However, despite a dominant win, KKR captain Eoin Morgan felt it won’t be easy to make the Top-4 in the IPL table
Eoin Morgan
Riding on some outstanding performances by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy (4-0-13-3) and all-rounder Andre Russell (3-9), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bowled out Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for a paltry 92 and then chased it down with nine wickets and 10 overs to spare in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
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Tough challenges ahead
However, despite a dominant win, KKR captain Eoin Morgan felt it won’t be easy to make the Top-4 in the IPL table. KKR are placed fifth with three wins in eight matches. “There is no doubt that it’s going to be a challenge from here on [to make the Top-4], but our main aim is to turn up, try and play cricket as we have done today [Monday]. If we do that, then we give ourselves the best chance of progressing [to the playoffs],” Morgan said during the post-match virtual interaction on Monday, replying to mid-day’s question on his team’s chances of making it to the knockout stage.
KKR take confidence
“We take confidence from this [win against RCB]. But more so the confidence that we take is from our performances with the ball, bat and in the field today. Moving forward if we continue to play in that manner, it makes us a dangerous side,” added Morgan, 35, who will be leading England at the T20 World Cup in UAE next month.
Meanwhile, RCB head coach Mike Hesson admitted it was tough for his batsmen to counter Chakravarthy’s spin. The Tamil Nadu spinner has played just one first-class game, but has represented the country in three T20Is, claiming two wickets. In eight IPL games this season, Chakravarthy, 30, has picked up 10 wickets. On Monday, he accounted for RCB’s Glenn Maxwell (10), Sachin Baby (7) and Wanindu Hasaranga (0).
“Chakravarthy bowled extremely well and we just weren’t able to combat it. Not having a set batsman or actually building a partnership saw it roll away from us there,” said Hesson.
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