For KKR, it was a night to remember; for RCB, it was a night to forget! In the 9th Match of the Tata IPL 2023 KKR defeated RCB comfortably by 81 runs and returned to the changing room on a high note.
RCB decided to field first after winning the toss, and David Willey proved that decision right. He quickly dismissed Venkatesh Iyer and Mandeep Singh.
KKR was 89/5 in the 12th over, and Andre Russell had been dismissed for a golden duck. Due to a significant inside edge, Shardul Thakur’s opening delivery went for four and prevented Karn Sharma from completing a hat-trick. His innings after that, though, were anything but spectacle. He attacked the opposition fearlessly and assisted KKR in scoring 46 runs off the next three overs (13-15). The home squad never looked back after gaining some desperately needed momentum. In a fast-paced style like T20, momentum may be quite important at times.
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When Thakur entered and assumed control in the 13th over, the tide began to turn. Prior to that, the hosts’ 89/5 position seemed critical. Thakur scored 68 runs off just 29 balls, while Rinku also batted effectively, adding to Gurbaz’s excellent fifty at the top of the order.
Throughout the 103-run partnership, Rinku was content to play second fiddle. It wasn’t until the 19th over, when he decided to step up his game that he scorched Harshal for a few sixes and a four before being caught off the final ball.
For RCB, Kohli and Faf got off to a respectable start, after the former was duped by Narine, the procession began. The ground did spin and grip, but the visitors should be embarrassed by how many of their players took bad shots. The fact that the KKR spinners claimed 9 of the 10 wickets that were lost tells you everything! Suyash Sharma, Chakaravarthy, and Narine all enjoyed their spells. Not to be forgotten is Lord Shardul Thakur, who with a dazzling knock changed the course of the game. RCB will experience shell shock, but they are to blame for it.
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That being said, Shardul Lord Thakur is undoubtedly the night’s sole owner thus far. He not only scored his first fifty in the IPL, but he also unleashed his bottom hand power, hitting RCB bowlers in all directions.
