Shakib, Uthappa trounce Super Kings

Robin Uthappa hit his fourth fifty of the season while Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan smashed a quickfire 46 to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.

>>IANS/bdnews24.com
Published : 20 May 2014, 07:23 PM
Updated : 20 May 2014, 07:23 PM

Playing their first match at the Eden Gardens before a near capacity vociferous crowd, the Knight Riders chased down CSK's 154 with two overs to spare on Tuesday. Uthappa top scored with 67 and Shakib played only 21 deliveries to hasten the chase.

With their fifth win on the trot, KKR have nearly sealed their berth for the playoffs.

They now have seven wins from 12 matches and are currently placed fourth in the points table.

KKR's chances for the knockout round were earlier brightened following the Sunrisers Hyderabad's seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers in the afternoon game.

KKR started off in a blazing fashion with opener Uthappa creaming the inning's very first ball for a four, but was lucky to get two 'lives' when his edge off Ben Hilfenhaus was spilled by Ravichandran Ashwin, while Suresh Raina failed to latch on to a difficult chance. Pacer Mohit Sharma was the unlucky bowler.

The 64-run first wicket partnership was broken in the seventh over when skipper Gautam Gambhir (21) was castled by Ishwar Pandey.

In their last seven outings, Gambhir and Uthappa have stitched two century and three half-century partnerships for the Knight Riders.

Dhoni continued to juggle his bowlers but could not rein in Uthappa who hit Ravindra Jadeja for a boundary past the keeper to notch up his fifty.

Jadeja, however, had the last laugh when Uthappa, trying to clear long off, chipped out to Faf du Plesis who accepted it gleefully.

With just 56 required of the last eight overs, Shakib played sensibly and at a brisk rate as Kolkata moved closer to victory.

While Pandey (18 off 28 deliveries) preferred to play anchor, the Bangladesh all-rounder was the aggressor as he hit pacer Hilfenhaus for a six and two consecutive fours in the 17th over, before sending Sharma for a four to bring in the victory.

Put in to bat first, CSK rode on an enterprising half century by Suresh Raina to post a challenging score on a slow turner.

After the early fall of Dwayne Smith (5), Raina (65) stitched two crucial half-century partnerships - first with Brendon McCullum (28) and then with du Plesis (23).

McCullum returned when he skied a Sunil Narine delivery to be smartly caught by Surya Kumar Yadav running in from long-off.

In-form Raina continued unfazed as he hit Piyush Chawla for two consecutive sixes and a four to reach his fifty.

The visitors cruised past 100 in the 15th over, but the 62-run third wicket partnership was broken when du Plessis was run out by Chawla in the 17th over with the score at 122/3.

Soon after, Raina holed out in the deep trying to hit Chawla out of the park.

Skipper MS Dhoni (21) and Ravindra Jadeja (9) remained unbeaten to take CSK past 150.

Narine (1/24) was at his economic best for the Knights while Chawla (1/42) and Cummins (1/29) were the other wicket takers.