IPL 2024, KKR vs RCB IPL Highlights: Kolkata Knight Riders hold nerves to edge past Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 1 run

Kolkata Knight Riders (222/6) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (221) by 1 run

IPL 2024, KKR vs RCB IPL Highlights, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Andre Russell and Sunil Narine turned the game in Kolkata Knight Riders' way by claiming the crucial wickets in the middle overs as the hosts won the thriller by 1 run. Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters put up a solid fight till the last ball but it wasn't enough for them to claim their second win of the season.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer hit a half-century, while Phil Salt and Ramandeep Singh produced quickfire knocks as Kolkata Knight Riders posted 222/6 in 20 overs. KKR kept losing wickets at regular intervals but they didn't lose the momentum with a long batting line-up. Cameron Green was the pick of the bowler with 2 wickets for 35.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl first against Kolkata Knight Riders. RCB made three changes to their XI from the last match as Mohammed Siraj, Cameron Green and Karn Sharma returned to the side. After horrible performances in the first half of the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be desperate to bounce back and keep their hopes alive in the playoffs race. Faf du Plessis and Co. have already lost six matches out of 7 and now every game for them is a knockout. The batting unit has failed to put up a collective effort in the middle as only Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik are the only batters who have displayed some consistency with the bat. Skipper Faf du Plessis also failed to make an impact with the bat and his captaincy also came under the scanners.

Meanwhile, the bowling unit has flopped miserably for RCB this season as they are yet to finalise their combination.  In their last match, RCB faced embarrassment against Sunrisers Hyderabad as Pat Cummins and Co. hammered them and posted the highest score in IPL history - 287.

Star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has decided to take a mental health break and missed the last match against SRH. He has been in horrible form this season and managed just 32 runs in six innings with an average of 5.33. Recently, he has also revealed that he is also nursing a "hip strain" and is unlikely to return for his team's away IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders here on Sunday.

With five consecutive defeats, the bottom-ranked RCB now confront the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their playoff prospects alive.

The batting unit depends heavily on Kohli who is the leading run-getter this season thus far with 361 runs at 72.20. The lack of support from the other end has also impacted his strike rate. Du Plessis has been their next best batter with 232 runs, but it's seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Karthik, who has been phenomenal in his final IPL season.

The veteran has amassed 226 runs at a strike-rate of 205-plus and in the monstrous chase against SRH, it was his 35-ball 83 that gave them hope of scripting an improbable win before they fell short by 25 runs.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders will also look to get back to winning ways after a last-ball defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the last match. They have slipped to the third spot on the points table with 8 points in 6 matches. 

The biggest threat for RCB will be Narine, not just with the ball but also with the bat at the top of the order.

Narine has been in terrific form with the bat and scored a brilliant century in the last match against RR which was also his maiden in the shortest format. The left-handed batter is KKR's leading run-getter this season with 276 runs at an incredible strike rate of over 187.

The next best KKR batter is his opening partner Phil Salt, who has struck at a rate of 151-plus. With a maiden fifty to his name, youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi has impressed with his batting.

However, the likes of Rinku Singh and Andre Russell have got limited opportunities but the duo has managed to mark an impact with small cameos at the fag end of the innings.

Meanwhile, skipper Shreyas Iyer has some crucial contributions with the bat but he hasn't looked in full control and his strike rate has also been an area of concern for the side.