Kolkata record 48-run win over Hyderabad

KOLKATA: Kolkata Knight Riders continued their impressive streak at home with a 48 run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. KKR, batting first, put on 180 on the board with contributions from Gautam Gambhir (53), Jaques Kallis (41) and Eoin Morgan (47) before their bowlers put up a good show to restrict the visitors.

Chasing a mammoth 181, Parthiv Patel smashed Lakshmipathy Balaji for a six in the third over and followed it up with a boundary. But the KKR bowlers recovered to bowl tight lines, not allowing the visitors to score more than 39 runs in the power play. With the pressure mounting, Patel (27) went for a wild pull shot only to have Kallis peg back his stump. Cameron White got a move on with consecutive boundaries off Rajat Bhatia before Kallis struck again having White (34) caught brilliantly at the ropes by Yusuf Pathan.

Kumar Sangakara (2) fell soon after caught by Manoj Tiwary off Bhatia. Thisara Perera launched Sunil Narine for a huge six and followed it with a boundary. Tiwary then caught Dwaraka Ravi Teja (10) off Narine to further reduce SRH. Sachithra Senanayake picked his first IPL wicket bowling Ashish Reddy (4). SRH fell short by 48 runs.

Earlier KKR won the toss and chose to bat. Manvinder Bisla and Gambhir started positively dispatching three boundaries off Hanuma Vihari's 2nd over. Bisla continued his assault smashing consecutive boundaries off Perera. Bisla (28) finally fell caught at deep mid-wicket off Karan Sharma. Gambhir hit the first six sending Karan Sharma into the crowd in the 10th over. At the halfway stage KKR were at 76 for 1. Gambhir bought up his 18th IPL fifty in the 12th over with a boundary through third man.

Ashish Reddy got the much needed breakthrough for SRH bowling Gambhir. KKR stepped on the gas, with Morgan hitting Amit Mishra for a six and a four in the 16th over. Kallis joined the party the next over stroking Ishant Sharma for two consecutive boundaries in the off-side. Perera's 18th over was taken apart by Morgan as he plundered 22 runs from it. Morgan was run out by Dale Steyn after hitting the South African for a massive six. KKR eventually finished at 180 for 4 from their 20 overs.