UTV | COLOMBO – Kolkata Knight Riders have qualified for the Indian Premier League playoffs after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets.
Kolkata came back strongly through seamer Prasidh Krishna’s 4-30 – including three wickets in the last over – to contain Hyderabad to a competitive 9-172.
Big-hitting Queenslander Chris Lynn notched a composed 55 off 43 balls and Robin Uthappa scored 45 as Kolkata cruised to 5-173 with two balls to spare.
Shikhar Dhawan (50) and Shreevats Goswami (35) gave Hyderabad a brisk start of 79 off 52 balls while captain Kane Williamson missed out on his ninth half-century in the tournament in a cameo of 36 off 17 balls.
Hyderabad, coached by former Australian Test batsman Tom Moody, was well placed for a big total at 1-127 in the 13th over before Williamson was caught at deep point, sparking a collapse of 8-45.
Lynn and Sunil Narine gave Kolkata a flying start of 52 runs off 22 deliveries before Narine (29) was dismissed after hitting four boundaries and two sixes.
The Australian then featured in another half-century stand with Uthappa before holing out to long-off in the 14th over.
Uthappa missed his 50 when he top-edged Carlos Brathwaite, but captain Dinesh Karthik eased Kolkata to victory.
