Kolkata: The 53rd match of IPL-2023 (IPL 2023) between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) was played at Eden Garden on Monday in which the host team KKR won by 5 wickets. With this victory, Kolkata remain in the playoff race while Shikhar Dhawan captained Punjab Kings find it difficult to make the top 4.
Captain Nitish Rana (51 off 38 balls) scored a half-century while West Indies batsmen Andre Russell (42 off 23 balls) and Rinku Singh (21 off 10 balls) helped KKR beat Punjab Kings in a thrilling last-ball thriller. . Chasing a target of 180, KKR were 182 for 5, Russell hitting 3 sixes off Sam Curran in the 19th over to ensure the team’s victory. Then Rinku hit a four on the last ball to give KKR the victory along with this Rinku earned a reputation as a finisher.
Earlier Kolkata’s Varun Chakraborty continued his good form with 3 important wickets, KKR bowlers bowled disciplined to prevent Punjab Kings from scoring big and allowed 179 runs for 7 wickets. Punjab won the toss and decided to bat first. Even though Punjab’s score was still low, Shah Rukh Khan (21 not out in 9 balls) and Harpreet Brar (17 not out in 9 balls) batted explosively in the final overs to take the team to a respectable score.
From Punjab, captain Shikhar Dhawan scored 57 runs off 47 balls to boost the team’s score but he could not extend his innings long and was dismissed by KKR captain Nitish Rana. Rana gave KKR a good start by taking two wickets in two overs on a dry pitch at Eden Gardens.