Then the tweakers turned things around.
Rajasthan Royals was looking good with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and stand-in captain Riyan Parag involved in a promising partnership, after Sanju Samson came forward and made enough room to get himself yorked by Vaibhav Arora.
RR raced to 54 for one by the end of the PowerPlay. The KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane then introduced spin, tossing the ball to Moeen Ali, making his debut for the Kolkata franchise in place of the unwell Sunil Narine.
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The champion off-spinning all-rounder from England would go on to make a fine start with his new IPL team, but it was the spinner that dazzled in India’s recent triumph at the Champions Trophy in the UAE that struck sooner. Varun Chakaravarthy proved such a wonderful partner in crime for Moeen, and the duo helped the defending champion post its first win of the season.
After restricting RR to 151 for nine, KKR, riding on a superb knock from Quinton de Kock, romped home with eight wickets and 15 balls to spare at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday night.
The combined figures for Varun and Moeen read four for 40 from eight overs. The wicket may have looked a bit sticky, but some of the Royals batters were also guilty of gifting away their wickets after getting starts.
Varun Chakaravarthy and Moeen Ali combined eight overs for 40 runs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Varun Chakaravarthy and Moeen Ali combined eight overs for 40 runs.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Like Parag. He had hit three fine sixes, the last of which was off Varun, over deep mid-wicket. But a couple of balls later in the same over, the skipper skied a catch, which was well taken by wicketkeeper de Kock after running half way down the pitch.
In the following over, Jaiswal danced down the wicket only to find Harshit Rana at long-on. Varun then removed Wanindu Hasaranga, who was playing his first match for Royals. It took a 28-ball 33 from Dhruv Jurel to ensure the Royals would at least get to 150.
That just wasn’t to be quite enough. de Kock’s unbeaten 97 (61b, 8×4, 6×6) batted the Royals out of the match. The host may have sensed a bit of an opportunity when Rahane fell in the 11th over, but the Impact Player Angkrish Raghuvanshi lent solid support to the South African.