कोलकाता vs पंजाब, मैच 8, वानखेड़े स्टेडियम, मुम्बई, 01 April 2022 - कमेंट्री

Flatter and on middle, this is worked through mid-wicket for one.

SIX! Just the three needed! This guy is in his element today! What a knock, absolutely brutal! This is tossed up on off, Russell heaves it over the long off fence for a biggie.

SIX! Russell finishes it off in style! Another powerful hit! Liam Livingstone drags his length back and bowls it shorter and on middle, this is pulled over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie. KOLKATA WIN BY 6 WICKETS!

Bouncer around off, Sam drops his wrists and allows it through to the keeper.

Singh comes from 'round the wicket and angles in a slower length ball on off, Billings defends it back.

Uses the angle of the bowler and eases it with good timing to long on. Takes a single.

FOUR! Russell fires a rocket. And it's a no ball as well for overstepping. FIFTY FOR DRE RUSS! Full toss around off, Andre Russell latches onto it and bludgeons it straight back. Arshdeep Singh takes cover as it whistles over his head and even Kagiso Rabada fails to stop it with a full-length dive from long off.

Short and on middle, plundered to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Swing and a miss! Arshdeep takes the pace off this one. Short and outside off, Russell is early into the shot and misses.

SIX! Russell is putting on a show! Shows his range this time and rifles a full ball over covers for a biggie. Raw power. Just 10 needed more.

Short in length and wide outside off, cut to deep cover for a run.

Gets on the front foot to a full ball and drives it to long off for a run.

Around leg, fuller in length, it's helped behind square leg for one.

Flatter one, around middle, Sam moves back and turns it through mid-wicket for a single.

Wide! Turning way outside off, Russell leaves it alone.

Quicker one, around off, Russell winds up for a big heave but misses. The keeper breaks the stumps but Dre Russ has not ventured out from the crease.

Edged but safe! Loopy and full outside off, turning away, Andre Russell throws his bat at it but gets a thick outside edge. It goes on one bounce to short third man. Chahar has bowled out, 4-1-13-2!

FOUR! Easy-peasy! Odean had started his first spell in a similar fashion. Full delivery, way down the leg side, Russell picks it up and lofts it over short fine leg for a boundary.

SIX! That's plundered! Odean Smith steams in from 'round the wicket and delivers it on a length around leg, Dre Russ clears his front leg and smokes it over mid-wicket for a maximum.

SIX! Andre Russell is showing no mercy on his countryman. Poor bowling as well. Bowling to his strength. Shortish and down the leg side, Russell clears his front leg as he steps back and muscles it behind square leg.

Swing and a miss! Slower one, short and around leg, Russell winds up for another big pull shot but misses. Bhanuka Rajapaksa dives and parries it to short fine leg.

SIX! Brutal! Odean Smith returns to over the wicket, serves it on a platter on middle, the length is full and Russell clobbers it over the bowler's head for a maximum. 

Short and on middle, pulled powerfully to deep mid-wicket for a run. 23 from the over. Hang on, it's a no ball as well. Make it 24. Free Hit coming up. It will be Sam Billings on strike though.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Sam Billings shows that he can hit them long as well. A touch short and on off, Sam Billings hangs on the back foot and hoists it behind the bowler's head for a biggie. 30 from the over, 29 needed more now, off 48 balls.

Flighted and full, around leg, it's knocked down to long on for a run. Russell back on strike, can he take Chahar on?

A big leg break, landing around leg, Russell stands with an open stance inside the crease and defends it down.

Drags his length short and delivers it outside off, Russell slaps it with the spin to deep point for two.

Quicker through the air, short and on middle, Russell gets back and eases it to deep mid-wicket for a run. Sensible batting. 61 needed off 56 balls.

Floated one, fullish and around off, Sam drives it down to long off and rotates the strike.

Quicker delivery, short and on off, Andre stays back and taps it down in the gap at covers for one. 59 needed off 54 balls.

WIDE! Free run! Down the leg side, Russell looks to flick but misses.

Shorter and outside off, Russell looks to cut but under-edges it on the off side.

SIX! BANG! That should break the shackles! Flatter and on middle, Russell heaves it with the angle, he connects superbly and it goes over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Dre Russ is probably going for it now! On middle, Russell looks for a massive slog across the line but only drags it off the inner edge to fine leg. Two runs taken.

SIX! Smoked away! That has gone a long way again! Another colossal hit! Tossed up on middle, a little too full, Russell gets under it and smashes it over the long on fence. Momentum shifted yet again.

A single now! Smart batting! He realises this is way too full and just hits it all along the ground down to long on for one.

On off, Billings pushes it down to long off and takes one. A huge over comes to an end for Kolkata, the game is back in their favour now.

Well fielded! On middle, this is worked to the right of the bowler who dives and stops it.

That is brilliant fielding! Need such efforts if they are to win this game! The reverse sweep comes out, a low full toss is hit hard to point. The fielder dives to his left and saves three runs for his side.

Turn and good amount of turn! On off, this lands on middle and spins away. Russell blocks.

On middle, blocked.

NOT OUT! Billings is in! Outside off, this is guided to point and they go for one. The throw comes to the keeper who whips the bails off. An appeal and it is taken upstairs but replays show that the batter is in.

Another tidy over! On middle, defended.

Shorter and on off, this is pushed down to long off for one.

Shortish and outside off, Russell is off the mark as he cuts it to point. The fielder fumbles and a run is taken.

Shorter and on off, this is pushed to covers.

Another one tossed up on off, Billings eases it down to long off and takes one.

Well bowled! This is where he needs to be! On middle, Russell blocks.

Another dot to end! On middle, kept out. The required rate is now 7.

Shorter and outside off, Iyer cuts but to point.

BEATEN! That is a beauty! Floats it up and lands it on off, this pitches and turns away. Iyer is beaten as he tries to defend. Slip comes in after this delivery.

Outside off, this is guided to point.

OUT! TAKEN! Another rash shot by Shreyas Iyer and it costs him his wicket again! That is so bad, he played a needless shot in the last game and does so again here. This is lovely bowling by Chahar though. Slows it up after seeing the ball turn on the second ball. He bowls it on off. It is the leg spinner. Tempts Iyer to go big and the Kolkata skipper does. He looks to hit it across the line, the slog-sweep comes out, but this goes off the top edge and flies towards mid-wicket. Rabada takes it. Game on, game well and truly on. 87 needed off 80 balls.

On middle, Rana works it to mid-wicket.

OUT! HUGE SHOUT FOR AN LBW! THE FINGER IS RAISED! Rana reviews! THREE REDS! Chahar has two in the other and two big wickets. He has surely turned the game around. The leg spinner does the trick last time and this time it's a slider. It lands on middle and then skids straight on. Rana looks to block but does so outside the line. He misses and gets hit on the pad. A huge shout and the finger is raised. Rana reviews but in vain. He takes a review along with him.

FOUR! Timed brilliantly again! Outside off, shorter, it is pushed off the back foot through covers for a boundary.

Around off, this is guided towards point for one.

Good effort in the field! On middle, this one jags back in. Billings looks to drive but it goes off the inner half through square leg. The fielder in the deep made a lot of ground to his right, he dived and stopped it. Two taken.

Good length and on off, this is guided to short third man.

Whipped away and the 50 is up in no time! A full toss on the pads, this is worked through mid-wicket for two.

Good length and on off, defended. The Powerplay is done and Kolkata have cashed in 51 runs by losing two wickets.

FOUR! Easy pickings! A gentle loosener from Odean. Very full and way down the leg side, Shreyas swings his bat at it and hammers it over short fine leg for a one-bounce boundary.

Shortish and around off, Shreyas plays it down to the right side of short third man for a run.

 OUT! CAUGHT! That's a brilliant catch from Harpreet Brar. Back of a length, outside off and angling away, Venkatesh Iyer camps back and blazes it through the line. It goes aerially and quickly to cover-point where Harpreet Brar reacts well to grab it in the first attempt. But it's hit so ferociously that the ball wobbles out of his hands. Brar does well to reach out for it and clutches it well in the end. The third umpire is referred and he finds it to be done neatly. Kolkata lose their second wicket.

FOUR! Wow! Fuller in length and on middle, Sam Billings uses his wonderful wrists and flicks it delightfully through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Around off, on a length, there is some extra bounce, Billings pushes it from the back foot to mid off.

Another punch from the back foot from Sam but he finds the cover fielder. 9 runs and a wicket from the over, 96 needed off 90 balls.

Pitches it up and around off, Venkatesh Iyer drives it with a lovely extension of his arm towards mid off.

On a length and around off, Venkatesh Iyer stays back and taps it down to point.

Too straight in line, Venkatesh Iyer uses his feet to take it on the full and bunts it towards mid off for a run.

 Lovely wristwork. Short in length and on middle, Shreyas uses the angle of the bowler and works it in the vacant region at deep mid-wicket. Gets two.

FOUR! Sublime! A little too full from Rabada, around middle, in fact, a low full toss. Shreyas Iyer shows the full face of his bat and drives it crisply down to long on for a boundary.

Short in length and wide outside off, Shreyas slaps it to covers where the fielder dives and parries it towards mid off. They cross for a run. 8 from the over, 105 needed off 96 balls.

Fuller in length, drifting down the leg side, Venkatesh Iyer tries to flick but misses. It goes on the leg side off his pads and they take a leg bye.

Around off, on a length, Shreyas stays back and uses the angle of the bowler to steer it to deep point. A single is taken and Shreyas Iyer opens his account.

Excellent stop! Fuller and around off, Venkatesh drills his drive to the right of mid off where Odean makes a tumbling stop. The batters cross for a single.

Back of a length, around off, Shreyas stays back and plays it down to covers.

FOUR! Glorious! Arshdeep attempts for the slower one but his length is not correct. It's a juicy half-volley around off and Shreyas caresses it through the gap at extra cover for a boundary.

FOUR! Up and over point! Arshdeep Singh has leaked boundaries this evening. Short and wide outside off, Shreyas latches onto it and slams it over the infield for a boundary. 113 needed off 102 balls.

Sharp delivery, a touch short and on off, Iyer stays back and dabs it down wide of backward point for a run.

Rabada steams in and delivers it on a good length outside off, shaping away a bit, Rahane covers his stumps and shoulders arms.

FOUR! Two on the on side and this time Rahane just leans into the drive. He is a touch player and showing his class. Fuller and around off, Ajinkya Rahane presses forward and creams his drive through the gap at cover-point for a glorious boundary.

Wide! Short and wide outside off, Rahane allows it through to the keeper.

On a good length and outside off, shaping away a shade, Rahane leaves it on merit.

Back of a length and around off, Rahane leans back and tries to guide it past short third man. But he ends up finding that fielder.

OUT! CAUGHT! Rabada strikes in his first over and gets rid of Rahane. Serves it on a fuller length outside off, at 137 kph. It lands and shapes away off the seam and Rahane commits himself to the drive away from his body. It takes the outside edge and  Odean Smith takes a good catch at short third man. Can Punjab build on this breakthrough?

Arshdeep begins with a good-length delivery, in the channel outside off and his natural angle takes the ball away from the right-hander. Rahane allows it through to the keeper.

 FOUR! Fine timing! Arshdeep delivers it full and on middle, gets it to shape back in a bit, Rahane leans across in his stance and flicks it with great timing past mid-wicket for a boundary. Kolkata are away!

Lands it on a length around off, angling away, Rahane plays it close to his body and taps it down to point.

FOUR! Superb timing yet again! Brings up his 4000 runs in the Indian T20 League. Singh serves it on a length around leg, Rahane picks it off his pads and eases it through square leg for a boundary.

In the channel outside off, on a good length, Rahane shoulders arms.

Slightly short and outside off, angling away, Rahane stays back and guides it towards point. 'Wait and see' is the call from Ajinkya and eventually, they decide not to cross.