IPL 2020: KKR recorded their fourth win this season by beating KXIP by 2 runs.© BCCI / IPL
Kolkata Knight Riders achieved a thrilling two-run win over Kings XI Punjab at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as Kings XI Punjab’s (KXIP) batting suffered a mini collapse towards the end of their innings. KXIP needed 29 runs in the last four overs and with KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran in the middle it seemed easy for the hitting side to chase after him, but disciplined bowling and poor shot selection by the hitter led to their fifth consecutive loss in the tournament at course. Prasidh Krishna took three of 29 of his quota of four overs as KKR stole victory from the jaws of defeat. With seven runs required in the final installment, Glenn Maxwell smashed the ball over the decks but landed just inside the boundary ropes and gave KKR a close win.
Earlier in the day, KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik won the toss and opted to hit.
KKR got off to a bad start by losing the lands of Rahul Tripathi and Nitish Rana within the powerplay.
Eoin Morgan tried to stabilize the ship with Shubman Gill, but Ravi Bishnoi outsmarted him. Morgan scored 24 runs of 23 balls.
Shubman Gill scored a valiant half century before it was sold out at 18. He had 57 runs.
Karthik, who came in at bat with 5, scored a quick hit of 58 to help KKR post a competitive total of 164 for six of his quota of 20 overs.
In response, Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul provided the best possible start for KXIP as the duo got into 115-run position for the opening wicket. Agarwal was trapped on the edge of Krishna.
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Nicholas Pooran then joined Rahul in the middle and they were sailing in hot pursuit before a false throw from the West Indies batsman brought him ruin.
Punjab lost three more wickets in the final two overs as they missed the target for just two runs.
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