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Pune: Though Team Pune would have finished among the bottom two regardless of the result of their last league match on Sunday night, there was a festive atmosphere at the home stadium during their clash with Kolkata. The galleries were almost packed to capacity, but it was not a wicket on which the batsmen could entertain.
In the end, local fans left disappointed as Pune succumbed yet again, handing Kolkata the second play-off place and a 34-run win. Gautam Gambhir's boys will now take on Delhi in 'Qualifier 1' on Tuesday.
Kolkata made 136/4 after winning the toss on a pitch where the ball was not coming on to the bat, although given the quality of their batting lineup they should have scored more. The visitors, needing to win this match to ensure a top-two finish, rode on the lucky Shakib Al Hasan (42 off 30 balls; 3x4s, 2x6s) and an unusually sedate Brendon McCullum (41 off 43).
Even 136, however, proved sufficient as Pune could manage only 102/8 in reply. Kolkata's battery of spinners - Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Iqbal Abdullah - combined with Rajat Bhatia's slowish medium pace to prove too much for Pune's batsmen.
Earlier, Pune's left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza bowled in the Powerplay and newly-wed Michael Clarke got in his full quota, conceding 27 and bagging a wicket. Left-arm paceman Wayne Parnell was the most successful bowler for Pune with 2-18. Bhuvnesh Kumar was impressive with his discipline and the way he yorked Shakib was a highlight.
Captain Gautam Gambhir punched a four to the left of extra-cover off Murtaza in the fourth over, but his and Jacques Kallis' soft dismissals meant Kolkata were always going to struggle to score 150 unless Yusuf Pathan had one of those wild days. But he could score only 15 off his 10 balls.
For Pune, Steven Smith and Angelo Mathews were unfit and sat out, with Wayne Parnell and Clarke coming in. The hosts played Ali Murtaza and MP batsman Harpreet Singh in place of leggie Rahul Sharma and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik.
Brief scores
Kolkata Knight Riders 136 for 4 (Shakib 42, McCullum 41, Parnell 2-18)
Pune Warriors 102 for 8 (Yusuf 2-12, Shakib 2-18)
Result Kolkata Knight Riders won by 34 runs
MOM Shakib Al Hasan (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Points Kolkata Knight Riders 2, Pune Warriors 0
