Wanindu Hasaranga lived up to his Rs 10.75 crore (Rs 107.5 million) price tag as he returned with four wickets for 20 runs (economy rate: 5) as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kolkata Knight Riders in a low scoring game at the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, March 30, night.
After a poor start in the opening game against Punjab Kings, Hasaranga came back brilliantly, ably supported by the pace trio of Akash Deep (3/45), Harshal Patel (2/11) and Mohammed Siraj (1/25) after RCB opted to bowl after winning the toss.
The RCB leg-spinner's first scalp of the night was KKR Captain Shreyas Iyer. His full length leg-break resulted in Iyer opting for a lofted shot down the ground which resulted in a straight forward catch for Faf du Plessis.
The 24 year old from Galle in southern Sri Lanka then picked up Sunil Narine and Sheldon Jackson in the same over to dent KKR's progress. Narine attempted to smash a googly and the mistimed shot ended in a simple catch to Akash Deep.
The leg-spinner's third wicket on the night arrived courtesy of Sheldon Jackson who had no answer to Hasaranga's googly as it crashed into the stumps to make KKR 67/6.
Hasaranga's final wicket of the night was Tim Southee, who swung at a turning delivery and the poor shot ended up in Faf's safe hands at long-on.
Pinnaduwage Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva, who gave away 40 runs for 1 wicket at an economy rate of 10 in Sunday's game against the Punjab Kings, revealed three days later why RCB wanted him so badly in the team.
