YUSUF Pathan maintained his impressive form with a brutal knock as Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rising Pune Supergiants by eight wickets in a rain-affected match at Eden Gardens to go second in the Indian Premier League(IPL).KKR were beaten by fellow top-four hopeful Gujarat Lions last time out, but put that setback behind them by easing to victory over bottom side Pune yesterday.
Piyush Chawla took 2-21 as the Supergiants, who now have no chance of making the play-offs, made 103-6 from 17.4 overs before heavy rain led to a lengthy delay in Kolkata.
The Knight Riders were set a revised target of 66 to win in nine overs and Pathan – who went into the match with two half-centuries in his last three games – blasted 37 not out from only 18 balls to seal victory with 24 balls to spare.
Pune were reduced to 26-2 when Usman Khawaja (21 from 17) failed to build on a start, but Australia team-mate George Bailey (33 off 27) looked capable of making a big score after two early setbacks.
Bailey came down the track to smash Shakib Al Hasan and hit another three boundaries before he was stumped off the bowling of impressive spinner Chawla.
Runs proved to be hard to come by before the rain came and there were concerns that the match would be abandoned, only for the umpires to give the green light for an 11:45pm (local time) start.
Ravichandran Ashwin (2-30) got rid of Robin Uthappa (4) and Gautam Gambhir (0) in the first over, but Pathan showed what great touch he has been in recently by striking three sixes and another four boundaries in a match-winning knock.

(Sportsmax.com)