IPL 2018: Match 49, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals – Statistical Highlights

In-form Kolkata Knight Riders dismantled Rajasthan Royals by six wickets to inch an edge closer to the playoff spots. The win was Knight Riders’ seventh of the season and a win in their final league game will take them to the last four. Batting first, the Royals were all out for 142 despite being 76 for 1 at one stage. Kuldeep Yadav was the wreaker-in-chief picking up 4 wickets for just 20 runs.

In reply, the Knight Riders reached home in the 18th over. Chris Lynn top-scored for the hosts, scoring 45 while skipper Dinesh Karthik remained unbeaten on 41.

With the game now done and dusted, here is a look at some interesting numbers and stats:

1. Kuldeep Yadav took his first four-wicket haul in the IPL and third overall in the shortest format of the game. He had taken 5/17 against Vidarbha and 4/26 against Bengal while playing for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament.

2. Kuldeep’s figures of 4 for 20 are the best figures for a chinaman spinner in the IPL. The record was previously held by Brad Hogg who had figures of 4/29 against Chennai Super Kings while playing for Knight Riders in 2015.

3. Dinesh Karthik affected four dismissals in the game. The four dismissals are the joint second most for any wicketkeeper in an IPL game. Only Kumar Sangakkara (5 for Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011) has more than four dismissals in an IPL match.

4. Sunil Narine scored 21 runs in the first over of the innings by Krishnappa Gowtham. These are the most runs a player has scored in the first over of an inning in the IPL. Naman Ojha also scored 21 runs for Rajasthan Royals against Knight Riders in 2009.

5. Royals’ 142/10 is the 2nd lowest total any side has been all-out for after a fifty-run opening stand. Jos Buttler and Rahul Tripathi shared 63 for the opening wicket before they lost ten wickets for just 79. Kings XI Punjab were bowled out on 119 by Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this season after a 55-run stand between their openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul.

6. Karthik has a batting average of 165.5 in the successful run-chases in the T20s this year.  He got out only twice in ten games where he batted in successful chases, scoring 331 runs with a strike-rate of 177.95.

7. Jos Buttler took his run-tally this season to 548. These are the second most for a Rajasthan Royals’ player in an IPL season. Ajinkya Rahane scored 560 runs in 16 innings during the 2012 edition.