Highlights, IPL 2019, KKR vs SRH Match at Kolkata, Full cricket score: Russell's 19-ball 49 takes Knight Riders home

As sedate and one-sided as the opening game was, fans finally got a taste of the thrill that the IPL offers every now and then, as Kolkata Knight Riders bounce back from a sticky situation to finish with a memorable six-wicket victory at their home ground to begin their IPL 2019 campaign with a bang. 

Time for us to shift our focus to the Wankhede Stadium in the western coast of the country, where Mumbai Indians have won the toss and opted to field first against the newly-christened Delhi Capitals in the third game of the league. Follow live updates on the match here. 

What we have seen in the final three overs of the match is just carnage. Absolute carnage. KKR needed 53 in 18 balls and ended up winning the game with 2 balls remaining. Power hitting at its best, that too against the best bowling attack of the tournament. The way Russell hit Kaul and Bhuvi in 18th and 19th over of the innings, proves why he is considered as one of the best T20 hitters around. Also, don't forget Gill's finishing touch. Must say, this victory is a backdoor entry for the home team, who initially looked rusty. Nevertheless, it has been a happy ending and that's what ultimately matters.

Sandipan Banerjee, Freelance Cricket writer at Eden Gardens

19:59 (IST)

Full Scorecard

WHAT AN INNINGS!

Extraordinary turnaround at the Eden through Andre Russell’s blazing bat. Gill finishing match with two soaring sixes was icing on the cake for KKR.

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 24, 2019

After 19.4 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 183/4 ( Andre Russell 49 , Shubman Gill 18)

What a terrific finish to the game from the KKR perspective! An under-pressure Shakib starts off with a wide. Russell collects a single off the second delivery, bringing young Gill on strike. As ferocious as Russell was with the bat so far, it is Gill who finishes the game off in style with a couple of sixes, as the Kolkata Knight Riders script a memorable six wicket win and collect their first points on the board.  

SIX! Kolkata Knight Riders win by six wickets! Gill hits the winning six, shuffling forward and smacking a full toss from Shakib down the ground! KKR 183/4

SIX! Now Gill joins the party, shuffling down the track and clobbering the ball over long off! KKR 177/4 Just 5 needed off 4.

After 19 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 169/4 ( Andre Russell 48 , Shubman Gill 6)

Russell collects two boundaries and a mighty six off the first three balls to put the Sunrisers under further pressure. Dot off the fourth delivery, followed by another six — this one off a mishit by Russell. The Jamaican collects a single off the last ball to keep the strike. Just 13 needed off 6 now for KKR. 

SIX! Even a mishit by Russell disappears in the stands! Unbelievable hitting by the Jamaican! Stretches his arms, and hits off the toe-end of the bat, and yet manages to clear long off. KKR 168/4

FOUR! A better delivery from Bhuvneshwar, but to little avail in the end as Russell drills this down the ground, beating mid off along the way. Russell's hitting like he wants to end the game in this over itself. KKR 162/4

SIX! The biggest hit of the evening so far! The ball disappears in the night sky, before landing several rows behind the midwicket fence! KKR 158/4

FOUR! Full delivery from Bhuvi, and Russell brings his bat down in time to squeeze this towards the cow-corner fence! KKR 152/4

After 18 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 148/4 ( Andre Russell 27 , Shubman Gill 6)

Russell smashes a six off each of the first two deliveries to put Kaul under pressure right away. Can only collect a single off the third despite hitting the ball hard. Gill brings Russell back on strike with a single off the fourth. Russell smashes the ball through extra cover for a boundary off the fifth, and collects a single off the last ball to keep the strike. Needing 34 off 12, KKR suddenly have hope with Russell at the crease. 

FOUR! Creamed through the gap between extra cover and mid off! Kaul tried the knuckle ball, but couldn't quite execute it properly. KKR 147/4

SIX! Back-to-back sixes to Russell, and he brings KKR back in the chase after a couple of quiet overs! Low full toss from Kaul, and this one's muscled for a straight six! KKR 141/4

SIX! That's the kind of brute power that makes Dre Russ such a dangeorus prospect! Smashes this into the stands beyond midwicket. KKR 135/4

Siddarth Kaul brought back into the attack. 

After 17 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 129/4 ( Andre Russell 9 , Shubman Gill 5)

Gill collects a brace of the second delivery, with a single collected off each of the next four deliveries. Bhuvneshwar ends the over with a brilliant yorker, with Russell having little option other than to defend. Six off the over. KKR need 53 off the last 18 deliveries. 

Just for laughs!

strategic lightsout #KKRvSRH

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 24, 2019

Skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns to the attack with another four overs to go in the KKR innings. Advantage Sunrisers right now after the dismissal of Rana. 

After 16 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 123/4 ( Andre Russell 7 , Shubman Gill 1)

Just two deliveries are bowled in this over before one of the light towers at the High Court End goes off, causing problems to the batsmen. Play resumes a little over 10 mins later, and Rashid strikes right away, prising Rana out to put SRH in the driver's seat. Russell ends the over with a boundary, his first of the evening. Nine runs and a wicket. Meanwhile, Shubham Gill joins Andre Russell.  KKR need 59 off 24. 

We are back in business and Rana falls immediately. Clearly his rhythm was effected due to that unfortunate break. KKR are well behind in this run chase. Now it all depends on Russell. 

Sandipan Banerjee, Freelance Cricket writer at Eden Gardens

19:36 (IST)

Full Scorecard

FOUR! Russell collects his first boundary of the evening. KKR 123/4

OUT! Rashid strikes right after play resumes. Nitish Rana perhaps suffered a loss of concentration, his bat nowhere close to the ball, and was trapped plumb leg-before in the end. KKR 118/4

Rana lbw Rashid 68(47)

Players are back on the field after the interruption caused by floodlight failure. Rashid to resume bowling his final over. 

It is unfortunate to see a floodlight failure in an iconic venue like Eden. And this has happened here on previous occasions as well, even during a tournament like ICC World T20 2016. Even that time the problem was found in the High Court end light tower. The same tower has gone off tonight as well.

The players are going off the field right now, whereas, the local authorities are busy in damage control. Can't see this being fixed soon. 

Sandipan Banerjee, Freelance Cricket writer at Eden Gardens

19:30 (IST)

Full Scorecard

Timely reminder that SRK is in the house!

Look who's arrived at the Eden Gardens 😍😍#VIVOIPL #KKRvSRH pic.twitter.com/LvSufUeNg8

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2019

Play has been stopped for now as the lights go off in one of the towers at the Eden Gardens (not the first time at this venue), with Rana pointing it out just as Rashid was about to deliver the third ball of his final over. 

FOUR! Reverse-swept towards the third man fence by Rana off Rashid. The southpaw's key to KKR's chances now. KKR 118/3

After 15 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 114/3 ( Nitish Rana 64 , Andre Russell 3)

A dot and wide to start Sandeep's final over. Single collected off each of the next two deliveries. Rana smashes a full toss from Sandeep down the ground for a six, boosting KKR's fledgling run-rate in the process. 10 off the over. Another five overs to go. KKR need 68 off 30 balls. 

SIX! Full toss from Sandeep, and this one's smashed down the ground by Rana! A much-needed hit for KKR with the asking rate climbing rapidly! KKR 113/3

So, it seems the fate of this game will be decided based on the outcome of the Rashid vs Russell battle. The wicket of Karthik has severely hurt KKR's chances tonight and now it is all upto Russell. Meanwhile Rana has done a tremendous job. With wickets falling at the other end, he has got those boundaries to keep the home team still in the hunt.   

Sandipan Banerjee, Freelance Cricket writer at Eden Gardens

19:12 (IST)

Full Scorecard

After 14 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 104/3 ( Nitish Rana 56 , Andre Russell 2)

Sunrisers waste a review at the start of the 14th over after an unsuccessful lbw appeal by Rashid against Rana. The southpaw then cuts the next delivery through square to collect his seventh boundary. Russell barely picks a googly from Rashid, somehow managing to collect a single in the end. Rana sweeps towards square-leg off the last ball to keep the strike. Seven off the over. 

FOUR! Cut hard through point by Rana to collect his seventh boundary. Brings up the 100 for the hosts in the process. KKR 101/3

Rashid appeals for lbw against Rana first ball into the 14th over, and SRH go for the review after it's turned down. Looks like it would've missed leg. Pitching outside leg. Ends the matter right there. 

After 13 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 97/3 ( Nitish Rana 50 , Andre Russell 1)

Rana flicks a full delivery towards the square leg fence for a boundary at the start of the over, which is followed by a wide. Sandeep however, makes up for the poor start by dismissing Karthik three balls later, resulting in KKR losing their third wicket. Andre Russell joins Rana at the crease. Rana brings up his sixth IPL fifty with a single off the last delivery. 

Fifty to Nitish Rana — his sixth in IPL — and he brings up the milestone with a single off the last delivery of the 13th over. KKR 97/3

OUT! Knuckle ball does the trick for Sandeep as the ball stops on Karthik, who then chips it to his SRH counterpart Bhuvneshwar at extra cover to depart for 2. KKR 95/3

Karthik c Bhuvneshwar b Sandeep 2(4)

FOUR! Rana gets down on one knee, and flicks a full delivery from Sandeep over square-leg to collect his sixth boundary. KKR 91/2

What do you say?

.@SunRisers are a strong bowling unit. Last year they defended some real low scores against some solid batting line-up. What do you say guys - will they continue from where they left last year? #DavidWarner looked solid! #GameBanayegaName #KKRvSRH

— Pragyan Prayas Ojha (@pragyanojha) March 24, 2019

Not the ideal time to lose Uthappa. This will peg the hosts back. Skipper Karthik comes to the crease and with people like Russell to follow, we are heading towards an exciting finish in this game. The asking rate is still stiff and SRH have the variety as well as the quality in their death bowling. Well, at this point the visitors are slightly ahead in this game. 

Sandipan Banerjee, Freelance Cricket writer at Eden Gardens

18:57 (IST)

Full Scorecard

After 12 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 87/2 ( Nitish Rana 44 , Dinesh Karthik (C) (W) 0)

Excellent over from Kaul after being brought back into the attack, conceding just two runs while getting rid of Uthappa with a superb yorker to dismiss him for 35. Skipper DK walks out to the crease, and is yet to get off the mark after facing two balls. 

BOWLED! Kaul gets the breakthrough, bowling a vicious yorker to Uthappa just as the batsman was stepping out of his crease, flattening the off stump in the process. KKR 87/2

Uthappa b Kaul 35(27)

Siddarth Kaul returns to the attack for his third over. 

After 11 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 85/1 ( Nitish Rana 43 , Robin Uthappa 34)

Shakib's smashed for a six first ball into his third over, this one travelling flat over the square-leg fence. Rana also collects a maximum for himself four deliveries later, getting down on one knee and smashing the ball into the stands beyond wide long on. Huge over for KKR, with 15 coming off it. 

SIX! Two maximums in the 11th over already, and Shakib's under immense pressure! Rana gets down on one knee, and deposits this in the stands beyond wide long on. KKR 85/1

SIX! Flat hit over square leg, the ball travelling close to the fielder's outstretched hand! KKR 76/1

Shakib Al Hasan brought back in the 11th over. 

After 10 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 70/1 ( Nitish Rana 37 , Robin Uthappa 25)

Rashid foxes Uthappa with a googly off the penultimate delivery, the latter nearly chopping the ball onto his stumps. Superb over from Rashid, just two coming off it. At the halfway mark in their innings, the Knight Riders have a plenty of wickets at their disposal, but need to accelerate sooner or later with the required run-rate crossing 11 now. 

Not the start Pathan was wishing for in IPL 2019

Yusuf Pathan having an unhappy outing...

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 24, 2019

After 9 overs,Kolkata Knight Riders 68/1 ( Nitish Rana 36 , Robin Uthappa 24)

Uthappa collects a single off the first delivery. Fine stop by Bhuvneshwar at midwicket to save a couple of runs or even more for the visiting side, restricting Rana to only a single. Rana collects a boundary three balls later, getting down on one knee and rolling his wrists to a slower ball to guide it towards long leg. Eight off the over. KKR looking good in the first timeout of the innings.