All-round Russell keeps KKR's playoffs hopes afloat

Russell struck an unbeaten 49 off 28 before bagging 3 for 22 © BCCI/IPL
After five wins on the trot SRH have slipped away in their campaign, their latest being a 54-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday (May 14), and will need a lot of things to work in their favour and they will need to win their remaining games by big margins to finish in the top four. Both teams were on ten points at the start, but KKR picked up a big win to boost their NRR and stay alive in the competition.

KKR bowlers keep SRH in check throughout the chase

There was something in for the pacers and Umesh Yadav bowled a brilliant first over, conceding just one run. The bowlers offered no freebies early on and even as Abhishek Sharma steadied SRH with a 43 off 28 balls, he found no support at the other end as KKR struck at regular intervals. Aiden Markram resisted KKR's attack with a handy 25-ball 32 but no other SRH batter from the top order got into double figures.

Only Shashank Singh got a 11 thereafter as SRH were restricted to 123/8. Southee started the slide with a caught and bowled chance of Abhishek, but all of KKR's bowlers chipped in with timely wickets. Andre Russell finished with 3-22 to become KKR's highest wicket-taker this season.

A mixed start for KKR with the bat

Kolkata Knight Riders opted to bat but after a glimpse of hope after the last game, Venkatesh Iyer once again departed for cheap as the opening partnership lasted just 17 runs. Venkatesh tried to cut one that was too close to his body, but the offstump was knocked out. Ajinkya Rahane couldn't get going at the other end either, but Nitish Rana belted two sixes and a four in T Natarajan's over in the fifth to get a move on. Rahane and Rana struck 17 runs off Marco Jansen in the last over of the powerplay to end the first six with 55 on the board.

SRH pulled things back thereafter

Umran Malik turned things around in the 8th over to dismiss both Rana and Rahane to bring SRH back into the game. With two new batsmen in the middle, Umran struck in his next over to get Shreyas Iyer, who picked out the fielder with a flick, as KKR fell a tad behind. Rinku Singh was given out off Natarajan; he wanted to review it but ran out of time as KKR lost quick wickets and SRH continued to exert pressure and pull things back.

How did KKR get to 177 then?

Thanks to some mighty blows from Andre Russell and Sam Billings, who added 63 runs for the sixth wicket. Billings stuck around in his 29-ball 34, but Russell teed off smashing four sixes and three boundaries to remain unbeaten on 49 off 28 to give KKR a strong total. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a spectacular 19th over conceding just 6 runs, but Washington Sundar's three full tosses were dispatched into the stands by Russell as KKR scored 20 runs in the final over.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 177/6 in 20 overs (Sam Billings 34, Andre Russell 49*; Umran Malik 3-33) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 123/8 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 43, Aiden Markram 32; Tim Southee 2-23, Andre Russell 3-22) by 54 runs.