IPL 2015: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders - As it happened...

Welcome to our live cricket blog for Match 54 of the Indian Premier League between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Follow live score and latest match updates right here as we bring to you ball-by-ball coverage of this crucial encounter.

New Delhi: Riding on the outstanding hundred by Shane Watson, Rajathan Royals beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets to virtually end their hopes to retain their title. In a high scoring match, KKR tried hard to achieve the mammoth target but in the end it proved a too much for them. With the win tonight, RR have reached to the 2nd spot in the points table and have made it to the play-offs.     

KKR innings

Over 20 | Score 190/9

Chris Morris to bowl the final over of the match. First ball, Shakib caught at long-on as Smith took a sharp running catch. Then came four runs from the next three balls. Two singles from the last two balls as RR beat reigning champions KKR by nine runs to almost dash their hopes to defend the title.   

Shakib Al Hasan c Smith b Morris 13 (11b)

Over 19 | Score 184/8

Yadav hit a boundary and a six in the first three balls. No runs from the next. Faulkner then bowled a wide. After that came two consecutive boundaries from Yadav's willow. 20 runs came from the over. Match is still on as KKR need 16 runs from 6 balls.  

Over 18 | Score 164/7

Watson with his last over. He picked up his first wicket of the match in the form of Piyush Chawla. Umesh Yadav is the new batsman in. Fine over by Watson as he gave mere seven runs. KKR need 36 runs from 12 balls.

PP Chawla c Binny b Watson 0 (1b)

Over 17 | Score 157/7

Faulkner too started off the over with two wides. It shows that fielding unit too is under immense pressure. But Mahmood Out! Another well judged skier by Ajinkya Rahane at deep long on.Tight over by the Australian as he conceded mere five runs and picked up a wicket. KKR need 43 runs from 18 balls.  

Azhar Mahmood c Rahane b Faulkner 6 (7b)

Over 16 | Score 151/6

Watson back into the attack. Pathan Out! Started the over with two wides, Watson picked up the key wicket of Yusuf Pathan, who was looking dangerous in the middle. Trying to clear the long off fence, Pathan couldn't mange to connect the ball well and gave a simple catch to Kulkarni at deep. Azhar Mahmood joined Shakib after the fall of KKR's sixth wicket. Seven runs from the over and an important wicket. KKR need 49 runs from 24 balls.  

YK Pathan c Kulkarni b Watson 44 (35b)

Over 15 | Score 144/5

Dhawal Kulkarni with his last over. Such is the depth of the KKR batting line up that Shakib Al Hasan has come to the crease after the fall of five wickets. Off the fifth ball, Shakib came down the track, make some room for himself and hit the bowler towards extra covers for a boundary. In the next ball, he played a cheeky shot over short fine leg fielder to get another boundary. 11 from the ovrer. KKR need 56 runs from 30 balls, which is very much gettable.  

Over 14 | Score 133/5

Chris Morris picked up two wickets in the over to push KKR once again on to the back-foot. He first got the better of dangerous looking Russell and then bowled a beauty to sent back Suryakumar Yadav for a first ball duck. Outstanding over by the pacer as he gave mere two runs and picked up two crucial wickets. KKR need 67 runs from 36 balls.   

SA Yadav c Samson b Morris 0 (1b) 

AD Russell c Kulkarni b Morris 37 (20b​)

Over 13 | Score 131/3

Yusuf suffered a cramp. It's quite crucial for KKR that Yusuf should stay at the crease. Russell hit Brainder Sran out of the park. What a hit! Off the next he hit a boundary. Sran looked clueless. Expensive over by the left arm seamer as he leaked 15 runs. KKR need 69 runs from 42 balls.

Over 12 | Score 116/3

Watson back into the attack. Russell hit the seamer straight down the ground off the first ball to hit his third boundary. In the fourth ball he smacked the bowler into the orbit -- massive six over long off. 13 runs came in the over. KKR need 84 runs from 48 balls. 

Over 11 | Score 103/3

Faulkner dropped Russell off the first ball. It was a difficult caught and bowled chance but knowing the form the West Indian is in, RR could pay a heavy price for it. In the meantime, KKR have crossed the 100-run mark. But the required rate is still over ten runs. KKR need 97 from 54 balls.    

Over 10 | Score 97/3

It seems Pathan is in the form of his life. He hit Binny for two consecutive boundaries to collect ten runs from the over. But tonight KKR need a lot of those hits to beat RR.   

Over 9 | Score 87/3

Slower one from Kulkarni and Pandey played it straight into the hands of cover fielder. In form, Andre Russell, is the new man to the crease. And the big man hit two boundaries of the first three balls he faced. Pathan and Russell have played many match-winning innings for KKR of late. Can they take the team home tonight?    

MK Pandey c Morris b Kulkarni 21 (21b)

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Over 8 | Score 77/2

While chasing a total of mammoth total of 200 runs, KKR have lost both their openers inside first five overs. But they have two set batsmen at the crease in the form of Yusuf Pathan and Manish Pandey, who are big hitters of the cricket ball. KKR need 123 from 12 overs to win the crucial tie against RR tonight.  It can still be anyone's game. 

RR Innings

Over 20 | Score 199/6

Watson got his hundred and took the Royals to 199 runs.

Morris run out 4 (5b)

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Over 19 | Score 191/5

Morkel returned to bowl the 19th over. Watson clobbered a length delivery for six.

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Over 18 | Score 180/5

Umesh came back to bowl the 18th over. After scoring two fours, Nair edged one to Uthappa. Chris Morris came out to bat after the Karnataka batsmen went back to the pavilion.

Nair c Uthappa b UT Yadav 16 (10b)

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Over 17 | Score 169/4

Mahmood is having a shocker today. His no ball was hit over point by Watson for a boundary. The resulting free-hit was clobbered by the Aussie for a huge six straight back over the pacer's head. The right-hander then pummeled Mahmood's slower delivery through extra cover for yet another four.

Stunning show by Watson.

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Over 16 | Score 151/4

Morne Morkel was brought back into the attack by Gambhir. The lanky pacer was exception, conceding just 5 runs in his over. He was also a tad unlucky as Mahood dropped Nair at mid-off on the last ball of the South African.

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Over 15 | Score 146/4

Russell's short ball was clobbered by Faulkner in front of square for a four. However, the West Indies got his revenge soon as the Aussie's heave was caught by the long-on. KKR fighting back in this key encounter. Karun Nair is the new man in for RR.

Faulkner c SA Yadav b Russell 6 (6b)

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Over 14 | Score 136/3

Shakib completed his quota of four over. Watson went after the spinner - first slicing him through point for a four and then launching the last ball straight back over his head for a massive six. The Aussie moved to 67*

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Over 13 | Score 122/3

After hitting Russell's full toss to the wide long-on boundary for a four, Samson spooned a simple catch to Gambhir at point. James Faulker came out to bat after RR lost their third wicket.

Samson c Gambhir b Russell 8 (9b)

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Over 12 | Score 115/2

Into his third over, Shakib continued to bowl well. The left-arm spinner conceded just 4 runs to stem the flow of runs. His figures read: 3-0-22-0.

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Over 11 | Score 111/2

Andre Russell continued to bowl from his end. Smith gifted his wicket away to KKR, as he flicked a full toss straight to Morne Morkel at short fine leg. The Aussie looked stunned, almost as though he didn't know what had happened. Sanju Samson is the new man in.

Smith c Morkel b Russell 14 (11b)

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Over 10 | Score 107/1

Piyush Chawla was brought into the attack in the 10th over. Watson smashed the leg-spinner's flighted delivery straight down the ground for a huge six. Watto then picked up a single off the last ball to bring up his fifty.

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Over 9 | Score 95/1

Andre Russell was introduced into the attack by Gambhir. Smith capped off his over scoring two back-to-back fours off the last 2 balls. The West Indian had conceded just 3 runs until then.

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Wonderful picture of Rahul Dravid's family who are cheering the Royals from the stands.

The Dravid family is at CCI to support the @rajasthanroyals #RRvsKKR #IPL pic.twitter.com/m3Fkd8nNaF — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 16, 2015

Over 8 | Score 84/1

Steve Smith came out to bat. Shakib continued to bowl from his end after RR lost their first wicket. The left-arm spinner bowled an excellent over, conceding just 4 runs.

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Over 7 | Score 80/1

Mahmood was brought back into the attack by Gambhir. Rahane clobbered a delivery (free-hit) that was in slot for a massive six over long-on. The Mumbai lad then pierced the ball through the point region for a four. However, catastrophe struck the Royals as Rahane ran himself out as he was denied a second run by Watson. What a sad end to such a promising innings. Rahane and the Royals will be gutted by that.

Rahane run out 37 (22b)

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Over 6 | Score 66/0

The 6th over saw spin being introduced for the first time in this match as Shakib Al Hasan came on to bowl. Watson rocked on to the backfoot and pulled a short ball to the deep square leg boundary for a four. Watto then followed it up with a huge six straight back over the left-arm spinner's head. Box-office batting!

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Over 5 | Score 52/0

Shane Watson clobbered Yadav's good length delivery straight down the ground for a four. The batting surface seems to be beautiful. We could be in for a run-feast in Mumbai.

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Over 4 | Score 43/0

Morne continued to bowl from his end. Rahane once again was quick to capitalize on the slightly wide delivery to cut it past point for a boundary to go past the 3000-run mark in the IPL. With no slip in place, right-hander then guided Morkel's 142 km/hr delivery past the keeper for another four runs.

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Over 3 | Score 31/0

Gambhir took off Mahmood from the attack and replaced him with Umesh Yadav. Watson welcomed the pacer with a boundary through the covers with yet another exquisite shot. RR off to a flying start.

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Over 2 | Score 23/0

Morne Morkel bowled the second over for KKR. Rahane flicked his leg-side delivery to the fine leg boundary to pick up his first four of the innings. The right hander then latched on to some width offered by the pacer, slashing the ball over point for the first six of the innings.

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Over 1 | Score 9/0

Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson opened the innings for the Royals. Azhar Mahmood took the new ball for KKR. Watson played a glorious drive through the covers for a four and then followed it up with by caressing the ball to mid-on's right for the exact same result. Great start by the batting side!

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Toss and team news

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bat first. Azhar Mahmood takes Sunil Narine's place in the playing eleven for KKR, while Pravin Tambe, Rajat Bhatia and Ankit Sharma are replaced by Brainder Sran ( making IPL debut) Dhawal Kulkarni and Stuart Binny for the Royals.

KKR XI: R Uthappa, G Gambhir, M Pandey, Y Pathan, S Al Hasan, A Russell, A Mahmood, S Yadav, P Chawla, U Yadav, M Morkel

RR XI: A Rahane, S Watson, S Smith, K Nair, D Hooda, S Samson, J Faulkner, S Binny, C Morris, D Kulkarni, BS Saran

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Match Officials

Umpires: Richard Illingworth (Eng), Rajesh Deshpande (Ind)
Third Umpire: Vineet Kulkarni (Ind)
Match Referee: Rajendra Jadeja (Ind)

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Match preview

Knight Riders, who lost a crucial game against Mumbai Indians last night, are in a must-win situation in their final league match to seal a final-four spot.

The Gautam Gambhir-led side failed to score 12 runs off the final over, which would have ensured their play-off entry.

Now it will be a huge task for KKR to dust off that disappointment and take on the might of Royals, who also need a win in their last league match to get into the top-four.

While KKR have 15 points from 13 matches, Royals have one point less and in the crucial contest the team that keeps its nerves will invariably go through to the last four.

Knight Riders seemed to have things well under control in their previous game till the last five overs of the MI innings, when their bowlers conceded a whopping 72 runs after having reduced the hosts to 79 for four.

The death bowling is one key area the team needs to improve on, conceded former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan after their heart-wrenching loss.

"Today we started well with the ball. It was in the way we finished in the last five, that part we can obviously improve," Shakib, who bowled superbly to take 2 for 22 with his left arm spin, said after the match.

KKR batsmen let off good starts against MI to leave things a bit too late and in the end even Yusuf Pathan's well-made 52 was unable to get the team over the line. Shakib admitted the follies of their batsmen.

"I thought whoever gets in should also finish the job, that's what we didn't do. Some of our guys were set but could not go on and finish the game. These are some of the areas we can improve on," he added.

One of the bright spots in yesterday's loss for the title holders was the way big-hitting Yusuf batted in his 31-ball knock. Though he fell off the first ball of the last over, he showed a welcome trend of biding his time before unleashing the big shots.

KKR have a potent pace attack led by Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel and have the option of shackling the free-scoring Royals batting line-up in which Ajinkya Rahane holds the key with their tight spin bowling duo of Shakib and Sunil Narine, who both bowled well against MI.

Placed fifth on the table Royals go into the needle contest after a well-earned rest following their loss to Chennai Super Kings in their previous away game on May 10.

They have had an up and down run, after a glorious opening phase of five wins on the trot, followed by a super over loss to Kings XI Punjab and two rained-out games that have arrested their smooth progress.

The Shane Watson-led side has functioned in fits and starts after a great start to their campaign and would be anxious to get their act together for a final push into the last four.

Successive losses to SunRisers Hyderabad here and against CSK five days ago have kept them on the edge. It will be imperative that they regain their focus if they have to topple a strong outfit like Knight Riders in a make-or-break situation.

Also see: IPL 2015 Photos

According to team mentor and former captain Rahul Dravid, their bowling at the death has been somewhat of a let-down and needs to be addressed to.

"Our bowling has definitely not been up to the mark in the last few overs and that is something we have to work on before the important match against KKR. That is one area I admit we have lagged behind," he said ahead of the all-important game.