The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered their 6th victory in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 after beating the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 54 runs on Saturday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

Andre Russell put on an all-round show in KKR’s comprehensive 54-run victory after scoring a blistering 49*(28) followed by a three-wicket haul. 

Chasing 178 to win, SRH openers – Kane Williamson and Abhishek Sharma were off to a steady start before Andre Russell rattled the stumps of the SRH skipper inside the powerplay. SRH were 31/1 at the end of 6 overs. 

Sharma capitalised on his start and dispatched consecutives sixes against Narine. Tim Southee took a brilliant catch off his own bowling to dismiss Tripathi for 9. 

Aiden Markram joined Abhishek Sharma at the crease and SRH were 66-2 at the halfway stage. Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed the well set Abhishek Sharma, who was caught on 43. 

Nicholas Pooran was out in the next over after Narine took a catch off his own bowling. Markram dispatched three sixes and looked dangerous before the right-handed batter dragged Umesh Yadav’s delivery on to the stumps in the 15^th over. 

Russell then dismissed Washington Sundar and Marco Jansen in the 18^th over. Southee scalped his second wicket to dismiss Shashank Singh in the next over before SRH fell 54-runs short of the total.

Earlier, KKR, who opted to bat first, made two changes – Umesh Yadav and Sam Billings were named in the eleven. 

Ajinkya Rahane was off the mark with a maximum but KKR lost Venkatesh Iyer’s wicket early after the opener chopped on to the stumps against Marco Jansen. 

KKR were 55/1 at the end of the powerplay after both Rana and Rahane smacked a six each. Umran Malik scalped two wickets in an over after Shashank Singh grabbed excellent catches to dismiss Nitish Rana and Ajinkya Rahane.      

Skipper Shreyas Iyer creamed two fours but holed out to deep mid-wicket as Malik claimed his third wicket of the innings. 

KKR were 5 down after Rinku Singh was trapped LBW courtesy of a brilliant yorker by Natarajan. Andre Russell announced his arrival with a four and six each while Billings hit consecutive fours at the other end against Malik. 

The fifty partnership was up for the sixth wicket off 39 deliveries and KKR crossed the 150-run mark with two overs to go. 

Billings was out in the penultimate over against Bhuvneshwar Kumar before Russell hammered 3 sixes in the final over to help KKR reach 177/6 in the first innings. 

Brief Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 177/6 (Andre Russell 49*, Sam Billings 34; Umran Malik 3-33) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 123/8 (Abhishek Sharma 43, Aiden Markram 32; Andre Russell 3-22) by 54 runs.