Kolkata Knight Riders captain Nitish Rana has been fined Rs 24 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League match against Chennai Super Kings here.
"As it was his team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Mr. Rana has been fined Rs. 24 lakh and each member of the Playing XI, including the impact substitute, is fined Rs. 6 lakh or 25 percent of the match fee, whichever is lesser," read an IPL media advisory.
KKR won the game by six wickets to remain in hunt for a play-off berth. CSK are second in the standings and are expected to finish in the top-four.
Kolkata Knight Riders spinners made fair use of the conditions at the Chepauk district to restrict Chennai Super Kings first up.
Mathematically, the Knights, courtesy win this game even more comprehensively which would then have boosted their net run rate.
This defeat shouldn't be hurting the Chennai Super Kings much though, they are on 15 points and have one more game to play.
Qualification playoffs should not be a problem for them.
The start for the Knight Riders,after Sunil Narine (2/15) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/36)’s vital strikes with the ball, was poor once again.
Openers Jason Roy, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer (for leg-spinner Suyash Sharma) were all sent back by pacer Deepak Chahar, who reduced the Knights to 33/3 in the fifth over.
That’s when skipper Rana and Rinku stood up.
Rana drew a lot of flak for bowling the first over during Rajasthan Royals’ run chase in the Knights’ previous game last Thursday, where Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed him for 26.
The left-handed batter had to redeem himself in this do-or-die game. Fortune, too, favoured him this time as Matheesha Pathirana dropped him at the deep square-leg region off Moeen Ali’s bowling.
Rana was on 18 prior to that let-off with the team total 71/3 in 10.1 overs.
But that lone incident aside, he looked solid and in control with Rinku’s confidence at the other end taking the pressure off him.
KKR may not have had a great season, but Rinku’s maturity has certainly been one of their positives.
The left-hander wasn’t just careful in his shot selection, but was also quick enough to spot whenever there was width on offer and room to chance his arms. He also brought up his fifty in style, working a yorker-length delivery from Pathirana through mid-wicket for four.
For CSK, dew in the second half did make their bowlers’ job a tad difficult.
At the same time, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni erred a bit in not bringing on the in-form Pathirana a little earlier into the attack.
However, Shivam Dube (48 not out off 34 balls)’s contribution after CSK won the toss and opted to bat was one of the positives for them.
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