Abu Dhabi, Sep 20 (IANS) Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell combined forces to send Royal Challengers Bangalore crashing to 92 all out in 19 overs in the second match of the UAE leg of IPL 2021 in Abu Dhabi. Kolkata were water-tight with their bowling, hardly giving a lacklustre Bangalore batting order, struggling to come to terms with a two-paced pitch, some breathing space. It is Bangalore's sixth lowest total in the history of IPL.

After electing to bat first, Bangalore started off with captain Virat Kohli unleashing a lovely punch on the up through covers off Prasidh Krishna. But Krishna fought back on the next ball, trapping Kohli lbw with a delivery which nipped back in and hit him above the knee roll. Kohli (5) took the DRS but couldn't turn the decision in his favour.

Devdutt Padikkal (22) looked in sublime touch with well-timed boundaries. But Lockie Ferguson sent back him back on the last ball of power-play, taking a thin edge behind to keeper Dinesh Karthik while playing the ramp shot.

Debutant KS Bharat (16) tried to break the shackles with a back-foot pull off Andre Russell in the ninth over. But with no timing on the shot, the top-edge was grabbed by Shubman Gill running in from deep mid-wicket.

Bangalore's day went from bad to worse as three balls later, Russell took out AB de Villiers for a golden duck with a quick yorker on leg-stump clipping his back foot and hitting the stumps. The double-wicket over by Russell broke the back of Bangalore's innings.

Glenn Maxwell's frustrating 17-ball stay at the crease ended with him coming out for the big shot, only to be clean bowled by Varun Chakravarthy. One brought two for Kolkata as Chakravarthy's googly claimed Wanindu Hasaranga lbw for a golden duck on the next ball.
Chakravarthy added another wicket to his name with Sachin Baby (7) slicing to backward point. The leg-spinner's day got better when he got his finger on the ball while trying to stop and ran out Kyle Jamieson from the non-striker's end. Ferguson got his second wicket of the day with a slower yorker dismantling Harshal Patel's bails.

Mohammed Siraj's attempt to get cheeky with a scoop ended in fine leg's hands, summing up Bangalore's innings, devoid of momentum and direction.

Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 92 all out in 19 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 22, KS Bharat 16, Andre Russell 3/9, Varun Chakravarthy 3/13) against Kolkata Knight Riders

--IANS

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