IPL 2019: Highest Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers, More After Kolkata vs. Rajasthan
Apr 25, 2019
LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Jofra Archer of the Hobart Hurricanes bats during the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Adelaide Strikers at UTAS Stadium on January 31, 2019 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Batting first, the Knight Riders were able to post a total of 175 for six, largely down to a fine innings from captain Dinesh Karthik. The wicketkeeper made an unbeaten 97, with Kolkata's next highest scorer Nitish Rana earning 21.
In response, Rajasthan got off to a quick start, before a succession of wickets put them behind the rate required. With skipper Steve Smith (2) and the dangerous Ben Stokes (11) falling cheaply, a successful chase looked unlikely.
However, 47 from 17-year-old Riyan Parag and an unbeaten 27 from Jofra Archer saw Rajasthan over the line with five balls to spare.
Joffra Archer finishes match in sensational style! Unexpected result must say after KKR scored 170+. Rajasthan Royals deserve hugr credit for winning this match without major contributions from Rahane, Samson, Smith and Stokes. How about gutsy young Parag as MOM?
Complete results, schedules and statistics available on the official IPL website.
Thursday Recap
An otherwise poor batting performance from the Knight Riders was rescued by Karthik, as he delivered a captain's display.
He strode to the crease with his team toiling at 42 for three in the ninth over and struggled to find a consistent partner during his time out in the middle. Karthik wasn't deterred though, as he took it upon himself to propel Kolkata to a respectable total.
In his 50 balls, he struck an incredible nine sixes and seven fours, giving his team a crucial injection of momentum.
The CricViz Analyst summed up how varied his shot-making was and noted how well Karthik accelerated late on:
Excellent innings from @KKRiders's captain Dinesh Karthik. He scored 55 off 18 (at 18.33 rpo) at the death with only 5% false shots. Targeted Unadkat scoring 34 off 14. Scored at a strike rate of 258.3 through the on-side compared to 152.2 through the off-side. #IPL2019#KKRvRRpic.twitter.com/SCllziMAH3
Per Broken Cricket, only one player has managed to make a better individual score than the captain's unbeaten 97 for Kolkata in the history of the IPL:
The fact that nobody was able to get close to Karthik's score meant that the Knight Riders were still vulnerable to a successful Rajasthan chase.
The Royals flew out of the traps too, with Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson putting on 53 for the first wicket after just 5.2 overs. However, Rahane (34) fell and Samson (22) was out five balls later. Disappointing efforts from Smith and Stokes meant the impetus had gone from the chase.
Sunil Narine took the key wickets of Rahane and Smith, and he was brilliantly backed up by Piyush Chawla:
DYK? Piyush Chawla becomes the first #KKR bowler to take a three-wicket haul in an #IPL match this season! Bowlers from the other seven sides have already managed to do this. #IPL2019#KKRvRR
Rajasthan's chase appeared to be fizzling out, although a mature knock from Parag ensured their chance remained. The teenager played sensibly early on, before taking a number of risks late in the innings, bringing the required rate down.
While he eventually fell for 47, he'd done enough to give the Royals an opportunity heading into the final two overs. The dynamic Archer was on hand to finish the job, as he hammered 27 from just 12 balls to give the Royals a much-needed win.
Kolkata vs. Rajasthan, IPL: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV and Preview
Apr 24, 2015
Kolkata Knight Riders Gautam Gambhir, right, makes a run against the Titans during a Champions League Twenty20 game in Cape Town, South Africa, Sunday, Oct 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
However, the two teams also lost last time out, so they will be determined to put that behind them and regain some momentum.
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Date: Sunday, April 26
Start time: 4 p.m. local time, 11:30 a.m. BST
Live on: Sony Six and Set Max (India), IMG (Caribbean), PCCW (Hong Kong), Maasranga TV (Bangladesh), Sky NZ (New Zealand), Sky Sports (UK), EMTV (Papua New Guinea), Measat (Malaysia), OSN Network (Middle East), StarHub (Singapore), Super Sports (Sub-Saharan Africa), Geo Super (Pakistan), Carlton Sports Network (Sri Lanka), Sportsnet (Canada), Willow TV (USA)
Weather: According to Weather.com, Kolkata will be at risk of some heavy showers, with temperatures reaching a high of 29 degrees Celsius.
Overview
Both teams come into this game on the back of recent losses, although they have managed to retain their places in the playoff spots.
Kolkata visited Sunrisers Hyderabad in a rain-affected clash and lost by 16 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis Method having been set 118 from 12 overs to win.
Hyderabad batted first and made 176-4 from their 20 overs, with Morne Morkel impressing for Kolkata with two wickets.
In reply, the Knight Riders tried hard to get to their target but lost wickets regularly and could only reach 101-4, led by 34 from Robin Uthappa.
The Royals batted first but could muster just 130-9 from their 20 overs, with only Steven Smith managing to pass 30.
Bangalore made light work of their target, thanks in large part to the efforts of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, with Shane Watson taking Rajasthan’s only wicket.
With both sides smarting after recent defeats, this game should hopefully see them both react and look to get back to winning ways.
Team News
Kolkata Knight Riders (from): Gautam Gambhir (capt), Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Pat Cummins, Ryan ten Doeschate, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Veer Pratap Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, James Neesham, Brad Hogg, Sumit Narwal, Sheldon Jackson, Aditya Garhwal, Kishan Cariappa, Vaibhav Rawal
Rajasthan Royals (from): Shane Watson (capt), Ankit Sharma, Brainder Sran, Rajat Bhatia, Stuart Binny, Ben Cutting, James Faulkner, Deepak Hooda, Dhawal Kulkarni, Vikramjeet Malik, Chris Morris, Karun Nair, Abhishek Nayar, Ajinkya Rahane, Pardeep Sahu, Dinesh Salunkhe, Sanju Samson, Steven Smith, Tim Southee, Pravin Tambe, Rahul Tewatia, Rusty Theron, Sagar Trivedi, Dishant Yagnik
Key Players
Morne Morkel
South African seamer Morne Morkel is one of Kolkata’s leading and most consistent bowlers, and he will need to be on top form in this game.
Although the pitches may not be terribly well suited to him, Morkel has managed to take wickets and look threatening at times.
Shane Watson
Rajasthan will need a big contribution from captain Shane Watson if they are to be successful in this game.
The Royals skipper plays a crucial role in opening the batting and bowling early too and will be determined to make up for his team’s recent poor showing.
Sunil Narine Is the Fine Dining Among IPL's Fast Food
Apr 5, 2015
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 17: Sunil Narine of the Kolkata Knight Riders bowls during the Karbonn Smart CLT20 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Perth Scorchers at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on October 17, 2012 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Sunil Narine has been cleared to bowl in the upcoming Indian Premier League. His inimitable action has been cleared at an ICC-accredited centre just days before the tournament begins, per ESPN Cricinfo.
This news will no doubt come as a relief for Kolkata Knight Riders fans, for whom the West Indian spinner is a star man, but it should also please neutrals.
KKR open the competition against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday at Eden Gardens and the inclusion of Narine will be extremely important.
The statistics only tell half the story of his talent. He is ranked as the second best T20 bowler in the ICC World Rankings. He was the stand-out player in last year’s IPL, taking 21 wickets in 16 matches to help his side win the competition. But it still feels as if we are yet to see his full potential.
In a tournament renowned for brute force, Narine brings a different kind of attraction. In the midst of cheerleaders, flame throwers and six-measuring, the off-spinner will invariably provide a masterclass in deception, flight and wicket-taking.
The 24 balls he is allowed to bowl are a treat. They offer a completely different spectacle. Well-set batsmen become circumspect at best and bamboozled at worst.
Narine rarely delivers six similar balls. He bowls heavy-turning off-breaks, well disguised doosras, tricky carrom or "knuckle" balls, and top-spinners among others.
He is afforded genuine respect. Batsmen have to concentrate hard. You can’t just aim a big swipe at his bowling and hope to send it into the raucous crowd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR0hyCWDdVE
The 26-year-old is completely unique. His odd shuffle to the crease with both arms raised intrigues the viewer. You can watch the replay in slow-motion and still not quite understand what delivery he is bowling.
In 2013 he took a hat-trick against Kings XI Punjab which displayed his talent. The first wicket was with a conventional off-break which found some extra bounce and was edged behind. The second was a doosra that caught the leading edge for a caught and bowled. The third was a quicker ball which hit the top of off-stump.
Each a different delivery, each with the same result.
These are not just one-off occurrences either. Under pressure Narine is consistently excellent with the ball in hand.
Last year he was tasked with defending 12 runs in a super over for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League. He conceded no runs. Off only one delivery did a batsman make contact with the ball—it was caught on the boundary.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRCA - OCTOBER 13: Sunil Narine (R) of the Knight Riders celebrates with Gautam Gambhir after capturing the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene (not pictured) of the Daredevils during the Karbonn Smart CLT20 Group A match between Kolkata Knight
Batsmen are often made to look foolish. Some attempt wild swings, but they generally result in a miss. Others spend time, prodding and poking around in a vain attempt to try to acclimatise. This tends to result in a drying up of runs and a pressure-induced wicket.
Spin bowlers occupy the top seven spots of the ICC T20 bowler rankings. Skilful ones possess the ideal skill set—they are hard to score off and pick up wickets.
But even among the best Narine stands out.
The IPL is the fast food of cricket. It is an instantly gratifying experience—the kebab after a night in the pub. The modern fan enjoys the cheap thrills of big hits, fast bowlers smashing light-up stumps and endless gimmicks, just like they enjoy the greasy donner meat.
Narine offers a completely separate aspect. He is the fine dining among the proliferation of fast food.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Hobart Hurricanes, CLT20: Scorecard and Report
Oct 2, 2014
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Jacques Kallis plays a shot during their Indian Premier League (IPL) final cricket match against Chennai Super Kings' in Chennai, India, Sunday, May 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Kolkata Knight Riders reached the final of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament with a seven-wicket victory over Hobart Hurricanes.
The Big Bash League runners-up made 140-6 in their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
The Indian Premier League winners reached their target with five balls to spare after an unbeaten 54 from South African veteran Jacques Kallis.
Shoaib Malik made an unbeaten 66 off 48 balls to boost the total of the Tasmanian side after they lost their top scorer in the tournament, Aiden Blizzard, for a first-ball duck.
Malik came to the crease with his side on 13-2 in the third over and hit four sixes and four boundaries in his innings.
R
B
4s
6s
BR Dunk†
c Gambhir b Kuldeep Yadav
39
29
4
1
DP Michael
c & b Russell
0
6
0
0
AC Blizzard
lbw b Pathan
0
1
0
0
Shoaib Malik
not out
66
46
4
4
TR Birt
c ten Doeschate b Narine
13
23
0
0
JW Wells
b Chawla
3
6
0
0
EP Gulbis
run out (Pandey/†Uthappa)
15
8
2
2
BW Hilfenhaus
not out
0
1
0
0
Extras
(b 1, lb 1, w 2)
4
Bowling
O
M
R
W
YK Pathan
4
0
24
1
AD Russell
4
0
24
1
SP Narine
4
0
24
1
Kuldeep Yadav
4
0
31
1
PP Chawla
4
0
35
1
Kolkata needed seven runs an over but slipped to 44-2 in the eighth before Kallis and Manish Pandey shared a 63-run partnership in eight overs.
R
B
4s
6s
RV Uthappa†
b Doherty
17
21
3
0
G Gambhir*
c Wells b Bollinger
4
11
0
0
JH Kallis
not out
54
40
4
2
MK Pandey
c Shoaib Malik b Laughlin
40
32
6
1
YK Pathan
not out
14
13
1
0
Extras
(w 10, nb 2)
12
Bowling
O
M
R
W
BW Hilfenhaus
4
0
28
0
DE Bollinger
3.1
0
26
1
XJ Doherty
4
0
28
1
EP Gulbis
4
0
23
0
B Laughlin
4
0
36
1
Pandey was caught at long-on after making 40 off 32 balls, but Kallis saw his side home, flicking the first ball of the final over from Doug Bollinger for a six through the hands of Ben Hilfenhaus on the boundary.
KKR, who recorded a 14th consecutive win in all competitions, will play the winners of Thursday’s second semi-final between Kings XI Punjab and the Chennai Super Kings in Saturday’s final in Bangalore.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Perth Scorchers, CLT20: Scorecard and Report
Sep 24, 2014
Kolkata Knight Riders's batsman Manoj Tiwary plays a shot from Delhi Daredevils's bowler Umesh Yadav, unseen, during the Champions League Twenty20 cricket match at the Centurion Park in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/ Themba Hadebe)
Kolkata Knight Riders moved closer to the semi-finals of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament with a three-wicket victory over Perth Scorchers.
The Big Bash champions made 151-7 in their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad.
KKR polished off the total with two balls to spare to record their third consecutive victory in Group A.
Scorchers captain Adam Voges batted throughout their innings in making an unbeaten 71, but he lacked support after a 68-run opening partnership in nine overs with Craig Simmons.
Only keeper Sam Whiteman (21) and Yasir Arafat (10) got into double figures, with spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Sunil Narine taking 3-24 and 4-31 respectively.
10th four-wicket haul for Sunil Narine in T20s, jointly the most in T20 history, Umar Gul & Lasith Malinga also has 10 four-wkt hauls #CLT20
The two-time Indian Premier League champions stuttered in their chase, making 37-3 in the powerplay and were behind the run rate when they slipped to 87-5 in the 15th over.
However, Yusuf Pathan (21) and Yadav added 38 runs in 20 balls for the sixth wicket before Yadav hit Nathan Coulter-Nile for consecutive sixes in the penultimate over that went for 19.
Five were needed off the final over. Andre Russell bowled Yasir Arafat with the first delivery, but Piyush Chawla found the boundary with the fourth ball.
It took KKR's unbeaten run to 12 matches in all competitions.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Perth Scorchers: CLT20 Date, TV Info, Preview
Sep 22, 2014
Titans Henry Davids, left, walks of the field as Kolkata Knight Riders celebrate taking his wicket during a Champions League Twenty20 cricket game in Cape Town, South Africa, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
Kolkata Knight Riders and Perth Scorchers face off in the latest fixture in the Champions League Twenty20, with both sides unbeaten so far in the tournament.
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad
Date: Wednesday, September 24
Start time: 3:30 p.m. BST, 8 p.m. local time
Live on: STAR Sports 1 (India), Ten Sports/PTV Sports (Pakistan), SuperSport (South Africa), Eurosport (UK/Europe), Sky Sports (New Zealand), Network Ten/Fox (Australia), Star Cricket (Sri Lanka), Star Cricket (Bangladesh), ESPN (USA and Caribbean), Willow Cricket (USA).
Weather: According to Weather.com, Hyderabad will be a little on the cloudy side, with temperatures peaking at around 32 degrees Celsius.
Overview
The Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the favourites for the CLT20 title, and it is easy to see why after two victories from their opening two games.
Neither have been especially comfortable—by three and four wickets, respectively—but they have shown a great deal of depth and fight against some strong opponents.
In addition, Gautam Gambhir looked in good touch as he made 60 at the top of the order, so he will be hoping to continue to deliver against the new ball.
Meanwhile, the Perth Scorchers have played just one game but took victory by six wickets from the very last ball, thanks largely to Mitchell Marsh.
With 12 needed to win from the last two deliveries, Marsh hit two consecutive sixes to help his team squeak over the line in the most dramatic possible fashion.
Both teams should have plenty of confidence going into this game, so it will be intriguing to see who comes out firing and gets themselves another win.
Team News
Kolkata Knight Riders (from): Gautam Gambhir (capt), Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate, Morne Morkel, Pat Cummins, Andre Russell.
Perth Scorchers (from): Adam Voges (capt), Ashton Agar, Yasir Arafat, Michael Beer, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Simon Mackin, Mitchell Marsh, Joel Paris, Craig Simmons, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman.
Key Players
Sunil Narine
West Indian spinner Sunil Narine is crucial for Kolkata Knight Riders, especially early on with the ball in his hand.
If he can be as restrictive as usual, the IPL side will be in with a good chance of victory.
Mitchell Marsh
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh impressed hugely last time out with two consecutive sixes to win the game for Perth.
He has bags of ability and is explosive with the bat, so the Scorchers will look to him to provide some impetus.
Sunil Narine's sublime performance in taking 3/9 from his four overs in Kolkata Knight Riders ' victory over Lahore Lions in the Champions League T20 had many proclaiming him the ...
Kolkata Knight Riders Prove Early-Season Form Doesn't Matter with IPL 7 Final Win
Jun 1, 2014
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir sits next to the winning trophy of the Indian Premier League (IPL) during a photo call on the eve of the final match against Chennai Super Kings, in Chennai, India, Saturday, May 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
In American politics it is often referred to as the "Big Mo," and in Sunday’s Indian Premier League final the Kolkata Knight Riders proved that gaining momentum at the right time is absolutely crucial to winning the tournament as Gautam Gambhir and Co. overcame the Kings XI Punjab by three wickets in Bangalore.
The Knight Riders had of course begun IPL 7 in less than convincing fashion, losing five of their first seven league fixtures in both the United Arab Emirates and India, the second of those losses coming against Punjab by 23 runs in Abu Dhabi last month as the franchise suffered four reverses on the trot.
All of which meant that Kolkata were left with very little room for manoeuvre as they prepared to play their final seven contests in the league phase knowing that one more slip-up could mean the end of their tournament for another year.
However, in many ways competing under that type of extreme pressure, where every match is in effect a knockout game, can really harden the mind of the players and prepare the team well if they do manage to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.
And that is exactly what happened with the Knight Riders this year as the franchise turned their stuttering early-season form completely on its head to wheel off seven wins in a row in the second half of the tournament and earn a second-place finish to their league campaign behind the Kings XI.
One of those seven successive victories was a thumping nine-wicket demolition of Punjab in Cuttack earlier this month that gave Kolkata great confidence going into their knockout qualifier against the same opponents at Eden Gardens last week, which the home side won by 28 runs to record a second straight triumph over the Kings XI.
Consequently, when it came to Sunday’s final at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the smart money was on the Knight Riders making it nine consecutive victories in IPL 7, including three in a row against George Bailey’s men.
And that is exactly what happened, although it was far from a straightforward path to glory for Kolkata after Punjab had racked up an imposing 199 for four having been sent into bat by Gambhir.
But the Knight Riders were able to fall back and rely on the mountains of confidence that inevitably come from having won your previous eight games in a row to become not just the second-ever side to successfully chase down 200 to win in Bangalore but also only the second franchise after the Chennai Super Kings to claim the IPL on two occasions.
In particular it was the self-belief to maintain a daunting rate of 10 runs per over even after first losing Robin Uthappa, the highest run-scorer in the competition, for just five in the opening over, and then their skipper with the score on 59, that ultimately saw Kolkata over the line with only three wickets and three balls remaining.
In the end, though, it was that unstoppable momentum which has been built up during these past nine wins that helped man-of-the-match Manish Pandey blast 94 from just 50 balls, including seven fours and six sixes, to take his side to within sight of the finishing line.
And when Pandey threw his wicket away trying to reach a second IPL hundred with a six with still 21 runs needed for victory, it was left to little leg-spinner Piyush Chawla to continue that Big Mo by first hooking Mitchell Johnson into the stands for six, and then slicing Parvinder Awana away for the winning boundary four.
Yusuf Pathan's 72 from 22: Breaking Down the Kolkata Star's Innings
May 24, 2014
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Yusuf Pathan plays a shot against Somerset during the Champions League Twenty20 cricket match in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A)
In the Kolkata Knight Riders’ final game of the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) regular season, batsman Yusuf Pathan did something truly extraordinary in just 22 balls.
His 72 runs came in a period of absolute carnage toward a thrilling game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with Kolkata prevailing by four wickets and with plenty of overs to spare.
Pathan had a great deal of luck as he was dropped twice, but in this innings, he found the form he is capable of as he smashed five fours and seven sixes and recorded a 327.27 strike rate.
With Kolkata needing to reach their target in 15.2 overs or less to secure second place in the table, Pathan’s knock could not have come at a better time.
His innings, the fastest ever half-century in the IPL’s history, means the Knight Riders now have two chances to reach the tournament’s final and was one to remember from this year.
Opening Phase: Balls 1-4
In his opening four balls, there was little sign of what was to come from Pathan, as he scored a single from each of his opening deliveries.
However, Hyderabad missed a golden opportunity to remove him, as Srikkanth Anirudha dropped a simple catch off the bowling of Karn Sharma before Pathan had even scored.
It was a slog that went straight to the fielder, but Anirudha shelled it and would come to rue his mistake in the coming overs.
Second Phase: Balls 5-10
In the space of just six balls, Pathan moved from having scored four runs to 31 in a spell of sustained aggression that saw him smite a number of boundaries and also be dropped once again.
The guilty party this time was Dale Steyn off the bowling of Parvez Rasool, with the latter seeing his solitary over taken for 22 runs.
Three sixes and two fours as well as a single to long-on meant Pathan helped his side accelerate perhaps beyond their wildest dreams, with Steyn’s drop going for the maximum to compound Hyderabad’s misery.
On the back of Pathan’s extraordinary sequence of boundaries, Kolkata had the momentum and were now supremely confident of reaching their target, especially if the Indian could keep going.
Third Phase: Balls 11-19
There was something of a lull initially in the next phase, as Pathan pushed for two runs, but then order was restored as he hammered another enormous six to the delight of the watching fans.
Then after another single, an extraordinary display of boundary-hitting followed as he hit a four followed by two consecutive sixes and two consecutive fours.
In the space of just five deliveries, Pathan scored an astonishing 24 runs off the hapless Steyn, who could do little to prevent the batsman from clearing the rope at Eden Gardens.
Pathan reached his 50 from just his 15th ball—beating Adam Gilchrist’s record of 17 balls for the fastest ever IPL half-century—as he sent a maximum sailing over midwicket.
Steyn’s over ended up going for 26—his most expensive ever in IPL—as Pathan hit a two from the last ball to reach 66 from just 19 deliveries.
Final Phase: Balls 20-22
There followed an anomaly, as the 20th ball of Pathan’s innings was a dot, the first he had played since arriving at the crease.
Order was then restored from his 21st as Karn Sharma was once again dispatched over the rope for six more, with Pathan now at 72 from just 21 balls.
Unfortunately for Kolkata fans—and many more neutrals—the fun ended with the next delivery as Sharma got his man.
Pathan was aiming for another six but could only pick out the hands of Shikhar Dhawan at deep midwicket, and he made no mistake.
However, the Knight Riders went on to win the match, and it was Pathan’s innings that made the difference.
His 72 from 22 was enormously helpful in them reaching their target with plenty of time to spare, with Kolkata moving up to second by virtue of an improved net run rate.
Pathan’s talent has never been in doubt, and innings such as Saturday prove that when on form he can destroy any bowling attack.
