IPL 10, Match 27, KKR vs RCB: CT player of the match - Nathan Coulter-Nile

Kolkata Knight Riders were in red-hot form going into this game with only two losses in the first six games. While Royal Challengers Bangalore were struggling and needed a boost and this game was a must-win for them. With just four points on the board RCB for the first time were playing with all their batting heroes.

Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli all were back in the squad and Eden Gardens was expecting some fireworks tonight. However, what followed was a disaster for RCB. Chasing just 132 with this batting line up it would have been a walk in the park on some other days but Kolkata and Nathan Coulter-Nile had some other ideas.

They ran havoc through the RCB batting lineup as the team from south India registered the lowest total in the history of IPL. For this magnificent bowling performance from the Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile, he is our Player of the match.

Right on the money

There was not much room for error as Kolkata were defending only 132 on a good batting surface. If they had any chance to win this game with the batting line-up the opposition had, only early wickets could have saved them and this Australian bowler provided Kolkata with one.

It was the skipper Virat Kohli who made the long walk back. A wide ball outside off stump and Kohli just threw his hands at it gifting a catch to the second slip. It was the start Kolkata needed and they had it.

Building the pressure.

Coulter-Nile got some help from the other end as Umesh Yadav also snatched a wicket. But Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers were in the house and the game was not yet done. This man, however, was not fazed by the greatness of the batsmen as he played with their ego.

A short delivery almost at 150 kmph and de Villiers decided to take it on and skied it. The keeper Robin Uthappa did the honours as RCB were going down like nine-pins.

Sent back the man in form

In the absence of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Kedar Jadhav had shown some promise and was leading the batting attack of RCB. Even today after losing their stars Jadhav got off to a good start hitting Coulter-Nile for two glorious boundaries. Only six balls later, he got another go at Jadhav and this time the man from Australia got his wicket.

It was another danger man and the man in form going back into the pavilion without hitting the double figures. This left RCB reeling at 28 for 4 and soon were all out for a miserable 49.

For this magnificent performance of 3 for 21 in his four overs, Coulter-Nile is CricTracker’s player of the match and earns a rating of 4.5 out of 5.