KKR rides on Gill’s classy knock
The Hindu
Venkatesh and Tripathi, too, chip in as Kolkata makes 171
Shubman Gill overcame a slow start to make a measured half-century and guide Kolkata Knight Riders to 171 for four against Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah on Thursday.
RR, which chose to chase, bowled pace right through the PowerPlay and denied the KKR openers a flying start through tight and accurate bowling. On a slow surface, Sanju Samson used three quicks, who bowled 20 dots among them and conceded just three fours and a six in the first six overs. Shubman Gill’s classy straight six off Chetan Sakariya stood out. KKR’s score of 34 for no loss was the second-slowest PowerPlay score batting first in Sharjah this season.
The surface continued to prove difficult to score on freely. The RR pacers took pace off the ball; the occasional cutters gripped. There wasn't a single over of spin in the first 10 overs. Venkatesh Iyer, known to play no-holds-barred cricket, found his timing in the 10th over when he hit Jaydev Unadkat for two sixes — over deep mid-wicket and over the bowler's head.