IPL Results 2016: Scores and Schedule After Hyderabad vs. Kolkata Eliminator

Sunrisers Hyderabad will face the Gujarat Lions for the right to take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the grand final of the Indian Premier League, as they beat Kolkata Knight in the eliminator on Wednesday by 22 runs.

After being put into bat, the Sunrisers eventually mustered 162 for eight from their 20 overs, with Yuvraj Singh the top scorer with 44 from 30 balls. Early wickets sapped momentum from Kolkata’s chase, and although Manish Pandey battled to 36, they could only respond with 140 for eight.

A stunning innings from AB de Villiers booked Bangalore’s spot in the showpiece on Tuesday, and with the outstanding Virat Kohli in their ranks, they’ll be the big favourites to triumph on Sunday.

Here is a look at the schedule for the remaining two matches in this year’s tournament and a recap of a crucial victory for Hyderabad.

Date	Time	Match	Fixture
Friday, May 27	3:30 p.m.	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Gujarat Lions	Qualifier 2
Sunday, May 29	3:30 p.m.	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Qualifier 2 Winner	Final

Hyderabad Sunrisers vs. Kolkata Knight Riders

Hyderabad, 162 for 8 (Singh 44, Yadav 3 for 35) beat Kolkata, 140 for 8 (Pandey 36, Kumar 3 for 19) by 22 runs.

Stopping the openers from getting into a groove is always imperative when up against Hyderabad, and Kolkata did that splendidly. 

Shikhar Dhawan was out for a run-a-ball 10 in the second over, with Moises Henriques coming in and seeking to counter-attack, before falling for 31 from 21. It meant skipper David Warner had to play an uncharacteristically reserved knock, with an eye on potentially taking more risks later on.

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But he wasn’t given the chance, miscuing a sweep and falling for 28 from 28 balls. As noted by ESPNcricinfo’s Bharath Seervi, it was Kuldeep Yadav continuing his trend of prising out key men with these two wickets:

Singh was able to ensure those wickets weren’t too costly, though. The India international played superbly alongside Deepak Hooda (21), hammering boundaries and keeping the scoring rate high.

By the time he departed in the 19th over for 44, Hyderabad were in a decent position on 145 for six. It was made better after a late flourish from Bipul Sharma, who struck 14—including two sixes in the final over—from just six balls to leave his team on 162 for eight from their 20 overs.

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Kolkata’s opening duo of Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa so often guide the team with composure in their chases. But neither got his eye in properly before being dismissed, with the latter out first for 11 and the skipper for a run-a-ball 28.

In between those dismissals, Singh was able to run out the dangerous Colin Munro with a direct hit in the field. As noted by former India player Aakash Chopra, Singh was having a big say on the result of this one:

The destructive Yusuf Pathan also made little impression on the scorecard, falling for just two off the bowling of Henriques. Kolkata’s IPL chances were beginning to fade quickly at 69 for four, with the run rate creeping up.

While Manish Pandey was making a big effort in the chase, partners were scarce. Suryakumar Yadav fell for 23, allowing the Sunrisers to keep a tight grip on the scoring rate. And when the man set fell in the 18th over for 36, it all but spelled the end of their season. Hyderabad's Twitter feed was delighted with that key wicket:

Eventually, Kolkata stumbled to a total of 140 for eight from their 20 overs, 22 runs short of the Sunrisers' score:

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This win is a major momentum boost for Hyderabad, and they’ll fancy their chances of downing Gujarat, who lost out in the most galling way possible in the first qualifier; they had Bangalore at 29 for five before de Villiers produced his masterclass. Warner and Dhawan are certainly capable of getting stuck into a fragile bowing attack.

For Kolkata, the campaign is over. It was always going to be difficult making it to the final after finishing outside the top two spots, although their supporters would have held slender hopes of going all the way still. Gambhir will reflect on chances missed during the regular season but be buoyed by their overall efforts with the next term in mind.