CLT20 Highlights: Kolkata Knight Riders Script 13th Consecutive Win With 36-Run Victory vs Dolphins
Kolkata Knight Riders won their fourth successive game when they beat Dolphins by 36 runs in Hyderabad.
Kolkata Knight Riders did not ease the pressure when they took on Dolphins in an unimportant clash. Catch all the highlights here (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE):
23:18 (IST): Gambhir was pleased with his team's professional display on the field.
"Was important not to be complacent. We have been chasing last few games, wanted to let our batters with freedom without scoreboard pressure. Guys took responsibility. With dew it was getting tough for spinners. We wanted to put our bowlers under pressure as well," said the Kolkata skipper.
Van Wyk took out the positives from a campaign which was not much to write home about.
"We had opportunities to apply skills, got ourselves where we could have nailed down a couple of games, but could not. Tonight was another opportunity. Some of us had never seen these bowlers, never played on these grounds. Back home, you play against the same guys often, and have a good idea what you are doing. We played against teams used to their conditions. Home advantage. Tough cricket, learned a lot, we will be taking back a lot to South Africa. We are not going to let these losses affect our winning culture. We have a winning culture, character, a very good team and something we are proud of," he said.
23:06 (IST): So that is that. Kolkata win by 36 runs as Dolphins score 151/8. They top Group A with four wins and have not lost their last 13 games in this format.
22:51 (IST): WICKET! Yadav strikes and Dolphins set to lose yet another one. Dolphins 138/8 in 17.4 overs, Target: 188.
22:48 (IST): Two wickets in 2 balls for Narine. Dolphins 136/7 in 17 overs.
22:39 (IST): Phehlukwayo is bowled by Narine for a brisk 37. Dolphins 120/5 in 14.4 overs, Target: 188.
22:32 (IST): The asking rate continues to go up for Dolphins. Dolphins 96/4 in 13 overs, Target: 188.
22:17 (IST): WICKET! Van Wyk is back in the hut and Kolkata in total control of the game. Dolphins 57/4 in 9 overs, Target: 188.
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22:13 (IST): WICKET! Chawla meets with success in his first over. Dolphins 53/3 in 8 overs, Target: 188.
22:04 (IST): Narine's first over is carted for 12 runs. Dolphins 38/2 in 6 overs.
21:57 (IST): India's mystery bowler Kuldeep Yadav comes on to bowl. Dolphins 24/2 in 4 overs, Target: 188.
21:49 (IST): WICKET! Russell sends back Chetty for 1. Dolphins 6/2 in 1.2 overs, Target: 188.
21:45 (IST): WICKET! Pathan gets rid of Delport for a duck. Dolphins 5/1 in 0.5 overs, Target: 188.
21:41 (IST): Yusuf Pathan is opening the bowling for Kolkata as Dolphins chase 188.
21:29 (IST): So that's the end of the innings. Kolkata finish with 187/2, Uthappa hits 85 not out while Pandey is unbeaten on 76. A big ask for Dolphins.
21:17 (IST): Pandey brings up his fifty in 39 balls. Kolkata 152/2 in 17.3 overs.
21:06 (IST): Kolkata well set to go for a big finish. Kolkata 128/2 in 15 overs.
20:58 (IST): Fifty for Uthappa off 35 balls. Kolkata 108/2 in 13.1 overs.
20:54 (IST): The hundred comes up for Kolkata. Pandey and Uthappa really taking the attack to Dolphins. Kolkata 100/2 in 12.1 overs.
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20:46 (IST): Uthappa, Pandey putting on some crucial runs as Kolkata look to rebuild. Kolkata 89/2 in 10 overs.
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20:38 (IST): Dolphins give way 17 runs in the 8th over. Kolkata 65/2 in 8 overs.
20:27 (IST): WICKET! Kallis is bowled and Kolkata lose their second wicket. Kolkata 34/2 in 5 overs.
20:19 (IST): WICKET! Gambhir is sent back by Frylinck as he had no clue to the length of the delivery. Kolkata 25/1 in 3.4 overs
20:16 (IST): Gambhir now has 500 fours in the T20 format. Kolkata 17/0 in 2.3 overs.
20:11 (IST): Gambhir and Uthappa getting their eye in against Dolphins. Kolkata 12/0 in 2 overs.
20:01 (IST): Abbott starts off for Dolphins who have nothing to lose.
19:56 (IST): Here are the teams for today's game:
Kolkata: G Gambhir, R Uthappa, J Kallis, M Pandey, Y Pathan, R ten Doeschate, S Yadav, A Russell, P Chawla, K Yadav, S Narine
Dolphins: MN van Wyk, C Delport, C Chetty, K Zondo , J Vandiar, V van Jaarsveld, R Frylinck, A Phehlukwayo, K Abbott, P Subrayen, C Alexander
19:37 (IST): Gambhir has won the toss and Kolkata will bat first.
KOLKATA LOOK FOR FOUR IN FOUR
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Beleaguered Dolphins will play for pride when they take on a mighty Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium here on Monday.
Dolphins are already out of the semifinal race having lost all three matches so far in the competition. The final nail in the coffin came on Saturday when they were beaten by Lahore Lions in Bangalore.
In contrast, the Knight Riders, defending champions of the IPL T20 tournament this year, are on a roll after registering 12 wins in a row.
Noting that his team has not been precise in different areas during the CLT20, Dolphins coach Lance Klusener said the side has not played as a team during the event. (Read: Unbeaten Kolkata Knight Riders Take on Dolphins)
NO SIGN OF COMPLACENCY
The Kolkata Knight Riders are on top of the table in Group A of the ongoing CLT20 but the team would not like to take its match against Dolphins on Monday lightly, said assistant coach Vijay Dahiya.
"No. Not at all. Everyday is a new day and I think you don't want to make even that sort of a mistake by thinking that it is going to be a cakewalk. We are playing good cricket and you have to give respect to the opposition. It is a T20 game and you cannot take anyone lightly ever.
"Even if you are in a strong opposition while the game is going on, you cannot take anyone lightly. Forget about before the game starts," KKR's assistant coach Vijay Dahiya told reporters here during a pre-match press conference.
Dolphins are already out of the semi final race having lost all the three matches in the tournament. (Read: Kolkata Knight Riders Not Taking Dolphins Lightly, Says Vijay Dahiya)
SKIPPER TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED
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Kolkata Knight Riders may have won 12 games in a row, but skipper Gautam Gambhir would like his boys to remain focussed on doing well in every match without thinking too much about the end result in the Champions League T20.
"There's still a long way to go. We still have a (group league) game against Dolphins. There is a semi-final after that. As I said, a good team is one that does not think too much of what lies ahead.
"It is important for us that we play every game with full strength and try to win," Gambhir told reporters at the post-match conference. (Read: Kolkata Need to Remain Focussed, Says Gautam Gambhir)