Pune Warriors contain Kolkata Knight Riders to 150 in IPL 2012 tie
Kolkata: May 5, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders frittered away a rollicking start as Pune Warriors hit back in the last 10 overs to restrict the hosts to 150 for five in their Indian Premier League at a jam-packed Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir played yet another captain’s knock as his third consecutive half-century laid the foundation of a big score, which though eluded the home team.
Opted to bat, the Knight Riders were off to a blazing start with Gambhir (56 from 36 balls) and Brendon McCullum (42 off 43 balls) putting on 113 runs, their highest opening stand of the season.
Kolkata would be disappointed as their star-studded middle-order flopped yet again. They scored just 29 runs in the last five overs and lost three wickets.
Pune were under the pump when Gambhir and McCullum were batting but once left-hander fell to Murali Karthik and McCullum became a victim of Sri Lankan paceman Angelo Mathews, complexion of the match changed.
In the first half of the KKR innings, erratic bowling by the Warriors — they leaked nine wides inside the powerplay — helped the cause of the hosts as they raced to 68 for no loss in the first six overs.
Gambhir made his intention clear in the very second ball, pulling Karthik over fine-leg for a boundary and hooked Dinda’s bouncer attempt over midwicket in the next over.
Gambhir then smashed Dinda for consecutive six and a four to collect 19 runs from his over.
The pressure was clearly palpable in the Warriors camp as Dinda dropped an easy sitter, giving McCullum a reprieve on 28 as the Knight Riders opening duo bettered their previous best — 95 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Gambhir completed his third consecutive half-century, and fourth overall in the ongoing IPL, with an elegant push off Wayne Parnell to the fine leg.
With Gambhir leading from the front, yet again, the Knight Riders progressed at 10 run-rate as Ganguly’s hapless bowlers found it difficult to break the partnership.
Kartik gave the much-needed breakthrough for the Warriors taking the dangerman Gambhir when he stepped out only to find Mithun Manhas at long off.
Just when it was going out of control, Mathews brought respite to Ganguly’s camp when he raced through his amazing spell of 4-0-17-2, taking the prized scalps of McCullum and Kallis (1) something that put the brakes on the Knight Riders scoring.
Struggling Yusuf Pathan and Debabrata Das found the going tough in the death overs as Warriors made a strong comeback conceding 3/29 in the last five overs.
Pathan’s run of woes continued, as he laboured his way to a 15-ball 11. (PTI)
Brief Scores: KKR 150 for 5 in 20 overs (Gautam Gambhir 56, Brendon McCullum 42; Angelo Mathews 2 for 17, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2 for 27) vs PWI