Chasing 133-run target, Yusuf Pathan (49*) and Jacques Kallis (33*) batted well as Kolkata defeated Rajasthan by 8 wickets with 2.4 overs to spare against Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens on Friday.
Yusuf Pathan remains stranded on 49, Kallis hits winning boundary. KKR have won their fourth this season and have barely kept themselves alive, while Rajasthan now continue to have 12 points from their 10 games.
Knight Riders lost Manvinder Bisla (29) and skipper Gautam Gambhir (12) in quick succession after a solid start against Royals.
The openers added 41 runs before Shane Watson dismissed Gambhir in the sixth over to give Royals a crucial breakthrough and reduce Kolkata to 41/1 in 5.3 overs.
Bisla followed his skipper soon in the eighth over by giving a simple catch to Ajinkya Rahane off Ankit Chavan. Bisla hit a six and four boundaries in his 25-ball innings.
Asked to field, discipline Knight Riders bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to restrict Rajasthan to 132 for 6.
Royals batsmen failed to put on any substantial partnerships during their innings after losing two early wickets and set a modest 133-run target.
Sachithra Senanayake was the pick of Kolkata bowlers, taking two Royals wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Rajat Bhatia (1-21), Sunil Narine (1-20), Iqbal Abdulla (1-22) and Jacques Kallis (1-25) also picked up a wicket apiece.
Young Sanju Samson was the top-scorer for the visitors with 36-ball 40 as he hit two maximums and a four in his innings. Shane Watson (35) and Owais Shah (24) also contributed handsomely in their team's effort.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the defending champions' last league fixture at the Eden.
Rajasthan have made three changes in their team from the last game citing the slow and low wicket at the Eden. Brad Hogg replaced Brad Hodge, Ankit Chavan came in for Ajit Chandila and Dishant Yagnik included in Sreesanth's place.
Hosts KKR have included Sachithra Senanayake and left out Brett Lee for this game, whereas, spinner Iqbal Abdulla replaced pacer L Balaji.
Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (Capt.), Manvinder Bisla (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Debabrata Das, Rajat Bhatia, Sumit Narwal, Sunil Narine, Iqbal Abdulla, Sachithra Senanayake.
Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Owais Shah, James Faulkner, Siddharth Trivedi, Brad Hogg, Ankit Chavan, Dishant Yagnik (wk).
Brief scores
Rajasthan Royals 132/6 (Samson 40, Watson 35, Senanayake 2-26)
Kolkata Knight Riders 133/2 (Pathan 49*, Kallis 33*)
Result Kolkata Knight Riders won by 8 wickets
Points Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Rajasthan Royals 0
MOM Yusuf Pathan (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Yusuf Pathan remains stranded on 49, Kallis hits winning boundary. KKR have won their fourth this season and have barely kept themselves alive, while Rajasthan now continue to have 12 points from their 10 games.Knight Riders lost Manvinder Bisla (29) and skipper Gautam Gambhir (12) in quick succession after a solid start against Royals.
The openers added 41 runs before Shane Watson dismissed Gambhir in the sixth over to give Royals a crucial breakthrough and reduce Kolkata to 41/1 in 5.3 overs.
Bisla followed his skipper soon in the eighth over by giving a simple catch to Ajinkya Rahane off Ankit Chavan. Bisla hit a six and four boundaries in his 25-ball innings.
Asked to field, discipline Knight Riders bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to restrict Rajasthan to 132 for 6.
Royals batsmen failed to put on any substantial partnerships during their innings after losing two early wickets and set a modest 133-run target.
Sachithra Senanayake was the pick of Kolkata bowlers, taking two Royals wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Rajat Bhatia (1-21), Sunil Narine (1-20), Iqbal Abdulla (1-22) and Jacques Kallis (1-25) also picked up a wicket apiece.
Young Sanju Samson was the top-scorer for the visitors with 36-ball 40 as he hit two maximums and a four in his innings. Shane Watson (35) and Owais Shah (24) also contributed handsomely in their team's effort.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the defending champions' last league fixture at the Eden.
Rajasthan have made three changes in their team from the last game citing the slow and low wicket at the Eden. Brad Hogg replaced Brad Hodge, Ankit Chavan came in for Ajit Chandila and Dishant Yagnik included in Sreesanth's place.
Hosts KKR have included Sachithra Senanayake and left out Brett Lee for this game, whereas, spinner Iqbal Abdulla replaced pacer L Balaji.
Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (Capt.), Manvinder Bisla (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Debabrata Das, Rajat Bhatia, Sumit Narwal, Sunil Narine, Iqbal Abdulla, Sachithra Senanayake.
Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Owais Shah, James Faulkner, Siddharth Trivedi, Brad Hogg, Ankit Chavan, Dishant Yagnik (wk).
Brief scores
Rajasthan Royals 132/6 (Samson 40, Watson 35, Senanayake 2-26)
Kolkata Knight Riders 133/2 (Pathan 49*, Kallis 33*)
Result Kolkata Knight Riders won by 8 wickets
Points Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Rajasthan Royals 0
MOM Yusuf Pathan (Kolkata Knight Riders)
