STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsA clinical display with the ball by the Kolkata Knight Riders in their 200th IPL game resulted in a commanding nine-wicket win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Put into bowl first by skipper Virat Kohli in his 200th game, Kolkata bowlers roared back in the middle overs after conceding 41 runs in the first six overs. With wickets tumbling at regular intervals courtesy of a magical spell by Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell in the middle overs, Bangalore were bundled out for 92 runs in 19 overs.
Chasing a modest total of 93 runs, Shubman Gill and debutant Venkatesh Iyer, started the innings in an emphatic fashion as they attacked the opposition bowling unit from get-go. The duo stitched an 82-run opening partnership to lay a solid foundation for a comfortable nine-wicket win. Here are some of the notable stats from the game:
Virat Kohli scripts history
One of the legends of the modern era, Kohli achieved a rare feat as he became the first player in the history of the Indian Premier League to feature in 200 games for a single franchise. After making his debut against the same opposition in the opening encounter of the inaugural edition of the IPL, Kohli graduated from being a rookie in the side to one of the mainstays of the batting unit in the past 13 years. With 6081 runs at an average of 37.77, including five centuries, the 32-year old is currently the leading run-scorer of the league.
Kolkata joins the 200 club
Kolkata have been one among the six teams that have featured in every edition of the IPL. The 31st match of IPL 2021 was a special one for them as they joined an elite list of teams to feature in 200 games. Kolkata became the fourth team in IPL to achieve this feat after Mumbai Indians (211), Bangalore (204) and Delhi Capitals (202). With two titles to their name, they are the only team apart from Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings to win the trophy multiple times.
Bangalore’s dismal show against Kolkata continues
Over the course of the IPL, Bangalore have been dismissed on six instances below the 100-run mark. While the Delhi Capitals are on top of the table with ten matches, Bangalore is second on the list. Out of those six, Bangalore outfit has been all-out thrice within the 100-run mark against Kolkata in the history of the league. This is the joint most for a team against an opposition in IPL. Delhi also have suffered three all-outs under 100 against Chennai.
Varun Chakravarthy weaves his magic at UAE
The mystery spinner of the Kolkata unit has been exceptional since last season, especially in the United Arab Emirates. After recording his maiden five-wicket haul against the Delhi Capitals at Abu Dhabi in 2020, Chakravarthy achieved his second-best figures in UAE as he wreaked havoc against Bangalore. The 30-year-old scalped three wickets for 13 runs in his quota of four overs to dent the middle order of Bangalore. In his last five spells at the UAE, he has an economy rate of five or under on four instances.
A royal drubbing
The Bangalore based franchise have suffered demoralizing defeats in IPL against Kolkata. Let be the inaugural match in 2008 or their worst nightmare in 2017 (49 all-out). Yet again, against the same team, Bangalore succumbed to another disheartening defeat. This time it was when they were defending a paltry total of 93. For the first time in their IPL career, a team handed them a defeat with 10 overs to spare and it was none other than KKR. This adds to their list of agonies against Kolkata. Their lowest score (49 in 2017) against Kolkata, their biggest margin of defeat by runs (140 runs) against Kolkata and their biggest margin of defeat in terms of balls remaining or wickets in hand is also against the same team.
The perfect 200th outing
Kolkata played their first match and their 200th match in IPL against Bangalore. In both the matches, Kolkata stormed their way to a win. In the first, it was while defending and in their 200th while chasing and in both the matches they recorded their biggest wins in IPL. A 140-run win in 2008 and in 2021, a nine-wicket win with 60 balls to spare. In terms of balls remaining this is their biggest win. While chasing overall, this is their biggest after their 10-wicket win against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in 2017.
