Twitter Reactions: Yusuf Pathan powers Knight Riders into the playoffs

The Kolkata Knight Riders were cruising in the tournament at one stage before finding themselves struggling to make it to the playoffs. They played Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league match and needed a win in a bid to qualify for the playoffs. For the Sunrisers, it was about winning the match and ensuring that they get among the top two teams.

KKR were put into bat first and Robin Uthappa played with class for his 17-ball 25. A top-order collapse saw 3 wickets fall in quick succession. It was down to Yusuf Pathan and Manish Pandey to stabilize the innings and they did it with perfection. With brutal hitting coming from both ends, Kolkata threatened to score in excess of 180 at one stage of the game. Pandey fell 2 short of his fifty but had done his job.

Pathan’s unbeaten half century took them to a total of 171/6 in their 20 overs. He continued his good run in the tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper David Warner perished early in the innings but it was Shikhar Dhawan, who hit a classy 30-ball 51. Yuvraj Singh gave a brief scare to KKR with a couple of sixes off Kuldeep Yadav. Quick wickets of Yuvraj, Deepak Hooda and Kane Williamson saw Sunrisers loose the mojo.

It was all mere formalities after that as the Kolkata Knight Riders held their nerves on the night when it mattered to stay alive in the competition and made it to the playoffs. Sunrisers, too, have made it to the playoffs. It all comes down to the result of Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Delhi Daredevils match to see who joins the Gujarat Lions for the Qualifier 1 and which two teams face the heat of the eliminator.

Here is how Twitter reacted right through the KKR v SRH match: