Kolkata Knight Riders found their mojo again, coasting to a six-wicket victory over the Kings XI Punjab and with it giving the packed Eden Gardens crowd finally something to cheer about after a couple of disappointing outings in IPL 2013.
Manvinder Bisla, aided by Jacques Kallis and Eoin Morgan, guided KKR to the 150-run target, after Kings XI scrambled to 149 for six, thanks to a big final over.
Bisla remained unbeaten on 51, as KKR finished on 150 for four from 18.2 overs, for just their third win in IPL 2013, and their first in four. The defending champions now have six points from eight games, while Kings XI are even stevens after eight games, with four wins and as many losses.
Gautam Gambhir started things off well for KKR, taking a couple of boundaries off Praveen Kumar in the first over.
However, the first three deliveries of the second over, bowled by Azhar Mahmood (three for 35), were as eventful as they get. Mandeep Singh dropped an absolute sitter, which would have dismissed Bisla, before Gambhir was walking back to the pavilion in the very next ball, playing-on to an incoming delivery from Mahmood.
The all-rounder was on a hat-trick soon after, with Yusuf Pathan edging one to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Kallis played out the hat-trick delivery and then set about building a crucial partnership with Bisla.
The duo put together 66 runs, with Kallis scoring 37 (33b, 6x4) of those, before edging one to Gilchrist off Harmeet Singh. KKR were on 76 for three after Kallis' wicket, needing 74 from the last nine overs.
Bisla (51, 44b, 3x4, 3x6) and Eoin Morgan took charge from there in, allying for a brilliant 72 runs in just seven overs.
Both players kept finding the boundaries with great regularity. Morgan (36, 25b, 3x4, 3x6) lost his wicket right at the end, holing out to Gurkeerat Singh at deep-square leg off Mahmood, after taking the bowler for two sixes.
Bisla then saw KKR through comfortably with ten balls to spare as KKR notched up a much-needed win.
Earlier, the Kings XI innings was one of those where pretty much every batsman got off to a start, but not one of them could carry on and make a big score, which in turn led to the away side not able to take full advantage.
Adam Gilchrist kept his place in the team, and along with the in-form Mandeep Singh, Kings XI got off to a solid start. Mandeep was the aggressor, allowing Gilchrist at the other end to get his eye in.
KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir used spin in four of the six overs of the powerplay, with Sunil Narine again impressing. The West Indian was unlucky not to pick up a wicket in his first over - the fifth of the innings - flummoxing Mandeep, who had played a couple of brilliant shots and was looking really good, on a couple of occasions.
While Narine was effective, Kallis (two for 14) was KKR's most potent bowler in the innings, and the classy South African all-rounder sent Mandeep (25, 20b, 5x4) packing off his first ball.
After that, it was just one batsman after the other contributing a bit, but not quite enough to take them to a match-winning total.
Gilchrist (27 in 27) slowly but surely started to play his trademark shots, smashing four boundaries in his stay, before giving his wicket away. The left-hander holed out to Eoin Morgan at deep midwicket off Rajat Bhatia.
Manan Vohra (31, 21b, 3x4, 1x6) played a couple of really good-looking strokes, but could not continue the momentum, falling to L Balaji, immediately after taking the medium pacer for a four and a six.
There was to be no brilliance from David Miller (10) this time around, while David Hussey holed out after 20-ball 21.
Kings XI were in real danger of losing their way in the final overs, with Azhar Mahmood also losing his wicket. However, Gurkeerat Singh stepped up brilliantly in the final over from Balaji, smashing the bowler for two maximums and a four, which propelled Kings XI to 149 for six.
