IPL 2019, Highlights, KKR Vs RCB: RCB Survive Russell, Rana Scare; Win By 10 Runs

Royal Challengers Bangalore have won the match by 10 runs. That was one exciting game filled with sixes and boundaries. A belter of a wicket. RCB set a mammoth total of 214 for the hosts, with a wonderful century by skipper Virat Kohli and a swift 66 by Moeen Ali. KKR let it too late to press the accelerator. But Rana and Russell almost got there. A couple of more balls, they would have done the impossible. Catch the IPL 2019 highlights here:

RCB will be motivated with such a win and performance. This is their second win off the season and this should put them back on track. Put into bat, RCB put up a mammoth score of 213. Virat Kohli was simply superb as he notched up his fifth IPL century. Moeen Ali was dominating the spinners from one end. His 66 of 28 balls set the tone for RCB.

KKR would be kicking themselves for the way they started the chase. The main culprit was perhaps Robin Uthappa, who played 20 deliveries to score just 9 runs. It was all a matter of a couple of deliveries in the end that would have taken KKR home.

RCB's death bowling is a major concern. The way Rana (85*) and Russell (65) tore them apart in the final four overs, will be hurting the RCB camp. But, on the brighter side, they earned their second victory of the season and will look to continue the winning momentum forward.

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Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 213 for four in 20 overs (Kohli 100, Moeen 66, Narine 1/32)

Kolkata Knight Riders 203/5 in 20 overs (Rana 85*, Russell 65, Steyn 2/40)

Result: RCB won by 10 runs

23:47: Moeen Ali is given the ball for the last over. Rana moves across and misses it. Asks for a wide, which is not the case. Russell smokes one over long on for a six. Russell misses the next one. Game over for KKR. Russell is run out after splendid innings. Russell out for 65 off 25 balls (2x4,9x6). Rana smashes the last ball for a six. KKR finish at 203/5 in 20 overs. RCB win by 10 runs. 

23:40: Stoinis to bowl the crucial over. Three dots ball on the trot. Russell is not able to get his shots. Magic stuff from Stoinis to get three dot ball in this situation. Russell gets three sixes on the trot. finishes the over off in style. But those three dot balls will prove costly. Russell reaches his 50. KKR 190/4 after 19 overs. KKR require 24 runs in six balls. 

23:35: Steyn is back. Rana goes over long off for a six. Gets a couple in the deep extra cover region. Slow ball and in the slot. Rana goes deep in the crease and smokes it straight over the bowler's head into the stands. SIX. Rana gets a four in the extra cover region. 18 runs off the over. KKR 171/4 after 18 overs. KKR require 43 runs in 12 balls.

23:30: Siraj into the attack. Russell is going berserk. Hammers it past point for a four. Follows it up for a huge huge six over long-off. Rusell was lazy to go for the run of the last ball. Steyn gets a direct hit. Russel is just in. The match is on. KKR 153/4 after 17 overs.

23:20: Saini continues. Rana hits it straight and the ball goes towards the long on fence for a four. Length ball and Rana stays low and clubs it over deep mid wicket for a six. Rana reaches his 50. And the next one is a full toss and Rana goes in in the same direction. Gets the same result. Six runs. KKR 138/4 after 16 overs. KKR require 76 from 24 balls. Rana 58*(35), Russell 30*(12). Timeout

Robin Uthappa innings was very odd here. He never got going; nor did he take any risk. He just played defensive and that could be the difference between a win and loss for KKR. He consumed 20 balls for his nine runs.

23:15: Chahal gets two dot balls on the trot. Dots are very costly for KKR at this stage.  Russell smashes three sixes in a row. Can Andre do it for KKR yet again? Long way to go. But he alone can save KKR here. KKR 121/4 after 15 overs. KKR require 93 in 30 balls. 

23:10: Saini is back. Russell cuts it to the fence in the point region. Fierce square cut. Good short ball from Saini. Russell doesn't time it. Ball swirls in the air and ends up in no man's land. Klassen seemed interested, but Russell survives. KKR 101/4 after 14 overs. Required rate: 18.83

23:04: Chahal continues. Rana sweeps one to the fence at fine leg region. Dre Russ is here. It was a wide flighted ball. And he smokes it deep extra cover for a maximum. KKR 94/4 after 13 overs.  KKR require 120 in 42 balls.

22:59: Stoinis in for his third. Robin Uthappa perishes. Terrible innings from Robbie. 9 runs off 20 balls in such a situation. Andre Russell walks in. Only he can win it from here for KKR. Otherwise, it is curtains for DK and Co. KKR 81/4 after 12 overs. The required rate is creeping above 16 per over.

22:54: Yuzvendra Chahal in the attack. Short pitched and Rana hits it for a boundary in the deep square leg region. Rana goes for a reverse sweep, gets a top edge and the ball flies over short third man and goes into the fence. Run out missed by Chahal. Robin was struck on the pads outside the leg stump. Rana dashed for the single, Robin sent him back. Parthiv was quick to send the ball back to Chahal. Rana had given up. But Chahal missed it completely. KKR 72/3 after 11 overs. Uthappa is struggling here. He has just made 9 runs off 19 balls. Needs a move on

22:45: Siraj continues. Robin needs to shift gears now. Gets a boundary off the first ball. Walked towards the leg side, makes room and smashes in the extra cover region for a boundary. Siraj strays down line and length is way too short; goes over Parthiv. 5 wides. Rana swings hard and manages a boundary in the deep mid wicket region. KKR 60/3 after 10 overs.

22:38: Stoinis continues. Four dot balls for Rana this time. The required run rate is climbing. It is 15.13 now. Finally, Rana gets a single. Robin tucks one on the leg side and will keep the strike. Timeout. KKR 46/3 after 9 overs.

22:33: Siraj is introduced into the attack. Rana gets a four in the cover region. Robin seems defensive here. Four dots on the trot. KKR 44/3 after 8 overs.

22:28: Marcus Stoinis into the attack. Good start by the Aussie. Just two runs off the over. KKR 39/3 after 7 overs.

22:24: Saini continues. Five dot balls. And Nitish Rana lifts the last ball  over point for a boundary. KKR 37/3 after 6 overs.

22:20: Steyn continues. Gill gets a four past mid off. Then perishes off the last ball. It was just going above Kohli, but Kohli gets his hands to it, the balls pops out and Kohli grabs it with his left hand. Gill 9(11). KKR in deep trouble. RCB 33/3 after 5 overs.

22:14: Saini is bowling quick here.  Short delivery and Narine goes for the pull. It goes up in the air and Parthiv Patel does the honours. Narine departs for 18(16). Robin Uthappa walks in. Just 2 runs off the over. KKR 25/2 after 4 overs.

22:10: Steyn continues. Narine smashes it the cover-boundary. Half-tracker and Narine pulls one to another boundary in the mid-wicket region. Narine gets an edge and the ball goes to another boundary in the third man region. 12 runs off the over. KKR 23/1 after 3 overs.

22:05: Navdeep Saini is into the attack. Narine whacks it past the mid off for a boundary. Gill is in for KKR at No.3. Just 5 runs off the over. KKR 11/1 after 2 overs.

22:00: Lynn and Narine are in the middle. Dale Steyn to start the bowling attack.  And he gets the edge of the first ball, Stoinis floors it. Lynn survives. But not so long. Lynn is caught by Kohli at Mid off of the last ball. He went for the drive and straight into the fielder's throat.  Steyn is ecstatic. Lynn departs for 1. KKR 6/1 after 1 over

Brief Score: Royal Challengers Bangalore 213 for four in 20 overs (Kohli 100, Moeen 66, Narine 1/32)

Target: 214 

21:42: Gurney to bowl the last over. Stoinis joins the party too. Sloppy stuff from Kuldeep. The ball bounces in front of him at the deep square leg region and lets it for a four. He smokes the next one straight down the ground for a maximum. Stoinis miss times one and it goes to the left of Long off. There was a second there and Kohli denies the second run. He is looking for his hundred here. He deserves a 100. Full toss and a four at deep mid-wicket. Kuldeep misses the ball again. Century for King Kohli. Kohli is dismissed off the last ball at deep mid-wicket.  RCB finish at 213/4 in 20 overs. Kohli 100 (58), Stoinis 17*(8)

21:36: Prasidh to bowl the penultimate over. Kohli is putting on a show. Hits a maximum over long on and follows it up with a classic cover drive for four. He moves into the nineties. Probably the shot of the day. Stoinis and that is a powerful shot by the Australian. Four runs. Hit it to the left of long off and the ball went like a tracer bullet into the fence. RCB 197/3 after 19 overs.

21:28: Narine into the attack. Half-tracker. Kohli rocks back and smashes it over deep mid wicket for a six. 10 off the over. RCB 178/3 after 18 overs. Kohli 80*(50), Stoinis 2*(4). 

Narine 4-0-32-1

21:24: Gurney is brought into the attack. Stoinis is in for RCB. Kohli squeezes a yorker towards the fence in the point region. And the next ball is hit straight down the ground for a maximum. RCB 168/3 after 17 overs.

21:20: Kuldeep again. Big Big over. 27 runs off it.  Moeen gets a beautiful extra cover drive that runs down to the fence. Then a slog sweep over deep mid wicket that sails into the stands. That's fifty for Moeen.  He is not done yet. Smashes the next one over Kuldeep's head that runs down to the fence. Moeen miss times the next one towards long on. Prasidh Krishna backs out form the catch. The ball goes over the ropes. Krishna probably lost the ball in the lights. Moeen goes again over long-off and it is a six again. Kuldeep is taking a beating here. Moeen Ali goes for another maximum and he holes out to Prasidh at long on. Moeen 66 off 28 balls (5x4,5x6). RCB 149/3 after 16 overs. 

Kuldeep finishes his spell. 4-0-59-1

21:10: Prasidh is back into the attack. Virat notches up his 50. Another boundary for Kohli. Goes for the wild swing across the line. Gets an edge that flies over the short third man and one bounce into the fence. Prasidh has been unlucky today. He is getting the edges but it's all flying for boundaries. This time it was Moeen. It was a bouncer and it takes the edge and flies over DK's head for a four. 12 runs off the over. RCB 122/2 after 15 overs. 

21:06: Kuldeep is in. Moeen walks outside the off stump and hoicks the ball over deep mid wicket for a maximum. Half-tracker outside off stump and Moeen cuts it for a four between the short third man and point region. RCB 110/2 after 14 overs. Kohli 49*(39), Moeen Ali 35*(19).

21:02:  Narine is in for his third over. Lucky Moeen. Gets an inside edge, the ball goes past the leg stump and runs into the fine leg boundary. Narine is bowling well here. 9 runs off the over. RCB 98/2 after 13 overs.

20:58: Piyush Chawla into the attack. Moeen smashes it over mid-wicket for a six. 10 runs off the over. RCB 89/2 after 12 overs. Seems like Moeen will play the aggressive innings and Kohli will play the anchor's role.

20:53:  Russell bangs it short and Virat pulls it over deep square leg for a six. 9 off the over. RCB 79/2 after 11 overs.

20:50: Moeen Ali takes the attack on to Kuldeep. Comes down the track and smashes it over long-on for a maximum. Four singles follow it up. And a splendid ball to end the over. Moeen is beaten for the turn. RCB 70/2 after 10 overs. Kohli 35*(29), Ali 9*(5)

20:45: Russell continues. He is bending his back and bowling a lot of bouncers. Akshdeep is caught by Robin Uthappa.  It was a short ball again and Akshdeep goes for the big shot and gets a top edge. Akshdeep 13(15). Moeen Ali walks in. RCB 60/2 after 9 overs.

20:38: Kuldeep is welcomed by Kohli by back-to-back boundaries. Kohli comes down the track and hits the first one over Kuldeep's head and the next one is a classic cover drive in the sweeper cover region. RCB 57/1 after 8 overs. Timeout

20:34: Andre Russell is introduced by DK. Decent start by the Jamaican. 5 runs off the over. RCB 47/1 after 7 overs.

20:30: Prasidh is back. Short ball and Akshdeep pulls it for a maximum over deep midwicket. Kohli gets a lucky four as the ball flies in the slip region all the way to the third man fence after taking an edge from the blade. 12 runs off the over. RCB 42/1 after 6 overs.

20:25: Gurney is back. Great over. He is using a lot of variations. Just 4 runs off the over. RCB 30/1 after 5 overs.

20:20: Narine continues. Parthiv perishes going for the big shot. Rana at deep mid wicket takes the catch after a couple of juggles. Parthiv 11(11). Akshdeep comes in at No.3. Virat Kohli pulls one to the fielder at deep mid wicket and Gill misfields. Four runs. RCB 26/1 after 4 overs.

20:15: Prasidh Krishna is brought into the attack. A well-bowled yorker. Parthiv manages to get the bat down in time. Takes the edge and runs down to the fine leg boundary for four runs. Short ball and Parthiv cuts it over point for a boundary. RCB 17/0 after 3 overs.

20:10: Sunil Narine is introduced into the attack. There is an appeal for LBW against Kohli. The umpire turns it down. DK goes for the review. Bad review there. The ball is missing leg stump by a huge margin. Decent start for Narine. Just 4 runs given. RCB 7/0 after 2 overs.

20:05: Harry Gurney to start proceedings for KKR. Quiet Start for RCB. RCB 3/0 after 1 over.

20:00: Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli to start the innings for RCB.

19:40: Here are the playing XI:

Preview:

KKR will look to get back to winning way and close the gap towards the play-offs berth. Dinesh Karthik's team has been formidable but in patches. They lack consistency. They have been heavily dependent on big-hitting Jamaican Andre Russell. DK himself needs to get some runs under his belt. 

In the bowling department, Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav have not lived up to the expectations. KKR needs to get that winning combination right and will have to be consistent to progress in the tournament.

RCB will have to win all their remaining games to make it to the next stage. It is high time that the team starts delivering during crucial moments. The bulk of the contribution for RCB has come from the blades of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Their bowling attack has been taken apart by the opposition. RCB will be bolstered with the arrival of speedster Dale Steyn. It is to be seen if he starts today. Dale Steyn Vs Andre Russell. It will a spectacle to watch that contest.