IPL 2014 Highlights KKR vs CSK: Robin Uthappa (67), Shakib (46*) Power Kolkata Knight Riders to Victory Over Chennai Super Kings

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Follow highlights of the match here.: (Live Scorecard | Text Commentary | Standings | Fixtures)

Robin Uthappa, Man-of-the-Match: I've enjoyed batting here on this ground. The crowd is fantastic; I have always done well here, sort of a lucky ground for me. I wanted to play to the merit of the ball. In T20 cricket, you tend to shape lose technically but I tried to hold my shape correctly. Shakib was awesome and Manish batted sensibly and it was important to bat till the end.

That's the end of this match. It's a single game on Wednesday.

 

Gautam Gambhir, Kolkata Knight Riders captain: Restricting CSK to 154 was fantastic. It was a beautiful wicket to bat on. We stuck to chasing because it's working for us. Not thinking too far ahead. We were very professional tonight.

 

MS Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings captain: It was a bad toss to lose because the wicket changed later on and became a better track to bat on. The bowlers created some opportunities for us but the fielders could not hold on. The wicket was slow to start off and the KKR their spinners bowled really well. We were at least 10 to 15 runs short on this wicket.

 

Kolkata Knight Riders won by eight wickets and strengthened their playoff chances. Set 155 by the Chennai Super Kings, KKR got off to a great start from Uthappa and Gambhir. After Gambhir fell, Uthappa (67) steered the hosts before Shakib took over and took KKR home with plenty to spare.

 

23:03 IST: Shakib slams Hilfenhaus for a six and two fours as KKR move to 145/2 after 17 overs. KKR in striking distance of victory.

 

22:56 IST: Kolkata are roaring along towards 155. They need 36 from the last 5 overs, as Raina comes in to the attack; Shakib slammed him for a FOUR. The full-house at the Eden Gardens are dancing in the aisles. Victory seems in sight, unless the KKR batsmen do something incredibly rash. KKR are 128/2 off 16 overs

 

22:50 IST: The pressure was just beginning to build on the Knight Riders, when Shakib sent Jadeja over the fence for a SIX; KKR are 112/2 off 14 overs.

 

22:43 IST: WICKET! Jadeja has struck and removed Uthappa for 67. KKR are 98/2 off 11.4 overs, chasing 155 for a win.

 

22:35 IST: KKR are cruising along with the chase; Uthappa clobbers Ashwin for a SIX as KKR finish the halfway stage to their innings on 88/1.

 

22:28 IST: Uthappa races away to his fourth fifty this season and 12th in the IPL off 29 balls as KKR reach 78/1 off 9 overs. Strategic timeout.

 

22:19 IST: WICKET! Gambhir slammed Pandey for 10 runs in three balls before playing on to the same bowler. KKR 64/1 off 7 overs. Manish Pandey joins Uthappa.

 

22:14 IST: End of the powerplay and KKR are 52/0, chasing 155. They have done well to get off to this start, given how tough it could be to get the spinners away later.

 

22:10 IST: Uthappa is on fire at the Eden Gardens; takes a boundary off Hilfenhaus as KKR reach 45/0 off 5 overs, chasing 155.

 

22:02 IST: Expensive first over from Mohit Sharma as Uthappa takes two boundaries and Gambhir one from the third over. KKR are off to a blazing start, chasing 155; 34/0 after three overs.

 

21:56 IST: Uthappa is in an aggressive mood early; KKR need to score as many as they can off the pacers. It won't be easy against CSK's spinners. Kolkata are 21/0 after two overs.

 

21:52 IST: KKR are off to a great start as Uthappa creams Hilfenhaus for two boundaries off the first over. KKR are 12/0 after 1.

 

Chennai Super Kings scored 154/4 off their 20 overs. Pat Cummins removed Dwayne Smith early but Raina (65) steered the Super Kings and in the company of McCullum (28) and du Plessis (23), negated the KKR spinners despite a tough period in the middle. MS Dhoni (21*) came out and played a brisk knock himself as CSK managed a challenging total on what looked like a difficult surface to bat on.

 

21:25 IST: Jadeja cracked Narine for a SIX as CSK took eight runs off the penultimate over to set up a final over assault against Umesh Yadav, who has been known to do well in the death overs.

 

21:20 IST: WICKET! Chawla has the last laugh as he removed Suresh Raina for 65, who holed out in the deep. But he did his part for the Super Kings, who looked set for a big finish. CSK 129/4 off 17.3 overs.

 

21:15 IST: WICKET! A direct throw from Chawla caught Faf du Plessis short of his ground; he departed for 23 with CSK on 122/3 off 16.3 overs. Dhoni walks in to join Raina.

 

21:11 IST: Suresh Raina has looked like he has been batting on a different surface, taking on the KKR spinners. He hit Shakib for a SIX to take CSK to 120/2 off 16 overs. Good pace by the Super Kings now.

 

21:04 IST: Raina is a master when it comes to pacing the innings; he clobbered Chawla for two consecutive sixes and followed it up with a boundary to bring up his third fifty of the season and 21st in the IPL as CSK reached 99/2 off 14 overs. CSK are now well placed to get to a big total.

 

20:58 IST: KKR have done well to restrict the powerful CSK so far; they are 80/2, with seven overs to go. Strategic timeout.

 

20:53 IST: Chawla was in the middle of a brilliant spell, Gambhir had brought himself close-in against du Plessis and the pressure was being built nicely before Raina broke free, hitting the leg-spinner for a huge SIX on the on-side. CSK 71/2 after 12 overs.

 

20:46 IST: WICKET! A big one as McCullum falls to Narine for 28. This is the wicket KKR were looking for and their spinner has got it for them. CSK 60/2 off 10.3 overs, as Faf du Plessis joins Raina in the middle.

 

20:44 IST: Piyush Chawla bowled a very good first over, giving away only four runs. It won't be easy to get the spinners away on this pitch. CSK 59/1 off 10 overs.

 

20:33 IST: CSK's most successful batsman, Raina and McCullum, the latest recruit, have done well to steady the Super Kings after the early loss of Dwayne Smith to Pat Cummins. They have started to open up on a good surface; one of the two batsmen will need to bat the distance. CSK 50/1 after 8 overs.

 

20:21 IST: Raina smashed Narine for a SIX off his first ball but the West Indian offie came back well and did not concede any more runs for the next five balls. CSK 33/1 off 5 overs.

 

20:18 IST: 6, 6, 4. McCullum tears into Cummins to take 16 from his second over as CSK reach 27/1 off 4 overs.

 

20:14 IST: Raina gets a boundary off Umesh Yadav as CSK move to 11/1 off 3 overs.

 

20:09 IST: Exceptional start from Cummins; a wicket-maiden as CSK remain on 5/1 after two overs.

 

20:06 IST: WICKET! Sensational start by Cummins, who has knocked off Smith off his second delivery. That was a peach of a ball and caught Smith on the crease; stumps in a mess. CSK 5/1 off 1.2 overs as Suresh Raina joins McCullum.

 

20:04 IST: Dwayne Smith played Shakib al Hasan over the top for a boundary off the first ball of the over before handing strike over to Brendon McCullum, who defended for the rest of the over. CSK 5/0 after 1.

 

19:35 IST: Here are the playing XIs:

 

KKR: RV Uthappa (WK), G Gambhir (Captain), MK Pandey, YK Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, RN ten Doeschate, SA Yadav, PP Chawla, PJ Cummins, UT Yadav, SP Narine


CSK: DR Smith, BB McCullum, SK Raina, F du Plessis, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), RA Jadeja, M Manhas, R Ashwin, IC Pandey, MM Sharma, BW Hilfenhaus

 

19:31 (IST): Gautam Gambhir wins the toss and opts to bowl first at the Eden Gardens. Dhoni feels that the grass should hold the track together. KKR bring in Cummins for Morkel. CSK include du Plessis and Hilfehaus tonight.

Preview

Having posted four wins on the trot and six overall, the homecoming could not have come at a better time for Kolkata Knight Riders, who are aiming to clinch the playoffs berth as they prepare to take on Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League tonight.

With this being the last lap of a whirlwind league phase that began in the UAE, a team like Kolkata Knight Riders who relish the home conditions -- the slow track complemented by a raucous crowd -- will savour the homecoming more than anybody else.

While the always-reliable wily spinner Sunil Narine -- 15 wickets and most economical (6.09) -- continues to be the most vital cog in their wheel, it's the emergence of explosive batsman Robin Uthappa that has contributed immensely to the team.

Chennai would be smarting from their home defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore who kept their campaign alive after posting a five-wicket win. (Read more)

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Elated after managing to keep their Indian Premier League playoff hopes alive by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Yusuf Pathan said it would not be too tough to fetch a place inside the top-four from here.

"I was never low on confidence. I have always had tremendous self-belief and knew I will be getting my runs soon," he said. (Read more)

Chennai Faltered Because of Slow Ranchi Pitch: Fleming

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"One of the main reasons for the defeat was difficult batting (conditions) on a slow pitch," Fleming said. (Read more)