Twitter Reactions: KKR thump dismal RCB by 9 wickets in Abu Dhabi

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have started their UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 with a brilliant win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Well, it can be said that only one team arrived in Abu Dhabi for the game as RCB never looked settled after opting to bat first.

Their skipper Virat Kohli played a scorching cover drive to start with. But Prasidh Krishna trapped him in the front of the stumps to rock RCB early. Devdutt Padikkal and KS Bharat then batted well through the powerplay to take the team’s score to 41. But the former feathered one to the keeper off Lockie Ferguson and this was a telling blow.

RCB crumbled from here on to lose their nine wickets for just 52 runs. In the middle overs, no batsman could break the shackles and it took some brilliant bowling to do it. The best of all was a sensational yorker from Andre Russell to castle AB de Villiers for a golden duck. Varun Chakravarthy also spun a web around RCB batsmen and once he dismissed Glenn Maxwell, there was no looking back for KKR.

RCB were skittled for just 92 runs after 19 overs with Chakravarthy (3/13) and Russell ((3/9) picking three wickets each while Ferguson accounted for a couple as well.

Gill and surprising package Iyer shine in the chase for KKR

KKR were expected to walk the chase and their openers Shubman Gill and the surprise package Venkatesh Iyer batted superbly to gun down 93 without much sweat. It was Iyer who fearlessly took the attack early on to the bowlers and Gill soon joined in showing his flair. The latter played some gorgeously strokes and smacked a quick-fire 47 before getting out with only 11 runs required.

RCB’s bowlers, once they didn’t get early wickets, didn’t look threatening at all and fumbles from their fielders didn’t help either. The shoulders dropped soon and it was only Yuzvendra Chahal who had success dismissing Gill. It was the only consolation for RCB as Venkatesh Iyer slammed an unbeaten 41 off 27 balls to help KKR romp home in just 10 overs.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

venkatesh iyer will remember the eye catching IPL debut he made with kohli & AB on the park against an attack packed with internationals #RCBvsKKR #IPL2021

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) September 20, 2021

Shubhman Gill treating this game like a practice match. #IPL

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 20, 2021

Congratulations @Wanindu49 on your @IPL debut.. Enjoy the challenge and have a smile on your face 👏👏

— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) September 20, 2021

This Venkatesh looks a class act.#RCBvKKR

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) September 20, 2021

That cover drive from young Venkatesh Iyer to Siraj 🙌 #replay

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 20, 2021

The infamous 49 in 2017, 82 in first #IPL and now 82 all out. #KKRvRCB #RCBvKKR phir teri kahani yaad aayi! But, what a show by the pair of #Varun and #Russell . 6 for 22 is a match winning spell in any format of the game.

— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 20, 2021

Well played, Shubman Gill – brilliant knock, 48 runs from 34 balls, good start in UAE and happy to see Gill has started scoring for #KKR after an average India leg.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 20, 2021

#RCBvsKKR 😭 pic.twitter.com/2P3696jbgq

— Kunal Mahatha (@Bloody_humorous) September 20, 2021

Surakshit peele iske baal, Vasmol ne kiya kamaal💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/sVmRznFqss

— Kanav Bali🏏 (@Concussion__Sub) September 20, 2021

#KKRvRCB #KKRvsRCB
RCB's form in 2nd phase of ipl 2021 pic.twitter.com/NnOpOZJIzw

— Ashish (@brb_memes7) September 20, 2021

RCB fall of wickets pic.twitter.com/39OtERbJOk

— Bhuwantastic (@Bhuwantastic) September 20, 2021

Ruk jaao Morgan bhai aur kitne notes banaoge 😭😭😭🙏#KKRvRCB pic.twitter.com/IYZtR4SsJx

— 🆂🅰🆃🆅🅸 🅵🅰🅸🅻 (@HiTechHumour) September 20, 2021

Batting line-up of RCB today pic.twitter.com/PvJZ9FAjIu

— Abhishek (@MSDianAbhiii) September 20, 2021

Venkatesh Iyer has impressed alot on debut.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 20, 2021

It was a good innings from Gill. Good to see him playing with such freedom and fluency.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 20, 2021

This is the largest victory for KKR in IPL history by balls remaining – 60.

Previous:

37 v RR, 2011
37 v RR, 2019#KKRvRCB

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 20, 2021

KKR THI TAYYAR…

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 20, 2021

Kudos to @KKRiders on identifying the talent in Venketesh Iyer, watever i have seen of him in domestic cricket and today in #IPL2021 if nurtured well by #bcci then he is the next fast bowling all-rounder along with Hardik for team India. Keep an eye on him guys #RCBvsKKR

— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) September 20, 2021