short ball, drags a shot from outside off, and pulls it to deep midwicket for four! Kolkata Knight Riders win by six wickets
KKR won by 6 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
That's all from us at ESPNcricinfo. The IPL gets so interesting as we enter the last few matches. See you tomorrow for more cricket - till then, it's goodbye!
Shubman Gill, Player of the Match: "It was important to keep wickets in hand early. And then to go for it when the runs got closer. You see the wicket and then you choose your match up. To hit spinners on this surface isn't easy. I was targeting the shorter side mostly. I didn't have much runs under my belt. And if you play one bad shot in a low-scoring game the opposition can come back. So the batsman needs to try and take the game home. When you play in North India, wickets are not as bouncy. You play with the wrists a lot. So I use them a lot. Umran Malik was definitely quick."
Winning captain Eoin Morgan: "Yes the chase was tricky. I thought it was sluggish if anything. The wicket is one thing but you need to adapt to conditions - bowl well, field well. We did that well, vast improvement from two days ago. Gill was very good. (Shakib) Massive. To have the strength and depth to call upon an experienced campaigner like him is a luxury. He's had a huge impact today. As a group, nearly two years ago, we thought we'd play in India. And since then we've just been countering that. Having missed out playoffs last year, we knew our squad is reasonable. We are focused on playing good cricket. We've played really really good cricket - attitude, implementation of game plan."
Jaykumar: "Practically, Punjab is also out of the competition, now! " -- Practically out, but technically still in. A magnificent victory + massive defeats for other teams will take them through. But indeed, it is mathematical.
Dinesh Karthik (18* off 12): "Very happy. We knew the chase would be slightly tricky. We were at a stage when I could play my shots when I walked in. It was good that Rana did not try to match Gill shot by shot. Fingers crossed."
Kane Williamson, losing captain: (Par score) Around 150. It was tough work bowling defending a low total. We've been working hard and it just hasn't been paying off. When we got to the last 3-4 overs with the bat, we wanted to have a crack and get 150. Hindsight is beautiful, honestly we wish we had some partnerships. That's part and parcel of the game - trying to identify what a competitive total will be. We've been facing Malik in the nets - he's special, lots of pace. Young guy runs in and goes hard."
9.25pm Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan see it through. Fate still in the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders. The Net Run Rate keeps getting better, and a win in their last game against Rajasthan Royals will mostly see them through as the fourth team to qualify.
But the chase wasn't simple. The Sunrisers had kept the Knight Riders very quiet during the chase, but then Shubman Gill broke the shackles just when nerves were beginning to pop up in the KKR camp. He finished with 57 - a crucial innings to anchor the team through the chase.
Credit also to the Knight Riders bowlers - 58 runs in 12 overs between the spinners, and important wickets from Shivam Mavi and Tim Southee. This is how the points table looks.
good length outside off. Cuts it gently through the off-side gap. Scores level
Nervous faces in the KKR camp. Sunrisers camp is smiling - not much stress for them.
full on middle. Nudged off his pads to deep midwicket. Yes-no-yes-no as they choose not to take the second. But the fielder in the deep fumbles. Could've been two, in hindsight.
full just outside off. Drilled, has four written all over it, but Williamson dives to his right to stop the four
Imad_r: "Great game awareness by DK, declining the run on that Rana dismissal so that he can have the strike next over and not a new batsman"
yorker length. Outside off. Pushed to point's right, and calls early for the single
Venkat: "Any one considered Jonny Bairstow for retention" -- Lovely choice.
nearly caught! Back of a length, on middle. Smacks the pull super well, and it very nearly goes to Malik at fine leg for a catch
full, on off. Flicks it to wide long on for one
pierces the gap! Fullish, but there's width. DK moves back, and then slaps it hard through point for four!
KKR need 10 in 10.
good length outside off. Punched to cover. No run
length ball just outside off. Fended to the off side
in the air and Saha runs forward to catch. Rolls his fingers over the ball. Back of a length, on middle. Pull attempted, but sliced.
yorker. On off. Dug back to Holder
just safe! And the ball hits the moving camera on the boundary line, and ends up cracking the lens! Pulls this length ball in front of square. Lands inside the boundary, and just beyond Rashid, who was tracking the ball to try and intercept
NJ: "Why not retain Samad and groom him… " -- Can probably get him for much cheaper using the RTM card or just bidding directly.
bit of a slower ball. Full on middle. Swivels and mistimes it to short fine leg
Santosh: "I would say SRH should not retain Williamson. He can be got at auction of they want. If they retain they have to pay a heavy price but am sure in auction he can be got for under 4Cr"
good length outside off and cut behind square to the sweeper fielder on the off side
Seetharaman : "Holder also has done reasonably well and deserves retention." -- An outside call. Can always RTM. No need to retain at such a high salary (personal opinion).
Amer Ali: "Deccan chargers had the lowest ever points (4) in 2008 till date .SRH ensuring the legacy stays on "
back of a length outside off. Comfortably pulled to deep square leg for one. Team hundred
Stat alert: The Gill-Rana partnership was the second slowest 50-run stand in IPL history. Do you know what the slowest is? Find out on Ask Cricinfo. (You'll be very surprised).
good length outside off. Drags a mistimed pull to deep midwicket
full just outside off. A proper flourish of the bat and smacked past Kaul's right to long off for four! Races away
good length on middle. Rides it down to third man for a single
out for 57! Kaul goes for his toes again. Overpitched on leg stump. Gill flicks, but flicks too well. In the air, and Holder at long on is under it. Has he done enough for this to be a match-winning innings?
Hemanth: "Beyond curious whom SRH would retain as their top 3 before the mega auction " -- Rashid, Williamson and then try to build a franchise around them? Maybe Bhuvneshwar and/or Natarajan if they feel like.
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Dubai International Cricket Stadium | |
Toss | Sunrisers Hyderabad, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2021 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 18.00 start, First Session 18.00-19.30, Interval 19.30-19.50, Second Session 19.50-21.20 |
Match days | 3 October 2021 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Sunrisers Hyderabad 0 |
Over 20 • KKR 119/4
KKR won by 6 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)