CHENNAI, APRIL 12
Kolkata Knight Riders started its Indian Premier League campaign with a 10-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
Half centuries from Nitish Rana (80) and Rahul Tripathi (53) formed the core of Kolkata's 187-6, after being put into bat, despite Hyderabad making a strong comeback in the last five overs by claiming five wickets for 42 runs.
Manish Pandey's unbeaten 61 off 44 balls went in vain as Kolkata restricted Hyderabad to 177-5 in its 20 overs.
"Really happy with the start," Kolkata skipper Eoin Morgan said. "We were very happy with our score, we thought if we bowled half decently well, we should get over the line."
Jonny Bairstow, who made 55 off 40 balls, and Pandey had raised Hyderabad's hopes with a 92-run stand for the third wicket, but Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins brought Kolkata back into the game when he removed Bairstow.
Earlier, Rana and Tripathi featured in a 93-run stand for the second wicket before Afghanistan spin duo of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi put the brakes on Kolkata's run spree.
Rashid, who had already clean bowled Shubman Gill, had dangerman Andre Russell caught in the deep for just five to finish with impressive figures of 2-24.
Nabi (2-32) then dealt two vital blows off successive deliveries in the 18th over. Rana sliced an easy catch at long on after hitting nine fours and four sixes, and Morgan was caught at deep backward square leg.
Hyderabad's reply had early setbacks when Wriddhiman Saha (7) and captain David Warner (3) fell cheaply against Bangladesh left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan and fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, respectively, with only 10 runs on the board.
Pandey and Bairstow threatened to chase down the target, but Bairstow was caught by Rana at backward point in the 13th over and Krishna returned to claim the wicket of Nabi to finish with 2-35.
"Good momentum going into the tournament (with the batting), but plenty of games to come," Warner said. "Four games at this venue so we should be getting used to this square."
