KOLKATA, India, CMC – Both West Indies stars Andre Russell and Sunil Narine failed as Kolkata Knight Riders wilted under the pressure of an imposing run chase, to slump to a 49-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League here yesterday.
Staring at a target of 236 at home at Eden Gardens after Ajinkya Rahane (71 not out), Devon Conway (56) and Shivam Dube (50) slammed fifties, KKR never really recovered from a nightmare start to finish on 186 for eight and suffer an astonishing fifth loss in seven matches this season.
England’s Jason Roy pummeled a whirlwind 26-ball 61 while Rinku Singh struck 53 not out from 33 deliveries but Narine perished for a three-ball ‘duck’ – this third of the campaign – at the top of the order while Russell made only nine.
The win put CSK top with 10 points but only two clear of the chasing quartet of Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings.
KKR are three from bottom on four points, only above Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals.
Opting to bowl first, KKR were under pressure from early when New Zealander Conway belted four fours and three sixes in a 40-ball knock, as he put on 73 for the first wicket with Ruturaj Gaikwad who struck a 20-ball 35.
Once the partnership was broken, the 34-year-old Rahane assumed responsibility for the innings, adding 36 for the second wicket with Conway, a further 85 for the third with Dube, and 38 for the fourth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (18) towards the end.
Rahane counted half-dozen fours and five sixes in his 29-ball knock while the left-handed Dube hit a brace of sixes and five fours off just 21 deliveries, helping CSK to 235 for four off 20 overs.
Off-spinner Narine’s two overs cost 23 runs and yielded no wickets while Russell suffered a similar fate, his single over of pace leaking 17 runs without success.
In reply, Narine was one of two wickets to fall with a single run on the board, bowled missing a swing at left-arm seamer Akash Singh in the second over.
Captain Nitish Rana (27) and Venkatesh Iyer (20) attempted to repair the damage in a 45-run, third wicket stand but when they perished eight balls apart, KKR were nowhere at 70 for four at the start of the ninth over.
Roy then produced a blinder, blasting five fours and five sixes en route to a 19-ball half-century, in a 65-run, fifth wicket partnership with Rinku Singh who struck three fours and four sixes.
Roy departed in the 15th but Russell lasted only six balls before following in the 17th over, holing out to deep mid-wicket.
In yesterday’s other game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, neither Jason Holder nor teammate Shimron Hetmyer had any impact as their Rajasthan Royals went down by seven runs to RCB.
