Kolkata Knight Riders once again proved their immense title credentials with a stunning six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Chasing 158, the two-time Indian Premier League champions were given a blistering start with their comeback man Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine firing on all cylinders right from the word go.
The show was started by Lynn, as he clobbered two fours and a huge six in the very first over before replicating the feat in the third over. The show was then taken forward by Sunil Narine, as the West Indian left his partner behind in terms of power hitting and completed his fifty in just 15 balls- the joint fastest fifty in the history of the tournament.
By the time the powerplay ended, the Knight Riders were 105 for 0, becoming only the second team after Chennai Super Kings to score 100 or plus runs in first six overs. The partnership came to an end on the very first ball after the powerplay when Aniket Choudhary dismissed Narine for 54 off just 17 balls. Two runs later, Lynn also returned to the hut after scoring a 21-ball fifty.
Colin de Grandhomme and Gautam Gambhir then all but sealed the game for the visitors by sharing a 45-run stand before both were dismissed in quick succession. They eventually chased down the total in the 16th over.
Earlier, the home side rode on Travis Head and Mandeep Singh’s half-centuries to post a respectable total after being in a spot of bother early on.
The Royal Challengers were reeling at 34 for three in the fifth over after their holy trinity- Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers- once again failed to fire. However, Head and Mandeep steadied the ship with a 71-run partnership before the latter was dismissed for 52. Head then took the onus on himself and helped his team to collect 43 runs from the last three overs, as they finished on 158 for six in the allotted 20 overs.
Head remained unbeaten on 75 off 47 balls with the help of three fours and five sixes.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the match:
https://twitter.com/hvgoenka/status/861208073855258626
I think @KKRiders want the 22:45pm flight out of Bangalore tonight
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) May 7, 2017
Sunil Narine has made Gautam Gambhir smile. You don't need any more proof of his phenomenal batting in this IPL season. #KKRvsRCB
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) May 7, 2017
Sunil Narine Smoked Samuel Badree For 25 Runs In An Over. Scored 50 Off 15 Balls.??#RCBvKKR #KKRvRCB #KXIPvGL #GLvKXIP #Narine #Lynnsanity pic.twitter.com/2AsrIxWbtD
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) May 7, 2017
Narine & Lynn is asm pic.twitter.com/CRE53gCkdj
— Sahanawaz Mollah (@MollahSahanawaz) May 7, 2017
Shane Watson would've picked Lynn and Narine in his first over. Unfortunately he wasn't there ??? @arj_90
— Karthik Balaji (@kbee90) May 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/861209738343743488
RCB Fans #IPL pic.twitter.com/1LYNMyrjd2
— cricBC (@cricBC) May 7, 2017
Someone : kya chal raha hai?
Virat Kohli : pic.twitter.com/xoEemG3iHo
— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) April 23, 2017