Cricket Desk: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) reached the grand finale of the IPL 5 with an 18-run victory over the Delhi Daredevils in the first Qualifier in Pune today. The Daredevils still have a chance to make it to the final.

 

The Delhi Daredevils will not take on the winner of the eliminator between the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. That would be the semifinal, as the winner will go through the final. This is the first time KKR reached the IPL final.

 

Kolkata won the toss and elected to bat first. Thanks to 21 runs collected by Yusuf Pathan and Laxmi Ratan Shukla in the last over, KKR posted 162/4 in 20 overs. McCulllum (31), Gambhir (32), Kallis (30), Yusuf Pathan (40*) and LR Shukla (24*) were the top contributors.

 

Chasing a victory target of 163, Delhi lost Warner and Sehwag early and never recovered from that shock. They finished at 144/8 and lost the match by 18 runs. Naman Ojha (28) and Jayawardene (40) were the only batsmen who showed some resolve. Jacques Kallis and Sunil Narine took two wickets each. Yusuf Pathan was declared 'Man of the Match'.