Mumbai: A blistering century by opener Shane Watson and some quality bowling helped Rajasthan Royals secure a place in the Indian Premier league play-offs and put champions Kolkata Knight Riders on the brink of elimination with a nine-run victory here on Saturday.
Watson rose up to the occasion in the Royals' must-win match to remain unbeaten on 104 off 59 balls, plundering nine fours and five sixes to help the home side post 199/6. In reply, Kolkata fought until the end but fell short of the target, managing 190/9.
With the win, Rajasthan climbed from sixth to second spot with 16 points from 14 games.
Kolkata's chances of making it to the play-offs look slim, having secured 15 points from 14 games.
They are now fourth, but will be overtaken by the winner of Sunrisers Hyderabad versus Mumbai Indians.
Only if the Hyderabad-Mumbai match is washed out would they remain fourth.
Another mathematical possibility is if in the other Sunday match, Delhi Daredevils inflict a huge defeat on Royal Challenger Bangalore.
For Rajasthan, Chris Morris (4/23), Dhawal Kulkarni (2/36) and Watson (2/38) were the pick of bowlers.
Chasing 200 to win, Kolkata got off to a poor start losing both openers, skipper Gautam Gambhir (1) and Robin Uthappa (14), within three overs.
But Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan didn't let the asking rate go up, as they struck boundaries and sneaked in with quick singles and twos to help the visitors reach 50 in the sixth over.
Pandey (21), looking to up the scoring rate, fell from the first ball of the 9th over, but Pathan and Andre Russell ensured the Knights were on course to chase down the target.
The duo, with some explosive shots, brought team's 100 up in 10.3 overs.
But a bowling change by Royals worked wonders in the 14th over. Pacer Chris Morris got the better of hard-hitting Russell (37 off 20 balls) and then saw the back of Suryakumar Yadav without scoring, leaving Kolkata 133/5 in 13.4 overs.
Pathan (44 off 35) was striking it well, but also departed trying to up the scoring rate in the 16th over.
With his departure wickets fell at regular intervals to slow the chase.
Earlier, opting to bat first, the Royals got off to a flying start with openers Ajinkya Rahane and Watson striking the ball with ease to all parts of the park to score 66 in the first six overs.
The seventh over saw Rahane (37 off 22) run himself out after a mix-up with his partner.
But the wicket didn't put the brakes on the scoring for Rajasthan as Watson kept timing the ball sweetly to bring up his half-century in just 31 balls.
The Knights, after getting hammered in the first 10 overs, found luck when they got rid of Steve Smith (14), Sanju Samson (8) and James Faulkner (6) in the space of four overs. Rajasthan were then 140/4 from 14.3.
Karun Nair gave good support to Watson, smacking three fours in his short innings of 16 off 9 balls until he departed in the 18th over.
For Kolkata, Russell’s 3/32 was the pick of the bowlers.
