Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re - Has done it | Click here to send gifts to your love one's in India | Scorecard Kolkata, India - May 25, 2008
Match No. 52nd Result. Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab
Gul inspried Gangully and they won the match in the last over with raining sixes. Woh!!! Great way to end the IPL season 2008 and they kept there pride. Shahrukh will be very happy man.
What a thrilling game. Kolkata seemed to be out of the game with almost 15 runs per over required in the last 5 overs. That was before Ganguly and Gul got together, putting on 49 runs in 18 balls. With 15 required off the last over, Ganguly was equal to the task, wrapping up the match with 2 balls to spare, reminiscent of how Warne did it for his team against the Deccan Chargers.
Kings XI Punjab were all set to take on the Knight Riders when the latter came to bat. No steady partnership could take place between openers Ganguly and Salman Butt. They were hitting defensive and slow, trying to add runs to the tally. However, Sreesanth got his act together and came to churn wickets for his side. Disaster struck for the Riders as the pacer bowled superb deliveries, taking first Salman Butt's wicket on the second ball of the sixth over and then following it with Debrata Das on the consecutive ball who went out on duck.
The Kings kept their momentum going and made sure that the wickets fall at regular intervals. And, now it was time to see some action by shaking the stumps. So, on came Piyush Chawla in the ninth over to hit Hussey's middle stumps. The Australian made 12 runs. Tenth over saw the exit of Laxmi Ratan Shukla on VRV Singh's delivery who bowled superbly at the leg-stumps and took the Punjab side through cheers.
Winning the toss, Kings XI Punjab's captain Yuvraj Singh decided to set up a score first agaist their opponent team Kolkata Knight Riders.
It was surely Umar Gul's day today. The Pakistani bowler showed that it doesn't deter him if his team is out of the list for semi-finals. The fine bowler gave just 23 runs and took 4 wickets in his stipulated four overs. Marsh and Sangakkara came to open the inning. Gul opener James Hopes pavilion on the first ball of the fourth over. Hopes contributed a paltry 13 runs.
Kumara Sangakkara who joined the crease next, batted magnificiently and along with Marsh put up a partnership of 83 runs off 57 balls. Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis, who made his debut in IPL with this tie, gave a full-stop to this partnesrship which was beginning to spell trouble for the Kolkatans. He took his first wicket in the form of Shaun Marsh, whose catch was taken by Chopra. Marsh made 40 runs off 31 balls.
Very soon Sangakkara followed suit, and was caught lbw on Gul's ball. He made a knocking 64 runs off 45 balls. Yuvraj Singh who now had Jayawardene for company, did try to spruce some runs for his team before he got run-out. The team had already got a stable foundation with Sangakkara-Marsh partnesrship. Yuvi's total of 27 runs also just added to the score. The rest of the needful was chipped in by Jayawardene who remained unbeaten, Irfan Pathan and Tanmay Srivastava.
Irfan Pathan to bowl the last over
19.1 Irfan to Ganguly, SIX!!, full and angling in, he plays the pick-up shot superbly and dispatches it over long leg
19.2 Irfan to Ganguly, 2 runs, high full toss, flat bats it over mid wicket where Sreesanth back peddles but can't get to it
19.3 Irfan to Ganguly, SIX!! overpitched on off, he steps away and lofts it through the line, clears long off with ease to send the crowd into a frenzy
19.4 Irfan to Ganguly, 1 run, full and straight, he defends it with soft hands into the off side and shuttles through to seal the victory
Umar Gul is the Man of the Match. He picked up 4/23 and chipped in with a very useful 24(11)
Gangully got the award for DLF maxmium sixes. He had hit 6 sixes.
ROYAL CHALLENGERS | INDIANS | KNIGHT RIDERS | DAREDEVILS | SUPER KINGS | KINGS XI PUNJAB | RAJASTHAN ROYALS | DECCAN CHARGERS
