This match had a superb Sunil Narine century, a decent closing effort by the Rajasthan Royals bowlers to stay in the game, some excellent bowling from the Kolkata Knight Riders spinners before a comeback like no other from Jos Buttler. With 103 required, four wickets in hand and 46 balls to go, KKR were playing the perfect game only for a brief spell of individual brilliance from Buttler to make a mockery of it all. He scored 70 of those runs, kept strike for each of the last 18 balls, and hit five sixes and six fours in that period. To a casual T20 watcher, this was perverse joy; to fans of T20 cricket, such extreme possibility is where the appeal lies.
It had everything. Twists, turns, controversy, magnificent ball-striking, and most crucially an entirely unexpected protagonist starring in a pulsating finish. Karn Sharma‘s T20 batting numbers give you no warning of the inspired things he can do from time to time. Back in 2014, he had hooked Mitchell Johnson, a man still fresh from his Ashes and South Africa exploits of 2013-14, over the stadium roof in Sharjah. Now he faced up to Mitchell Starc with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) needing 21 to win off the last over, and carved his first ball over backward point for a flat six. And he wasn’t done. Two more sixes came in the next three balls, both thumped over the off side, and with three needed off two balls RCB were perhaps favourites. It wasn’t to be, though, and the game ended with two moments of glorious randomness: a low caught-and-bowled off a low full-toss, and a run-out, with Phil Salt’s athleticism rescuing an off-target throw from the deep that could have allowed RCB to steal a match-tying second run.
Run-fests are fun but only they happen in proportions that have never been seen before. It’s why the 434 game is still legendary. But there was one more reason that game captured so many people’s imaginations. It retained suspense. The first clash between KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad managed something similar. It refused to follow any script. KKR were 119 for 6. Then something happened (Hint: Andre Russell) and suddenly they were 208. SRH were 111 for 4. Then something happened (Hint: Heinrich Klaasen) and they needed 7 off 5 balls. That should’ve been that. But something happened again (Hint: Harshit Rana) and, for one last time, the game changed.