As it happened: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2022, Pune

SRH keep losing wickets, getting hardly any runs in the end and losing by 54 runs. That gives KKR a big boost, and equally pushes SRH down, in case it comes down to net run rate. We leave you with the top of the final report. Do join us for the double header tomorrow.

"Kolkata Knight Riders kept their campaign alive and pushed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s to the brink with a 54-run win, which gave them a decent net-run-rate boost.

It took a responsible innings from Andre Russell to take KKR to a challenging total after the decided to bat first. Russell’s 49 off 28 was among his slowest innings of this length or more, but he waited for the spinner’s over, which SRH held back because of him. Then, in the final over, bowled by Washington Sundar, he took 20 runs.

SRH’s batting woes continued in the chase with Kane Williamson adding to arguably the worst season for a batter and a captain. Only Abhishek Sharma and Aiden Markram pushed KKR but not for long enough to threaten a win."

To the 49 and Kane Williamson's wicket, Andre Russell adds the scalp of Washington Sundar to make it 107 for 6 at the start of the 18th. KKR have all but won this match but there is a subtext in these remaining overs: net run rate. KKR want to big win, SRH want some damage control.

On a day that Sunil Narine has gone for 30 in his first three overs, he gets the wicket of Nicholas Pooran in his fourth. An easy return catch made difficult by the advertising on the sight screen behind the batter. SRH are now 75 for 4 in the 13th, and this could be curtains.

In the end Abhishek faced just 28 out of the 71 balls bowled while he was at the wicket. He scored 43 runs. Other batters: 9 off 19, 9 off 12, 10 off 14. Stifled and deprived of strike, he eventually had a slog at C Varun, and holed out. Having reduced SRH to 72 for 3 in the 12th over, KKR are 93% favourites to win.

Outta nowhere, Abhishek Sharma has taken down two of the best T20 bowlers ever. In this season he has scored 22 off 8 against Sunil Narine and 47 off 23 against Rashid Khan. Now he has hit Narine for successive sixes to consign him to his costliest over this IPL: 15 runs.

However, Tim Southee gets KKR back with a sensational return catch to send back Rahul Tripathi. At 54 for 2 in 8.2 overs, SRH only 21% favourites to win.

Kane Williamson tries to ramp Andre Russell in the last over of the powerplay and loses his off stump for nine off 17 balls. That takes his season to 208 runs at 18.9 and a strike rate of 92.85. Must be up there with the worst seasons for a batter who gets to play every match.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have done well here. Not everyday do you bowl 28 balls to Andre Russell and still not concede a fifty. In fact this 49 is his third-lowest score in T20 innings that he has faced a minimum of 28 balls. And yet Russell thinks KKR have enough thanks largely to the last over, which went to Washington Sundar and cost SRH 20 runs. It seemed like SRH wanted to get Russell out before they went to Washington but Russell played percentage cricket and delayed that charge. Also, as Russell said, the seamers didn't give him much to hit.

"The guys were bowling very well," Russell says. "The execution was on point. The wicket looks good but is not playing that good. 170 is definitely a good score. The wicket is holding a little bit. Once you bowl hard lengths, straight, not much room, mix your pace, it is difficult. We know these two games are very important. If we can win by 20 - not getting ahead of ourselves or thinking too far - but net run rate is going to be important."

It has taken Andre Russell 12 balls to hit his first six. The thing is, he has not looked in any hurry either. Coming in to bat in the 12th over, he has looked to give himself time. Not least because these are not 200 pitches anymore. Now Sam Billings and Andre Russell all set for the last four. KKR 129 for 5 in 16 overs. Our Forecaster predicts 169.

Rinku Singh is given out lbw to a yorker from T Natarajan, and after the 15 seconds for DRS are over, he looks surprised they are not checking the replays. The umpires are seen telling him time is over even as the two batters are seen remonstrating. One of the following things happened:

1 The umpire took a while to raise his finger, and Rinku actually thought SRH had asked for the review.

2 Sam Billings made the review signal, and that doesn't count.

3 Rinku made the signal but not clearly enough.

4 They are not happy with the catering.

Either way, the right decision is made, and KKR are only spared a review.

The big wicket of Shreyas Iyer, too, goes to Umran Malik. A bit of a nothing flick in the air without actually looking to hit a six. Deep midwicket rushes in and takes the catch. KKR 83 for 4 in 10 overs. Malik still has two overs to go.

And just to test them, Shashank Singh took another catch in that over. This time they reined themselves in and called him just Shashank.

Ajinkya Rahane does the right thing: look to hit everything. He upper-cuts a fast short ball but doesn't get enough on it, falling to an excellent catch at the deep point boundary by Shashank Singh. KKR are 72 for 3 in eight overs. Projected score 181.

Well this is always on the cars when Nitish Rana is facing high pace. The short ball stays in his mind, and he backs away or shuffles across. He tries the latter here, Umran Malik stays on a length, and he ends up helping it along to deep square leg in the air. KKR would have hoped for Ajinkya Rahane to play in a boom-or-bust manner. Interesting how they go about it now. KKR 65 for 2 in 7.3 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane seems to have done his hamstring taking a quick single at the end of the sixth over. He is in pain, is struggling to run and even move. He has the option to retire-hurt but has chosen to stay on. Perhaps they see this as a license for Rahane. And he does try doing that every ball against Washington Sundar in the seventh over. One of his slogs comes off and goes for a six. The eighth over is to be bowled by Umar Malik.

SRH were 20 for 1 in four overs looking uncomfortable at the wicket but Nitish Rana handed out a harsh welcome back to T Natarajan in the fifth over before he and Ajinkya Rahane took on Marco Jansen in the sixth. It's 55 for 1 now, and KKR look set for a big total on what looks like a better batting pitch than the recent ones in Pune.

The last ball of the second over is skiddy and quick, and hurries Venkatesh Iyer into the cut, taking the inside edge onto the wicket. KKR 17 for 1 in two overs. Venkatesh's season so far: 182 runs at an average of 20.22 and strike rate of 110.97.

Okay that's a surprise. Shreyas Iyer has won the toss, and they have elected to bat first, citing the record in Pune. Umesh Yadav comes in for Pat Cummins, which allows Sam Billings to come in for Sheldon Jackson.

Kane Williamson says even SRH were looking to bat first too. Good news for SRH fans. Both T Natarajan and Washington Sundar are back. Also comes back Marco Jansen.

Kolkata Knight Riders 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt.), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Sam Billings (wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Umesh Yadav, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Sunrisers Hyderabad 1 Kane Williamson (capt.), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan