Kolkata hand Bangalore a shocking loss
Kolkata Knight Riders kept their slim chances of making it to the Pepsi Indian Premier League 2013 playoffs alive with a five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore, who did their own ambitions no good, at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association stadium in Ranchi on Sunday (May 12). The star of Kolkata's win in the low-scoring match, with bat and ball, was Jacques Kallis, underlining his importance to Kolkata's plans again.
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Kolkata Knight Riders' bowlers had a brilliant day at the office to reduce Royal Challengers Bangalore to a paltry 115/9 in the 60th match of the Indian Premier League 2013 and then did make heavy weather of the chase but were 5-wicket winners in the end. (BCCI Image)
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Bangalore did not start well as Sachithra Senanayake, brought in for Eoin Morgan, and L Balaji, the last match hero for KKR, bowled brilliantly on the 'fresh' wicket in Ranchi.
While it is Cheteshwar Pujara's style to bat cautiously in the beginning, even Chris Gayle found it hard to get going on what looked like a slow pitch. (BCCI Image) -
It was not before the tenth over that RCB opened up with Virat Kohli hitting a four and Gayle a straight six to take 14 off Ryan ten Doeschate's first over.
KKR though, struck in the next over as Jacques Kallis removed Bangalore skipper Kohli for 17 off 14 balls. He was dismissed trying to cut a length ball and managing an inside edge. (BCCI Image) -
It became Kolkata's day when Gayle, who was looking to stay on till the end, was dismissed by national teammate Sunil Narine. Manvinder Bisla completed a fine stumping as the West Indian dragged his foot just a bit. He scored an uncharacteristically slow 33 off 36 balls. (BCCI Image)
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De Villiers then tried hard to get Bangalore to a fighting total hitting a boundary off Bhatia and then a six over covers off Balaji before the latter accounted for the dangerous South African for 28 off 22 balls. Just after hitting Balaji for a six, he tried another cheeky shot, this time the reverse sweep but was caught smartly by keeper Bisla. (BCCI Image)
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The home side's two most experienced batsmen - Gautam Gambhir and Jacques Kallis - then joined hands at the crease to guide their team. Gambhir, in particular, punished Abhimanyu Mithun for three consecutive boundaries in the 4th over to get the innings going. (BCCI Image)
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Kolkata then sent in Yusuf Pathan to signal their intentions. The Baroda dasher immediately responded with a brilliant six off Murali Kartik and looked to take the game away till the bowler had his revenge. Pathan was trapped lbw in what looked like a 50-50 decision for 18 off 16 balls. (BCCI Image)
