Kolkata Knight Riders’ Yusuf Pathan plays a cut shot against Rajasthan Royals during their IPL match in Kolkata yesterday. (BCCI)
AgenciesKolkata
Yusuf Pathan (49 not out) and Jacques Kallis (33 not out) helped defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders register a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match at the Eden Gardens yesterday.
The duo had an unbeaten 78-run stand for the third wicket to destroy any chance of fightback from the visitors after KKR openers gave them a solid start. The hosts chased down the modest target of 133 runs with 2.4 overs to spare.
Pathan finally came to form and played a match-winning unbeaten 49 off 35 balls, which included three maximums and three hits to the fence. Kallis played his role to support the more aggressive Pathan perfectly, as the South African batsman hit a six and two fours in his quick 30-ball 33 knock.
Knight Riders lost Manvinder Bisla (29) and skipper Gautam Gambhir (12) inquick succession after a solid start against Royals.
The openers added 41 runs before Shane Watson dismissed Gambhir in the sixth over to give Royals a crucial breakthrough and reduce Kolkata to 41/1 in 5.3 overs.
Bisla followed his skipper soon in the eighth over by giving a simple catch to Ajinkya Rahane off Ankit Chavan. Bisla hit a six and four boundaries in his 25-ball innings.
Asked to field, disciplined Knight Riders bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to restrict Rajasthan to 132 for 6. Royals batsmen failed to put on any substantial partnerships during their innings after losing two early wickets.
Sachithra Senanayake was the pick of Kolkata bowlers, taking two Royals wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Rajat Bhatia (1 for 21), Sunil Narine (1 for 20), Iqbal Abdulla (1 for 22) and Jacques Kallis (1 for 25) also picked up a wicket apiece.
Young Sanju Samson was the top-scorer for the visitors with a 36-ball 40 as he hit two maximums and a four in his innings. Shane Watson (35) and Owais Shah (24) also contributed in their team’s effort.
In a surprise move, skipper Rahul Dravid dropped himself to No 7 and came to bat with just three balls remaining in the innings. He struck a boundary on the very first ball he faced but it was too late as Knight Riders had the perfect recipe to stay afloat in the competition.
The embattled Knight Riders went into the match with a three-pronged spin attack, bringing in Senanayake and left-arm spinner Abdulla alongside their trump card Narine.
It was a ploy that had given them results in the past on the Eden surface and they, once again, relied heavily on their spinners with their batters misfiring.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the defending champions’ last league fixture at the Eden.
NZ duo get early IPL release for England
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and key batsman Ross Taylor are set for an earlier than anticipated arrival in England after being granted early release by their Indian Premier League sides.
The pair was not expected to arrive on the tour of England until after the completion of this weekend’s inaugural three-day warm-up match against Derbyshire.
But McCullum and Taylor will now have more time to get used to English conditions before the two-match Test series gets underway at Lord’s later this month.
McCullum is due to join the team during their training session in Derby on Friday with Taylor following within 48 hours.
A Cricket New Zealand spokesman said Thursday: “McCullum will join the team in Derby later tomorrow (Friday) and Taylor is expected to arrive over the weekend.”
Taylor was replaced as New Zealand captain by McCullum in controversial circumstances during the tour of Sri Lanka last year. McCullum recently scrapped plans to sue former New Zealand skipper John Parker after receiving an apology over claims he said attacked his integrity.