‘Couple more sixes and we would have crossed the line’- KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik on 18-run loss to DC

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their second defeat in IPL 2020 as they lost a high-scoring contest against Delhi Capitals (DC) whilst chasing a mammoth 229 runs in Sharjah on Saturday. The 18-run defeat had placed KKR at the 5th spot in the points table with 4 points and an NRR of -0.121.

KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik backed the team and heaped praise on the effort that they put against DC. He lauded the team’s fighting spirit and said that they needed few boundaries in the middle-overs that could have eased the chase. 

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“The way the boys batted is something I am really proud of, we kept fighting till the end which is the nature of our team. Really happy with the effort we put in today. Maybe in between 10-13 overs we didn’t get many boundaries, we lost a couple of wickets as well which sets you back in such run chases.

To be honest, a couple more sixes and we would have crossed the line, we wouldn’t be talking about the lengths. I thought it was a hard wicket to bowl on and the bowlers did a fabulous job, maybe 10 runs too many but its okay,” said Dinesh Karthik in the post-match presentation.

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On Andre Russell’s promotion at No.4 when over 150 runs were needed in 71 balls, the Tamil Nadu cricketer said that they wanted him to create an impact and who better than the best guy in the business. 

We trust him and believe he is the best in the business, we want to give him enough time to create an impact on the game and that’s something we want to encourage,” said the 35-year-old.

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When asked about the opening combination and whether there would be any changes for the future games, Karthik said that so far haven’t thought about it as they firmly believe in Sunil Narine’s capabilities once set on the crease. But he mentioned that he might give it a thought and discuss after the match versus Delhi Capitals. 

“I haven’t thought about it but maybe after this game, I will sit down with the coaching staff. We still believe in Narine and whenever gets going he gets us off to a great start,” he added.

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Opting to bowl first, KKR conceded 228 runs in 20 overs as opener Prithvi Shaw (66), Rishabh Pant (38), and skipper Shreyas Iyer (88*) light up the contest for the Delhi Capitals. 

Among KKR bowlers, Andre Russell was the one with the best figures as he scalped 2/29 in his quota of four overs while others conceded at economies 10 and above. 

Chasing 229 wasn’t going to be an easy task as the Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack had pacers in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, and an experienced spin department comprising Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra. 

KKR’s opening partnership couldn’t render much damage as Sunil Narine (3) was clean bowled by Nortje, while Shubman Gill (28, 22b, 2*4, 1*6) who was pacing his innings steadily,  lost his wicket to Amit Mishra in the 9th over. 

Andre Russell (13) was promoted at No.4 when the chase required 157 off 71 deliveries but even the Caribbean giant couldn’t affect much damage as Rabada got the wood on him in the 10th over. 

Medium-pacer Harshal Patel struck gold as he got the wickets of Nitish Rana (58, 35) and skipper Dinesh Karthik (6) in consecutive balls in the 13th over of the game. 

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The decision to send Pat Cummins (4) at No.7 didn’t pose a threat to Shreyas Iyer & Co. and was after Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi unleashed an assault that KKR came back in power. 

With 107 runs needed of 39 balls, the duo cracked a 78-run stand with 14 runs off Rabada in the 17th over and 24 runs off Stoinis’ over that comprising 3 sixes and a four. 

Rabada was again smashed heavily by the duo of Tripathi and Morgan as he conceded 23 runs in the 18th over and ended with figures of 4-0-51-1. 

With KKR now requiring 31 runs in 12 balls, Delhi Capitals turned the game in their favor by bowling Nortje who got the invaluable wicket of Morgan (44, 18b, 1*4, 5*6) and conceding mere 5 runs in his over. 

The Men in Purple & Gold needed 22 runs off 5 deliveries but Tripathi’s dismissal put the brakes on their scoring and they eventually lost the game by 18 runs. 

The Knight Riders will take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on October 7 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, in Abu Dhabi. 

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