Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Indian Premier League 2020 Match 12: In Pics

An emphatic bowling performance from KKR, coupled with an error-strewn batting display from the Royals ultimately powered KKR to a comprehensive 37-run victory over RR. The Royals kept losing the wickets at regular intervals with some rash shots being played by their batsmen. 

KKR on the other hand were clinical in their display with the ball: Youngsters Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti were both brilliant with the ball which bodes well for the Dinesh  Karthik-led side. 

Rajasthan Royals were thus handed their first defeat of the tournament, although it must be said that it was largely their own doing.

(Image Credits: Twitter/@KKRiders)

Tom Curran finished with a well deserved half-century with 54 off 36 balls. He scored three sixes off the penultimate over bowled by Sunil Narine to reduce the margin off defeat. Curran was the only silver lining in an otherwise dismal show with the bat by Rajasthan. 

No one provided the support from the other end which Curran needed so badly. Miracle man Rahul Tewatia was dismissed by spinner Chakravarthy to land the final nail in the coffin. 

The lower order of Archer, Shreyas Gopal and Jaydev Unadkat all failed to provide the big hits. 

(Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

Nagarkoti picked-up his first IPL wicket after spending almost two seasons out with an injury. He dismissed Robin Uthappa who tried to go for a pull but gave a straight catch to Shivam Mavi. 

Another one bit the dust when Nagarkoti picked up his second wicket in his first over. Riyan Parag cut the ball, but Shubman Gill dived forward and took a fantastic catch at backward point. Third umpires checked the catch but it was given.

The two Indian pacers from the 2018 ICC U-19 Worlc Cup: Mavi and Nagarkoti turned the match around completely. The young duo were now taking those big strides. Their U-19 World Cup winning teammate Shubman Gill helped with a great catch. 

(Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

Buttler was dismissed by Mavi to take KKR on top. It was Good bowling from the youngster. While Cummins put the pressure from one end, Mavi was hitting the perfect lengths from the other side. Buttler tried to cut one that that was wide outside off but is caught at short third man. It was a soft dismissal. That was a delivery that was there to be hit but Buttler hands it straight to Varun Chakravarthy.

Mavi had earlier dismissed Sanju Samson who had been in rampant form in the past two games. Samson had tried to swat a short pitched delivery from Mavi but handed a straight catch to Narine.

(Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

Cummins dismissed his fellow Australian compatriot. He played three horrendous shots on three balls and was finally dismissed caught behind after an inside edge. This was totally unlike Smith. On the final three balls - he tried to go for the big shots and completely lost his composure. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

It was a lone fightback from Eoin Morgan in the end. It must be said that he was not fully middling the ball but was smart enough to find the gaps in the last few overs. He ran well between the wickets. Smart innings from him that his side needed so badly. Three consecutive wides from Tom Curran's final over didn't help RR's cause. 16 came from the last over. Morgan finished at 34 off 23 balls.

Almost all KKR batsmen got good starts but failed to convert it into big scores. Jofra Archer was the pick of the bowlers for the Royals with a brilliant spell where he returned figures of 4-0-18-2. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

The big man had just started looking dangerous and had already hit three huge sixes. He tried to go for another big one against Rajppot's ball outside off but was caught at deep backward point by Unadkat. Royals were well on top at this stage. All of their batsmen were getting those starts but failed to convert them into big one's. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

 

Archer in his second spell dismissed Gill to take the Royals on top. KKR thus lost two set batsmen within 8 deliveries. Tewatia had earlier dismissed Nitish Rana. This brought Andre Russell, sent up the order, and Karthik to the crease. 

Archer then removed Karthik with an absolute peach. Karthik tried to defend a fast leg-cutter but the ball took a thick edge and Jos Buttler completed an easy catch behind the wicket. That was a Test match sort of a dismissal. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

After Narine's departure, Gill engaged in a solid stand with new man in Nitish Rana. The duo took the game to the opposition, hitting 14 runs off youngster Riyan Parag's first over to make their intentions clear. Gill made a steady 47 off 34 balls and stictched a rapid 46-run stand with Nitish Rana. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)

Sunil Narine, opening the innings with Shubman Gill for KKR - failed to get going. He changed his bat midway and scored two fours off Unadkat's fifth over. But Unadkat had the last laugh as he rattled Narine's stumps with a slower one.  (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL) 

Kolkata Knight Riders too started the game with the same playing XI which they had in their previous game. After losing their first game, KKR had opened their account in IPL 2020 with a 7-wicket win over SRH. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL) 

Rajasthan Royals, coming into the match on the back of two impressive wins from their two games - went with the exact same lineup as in their previous victory against Kings XI Punjab. Ben Stokes still remained a notable absentee as he is yet to land in the UAE. (Image Credits: Twitter/@IPL)