Warne's Royals lose second game in a row as shining Knights roll on with eight-wicket win in Kolkata
Warne's Royals lose second game in a row as shining Knights roll on with eight-wicket win in Kolkata
Kolkata Knight Riders cantered to their third successive win with a clinical eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals and climb to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) table here yesterday.
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| Shane Warne. pic/GETTY images |
Lustily cheered by around 45,000 spectators at the majestic Eden Gardens, the Knights shot out the Royals for a paltry 81 and then reached their target with 6.1 overs to spare without much ado. Skipper Gautam Gambhir dispatched Shaun Tait to the point fence to carry KKR to 85 for 2 in 13.5 overs, and bolster their points tally to six from four games. Needing to score at a comfortable run rate of 4.1, the home side lost their star opener Jacques Kallis in the very second ball of the innings. The veteran top-edged Shaun Tait and Ross Taylor ran in from square-leg to take the catch. The other opener, Manvinder Bisla (9), departed in the seventh over, making it 31 for two, but Gambhir (35 not out off 35 balls) and Manoj Tiwary (30 off 26 balls) put on an unconquered 54-run partnership that saw the Knights through without any more damage.
Earlier, Gambhir won the toss and put the Royals in on what looked like a good batting wicket. Shane Watson (11) and Amit Paunikar (15) gave the Royals a sound start, racing to 24 in the fourth over, but then the rot started. The two openers were back in consecutive overs, and the procession of batsmen continued thereafter. In the end, only four Royals willowers managed to reach double figures.
Pacer Laxmipathy Balaji (3-15) and Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan (2-21) were the most successful bowlers. Royals now have four points from as many games.
