Jacques Kallis hit his second successive half-century to set up a nine-run win for Kolkata Knight Riders against Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Kallis, 35, hit seven fours and a six in his 45-ball 53 as Kolkata piled on 163-4 before restricting Deccan to 154-8 off 20 overs on a slow Eden Gardens track.
This was the first victory for Kolkata in the Twenty20 tournament after having lost to Chennai by two runs in their opening match last week.
Kallis also picked up four catches to cap a fine day.
Left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah gave Kolkata an early breakthrough, removing Ishank Jaggi in the third over before Rajat Bhatia grabbed the key wicket of skipper Kumar Sangakkara (16) to reduce Deccan to 53-3 in the ninth over.
Deccan could never really recover from the early setbacks, succumbing to their second defeat in as many matches despite a fighting 48 by Bharat Chipli.
Abdullah finished with 3-24 while Bhatia and Jaidev Unadkat took two wickets each.
Kallis, opening the innings, gave Kolkata a flying start after captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bat.
The all-rounder raced to is 50 with a six off South Africa teammate JP Duminy but was out next ball as he attempted to clear midwicket again.
Gambhir, who batted at an unusual No. 6 against Chennai, promoted himself up the order and shared a 43 run partnership off just 26 balls with Manoj Tiwary (30 not out) for the third wicket.
Gambhir (29) was bowled by legspinner Amit Mishra, the most impressive of the Deccan bowlers, who took two for 19 off his fours overs.
Big-hitting Yusuf Pathan hit a typically aggressive 22 off 15 balls in a late assault to prop up Kolkata’s total.
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