IPL 2023: Bowlers Hold Nerves In Death Overs As KKR Beat SRH By Five Runs

The self-destructing batters let Sunrisers Hyderabad down again to hand a Kolkata Knight Riders a much needed five-run win in the IPL here on Thursday, keeping the Nitish Rana-led side alive in the tournament. Rana and Rinku Singh came up with a fruitful 61-run partnership to help KKR post 171 for nine and then their bowlers, especially Shardul Thakur (2/23) and Vaibhav Arora (2/32), helped the two-time IPL champions limit Sunrisers Hyderabad to 166 for eight in 20 overs. Varun Chakaravarthy bowled a brilliant 20th over to eke out a welcome win for his team. KKR earned their fourth victory of the season and are now on eight points, while SRH, who remained stranded on six points, suffered a huge body blow to their chances of making the playoffs.

The victory was hard-fought for KKR, given that SRH's South African pair of skipper Aiden Markram (41 off 40 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (36 off 20 balls) had at one point in time looked to take the match away with their 70-run partnership.

Markram and Klaasen produced innings of character but their dismissal in quick succession spelt doom for the home side as the later-order batters couldn't get going.

The KKR pair of Rana and Rinku came together at the crease at a time when the team was struggling at 49 for three at the end of powerplay.

But by the time Rana departed in the 12th over, his 31-ball 42 studded with three fours and an equal number of maximums had put the team on course to a fighting total.

While wickets continued to fall at the other end, with West Indians Andre Russell and Sunil Narine hardly making an impact, Rinku (46 off 35 balls) curbed his natural instinct and played patiently to give the side a decent total to defend.

It was another forgettable start for KKR