HYDERABAD, India (AP) — Spinner Varun Chakravarthy took 3-36 as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets with 10 balls remaining in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
Sunil Narine claimed 2-31, and pacer Kartik Tyagi returned 2-30, as host Hyderabad was bowled out for 165 runs in 19 overs.
Opener Travis Head smashed 61 off only 28 balls, but Hyderabad collapsed from 135-4 and lost its last six wickets for just 30 runs.
In reply, Kolkata finished with 169-3 in 18.2 overs. Impact player Angkrish Raghuvanshi top-scored for his team with 59 off 47 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes, while skipper Ajinkya Rahane hit a 36-ball 43.
It was Kolkata’s third successive win as it stayed eighth in the points’ table after nine games, rebounding after five losses and a no-result. Hyderabad’s slip meant it stayed third with a fourth loss in 10 games, missing the chance to go top.
Gujarat Titans hosted Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad later Sunday.
Hyderabad starts well, ends badly
Head hit nine fours and three sixes overall, and he scored his second consecutive half-century off 22 balls. He put on 44 off 22 deliveries with Abhishek Sharma, who scored 15 and was caught off Tyagi.
The hosts reached 71-1 in the powerplay with Head and Ishan Kishan (42 off 29) adding another 61 runs off 32 balls. Chakravarthy got the breakthrough when Head was out caught in the ninth over.
Hyderabad slumped to 122-4 – Heinrich Klaasen went for 11 with Rovman Powell taking a splendid one-handed catch in the deep and Chakravarthy dismissed Ravichandran Smaran (4).
A key turning point came in the 16th over when Narine claimed two wickets, including Kishan’s, and Hyderabad didn’t have any momentum in the death overs.
Overall, it lost nine wickets for 60 runs after being 105-1 in 8.5 overs.
In reply, Kolkata made a quick start – Finn Allen hit 29 off 13 balls, before he was caught off Pat Cummins.
Kolkata also made 71-1 in the powerplay. Rahane and Raghuvanshi put on 84 off 66 balls for the second wicket, effectively shutting out Hyderabad from the game.
Raghuvanshi reached his 50 off 39 balls – his third of the season.
Rinku Singh’s 22 not out off 11 balls took Kolkata home.
It was Kolkata’s 21st win in 32 games against Hyderabad – its best record against an opponent in the IPL.
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