Andre Russell's 54 off 22 and Pat Cummins' unbeaten 66 off 34 weren't enough to take Kolkata Knight Riders past Chennai Super Kings' 220 for 3 on a featherbed in Mumbai. Losing five wickets inside the Powerplay came back to haunt KKR towards the end of the chase as Russell was bowled on a delivery he left alone and KKR scrambled to 202 before losing their last wicket through run out with five balls still to play. Dinesh Karthik's 24-ball 40 was also handy but what the two-time champions rued the most was the failure of the top order. That's what needs to change when they take on Rajasthan Royals, who have their own issues to contend with, on Saturday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Here are the Kolkata Knight Riders players to watch out for
Andre Russell
Russell roared back into form in a high-pressure run chase with KKR in trouble at 31 for 5. He attacked from the word go and hit 6 sixes and 3 fours in his 54-run knock. A partnership of 81 runs with Karthik in just six overs worked wonders for KKR as CSK bowlers struggled to grip the ball with dew on the ground. Russell's dismissal was a tame one but he can now be counted on with both bat and ball, which is a huge positive for KKR.
Dinesh Karthik
Karthik played the perfect support role to Russell and even took the attack to the opposition, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes in his 24-ball knock. The two finishers brought KKR back from the jaws of defeat and put them within touching distance of the highest chase in IPL 2021, but it wasn't to be. Karthik has always been a T20 specialist and with runs in his kitty he will now be doubly dangerous.
Pat Cummins
When Russel and Karthik were dismissed in the last match, KKR's hopes seemed diminished, but Cummins' revived his team with some clean hitting towards the death. He hit 6 sixes and 4 fours in his 66 and had it not been for the wickets at the other end could have taken KKR closer to the target than where they eventually finished. His contributions with the ball can never be ignored either.