IPL 10, Match 23, KKR v GL Review: Raina special gets GL back to winning ways

Gujarat Lions (GL) finally came back to winning ways by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 4 wickets in the 23rd match of the tournament as a brilliant knock from Suresh Raina enabled the visitor’s to chase the total of 187 down with 10 balls to spare. It was a sensational innings by the master of T20’s as he announced his arrival with a bang.

This innings will definitely rank among one of the very best of Raina’s and the victory will give Gujarat Lions the much-needed boost as the tournament reaches the crucial phase. Earlier in the day, it was a brilliant innings from Robin Uthappa that propelled the hosts to a score of 187 in their allotted 20 overs.

Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina won the toss and puts the hosts in. Gautam Gambhir again experimented in the opening slot and strolled out in the middle with Sunil Narine for the 3rd time in the tournament. The southpaw played some sensational shots and looked to tore apart the Gujarat attack. He started with 3 boundaries in the very first over of Praveen Kumar ad never allowed to rest home the advantage to Gujarat Lions during his brief stay at the crease.

The left-hander smashed comeback man James Faulkner for as many as 4 boundaries as KKR reached 29 in the first 2 overs. It was the turn of Basil Thampi to be at the receiving end of a Narine onslaught as the Caribbean smashed the pacer for a couple of fours and a six. He raced off to 42 of 16 deliveries which included 9 fours and a six.

It was for the first time that a batsman scored all the runs in his innings with boundaries. Captain Raina eventually brought an end to an innings his off-breaks but Narine had got the home team off to a sensational start. Robin Uthappa joined his captain in the middle and looked in control. The right-hander struck a couple of boundaries to begin his innings as KKR reached65/1 at the end of the powerplay.

Gambhir also started to flex his muscles by smashing a six and a four of Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Smith. It was good hitting by the duo and the home team looked well; set for a total of over 200 runs. Gambhir was dismissed by Faulkner in the 12th over but Uthappa kept going and completed a well-deserved half-century in the 15th over.

After smashing Basil Thampi for a four and six of the 18th over, Uthappa fell to the same over but by then he had done the damage. They would have definitely wanted a score over the 200 mark but some terrific bowling in the death by Praveen Kumar, James Faulkner, and BasilThampi as KKR only managed 187 in their 20 overs.

It was bound to be a difficult chase for the visitors but openers Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch began in a scintillating fashion. It was just a repeat of the KKR innings as fours and sixes started flowing from the bat of Finchy and Baz. The ploy to start with spinners didn’t quite click as Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine conceded 25 runs together in the first two overs.

Gujarat raced off to 40/0 in the first 3 overs but just when they were looking to take the game from the home team, Nathan Coulter-Nile came to the rescue with the wicket of the dangerous Finch. It was a much-needed breakthrough after the sensational onslaught by the duo. Despite the fall of the wicket, McCullum was in no mood to stop as he kept dancing down the track and smashed the pacer for a couple of fours and a six.

It was total carnage as the visitors raced off to 56/1 in the first 4 overs. Meanwhile, McCullum was dismissed by Chris Woakes after the swashbuckler scored 33 of 17 deliveries. His innings included 5 fours and a solitary six. One wicket brought another as inform Dinesh Karthik was bamboozled by a slower delivery by Coulter-Nile.

Raina played some delightful shots and never allowed KKR to dominate proceedings. He kept finding the boundaries of regular intervals which kept the required run rate within manageable limits. The southpaw showed his class and proved his critics wrong after he failed to bag a central contract by the BCCI.

The southpaw completed his half-century of the 14th over of just 32 deliveries and he had already struck 6 fours and a six by then. Raina smashed a four and as six of premier fast bowler Umesh Yadav to bring the calculation down to 42 of the last 5 overs. Jadeja kept the momentum going by sweeping Sunil Narine for a six in the 16th over.

Raina was just unstoppable from there on and treated Kuldeep Yadav and Chris Woakes with disdain. After making 84 of just 46 deliveries Raina was dismissed in an attempt to finish things off. Despite his wicket, GL was just within touching distance of a victory and completed the formalities in the 2nd delivery of the penultimate over.

The victory will definitely give Gujarat Lions the confidence to kick on from here on. This victory might just be the signs of a turnaround for a team packed with some superstars.

Brief Scores

Kolkata Knight Riders 187/5 in 20 overs (Robin Uthappa 72, Sunil Narine 42, Suresh Raina 1/11, Praveen Kumar 1/24)

Gujarat Lions 188/6 in 18.2 overs 9Suresh Raina 84, Brendon McCullum 33, Kuldeep Yadav 2/33, Nathan Coulter-Nile 2/41)

Gujarat Lions won by 4 wickets (with 10 balls to spare)

Check out – Full scorecard here 

Check out – Points table here