PHOTOS: Kolkata thump Punjab at Eden Gardens, qualify for final

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Kings XI Punjab by 28 runs in the first qualifier at the Eden Gardens to enter the final of the seventh edition of Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Defending 164 on a slow surface that remained under cover for three days, Kolkata speedsters Umesh Yadav (3-13) and Morne Morkel (2-23) shared five wickets between them to help the side record their eighth victory on the trot.

- Scorecard

Earlier, sent in to bat, Kolkata scored 163 for eight in their stipulated 20 overs. 

While Punjab named an unchanged eleven, Kolkata included leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in place of speedster Vinay Kumar. 

Teams: 

Kings XI Punjab: George Bailey (captain), Virender Sehwag, Manan Vohra, Wriddhiman Saha, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Akshar Patel, Mitchell Johnson, Rishi Dhawan, Karanveer Singh, Parvinder Awana

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir (captain), Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Ryan ten Doeschate, Suryakumar Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav, Sunil Narine.

The match was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but had to be postponed to the reserve day due to heavy rain in Kolkata over the last three days. 

Mitchell Johnson provided Punjab an early breakthrough in the form of Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir (1) when the left-hander pulled one for his Punjab counterpart George Bailey to take a fine rising catch at mid-on.

Johnson finished with figures of two for 31.

- Please click NEXT for more...

Continuing his dream run, Robin Uthappa slammed 42 from 30 balls, inclusive of four boundaries and two sixes, while Manish Pandey extended fine support with a 20-ball 21.

Uthappa was caught by David Miller while trying to clear long-off, while an unlucky Pandey was bowled after the ball hit his thigh before knocking off the bail, in a space of three deliveries.

The Karnataka batsman, with 655 runs, albeit is now the firm favorite to win the Orange Cap, having raced ahead of the chasing pack.

- Please click NEXT for more...

The spinning duo of Karanveer Singh and Akshar Patel shared five wickets between them to help Kings XI Punjab restrict Kolkata.

Before Kolkata could break loose, Punjab essayed a comeback through left-arm spinner Patel (2-11) and leg-spinner Singh (3-40) on a slow wicket that had remained under cover for three days due to incessant rain. 

First it was Patel who provided the breakthrough, claiming Uthappa and Pandey in his third over, before Singh struck twice in two balls, dismissing the hard-hitting duo of Shakib Al Hasan (18) and Yusuf Pathan (20) to bring on the untested Kolkata lower middle-order.

When Kolkata were 113-5 in 15.4 overs, rain suspended play for 25 minutes and the field was brought under cover once again. 

The blows did not hurt Kolkata's cause much as Surya Kumar Yadav struck a quick 20 from 14 balls (3x4, 1x6) while Ryan ten Doeschate slammed a 10-ball 17, which was studded with two sixes.

- Please click NEXT for more...

With Punjab at 17-1 in 3.2 overs during the chase, there was a heavy drizzle and they were well behind the Duckworth-Lewis equation of 37 required from five overs. The umpires, though, decided to continue the proceedings. 

Manan Vohra (26) smacked Shakib Al Hasan for two consecutive sixes in the next over to make the equation in Punjab's favour. But Kolkata bounced back to dismiss Vohra when Morkel had the opener in the next over to make the D/L equation in the home team's favour.

Dangerman Glenn Maxwell (6) did not last long, trapped by Yadav, and Punjab were 55 for three in 7.5 overs, 11 runs behind the par score. They never recovered. 

Umesh Yadav was the pick of the Kolkata bowlers with figures of three for 13.

In pursuit of a second title, 2012 champions Kolkata will take on the winners of second qualifier in the summit clash on June 1.