As it happened

Rana: I bowl regularly in the nets, and also in domestic cricket. Both games were very important for us, and luckily I won man of the match in both games. On this stage, you don’t get loose balls that often, which is why I got a little angry with myself when I missed out.

Karthik: Slowly things are falling in a good direction. It feels that the wrist-spinners are a little harder to pick, and that the fast bowlers would come onto the bat.

The way Robin batted was fantastic – he set the tone for us, and it was good to see Nitish bat through. [On Nitish Rana] The only thing I would tell a player like that is be consistent through a long tournament, which I’m sure he’s looking forward to doing

Rahane: I thought we were 15-20 short. This wicket was on the slower side, it was keeping slightly low. I was batting well, and it was my responsibility to carry on from there. I felt our intensity was a little bit down today compared to the previous games.

KOLKATA WIN BY 7 WICKETS!

Dinesh Karthik and Co now top the table and it is no more than what they have deserve. The skipper was calm in the chase and deserves credit for his captaincy. The move to use three spinners in the first three overs turned out to be a masterstoke, although Narine had a rare off day with the ball. Once again, Kolkata find success delegating responsibility to a number of players. If it was Narine and Russell in the last game, it was Uthappa and Karthik who were the heroes in the chase today. Chawla, with figures of 2/18 in his quota of overs was a revelation.

The stand-out, though, is Nitish Rana by a fair distance. The Delhi lad can do no wrong and will come as no surprise if he is yet again awarded the Man of the Match award.

KKR 163/3 in 18.5 Overs

That’s it. In the end, it turned out to be a win on a canter for the buoyant Kolkata side, who get past the line with seven balls to spare. DK finishes things off with a massive six, bottom hand, no helicopter but the ball sails many a row back over the long-on fence. Rana impresses once again.

KKR 151/3 in 18 Overs
Kolkata are marching towards the target in some style. Effortless batting from Karthik and and Rana. Stokes was handed the ball in a desperate move to get wickets but Karthik flat-batted him to the cover boundary. Nine from the over and the partnership is one shy of fifty. Nine needed from 12.

KKR 142/3 in 17 Overs

SIXES from KARTHIK and RANA! This over may well have sealed the game. All the pressure goes out of the window as Unadkat’s forgettable game continues. Karthik pulls a slow short delivery over the fence while Rana creams a full one over the extra cover fence. 16 from the over, Kolkata need just 19 from the lat three overs.

KKR 126/3 in 16 Overs

The game is going down to the wire as Rajasthan bowlers pull things back in the last two overs. Ben Laughlin bowls a terrific over, not giving room and giving away just five runs. Kolkata need 35 from 24 – there is still life in that contest.

KKR 121/3 in 15 Overs

Oh, Karthik and Rana are manipulating the field like a pair of chess players, but it nearly cost the latter his wicket; Unadkat missed a run-out chance. Karthik has also got off to a fluent start. 40 needed from the last five overs.

KKR 102/3 in 12.3 Overs

OUT! What has Stokes done in the IPL so far, you ask? He just plucked out a magnificent catch at long-on. Uthappa played a lazy chip in the air and the Englishman plucks out a catch, throws it in the air and catches it on the second attempt. Brilliant from Stokes and it’s a wicket at an important time for Rajasthan. Gowtham has been a revelation.
R Uthappa c Stokes b Gowtham 48 (36)

KKR 97/2 in 12 Overs
Rana has also settled in and the runs keep coming. The left-hander cuts away to glory off Laughlin and the ball reaches the fence. No sign of wickets here as the batsmen are rotating strike. Rana is on the offensive.

KKR 87/2 in 10 Overs
No sign of the run-flow stopping and the equation is creeping close towards a run-a-ball. Uthappa is closing in on his fifty and he brought up another four with a full-blooded cut towards point. There is a misfield.

KKR 70/2 in 8.4 Overs
OUT! Narine goes and it helps Rajasthan get back in the game. The West Indian takes off and is caught short of his ground. Much needed breakthrough. Fine throw from Unadkat Can the bowlers keep the run flow in check?
S Narine run out 35 (25)

KKR 62/1 in 7 Overs
SIX! Gowtham goes short and Uthappa thumps a short delivery over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum. There is no respite for Rajasthan as the runs keep on coming.

KKR 53/1 in 6 Overs
SIX! Laughlin is also dispatched to the boundary ropes at will and the fifty partnership is up. Narine ends the powerplay with a powerful pull off his hips, and the ball landed comfortably into the deep mid-wicket fence. Uthappa on the other hand, earned another boundary – a classy leg-glance to the long-leg boundary. The last three overs have accounted for 38 runs and Rajasthan get a much needed break.

KKR 40/1 in 5 Overs

Now, it’s time for the Uthappa show. There are few Indian batsman who look as graceful as Uthappa when in full flow. The veteran pulls, drives and cuts with aplomb and gets three boundaries of the Unadkat over. Kolkata are cruising.

KKR's Robin Uthappa in action | Vipin Pawar / IPL/ SPORTZPICS

KKR 27/1 in 4 Overs

Narine in full flow Narine’s slow start comes to an end with two thumping drives on the off-side, latching onto the slightest bit of width that was on offer. The West Indian then pulls the ball to the mid-wicket fence with a pull shot, making a mockery of a fine slow bouncer. Three boundaries of the over.

KKR 15/1 in 3 Overs
Uthappa plays a classy back-foot punch through extra cover for a boundary but nearly ends up chipping Gowtham to Stokes at deep mid-wicket. Six from the over.

KKR 9/1 in 2 Overs

So many near misses. Narine almost runs himself out by going for a third run. This was after he nearly chipped the ball to the hands of the mid-off fielder. Narine nearly edges it to Buttler too but the ball beat the keeper’s dive and went into the ropes for a boundary. The Dhawal Kulkarni over was full of drama.

KKR 1/1 in 0.3 Overs
OUT! Just the start Rajasthan wanted! Lynn makes room to cut the ball on the off-side and the ball crashes onto off and middle stump. The Australian simply failed to read the bounce on that delivery. Isn’t Gowtham pumped up.
Lynn b Gowtham 0 (2)

Gowtham to bowl the first over. Narine and Chris Lynn make their way to the centre.

RR FINISH AT 160/8

It was a decent finish by Mavi. On the face of it, the young pacer conceded just nine from the over, which included a drop catch by Lynn at backward point. Rajasthan might be disappointed with the total and might find themselves 20 runs short, considering that they don’t have spinners like Chawla, Kuldeep and Narine in their ranks.

RR 160/8 after 19.5 Overs
OUT! Kulkarni is caught short of his crease despite Mavi nearly making a mess of it. Mavi has had a nightmare of a last over, bowling three wides so far. The second run was taken with the intention of keeping Buttler on strike. Fine throw from Shubman Gill

D Kulkarni run out 3 (3)

RR 151/7 after 19 Overs

Buttler ends the over with a pull down the ground that goes to the boundary and Rajasthan cross the 150-run mark. They had a free-hit during the over too, which they missed out on.

RR 141/7 after 18.2 Overs

OUT! The off-stump goes cartwheeling and Curran is on a hat-trick. Gopal misjudges the line completely and is beaten all ends up by Curran. This is hampering Rajasthan, who need a blinder from Buttler desperately.
S Gopal b Curran 0 (1)

RR 141/6 after 18.1 Overs

OUT! Gowtham’s cameo comes to an end as he tries to clear the infield but Mavi judges it well in the ring and grabs onto it. Good change of pace from Curran
K Gowtham c Mavi b Curran 12 (7)

RR 141/5 after 18 Overs

Fourteen runs from the over. Gowtham gets a six over long on, where Shubman Gill makes a mess of trying to pulling the back into the boundary. Buttler ends the over with a cracking backfoot punch that goes to the extra cover fence. Narine finishes with figures of 4-0-48-0 – his worst in the IPL.

RR 122/5 after 16.1 Overs OUT!

Just as I praise Stokes, he holes at extra cover. He stepped out and tries to send the ball into orbit but only gets the toe end of the bat. The ball goes miles in the air and Rana – the guy who can do no wrong, remember? – pouches it. Chawla responds to his captain’s call this time.
B Stokes c Rana b Chawla 14 (11)

RR 122/4 after 16 Overs

OUT! Stokes comes into his element with an enormous six over cow cover off Kuldeep. They need big runs and who better than the English big-hitting duo

RR 106/4 after 14 Overs OUT! One more one bites the dust and here, Russell shows how good his reflexes are, displaying a leap that is as good as a basketball player as Tripathi chips Kuldeep in the air. The right-hander was looking in good touch, having brought up a boundary earlier in the over.
R Tripathi c Russell b Kuldeep 15 (11)

RR 98/3 after 12.5 Overs

OUT! Oh, what an IPL Rana is having! Is there anything the man can’t do at this point? Short chooses the wrong length to cut and the quicker delivery crashes onto the off-stump. The Australian was just picking up pace.
D’Arcy Short b Rana 44 (43)

RR 95/2 after 12 Overs
Short finally finds form! The left-hander, after what seems like an eternity, shows what he is capable of with a cracking six over deep mid-wicket and follows that up with a cut past point for a four. Mavi, like Narine, is also too short and gets the treatment. 14 from the over.

RR 81/2 after 11 Overs

Ten from the over. Advantage relinquished. Narine is having a bit of a shocker and Short and Tripathi get boundaries from the over. Yet again, the West Indian is too short and is punished square of the wicket.

RR 71/2 after 10 Overs
Short gets a boundary with a flick off his hips in the last ball of Curran’s first over. Short, though, continues to struggle for runs and he needs to get a move on with Kolkata slowly strangling Rajasthan.

RR 62/2 after 8.4 Overs

OUT! Huge wicket for Kolkata as Samson’s adventure is short-lived here. A half-hearted pull off Mavi goes straight to the throat of Kuldeep Yadav at deep mid-wicket, who takes a straightforward take. Big moment for Mavi, who might have just given his side the momentum.

RR 58/1 after 8 Overs Short’s woes against spin continue as Kuldeep bowls another economical over, giving away just three singles off it. Samson is off the mark.

RR 54/1 after 6.5 Overs OUT!
The fifty partnership comes up and Karthik effects a brilliant run out. Rahane steps out to Rana but is forced to check his short. Karthik pounces on the ball and breaks the stumps with a direct-hit from his blindside. The Kolkata skipper made it look like a walk in the park.

RR 48/0 after 6 Overs
Oh, this is majestic batting. Rahane merely nudges the ball and it pierces the gap between extra cover and mid-off another boundary. Four singles from the rest of the over and Rajasthan are now on the driver’s seat. The umpires call for a time-out.

RR 40/0 after 5 Overs
13 from the over SIX! Spin, pace...it doesn’t matter. Rahane is on song and Shivam Mavi concedes a maximum as the Rajasthan skipper steps down the track and pulls it back over the bowler’s head. D’Arcy Short breaks his shackles too, punching a slow delivery over mid-off’s head for a four.

RR 27/0 after 4 Overs
RAHANE ON FIRE Leading from the front, Rahane gets four consecutive boundaries off Narine. He starts with a sweep, then steps down the track and then cuts lose against two short deliveries on the off side in identical fashion. 18 from the over. Classy batting from the Rajasthan batsman.

RR 9/0 after 3 Overs
Another fine over No room for the Rajasthan batsmen to free their arms and Chawla once again teases Rahane and Short with a combination of leg-spinners and googlies. Just two singles. Fine captaincy from Karthik, attacking with spinners at both ends and it’s paying rich dividends for him.

RR 7/0 after 2 Overs
More spin from Kolkata in the form of Kuldeep Yadav. Another good over for the visitors with just four singles coming off it. The strapping on his shoulder has affected his bat swing a “little bit”, says Chris Lynn on the mic. This might not be easy for the Rajasthan batsmen.

RR 3/0 after 1 over
Tidy start for Chawla. D’ Arcy Short continues to be on the backfoot after a slow start to the season. Rahane gets off strike first ball. Early signs of low bounce as Rahane is beaten by a googly.

7.59 pm: Rahane and D’Arcy short make their way to the middle. Kolkata are starting with spin and it’s Piyush Chawla who has the ball.

Kolkata’s playing XI: Lynn, Narine, Uthappa, Rana, Karthik, Russell, Gill, Curran, Chawla, Mavi, Yadav

Rajasthan’s playing XI: Rahane, Short, Samson, Stokes, Buttler, Tripathi, Gowtham, Gopal, Kulkarni, Unadkat, Laughlin

7.30 pm: Kolkata Knight Riders have won the toss and Dinesh Karthik has no hesitation to field first. No changes for both teams. Karthik concurs with Clarke, says that it is a “good wicket”. Rahane reveals that he would have fielded first too.

7.25 pm: “It’s a beautiful surface,” says Michael Clarke at the pitch report from the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. “Tinge of grass on the surface but rock hard underneath,” he added. Another batting paradise with a little help for the spinners later in the innings?

Hello and Welcome. The in-form Rajasthan Royals will be confident of a third consecutive victory when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League at Sawai Man Singh stadium. Royals registered back-to-back wins after Sunrisers Hyderabad thrashed them in their opener.

They pipped Delhi Daredevils by 19 runs in a rain-hit encounter and then travelled away to post a convincing 19-run victory over star-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore. The undisputed star of the game was Sanju Samon who hit a blistering a 45-ball 92 and Royals would expect him to fire again.

Kolkata too come into the game on the back of a win, outplaying Delhi Daredevils comfortably on Monday for their second win in four games. With Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine at the top and big hitters like Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana and Andre Russell in the middle, Kolkata have enough firepower and depth.

Their bowling too has the right balance with the deceptive Narine, the current purple cap holder in the tournament. Wily old horse Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav are capable of weaving a web around any batting side. Pacer Shivam Mavi, who rose to stardom during the recent U-19 World Cup, and Russell provide the medium pace variety to KKR.

The pink city, after a two and half hour rain interruption in the previous match, is under a dry and hot spell. The wicket here is a sporting one but a little bit of dryness would help the Kolkata spin department.