(Cricket news) The Kings, who batted first, set a goal of 180 runs, with skipper Shikhar Dhawan scoring 57 of them (47b, 9×4, 1×6). The KKR captain led his team in scoring throughout the chase as Nitish Rana struck 51 runs off just 38 deliveries (6×4, 1×6).

 Rana was removed from the game in the 16th over, but KKR’s finishers Andre Russell and Rinku Singh helped them win the nail-biting match that went down to the final ball. With this victory, Kolkata moves up to the fifth spot on the standings, demonstrating that they are still in the running for a playoff spot, while Punjab drops to the seventh spot with the same win-loss record but a lower run rate.

With three sixes in four balls against Sam Curran in the match’s 19th over, Andre Russell had an important 42-run performance in the second part of the innings. For his performance, he received the Player of the Match award.

Russell’s massive scoring outburst led to JioCinema TATA IPL expert Graeme Swann complimenting his efforts on the night, “It’s the start of his innings, he always comes out with pressure on him. He’s going to get a short delivery and he doesn’t like short balls early on. If he gets in and gets past the first three balls, he’s normally alright. When he gets going, that ground is simply too small for him and we saw that tonight.”

The game-winning run for KKR came from Rinku Singh, who skillfully completed the target despite some strong bowling from Arshdeep Singh in the final over.’’

He ended the match with 21 runs off just 10 balls as JioCinema TATA IPL expert Parthiv Patel hailed his ability to perform under pressure, “He has a massive responsibility. Performing under pressure is very important. As a player, it shows the way you think and what your mindset is. We’ve seen the skill Rinku Singh has when he hit those five sixes in an over but today, it was more challenging. He saw Andre Russell take a run on the bye because he would’ve thought to keep a player like Russell on the strike. The way Rinku Singh took the game to the last ball despite Arshdeep (Singh) bowling well. The way Rinku Singh is batting and finishing games is a massive talking point. He was not out today as well and him winning them the game is a massive plus point for any player.”

JioCinema TATA IPL expert Brett Lee forecasts a bright future for Singh, pegging him to evolve into becoming a household name in Indian cricket, “He’s given them every reason to fall in love with Rinku Singh. He’s a match-winner, he’s an entertainer, he goes out there and he wins. It’s exciting to see a young player coming through doing that. He’s going to become a household name and is playing some decent cricket.” 

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