Kolkata Knight Riders proved they are no one-dimensional team as they replaced Mumbai Indians at the top of the Indian Premier League table with a seven-wicket victory over Rising Pune Supergiant yesterday.
The visitors got over the line with 11 balls to spare in chasing down a target of 183 with Robin Uthappa leading the way with a 47-ball knock of 87 runs.
Pune were without the services of all-rounder Ben Stokes, who bowled well in their last match, but still managed to put up a total of 182 for five on a pitch that captain Steve Smith later described in the post-match presentation as “slow, but the dew came on in the chase. The wicket just sped up and became very good to bat on.”
Uthappa, who has had a quiet tournament so far, chose to step up to the plate for Kolkata. He later said he was always “really confident” in himself.
Despite being the IPL’s new leaders, Uthappa had a word of caution: “It is very important to respect the momentum we have created.
“Teams tend to fall off in the second half of the tournament, so it is something we have spoken about.”
It was an evening for the top-order batsmen for both sides. For Pune, openers Ajinkya Rahane (46) and Rahul Tripathi (38) continued where they left off from Monday with Smith completing his half-century before their quota of 20 overs were completed.
In reply, Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir (62) provided able support to Uthappa after they got off to a flying start from Sunil Narine. The makeshift opener scored 16 of the team’s first 20 runs on the board before he was run out.
Royal Challengers Bangalore host Gujarat Lions today.
* The National staff
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
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