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Parnell helps Pune KO Kolkata

Ranchi - Wayne Parnell grabbed two early wickets and was involved in some late drama that accounted for the in-form Yusuf Pathan as the Pune Warriors clinched a seven-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Pepsi Indian Premier League clash in Ranchi on Wednesday.

Chasing 171 for victory, the home side ended on 163 for seven thanks mainly to Pathan (72 off 44 balls) and Ryan ten Doeschate (42 off 30), but it was not enough as they joined the already eliminated visitors by bowing out of the competition.

Proteas fast bowler Parnell ended with 2-34, but was more importantly involved in the controversial dismissal of Pathan, who had kept the hosts on course for victory until he was given out for obstructing the field at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium Complex.

India all-rounder Pathan had dug out a full delivery in Parnell’s final over and tried to take a quick single. But as his partner Debabrata Das belatedly responded, Pathan appeared to kick the ball away and was given out after Parnell appealed and third umpire Vineet Kulkarni sent the dangerman packing.

Earlier, a crafty 66 off 47 from Manish Pandey was the backbone of Pune’s innings, while captain Aaron Finch (48 off 32) and Yuvraj Singh (30 off 20) also played important roles for the struggling visitors, who were without a win a nine games.

After winning the toss and asking the opposition to bat first, KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir may have been worried slightly early on as Robin Uthappa (25) made a blistering start.

The experienced wicketkeeper-batsman began in storming fashion, crunching Lakshmipathy Balaji for two sixes in the third over to race to 21 off his first 12 balls, before he was bowled via an inside edge by Sachithra Senanayake.

That hampered Pune’s progress as they struggled past 50 in the eight over.

Fortunately, captain Finch was still in the mood and successive sixes off Jacques Kallis’s 10th over raised the tempo again, with the total reaching 72 for one at the halfway stage.

The Australian clubbed one more six in an expensive Rajat Bhatia over, before he was cleaned up by Balaji.

Kallis returned to send down the 15th over and was smashed for three fours in a row by Pandey as the 100 was raised.

The Pune number three reached his third IPL career half-century in 40 balls in the 17th over, which went for 18, including Yuvraj joining the party with a six wide of long-on, before both men fell in the final over by the veteran Protea.

The reply began poorly for the hosts as Parnell struck twice inside the first four overs.

First the left-arm quick trapped Manvinder Bisla leg before wicket, before cleaning up countryman Kallis with a yorker, both men falling for one.

And when Gambhir (12) top-edged Ishwar Pandey in the next over, KKR were in a big hole at 29 for three.

But Pathan and Ten Doeschate rebuilt beautifully with a stand of 98 from 11.1 overs.

They took their side past 50 in the eighth over, before raising their 50 partnership together from 35 deliveries.

A boundary by Ten Doeschate at the start of the 13th over took Kolkata across 100, and shortly after Pathan reached his seventh IPL 50 from 32 balls, 49 were needed from the last five overs.

However, disaster then threatened as the former was run out and Manoj Tiwary (nought) struck Bhuvneshwar Kumar down the throat of Manish Pandey at long-on.

Things got worse when Pathan fell and the rest was history with Pune closing out the win.

Teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders: MS Bisla (wk), G Gambhir (capt), JH Kallis, YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschate, MK Tiwary, DB Das, R Bhatia, SMSM Senanayake, SP Narine, L Balaji

Pune Warriors: RV Uthappa (wk), AJ Finch (capt), MK Pandey, Yuvraj Singh, LJ Wright, AD Mathews, RV Gomez, WD Parnell, B Kumar, AG Murtaza, IC Pandey

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