Knight Riders knock Royals out of IPL

Karthik, Russell shine

KOLKATA, May 23, (AFP): Skipper Dinesh Karthik and Andre Russell helped Kolkata Knight Riders knock Rajasthan Royals out of this cricket season’s Indian Premier League with a 25-run win in the eliminator on Wednesday.

Karthik, who made 52, and Russell, who smashed 49 not out, helped Knight Riders to 169-7, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Royals to 144-4 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla claimed two wickets including dangerman Sanju Samson for 50 to choke Royals out of the do-or-die contest of the cashrich Twenty20 tournament.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane, made 46, and Samson put on 62 runs for the second wicket as Royals’ chase looked on course at 109-1. But Rahane’s wicket Kolkata Knight Riders’ Andre Russell bats during the VIVO IPL cricket T20

match against Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata, India on May 23. (AP)

each to hurt Knight Riders batting but Karthik and Russell took the attack to the opposition bowling.

Karthik, who hit his second fifty of this season’s IPL, put together a fifthwicket 55-run partnership with Shubman Gill, who made 28 to steady the innings.

Russell soon took over from his captain to smash three fours and five sixes during his 25-ball blitz to give the hosts 55 runs in the last five overs.

“Disappointed, especially given how

we started, taking 4-5 wickets early. That partnership (between Karthik and Gill) and the dropped catch of Russell hurt us,” said Rahane.

“I think KKR bowled really well. They know the conditions really well... It’s important to finish the games and we didn’t have partnerships towards the end,” he added.

The IPL final is on May 27 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium with $4 million going to the winners.