Suryakumar Yadav’s maiden IPL fifty helps Kolkata Knight Riders edge out Rising Pune Supergiants by 2 wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders are placed at the top of the points table in IPL 9.

Suyarakumar Yadav’s maiden IPL half-century helps Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) edge past Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in Match 20 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016. Earlier, KKR captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bowl. Given most teams won the match chasing a target, this was a good toss to win. Morne Morkel and Andre Russel started the proceedings by bowling in the right channel and kept RPS batsmen on the back foot. However, Ajinkya Rahane took Morkel to the cleaners and plundered a six and four in the 3rd over. Looking RPS take the charge, Gambhir introduced Shakib Al Hasan in the 4th over. Rahane welcomed him with a brilliant whip past long on. However, Gabhir’s decision paid off, as Shakib knocked over Faf du Plessis with a peach of a delivery in the same over.  FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2016, Match 20 at Pune

However, despite the dodgy display by the RPS batsmen, Rahane picked his gaps and scored his third half-century of IPL 9. It was, then, Dhoni who gave the finishing touches by scoring 23 off just 12 balls, as RPS set up a target of 161 runs.

Albie Morkel struck off the very first ball of the second innings. He sent the in-form Robin Uthappa to the dug out on a golden duck. On a pitch that had very little to offer to the pacers, it was a remarkable start for RPS. To make matters worse, Gambhir was run out on 11 after he hit 2 consecutive boundaries off Morkel. Before this game, Gambhir already had 3 half-centuries under his belt. It was imperative for RPS to dismiss these two talismanic batsmen and make early inroads. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2016, Match 20 at Pune

With Manish Pandey out of the playing XI due to chickenpox, Suryakumar got the opportunity to display his talent at No. 3. He made full use of the conditions and took the RPS bowlers to the cleaners. He stitched a crucial 51-run partnership with Yousuf Pathan to put KKR in a commanding position. Looking at Pathan firing on all cylinders, Suryakumar was happy to play the second fiddle. Soon, he brought up his maiden IPL hald-century and acknowledged the KKR dug out by raising his bat.

RPS managed to wrestle back and scalped 2 wickets in quick succession. Both Pathan and Suryakumar were trapped in front by Rajat Bhatia and Murugan Ashwin respectively.

KKR needed 42 off 4 overs, with the Calypso King Andre Russell at the crease. He did what he does the best. He brought down the equation by spanking two mighty maximums off Ankit Sharma’s over. With 25 needed off 18, the match seemed in KKR’s favour. Nonetheless, there was drama in the store for the spectators. Russell holed out to du Plessis at long on and KKR were in a spot of bother. R Sathish continued the rampage by going down town off the first ball of the 19th over. However, yet again, fortune swung towards Dhoni as Sathish was knocked over in the same over.

KKR needed 7 off the last over. Piyush Chawla and Umesh Yadav were at the crease. Given Chawla’s last-over heroics in the final of IPL 7, it seemed KKR would stroll towards victory with ease. But, Chawla played a rash shot under pressure and hit straight to Steven Smith at long on. The onus was then on Yadav and Narine to take the team over the line. KKR needed 5 off 4. Perera to Yadav. Perera pitches it up and Yadav scythes it over the sight screen to put KKR at the top of the table.

Brief scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders (Suryakumar Yadav 60 (49), Yousuf Pathan 36 (27); Shakib Al Hasan 1 for 14, Umesh Yadav 1 for 16) beat Rising Pune Supergiants (Ajinkya Rahane 67 (52), MS Dhoni 23* (12); Rajat Bhatia 2 for 19, Thisara Perera 2 for 28) by 2 wickets

Player of the Match: Suryakumar Yadav

(Kaustubh S. Mayekar, a reporter at CricketCountry, played cricket at U-16 level. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he often shadow-practises cricket shots. His Twitter handle is @kaumedy_.)

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