KKR VS RCB MATCH 36

Right then, that is it from this absolute nail-biter where Kolkata just managed to pip Bengaluru and do the double over them. The action doesn't stop here as we have a double-header. Punjab is taking on Gujarat in the second game and you can just switch tabs to enjoy all our coverage of that match. Cheers!

Andre Russell is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning all-round performance especially his spell with the ball. He says that he always backs his bowling and is happy to contribute with the ball. Tells that when he was batting change-ups were difficult to hit and he tried to use the slower cutters that were gripping and got him the rewards. Mentions that his over with two wickets and the other two in Narine's over changed the momentum. Says that he is happy with the win and at the death, he knew that DK would be trying to be on strike and tried to use the variations that worked for him in this game.

Shreyas Iyer the victorious skipper of Kolkata says that games like these take a lot off the body and is tough to stay calm but he is happy to have been on the winning end. Adds that Andre Russell got them those two wickets and completely changed the momentum of the game and it all comes down to individuals taking responsibility. Mentions that with 18 runs off the last over, the bowler is under pressure and one six here and there can change the momentum of the game towards the batter and they will have a lot of such challenges in the future which they will have to execute well and be prepared. Talks about his knock and says he wanted to stay till the end after those back-to-back wickets and they managed to get a few boundaries and the batters on the other side helped him rotate strike which makes him happy.

Faf du Plessis, the captain of Bengaluru says that it was crazy and rules are rules and there will always be one team that is happy while the other will not, and in the end the over from Sunil Narine where they got two wickets was crucial for them. Mentions that it all comes down to little moments and if the decision-making could've been clearer in the middle but is proud of how the boys played and showed character with them being ahead at the halfway stage in the chase. Mentions that they are desperate and the guys were putting their bodies on the line and it is 10 on 10 for the effort and the unbelievable support they get all across the country and they look forward to making them feel better.

Presentation Time...

Harshit Rana is down for a quick chat. He says the plan was to bowl slower and they executed that right. Adds that he tries to keep himself cool and not think a lot about the results and focus on the execution. Concludes that it was an intense game and it's hard to describe the feeling in that final over.

Earlier in the game, Kolkata posted a good total on the board courtesy of a fine fifty from skipper Shreyas Iyer along with two fiery knocks from Phil Salt and Ramandeep Singh at the beginning and the death respectively. In the middle overs, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell also contributed well. Cameron Green was the pick of the bowlers for Bengaluru with a couple of wickets while Yash Dayal also got two. Lockie Ferguson and Mohammed Siraj chipped in with one each while Karn Sharma was very economical. While chasing, even after losing two big wickets at the start, Bengaluru were in control of the chase but let it go in the middle over. They managed to stay in it till the very end but had to leave Eden Gardens empty-handed and with a broken hear as they remained rock bottom of the league.

Kolkata, on the other hand, were taken apart once again in the Powerplay but still managed to get the two big wickets of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. However, after that they gave a lot of runs as Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar looked unstoppable. Shreyas Iyer decided to give the ball to Dre Russ who came in and got rid of both of them in the same over. Sunil Narine then took over and got a couple more to change the momentum again. Suyash Sharma came in as the Impact Player but was very expensive but Varun Chakaravarthy was decent and chipped in with one. Harshit Rana and Andre Russell bowled a couple of excellent overs at the death and got the big wicket of Suyash Prabhudessai and DK. Mitchell Starc had to defend 20 in the last over but the pressure was on him and it showed when Karn Sharma went all-out attack. However, Starc kept his calm and took a stunning catch on the follow-through on the second last ball, and then Phil Salt showed good athleticism on the last ball to run out Lockie Ferguson to win the match by a solitary run.

Bengaluru needed a quick start and Virat Kohli provided that with a few lusty blows before getting dismissed controversially but it was the right call. Skipper Faf du Plessis went back soon after which pushed them on the back foot. However, Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar took matters into their own hands and went berserk in the middle overs and countered the spin attack of Kolkata brilliantly. The momentum was on their side with the 102-run partnership, but then they lost both set batters Jacks and Patidar in the same over after reaching their half-centuries. Then Cameron Green and Mahipal Lomror also got out in the same over but they were still in touch with the asking rate which was a positive. DK and Suyash Prabhudessai took the game close but they had to depart and in the end, it was Karn Sharma who struck three sixes in the last over but unfortunately could not finish the job for his team and they had to suffer a heartbreak.

MY WORD, WHAT A GAME OF CRICKET! No one knew where it would go till the last ball but Mitchell Starc and Kolkata have held their nerves to win by just a run. The pendulum swung both ways and at one point it looked like Bengaluru would cruise through this chase but the home side pulled things back nicely in the middle phase. Who knew that Karn Sharma would hit three sixes against Starc in the last over, but it was again so near, yet so far for Bengaluru.

OUT! RUN OUT! Can you believe it? A terrible throw back at the keeper's end but Phil Salt does exceptionally well to claw the game back as Kolkata wins this nail-biter of a game by just 1 run. Mitchell Starc bowls this full and just outside off, Lockie Ferguson digs it well to deep cover and sets off for the second run. The fielder collects the ball well but throws it wildly past the keeper at the striker's end. Despite the errant throw, Phil Salt swiftly reacts, retrieving the ball and executing a lightning-quick dive to knock the stumps down with Lockie Ferguson well short of his crease.

Lockie Ferguson is the last man in. He needs to hit a boundary to win the game. A two will tie the game and we will go to a Super Over.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Mitchell Starc has pulled off a fabulous catch to bring back Kolkata in the game! What an innings this has been from Karn Sharma but he has to walk back with Bengaluru needing 3 off the last ball. Starc steams from over the wicket and with pace on bowls the fuller delivery on middle and leg, Karn Sharma gets deceived by pace and just chops it back really low towards the right of Mitchell Starc who gets down and takes a clean catch.

SIX! Karn Sharma you beauty! Three in the over and Bengaluru fans believe! Starc misses the line and bowls it wider on off on a filler length, Karn Sharma cuts it uppishly over point for half a dozen more.

SIX! Oh dear, Karn Sharma has titled this game back on its head and it can go anywhere from here. Mitchell Starc bowls this full and outside off again, Karn Sharma plants his front leg out and whips it over cover for a maximum.

An appeal for caught behind and the umpire turns it down. Shreyas Iyer sends it upstairs for a review. Starc bowls this full and outside off, Karn Sharma looks for the slice yet again but seems to have gotten a faint edge into the keeper's gloves. The replays roll in and the UltraEdge confirm there was a spike as the ball passed the bat. The third umpire also looks to reconfirm if it was a clean take behind the stumps and it shows that the ball brushed the grass as Phil Salt picks it up. The onfield call stays as NOT OUT!

SIX! How well has he connected that one? Mitchell Starc looks for the wide yorker and ends up bowling this right in the slot, outside off, Karn Sharma slices it over point for a maximum.

Mohammed Siraj comes out to the middle now. Mitchell Starc to bowl the last over. He has conceded 36 runs in his two overs and now needs to defend 20 runs.