KOLKATA, April 16: Andre Russell�s 12-ball 41 headlined Kolkata Knight Riders� clinical performance as they recorded a crushing 71-run victory over Delhi Daredevils to return to winning ways in the IPLhere tonight. The result meant Daredevils skipper Gautam Gambhir�s �homecoming� ended on a sour note. Russell�s 41 runs, 36 of them coming in sixes, ensured KKR overcame a slow start to post a challenging 200 for nine after they were put in by Gambhir.
It was a much-anticipated homecoming for Gambhir, who had led KKR to twin titles in 2012 and 2014, before the association ended this year.
Spearheaded by Russell in the company of Nitish Rana (59 off 35 balls), KKR put up a batting show that Delhi did not have any chance, suffering their third defeat from four matches. Glenn Maxwell (47 from 22 balls) and Rishabh Pant (43 from 26) kept Delhi in the hunt in a 62-run partnership from 32 balls. But the duo of Sunil Narine (3/18) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/32) triggered a collapse as Delhi folded for 129 in 14.2 overs. KKR removed three DD batsmen including Jason Roy and Gambhir inside the first three overs, derailing their chase, but Pant kept them in the game. Shivam Mavi got his maiden IPL wicket in Gambhir (8) in his first over as the former KKR skipper played on.
Scorecard
Kolkata Knight Riders: Chris Lynn c Roy b Shami 31, Sunil Narine c Maxwell b Boult1, Robin Uthappa c & b Nadeem 35, Nitish Rana c Gambhir b Chris Morris 59, Dinesh Karthik c Boult b Chris Morris 19, Andre Russell b Boult 41, Shubman Gill c Chris Morris b Rahul Tewatia 6, Tom Curran c Maxwell b Rahul Tewatia 2, Piyush Chawla c Pant b Rahul Tewatia 0, Shivam Mavi not out 0. Extras: (lb-4, w-2) 6. Total: 200 for nine in 20 overs. Fall of wickets: 7-1, 62-2, 89-3, 117-4, 178-5, 193-6, 200-7, 200-8, 200-9. Bowling: Trent Boult 4-1-29-2, Chris Morris 4-0-41-2, Shahbaz Nadeem 4-0-43-1, Rahul Tewatia 3-0-18-3, Mohammed Shami 4-0-53-1, Vijay Shankar 1-0-12-0.
Delhi Daredevils: Gautam Gambhir b Shivam Mavi 8, Jason Roy st Karthik b Chawla 1, Shreyas Iyer c Nitish Rana b A Russell 4, Rishabh Pant c Chawla b Kuldeep Yadav 43, Glenn Maxwell c Uthappa b Kuldeep Yadav 47, Rahul Tewatia c A Russell b Tom Curran 1, Vijay Shankar lbw b Narine 2, Chris Morris b Narine 2, Mohammed Shami c Russell b Narine 7, Shahbaz Nadeem not out 6, Trent Boult c & b Kuldeep Yadav 0. Extras: (lb-3, w-5) 8. Total: 129 all out in 14.2 overs. Fall of wickets: 4-1, 13-2, 24-3, 86-4, 97-5, 113-6, 116-7, 117-8, 128-9. Bowling: Piyush Chawla 2-0-16-1, Andre Russell 2-0-25-1, Shivam Mavi 2-0-14-1, Sunil Narine 3-0-18-3, Tom Curran 2-0-21-1, Kuldeep Yadav 3.2-0-32-3. � PTI
