Match 56: In the only dead rubber of the 56-match league, Kolkata Knight Riders beat a second-rung Mumbai Indians side to end the 3rd season on a high note. This win was Kolkata’s first against Mumbai in all three editions of IPL. Although KKR’s performance has improved over the last 2 seasons they still remain the only team to have not made the semi-finals in any of the IPLs.
Kolkata Knight Riders Innings
Match 53: Kolkata Knight Riders outclassed the Rajasthan Royals to win the game comprehensively by 8 wickets. After having seen the outcome of the Bangalore match both the teams were in with an outside chance to make it to the semis and in the end one team kept their hopes alive while Rajasthan Royals became the 2nd team to crash out of IPL 3. It was total domination by Kolkata bowlers as they restricted the Royals to a below par score of 132. Half the job was done and the remaining half was completed thanks to a solid 3rd wicket partnership between Sourav Ganguly and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Match 43: This year’s campaign for KKR has been a topsy-turvy one and with tonight’s loss they are in the same league as DC and CSK. They have to win their last 3 games in order to make it to the semis. KKR were in control for the first 10 overs of their batting but as Ganguly said in his post match conference they played RUBBISH cricket in the last 30 overs giving the boisterous crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium a chance to wave their red flags and celebrate in style.
Bangalore Royal Challengers Innings
Having lost 7 out of their 8 matches, Kings XI needed something special if they had to put an end to their miserable run in this IPL and Mahela did just that with an unbeaten ton 110(59) and quite deservingly hit the winning runs which stunned the Knight riders who had earlier made 200. Coincidentally Mahela Jayawardene was included in the playing XI just minutes before the match as Marsh injured himself. Perhaps it was this bit of luck which they needed to get back to winning ways.
Kings XI Punjab Innings
Deccan Chargers were blown away by a superb innings from Dada at his home ground Eden gardens. The 2 captains have had a rough time this season but today Ganguly was better than his counterpart Gilchrist who failed with the bat. Ganguly’s 54 ball 88 powered KKR to a solid total of 181 which the Chargers failed to chase down. This is the 3rd consecutive loss for the chargers after having won 3 in a row.
Deccan Chargers Innings
IPL 3 has been a roller coaster ride for many teams but for one team it has been a total disaster. No prizes for guessing which team that is. Kings XI Punjab sank to a new low as they lost their 5th game out of 6 games that they have played. Knight Riders outplayed them in every department as they lost their 3rd successive game in their home ground. Maybe they should shift their base like Deccan Chargers: P. To make matters worse Sangakkara has been banned for the next match as his side was found guilty of not completing their overs on time, for the third time in the IPL.
Rajasthan Royals finally managed to open their account in the IPL when they thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders by 34 runs. Having lost 3 matches in a row, Shane Warne couldn’t have asked for a better performance from his boys. Although it has to be said that it was a intent-less chase from Kolkata as they gift wrapped the game for the royals.
KKR Innings
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It was a Do or Die match for the Royal Challengers if they had to keep their hopes of entering the semifinals alive. Set a modest 135 to chase, they lost Uthappa very early. Kallis and Dravid got together and they had a very good partnership of 70 of 69 balls. Dravid got out 2 overs after the strategic break leaving the Royal Challengers to get 8 runs per over for the rest of the 7 overs.Taylor came in and played a cameo of 25 runs of just 12 balls which included 3 6′s. That brought the rate down and Kallis Boucher got the Royals home with 1 over remaining. In the end it has to be said that Delhi has been experimenting a lot which might prove costly when it matters i.e. in the SemiFinals.
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