KOLKATA, India, CMC – Broad-shouldered Andre Russell sparkled with a 20-ball fifty and snatched two wickets, but Kolkata Knight Riders were still forced to withstand a bold challenge from Sunrisers Hyderabad before earning a narrow four-run win in the Indian Premier League here Saturday.
Sent in at Eden Gardens, KKR slumped at 51 for four in the eighth over before recovering to post 208 for seven from their 20 overs, West Indies all-rounder Russell blasting a Man-of-the-Match 25-ball unbeaten 64.
English opener Phil Salt chipped in with 54 from 40 deliveries, while Ramandeep Singh struck a 17-ball 35 down the order.
In reply, Sunrisers got a stunning 29-ball 63 from South African Heinrich Klaasen while Abhishek Sharma and Mayank Agarwal scored 32, but the run chase fell just short.
They required a gettable 13 from the final, but 22-year-old new-ball seamer Harshit Rana (3-33) struck twice to set back Sunrisers.
Sunil Narine was an early casualty at the end of the second over when he perished via the run-out route. KKR lost wickets steadily at the top, with left-arm pacer Thangarasu Natarajan (3-32) striking twice.
The recovery began when Salt, who lashed three fours and three sixes, put on 54 for the fifth wicket with Ramandeep, and it continued when Russell inspired an 81-run, seventh-wicket stand with Rinku Singh (23).
Russell, entering at number eight, belted three fours and seven sixes, reaching his landmark in the penultimate over with a streaky six over fine leg off seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Sunrisers’ chase started well, Abhishek and Agarwal posting 60 off 33 balls for the first wicket, Rahul Tripathi (20) and Aiden Markram (18) adding a further 36 for the third wicket and Klaasen and Abdul Samad (15) putting on 34 for the fifth wicket.
Klaasen, who struck eight sixes, carved out another 58 for the sixth wicket with Shahbaz Ahmed (16). Still, Sunrisers lacked momentum in the final over, especially after Klaasen perished to the penultimate ball of the chase.
Fast-medium Russell ended with two for 25 from his two overs, while off-spinner Narine produced a stingy four-over spell that cost only 19 runs and earned him a wicket.
In Mallanpur, West Indies one-day captain Shai Hope shone briefly on his IPL debut with a top score of 33 off 25 balls, but his Delhi Capitals suffered a four-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings.
The stylish right-hander struck two fours and two sixes batting at number three, putting on 35 for the second with veteran Australian opener David Warner (29), as Delhi rallied to 174 for nine from their 20 overs.
Englishman Sam Curran replied with a 47-ball 63 as the Kings overhauled their target with four balls to spare.
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