Kolkata Knight Riders played superb cricket at their home ground and defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad quite comfortably by 48 runs at Eden Gardens. Some action-packed performances from the bats of Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis and Eoin Morgan ensured that KKR will set a big target before Hyderabad. Gautam scored a brilliant half-century and received a great support from Jacques Kallis who scored 41 off just 25 balls. But it was the knock of Morgan which made the significant difference as he smashed 47 off just 21 balls. SRH could only manage 132 runs in their 20 overs.
Here we bring before you the hits and flops from the match.
HITS
Gautam Gambhir: Gambhir started off the innings very well and scored 53 off 45 balls. His longevity at the crease ensured that KKR would finish with a big score. He was ably supported by Manvinder Bisla who scored 28 runs off 24 balls. Gambhir setup the perfect launch pad for Kallis and Morgan who tore the Hyderabad bowling later in the innings.
Jacques Kallis: Kallis Midas-Touch was back as he picked up three wickets and scored 40 runs with the bat. He gave away just 13 runs for those three wickets. He once again proved his importance for KKR and showed that he is ready to take-on any challenge that comes his way.
Eoin Morgan: Morgan played a dynamite innings in the final overs of the KKR’s innings and scored 47 off just 21 balls which were studded with five fours and three sixes. SRH could not find any reply to his brilliant stroke-play which cost them the match.
Rajat Bhatia: Bhatia bowled well to pick up two wickets out of which one was of Kumar Sangakkara and that too at a very crucial juncture of the match. His ability to bowl those slower ones very effectively makes him the cog in the wheel for KKR.
Sachithra Senanayake: Senanayake bowled well in his debut match of IPL and ended with the figures of 1/18 in his four overs. Playing his mysterious bowling was the most difficult task for SRH and they failed miserably in that. He can be used more effectively especially in the tight matches on turning tracks.
FLOPS
Dale Steyn: Steyn didn’t bowled well and that made a significant difference in this match. The most reliable bowler of Sangakkara failed to pick up a single wicket in this match and also gave away 29 runs in his four overs.
Kumar Sangakkara: Skipper Sangakkara's individual performance is hurting SRH quite badly. He is throwing away his wicket early in the innings which is a real problem. A lot more is expected from a batsman like him.
Amit Mishra: Mishra should have bowled well as this wicket was a turning track but he went for 28 runs in his three overs. Being a front line bowler he should have atleast restricted the opposition batsmen, but his failure turned the tables in KKR’s favour and match slipped from their hands.
Ishant Sharma: Sharma did nothing good with the ball and was smacked for 33 runs in his spell of four overs. He conceded five boundaries out of which three were scored by Kallis.
Lakshmipathy Balaji: Balaji got smashed for boundaries in his initial overs. Parthiv and white scored 18 runs in his first two overs but he came back well in his last two overs and ended up with the figures of 30 for no wicket.
By Amit Chopra
Indian Sports News Network