Xtra Time Web Desk: A six from Rahul Tripathi helped Kolkata Knight Riders pull off a 3-wicket victory against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021 Qualifier 2 at Sharjah on Wednesday to set up a summit clash with Chennai Super Kings.
Chasing a modest 136 runs to win, KKR got off to a flying start, courtesy of their openers Shubman Gill (46) and Venkatesh Iyer (55). They added 96 runs for the opening wicket in 12.2 overs. Iyer was again the catalyst of KKR batting performance with a 41-ball 55 (4×4, 3×6). Gill made a 46-ball 46.
It looked like the Knight Riders were cruising home till a cluster of wickets in the last three overs turned the game upside down. From needing 13 runs from 24 balls, Delhi Capitals’ Avesh Khan and Kagiso Rabada produced two brilliant overs to bring their side right back into the game.
After Khan conceded two runs and claimed a wicket in the 17th over, Rabada gave away just one and took a wicket in the 18th to ensure there would be a twist in the tale. Anrich Nortje too bowled a tight 19th over for three runs and took Eoin Morgan’s wicket to leave KKR needing seven off six balls.
Ravichandran Ashwin removed Shakib Al Hasan off the third ball to make it six runs off three balls, it was advantage Capitals. Sunil Narine holed out first ball, the fourth of the final over, and six was needed off two balls. Rahul Tripathi though held his nerves and saw his team home as he smashed Ashwin’s fifth ball for six to clinch a three-wicket win.
Earlier, the Knight Riders spinners led by Varun Chakravarthy, produced a clinical bowling display on a slow pitch to restrict Delhi Capitals to 135 for 5.