Rinku stars as Kolkata edge Lucknow in Super Over / Photo: © AFP
Rinku stars as Kolkata edge Lucknow in Super Over
Rinku Singh hit an unbeaten 83 and took five catches as Kolkata Knight Riders edged out Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over in the IPL on Sunday.
Uncapped Indian left-arm quick Mohsin Khan claimed the tournament's best bowling figures of the season with 5-23 to restrict three-time champions Kolkata to 155-7 at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium.
The total could have been much lower if not for Rinku, who rescued Kolkata from 93-7 with his 51-ball blitz and hit four successive sixes in the final over.
Lucknow made a sluggish start in reply and lost Mitchell Marsh for just one. Aiden Markram made 31 and skipper Rishabh Pant added 42, both relatively slowly, before the lower order kept the hosts in the hunt.
Lucknow went into the final over needing 17 to win with impact substitute Himmat Singh and Mohammed Shami at the crease.
Kartik Tyagi bowled two no-balls before he dismissed Himmat for 19, but Shami hit a six off the final delivery to tie the scores as Lucknow finished on 155-8.
Spinner Sunil Narine took two wickets in three balls to cut short Lucknow's Super Over as they managed just one run. Rinku returned to hit the winning shot for Kolkata.
Lucknow sank to the bottom of the table with six defeats in eight outings. Kolkata are eighth after only their second win of the season.
Rinku made his presence felt in the field with catches to remember, including a stunning grab in the deep to dismiss Markram off Cameron Green.
He again did for Markram with a relay catch in the Super Over, as Rovman Powell snared the ball in the deep and smartly flipped it back inside the rope for Rinku to complete the effort.
Earlier, Mohsin was on fire after he dismissed both Tim Seifert and skipper Ajinkya Rahane. A rare dismissal of Angkrish Raghuvanshi for obstructing the field made matters worse for Kolkata.
Raghuvanshi took off for a run with Green only to be sent back, and as he turned, Shami's throw hit him, which stopped the ball from reaching stumps.
Shami appealed and the third umpire ruled the batter out for changing direction to block the line of the throw, leaving an angry Raghuvanshi to trudge off the field.
Mohsin struck regular blows until Rinku hit back in a partnership with Green, who made 34, and then single-handedly steered his team to a competitive total.
(O.Tatarinov--DTZ)
Featured