KKR enters playoffs with five-wicket win over SRH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) booked their place in the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a five-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a neck-to-neck encounter at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Saturday.

With 16 points, KRK is now place third in the points table from their full quota of 14 games.

Electing to bat first, SRH managed 172/9, riding on Shikhar Dhawan's half century. Shreevats Goswami (35), skipper Kane Williamson (36) and Manish Pandey (25) added some valuable runs to the total.

The KKR bowling attack was led by Prasidh Krishna (4/30). He did well in the middle and death overs. Andre Russell (1/31), Sunil Narine (1/23), Kuldeep Yadav (1/35) and Javon Searles (1/24) were among the other wicket takers.

In the second innings, KKR never looked in trouble while batting as Chris Lynn (55), Sunil Narine (29) and Robin Uthappa (45) starred for the visitors to make light of the 173-run target. KKR put up 173/5 in 19.4 overs.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (1/30) took Narine's wicket with a looping delivery that the West Indian mistimed to Manish Pandey at long on.

At the end of powerplay, KRK managed to make 61/1.

Besides Hasan, Carlos Brathwaite (2/21) and Siddarth Kaul (2/26) took wickets for the top-ranked SRH.

Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have already qualified for the play-offs.