Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Indian Premier League 2020 Match 39: As it happened

Boosted by the heroics of Lockie Ferguson, a recharged Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore at Abu Dhabi.

Image credits: Twitter/@IPL

Hello an welcome to our live coverage of match number 39 of IPL 2020 between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, that is all set to begin shortly from the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (October 21)

RCB have beaten KKR by 8 wickets.

Earlier, KKR won the toss and opted to bat first. KKR could only manage a paltry 84/8.

Lockie Ferguson was the hero for Kolkata, as they defeated SunRisers Hyderabad in a Super Over thriller on Sunday (October 18).  Ferguson, playing just his first game of IPL 2020, bowled a magnificent spell, returning figures of 4-0-15-3 from the regular overs. 

If that was not enough, he single-handedly won the game for KKR after SRH had levelled their total of 163. He finished the SRH innings in just three ball, picking-up two wickets and giving away as many runs. Chasing just 3 runs to win, KKR finally wrapped up the victory.

KKR were left to wonder as to why Ferguson was not played right from the onset. Also, he was not injured and was just sitting around the bench all this while.

These two sides have already met once this season - hardly ten days back. On that day, RCB thrashed KKR, brushing them aside by a huge 82-run margin. AB de Villiers was the man of the match that day for his brisk knock of 73 (from 33 balls).

However, a lot has happened since then in the KKR camp. It was announced that Dinesh Karthik had handed over the captaincy to Eoin Morgan and then Ferguson happened.

RCB on the other hand are looking like real contenders this season. While skipper Kohli has blown hot and cold so far, AB de Villiers has taken the stage in his absence. His 55 off just 22 balls had rescued a late victory for RCB from the jaws of defeat against Rajasthan Royals.

We expect KKR to come out all guns blazing in this one with a befitting reply to RCB for handing them their biggest loss of the season.

The match as it happened:

21 October 2020

22:33 IST

That's a BIG WIN for #RCB here in Abu Dhabi as they beat #KKR by 8 wickets.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/qgNXRFpzYE

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 21, 2020

22:28 IST

RCB have brushed aside KKR by 8 wickets. The match was lost in the first half of KKR innings itself. 84 was too low a total for any team. Virat Kohli and Gurkeerat Mann wrap it up quickly in the end with the latter scoring two consecutive fours afainst Varun Chakravarthy in the penultimate over. RCB: 85/2 (13.3 Overs)

22:26 IST

Kohli and Gurkeerat are making sure that they don't lose their wickets by playing any risky strokes. Just 18 needed from 54 balls now. RCB: 67/2 (11 Overs)

22:07 IST

RCB just need to stick around in there. Kohli an Mann are now at the crease. They must not try any rash shots with only 31 needed from 66 balls. RCB: 54/2 (9 overs)

21:58 IST

OUT!! Two wickets in three balls!! Devdutt Padikkal is run-out after a terrible mix-up with Gurkeerat Mann. Mann defended the ball and Padikkal came too far down the pitch to go back. RCB: 46/2 (7 Overs)

21:53 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Ferguson removes Aaron Finch. It was an angling in delivery from the Kiwi pacer which took the outside edge from Finch's bat and goes straight to Karthik. RCB: 46/1 (6.2 Overs)

21:42 IST

Now this is poor captaincy from Morgan. It's already the end of the first powerplay and we have not seen Lockie Ferguson into the attack. He was the hero in their Super Over victory against SRH and should have been handed the new ball. Meanwhile, Padikkal and Finch are crusing towards the small target. RCB: 44/0 (6 Overs)

21:39 IST

13 runs come from Prasidh Krishna's second over. Devdutt Padikkal is elegance personified as he hits a beautiful inside out shot over the top for four. RCB will look for a 10 wicket victory here. RCB: 28/0 (4 Overs)

21:32 IST

This is a difficult pitch to bat and even the RCB openers are finding it tough. The good thing is that they are respecting the wicket and not playing any rash shots. 4 runs apiece come from the first two overs bowled by Cummins and Prasidh Krishna. RCB: 8/0 ( 2 Overs)

21:23 IST

Aaron Finch, Devdutt Padikkal will open the RCB innings. Pat Cummins to start for KKR. RCB: 0/0 (0 Overs)

21:12 IST

KKR have posted just 84/8 from their 20 overs. It was just one way traffic right from the get go. 10 runs come from the final over bowled by Morris, which was the most expensive over the innings. KKR: 84/8 (20 Overs)

20:58 IST

KKR are just making sure that they don't lose wickets every over form here. Forget the runs. The result of the match is already a foregone conclusion. Kuldeep Yadav and Lockie Ferguson are now at the crease. Can Lockie Ferguson repeat his heroics with the bat ?  Morris and Siraj are operating now.  KKR: 68/7 (18 Overs)

20:50 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Eoin Morgan is gone. He was fighting the lone battle and is finally dismissed as he tried to go big against Washington Sundar. It's already game set and match to RCB. Gurkeerat Mann takes an easy catch deep midwicket. KKR: 58/7 (16 Overs)

20:37 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Chahal has his second. Pat Cummins tried to go over long-off but ends up hitting it straight to Padikkal. Cummins made 4 off 17 balls! Yes, you read that right. KKR: 41/6 (13 Overs)

20:28 IST

There was another LBW shout against Pat Cummins and he was given out. He was again wrapped on the pads right on the next ball after Karthik's dismissal. Cummins took a review and umpire had to change his decision on the second consecutive ball. Sundar and Chahal are bowling as if they will take a wicket on every ball. KKR: 39/5 (11 Overs)

20:26 IST

WATCH - Siraj picks 2 in 2

First Tripathi, next ball Rana - Siraj was on a roll as he picked two wickets in two balls to wreck KKR early. Splendid bowling from Siraj.https://t.co/gf6m8Ijczn #Dream11IPL

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 21, 2020

20:20 IST

OUT!! Dinesh Karthik is gone. Chahal removes him LBW. It was a wrong one and wrapped Karthik on the pads. Original decision is not out but Kohli takes the review just in time and the umpire has to change his dicision. KKR: 33/5 (9 Overs)

20:08 IST

The experienced duo of Dinesh Karthik and skipper Eoin Morgan are now at the crease. Morgan was batting at 2 off 12 balls before finally freeing his hands against Isuru Udana. Karthik is playing similarly from the other end. KKR: 23/4 (7 Overs)

20:01 IST

He’s bowled  deliveries, picked  wickets and is yet to concede a run off the bat! 

Mind = Confetti  #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL #KKRvRCB pic.twitter.com/FKv6QKN8Sc

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) October 21, 2020

20:00 IST

Siraj is on fire 

Tom Banton departs for 10.#KKR 14/4 https://t.co/XUEBCQIfuL #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/nJwwEpO5yS

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 21, 2020

19:54 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Tom Banton is out caught behind and Mohammad Siraj has his third. Again a beautiful outswinger. Banton pokes at it and pays the price. Have KKR lost the match already ?  Siraj has bowled two maidens and picked up three wickets. What a display from him. KKR: 14/4 (4 Overs)

19:46 IST

OUT!! HUGE WICKET!! Another one bites the dust. What is going on. Shubman Gill is dismissed by Navdeep Saini. It was a poor shot from Gill. A half-pull it was. He mistimed it completely and the ball went straight up and Morris takes an easy catch. KKR: 13/3 ( 3 Overs)

19:45 IST

Siraj cant complete his hat-trick. Still what an over. Two wickets and a maiden. KKR: 3/2 (2 Overs)

19:43 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Mohammed Siraj takes two wickets in two balls! He is on a hat-trick. He bowls out Nitish Rana with a tremendous in-swinger to the left hander. This is going to go down as one of the balls of the tournament. KKR: 3/2 (1.4 Overs)

19:39 IST

OUT!! WICKET!! Rahul Tripathi is dismissed caught behind to Mohammad Siraj. It was a beautiful away swinger from Siraj and Tripathi tries to poke at it. The ball takes a thick edge and goes straight to keeper De Villiers. KKR: 3/1 (1.3 Overs)

19:30 IST

Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi will open the KKR innings against RCB's Chris Morris. KKR: 0/0 (0 Overs)

19:14 IST

A look at the Playing XI for #KKRvRCB#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/bhrXy6IX62

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 21, 2020

19:12 IST

Royal Challengers Bangalore XI: D Padikkal, A Finch, V Kohli (C), AB de Villiers, GM Singh, C Morris, W Sundar, I Udana, M Siraj, N Saini, Y Chahal 

One change for RCB: Mohammad Siraj comes in for Shahbaz Ahmed

19:09 IST

Kolkata Knight Riders playing XI: S Gill, R Tripathi, N Rana, T Banton, E Morgan, D Karthik (C), P Cummins, L Ferguson, K Yadav, P Krishna, V Chakravarthy

Two changes for KKR: Tom Banton and Prasidh Krishna come in for Andre Russell and Shivam Mavi respectively

Andre Russell is not playing today because of his injury!!

19:08 IST

#KKR have won the toss and they will bat first against #RCB.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/mJdzd1erji

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 21, 2020

19:06 IST

Kolkata Knight Riders have won the toss and will bat first against Royal Challengers Bangalore.