The Kolkata Knight Riders imploded to end on 119 for nine in 20 overs against the Chennai Super Kings in the Pepsi Indian Premier League clash at EdenGardens in Kolkata on Saturday, after winning the toss and deciding to bat first.
The ‘spin-twins’ of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin completely dismantled the home side with combined figures of 8-1-41-5, with Jadeja claiming 3-20 and Ashwin ending with 2-21. Chris Morris (1-12) and Dwayne Bravo (1-14) were the other wicket takers while the Knight Riders contributed two terrible run-outs.
Gautum Gambhir (25) and Yusuf Pathan (25) were the only batsmen to move past the 20-mark, as the opening pair added 46 for the first wicket of 36 deliveries. But once Gambhir departed to a brilliant catch by Mike Hussey, running around from third-man, off the bowling of Morris, the wheels literally exploded!
Jacques Kallis (0) was then run-out two balls later without facing a delivery, and Eion Morgan (2) chipped a slower ball from Bravo to mid-wicket. At 50 for three in the eighth over, all was not lost, but the last ball of Bravo’s over saw another senseless run-out.
Pathan turned for a second run, but hesitated as Bravo chased the ball off his own bowling. The throw to MS Dhoni behind the stumps was accurate and Pathan was found wanting.
It was at this point that Ashwin and Jadeja worked their magic as the Knight Riders lost wickets with regularity. Debabrata Das (19) was trapped lbw by Ashwin in the 13th over, after hitting two sixes. Manoj Tiwary (13) was then caught by Mohit Sharma on the boundary of Ashwin two overs later.
Jadeja then picked up Rajat Bhatia (1), Laxmi Shukla (1) and Sunil Narine (13), who hit two sixes himself, to put the nail in the coffin.
Chennai should have no difficulty in chasing down the victory target of 120 in 20 overs, with a fast outfield.
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS: G Gambhir (capt), JH Kallis, YK Pathan, MK Tiwary, EJG Morgan, DB Das (wk), LR Shukla, R Bhatia, SMSM Senanayake, SP Narine, L Balaji
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: M Vijay, MEK Hussey, SK Raina, S Badrinath, RA Jadeja, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), DJ Bravo, JA Morkel, CH Morris, R Ashwin, MM Sharma
