Rashid Khan's late cameo helped Sunrisers Hyderabad overcome a wobbly start and post a challenging 174 for seven against Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier of Indian Premier League here today.
In their bid for a place in the final for the third time, KKR bowlers responded to Dinesh Karthik's decision to bowl first as they never allowed Sunrisers batsmen to break free initially.
Kuldeep Yadav stole the limelight with a 2/29 spell that inluded the prized wicket of Kane Williamson (3), the leading rungetter of IPL-11, whlie Sunil Narine (1/24) was once again at his tidy best conceding just two runs in the 17th over.
But Sunrisers snatched the momentum scoring 50 runs in the last three overs with wily Afghan spinner Rashid making the difference with his 34 not out off just 10 balls (four sixes and two fours).
Rashid stepped on the gas in Prasidh Krishna's final over with two sixes that yielded 24 runs.
Having started off on an impressive note, Krishna finished with poor figures of 56 runs from his four overs to undo all the good work done by Kuldeep and Narine.
Earlier, KKR bowlers did not get a wicket inside the powerplay but their pace battery of Shivam Mavi, Krishna and Russell bowled with pace and accuracy to stymie Sunrisers run flow.
Drafted into the side in place of Javon Searles in a bold move by KKR to go in with three overseas players, Mavi troubled Wriddhiman Saha with his pace and movement off the seam en route to a fine spell of 1/33 from his full quota.
Returning after five matches, Saha looked awfully out of sorts with six runs from 12 balls and carried on with a dash of luck after being dropped on five when Karthik grassed a skier.
It did not matter much in the scheme of things as KKR got three wickets in five overs after the powerplay with Kuldeep giving breakthroughs with a twin blow in the eight over.
In his first ball, Kuldeep trapped the dangerous-looking Shikhar Dhawan (34) and in the fifth ball he deceived the 'Orange Cap' holder Williamson (3) with a wrong one.
Kuldeep flighted the ball and Williamson failed to read the wrong one and the ball kissed the edge with Karthik not faltering this time to dismiss his Hyderabad counterpart.
Saha's pathetic knock of 35 from 27 balls finally came to an end after a brilliant stumping by Karthik.
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