KKR beat KXIP by 7 Runs in thrilling Match of IPL 2016 & Tops the Points table

What a match that was last night at Eden Gardens. Every cricket fans want to watch exciting matches which goes to last over and KKR vs KXIP Match 32 as that kind of match of IPL 2016 in which KKR beat KXIP by 7 runs. It was a nail-biting finish. In last 5 overs the match shifted from one side to another side many times but the last over of Andre Russell confirmed the win of Knight Riders. By winning the match Kolkata is now on the top of the points table with 12 points equivalent to Gujarat Lions but due to higher net run rate they are on the top. Andre Russell was selected man of the match for his 4/20 bowling performance and now he is the current purple cap holder of the tournament. Kolkata have played 9 matches in IPL 2016 so far and registered 6 wins.

Battle Between KXIP and KKR :

Earlier Kings XI Punjab won the toss and elected to bowl first. Once again a solid start was given by both the openers Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa. They have added 101 run on the board in 13.3 overs before Gambhir wickets fallen in the form of run out. He scored his 4th fifty in tournament and is on second position in the race of Orange Cap. In the 17th over Uthappa got run out on the score 70 and the team total was 137/2 in 16.5 overs. In the end of 20 overs Kolkata Knight Riders putted 164 runs on the board on the loss of three wickets. In the last over only 4 runs was concluded. A great bowling performance by Sandeep Sharma and Axar Patel for their team.

Now its time to KXIP to bat and chase down 165 runs target in 20 overs. Captain Murali Vijay and Marcus Stoinis came to open the innings. In the very first over of Russell Stoinis dismissed caught by Chawla. This was a big blow for the team as the team relaying on him. Next Manan Vohra came to bat but he was not looking good with the bat and struggling while playing shots and in the third over of Russell we flicked the ball towards square leg but didn’t connect well and caught on the boundary. On the next ball Captain Murli Vijay departed on a slower delivery of  Morne Morkel. KXIP was in really big trouble at that time, on the score of  13 runs they lost 3 main wickets. Now all the responsibility came on the shoulders of Glenn Maxwell and Wridhiman Saha. Both the batsman started rotating the strike and adding runs to the total of their team. As It looks like that now both the batsman can take away this match, Saha got bold out on a delivery of Piyush Chawla. Now Punjab is 53/4 in 9 overs. He score 24 runs on 20 balls. But Maxwell was their for the team and he charged himself. He started to play his natural game and completed his half century in just 29 balls with 4 massive. David Miller was only giving strike to the Maxwell as he is scoring runs. Now KKR is on back foot first time in the game. No bowler looking impressive in front of Maxwell. In the 16th over, Glenn was given LBW while he is trying reverse swipe on Piyush Chawla, the team score was 120/5 in 15.4 overs. He scored 68 runs on just 42 balls with 4 sixes and 6 fours. Once again KKR back in the game. After playing few dot balls David Miller also caught at the mid wicket. Now KXIP was in really trouble as they need 35 runs on 21 balls. Then Axar patel played a fantastic innings. He smashed 2 sixes in a row and took his team back in the game and in the second last over too he snatched 10 runs. Now in the last over KXIP needed 12 runs to win the match. But Axar got run out on the 2nd ball of the Andre Russell over where all the hope of Punjab shattered. At the end of 20th over they manage to score 157 runs at the loss of 9 wickets and KKR won the match by 7 runs and came on the top of the Points table of IPL 2016.

Andre Russell is selected as the Man of the Match of KKR vs KXIP match. A very good, exiting game it was. Now it is very difficult for the Punjab to qualify into the play-offs as they are on the last spot in the points table. Lets see what happen in the upcoming matches.

Scorecard of the KKR vs KXIP match of IPL 2016 :-

KKR Innings :-