IPL, 2016 Live Cricket Score of Gujarat Lions vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 51st Match

The Knight Riders are struggling against Smith's wobbly swing in Kanpur. It's Uthappa's turn now. He timed the ball beautifully tonight but now edges one to the wicket-keeper. The Lions are delighted!

How did it get to this stage? The Gujarat Lions should have comfortably cruised into the playoffs by now with the kind of start they made but now they are in a position where they have to win both their games since a couple of heavy losses badly affected their net run rate. Suresh Raina's return is set to boost them but he hasn't been at his consistent best in this tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, suffered a major blow ahead of this clash by losing Andre Russell to an injury. Who will replace him in the XI? Will it be Jason Holder? or Chris Lynn? Russell's all round abilities have bailed them out on most occasions in this year's edition, so it will be interesting to see how they cope with this loss. A loss tonight will put them in a spot of bother heading into their final game.

Robin Uthappa has been quiet in the last three games and the Knight Riders would hope he can turn it around in this crucial match. But it is the bowlers from both teams who will be in focus tonight. They were plundered by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers and the side which recovers from it could have an upper hand.

The pitch looks very green and Raina without any second thoughts has decided to bowl first on this track. Knight Riders have went for a like for like replacement for Russell in the form of Jason Holder. Lions leave out Shivil and Tambe and have brought in Eklavya Dwivedi and Shadab Jakati.

Teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Robin Uthappa(w), Gautam Gambhir(c), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, Shakib Al Hasan, Jason Holder, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Ankit Rajpoot, Morne Morkel

Gujarat Lions (Playing XI): Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Aaron Finch, Dinesh Karthik(w), Dwayne Bravo, Eklavya Dwivedi, Praveen Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shadab Jakati

Gambhir mistimes a pull in the second over off Kulkarni but Praveen Kumar misjudges the catch at mid on and loses the ball completely. Has he hurt himself in the process while falling backwards? He is ok. But will that drop prove to be costly?

Jakati has provided the first breakthrough with a marvellous piece of fielding. Uthappa times the ball perfectly to midwicket and sets off for a single but Jakati dives to his left, stops the ball and hits the stumps with a direct hit. Both batsmen are stranded in the middle but it is Gambhir who has to depart. Manish Pandey is in the middle.

Well the bowling change has worked! Raina brings on Dwayne Smith to bowl in the fifth over and he immediately strikes. Gets one to move a touch away as Pandey edges it to the slip fielder. KKR have sent Piyush Chawla in at number four. Interesting.