Kolkata Knight Riders’ young spinner Kuldeep Yadav played a pivotal role as KKR defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 22 runs in their last league match to seal a play-off berth.
Kuldeep, who finished the match with the figures of 28 for 2 from his four overs,said it was his backroom strategy against the visiting side that did the trick.

After losing their captain David Warner cheaply, SRH batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and Naman Ojha added 58 runs for the second wicket and were looking all set to take the match away from KKR but then Kuldeep dismissed Dhawan to trigger a collapse for SRH.

“I had seen some videos of Dhawan. I was trying to contain him with singles and twos and not allow him to hit boundaries and sixes. I was trying to bowl according to the field. I bowled a wrong’un and got his wicket,” Yadav, who played his second match of the season, told a news conference after his side’s win.

Kuldeep, who replaced Piyush Chawla in the playing XI, said that there was pressure on him initially but his performance helped him to release the pressure on him.

“There was pressure when you replace a senior player and especially in the last round. But I was happy at the same time. The way I kept on bowling it released the pressure gradually,” he said.

With Sunday’s win, KKR may face the same opponents in the eliminator and Yadav said it would be an added advantage.

“If we take them in the playoffs, it will be an added advantage having beaten them in the last round. We will have to keep it simple, knowing their weakness.”

Kolkata were 141 for 3 at the end of 15 overs and were looking all set to cross the 200 mark but in the end fell well short of 200 as they could score only 171.Yadav gave credit to Sunrisers’ pace attack for restricting KKR at 171.

“They bowled very well at the death. It was not easy for batting in the last five overs and they bowled according to plan. There was good execution as well,” said Yadav.