Shakib’s Kolkata beat Mustafizur’s Hyderabad to clinch spot in IPL playoffs

Kolkata Knight Riders have sealed a facile 22-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last pool phase match to secure a place in the playoffs of the Indian Premier League.

Asked to bat first, Kolkata rode on gritty knocks from Yusuf Pathan (52 not out) and Manish Pandey (48) to post 171-6 at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

In reply, Sunrisers only managed 149-8 despite Shikhar Dhawan making 51 at the top.

Bangladeshi stars of either team, Shakib Al Hasan (1-34) and Mustafizur Rahman (1-32), picked up a wicket each but the allrounder once again failed with the bat.

Shakib managed just 7 before skying Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The left-handed batsman scored four runs playing six balls off Mustafizur.

Knight Riders were three down for 57 before Pathan and Pandey put 87 runs on the scoreboard in eight overs.

The duo cracked five boundaries and as many sixes between them to maintain a brisk run rate before Bhuvneshwar took out Pandey with a full toss in the 16th over.

Mustafizur, who gave away 20 runs from his first two overs, was brought back into the attack in the next over.

The 20-year-old seamer was gifted a wicket when Jason Holder (3) sent a full toss straight to cover.

He then conceded three runs in his last over - the penultimate over of the innings.

Although Sunrisers, who have already booked a place in the playoffs, lost their captain David Warner (18) to spinner Sunil Narine in the fourth over of the chase, Dhawan held the innings well.

He smashed four boundaries and three sixes in his 30-ball knock but Hyderabad lost their way after Dhawan departed in the 12th over.

Much like Mustafizur, Shakib was hammered in his first two overs, which bled 23 runs. But he came back in his next two overs in style.

Cracking a boundary and two sixes, Yuvraj Singh (19) threatened to take the match away from Kolkata. But Shakib snared his wicket to bring relief to the home team.

After that, Hyderabad could not keep up with the climbing asking run rate as Kolkata's win confirmed three spots in the last four.

Caribbean spinner Narine was the pick of the bowler for Kolkata, returning 3-26 in 4 overs.

The match between Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore later in the evening will confirm the final spot of the playoffs.