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Patna : Electing to bat after winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) scored a modest 138/7 in 20 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Eliminator at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, UAE, on October 11, 2021, as spinner Sunil Narine took 4/21 in 4 overs and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson took 2/30 in 4 overs.
Although KKR spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Varun Charavarthy did not get any wicket but both of them bowled beautifully conceding just 24 and 20 runs respectively in 4 overs each. Sunil Narine, Shakib, and Varun justified the team management’s strategy of playing three spinners and two pacers.
RCB began well with openers Virat Kohli ( captain) and Devdutt Padikkal adding 49 runs in 5.1 overs for the first wicket. Devdutt was first to go. He fell to Lockie Ferguson for 21. Srikar Bharat (wk) fell to Narine for 9 making it 69/2. Virat Kohli also fell to Narine for 39 in 33 balls with 5 fours and it was 88/3. In fact, Narine bowled Kohli.
RCB star batter A B de Villiers failed again. He too fell to Narine for 11 making it 102/4. de Villiers has scored just 106 runs in 8 games in UAE leg of IPL 2021. All -rounder Glenn Maxwell also fell to Narine for 15 in 18 balls with just 1 four and it was 112/5. Shahbaz Ahmed fell to Ferguson for 13 making it 126/6. Daniel Christian was run out for 9 and it was 134/7.