Despite making his eagerly awaited comeback to the bowling crease on Thursday, Australia’s all-rounder Cameron Green was unable to assist the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) end their Indian Premier League (IPL) losing streak.
While recovering from a lower back ailment, Green, who became the most costly foreign recruit in the IPL when KKR paid Rs 25.20 crore for his services, played just as a batter in their first three games of the season.
After scoring an unbeaten 32 in KKR’s 181/4 total over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a small Eden Gardens crowd cheered as Green loosened up to bowl for the first time in this edition.
He removed LSG captain Rishabh Pant with his second delivery after being given the ball in the ninth over, but the over cost 12, and he was withdrawn from the attack.
LSG needed 30 from 12 balls when the 26-year-old returned for the penultimate over, but Mukul Choudhary, who finished 54 not out off 27 balls, milked him for 16.
After four games, three-time champions KKR were without a victory as LSG secured victory with the final ball. Their only point came from a washout versus Punjab Kings.
KKR batter Rovman Powell maintained his optimism.
“If you look at IPL history, teams that win are the ones that peak in the middle and later stages,” Reuters quoted the Caribbean cricketer telling reporters after their loss by three wickets.
“It’s not easy when you don’t start well, but our destiny is still in our hands. We still have games left. If we keep putting in the work, the results will come. Sometimes it’s not just about the result – tonight was a good game, we just ended up on the wrong side. But wins will come if we keep doing the right things.”
In the ten-team IPL, KKR are ranked ninth, above Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in net run rate.
