral the world in yet another season in November-December this year. The biggest cricket stars from around the globe, including but notwithstanding Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle will feature in the fifth season of the one-of-a-kind cricket extravaganza, which will be held from November 19 - December 4, 2021. With the Abu Dhabi T10 League players draft set to be held, a whopping 1186 players from 26 cricketing nations have put their hands up to have an opportunity to play in one of the most exciting cricket leagues in the world. With a monument of runs and experience in his career, former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will take centre stage as the icon player for the Bangla Tigers. The stylish right-hand batsman has proved his firepower with over 6,500 runs in his T20 career. With over 500 sixes to his name in T20s, the West Indian superstar Andre Russell will feature as the icon player of the Deccan Gladiators. The hard-hitting all-rounder has racked up more than 6,000 runs and 300 wickets in T20s. ALSO READ: Abu Dhabi T10 records massive increase in global audience reach, announces sponsors for season 5 Speaking about the power-packed icon player line-up for season 5 of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management said, "We are absolutely thrilled to have these star players feature as the icon players in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The league is nothing without its players and fans and therefore we couldn`t be more delighted about welcoming some of the biggest cricket stars to the Abu Dhabi T10 League once again." "We are absolutely overwhelmed to see the number of cricketers registering for the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft. The talent pool of the Abu Dhabi T10 League grows manifold with each season."Meanwhile, aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran is primed to set the stage on fire as the icon player for the Maratha Arabians. The West Indian has scored over 3,700 runs in T20 cricket along with taking 108 catches and effecting 17 stumpings. With exuberant hitting and wicket-taking abilities, Liam Livingstone will headline Team Abu Dhabi as its icon player for this season. The English all-rounder has smashed over 3,900 runs and picked up over 50 wickets in T20 cricket. The hard-hitting opening batsman Jason Roy is all set to show his ball-striking prowess as the icon player of the Delhi Bulls. The Englishman has smacked over 6,600 runs in his T20 career with a strike rate of well over 140. Experienced campaigner Chris Jordan, who has taken over 250 wickets in his T20 career, will feature as the icon player of the Northern Warriors. The English fast bowler has recorded an impressive bowling average of 27.45 in 243 T20 matches. The full squads of each of the franchises will be confirmed following the Abu Dhabi T10 League Players Draft on 7 October 2021.

Abu Dhabi T10 League: Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell confirmed as icon players

Unique colours and funky looks: IPL 2021 stars and their extraordinary hairstyles

Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a loss by a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday (September 20) as an inspired bowling performance with Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell taking three wickets each demolished the opposition batting.&nbsp;

KKR opener Shubman Gill top-scored with a knock of 48 runs as the team chased down the small target of 93 runs with nine wickets in hand and 60 balls to spare.&nbsp;

During the match, RCB's batsman AB de Villiers set an unwanted record as Andre Russell bowled him on&nbsp;a golden duck with a&nbsp;toe-crushing yorker. It was the sixth time that de Villiers had got out for a golden duck in the IPL.&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rcb-vs-kkr-ipl-2021-key-moments-from-eoin-morgan-cos-clinical-win-over-virat-kohlis-bengaluru-414541">RCB vs KKR, IPL 2021: Key moments from Eoin Morgan &amp; Co.'s clinical win over Virat Kohli's Bengaluru</a>

It was also the 10th time that de Villiers got a duck in the IPL and he is fifth among the current lot of players in IPL to have got out for zero, 10 or more times.&nbsp;

Reacting to the stunning yorker, Russell said during a virtual chat session posted by the official social media handles of KKR that he "planned it".&nbsp;

Russell said, "That yorker? I planned it. Because, I was bowling hard-length before into the wicket, and when AB came out to bat, I know he's a smart player, and so he was definitely looking for a hard length ball.”&nbsp;

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"I just trusted myself to get the yorker in, and it worked. So, I'm happy," he added. When Russell got to know that it was de Villiers' first golden duck since 2016, he said, "Well, I was not checking that stat, but I'm happy it was tonight."

"AB de Villiers is a top player. You know getting him out on the first ball is definitely my night," Russell said, adding that he met ABD after the match hugged him.&nbsp;

"After the game, I went by him and I gave him a hug and I said big man I got you tonight. It's all part of the game," Russell concluded.&nbsp;

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A quick reminder to all RCB fans that Andre Russell owns their Franchise 👍 
 
<a href="https://t.co/skHETTMU87">pic.twitter.com/skHETTMU87</a>
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Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a loss by a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday (September 20) as an inspired bowling performance with Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell taking three wickets each demolished the opposition batting.

Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a loss by a clinical Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday (September 20) as an inspired bowling performance with Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell taking three wickets each demolished the opposition batting. KKR opener Shubman Gill top-scored with a knock of 48 runs as the team chased down the small target of 93 runs with nine wickets in hand and 60 balls to spare. During the match, RCB's batsman AB de Villiers set an unwanted record as Andre Russell bowled him on a golden duck with a toe-crushing yorker. It was the sixth time that de Villiers had got out for a golden duck in the IPL. IN PICS | RCB vs KKR, IPL 2021: Key moments from Eoin Morgan & Co.'s clinical win over Virat Kohli's Bengaluru It was also the 10th time that de Villiers got a duck in the IPL and he is fifth among the current lot of players in IPL to have got out for zero, 10 or more times. Reacting to the stunning yorker, Russell said during a virtual chat session posted by the official social media handles of KKR that he "planned it". Russell said, "That yorker? I planned it. Because, I was bowling hard-length before into the wicket, and when AB came out to bat, I know he's a smart player, and so he was definitely looking for a hard length ball.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) × "I just trusted myself to get the yorker in, and it worked. So, I'm happy," he added. When Russell got to know that it was de Villiers' first golden duck since 2016, he said, "Well, I was not checking that stat, but I'm happy it was tonight." "AB de Villiers is a top player. You know getting him out on the first ball is definitely my night," Russell said, adding that he met ABD after the match hugged him. "After the game, I went by him and I gave him a hug and I said big man I got you tonight. It's all part of the game," Russell concluded. A quick reminder to all RCB fans that Andre Russell owns their Franchise 👍 pic.twitter.com/skHETTMU87 — Honest MI Fan (@stfuarshu) September 21, 2021 ×

'I went by him and gave him a hug': Andre Russell on taking AB de Villiers' wicket with stunning yorker in IPL 2021

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered a comfortable nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their first match of the UAE-leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 here on Monday. With this stunning win, the Eoin Morgan-led KKR rose to the fifth spot in the points table. The Virat Kohli-led side is still at third place in the points tally and looking good to qualify this year with six more games in hand. 
 
Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell were the stars for KKR as they scalped three wickets each which helped restrict the batting-heavy RCB to a paltry 92 runs in the first innings. Later, Shubman Gill and the surprise-package Venkatesh Iyer batted superbly to gun down 93 without much sweat. It was Iyer who fearlessly took the attack early on to the bowlers and Gill soon joined in showing his flair. The latter played some gorgeous strokes and smacked a quick-fire 48 before getting out with only 11 runs required. 
 
Gill scored 48 off 34 balls before losing his wicket to experienced spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Whereas, Iyer hit 41 off 27 balls. Earlier, Varun and Russell combined forces to send RCB crashing to 92 all out in 19 overs. Kolkata were water-tight with their bowling, hardly giving a lacklustre Bangalore batting order, struggling to come to terms with a two-paced pitch, some breathing space. It is Bangalore`s sixth-lowest total in the history of IPL. 
 
After electing to bat first, Bangalore started off with captain Virat Kohli unleashing a lovely punch on the up through covers off Prasidh Krishna. But Krishna fought back on the next ball, trapping Kohli lbw with a delivery which nipped back in and hit him above the knee roll. Kohli (5) took the DRS but couldn`t turn the decision in his favour. 
 
Devdutt Padikkal (22) looked in sublime touch with well-timed boundaries. But Lockie Ferguson sent him back on the last ball of power-play, taking a thin edge behind to keeper Dinesh Karthik while playing the ramp shot. Debutant KS Bharat (16) tried to break the shackles with a back-foot pull off Andre Russell in the ninth over. But with no timing on the shot, the top-edge was grabbed by Shubman Gill running in from deep mid-wicket. 
 
Bangalore`s day went from bad to worse as three balls later, Russell took out AB de Villiers for a golden duck with a quick yorker on leg-stump clipping his back foot and hitting the stumps. The double-wicket over by Russell broke the back of Bangalore`s innings. 
 
Glenn Maxwell`s frustrating 17-ball stay at the crease ended with him coming out for the big shot, only to be clean bowled by Varun Chakravarthy. One brought two for Kolkata as Chakravarthy`s googly claimed Wanindu Hasaranga lbw for a golden duck on the next ball. 
 
Chakravarthy added another wicket to his name with Sachin Baby (7) slicing to backward point. The leg-spinner`s day got better when he got his finger on the ball while trying to stop and ran out Kyle Jamieson from the non-striker`s end. Ferguson got his second wicket of the day with a slower yorker dismantling Harshal Patel`s bails. 
 
Mohammed Siraj`s attempt to get cheeky with a scoop ended in fine leg`s hands, summing up Bangalore`s innings, devoid of momentum and direction. 
 
Brief scores: 
 
RCB 92 all out in 19 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 22; Varun Chakravarthy (3-13), Andre Russell (3-9) lost to KKR 94/1 in 10 overs (Shubman gill 48, Venkatesh Iyer 41 not out) by nine wkts. 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered a comfortable nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their first match of the UAE-leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 here on Monday.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered a comfortable nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their first match of the UAE-leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 here on Monday. With this stunning win, the Eoin Morgan-led KKR rose to the fifth spot in the points table. The Virat Kohli-led side is still at third place in the points tally and looking good to qualify this year with six more games in hand. Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell were the stars for KKR as they scalped three wickets each which helped restrict the batting-heavy RCB to a paltry 92 runs in the first innings. Later, Shubman Gill and the surprise-package Venkatesh Iyer batted superbly to gun down 93 without much sweat. It was Iyer who fearlessly took the attack early on to the bowlers and Gill soon joined in showing his flair. The latter played some gorgeous strokes and smacked a quick-fire 48 before getting out with only 11 runs required. Gill scored 48 off 34 balls before losing his wicket to experienced spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Whereas, Iyer hit 41 off 27 balls. Earlier, Varun and Russell combined forces to send RCB crashing to 92 all out in 19 overs. Kolkata were water-tight with their bowling, hardly giving a lacklustre Bangalore batting order, struggling to come to terms with a two-paced pitch, some breathing space. It is Bangalore`s sixth-lowest total in the history of IPL. After electing to bat first, Bangalore started off with captain Virat Kohli unleashing a lovely punch on the up through covers off Prasidh Krishna. But Krishna fought back on the next ball, trapping Kohli lbw with a delivery which nipped back in and hit him above the knee roll. Kohli (5) took the DRS but couldn`t turn the decision in his favour. Devdutt Padikkal (22) looked in sublime touch with well-timed boundaries. But Lockie Ferguson sent him back on the last ball of power-play, taking a thin edge behind to keeper Dinesh Karthik while playing the ramp shot. Debutant KS Bharat (16) tried to break the shackles with a back-foot pull off Andre Russell in the ninth over. But with no timing on the shot, the top-edge was grabbed by Shubman Gill running in from deep mid-wicket. Bangalore`s day went from bad to worse as three balls later, Russell took out AB de Villiers for a golden duck with a quick yorker on leg-stump clipping his back foot and hitting the stumps. The double-wicket over by Russell broke the back of Bangalore`s innings. Glenn Maxwell`s frustrating 17-ball stay at the crease ended with him coming out for the big shot, only to be clean bowled by Varun Chakravarthy. One brought two for Kolkata as Chakravarthy`s googly claimed Wanindu Hasaranga lbw for a golden duck on the next ball. Chakravarthy added another wicket to his name with Sachin Baby (7) slicing to backward point. The leg-spinner`s day got better when he got his finger on the ball while trying to stop and ran out Kyle Jamieson from the non-striker`s end. Ferguson got his second wicket of the day with a slower yorker dismantling Harshal Patel`s bails. Mohammed Siraj`s attempt to get cheeky with a scoop ended in fine leg`s hands, summing up Bangalore`s innings, devoid of momentum and direction. Brief scores: RCB 92 all out in 19 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 22; Varun Chakravarthy (3-13), Andre Russell (3-9) lost to KKR 94/1 in 10 overs (Shubman gill 48, Venkatesh Iyer 41 not out) by nine wkts.

IPL 2021: Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell star in KKR's 9-wicket win over Virat Kohli-led RCB

RCB vs KKR, IPL 2021: Key moments from Eoin Morgan & Co.'s clinical win over Virat Kohli's Bengaluru

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai. The action will now move onto Abu Dhabi as the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will host the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) versus Eoin Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 31 on Monday evening (September 20).

Currently, the 2016 runners-up RCB find themselves in a much-better position in the points table, occupying the third position with 5 wins from 7 encounters. On the other hand, the two-time champions KKR are languishing at the seventh position and are in a do-or-die situation where they have to make every match count.&nbsp;

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Ahead of match 31, here's everything you need to know about the pitch report,&nbsp;weather and probable playing XI:&nbsp;

Weather and pitch report: A hot and humid evening is set to greet the players from both the dens. KKR will feel more at home in Abu Dhabi, winning five out of their seven matches at the venue during IPL 2020.&nbsp;Bowlers can expect some help from the surface as a modest-scoring thriller looks on cards in Abu Dhabi.

Predicted Playing XIs for RCB vs KKR

KKR Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (c), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

 
RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed/Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-to-step-down-as-rcb-captain-after-ipl-2021-414253">Virat Kohli to step down as RCB captain after IPL 2021</a>

With Kohli set to step down as the RCB captain post the ongoing season, the Bengaluru franchise will be eager to start the second and final leg with a bang. It is another good chance for them to win their maiden title and give a proper send-off to their outgoing skipper. For that to happen, RCB will have to start with a bang versus KKR. 
&nbsp;

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai.

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai. The action will now move onto Abu Dhabi as the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will host the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) versus Eoin Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 31 on Monday evening (September 20). Currently, the 2016 runners-up RCB find themselves in a much-better position in the points table, occupying the third position with 5 wins from 7 encounters. On the other hand, the two-time champions KKR are languishing at the seventh position and are in a do-or-die situation where they have to make every match count. × Ahead of match 31, here's everything you need to know about the pitch report, weather and probable playing XI: Weather and pitch report: A hot and humid evening is set to greet the players from both the dens. KKR will feel more at home in Abu Dhabi, winning five out of their seven matches at the venue during IPL 2020. Bowlers can expect some help from the surface as a modest-scoring thriller looks on cards in Abu Dhabi. Predicted Playing XIs for RCB vs KKR KKR Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (c), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed/Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal ALSO READ | Virat Kohli to step down as RCB captain after IPL 2021 With Kohli set to step down as the RCB captain post the ongoing season, the Bengaluru franchise will be eager to start the second and final leg with a bang. It is another good chance for them to win their maiden title and give a proper send-off to their outgoing skipper. For that to happen, RCB will have to start with a bang versus KKR.

IPL 2021, RCB vs KKR: Pitch report, weather and probable playing XIs for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match

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