McCoy, Hetmyer shine in Royals win over KKR

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Superstar Andre Russell made a one-ball ‘duck’, Sunil Narine also failed to score, while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal shone with a hat-trick. But it was rising West Indies star Obed McCoy who snatched two wickets in a dramatic last over as Rajasthan Royals edged Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller here yesterday.

Asked to chase 218 at Brabourne Stadium, KKR got 85 from 51 balls from captain Shreyas Iyer and a 28-ball 58 from Australian opener Aaron Finch, but still found themselves with 11 runs required from the last over.

In his first outing of the new Indian Premier League campaign, left-arm seamer McCoy (2-41) then conceded just three runs and knocked over Sheldon Jackson (eight) and Umesh Yadav (21) to end the innings with two balls to spare.

Royals had earlier been galvanised by English opener Jos Buttler, who slammed 103 off 61 deliveries, while captain Sanju Samson belted an 19-ball 38, to get up to 217 for five off 20 overs.

West Indies left-hander Shimron Hetmyer blasted a 13-ball, unbeaten 26 to produce yet another cameo, as Royals posted the highest total this season and passed 200 for the second time.

Buttler’s fourth career T20 hundred and second of the campaign contained nine fours and five sixes, and he put on 97 for the first wicket with Devdutt Padikkal (24), and 67 for the second wicket with Samson, who smashed three fours and two sixes.

Once Buttler departed in the 17th over, Hetmyer picked up the mantle, belting two fours and two sixes, and plundering 18 from the last over sent down by pacer Russell.

Narine earned two for 21 from four stingy overs of off-spin.

In reply, Hetmyer found himself in the action again, throwing down the stumps at the striker’s end to run out Narine without facing a ball, off the first delivery of the innings.

Iyer then punched seven fours and four sixes, and Finch struck nine fours and a couple of sixes in a 107-run, second-wicket stand which stabilised the run chase.

Nitish Rana (18) added a further 41 for the third wicket with Iyer, before falling in quick succession with Russell, who was bowled by off-spinner Ravi Ashwin in the 14th over, and Chahal’s (5-40) 17th over fireworks sent the run chase further into a spiral at 180 for eight.

Umesh lashed a four and two sixes in a 29-run, eighth-wicket stand with Jackson, before McCoy held his nerve superbly at the death to eliminate their threat.

Royals now lie second but are one of four teams on eight points, with Gujarat Titans on top on 10 points.