Kolkata Knight Riders faced a heartbreaking defeat in the game against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, losing a high-scoring thriller by 18 runs. Chasing a 221-run target, the KKR were reduced to 31/5 inside the batting powerplay before the lower-middle order forged a terrific comeback to bring the side back in the game.
Dinesh Karthik (40), Andre Russell (54) and Pat Cummins (66*) produced a blistering display of aggression to steer the Knight Riders close, but the game ended in heartbreak for Eoin Morgan's men.
KKR's co-owner Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter to react to the thrilling game in Mumbai.
"Coulda...woulda...shoulda can take a backseat tonight...@KKRiders was quite awesome I feel. ( oops if we can forget the batting power play!!) well done boys...@Russell12A @patcummins30 @DineshKarthik try and make this a habit...we will be back!!" Khan wrote.
Andre Russell (54 off 22 balls; 3x4, 6x6), Pat Cummins (66 not out off 34 balls; 4x4, 6x6) and Dinesh Karthik (40 off 24 balls; 4x4, 2x6) staged a remarkable fight back to take KKR to 201/9 in 19 overs. However, with 20 needed off the last over, last man Prasidh Krishna was run out off the first delivery as Cummins tried to steal a double to retain strike.
CSK's 220/3 in 20 overs was built on Faf du Plessis's unbeaten 95 off 60 balls (9x4, 4x6), and Ruturaj Gaikwad's 64.
Cummins had earlier taken 30 off a Sam Curran over, while Russell had smacked Shardul Thakur for 24 runs in an over to light up the contest.
