IPL: KKR beat Sunrisers by 48 runs

Kolkata, April 14 (IANS):

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders humbled Sunrisers Hyderabad by 48 runs in an Indian Premier League match at the Eden Gardens here Sunday.

The Sunrisers managed 132/7, chasing an imposing 181 of KKR. Gautam Gambhir (53), Jacques Kallis (41) and Eoin Morgan (47) were the main contributors in KKR’s 180 for four. The home skipper was adjudged man of the match for his fine knock.

KKR, who met the Hyderabad franchise for the first time in their new avatar as Sunrisers Hyderabad, kept their impressive home record against them intact, winning four out of five matches. The other match was washed out. Sunrisers have won three out of their five matches.

Playing their home match after losing two consecutive away games, KKR garnered much needed points to put back in track their title defence. They have won two of their four games.

The Sunrisers started off solidly with explosive batsman Cameron White promoting himself up the order to partner Parthiv Patel. The duo put up the first 50 run opening partnership for the visitors in IPL-6.

However, the first wicket stand was broken at 57 when Patel 27 (31b 2×4 1×6) was castled by a Jacques Kallis delivery while trying to play an expansive shot.

Patel’s exit from the pitch signalled a fall of wickets as both Cameron 34 (31b 2×4 1×6) and skipper Kumar Sangakara (2) departed in quick secession, leaving the visitors reeling at 71/3 in the 12th over.

With the asking run rate mounting with each passing over, the frail Sunrisers batting line-up wilted under pressure and threw their wickets away in their endeavour to score quick runs.

Sachitra Senanayeke with one for 18 off his four overs made an impressive IPL debut for KKR. Allrounder Kallis, who earlier impressed with the bat scoring 41, came out to torment the visitors this time with the ball.

Kallis’ removal of both the dangerous looking openers derailed the visitors’ run chase as they failed to sustain the momentum while the hosts tightened their grip in the match.

The burly South African came back in the penultimate over to get rid of Thisara Perera 36 (25b 2×4 1×6).

He finished with figures of 3/13 off his four overs.

Sunil Narine 1/31 and Rajat Bhatia 2/33 were the other wicket takers.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Manvinder Bisla c Vihari b K.V. Sharma 28

Gautam Gambhir b Ashish Reddy 53

Jacques Kallis run out (Mishra/Patel) 41

Eoin Morgan run out (Steyn) 47

Yusuf Pathan not out 3

Extras (lb 4, w 4) 8

Total (Four wickets in 20 overs) 180

Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Bisla, 7.4 overs), 2-102 (Gambhir, 13.4), 3-169 (Morgan, 18.4), 4-180 (Kallis, 19.6)

Bowling:

Dale Steyn 4-0-29-0

Hanuma Vihari 1-0-14-0

Ishant Sharma 4-0-33-0

Thisara Perera 4-0-44-0

Amit Mishra 3-0-28-0

Karan Sharma 2-0-13-1

Ashish Reddy 2-0-15-1

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Parthiv Patel b Kallis 27

Cameron White c Pathan b Kallis 34

Kumar Sangakkara c Tiwary b Bhatia 2

Dwaraka Ravi Teja c Tiwary b Narine 10

Thisara Perera b Kallis 36

Ashish Reddy b Senanayake 4

Karan Sharma not out 5

Hamuna Vihari c Tiwary b Bhatia 1

Amit Mishra not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 6, w 5) 12

Total (Seven wickets in 20 overs) 132

Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Patel, 8.6 overs), 2-68 (White, 10.3), 3-71 (Sangakkara, 11.1), 4-107 (Ravi Teja, 15.3), 5-115 (Ashish Reddy, 16.6), 6-124 (Perera, 18.4), 7-127 (Vihari, 19.3)

Bowling:

Lakshmipathy Balaji 4-0-30-0

Sachithra Senanayake 4-0-18-1

Sunil Narine 4-0-31-1

Jacuqes Kallis 4-0-13-3

Rajat Bhatia 4-0-33-2

Match details:

Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders chose to bat

Umpires: M. Erasmus (South Africa) and V.A. Kulkarni

TV umpire: K. Srinath

Match referee: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

Reserve umpire: A.S. Pathania