AGENCY
KOLKATA: Andre Russell returned with a four-wicket haul to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a seven-run win over Kings XI Punjab and go atop the points table in their return to home in the Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament here on Wednesday. Put into bat, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa blasted half-centuries to give Kolkata Knight Riders a perfect launchpad but Kings XI Punjab did well to restrict them to a modest 164/3.
The hosts then returned to restrict Punjab to 157-9 in their stipulated 20 overs, despite a strokeful 68 off 42 balls by Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and a 7-ball 21-run cameo by Axar Patel down the order.
Put into bat, the two-time former champions Kolkata once again got off to solid start with Gambhir (54 from 45 balls; 6×4, 1×6) and Uthappa (70 from 49 balls; 6×4, 2×6) setting up a firm foundation in a 101-run partnership from 13.3 overs. It was their highest opening wicket stand this season, and third overall century partnership, that put them in right stead but their star duo of Yusuf Pathan and Andre Russell failed to bring up their last match’s heroics to be content with a total which could have been much bigger.
In reply, KXIP were reduced to 13/3 in 19 balls with Russell’s twin blows in his first two overs and Morne Morkel dismissing skipper Murali Vijay (6) cheaply. In Wriddhiman Saha (24 from 20 balls; 3×4), the Punjab franchise got some hope but the local lad got out to a poor shot dragging a wide delivery to his stumps.
At 53/4 in 9 overs, the Kings were staring at their sixth loss this season but Maxwell held fort with his superb innings which was laced with six fours and four sixes to keep them in the hunt in a crucial 67-run partnership from 40 balls with David Miller (13).(PTI)
score board
Kolkata Knight Riders innings
RV Uthappa† run out (Sharma) 70
G Gambhir* run out (Maxwell/Sandeep Sharma) 54
YK Pathan not out 19
AD Russell run out (†Saha/Sandeep Sharma) 16
Extras 05
Total 164/3
Kings XI Punjab innings
M Vijay* c Shakib Al Hasan b Morkel 06
MP Stoinis c Chawla b Russell 00
M Vohra c Shakib Al Hasan b Russell 00
WP Saha† b Chawla 24
GJ Maxwell lbw b Chawla 68
DA Miller c sub (R Sathish) b Russell 13
Gurkeerat Singh run out (sub [R Sathish]/†Uthappa) 11
AR Patel run out (Russell) 21
Swapnil Singh lbw b Russell 00
MM Sharma not out 01
Sandeep Sharma not out 01
Extras 12
Total 157/9
