When Kolkata Knight Riders Defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 1 Run to Nearly Crush RCB’s Playoff Hopes

It was a thrilling match, and in the final moments, a run-out decided the outcome. RCB came so close, but just a few inches cost them the game and possibly their playoff hopes. It was a tough result for the Bengaluru fans, but a thrilling win for KKR. Let’s take a look at how the match unfolded.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders: 21st April 2024

What can be more exciting than a batting display that lights up Eden Gardens? On April 21, 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) delivered just that against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a thrilling IPL match, posting a formidable 222 for 6 in their 20 overs. With an explosive opening, a steady middle phase, and a late flourish, KKR set a challenging target, driven by standout knocks and clever finishing, all on a dry, flat pitch under Kolkata’s scorching 43-degree heat.
The innings kicked off with a bang. RCB captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and chose to bowl, hoping to chase on a batting-friendly Eden Gardens track. Openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine came out swinging. Salt was sensational, smashing 48 off just 14 balls, packed with 7 fours and 3 sixes. His strike rate of 342.85 was jaw-dropping, and together they raced to a 56-run stand in 3.3 overs. Salt feasted on Lockie Ferguson’s third over, plundering 28 runs, six, four, four, six, four, four, with pulls, drives, and lofts.

Mohammed Siraj finally broke through in the fifth over, getting Salt caught by Rajat Patidar at deep midwicket for 48. Narine, unusually subdued, managed 10 off 15 (2 fours, strike rate 66.66) before Yash Dayal had him caught by Virat Kohli at long-on in the sixth over. Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s brief 3 off 4 (strike rate 75) ended with a stunning catch by Cameron Green, leaving KKR at 75 for 3 after the powerplay, cruising at 12.50 runs per over.

Shreyas Iyer, the captain, stepped up to anchor the innings. He scored a composed 50 off 36 balls, hitting 7 fours and a six, with a strike rate of 138.88. His partnership with Venkatesh Iyer, who made 16 off 8 (3 fours, strike rate 200), added some stability. But Green struck again in the ninth over, getting Venkatesh caught by Mahipal Lomror at deep square leg, making it 97 for 4.

RCB’s bowlers tightened the screws in the middle overs, with Green (2 for 35 in 4 overs) and Karn Sharma (0 for 33 in 4 overs) keeping the runs in check. Rinku Singh injected life with a brisk 24 off 16 (2 fours, 1 six, strike rate 150), but Lockie Ferguson got him caught by Yash Dayal at short fine leg in the 13th over, leaving KKR at 137 for 5, run rate dipping to 10.53. The late surge came from Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh. Russell, unbeaten on 27 off 20 (4 fours, strike rate 135), showed his power.

Ramandeep was the surprise package, smashing 24 not out off 9 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes, strike rate 266.66). In the 18th over, Siraj bled 20 runs, with Ramandeep hammering two sixes—one over midwicket, another over long-off—and a four. The 19th over saw Russell carve a wide full toss for four, and in the 20th, Yash Dayal conceded 16, with Russell adding two more fours and Ramandeep ramping a bouncer for four. KKR’s death overs (16-20) yielded 67 runs at 13.34 runs per over, pushing them to 222 for 6. RCB’s bowlers struggled late, Dayal finished with 2 for 56, Siraj 1 for 40, and Ferguson 1 for 47, while 12 extras (7 wides, 5 leg byes) didn’t help.

RCB’s chase began with a roar. Openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis put on 27 in 2 overs, with Kohli smashing 18 off 7 (1 four, 2 sixes, strike rate 257.14). He flicked and pulled with flair, while du Plessis added 7 off 7 (1 four, strike rate 100). Drama struck in the third over when Harshit Rana’s slow full toss got Kohli caught and bowled for 18. Kohli, thinking it was above waist height, reviewed, but Hawk-Eye upheld the call, leaving him fuming. Varun Chakravarthy then snagged du Plessis, caught by Venkatesh Iyer at mid-on, making it 35 for 2 after 3 overs, run rate at 11.66.

Will Jacks and Rajat Patidar turned the tide with a stunning counterattack. Jack’s blasted 55 off 32 (4 fours, 5 sixes, strike rate 171.87), reaching his fifty in 29 balls, while Patidar was explosive, hammering 52 off 23 (3 fours, 5 sixes, strike rate 226.08), racing to his half-century in 21 balls. Their 102-run stand off 47 balls was pure fire—Patidar smashed Suyash Sharma for 22 in the 10th over (four, six, six, four), lifting RCB to 122 for 2, run rate 12.20. At 137 for 2 after 11 overs, needing 86 from 54, RCB looked in control.

Andre Russell changed everything. In the 12th over, he dismissed Jacks, caught at long-on, and followed by getting Patidar, top-edging a slower ball to backward point—145 for 4. Sunil Narine struck twice in the 13th, removing Cameron Green (6 off 4, 1 six, strike rate 150) at deep midwicket and Mahipal Lomror (4 off 3, 1 four, strike rate 133.33) caught and bowled, finishing with 2 for 34 in 4 overs. RCB slipped to 155 for 6, run rate 11.92, needing 68 from 42.

Dinesh Karthik, kept hope alive, scoring 25 off 18 (3 fours, 1 six, strike rate 138.88). With Suyash Prabhudessai (24 off 18, 3 fours, strike rate 133.33), they added 37, taking RCB to 192 for 7 after 18 overs, needing 31 from 12. Harshit Rana’s slower balls got Prabhudessai, caught at long-on, and Russell dismissed Karthik in the 19th, caught by Phil Salt off a top edge, 3 for 25 in 3 overs for Russell.

Karn Sharma nearly turned it around. Facing Mitchell Starc (1 for 55 in 3 overs), he smashed three sixes in the 20th—over backward point, extra cover, and backward point—scoring 20 off 7 (strike rate 285.71). Needing 3 off 2, Starc caught Karn off his bowling. With 2 needed off the last ball, Lockie Ferguson (1 off 1) squeezed a full delivery to cover, took a single, and was run out by Salt’s sharp work off a wayward throw. RCB finished at 221, one run shy, run rate of 11.05. Russell, Rana (2 for 33), and Narine shone, while RCB’s brave fight fell just short in a thriller!