Virat Kohli reacted angrily to his controversial dismissal after a full toss. Wicketkeeper Phil Salt then made a successful attempt to retrieve the ball after a wayward throw for a last-ball runout as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by one run in the Indian Premier League. Bengaluru was bowled out for 221 runs in reply to Kolkata’s 222-6 on Sunday.
Kohli (18) was the first man out in Bengaluru’s chase after playing a slower full toss back to bowler Harshit Rana. The toss was deemed legal height-wise as the batter was standing far outside the crease. Kohli expressed his displeasure at the umpire’s decision but was obliged to walk off as the Hawk-Eye technology indicated that the ball had been bowled outside the legal limits.
Faf du Plessis (7), who was batting, hit the ball out of the stadium off Varun Chakravarthy, reducing Bengaluru to 35-2.
Will Jacks achieved his first half-century by hitting five sixes in his 55 runs off 32 balls. Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) also reached his half-century in similar fashion. The duo put on 102 runs in just 48 balls, sharing a partnership for the third wicket.
Andre Russell (3-25) and Sunil Narine (2-34) then brought Kolkata back into the game, with Bengaluru losing four quick wickets for 18 runs. Russell dismissed both Jacks and Patidar in the 12th over, while Narine sent back Cameron Green (6) and Mahipal Lomror (4) in the very next over.
The impact players Suyash Prabhudessai and Dinesh Karthik both scored 24 runs and 25 runs respectively, both off 18 balls.
Another slower delivery from Rana (2-33) resulted in Prabhudessai being dismissed in the 18th over, while a turning point came when Karthik was caught behind off Russell in the 19th.
Bengaluru needed 21 runs off six balls in the final over bowled by Mitchell Starc (1-55). Karn Sharma hit three powerful sixes in four deliveries, nearly securing victory for his team before he misjudged the return catch to the pacer.
The final delivery of the match was met with a dramatic finish by Lockie Ferguson, who was short of the crease despite a poor incoming throw.
Earlier, Kolkata was put into bat, with Salt scoring 48 off 14 balls with seven fours and three sixes, even as Kolkata lost wickets cheaply at the other end. Both batsmen fell in the sixth over to the bowler Yash Dayal, a left-arm pace bowler.
The captain, Shreyas Iyer, steered the innings with a mature innings of 50 runs from 36 balls, including two partnerships. The first was with Rinku Singh (24), and the second with Russell (27 not out). He was eventually dismissed in the 18th over.
Kolkata was 179-6 at that stage, a deficit that seemed significant. The innings was concluded with a flourish by Ramandeep Singh, who contributed 24 runs in nine balls, including two fours and two sixes.
Kolkata climbed up to second in the table with 10 points, on par with Sunrisers Hyderabad but ahead on net run rate.
Bengaluru has suffered a seventh defeat in eight games, placing them in 10th position.
The second game of the day will see Punjab Kings hosting Gujarat Titans.