Spinners run riot as Knight Riders down Maxwell’s RCB

Spinners have run riot at Eden Gardens as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 81 runs in the Indian Premier League.

Varun Chakravarthy (4-15) and Sunil Narine (2-16) shared six wickets, while 19-year-old debutant Suyash Sharma took 3-30 as the trio destroyed Bangalore’s chase on Thursday.

Shardul Thakur earlier smacked 68 off 29 balls to rescue Kolkata from a precarious 5-89 and helped his team reach a commanding total of 7-204.

In reply, Bangalore were bowled out for 123 in 17.4 overs, with Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell getting bowled for just five.

After being sent in to bat, Kolkata sped off as Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 57 off 44, including six fours and three sixes.

But wickets tumbled at the other end as England’s David Willey picked up 2-16 in four overs, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer (3) and Mandeep Singh (0) off successive balls.

Skipper Nitish Rana holed out for one run, while West Indies’ explosive allrounder Andre Russell was caught for a golden duck.

Thakur then came together with Rinku Singh in the 12th over and the duo added 103 runs for the sixth wicket before the partnership ended with one over left.

It was the third-highest partnership for the sixth-or-below wicket in IPL history and changed the complexion of the game.

Thakur hit nine fours and three sixes in a brilliant counter-attacking knock, reaching 50 from just 20 balls.

Rinku Singh also scored 46 off 33, with two fours and three sixes.

In reply, Virat Kohli (21) and Faf du Plessis (23) made a flying start to the chase, adding 44 off 29 balls.

But when Narine broke through Kohli’s defence and Chakravarthy bowled du Plessis, the downfall began.

Chakravarthy then bowled Maxwell and Harshal Patel (0) as Bangalore sank to 4-54 in 7.4 overs.

Kolkata introduced debutant leg-spinner Suyash as the impact player, and he ran amok with wickets in the middle. 

His prize scalp was Dinesh Karthik, out caught for nine, before Suyash picked up another couple of wickets with his expansive wrist spin.

Willey threw his bat around for a run-a-ball 20 not out to reduce the margin of defeat.

The English left-armer got his chance after misfortune struck countryman Reece Topley, who has been ruled out of the IPL for the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury while diving in the field during his first appearance for RCB, the latest in a long sequence of fitness setbacks that have marred the left-armer’s career.

After fighting his way back to the top and reclaiming his spot in England’s white-ball team he then missed last year’s T20 World Cup triumph after tripping on a boundary sponge and damaging ankle ligaments.

A further setback in Bangladesh last month delayed his latest England comeback but he made a strong start to life at RCB, clean bowling Australia allrounder Cameron Green with his ninth delivery in competition.

That was as good as it got and he is now flying home for yet another unwanted period of rehabilitation. 

Aussies in IPL 2023

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh ($1.2m), David Warner ($1.16m)

Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade ($446,000)

Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis ($1.7m), Daniel Sams ($135,000)

Mumbai Indians: Tim David ($1.53m), Cameron Green ($3.15m), Jason Behrendorff ($135,000)

Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis ($135,000), Matt Short ($36,000)

Rajasthan Royals: Adam Zampa ($270,000)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazlewood ($1.4m), Glenn Maxwell ($2m)

Figures represent auction price in Australian dollars at time of sale