order batsman Manoj Tiwary and left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah starred in Kolkata Knight Riders' comfortable 17-run victory over Delhi Daredevils in the IPL Thursday. Tiwary made 61 not out and Abdullah bagged 3-25 as Delhi could score only 131-9 in reply to Kolkata's 148-7. Captain Virender Sehwag (34) and Australia all-rounder James Hopes (25) provided some hope but the home side could not remain in the hunt on a Ferozeshah Kotla pitch not conducive to strokeplay. “No one took responsibility to take the team through,” Sehwag said. “I am trying different combinations, different batsmen and different bowlers, but it is not working.” The win lifted Kolkata to joint second alongside Chennai Super Kings with eight points from seven games, while Delhi remained at the bottom of the table with four from seven. The Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians top the table with 10 points from six games. Put in to bat, Kolkata managed a decent total thanks to former Delhi Daredevils player Tiwary. Tiwary, coming in at No. 4, scored an undefeated 61 off 47 balls with three sixes and two fours. His best partnership was for the third wicket with captain Gautam Gambhir (18), who came in at No. 3 rather than opening the innings as usual. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sreevats Goswami (22), who opened along with Jacques Kallis, and Dutch allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate (19) also contribute substantially. Delhi seamers Umesh Yadav and Irfan Pathan helped restrict Kolkata. Yadav produced a double-strike in the 15th over when he had big-hitting Yusuf Pathan caught by Irfan Pathan at long-on and then had England batsman Eoin Morgan caught behind off the next delivery. Pathan removed Kallis (11), bowled from behind the legs with a lovely in-swinger early in the innings, and finished with an economical 1-16 in four overs. Delhi's chase went off track early. Sehwag made 34 off 23 balls and Hopes got 25 from 30 but the team was reduced to 85-6 in the 15th over as Abdullah ran through the middle order, his haul including the important wickets of Hopes and Pathan. Venugopal Rao and Yogesh Nagar got 19 each toward the end, but it proved to be too little, too late. On Friday, Rajasthan Royals play Mumbai Indians at Jaipur and Royal Challengers Bangalore take on visiting Pune. Scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 148-7 in 20 overs (Manoj Tiwary 61 not out; Umesh Yadav 2-29), def. Delhi Daredevils 131-9 in 20 overs (Virender Sehwag 34, James Hopes 25; Iqbal Abdullah 3-25, Lakshmipathy Balaji 2-38).
