IPL 2020, KKR vs DC: Fifties From Narine And Rana Propel Kolkata Knight Riders To 194/6 At Abu Dhabi

IPL 2020, Kolkata vs Delhi match today in UAE: Nitish Rana who was sent to open today after failing to deliver at number three in his previous game, responded in style by scoring his 10th IPL half-century off just 35 deliveries. His partner, Sunil Narine, who returned to KKR after getting reported for a suspected bowling action, scored a 24-ball half century right away batting at number five position.

After Delhi Capitals' lethal pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje struck early to get rid of Dinesh Kartik, Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi for almost nothing on the scoreboard, a good counter punch from Sunil Narine (32-ball 64) and Nitish Rana (53-ball 81) with a fabulous 56-ball 115-run 4th wicket stand powered Kolkata Knight Riders to 194/6 at Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Both Rana and Narine smashed quick fifties to take Kolkata Knight Riders out of trouble and give their team a strong base as the duo added 100-plus runs in quick time.

Rana who was sent to open today after failing to deliver at number three  in his previous game, responded in style by scoring his 10th IPL half-century off just 35 deliveries. His partner, Sunil Narine, who returned to KKR after getting reported for a suspected bowling action, scored a 24-ball half century right away batting at number five position.

Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat bowl first against Kolkata Knight Riders against Abu Dhabi. For Kolkata Knight Riders, Nitish Rana walked in to open with Shubman Gill. Young talented speedster Tushar Deshpande bowled the first over for Delhi. Shubhman Gill looked in great touch and played some perfectly times strokes to get 8 runs off the first over.

Gill was looking good but he had to return back to the pavilion without scoring much as he slashed the 5th delivery from Nortje straight to Axar Patel, who completed a simple catch to depart the KKR opener for 8-ball 9. Kolkata was rocked by Nortje once again as he struck for the second time for Delhi with a yorker at 148.3 kmph to clean up Rahul Tripathi for a 12-ball 13.

KKR's batting became even more wobbly and this time it was Kagiso Rabada once again in the wickets column. Skipper Dinesh Karthik had to depart for just three after edging Rabada's delivery to the wicket-keeper. Sunil Narine was the new man in at No. 5.

Sunil Narine and Nitish Tripathi steadied KKR's sinking ship to keep the scoreboard ticking. Runs started to flow the KKR duo as both have added a strong fifty plus runs for the 4th wicket in no time. R Ashwin and Tushar Deshpande helped the KKR batters open their arms as both DC bowlers went for 18 and 13 runs in the 9th and 10th over respectively.

Rana, meanwhile, scored his 10th IPL fifty off just 35 deliveries. Just few deliveries later, Narine too notched up his fifty off just 22 deliveries. Narine mistimed a shot off Rabada's delivery and holed out to Ajinkya Rahane after a super 32-ball 64 run knock as Rabada picked his second the wicket to breaks the 56-ball 115-run 4th wicket stand.

Skipper Eoin Morgan and Rana played some aggressive strokes in the death overs to propel their team to 194/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

Delhi Capitals who are on the second spot on the points table behind defending champions Mumbai Indians will book a place in the knockouts of the tournament with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Tushar Deshpande, Anrich Nortje

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy