KOLKATA: Captain Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey struck fine half-centuries before Andre Russell played a brisk knock towards the end to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to 183 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League match, here today.
Put into bat, KKR lost their first wicket in third over when Iqbal Abdulla dismissed Robin Uthappa (2) cheaply.
But RCB’s weak link, their bowling attack failed to make further inroads as Gambhir (51 from 34 balls; 7x4s) and Pandey (50 from 35 balls; 5x4s, 2x6s) shared 76 runs off just 49 balls for the second wicket to brighten KKR’s prospect at the Eden Gardens.
Batting with amazing aggression and intent, Gambhir and Pandey notched up a fifty each.
While it was Gambhir’s fifth fifty this season and a record 31st in the tournament, Pandey registered his second half-century.
But poor coordination in running between the wickets cost Gambhir his wicket as from being 87 for 1 at midway stage, KKR were reduced to 125 for five in 15.2 overs, losing four wickets within a span of 29 balls.
But before it could go worse, Russell stepped up the runrate with three sixes and two boundaries in an unbroken 58 run stand off 30 balls with Shakib Al Hasan (18 not out from 11 balls; 1×4, 1X6) to take KKR to a fighting total. (AGENCIES)
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