Uthappa makes it KKR’s night

Gambhir chips in with an useful contribution; Steve Smith anchors RPS to a big score

Marauder: Initially hesitant, Robin Uthappa came to the party for KKR with a flurry of hits to complement his glovework.

Sunil Narine, thanks to Shardul Thakur’s direct hit from short fine-leg, was found short of his ground and Kolkata Knight Riders didn’t really start with a bang. The target of 183, set by Steve Smith’s Rising Pune Supergiant, had increasingly becoming imposing for the visiting team.

While skipper Gautam Gambhir was in decent touch, Robin Uthappa was as tentative as — if not more than — Ajinkya Rahane earlier in the evening. But with leggie Imran Tahir being introduced immediately after the PowerPlay, Uthappa decided to go after the man who was the primary wicket-taker for the Pune outfit, especially with Ben Stokes sidelined for the game.

A slog-sweep took the top-edge of Uthappa’s willow and the skier should have been a regulation catch for Jaydev Unadkat at long-leg. However, the fielder stuttered on the ropes and made a real mess of it, helping the ball to a one-bounce boundary after the ball popped out of his palms.

Uthappa and Gambhir then made Supergiant pay for the miss dearly as their 158-run partnership set up Knight Riders’ seven-wicket win. With its sixth victory in eight games, the Knight Riders displaced Mumbai Indians at the top of the table.

Before attempting that swat, Uthappa was batting on 12 off 12 balls. Twenty-one balls later, and having faced 14 of them, Uthappa raised the bat for his half-century. Uthappa — who had earlier in the first innings achieved a rare feat of effecting three stumpings in an IPL innings — is a treat to watch when he backs himself to play in the V. He was at his marauding best, Tahir facing the brunt along with offie Washington Sundar and Unadkat.

Even after raising his third fifty of the season, Uthappa continued to dominate a hapless Pune attack. Such was his aura that the batsman not only recorded his personal best in IPL but also overshadowed the outstanding effort with the bat by both captains.

Involved in a 150-plus partnership for the second time in the season, Gambhir played second fiddle to perfection, without missing an opportunity to send anything slightly short through the square-point region.

Smith, on the other hand, anchored the Supergiant innings after being inserted by Gambhir. Rahul Tripathi continued to give a quickfire start to the host’s innings. Once he perished, trying to cut Piyush Chawla in his first over, Smith ensured that Rahane’s inability to keep the scoreboard moving didn’t really peg the innings back.