IPL 10, Match 11, KKR v KXIP - Kolkata Knight Riders Player Ratings

The Kolkata Knight Riders got back to their winning ways after registering an emphatic 8 wicket win over the Kings XI Punjab. With the win, they registered their 8th consecutive win over the Kings XI Punjab in the tournament history. Also, the Knight Riders maintained their unbeaten streak of winning at home while batting second. Coming into their first home game this season, the Knight Riders did not have a lot of confidence going their way.

They had lost their previous match against the Mumbai Indians. On the other hand, the Kings XI Punjab had looked like a juggernaut this season. They had won their first two matches of the season. Hence, the visiting side was the favorite for the match. As things unfolded, it was Kolkata Knight Riders who won the toss and opted to field first. The Kings XI Punjab had a tricky time in the middle with most batsmen getting starts but none crossing the 30 run mark.

As many as 5 batsmen scored in excess of 20 but could not breach 30-mark. Their combined efforts saw Kings post 170/9 on the board. In the run chase, it was a surprise to see Sunil Narine open the innings with Gautam Gambhir. Both batsmen put on a brilliant opening stand to give a flying start ti KKR. Gambhir remained unbeaten on 72 to help the team win by 8 wickets and get back to the winning ways.

Here are the Kolkata Knight Riders player ratings for the KKR v KXIP encounter:

Gautam Gambhir – 9/10

Skipper Gautam Gambhir led from the front in the match with his batting. He started off on a brilliant note as he took on the KXIP bowlers in the powerplay. He put on a brilliant 76 run stand for the opening wicket to set the stage for the Knight Riders. Despite losing Narine just before the powerplay ended, Gambhir continued to plunder runs at will.

He soon eased past his half century to stamp his authority in the match. He finished with an unbeaten 72 off just 49 balls with 11 fours to his name. He played a chanceless knock in the match and that saw him seize the deal for his team in the match.

Robin Uthappa – 7/10

Robin Uthappa got his opportunity to bat up the order yet again. He had a chance in the previous match as well but had failed largely after starting off with a boundary. On the day, he was again impressive with his start. He played some of the free flowing shots to ease the pressure from Gautam Gambhir, who was doing an excellent job from the other end.

Uthappa also ensured that the match was well past the range of Kings XI Punjab with his attacking game play. There were speculations about him opening in the match in the absence of Chris Lynn. However, he batted at number three yet again. He score 26 runs off 16 balls with 3 fours and a six to his name. He was dismissed in the 10th over but the 100-run mark was already breached till then.

Manish Pandey – 7.5/10

Manish Pandey showed great form in the previous match. He had shown exemplary power hitting skills in the previous outing, albeit in a losing cause. However, his personal form was worth a praise. He continued to bat with the same form in this match as well. It looked as he if carried on from where he had left in the previous match.

In the 16 balls that he played on the day, he struck an unbeaten 25 runs. He hit a couple of boundaries on the day along with a towering maximum that finished the game for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Pandey looks in sublime form and that is a positive news for the side.

Suryakumar Yadav – 2/10

Suryakumar had very little to do on the day. He did not get his chance to bat since the top order were enough to seal the deal for the team. This has been the case of the tournament thus far. The likes Suryakumar Yadav remain largely untested for the unit. However, as long as the results go their way, the team camp will not bother much for sure. Yadav was good in the field though. He took the catch of Mohit Sharma in the last over off the bowling of Chris Woakes.

Yusuf Pathan – 2/10

The story of Suryakumar Yadav pretty much followed for hard hitting batsman Yusuf Pathan. Yusuf also did not get his chance to bat in the innings. Yusuf, who had the best bowling economy for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2016 edition of the IPL, was not given a chance to bowl either. He was decent in the field and did not have much say in the match.  His scores definitely do not reflect a poor outing on the day but rather a day when his services were not needed much.

Colin de Grandhomme – 6/10

The injury to Chris Lynn saw Colin de Grandhomme being drafted in the playing eleven for the match. Grandhomme, the Kiwi all-rounder, did not get a chance to show his batting might. He is one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball. He boasts of a strike rate of over 170 in the shortest format of the game.

The KKR camp will hope to see that some other day. On the day, it was his bowling that worked wonders for the team. He got to bowl two overs on the day where he returned with figures of 1/15. He got the key wicket of Hashim Amla on 25 in the 12th over. He looked impressive on debut.

Umesh Yadav – 9/10

Umesh Yadav made a stunning comeback to the game with four wicket haul in the match. He replaced Ankit Rajpoot in the lineup. He got his share to bowl with the new ball and reaped rich dividends with the ball. He ran through the Kings XI Punjab middle-order on the day. He started off by taking the prized scalp of the in-form player Glenn Maxwell.

He then dismissed the second main man of the team – David Miller. Soon, he went through the weakness of Wriddhiman Saha to have him caught by Chris Woakes. It was only a matter of time that he dismissed Axar Patel as well to complete his four-fer for the day. He returned with figures of 4/33 in his quota of 4 overs.

Sunil Narine – 9.5/10

Sunil Narine was the star performer of the day for Kolkata Knight Riders. He was instrumental for the team with both bat and ball. Narine was exceptional with the ball today as he bowled tight lines in the powerplay. He ensured that the run flow was choked in the middle overs of the game. He finished with figures of 1/19 in his quota of 4 overs and was the most economical bowler on the day.

He then was the surprise star with the bat too. The team think-tank came up with a brilliant move to open the innings with him in the match. With the bat, he started off with his power hitting in the powerplay. He hit a quick 37 off just 18 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to his name in the match.

Chris Woakes – 8/10

Chris Woakes had a much-improved show on the day. Woakes bowled 3 overs in the match and bagged 2 wickets. He gave away just 20 runs in the match. Woakes had to bowl with the new ball and he certainly managed to outplay the overseas bowler Trent Boult on the day. For the Knight Riders to peak in the tournament, they need the likes of Chris Woakes to fire in the matches to follow. Woakes has to come up with an even better show especially with the likes of Trent Boult not getting his lines right.

Piyush Chawla – 4/10

Piyush Chawla had a mixed outing on the day. Albeit he managed to be in the wickets column, he was taken away for runs in the match. Chawla bowled 3 overs in the match and managed to bowl with an economy under 8. He got the first breakthrough for the team when he dismissed Manan Vohra in the 6th over. He gave 36 runs in his quota of 3 overs on the day. He could surely have been more economical.

Trent Boult – 2/10

Trent Boult was the seniormost bowler of the team on the day. However, the way he was hammered by the Kings XI Punjab batsman was embarrassing for a batsman of his caliber. He was taken away for 36 runs in his 4 overs. He leaked runs at the economy of 9 per over. Boult had a very poor outing in the previous match as well. It will be unlikely to see him in the next fixture considering the poor run of form he is in.