Top-order batsman Shubman Gill cracked an unbeaten 36-ball 57 while skipper Dinesh Karthik bludgeoned an 18-ball 45 not out to guide Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a comfortable six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday.


Chasing 178 for victory, Gill, an U-19 World Cup winner, joined hands with Karthik for an unbroken 83-run fifth wicket partnership off 36 deliveries that took the game away from M.S. Dhoni's team despite their making early inroads. This was Gill's maiden IPL fifty.


There was a particular shot from Shubman Gill right at the start of his that drew everyone's attention. Former India captain Suni Gavaskar too was bowled over by the shovel shot of Shubman Gill.






Put in to bat, CSK rode Dhoni's unbeaten 25-ball 43 to post 177/5 in 20 overs. In reply, KKR finished on 180/4 with 14 balls to spare to register second win on the bounce and fifth overall in the tournament so far.


KKR moved to third spot having 10 points from 9 games while Sunrisers Hyderabad pipped CSK to the top of the table.


Pushed up the order, Gill's innings was laced with six fours and two sixes as Karthik ably supported him hitting seven fours and a six.


KKR lost Chris Lynn (12) early with young South African seamer pacer Lungi Ngidi (1/36) picking up his wicket in the first over.


Sunil Narine (32; 20b 4x4 2x6) made the most of two reprieves in consecutive deliveries in the second over, when Ravindra Jadeja dropped him at wide mid on off K.M. Asif when he was on 6.


Robin Uthappa (6) did not last long, top-edging a mistimed pull to Dwayne Bravo at midwicket off Asif. Narine, who set the platform for KKR's chase, holed out to Bravo in the deep off Jadeja.


Despite the early blows, KKR kept pace with the target, racing to 90/3 at the halfway stage, the same as CSK albeit losing two more wickets.


Rinku Singh (16) failed too before Gill and Karthik took the game by the scruff of the neck, taking Asif for 21 runs in the 15th over which proved to be the game-changer.


Chennai Super Kings innings


Kolkata Knight Riders spinners impressed with Sunil Narine leading from the front before Chennai Super Kings' inspirational captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's late flourish guided his side to 177 for five in an Indian Premier League match here today.


It was skipper Dhoni who once again propped up the total with an unbeaten 43 from 25 balls that included four sixes and one four.


Narine returned with impressive figures of 2 for 20, while Piyush Chawla grabbed 2 for 35 as the duo bowled 22 dot balls in the middle overs to keep CSK's batting in check after the Chennai outfit had crossed 200-plus totals four times this season.


Young pacer Shivam Mavi also impressed with his pace and bounce during but went wicketless giving away 21 runs from three overs as CSK scored bulk of their runs against veteran Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson who leaked 51 runs from his four overs.


Against the batting firepower of CSK, it was a tidy KKR bowling that was on display after Dinesh Karthik opted to chase.


In a battle between two ageing Aussies, it was Shane Watson (36) who impressed up front against KKR pace spearhead Johnson who leaked 10 and 19 runs from his first two overs.


But thankfully for KKR, youngster Mavi put the brakes from the other end showing superb control with his pace and was not afraid to pitch the ball short against CSK's opening duo of Watson and Faf du Plessis (27).


Mavi just gave away 11 runs from his two overs as CSK were in a spot of bother before Watson helped the visitors score 57 for 1 in powerplay.


But good thing for KKR was that they managed to get a breakthrough inside the powerplay with Chawla dismissing Du Plessis.


Chawla delivered with his first ball cleaning up the South African skipper with a googly, and after that CSK batsmen struggled against KKR spin trio with Narine standing tall.


Dinesh Karthik used Narine wisely, first introducing him in the powerplay and then gave two in the middle overs.


Narine's 11th and 15th overs were crucial as the Trinidadian dismissed his 'bunny' Watson (36) for the seventh time in T20 matches and also removed Rayudu (21), the two leading run getters of CSK.


Suresh Raina (31) also failed to score big before as he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav. It was then left to the 'captain cool' Dhoni to finish CSK's innings on a high.


Raina, however, achieved a personal milestone becoming the leading rungetter with 4776 runs in IPL history, surpassing Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli (4767).


Toss


Kolkata Knight Riders have won the toss and opted to field against Chennai Super Kings at the picturesque Eden Gardens in Kolkata.


The visors have made no changes to their squad but an injury to Nitish Rana rules him out of the encounter with Rinku Singh getting into the starting XI for Kolkata Knight Riders.


Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Shivam Mavi, Piyush Chawla, Mitchell Johnson, Kuldeep Yadav


Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Karn Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, KM Asif


Preview


Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's vintage form has added to their strength and table-toppers Chennai Super Kings would look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL match, here.


Dhoni has turned back the clock with his last three innings, two of them half centuries, adding to the fine run of imposing all-rounder Shane Watson.


CSK are currently leading the eight-team table with 12 points from six wins out of eight games.


Both the teams are here on the back of two morale-boosting wins. While KKR successfully chased 176 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru, CSK reigned supreme against Delhi Daredevils at their adopted home in Pune.


Half-centuries from Watson and Dhoni blasted CSK to its third 200-plus score and then young fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi and KM Asif choked Delhi's chase to hand CSK its sixth win of the season.


Dhoni himself has been a major factor in CSK's success with his batting and the ever-inspiring captaincy. His decision to make four changes against Delhi showed the team's depth and his faith in the bench-strength.     


Ngidi looked reliable both in powerplay and at the death as the South African led the pace department in the absence of an injured Deepak Chahar.


Asif also impressed with his raw pace and quick arm action and took two wickets on debut, though the young Kerala pacer leaked 43 runs in three overs.


In batting, Watson, who struggled for Royal Challengers Bangalore last season, has been a revelation.


Backed by Dhoni, the veteran Australian all-rounder slammed this season's highest score -- 106 -- his fourth T20 hundred.


Ambati Rayudu too has gone about his tasks quietly, be it as an opener or in the middle-order to lead the batting chart with 370 runs.


Then there is Dhoni himself. Dhoni is currently averaging 71.50 with three half-centuries.


His knock of 70 not out from 34 balls to hunt down RCB's 205 still remains the talk of the town. The way he sealed the game with his signature swing over wide long on boundary brought back memories of the 2011 World Cup triumph.


With a handsome 12-7 win-loss record, the Dhoni-led side will start favourite to win tomorrow.


In the mid-table with six matches to go, KKR cannot afford to lose at Eden Gardens, where they play three more, in their bid to secure a maiden playoff berth under Dinesh Karthik.


KKR's campaign, so far, has been hugely dependent on the overseas trio of Chris Lynn, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine.


Lynn was the architect of KKR's six-wicket win in Bangalore with a restrained knock of 62 not out from 52 balls after he got a reprieve on seven.


KKR would hope for a strong batting show, especially from Robin Uthappa who is in the middle of a lean patch and is yet to score a half-century.


KKR also seemed to have under-utilised youngster Shubman Gill by sending him lower down the order.


Batting at no. 7, the Under-19 World Cup star has scores of 3, 6, 14 not out, 37, 5 not out in what seems to be sheer waste of talent. Having failed to defend a steep 203 in the first leg, KKR bowlers will look for a better show this time.