Indian Premier League 2016, Match 45: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rising Pune Supergiants — As it happened...

After a long wait, the match resumed to last only 30 balls. No complains though, as Yusuf Pathan reduced the chase of 66-runs to a child's play with his hyper-drive mode. Yes, despite losing both Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir to Ravichandran Ashwin in the first over itself.

It was rain, which stopped the match after just 17.4 overs play. But it was Rising Pune Supergiants batsmen's cluelessness against Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers which have reduced the match into a run-of-the-mill, yet another T20 script.

Even after the revised playing conditions, KKR, deservingly, won the match.

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KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS INNINGS; TARGET 66 (DL)

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Over 4.6 || Score  66/2 (M Pandey 15; Y Pathan 37)

Adam Zampa on, and a dot ball to Manish Pandey. It was followed by five wides, down the leg and MS Dhoni failed to keep.

Three singles, then a defensive play from Yusuf Pathan, showing full face of the bat and stomping.

Next ball, a bye, and KKR won by eight wickets.

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Over 4 || Score  57/2 (M Pandey 13; Y Pathan 36)

Ashwin for Ashwin. Murugan on attack, and the leg spinner managed to keep Yusuf Pathan quiet for two balls, then a wide.

Then a four, which brought KKR's fifty. A wide, then a huge over long-on. A dot to end the 13-run over.

Kolkata Knight Riders need 9 runs from 30 balls.

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Over 3 || Score  44/2 (M Pandey 12; Y Pathan 26)

Ravichandran Ashwin continued, so thus the onslaught, as Yusuf Pathan adopted a rather murderous mode.

Scoring sequence: 6, 1 lb, 1, 6, 4, 4.

22 runs from the over, and Kolkata Knight Riders need another 22 runs from 36 balls.

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Over 2 || Score  22/2 (M Pandey 11; Y Pathan 6)

Ashok Dinda shared the new ball with Ravichandran Ashwin, and an expensive over from the local talent.

A dot ball to Yusuf Pathan to start the spell, then a four through mid-wicket. A single, then Manish Pandey took eight runs from the remaining three balls — 2, 4, 2.

Kolkata Knight Riders need another 44 runs from 42 balls.

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Over 1 || Score  9/2 (M Pandey 3; Y Pathan 1)

A frenetic start the chase. A boundary to start as Robin Uthappa played a brilliant cover drive, then a wide. But MS Dhoni was working overtime to produce a stumping.

WICKET: Robin Uthappa st MS Dhoni b Ravichandran Ashwin 4 (1b)

Then, the new man Manish Pandey took a three, thanks to a a shot through extra cover.

It was followed by a LBW decision to send back KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir.

WICKET: Gautam Gambhir lbw b Ravichandran Ashwin 0 (1b)

Yusuf Pathan is the new man.

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Don't know if this is a good news or bad news! Play will resume at 11:45 PM IST, and Kolkata Knight Riders need 66 runs to win in nine overs under the revised playing conditions.

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A quick inspection from the umpires, and another inspection likely for 11:20 PM IST.

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During this rain-induced stupor, WATCH how packed Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd in Bangalore applauded Virat Kohli's third IPL ton. Overwhelmed!

Then, the rain has returned again. KKR, after having a great outing with the ball, would be disappointed if the play ends with a point. Inspection rescheduled at 23 PM, local time.

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Rain has stopped, and inspection is expected at 10:45 PM local time.

The umpires will inspect the ground at 22:45 hrs IST. Lots of standing water on the ground #KKRvRPS — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 14, 2016

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RISING PUNE SUPERGIANTS INNINGS

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After 17.4 overs' play, rain stopped play at Eden Gardens. Umpires have called out groundsmen. Sunil Narine, who is getting back to his brilliant best, was two more balls away from completing his quota of four overs today. And his figures: 3.4 - 0 - 10 - 0. No wicket though, but still awesome figures, and economy of 2.73 in T20.

Then, the usual story of shambles for MS Dhoni and his Pune team. Not a single batsman, including skipper himself looked confident to take on KKR bowlers, specially the spinners.

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Over 17 || Score 102/6 (MS Dhoni 7; R Ashwin 0)

A six to start the over, but the very next delivery, Piyush Chawla accounted for brave Thisara Perera. Caught at long-off boundary by Manish Pandey.

WICKET: Thisara Perera c Manish Pandey b Piyush Chawla 13 (11b)

Ravichandran Ashwin is the new man. Six runs from the over, and Chawla's figures: 4-0-21-2.

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Over 16 || Score 96/5 (MS Dhoni 7; Th Perera 7)

Spinners in tandem. A two-run over from Sunil Narine, as Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers continued to impress up Rising Pune Supergiants batsmen.

Boundaries have not come for some time.

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Over 15 || Score 94/5 (MS Dhoni 6; Th Perera 6)

Piyush Chawla on for his third over. Five runs from it.

A dot MS Dhoni to start the over. Then, a single followed. A dot to Thisara Perera, then two doubles as the Sri Lanka all-rounder picked the next two balls outside off and played towards cover and point respectively.

A dot to end the over.

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Over 14 || Score 89/5 (MS Dhoni 5; Th Perera 2)

Sunil Narine continued with his second over. A single to Irfan Pathan, then two leg byes as MS Dhoni strode forward long and tried to play a sweep shot.

Two dot balls, then huge mixed-up to send back Pathan back.

WICKET: Irfan Pathan run out 7 (8b)

Thisara Perera is the new man.

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Over 13 || Score 84/4 (I Pathan 6; MS Dhoni 5)

Piyush Chawla continued for his second over, and a tidy one from the leg spinner.

Six runs from it — four singles and a double.

TIME-OUT.

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Over 12 || Score 78/4 (I Pathan 4; MS Dhoni 1)

Another bowling change and Sunil Narine on for KKR. Four runs from the over — two singles and a double.

In the last five overs, Pune have scored 33 runs, losing two wickets.

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Over 11 || Score 74/4 (I Pathan 1; MS Dhoni 0)

Bowling change for KKR, and Piyush Chawla removed RPS' set-batsman George Bailey off his third ball. The Aussie batsman came down, anticipating a straighter, but was fooled. Good work behind the stumps.

WICKET: George Bailey st Robin Uthappa b Piyush Chawla 33 (27b)

New man MS Dhoni got four close-in fielders. No respect from rival skipper Gautam Gambhir.

Four runs and a wicket from the over.

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Over 10 || Score 70/3 (G Bailey 30; I Pathan 0)

Ankit Rajpoot continued with second over. A single to Saurabh Tiwary, the a double to George Bailey. Then a single.

Next ball, the 22-year-old 22-year-old got his first IPL wicket with a beauty. Tiwary caught behind.

WICKET: Saurabh Tiwary c Robin Uthappa b Ankit Rajpoot 13 (12b)

Irfan Pathan, who is playing his second IPL match of the season, arrived in the centre to give company to Bailey. Seven runs and a wicket from the over.

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Over 9 || Score 63/2 (G Bailey 26; S Tiwary 12)

Another good over for Rising Pune Supergiants as Shakib Al Hasan's third over went for 10 runs.

The over started with a flt, straight six from the blade of George Bailey. Shakib did manage to control the run flow with four singles from the remaining deliveries.

And TIME-OUT.

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Over 8 || Score 53/2 (G Bailey 18; S Tiwary 10)

Ankit Rajpoot, one of India's U-19 stars, on for his first IPL over. A single to Saurabh Tiwary to start the spell, then a dot ball, before George Bailey hit a fout through fine leg.

Three more singles, and eight runs from the over.

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Over 7 || Score 45/2 (G Bailey 12; S Tiwary 8)

Shakib Al Hasan continued with his second over, and the leg spinner leaked eight runs.

A dot ball to George Bailey to start the over, then four singles as Pune batsmen rotated the strike.

Bailey then played a good looking cover drive to end the over with a four.

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Over 6 || Score 37/2 (G Bailey 6; S Tiwary 6)

A good over for the batting side as both George Bailey and Saurabh Tiwary hit a four each.

Two singles off the first three balls, then Bailey played an evasive stroke, but ended up adding four runs as the ball beat the fielders are cover.

A single more, the a Tiwary's first four — a powerful pull-shot.

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Over 5 || Score 27/2 (G Bailey 1; S Tiwary 1)

Bowling change for KKR, and Shakib Al Hasan got the big wicket of Usman Khawaja.

The over started with a single to Khawaja. Another single, then the wicket. Khawaja played a pull shot, but found Surya Kumar Yadav waiting for the catch at square leg boundary.

WICKET: Usman Khawaja c Surya Kumar Yadav b Shakib Al Hasan 21 (17b)

Shaurab Tiwary, the new man, got a single off the first ball he faced. Then two dot balls to end the 3-run over.

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Over 4 || Score 24/1 (U Khawaja 20; G Bailey 0)

Moren Morkel continued with his second over, and the first ball was dismissed by Usman Khawaja through cover.

Then a beauty of delivery. Caught behind, or not! Umpire Bruce Oxenford ruled in favour of the batsman, and KKR players are furious.

A single more and five runs from the over.

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Over 3 || Score 19/1 (U Khawaja 15; G Bailey 0)

Usman Khawaja just showed us what all IPL fans have been missing. A dot from Andre Russell, then Khawaja came down to play an elegant pull shot for a four through mid-on.

It was followed by an inside edge for three runs, then the wicket of Ajnikya Rahane. Inside edge, bowled.

WICKET: Ajinkya Rahane b Andre Russell 2 (6b)

George Bailey, the new man, negotiated the remaining two deliveries.

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Over 2 || Score 11/0 (A Rahane 1; U Khawaja 8)

That's poor start from Morne Morkel. A front-foot no-ball from the South African paceman an a free-hit to Pune. A short of length delivery and the free hit was pulled to good effect by Usman Khawaja, through backward square leg, for four runs.

A single followed, from an over-throw from his cover drive. Good effort from Surya Kumar Yadav at cover to stop that cracking drive, but overenthusiasm from his cost a single.

Another single followed, then a beauty of a delivery from Morkel. After pitching on the middle, it got just enough swing to move away from Khawaja. Good carry.

Two more dot balls, and seven runs from the over.

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Over 1 || Score 4/0 (A Rahane 0; U Khawaja 3)

Andre Russell started the proceedings, and facing him was Ajinkya Rahane for the first ball. A leg bye, then a dot ball to Usman Khawaja.

The Aussie batsman spindled the third ball and took a 2. A single followed, as he played a cut shot through point.

A dot ball followed as Rahane stooped low to defend the good ball on front foot. Another dot ball, and four runs from the over.

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Playing XIs:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Robin Uthappa (wk), Gautam Gambhi (capt.), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Morne Morkel, Ankit Rajpoot, Sunil Narine

Rising Pune Supergiants: Ajinkya Rahane, Usman Khawaja, George Bailey, Saurabh Tiwary, MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), Thisara Perera, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Adam Zampa, Murugan Ashwin, Ashok Dinda

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TOSS: Mahendra Singh Dhoni wins toss, and Rising Pune Supergiants bat first against hosts Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rising Pune Supergiants

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Match officials

Umpires: Chris Gaffaney and Bruce Oxenford
Third Umpire: Nand Kishore
Match Referee: Chinmay Sharma
Reserve Umpire: Yeshwant Barde

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Out of contention for a play-off berth, a brazen Rising Pune Supergiants will stand in the way of Kolkata Knight Riders' revival when they clash in an Indian Premier League T20 match today at Eden Gardens.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side is the first team to make an exit in the ninth edition after they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match but left with three matches, the Supergiants will be keen to sign off on a high.

The Pune franchise is owned by a Kolkata businessman and they will make themselves feel at 'home' while a rejuvenated Knight Riders back after a five-day break will be desperate to arrest their slide.

From occupying the pole position midway into the season, KKR's slide begun after their loss to Gujarat Lions and they have slipped to fourth place and are now in the danger of slipping out of top four.

READ FULL PREVIEW HERE

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SQUADS

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (capt.), Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Andre Russell, Brad Hogg, Piyush Chawla, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Jason Holder, Colin Munro, Simon Katich, Sheldon Jackson, Jaydev Unadkat, Rajagopal Sathish, Ankit Rajpoot.

Rising Pune Supergiants: MS Dhoni (capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Usman Khawaja, George Bailey, Ravichandran Ashwin, Saurabh Tiwary, Thisra Perera, Rajat Bhatia, Adam Zampa, Ashok Dinda, RP Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Baba Aparajith, Ankiit Sharma, Ankush Bains, Deepak Chahar, Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Jaskaran Singh, Albie Morkel, Ishwar Pandey, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma.

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Welcome to our live coverage of the Match 45 of 2016 Indian Premier League between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiants, being played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.