Chennai chase down target set by Kolkata

KOLKATA: The mighty Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Kolkata Knight Riders frittered away a good start to be restricted to a modest 119 for nine by Chennai Super Kings in a Pepsi Indian Premier League match.

Opting to bat, the Knight Riders gambled with Yusuf Pathan, who was sent to open the innings along with skipper Gautam Gambhir.

The duo, however, did not disappoint and gave the Knight Riders a flying start sharing 46 runs off just 35 balls before losing the Chennai outfit turned things around.

After Gambhir (25) was dismissed by a stunning Michael Hussey catch, the Knight Riders batsmen played irresponsibly as from 46 for no loss, they slumped to 91 for eight in 15.5 overs.

It was 'mystery man' Sunil Narine's six-ball 13, which had two big sixes, that helped the Knight Riders cross the 100-run mark.

For the Super Kings, Ravindra Jadeja returned with figures three for 20 from his four overs, while Ravichandran Aswhin scalped two wickets for 21 runs.

Fresh from three consecutive half-centuries, Gambhir started positively to pick up 11 runs off the first over. Pathan too looked positive and smashed rookie Mohit Sharma for two boundaries as the Knight Riders made a brisk start.

It took a brilliant diving catch from Hussey to sent packing Gambhir and break the dangerous-looking partnership.

With the fall of Gambhir's wicket, panic started to grip the Knight Riders' ranks as they were soon reduced to 55 for four.

The Super Kings had another prized scalp in Eoin Morgan (2) when Dwayne Bravo dismissed the Englishman in the next over.

Soon the Knight Riders worst fears came to fore as wickets fell like nine pins. There was little contribution from the home team's domestic talents, who did not show any application.

Chennai captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni smartly operated his spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja as the duo ran through Kolkata's late order.