debut: 2/16/17
40,797 runs
Player of the Match, Kieron Pollard
3:32 pm The visitors seemed to have the game in their bag for the first ten overs, but the Knight Riders had a different plan for the latter stages, pulling off a bizarre comeback to win. The Patriots got off to a fantastic start, scoring 50 runs in the Powerplay thanks to openers Fletcher and Lewis. Fletcher even got a life on 35 when he was dropped by Pollard, and was dropped again in the very next over by Usman Tariq. After ten overs, the Patriots were cruising at 89 for no loss. The game turned completely right after the strategic timeout. Nathan Edward got the crucial breakthrough, dismissing Evin Lewis for 42 runs off 25 balls. After Lewis's wicket, the Patriots' run rate slowed, and the required run rate kept on rising. Edward then struck again, picking up two back-to-back wickets to put the Patriots into real danger. The Knight Riders, with a combination of exceptional fielding and brilliant bowling, completely restricted the Patriots, turning an 89/0 start into a 12-run loss. Edward finished with three wickets, while Amir grabbed two. The Knight Riders will celebrate their fifth consecutive home win, and they qualify for the Playoffs, but they'll have two injury concerns to deal with in Amir and Andre Russell.