IPL 2017 Eliminator, as it happened: Gambhir leads KKR to win 6-over shootout after rain

Two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will have to break the agonising sequence of debacles when they clash with defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL eliminator at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The winner of tomorrow’s match will face the loser of Qualifier 1 between Mumbai Indians and Rising Supergiants Pune on May 19 in the second Qualifier, which will decide the second entrant of the final.

For KKR, it would take a significant turnaround to reach the second qualifier after they lost four out of seven matches in the latter half of the season.

Head-to-head since 2016: Played: 5, SRH: 2, KKR: 3

Live updates:

END OF THE MATCH: KKR have completed a win at 01:27 am on Thursday morning. A thoroughly clinical effort with the ball, followed by a fairly easy chase at the end thanks to the mature head of Gautam Gambhir.

It’s going to be Mumbai Indians vs KKR at the same venue (rain please stay away!) on Friday.

After 5 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders 46/3: Surprisingly Rashid Khan gets his 2nd over and not Bhuvi... steady over but 5 runs is more than enough for KKR

After 4 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders 41/3: And that should be that.... Siddharth Kaul concedes 14 runs in an over. Gautam Gambhir has all but wrapped it up. First a lofted cut shot past 3rd man for 4 and then a majestic pick-up shot over fine leg for six. Followed by a fist bump!

After 3 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders 27/3: A good over from Rashid Khan in most circumstances, but two wides with 28 needed from 24 balls is costly. A few beautiful googlies too, but Gambhir and Jaggi will be happy with this.

After 2 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders 21/3: Another action-packed over. Chris Jordan, playing his first match, starts off with a wide, then rushes Uthappa into a pull which Dhawan catches. Gambhir though, is cool as it gets. Pulls, pulls hard and it goes for six over the keeper! KKR still on their way.

After 1 over, Kolkata Knight Riders 11/2: Yes you read that right! 11 runs and 2 wickets. What a mad start!

Uthappa starts with a single. Lynn then does what he does best – hits his first ball for six. Next ball, Bhuvi gets him caught behind. Out comes Pathan at No. 3 and back goes Pathan after Bhuvi runs him out. And then Gambhir finishes off the over with a four.

PHEW!

12:51 am: So, 48 runs in 6 overs needed for KKR to knock the defending champions out. Expect some Lynnsanity? Uthappa (The local lad) and Lynn walk out!

Good news, folks!

12:37 am:

12:28 am: How about a poll? What do you guys think?

12:19 am: News is that inspection to be done at 12:35 am.

12:14 am: Welcome to Thursday, folks. And it comes with good news for KKR

11.57 pm: One thing for sure now. Kolkata Knight Riders will not have their full quota of 20 overs to chase this down. It’s crossed 11.50 pm. The next target is 12.58 am for a 5-over game and then 1.20 am for a SuperOver.

But the expression on the groundsmen and umpires’ faces don’t inspire a lot of confidence,

11.40 pm: Not much to report unfortunately. The drizzle has slowed a little, it seems, but it hasn’t stopped. No idea what’s going to happen. But here’s going the scenarios. We still have time on our hands.

11.20 pm: Over at Extra Innings, Sunil Gavaskar is fuming. And quite rightfully.

Sunny Paaji also makes an important point: is it fair to ask professional cricketers to play at 1.00 am? How long have they been at the ground?

11.15 pm: Ok, umm....there was good news, but unfortunately....a drizzle is back. The covers are on. We’re back to the drawing board again.

11.00 pm: Good news. Covers are off and Play will begin at 11.25 pm in Bengaluru. Full 20 overs available for Kolkata Knight Riders to chase this down.

10.45 pm: The latest news from Bengaluru is that the rain has slowed down to a drizzle. Hopefully just a matter of time. Well, according to Google anyway:

Yet, another look at the scenarios and also the current weather.

10:31 pm: Scenarios, once again.

10:18 pm: It’s raining folks.. what better way to keep oneself occupied than GIFs...

10:11 pm: It’s still raining in Bengaluru. Here are the updates that matter:

After 20 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 128/7: As the rain picks up in Bengaluru, SRH finish on a very disappointing 128. It was a difficult pitch, but one got the feeling that they never recalibrated.

After 19 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 121/6: Three runs & two wickets from the 19th over... this innings has not got going at all for SRH. NCN gets Shankar & Chris Jordan – the latter a brilliant diving return catch.

After 18 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 118/4: And a bit of momentum again for SRH.. one of the shots of the day by Shankar to start that over, a lofted straight drive for 4. Ojha then hits a six. Costly from Boult.

After 17 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 105/4: 2 runs - TWO RUNS - from the 17th over... it’s been that sort of a night for SRH. It’s been that sort of an IPL for Naman Ojha.

After 16 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 103/4: Umesh Yadav strikes again! That joy from the Chawla over was short-lived for SRH as Yuvi pulls a short ball to square leg boundary – a shot with which he usually clears the boundary with ease! Just 5 runs in that over, 3 wides included.

Meanwhile...

After 15 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 98/3: After a quiet 14th over from Narine (just 5 runs despite a mis-hit boundary for Vijay Shankar) SRH have something to cheer. A mighty hit over long-on for a six by Vijay Shankar and a bludgeoning straight drive for 4 by Yuvraj brings 13 runs from Chawla’s over.

SRH need many more of those...

After 13 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 80/3: Double-blow for SRH! Warner is gone & it’s that eternal KKR-hero Piyush Chawla with a wicket. A short-ball that bounces less than Warner expected it to, the timber is rattled.

SRH in...

After 12 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 75/2: NCN strikes for KKR... Coulter-Nile with a pretty soft dismissal to get rid of Williamson as he hits it straight to cover.

After 11 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 71/1: Calm before the storm in that over... started with a singles, twos, and then a mighty pull shot over long on as Warner deposits over long on for SIX!

After 10 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 61/1: And that’s the Kane Williamson world cricket knows and loves... two brilliant shots in that Coulter-Nile over. First a chip off his hips to the midwicket for 4 and then a pull for six.

After 9 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 48/1: Shift in gears? Warner tries to get a move on, pulling Piyush Chawla over midwicket for a brilliant six. SRH need much more of that.

And with that, a special milestone for Warner.

After 8 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 39/1: Nathan Coulter-Nile is back from injury and back with an excellent over. Just 2 runs off it.

Williamson (10 off 17 now) swinging and missing like...

After 7 overs Sunrisers Hyderabad 37/1: Well, not a big over per se, but some release of pressure for SRH. Yusuf Pathan, who has been rarely used this year, concedes 7 thanks mainly to an exquisite inside out cover drive by Williamson.

After 6 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 30/1: KKR will be mighty pleased with that powerplay! Just 30 runs. Sunil Narine is into the attack and concedes just 3.

After 5 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 27/1: This match is firmly in KKR’s grips now! The first breakthrough comes thanks to the impressive Umesh. The pressure of the run-rate gets to Dhawan who tries to go over midwicket and top-edges, Uthappa takes the skier. Just 2 runs anda wicket from that over!

After 4 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 25/0: KKR will be happy with how this poweplay is going so far. 4 singles and a leg-bye from Boult’s over. Warner and Dhawan perhaps going too hard, going for power over timing.

After 3 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 20/0 : It’s a steady start from both sides. Dhawan opens his boundary account as SRH continue the trend of one four per over. Umesh errs on the length, Dhawan is quick to pull him over fine leg for 4.

After 2 overs, Sunrisers Hyderabad 13/0: Once again, there is some definite purchase for the pacers early here. Might be from the rain over the past few days? A good start from Trent Boult, to beat Warner with his first ball. But DW has the last laugh with a “forehand down the ground” as Shastri put it. A brilliant shot for 4.

After 1 over, Sunrisers Hyderabad 7/0: A lively start at Chinnaswamy! First ball from Umesh rears up from a good length and there’s a massive appeal for caught-behind. Warner finishes the over strongly, muscling a short ball over point.

8:00 pm: And we are underway... it’s David Warner facing Umesh Yadav, first up!

Some fascinating match-ups ahead tonight. Perhaps the most crucial of them all, is Bhuvi vs Lynn(sanity)!

7:50 pm: A bit of fun pre-match it looks like. Two old ‘foes’ catching up.

7:35 pm: Quite a few changes for both sides. 4, to be precise. Wow.

Yuvraj, Kane Williamson, Chris Jordan and Bipul Yadav are in for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Suryakumar Yadav, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla and Ishank Jaggi are in for KKR.

Big news: Local boy Manish Pandey is missing out, injured.

7:30 pm: Gautam Gambhir wins toss & KKR will bowl first. Warner says he would have batted anyway.

7:20 pm: As we wait for the toss, how about you let us know your pick for the “Greatest IPL cricketer”

7 pm: Hello and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the first knock-out match of this year’s IPL. The defending champions SRH take on two-time winners KKR.

Here’s our video preview to get you in the groove: