IPL 2020 KXIP vs KKR : KKR snatches away victory from the jaws of defeat, beats KXIP in a thriller


IPL 2020 KXIP vs KKR : KKR snatches away victory from the jaws of defeat, beats KXIP in a thriller
Sunil Narine bowled the last over of the match

KKR snatched a win from the jaws of defeat by beating KXIP by 2 runs in thriller in Match 23 of IPL 2020 between KXIP and KKR

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From a very comfortable position of 115-0 in 14 overs, KXIP slipped to 158-5 with 7 runs to get from the last ball and fell short by 2 runs.

Defending a target of 165, KKR conceded just 13 runs and took three wickets in the last two overs to win the match by two runs.

It was a miraculous win for KKR and Dinesh Karthik pulled that again after the side beat CSK in their last encounter.

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Sunil Narine bowled in the last four overs including the last over and gave only 28 runs picking 2 important Wickets of Nicholas Pooran and Mandeep Singh.

Chasing 165, Mayank Aggarwal and KL Rahul had a perfect start and the duo scored their respective half-centuries. They stitched together 115 runs partnership but that didn’t help their cause.

KXIP was looking solid till the 17th over with 143-1, needing just 22 to win off 18 balls.

Sunil Narine just conceded just two runs and took the wicket of the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (16) after which Prasidh Krishna (3/29) took two wickets, including that of Rahul (74) and conceded just six in the 19th over to left 14 runs to defend against Maxwell and Mandeep.

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Maxwell hit a four off the second ball and took a single to bring the deficit down to seven off the last two balls.

However, Mandeep Singh (0) smashed the ball at deep midwicket which left Maxwell with having to hit a six off the last ball to take the game to Super Over. He almost went all the way, hitting the ball over cover but it landed just in front of the boundary and missed the six by an inch and the umpire declared four.

Karthik answered his criric with his quick-fire 58 runs off 29 balls

Dinesh Karthik

Earlier, KKR Captain Dinesh Karthik won the toss and choosed to bat first and posted 164-6 in their 20 overs.

Dinesh Karthik silenced his critics with his quick-fire 58 off 29 balls with the help of 8 fours and 2 sixes. Opening batsman Shubman Gill also contributed his valuable 57 runs off 47 balls.

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Lots of cricket pandits were questioning the leadership skills and form of Karthik and the KKR captain had the perfect reply inform of this 57 runs knock.

Karthik was criticized widely for his decision to come to bat above Russell and Morgan and constantly chopping and changing the batting position but on Saturday he smashed KXIP all around the ground to help KKR post a 165 runs target.

With this heartbreaking loss, KXIP’s chances of making it to the playoffs are fading. The side has now slumped to their 5th consecutive loss.

However, for KKR they have won 4 out of 6 matches they played.

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