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When Dinesh Karthik called right at the toss and elected to bowl first, it all looked good until Sam Curran gave Punjab the impetus at the backend as the hosts took 32 runs in the last 2 overs to reach 183/6.
With Kolkata eyeing a spot in the play-offs, this was a must-win game for them. Karthik was animated during a time-out during Punjab's innings, showing just how much he wanted his team to win. And win they did.
Kolkata took time to get off the blocks with Mohammed Shami bowling miserly, but Chris Lynn picked his target and went after young Arshdeep Singh big time.
Lynn and Shubman Gill rotated the strike for 7 runs before Lynn hammered the first six of the night, a huge over deep mid-wicket. They took 10 off the second over to go to 20 off the first 3 overs.
With that six, Lynn broke the shackles and clobbered Arshdeep for 15 runs in the fourth over. He scored all over the ground and hit 3 back-to-back boundaries to keep the run-rate at a gettable number.
While the Aussie took on the bowlers at one end, Gill kept rotating the strike.
Lynn did not spare Ravichandran Ashwin whom he smashed for 12 runs in the off-spinner's opening over.
The Aussie was finally dismissed by compatriot Andrew Tye, but not after some fireworks as both Gill and Lynn tore him apart. The KKR openers scored 15 runs, but lost Lynn off the last ball of the powerplay.
Gill and Lynn's big start meant KKR got to 62/1 in 6 overs.
Kolkata lost a couple of wickets in the middle with Robin Uthappa and Andre Russell's dismissals. But Gill's mature batting gave Kolkata a good start and eventual victory.