KKR end Hyd's 'final' hopes in rain drenched evening

Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders defeated title holders Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets via Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-truncated Indian Premier League Eliminator to enter the Qualifier 2 of the tournament, here on Thursday.

Opting to bowl first, KKR produced a disciplined bowling and fielding effort to first restrict Sunrisers to a modest 128 for seven and then overwhelmed the revised target of 48 in six overs with consummate ease. Mush against Sunrisers wish, the rain subsided and the target was revised to 48 off six overs after persistent drizzle soon after Sunrisers' innings stopped the proceedings for more than three hours. Chasing the target, Chris Lynn got KKR off to a quick start smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six. But two quick wickets in successive balls changed the complexion of the game. Lynn edged Bhuvneshwar's next delivery on to Naman Ojha behind the stumps and then a ball later new man in Yusuf Pathan was run out by the bowler. Robin Uthappa too didn't last long as he gave simple catch to Shikhar Dhawan at square-leg off Chris Jordan in the second over. But thereafter, skipper Gautam Gambhir (32 not out) took the onus on himself to guide his side home in the company of Ishant Jaggi (5 not out).

KKR overwhelmed the target with four balls to spare.

For Sunrisers, Jordan (1/9) and Bhuvneshwar (1/11) picked up a wicket each. KKR will now take on Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 here on Friday.

Returning to the side after an injury lay-off, Nathan Coulter-Nile (3/20) impressed with the ball. He was ably supported by Umesh Yadav (2/21). Sent into bat, it was struggle for Sunrsiers from the onset as skipper David Warner (37) and Shikhar Dhawan (11) found the going tough against the KKR bowling attack on a slowish and difficult M Chinnaswmay pitch. The slow scoring rate finally took a toll on Sunrisers as Dhawan perished in the second delivery of the fifth over. Dhawan slashed at a good length delivery of Umesh only managing to balloon it to Robin Uthappa behind the stumps with the Sunrisers scoreboard reading 25 for one. With the boundaries hard to come by, Warner finally broke the shackles in the ninth over clobbering Piyush Chawla's (1/27) short delivery over the midwicket boundary for a maximum.

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders:

SRH: 128/7 (David Warner, 37, Kane Williamson 22, Chris Jordan 1/9).

After Duckworth-Lewis method KKR needed 48 runs from 6 overs:

KKR: 48/3 (Gautam Gambhir 32, Nathan Coulter-Nile 3/20).