The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) arrived in Sharjah with the baggage missing. The playoffs in the previous two IPL seasons by the tiniest of margins.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) headed into the match with not only their own bleak qualification aspirations. But also those of Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
In the end, pure determination triumphed over desperation as the Eoin Morgan-led side plowed their way to a massive 86-run victory, putting them on the verge of clinching the No. 4 spot in the points standings.
In Sharjah, KKR made a statement by scoring the highest score of the IPL 2021 season – 171-4. They did it thanks to Shubmam Gill’s masterclass of a 44-ball 56 and support from the rest of the batting order.
The carnage that ensued was of the highest order. The RR batters came out with the intention of hitting their way out of the jam, but they gradually lost their way in the muck of a sluggish, low-bouncing pitch.
In the first over, Shakib al Hasan (1/1) opened the account, Lockie Ferguson (3/18) took over with pace, and Varun Chakravarthy (1/14) and Shivam Mavi (4/21) finished the job.
A look at the updated IPL 2021 points table
The all-around dominance should have sent a message to all the table-toppers that KKR is serious about IPL 2021. With the victory, KKR became the third team in the IPL to achieve 14 points, and their NRR tally increased by 0.293 points.
This practically means that MI now requires a miraculous occurrence in order to qualify. Rohit Sharma’s side could be eliminated from contention at the toss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, as they would be unable to close the NRR gap if they bat second in Abu Dhabi.
To qualify if they bat first, they’ll need to win by more than 170 runs.
KKR has reaped the benefits of their hard work and adaptation to a thrilling, gutsy style of cricket. They’ll love it even more if they can kill three birds with only one stone.
IPL 2021 is no longer an option for RR. Sanju Samson and his teammates fared better this year than they did last year when they finished last. Without three of their finest foreign players – Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler – they punched far above their weight.
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