The ICC is likely to announce a final tournament schedule later next week
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Kolkata Knight Riders produced a brilliant all-round performance to outclass Royal Challengers Bangalore as the two-time winner recorded an emphatic 81-run win in the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.
Having made an imposing 204 for seven on the back of a stirring fightback from Shardul Thakur (68 off 29 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes) and Rinku Singh (46 off 33 balls, 2 fours, 3 sixes), spinners Varun Chakravarthy (4/15) and Suyash Sharma (3/30) helped KKR restrict RCB to just 123 all out in 17.4 overs.
It was an incredible performance from the KKR in its first home game of the season.
Having lost the first game to Punjab Kings, KKR were in big trouble when Rahmanullah Gurbaz (54), who scored a fine half-century, and Andre Russell (0) fell in successive balls from Karn Sharma to leave the home team struggling at 89 for five in 11.3 overs.
Shardul denied Sharma an opportunity take a hat trick in the next ball of the over and then launched a stunning counter attack on the RCB with Singh.
The two batsmen shared a magnificent 103-run partnership in just 45 balls to put the KKR in a commanding position.
KKR captain Nitish Rana showered Shardul and Singh with praise for their match-turning partnership.
"If you look at the last match, there were positives; we were in the game even after seven down. Even today, we collapsed, and credit to Gurbaz. And it was an unbelievable innings from Shardul Thakur! People will talk about Shardul, but Rinku held one end up, as we had planned," Rana said after the match.
Shardul, meanwhile, was at a loss for words when asked to describe his greatest batting performance in the IPL.
"Even I don't know where it came from! Looking at the scorecard, everyone would have said we were struggling. But your subconscious mind takes over. You also have to have skills to do that at the higher level, but we also work hard in the nets," the Indian bowling all-rounder said.
In reply, Virat Kohli (21) and skipper Faf du Plessis (23) gave the RCB a fine start, but once the former was bowled by Sunil Narine (2/16) at the team score of 44, the floodgates opened.
RCB kept losing wickets at regular intervals as Kolkata completed a stunning victory in front of its home fans.
"We had always planned not to give RCB batters pace in the middle overs. Suyash, playing his first match, bowled brilliant balls to such batters," Rana said.
"Not even we have got to know him so far! He backs himself. It was always our plan to add him if we needed a third spinner."
Brief scores:
KKR: 204 for seven in 20 overs (Shardul Thakur 68, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 54, David Willey 2/16)
RCB: 123 all out in 17.4 overs (Faf du Plessis 23, Virat Kohli 21, Varun Chakravarthy 4/15). (ANI)
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