News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

This article was first published 3 years ago
Rediff.com  » Cricket » Turning Point: Stokes c Karthik b Cummins

Turning Point: Stokes c Karthik b Cummins

By Rediff Cricket
November 02, 2020 08:23 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

IMAGE: Pat Cummins celebrates with wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who took a brilliant catch to dismiss Ben Stokes. Photograph: BCCI
 

A week earlier, Ben Stokes had smashed 14 fours and three sixes in a 60-ball 107 against Mumbai Indians who possess the most complete bowling attack in IPl 2020 and ensure a magnificent win for the Rajasthan Royals.

Kolkata Knight Riders's 191 for 7 was a tough ask, but the Royals have four awesome game changers in its ranks -- Stokes, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Steve Smith, not to forget Rahul Tewatia whose heroics won the Royals two early games and, of course, the incredible Jofra Archer who is handy with the bat.

Could KKR's bowling attack halt the Royals's march to a possible place in the playoffs?

Pat Cummins justified his billing as the most expensive foreign buy ever in IPL history -- KKR paid Rs 15.50 crore to have the Australian fast bowler in its side at the IPL players auction last December.

Cummins, who bowled a wayward five balls in his first over, made up with his last one to have Robin Uthappa caught at long on by Kamlesh Nagarkoti.

Just as Stokes looked menacing came the Moment of the Match.

The Englishman cut Cummins upishly only to see wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik leap to his left and pull off a two finger catch, which the commentators ruled was the catch of the tournament.

DK, who has had a horrid time with the bat in IPL 2020, going for a duck again, more than made up behind the stumps taking four catches to get rid of Samson (off Shivam Mavi), Riyan Parag (off Cummins) and Tewatia (off Varun Chakravarthy).

Cummins -- who had figures of 4 for 34 -- then ended Smith's brief stay at the crease, bowling his fellow Aussie all ends up.

He also had a hand in ending Royals's hope of a recovery by catching Buttler -- who looked good with four fours and a six in his 35 -- off Chakravarthy.

KKR won the game by 60 runs, but will endure a nail biting couple of days for the outcome of the Royal Challengers Bangalore-Delhi Capitals game on Monday, and the SunRisers Hyderabad-Mumbai Indians encounter in IPL 2020's final league game on Tuesday.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Rediff Cricket

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2024