Rookie batsman Rahul Tripathi played an electrifying innings of 93 as Rising Pune Supergiant outplayed Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in the Indian Premier League at Eden Gardens
Rahul Tripathi
RPS cricketer Rahul Tripathi celebrates his half century during IPL against KKR at Eden Garden in Kolkata. Pic/PTI
Rookie batsman Rahul Tripathi played an electrifying innings of 93 as Rising Pune Supergiant outplayed Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in the Indian Premier League here today.
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The Pune bowlers put up a disciplined effort to limit KKR to 155 for eight before Tripathi fashioned his team's win with a 52-ball blinder. The visiting team got home with four balls to spare.
The pick of the Pune bowlers was Jaydev Unadkat, who ended with figures of 2 for 28 after bowling a wicket-maiden in the first over of the game.
Rising Pune Supergiants cricketer Rahul Tripathi plays a shot during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiants. Pic/AFP
It was a third win in a row for Pune, who have moved up to third place in the points table and closer to a play-off berth with 14 points from 11 matches.
With their second straight loss, KKR remain second in the table with 14 points from 11 matches.
Earlier, New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme's 36 and Manish Pandey's 37 saved Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) the blushes as the hosts recovered from a top-order collapse to post 155/8.
Jaydev Unadkat (2/28) and Washington Sundar (2/18) were the best bowlers for Pune.
Grandhomme (36 of 19 balls) and Pandey (37 of 19 balls) joined hands when their side were tottering at 55/4 to stitch together a 48-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Suryakumar Yadav (30 off 16 not out) struck some lusty blows at the death hitting two consecutive fours and a six off Unadkat who leaked 21 runs in the penultimate over.
Sans the services of their best batsman Robin Uthappa -- out with a niggle, the hosts' batting lacked zip losing three wickets for just 41 runs in the Powerplay.
Sunil Narine was the first to go, not connecting with the ball in the first five deliveries to finally give bowler Unadkat an easy catch in his follow through.
Sheldon Jackon (10) followed suit soon after, getting hit wicket off the bowling of Sundar.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir (24) hit Stokes for two back-to-back fours and in the next over, tanked Sundar for a boundary and a six before holing out to Ajinkya Rahane at deep midwicket.
Imran Tahir got rid of Yusuf Pathan (4) as the men in purple who have an enviable record at home looked hapless.
Pandey and Grandhomme -- dropped once at long -off by Dan Christian when the New Zealander was on 10 -- steadied the ship somewhat before Pandey got out.
Christian made amends for his grassed catch, with a slower one which Pandey failed to pick, giving an easy catch to Rahane at deep midwicket.
Unadkat got the wicket of Grandhomme with Chris Woakes (1) getting running out soon after.
Nathan Coulter-Nile scored six before falling to Ben Stokes as Umesh Yadav remained unbeaten with Suryakumar on 2.
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