Bengaluru, Oct. 3: The Kolkata Knight Riders notched up an important six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in match no. 49 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
With the IPL 2021 league stage reaching its business end and a cluster of teams fighting it out for the one final place left for the playoffs, the Knights ended up on the right side of the match today, going home with two important points.
The win saw Kolkata remain fourth on the points table with 12 points from 13 matches. Sunrisers, who are already out of the playoffs race, fell to their tenth loss of the season.
After being asked to bowl first, the Knight Riders bowlers, led by the spinners put up a clinical show to restrict Sunrisers to a paltry total of 115/8.
Tim Southee handed KKR a strong start removing SRH opener Wriddhiman Saha for a duck on just the second ball of SRH's innings. Though had Saha reviewed it, the SRH opener would have been safe. Jason Roy failed to click Shivam Mavi removed the opener for just 10 off 13 in the fourth over.
Skipper Kane Williamson (26 off 21) top scored for the Sunrisers, before a stellar runout by Shakib al Hasan saw the skipper back in the dugout. The Hyderabad batsmen failed to get going as they lost regular wickets. Abdul Samad's 25 off 18 saw SRH reach 115/8 in 20 overs. Southee, Mavi and Varun Chakravarthy pocketed two wickets each to keep SRH in check.
In reply, Shubman Gill played a match-winning knock to guide Kolkata home. Though the chase was a tricky one, the Gill's 57 off 51 set the stage for a win. Nitish Rana played a patient knock at the other end - 25 off 33 - to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Former skipper Dinesh Karthik's quickfire 18 off 12 in the end saw the Knights pocket two important points.
Here's how the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL match played out:
And that brings an end to the weekend double-headers! After RCB became the third team to qualify following their win over Punjab Kings in the first game of the day, the Kolkata Knight Riders collected two important points with their six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
FOUR!! Karthik smashes it - one bounce and over the ropes and Kolkata Knight Riders notch up a six wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Scores level. 1 needed off 3
Opportunity for two. But a safe single. 2 needed off 4
A dot to begin
A single to finish. Three needed from the last over. Can Knights finish it off or another thriller on the cards?
FOUR!! Karthik takes the pressure off with an important boundary. 6 needed off 9
Captain Morgan the new man in. Two dots to begin Bhuvi's over
WICKET!!! Rana skies it and Saha keeps his eye on it before collecting it safely. Holder pockets another wicket as Rana goes for 25 off 33.
FOUR!! And its cracked the lens.
Holder comes into the attack. 17 needed off the last three overs. A single to begin
FOUR!! Karthik gets straight down to business with a boundary towards long off
Dinesh Karthik the new batsman in
WICKET!! Siddarth Kaul hands SRH the breakthrough as the settled Shubman Gill flicks it, but too far as Holder picks him up at long on. Important wicket for SRH. KKR need 23 off 21.
FOUR!! Rana whacks this past the umpire
FOUR!! Gill brings up his half century off 44 deliveries.
Malik to bowl out. A dot to begin
Six runs off the over. KKR: 78/2 in 14 overs
FOUR!! Rana smacks this over third man.
Rashid back into the attack, replaces Holder
Good over for KKR as 9 runs come off Malik's over
FOUR! Back to back boundaries from Gill.
FOUR to get Malik's over underway! Gill puts it away past backward square
FOUR! Gill down the track and beats midwicket for the second boundary of the over.
FOUR! Gill picking up the pace now. Gill pulls this in front of square to pick up another important boundary, this time of Holder
FOUR!! Welcome boundary from Shubman Gill. One bounce and over the ropes at midwicket.
Rashid replaces Malik. Too close for comfort for Rana. A dot to begin
After leaking 10 runs in his first over, Malik bowls an good over with runs comign off just two wides.
Malik back into the attack. A dot to begin his second over
Timeout: KKR 40/2 after 8 overs. Just two runs off Kaul's first over