Twitter Reactions: Underrated Knight Riders tame RCB at Eden Gardens

The Kolkata Knight Riders started their 2018 IPL campaign with a comfortable win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. They hosted the Men in Red at the Eden Gardens and had entered the contest as the underdogs. Considering the fact that they had a revamped setup, many had apprehensions about their performance. However, they showed that they are here to prove all critics wrong.

The Kolkata Knight Riders put on a complete performance against RCB to register their first win in the tournament. After restricting the star studded batting lineup of the RCB camp to 176 on a flat deck, the Knight Riders managed to chase it with four wickets in hand. It was not an easy win for them but they hiccuped their way through somehow. Skipper Dinesh Karthik stayed till the end to ensure that his side was over the line on the day when it mattered.

Earlier in the game, Dinesh Karthik had won the toss and had opted to bowl first. Royal Challengers Bangalore lost Quinton de Kock early on in the innings. Brendon McCullum went on to score a fine 43 to keep the RCB innings going. Virat Kohli, on other hand, played a rather uncharacteristic knock of 31 off 33 deliveries. After McCullum’s dismissal, Kohli was joined by AB de Villiers.

While Kohli kept nudging around for singles, the latter put on the accelerator. AB de Villiers blasted a quick 44 off 23 deliveries to give impetus to the innings. Just then, DK introduced Nitish Rana in the bowling attack. Rana surprised everyone by dismissing AB de Villiers and Kohli on successive deliveries. The innings seemed to crash but it found some respite from Mandeep Singh. Mandeep’s 37 off 18 balls helped RCB post 176/7 in 20 overs.

In the run chase, Kolkata Knight Riders lost Chris Lynn in the second over itself. But it was all about the Narine show thereafter. The Windies star hit 50 off just 19 balls to give a flying start to the hosts. Post his departure, it was Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik who took the innings forward with sensible calculated batting. Towards the end, some lusty blows from the willow of Andre Russell sealed the fate of the game for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite his departure, the win was certain for the Knights with Karthik taking the team through on the day.

Here is how the fans reacted to the Kolkata Knight Riders win:

Good start for @DineshKarthik and @KKRiders but looks like @RCBTweets have got a spark they didn’t have last year – Watch This Space #IPL2018

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) April 8, 2018

Flirting with that wide line worked for a bit until @DineshKarthik said if you keep bowling there I’m gonna take you down. Just lost his partner though – could be an interesting finish? #KKRvRCB

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) April 8, 2018

#KKRvsRCB flying start by KKR but still think there is enough in the wicket for fast bowlers to take advantage and turn the game around.Umesh has shown the signs

— zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) April 8, 2018

Vijay Mallya to Virat ?: Did we win?

Virat: Rakhhhh Rakhhhh teri maa ki. #IPL pic.twitter.com/gdhR9Lihlq

— Googly (@rightarmspin) April 8, 2018

RCB’s team is a joke ?? #IPL

— Ben Duckett (@BenDuckett1) April 8, 2018

Bowlers dismissing Kohli & ABD off successive deliveries in the same over in IPL:

Kallis, 2012
Perera, 2016
RANA, 2018#KKRvRCB #IPL2018

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 8, 2018

An injured Starc is better than having Woakes and Southee as your options. Because an injured Starc has given KKR Tom Curran.

— Alagappan V (@IndianMourinho) April 8, 2018

Nitish Rana was the game changer here.. 2 in 2 ad then crucial 34 (25)

— Abhijeet (@TheYorkerBall) April 8, 2018

Results of RCB's last 11 matches with AB de Villiers in the playing XI:

Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost
Lost#IPL2018 #KKRvRCB

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 8, 2018

Karthik ‘s calmness was so vital and I have a feeling it will be a huge factor for KKR this year. Solid win. Narine was full on lapalap. com #KKRvRCB

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 8, 2018

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