IPL 2022: Match 30, RR vs KKR – Who Said What

The Rajasthan Royals registered a thrilling seven-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Match 30 of IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on April 18. While Rajasthan did pose a mammoth total on the board, Kolkata ensured that they did not go down without a fight as the game went right down to the final over.

KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Kolkata bowlers could not provide early breakthroughs as openers Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal added 97 runs for the opening stand before Buttler and captain Sanju Samson added 67 runs for the second wicket. The Englishman single-handedly took care of the innings and score a magnificent century, which also happened to be his second this season. The destructive opener’s 61-ball 103 powered RR to 217/5.

Obed McCoy bowls a match-winning last over

In reply, the two-time champions lost pinch-hitter, Sunil Narine, for a golden duck after which skipper Shreyas Iyer and Aaron Finch played counter-attacking knocks and added 107 runs for the second wicket. After the latter was dismissed for 58 runs off 28 balls, Iyer took care of the chase before being bamboozled by leggie Yuzvendra Chahal for a 51-ball 85.

Tail-ender Umesh Yadav ensured that it was not over yet with his late heroics of a nine-ball 21. However, West Indies speedster Obed McCoy first dismissed Sheldon Jackson and then castled Yadav in the final over to win the contest for the Royals.

Losing skipper, Shreyas Iyer said:

“I think from the start we got, we really were going well according to the run-rate. Finchy was good but once he was out, we slowed down a bit. We lacked a bit over there, but it’s a part of the game. Unfortunately we couldn’t click. My plan was to bat through the end, the opposite batsman had to take it on from ball one. The matchup Rana had was with Chahal. He did not time that and it happens. He [Buttler] started a bit slow and after that he just went off. The way he manoeuvres the ball, he is a classy batsman. Kudos to the way he batted. If we had got him out early, the scoreboard would’ve looked very different. Dew didn’t play a big role tonight. Amazing wicket to bat on. Unfortunately Brabourne hasn’t been great for us. Hopefully we will come back hard in the coming games. There is a lot of pressure and I love pressure. I just wanted to set an example, doesn’t matter whatever score they get. If they can get it, I can get it as well. That’s how I was thinking.”

Winning skipper, Sanju Samson said:

“It got tensed. The quality of players made it very interesting. Very happy for the win. There are some things that need to used at the right time. You need to be smart enough to slow it down. I respect KKR as a unit. We never thought we were in the game. I think I don’t need to talk much about individuals. We are lucky to have great players. Special mention to Ashwin for his delivery to Russell. And McCoy is an interesting guy. He doesn’t talk much but seems to be in control over his bowling skills.”

Player of the Match, Yuzvendra Chahal said:

“I had to take wickets in this match to change the result. I worked on my bowling. I spoke to the coaches and the skipper. I was thinking of a googly but then I didn’t want to take a chance. Would have been a happy with a dot ball as well on my hat-trick ball. My googly was coming out well and sent it down to Venkatesh Iyer.”