KKR vs SRH: Purple band in playoffs

Hyderabad: Chris lynched his way to a whirlwind half-century and then Robin Uthappa turned up the heat as Kolkata Knight Riders singed Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league game to register a five-wicket victory and qualify for the playoffs along with the vanquished, here on Saturday night.

Chasing a challenging 172 for 9, the visitors sealed the deal with two balls to spare at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.

Opener Lynn got them off to a flier, smashing a 43-ball 55 that was embellished with four boundaries and three sixes. His partner Sunil Narine too was in a hurry, hitting a quickfire 29 in just 10 balls — 4x4, 2x6. One-down bat Robin Uthappa contributed 45 in 34 balls that included three fours and two hits over the boundary while captain Dinesh Karthik contributed 26 in 22 balls to see Purple Band through.

Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan, captain Kane Williamson and Sreevats Goswami helped Sunrisers set a strong score. Dhawan was dominant for most part of his innings, towards the end of which he was dropped though, as he hit 50, his fourth half-ton this season and the 19th of his IPL career before falling leg before wicket to pacer Prasidh Krishna in the 16th over. But by then, the hosts were in cruise mode, thanks to Goswami’s 35 (26 balls, 4x4, 1x6) and Williamson’s 36 that came off 17 balls and included a boundary and three maximums.

Later, the scoring rate plummeted as the hosts managed just 31 runs in the last five overs and lost seven wickets! In fact, they managed only four off the final over at the cost of three wickets. Pacer Prasidh Krishna was the most successful KKR bowler, taking 4 for 30.

The Sunrisers began well, amid some drama though. Goswami on 1 had a successful review after umpire Anil Chaudhary ruled him out even as Andre Russell’s rising delivery missed the edge as he tried to pull, hit the helmet and looped to Nitish Rana at slip in the third over. A six over extra cover, a no ball and the resultant free hit crashing through the covers and a bouncer flying over a leaping Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps to the boundary for four byes and then a cut through the field that sped to the fence meant 20 runs came off that engaging over.

Dhawan was dropped on 45 when Sunil Narine failed to pouch a simple skier off Javon Searles in the 13th over with the side total reading 110 for 1. Captain Williamson rubbed it in by swatting the same bowler for consecutive sixes before cutting him into Andre Russell’s safe hands at the point boundary.