One can draw many similarities between Sunrisers Hyderabad&rsquo;s (SRH) Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns in 2016 and 2017. They finished at No. 3 in the points table in both seasons. They had two bowlers in top five at identical spots by the end of season: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (first) and Mustafizur Rahman (fifth) in 2016, Bhuvneshwar (first) and Rashid Khan (fifth) in 2017. They had two batsmen in top five, again by the end of season: David Warner (second) and Shikhar Dhawan (fifth) in 2016, Warner (first) and Dhawan (third) in 2017.

Further, SRH found a new overseas bowling sensation in both seasons. If Mustafizur did the job for them last year, Rashid&rsquo;s googlies bamboozled the best of batsmen in the ongoing league. Bhuvneshwar, Warner and Dhawan were consistent just like the previous season. The team had a good time playing at home, in fact better than the last year. However, the similarities end here, as the team bowed out of the tournament after losing Eliminator on Wednesday against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the same side they had beaten in the same match last year before going on to win Qualifier 2 and eventually the final.

From here, the focus shifts from what went wrong to the things they did differently this year to the things that did not click for them and the reasons behind their unsuccessful campaign. Let us take a look at the possible reasons behind their failure, the positives out of this campaign as well as what lies in store.

Home bullies falter in away games

In IPL 2016, SRH had won 7 of their 10 away games, thus having a 70 per cent success rate playing away from home. Being good away from home was a hallmark of their success last year. However, it came down drastically this year, with the team winning just 25 per cent of its away games: 2 out of 8. Although SRH had a better home season from last year (6 wins this year as compared to 4 in IPL 2016), the poor away record in IPL 2017 was one of the key factors behind their failure.

Unsettled XI

Unlike last year, SRH could not find a stable playing XI till their final game. The fact that they made as many as four changes for the Eliminator from their previous game underlies the issue. The likes of Kane Williamson, Vijay Shankar Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Nabi did well in the limited chances they got. Giving them a longer run would probably have helped the franchise. But these players were shuffled far too often in order to find the right balance, which eventually never happened. Inconsistency in selection of playing XI, thus also hampered their prospects in IPL 2017.

Heavy reliance on a few individuals: One of the major reasons why SRH won the campaign last year was that they played as a single unit, with all players chipping in with vital contributions. This year, though, the team heavily relied on a couple of individuals in every department. Warner and Dhawan, just like last year, scored consistently. But barring them, none of them really stepped up. Yuvraj Singh was good in patches. Moises Henriques was good initially but lost his form as the tournament progressed. In-form Williamson was played in only half the games.

In bowling department as well, the story was not any different. Bhuvneshwar and Rashid excelled. Siddharth Kaul and Siraj did what they do best. But Ashish Nehra broke down once again, while an off-colour Mustafizur got just a solitary game. The dependency on a few individuals clearly hurt the side.

Lastly, luck

In the end, SRH would have been mighty disappointed with the way they bowed out of the tournament. Though they could only post a below-par 128 against KKR, a 20-over game would have given them a chance to defend it. They had enough firepower in their bowling arsenal to put up a fight, but a 6-over run chase was not fair to them. Had they been a little lucky yesterday night, a washed-out game would have put them into Qualifier 2.

Positives from IPL 2017

Rashid, Kaul, Siraj and Vijay Shankar were the biggest positives for SRH this season. However, it is unlikely if they remain a part of the squad next year with a high possibility of all the players going in the auction pool.

The road ahead

Even though SRH failed to cross the knockout hurdle, they played some good cricket overall. They have a solid group of players at their disposal and their aim next year should be to retain the core group. It is not going to be easy, with a fresh auction taking place for all the teams. But building the same team will be their top agenda next year.

Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan confirmed the same at the post-match press conference after Eliminator. &ldquo;We had a very good season and we played well. However, unfortunately you need to go out sometimes when you are in the knockouts. Therefore, unfortunately this year is not our year. We will make sure if we can build the same team next year, comeback and fight for the trophy,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;Our batsmen batted well, the bowlers, who were picked in the auction, did well as well. Therefore, we are satisfied with our players along with our performance as well. We also won eight matches or something, while we just lost five matches, along with this loss. We won it last year, and that is not going to happen every time. Every team tries hard. Therefore, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. We take it on the chin and say &lsquo;Ok, it&rsquo;s not our year&rsquo;. I also congratulate all the players who played really well for us,&rdquo; he added.

Given the performances SRH have put up over the last couple of seasons, there is no denying they will comeback harder next year and try even harder to win back the title.

(This story first appeared on cricketcountry.com)

Though SRH failed to cross the knockout hurdle, they played some good cricket overall

One can draw many similarities between Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns in 2016 and 2017. They finished at No. 3 in the points table in both seasons. They had two bowlers in top five at identical spots by the end of season: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (first) and Mustafizur Rahman (fifth) in 2016, Bhuvneshwar (first) and Rashid Khan (fifth) in 2017. They had two batsmen in top five, again by the end of season: David Warner (second) and Shikhar Dhawan (fifth) in 2016, Warner (first) and Dhawan (third) in 2017. Further, SRH found a new overseas bowling sensation in both seasons. If Mustafizur did the job for them last year, Rashid’s googlies bamboozled the best of batsmen in the ongoing league. Bhuvneshwar, Warner and Dhawan were consistent just like the previous season. The team had a good time playing at home, in fact better than the last year. However, the similarities end here, as the team bowed out of the tournament after losing Eliminator on Wednesday against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the same side they had beaten in the same match last year before going on to win Qualifier 2 and eventually the final. From here, the focus shifts from what went wrong to the things they did differently this year to the things that did not click for them and the reasons behind their unsuccessful campaign. Let us take a look at the possible reasons behind their failure, the positives out of this campaign as well as what lies in store. Home bullies falter in away games In IPL 2016, SRH had won 7 of their 10 away games, thus having a 70 per cent success rate playing away from home. Being good away from home was a hallmark of their success last year. However, it came down drastically this year, with the team winning just 25 per cent of its away games: 2 out of 8. Although SRH had a better home season from last year (6 wins this year as compared to 4 in IPL 2016), the poor away record in IPL 2017 was one of the key factors behind their failure. Unsettled XI Unlike last year, SRH could not find a stable playing XI till their final game. The fact that they made as many as four changes for the Eliminator from their previous game underlies the issue. The likes of Kane Williamson, Vijay Shankar Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Nabi did well in the limited chances they got. Giving them a longer run would probably have helped the franchise. But these players were shuffled far too often in order to find the right balance, which eventually never happened. Inconsistency in selection of playing XI, thus also hampered their prospects in IPL 2017. Heavy reliance on a few individuals: One of the major reasons why SRH won the campaign last year was that they played as a single unit, with all players chipping in with vital contributions. This year, though, the team heavily relied on a couple of individuals in every department. Warner and Dhawan, just like last year, scored consistently. But barring them, none of them really stepped up. Yuvraj Singh was good in patches. Moises Henriques was good initially but lost his form as the tournament progressed. In-form Williamson was played in only half the games. In bowling department as well, the story was not any different. Bhuvneshwar and Rashid excelled. Siddharth Kaul and Siraj did what they do best. But Ashish Nehra broke down once again, while an off-colour Mustafizur got just a solitary game. The dependency on a few individuals clearly hurt the side. Lastly, luck In the end, SRH would have been mighty disappointed with the way they bowed out of the tournament. Though they could only post a below-par 128 against KKR, a 20-over game would have given them a chance to defend it. They had enough firepower in their bowling arsenal to put up a fight, but a 6-over run chase was not fair to them. Had they been a little lucky yesterday night, a washed-out game would have put them into Qualifier 2. Positives from IPL 2017 Rashid, Kaul, Siraj and Vijay Shankar were the biggest positives for SRH this season. However, it is unlikely if they remain a part of the squad next year with a high possibility of all the players going in the auction pool. The road ahead Even though SRH failed to cross the knockout hurdle, they played some good cricket overall. They have a solid group of players at their disposal and their aim next year should be to retain the core group. It is not going to be easy, with a fresh auction taking place for all the teams. But building the same team will be their top agenda next year. Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan confirmed the same at the post-match press conference after Eliminator. “We had a very good season and we played well. However, unfortunately you need to go out sometimes when you are in the knockouts. Therefore, unfortunately this year is not our year. We will make sure if we can build the same team next year, comeback and fight for the trophy,” he said. “Our batsmen batted well, the bowlers, who were picked in the auction, did well as well. Therefore, we are satisfied with our players along with our performance as well. We also won eight matches or something, while we just lost five matches, along with this loss. We won it last year, and that is not going to happen every time. Every team tries hard. Therefore, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. We take it on the chin and say ‘Ok, it’s not our year’. I also congratulate all the players who played really well for us,” he added. Given the performances SRH have put up over the last couple of seasons, there is no denying they will comeback harder next year and try even harder to win back the title. (This story first appeared on cricketcountry.com)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Unfortunate end to defending champions? inconsistent season

Mumbai Indians entered the final of the ongoing Indian Premier league (IPL) with a convincing six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders here tonight.

Opting to field after Rohit Sharma won the toss, Mumbai bowled out Kolkata for a paltry 107 in 18.5 overs, and then chased down the target with 33 balls to spare at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Leg-spinner Karn Sharma was the star performer with the ball for Mumbai, returning excellent figures of 4/16 - the joint best effort by a spinner in an IPL knockout game, while Jasprit Bumrah provided fine support to pick 3/7 in three overs.

Krunal Pandya showed maturity, finishing as Mumbai&#39;s top scorer with 45 off 30 balls, while Rohit contributed 26.

Earlier, KKR off were to a disastrous start and were reeling at 31 for five at one stage, with Sharma and Bumrah doing the bulk of damage.

A 56-run partnership ensued between Suryakumar Kumar (31) and Ishank Jaggi (28), before the Mumbai bowlers struck again.

(PTI)

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Opting to field after Rohit Sharma won the toss, Mumbai bowled out Kolkata for a paltry 107 in 18.5 overs

Mumbai Indians entered the final of the ongoing Indian Premier league (IPL) with a convincing six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders here tonight. Opting to field after Rohit Sharma won the toss, Mumbai bowled out Kolkata for a paltry 107 in 18.5 overs, and then chased down the target with 33 balls to spare at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Leg-spinner Karn Sharma was the star performer with the ball for Mumbai, returning excellent figures of 4/16 - the joint best effort by a spinner in an IPL knockout game, while Jasprit Bumrah provided fine support to pick 3/7 in three overs. Krunal Pandya showed maturity, finishing as Mumbai's top scorer with 45 off 30 balls, while Rohit contributed 26. Earlier, KKR off were to a disastrous start and were reeling at 31 for five at one stage, with Sharma and Bumrah doing the bulk of damage. A 56-run partnership ensued between Suryakumar Kumar (31) and Ishank Jaggi (28), before the Mumbai bowlers struck again. (PTI) WION's sports editor Yash Jha talks about what to expect in the match as the two IPL giants clash at the Chinnaswamy Stadium today. (WION) ×

Mumbai Indians beat KKR by 6 wickets, enter IPL final

Swashbuckling opener David Warner smashed a whirlwind century to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a comfortable 48-run win over table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL encounter here today.

Warner butchered the KKR bowlers with a 59-ball 126-run innings, studded with 10 fours and 8 sixes to power defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad to an imposing 209-3 after captain Gautam Gambhir decided to bowl.

Chasing the target, KKR were reduced to 12-2 in 2.3 overs with both their openers -- Gambhir (11) and Sunil Narine (1) back to the pavillion.

Robin Uthappa (53) and Manish Pandey (39) then shared a 78-run partnership off 51 balls for the 3rd wicket to keep KKR in the hunt.

After their dismissal, Yusuf Pathan (12), Sheldon Jackson (16) and Colin de Grandhomme (18) tried their hands but it was not enough in the end as KKR were restricted to 161-7 in stipulated 20 overs.

For Sunrisers, Mohammed Siraj (2/26), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Siddharth Kaul (2/26) took two wickets each, while Rashid Khan (1/38) also contributed with one wicket.

There was also a rain-interruption of 42 minutes when KKR were 52-2 in 7 overs with Uthappa and Pandey at the crease but it didn&#39;t affect the match as no overs were lost.

This was Sunrisers&#39; sixth win in 10 matches. They now have 13 points and are placed at the third spot in the table. For two-time champions and table-toppers KKR, it is only their third loss in 10 matches.

With this win, Sunrisers also avenged their 17-run loss to KKR in their previous outing.

Earlier, Warner and Shikhar Dhawan (29), who had forged a 107-run opening partnership in their last match against KXIP, produced yet another scintillating 139-run opening stand in 76 balls to set up the foundation for a huge total.

Once they were back into the hut, Kane Williamson (40) blasted five fours in his 25-ball innings and alongwith Yuvraj Singh (6 not out) took Sunrisers across the 200-mark.

This was the highest total in this season and also the third time that Sunrisers have scored a 200-plus total. They had scored 207-3 against Kings XI Punjab in their last match, besides scoring 207-4 against RCB early in the season.

For KKR, who are sitting pretty at the top of the table, none of the bowlers could make any impression as they were taken to the cleaners by Warner.

Opening the innings, Warner put KKR bowlers to the sword as he alongwith Dhawan amassed 79-0 in the Powerplay overs.

Warner made his intention clear from the start by dealing in boundaries. He picked up Chris Woakes for special treatment in the 3rd over when he blasted him for a four and a couple of sixes to amass 17 runs.

Yusuf Pathan then came in his firing line as he smashed two fours and a six to once again pile on 17 runs and bring up the team fifty in just 23 balls.

The Australian then switch-hit Sunil Narine over short third man to score his 50 in 20 balls. He then punching him through cover for a four.

He continued his rampage and brought up the team 100 in the ninth over by hammering Nathan Coulter-Nile for a maximum over midwicket in the fourth ball.

Kuldeep Yadav then bled 18 runs as Warner clobbered one boundary and two sixes in the 10th over.

In the 11th over, Warner picked up a couple of runs by sending Umesh Yadav to the deep midwicket area to score the third century of this season. He took just 43 balls for his hundred.

In the 13th over, Dhawan (29), who was playing the second fiddle, was run out as KKR finally broke the opening partnership.

It was Kuldeep Yadav, who produced a brilliant fielding where he picked up the ball and threw the stumps down at the bowler&#39;s end after Dhawan failed to make the ground.

Warner&#39;s sensational innings came to an end in the 17th over when once again looking for a six off Woakes he was holed out by Gambhir.

Kane Williamson (40) and Yuvraj Singh (6) then took Sunrisers across the 200-mark.&nbsp;

(PTI) 
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David Warner butchered the KKR bowlers with a 59-ball 126-run innings, studded with 10 fours and 8 sixes

Swashbuckling opener David Warner smashed a whirlwind century to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a comfortable 48-run win over table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL encounter here today. Warner butchered the KKR bowlers with a 59-ball 126-run innings, studded with 10 fours and 8 sixes to power defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad to an imposing 209-3 after captain Gautam Gambhir decided to bowl. Chasing the target, KKR were reduced to 12-2 in 2.3 overs with both their openers -- Gambhir (11) and Sunil Narine (1) back to the pavillion. Robin Uthappa (53) and Manish Pandey (39) then shared a 78-run partnership off 51 balls for the 3rd wicket to keep KKR in the hunt. After their dismissal, Yusuf Pathan (12), Sheldon Jackson (16) and Colin de Grandhomme (18) tried their hands but it was not enough in the end as KKR were restricted to 161-7 in stipulated 20 overs. For Sunrisers, Mohammed Siraj (2/26), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Siddharth Kaul (2/26) took two wickets each, while Rashid Khan (1/38) also contributed with one wicket. There was also a rain-interruption of 42 minutes when KKR were 52-2 in 7 overs with Uthappa and Pandey at the crease but it didn't affect the match as no overs were lost. This was Sunrisers' sixth win in 10 matches. They now have 13 points and are placed at the third spot in the table. For two-time champions and table-toppers KKR, it is only their third loss in 10 matches. With this win, Sunrisers also avenged their 17-run loss to KKR in their previous outing. Earlier, Warner and Shikhar Dhawan (29), who had forged a 107-run opening partnership in their last match against KXIP, produced yet another scintillating 139-run opening stand in 76 balls to set up the foundation for a huge total. Once they were back into the hut, Kane Williamson (40) blasted five fours in his 25-ball innings and alongwith Yuvraj Singh (6 not out) took Sunrisers across the 200-mark. This was the highest total in this season and also the third time that Sunrisers have scored a 200-plus total. They had scored 207-3 against Kings XI Punjab in their last match, besides scoring 207-4 against RCB early in the season. For KKR, who are sitting pretty at the top of the table, none of the bowlers could make any impression as they were taken to the cleaners by Warner. Opening the innings, Warner put KKR bowlers to the sword as he alongwith Dhawan amassed 79-0 in the Powerplay overs. Warner made his intention clear from the start by dealing in boundaries. He picked up Chris Woakes for special treatment in the 3rd over when he blasted him for a four and a couple of sixes to amass 17 runs. Yusuf Pathan then came in his firing line as he smashed two fours and a six to once again pile on 17 runs and bring up the team fifty in just 23 balls. The Australian then switch-hit Sunil Narine over short third man to score his 50 in 20 balls. He then punching him through cover for a four. He continued his rampage and brought up the team 100 in the ninth over by hammering Nathan Coulter-Nile for a maximum over midwicket in the fourth ball. Kuldeep Yadav then bled 18 runs as Warner clobbered one boundary and two sixes in the 10th over. In the 11th over, Warner picked up a couple of runs by sending Umesh Yadav to the deep midwicket area to score the third century of this season. He took just 43 balls for his hundred. In the 13th over, Dhawan (29), who was playing the second fiddle, was run out as KKR finally broke the opening partnership. It was Kuldeep Yadav, who produced a brilliant fielding where he picked up the ball and threw the stumps down at the bowler's end after Dhawan failed to make the ground. Warner's sensational innings came to an end in the 17th over when once again looking for a six off Woakes he was holed out by Gambhir. Kane Williamson (40) and Yuvraj Singh (6) then took Sunrisers across the 200-mark. (PTI)

IPL 2017: Warner's 126 sets up Sunrisers Hyderabad's 48-run win over KKR

Robin Uthappa made a mockery of Rising Pune Supergiant&#39;s bowling attack to anchor Kolkata Knight Riders closer towards a play-off berth with a convincing seven-wicket win in an IPL match, here tonight. 
 
The India discard right-hander struck a match-winning 87 off just 47 balls balls and was ably supported by skipper Gautam Gambhir, who made 62 off 46 deliveries, as two-time champions KRR regained their spot in top of the standings with six wins from eight games. 
 
While Uthappa decorated his knock with seven boundaries and six hits over the fence, Gambhir innings was laced with six fours and one six. 
 
The duo stitched 158 runs off just 85 balls for the second wicket to help KKR chase down the 183-run target with 11 balls to spare. 
 
Earlier, Steven Smith led from the front with an unbeaten 51 to lift Pune to a challenging 182 for five. 
 
Smith&#39;s half-century came off 37 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six. 
 
Besides Smith, Ajinkya Rahane (46 off 41 balls), Rahul Tripathi (38 off 23), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23 off 11) and Daniel Christian (16 off 6) also made useful contributions for the home team. 
 
Left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for KKR with figures of two for 31. 
 
Chasing the target, Sunil Narine (15 off 9 balls) once again got KKR off to a brisk start before he was run out in the third over. 
 
Then Uthappa and Gambhir joined hands and took control off the chase with a bit of luck on their favour. 
 
Uthappa was lucky to have survived a close LBW call when he was yet to open his account and later when Jaydev Unadkat made a mess of a chance at deep midwicket off Imran Tahir&#39;s bowling with the batsman on 12. 
 
The stylish right-hander grabbed the opportunities with both hands and thereafter opened his arms to struck boundaries and sixes at will. 
 
Uthpappa did not spare a single Pune bowler with young Washington Sundar and Unadkat facing the maximum wrath. 
 
Uthappa brought up his half-century in just 26 balls in the 11th over. 
 
Gambhir, on the other hand, was content to play one and twos with occasional boundaries in between. 
 
Gambhir too got a life at the personal score of 32, dropped by Sundar off Daniel Christian&#39;s bowling. 
 
The duo, however, could not finish off the chase as both departed while trying to get over the line as quickly as possible but not before doing the job for their side. 
 
Earlier sent into bat, Pune made a brisk start, courtesy opener Tripathi&#39;s aggressive strokeplay. 
 
Tripathi was at his aggressive best while his experienced partner Rahane played the second fiddle. 
 
Tripahi went about his shots and luck favoured him as he got two reprieves -- first an outside in the fifth delivery of the innings which went just over wicketkeeper Uthappa&#39;s reach and then Yusuf Pathan spilled a chance at long-on in the seventh over while running backwards. 
 
During his stay at the crease Triptahi dealt mainly in boundaries and struck Narine (1/34) for three boundaries to pick up 15 runs in the sixth over. 
 
However, Triptahi&#39;s luck ran out shortly as he under- edged a Piyush Chawla (1/36) googly on to his stumps soon. 
 
Tripathi&#39;s dismissal hardly had any effect on Pune Supergiant&#39;s scoring rate as Rahane and skipper Smith struck a boundary each in every over thereafter. 
 
But Rahane fell four runs short of his second IPL 10 fifty when he was stumped by Uthappa off Narine&#39;s bowling. 
 
Rahane&#39;s wicket brought in Dhoni who made his intentions clear from the onset. 
 
Dhoni struck Chawla to the midwicket boundary in the third ball of the 15th over and then followed it up with a huge hit over long-off boundary off the next ball. 
 
Dhoni continued his onslaught and clobbered Kuldeep Yadav for another six in the next over. 
 
But a brilliant 18th over from Kuldeep Yadav and some fine glove work by Uthappa derailed Pune Supergiant&#39;s surge. 
 
Kuldeep Yadav foxed Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary with two beautiful googlies and Uthappa was quick to whip off the bails to dismiss the batsmen. 
 
Just when it seemed KKR had managed to pull things back, Smith and Christian stepped on the accelerator and accumulated 30 runs off the last two overs, that included consecutive sixes by the latter off Chris Woakes, to take Pune beyond the 180-run mark.

(PTI)

Robin Uthappa struck a match-winning 87 to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to the top of the league table

Robin Uthappa made a mockery of Rising Pune Supergiant's bowling attack to anchor Kolkata Knight Riders closer towards a play-off berth with a convincing seven-wicket win in an IPL match, here tonight. The India discard right-hander struck a match-winning 87 off just 47 balls balls and was ably supported by skipper Gautam Gambhir, who made 62 off 46 deliveries, as two-time champions KRR regained their spot in top of the standings with six wins from eight games. While Uthappa decorated his knock with seven boundaries and six hits over the fence, Gambhir innings was laced with six fours and one six. The duo stitched 158 runs off just 85 balls for the second wicket to help KKR chase down the 183-run target with 11 balls to spare. Earlier, Steven Smith led from the front with an unbeaten 51 to lift Pune to a challenging 182 for five. Smith's half-century came off 37 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six. Besides Smith, Ajinkya Rahane (46 off 41 balls), Rahul Tripathi (38 off 23), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23 off 11) and Daniel Christian (16 off 6) also made useful contributions for the home team. Left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for KKR with figures of two for 31. Chasing the target, Sunil Narine (15 off 9 balls) once again got KKR off to a brisk start before he was run out in the third over. Then Uthappa and Gambhir joined hands and took control off the chase with a bit of luck on their favour. Uthappa was lucky to have survived a close LBW call when he was yet to open his account and later when Jaydev Unadkat made a mess of a chance at deep midwicket off Imran Tahir's bowling with the batsman on 12. The stylish right-hander grabbed the opportunities with both hands and thereafter opened his arms to struck boundaries and sixes at will. Uthpappa did not spare a single Pune bowler with young Washington Sundar and Unadkat facing the maximum wrath. Uthappa brought up his half-century in just 26 balls in the 11th over. Gambhir, on the other hand, was content to play one and twos with occasional boundaries in between. Gambhir too got a life at the personal score of 32, dropped by Sundar off Daniel Christian's bowling. The duo, however, could not finish off the chase as both departed while trying to get over the line as quickly as possible but not before doing the job for their side. Earlier sent into bat, Pune made a brisk start, courtesy opener Tripathi's aggressive strokeplay. Tripathi was at his aggressive best while his experienced partner Rahane played the second fiddle. Tripahi went about his shots and luck favoured him as he got two reprieves -- first an outside in the fifth delivery of the innings which went just over wicketkeeper Uthappa's reach and then Yusuf Pathan spilled a chance at long-on in the seventh over while running backwards. During his stay at the crease Triptahi dealt mainly in boundaries and struck Narine (1/34) for three boundaries to pick up 15 runs in the sixth over. However, Triptahi's luck ran out shortly as he under- edged a Piyush Chawla (1/36) googly on to his stumps soon. Tripathi's dismissal hardly had any effect on Pune Supergiant's scoring rate as Rahane and skipper Smith struck a boundary each in every over thereafter. But Rahane fell four runs short of his second IPL 10 fifty when he was stumped by Uthappa off Narine's bowling. Rahane's wicket brought in Dhoni who made his intentions clear from the onset. Dhoni struck Chawla to the midwicket boundary in the third ball of the 15th over and then followed it up with a huge hit over long-off boundary off the next ball. Dhoni continued his onslaught and clobbered Kuldeep Yadav for another six in the next over. But a brilliant 18th over from Kuldeep Yadav and some fine glove work by Uthappa derailed Pune Supergiant's surge. Kuldeep Yadav foxed Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary with two beautiful googlies and Uthappa was quick to whip off the bails to dismiss the batsmen. Just when it seemed KKR had managed to pull things back, Smith and Christian stepped on the accelerator and accumulated 30 runs off the last two overs, that included consecutive sixes by the latter off Chris Woakes, to take Pune beyond the 180-run mark. (PTI)

IPL: Kolkata's Uthappa blitz pummels Pune bowlers into submission

In a stunning collapse, Royal Challengers Bangalore were all out for 49, the lowest score in the history of IPL as Kolkata Knight Riders spanked them by 82 runs, here tonight. 
 
The hosts had put up a modest total on the board as they were all out for 131 with RCB leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal taking three wickets. 
 
However, the hosts defended the total despite facing one of the biggest hitters in the game in the rival camp. 
 
Australian paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile ripped apart the Bangalore top-order by dismissing skipper Virat Kohli (0), AB de Villiers (8) and Kedar Jadhav (9). 
 
Pacemen Chris Woakes (3/6) and Colin de Grandhomme (3/4) also took three wickets each to bowl out RCB for 49 in just 9.4 overs.

(PTI)

The Virat Kohli-led franchise was bowled out for the lowest score in IPL history

In a stunning collapse, Royal Challengers Bangalore were all out for 49, the lowest score in the history of IPL as Kolkata Knight Riders spanked them by 82 runs, here tonight. The hosts had put up a modest total on the board as they were all out for 131 with RCB leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal taking three wickets. However, the hosts defended the total despite facing one of the biggest hitters in the game in the rival camp. Australian paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile ripped apart the Bangalore top-order by dismissing skipper Virat Kohli (0), AB de Villiers (8) and Kedar Jadhav (9). Pacemen Chris Woakes (3/6) and Colin de Grandhomme (3/4) also took three wickets each to bowl out RCB for 49 in just 9.4 overs. (PTI)

IPL: Bangalore all out for 49, lose to Kolkata

Suresh Raina played a captain&rsquo;s knock to guide struggling Gujarat Lions to a comprehensive four-wicket win over two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match, here today.

Chasing a challenging 188-run target set by KKR, Raina led from the front with a blistering 46-ball 84-run knock to set the platform for the much-needed win for Gujarat Lions.

Coming on to bat at the number three position, Raina took the attack to the opposition bowlers and decorated his innings with nine boundaries and four sixes to steer Gujarat Lions chase.

He was ably supported by Brendon McCullum (33) and Aaron Finch (31) who stitched 42 runs off just 21 balls for the opening stand to get Gujarat Lions&rsquo; chase off to a flier.

Down the order, Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 19 to finish off the proceedings for Gujarat Lions with a boundary in 18.2 overs.

Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) Nathan Coulter-Nile (2/41) picked up two wickets apiece for KKR.

Earlier, Robin Uthappa cracked a brilliant half-century while makeshift opener Sunil Narine struck a quickfire 47 at the top to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to 187 for five.

Uthappa made 72 off just 48 balls balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes to anchor the KKR innings after Narine (42 off 17 balls) played a short little cameo at the top to give his side a blazing start to their innings after being invited to bat.

Narine&rsquo;s breezy knock was studded with nine boundaries and a huge hit over the fence.

Besides, skipper Gautam Gambhir made 33 off 28 balls while Manish Pandey (24) and Yusuf Pathan (11 not out) also contributed for the hosts.

For Gujarat Lions, skipper Suresh Raina (2/11) was the most economical bowler.

(AFP)

Raina's 46-ball 84, aided by a whirlwind start, helped his team chase down a stiff target set by Kolkata

Suresh Raina played a captain’s knock to guide struggling Gujarat Lions to a comprehensive four-wicket win over two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match, here today. Chasing a challenging 188-run target set by KKR, Raina led from the front with a blistering 46-ball 84-run knock to set the platform for the much-needed win for Gujarat Lions. Coming on to bat at the number three position, Raina took the attack to the opposition bowlers and decorated his innings with nine boundaries and four sixes to steer Gujarat Lions chase. He was ably supported by Brendon McCullum (33) and Aaron Finch (31) who stitched 42 runs off just 21 balls for the opening stand to get Gujarat Lions’ chase off to a flier. Down the order, Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 19 to finish off the proceedings for Gujarat Lions with a boundary in 18.2 overs. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) Nathan Coulter-Nile (2/41) picked up two wickets apiece for KKR. Earlier, Robin Uthappa cracked a brilliant half-century while makeshift opener Sunil Narine struck a quickfire 47 at the top to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to 187 for five. Uthappa made 72 off just 48 balls balls with the help of eight boundaries and two sixes to anchor the KKR innings after Narine (42 off 17 balls) played a short little cameo at the top to give his side a blazing start to their innings after being invited to bat. Narine’s breezy knock was studded with nine boundaries and a huge hit over the fence. Besides, skipper Gautam Gambhir made 33 off 28 balls while Manish Pandey (24) and Yusuf Pathan (11 not out) also contributed for the hosts. For Gujarat Lions, skipper Suresh Raina (2/11) was the most economical bowler. (AFP)

IPL: Raina's captain knock helps Gujarat conquer KKR target

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 17 runs in their Indian Premier League match, here today. 
 
Chasing a challenging 173-run target, Sunrisers Hyderabad could reach 155 for six in their allotted 20 overs with Kolkata bowlers putting on a commendable performance. 
 
For Hyderabad, David Warner and Yuvraj Singh top scored with identical 26 each. 
 
Earlier, Robin Uthappa struck a gritty 68 off 39 balls to help the Knight Riders recover from a jittery start and post 172 for six. 
 
Despite seeing off openers -- Sunil Narine and Gautam Gambhir -- early, the Sunrisers bowlers failed to make further in-roads in the middle overs and the Karnataka duo of Uthappa and Manish Pandey (46) put on a solid 77-run partnership from 52 balls.

(PTI)

Robin Uthappa's blitz also helped Kolkata Knight Riders set a challenging total for Hyderabad Sunrisers

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 17 runs in their Indian Premier League match, here today. Chasing a challenging 173-run target, Sunrisers Hyderabad could reach 155 for six in their allotted 20 overs with Kolkata bowlers putting on a commendable performance. For Hyderabad, David Warner and Yuvraj Singh top scored with identical 26 each. Earlier, Robin Uthappa struck a gritty 68 off 39 balls to help the Knight Riders recover from a jittery start and post 172 for six. Despite seeing off openers -- Sunil Narine and Gautam Gambhir -- early, the Sunrisers bowlers failed to make further in-roads in the middle overs and the Karnataka duo of Uthappa and Manish Pandey (46) put on a solid 77-run partnership from 52 balls. (PTI)

IPL: Narine, Kuldeep spin Kolkata to victory over Hyderabad

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