Shardul Thakur showcased his destructive best as he helped the Kolkata Knight Riders recover from a difficult situation to post a total of 204/7 in 20 overs against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Eden Gardens. Thakur, the KKR all-rounder, scored an impressive 68 runs in just 29 balls, giving the world a glimpse of his incredible talent.
The match began with RCB skipper Faf du Plessis winning the toss and electing to bowl first. David Willey dismissed Venkatesh Iyer and Mandeep Singh early on, giving his side a fantastic start. KKR appeared to crumble under pressure as wickets continued to fall, and they returned to Eden Gardens, which hosted its first IPL game in four years.
Despite the early setbacks, Shardul and Rinku Singh stepped up to the occassion and helped KKR cross the 200-run mark. Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar and KKR co-owner, was also in attendance and witnessed the incredible comeback.
Thakur’s knock was nothing short of spectacular, as he smashed the joint-fastest fifty in IPL 2023, needing just 20 balls to notch his half-century. His innings included nine boundaries and two massive maximums, and he did the scoring at a breathtaking strike rate of 234.48. Rinku also played a crucial role, recording 46 runs in 33 balls with two boundaries and three sixes.
Mohammed Siraj put an end to Thakur’s impressive innings, while Harshal Patel managed to get Rinku out. However, the damage had already been done by that point.
Despite losing half of their players at a mere 89, KKR’s middle order deserves credit for setting a target of 205 for RCB.
Interestingly, RCB’s highest-ever successful run-chase was also 204, achieved against Punjab Kings. This meant that RCB would need to pull off their highest-ever run chase in franchise history to secure a win against KKR.
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