Kolkata: It was a comprehensive win for the Kolkata Knight Riders as they thrashed a listless Sunrisers Hyderabad by 35 runs in the Indian Premier League, here at the Eden Gardens on Monday.
And its over and we win by 35 runs. Amazing game it was today. Well played @SunRisers. Good luck for your next match! #Go4More #KKRvsSRH
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 4, 2015
After skipper Gautam Gambhir (31) and teammate Robin Uthappa (30) gave Kolkata Knight Riders a good start, the remaining side didn't capitalise on it, ultimately losing the plot as they finished for 167-7. Spin did the trick for SRH, Bipul Sharma and Karn Sharma in particular finishing off with figures of 1-23 and 2-29 respectively.
Check out: Six players to watch out for
David Warner has won the toss and SRH have elected to field.
Match 38. Sunrisers Hyderabad win the toss and elect to field http://t.co/38WiEpWJCo #KKRvSRH
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2015
Posting three wins in four games, including one against KKR in a rain-marred encounter in the first leg, the Orange Army have jumped to fifth behind the Purple Brigade with one match in hand.
I will start my bday with aloo paratha and lassi and hopefully end it with 2 points tonight. @SunRisers
— Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) May 4, 2015
Check out: Points table
It's been a mixed bag for KKR, on the other hand, as they are still striving to be consistent in the backdrop of a controversy surrounding Sunil Narine's bowling action as they have slipped to fourth place.
Check out: Here’s why Kolkata Knight Riders can do without Sunil Narine
While KKR lost in Bangalore defending 112 from 10 overs in a last over finish, SRH handed Chennai Super Kings a second successive thrashing in their first match in Hyderabad this season.
Here are the team line-ups
SRH XI: D Warner, S Dhawan, N Ojha, M Henriques, E Morgan, H Vihari, B Sharma, K Sharma, D Steyn, B Kumar, P Kumar
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2015
KKR XI: R Uthappa, G Gambhir, M Pandey, R ten Doeschate, Y Pathan, S Yadav, A Russell, P Chawla, J Botha, B Hogg, U Yadav
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2015
When they take the field, KKR will be aware they have a psychological edge over SRH, having defeated them thrice in five meetings but on form the Hyderabad outfit will be ahead.
On the field, it will boil down to a battle between their batting firepower led by David Warner against the KKR bowlers, especially the slower ones who would look to revel in home conditions.
Here's how the action unfolded:
SRH: 132-9 (20 overs)
WICKET! Andre Russell struck in the last over of the match sending Praveen Kumar (12) back.
WICKET! After a hat-trick of sixes Johan Botha finally won the battle for KKR sending Karn Sharma, who scored a quick 32 off 21, back.
WICKET! SRH need 87 off 35 balls and it looks like they'll be fighting a losing battle at the Eden Gardens, now after the loss of Moises Henriques. Till the Australian batsman was in the crease, SRH had slim hopes of a win, but now it looks like Henriques' departure has put the final nail in the coffin. Henriques played a good knock scoring 41 runs.
WICKET! SRH don't seem to be fighting at all except Moises Henriques, who remains firm with no support at the other end. Bipul Sharma has just fallen short of his crease has been run-out without troubling the scorers.
WICKET! Piyush Chawla has just send Hanuma Vihari for just 6 runs and SRH have lost half their side.
WICKET! A quick single by SRH has cost them dearly as now Eoin Morgan, who was putting up a great partnership with Moises Henriques at the other end couldn't complete the run and was run-out. Morgan scored just 5 runs.
WICKET! Chinaman bowler Brad Hogg can't stop taking wickets, this time sending SRH southpaw Shikhar Dhawan (15) back to the dugout. SRH are in deep trouble now.
WICKETS! Sunrisers Hyderabad are in trouble after the loss of two quick wickets, Umesh Yadav doing the damage. First one to depart was SRH skipper David Warner () and then Naman Ojha, who joined his skipper in the pavillion without scoring.
Umesh sends Warner packing with a beauty - @KKRiders #IPL https://t.co/RNlMimOOe6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2015
KKR: 167-7 (20 overs)
WICKET! Bhuvi was not satisfied with one wicket as this time he struck again for SRH sending Suryakumar Yadav for just 6 runs.
WICKET! Bhuvneshwar Kumar added a wicket to his name after Johan Botha chopped the ball back at the stumps. Botha scored 12 runs.
WICKET! Moises Henriques has provided SRH with yet another wicket, this time Ryan ten Doeschate had to walk back after adding just 8 runs to the KKR total.
WICKET! KKR look to be losing the plot against SRH. After a terrible mix-up between Manish Pandey and Ryan ten Doeschate, the former threw his wicket much to the disappointment of fans at Eden Gardens. Pandey scored 33 runs.
This could have been a Southee-Nair repeat @SunRisers #SRH #IPL https://t.co/6xXmZCwxK6
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2015
WICKET! KKR in real trouble after spin is doing the damage at the Eden Gardens, Bipul Sharma has just sent in-form West Indies all-rounder back to the pavillion for just 1 run.
WICKET! SRH skipper David Warner has just pulled a blinder of a catch of a catch to get rid of Robin Uthappa, who scored 30 runs.
WICKET! Spin has done the trick for SRH as Karn Sharma has broken the parntership sending the KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir (31) back to the dugout.
Much of their success is attributed to Warner, who has led from the front after being named skipper ahead of the season. The explosive opener has been in sublime form with five half-centuries in eight matches, and four of them in winning causes as he boasts of the maximum 50s (21) in IPL.
Warner's 91 from 64 balls in their first leg fixture had given SRH a 16-run victory in the first leg and KKR can consider half the battle won if they get the left-hander cheaply.
To address the threat, KKR may bring in ace South African speedster Morne Morkel who has had some success against the Aussie. The South African has dismissed the opener six times in International cricket and twice in the IPL, including the first leg, and it would be interesting to see whether Gambhir brings in Morkel, who has not played the last three matches.
Having returned to winning ways after securing a handsome win over CSK, KKR have hit the slump once again going down to RCB for their fourth loss.
KKR are slated to play three matches at home beginning with SRH on Monday before they conclude with two away games and it's imperative for Gambhir's men to make the three count in order to make the playoffs.
(Photo: BCCI)
In their last outing here, SRH were thrashed by KKR and the visitors will also be keen to settle scores. On current form, SRH look fresh after notching the highest total of this IPL -- 192/7 against CSK.
The inclusion of Moises Henriques and Eoin Morgan has been good for the team and their formidable batting will be their main strength.
SRH have also found the right mix of Indian players with the likes of Ashish Reddy and Naman Ojha doing their jobs impressively. However, it's their spin bowling resources which may be a cause for concern as their main tweaker Karn Sharma will have to bring out his best, while it remains to be seen whether they will bring in Pervez Rasool who has just played one match this season.
