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PHOTOS: Gambhir, Uthappa steer Kolkata to easy win
Gautam Gambhir led the way, scoring 69 off 56 balls, as Kolkata Knight Riders scored an eight-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League match at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest 161, Gambhir and Robin Uthappa (47) put on a 106-run opening stand as Kolkata overhauled the target in 18.2 overs.
It was Gambhir's day out. The left-hander survived a drop catch and a run-out to lay the foundation for Kolkata's chase.
He was finally caught behind. Trying to pull a rising Wayne Parnell delivery, he got an edge and Dinesh Karthik, who dropped him when he was on 18, pulled off a one-handed catch, in the 18th over.
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Yadav, Kallis stifle Delhi openers
Earlier, electing to bat, Delhi had a poor start. With Kolkata opening the bowling with off-spinner Suryakumar Yadav and South Africa pacer Jacques Kallis, their openers, Quinton de Kock and Murali Vijay, were stifled for runs.
Just 14 runs came in the first two overs before de Kock was caught by Gautam Gambhir at mid-on for 10 in the third off the bowling of Umesh Yadav.
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Pietersen runs himself out
Delhi were in further trouble when their skipper, Kevin Pietersen (6), was run-out.
The former England batsman was circumspect against the spinners and looked completely out of sorts in his short stay at the wicket before he played the ball on the off-side and set off for a single.
However, his partner, Murali Vijay, was not interested in the run.
He was way out of the crease as Dinesh Karthik had all the time in the world to whip off the bails.
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Vijay, Karthik steady Delhi
Murali Vijay (24) and Dinesh Karthik (36) then steadied the innings in a 31-run partnership for the third wicket, mixing caution with aggression.
But, trying to step up the scoring, Vijay went for a big hit off Jacques Kallis and sent the ball straight into the hands of Sunil Narine at long-on.
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Duminy and Jadhav lift Delhi
Dinesh Karthik continued to put runs on the board and gave Kallis a hard time, hitting Proteas medium-pacer for a six and two fours in the 11th over.
Kallis, though, had his revenge when he caught the Delhi batsman in the very next over off Shakib al-Hasan for 36.
Karthik tried the paddle scoop only to top edge the ball to short fine leg.
Jean Paul Duminy and Kedar Jadhav then combined to take the hosts to a respectable 160 for five.
Duminy smashed 40 off 28 balls while Jadhav blasted 26 off 15 in an unbeaten 55-run stand.
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Uthappa unlucky to miss fifty
Robin Uthappa also played a big hand in Kolkata's easy win, scoring 47 off 34 balls, including five fours and a six, before Parnell finally struck.
The South African left-arm pacer trapped the Karnataka batsman in front of the wicket. By then Kolkata were 106 for 1 in the 12th over.
Though Gambhir departed in the 18th over, with the score 151 for 2, Manish Pandey (23 not out) and Jacques Kallis (10 off 6) were unfazed and made sure that Kolkata did not repeat the Ahmedabad fiasco, where the team lost six wickets for two runs, eventually gifting the match to Rajasthan Royals.