Late fightback from Hyderabad

Chennai, India - The Kolkata Knight Riders managed the first successful defence in the 2021 IPL despite a blip towards the end of their innings against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. They managed just 42 in their last five overs, but the 145 for one in the first 15 proved to be good enough on a dry pitch, which their bowlers exploited.

Eighty-or-nothing Nitish Rana had that eighty night and the selfless Rahul Tripathi scored an attacking 50. Defending, the Knight Riders' fast bowlers produced the big wickets and their spinners stifled the Hyderabad batsmen to seal the game.

After Prasidh Krishna got David Warner early, Jonny Bairstow revived the Sunrisers chase with a 40-ball 55, but Pat Cummins got him out in the 13th over to leave Manish Pandey with a tall ask of getting 86 off the last seven. Pandey couldn't despite an Abdul Samad cameo.

Tripathi, Rana punish Sunrisers

As often, Tripathi came out oozing intent. The second ball he faced, he went against the turn to hit Mohammad Nabi for a six over long-off. While Rashid kept things quiet at his end, Rana and Tripathi kept attacking the others. They batted together for eight overs; and took the team to 145 for one in 15 overs.

In the 16th over, Tripathi fell trying to hit his third six, but it seemed like the perfect time for Andre Russell to walk in. He announced himself with a four first ball, but Rashid got him out in his customary one over at the death. Both Rana and Eoin Morgan fell to the off-spin of Nabi in the 18th over, but Dinesh Karthik, arrested the slide with a nine-ball 22 to help the team reach 187.