Live Cricket Score - KKR vs PBKS, Match 45, IPL 2021

Hello and welcome to the Live Blog for Match 45 of IPL 2021, between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings in Dubai. Hit refresh for latest updates and you can follow the ball-by-ball here.

What a finish:

A tired Rahul hits the ball straight to long-off to depart for 67 off 55. With 4 needed off 4, Shahrukh heaves it away to deep midwicket where Tripathi almost takes a catch but the ball pops out of his line and over the fence. PBKS win by 5 wickets to keep their hopes of qualification afloat. Their victory has also assured a play-offs berth for Delhi Capitals.

Rahul survives: Tripathi takes a diving catch running forward after Rahul played a pull in the air. The third umpire, however, rules it in favour of Rahul saying that the ball had touched the ground. It was a 50-50 call with replays inconclusive. But Rahul survives.

PBKS close in

Rahul hits one in the air and a miscommunication between Karthik and Varun CV gives him a lucky break. Shahrukh slaps one in the same over off Southee through cover for a four.PBKS need 15 more off 12.

Another wicket

Deepak Hooda fails to make any impact as he's held at deep mid wicket by Tripathi off Mavi in the 17th over. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer nearly pulls off a superb catch in the deep but the eventual result is a six for Shahrukh. PBKS need 24 off 18.

Markram falls after Rahul crosses 50

A good innings from Rahul who crosses 50 with a six off Southee. Rahul's role is key for PBKS now, while Markram also joins in as he strikes a six over deep mid wicket off Narine. But he falls in the same over, handing a catch to Gill at deep extra cover, getting out for 18 off 16. Narine finishes his quota with figures of 1-34. PBKS need 35 more off 24.

Required rate growing

Narine is re-introduced to bowl the 14th over and he concedes only six to keep PBKS in check. Rahul is key for the Punjab team, who need 57 more off 36.

Six and out

Not very smart batting from Nicholas Pooran. He gets a full-toss from Varun CV that he puts away for six and then looks to get another big hit away to a skiddy length ball, horribly miscues it. Varun CV finishes his quota of overs with figures of 2 for 24. PBKS need 81 off 54. How well can they target the 5th bowler?

Mayank falls after good stand

End of the opening association of Mayank departs for 40 off 27. He added to his sixes tally with a maximum off Iyer while Rahul got into the act with a four off Chakaravarthy. But Mayank gets out to the spinner as he hits the ball straight to cover where Morgan holds on to the ball this time. PBKS are 70/1 in the ninth over.

PBKS score 46 in the powerplay

Having scored a four off Mavi in the fourth over, Mayank sees off Chakaravarthy's over before going straight and high for a six off Narine. He has hit three fours and two sixes so far, scoring 31 off 20, while Rahul has been watchful for his 14 off 16.

A steady start for PBKS

Mayank is making the most of his reprieve. Having struck a four apiece off Southee and Mavi, he goes over cover for a six off the New Zealand pacer. Rahul gets his first four with a straight push off Southee, who has gone for 19 off his two overs. PBKS are 25/0 after 3 overs.

DROPPED!!Lucky break for Mayank in the first over as he hits a Southee delivery straight to Morgan at short cover and watches the KKR captain put it down.

PBKS keep KKR to 165/7

Seifert's inclusion doesn't make much of a difference as he is run out for 2 off 4. Good over from Shami as only 7 comes in the penultimate over, including a couple of byes. Arshdeep too keeps it tight in the final over, and picks up the wicket off Karthik off the last ball. No boundary scored in the last 15 deliveries of this innings.

It has been a good comeback from the Kings to keep KKR to 165. They were looking good for a 180-plus score but regular wickets has meant that their finish hasn't been as flourishing as they would have hoped for. Can Punjab chase this down? Remember, Mayank is back and KKR are a bowler short.

Rana falls after handy cameo

After a few overs without a boundary, Rana comes down the track as he picks the back of a hand delivery from Ellis to deposit it past the straight boundary for a six in the 17th over. Ellis finishes with 0-45 from his four overs. Rana welcomes Arshdeep back into the attack with a big six over covers and plays a lap shot for a four. Arshdeep comes back well by having Rana caught by Mayank close to the deep midwicket boundary off a slower ball. Rana departs for 31 off 18, KKR are 151/5 after 18.

PBKS' overseas bowlers today: 8 overs, 84 runs, 0 wickets

Morgan falls cheaply, again

Eoin Morgan's struggle in the IPL continues as he falls for 2. The England captain shuffled across too much, misses a flick and is trapped plumb in front. After 16 overs KKR are 125/4. Good comeback from PBKS. Can they restrict KKR in the death?

Bishnoi ends Iyer's stay

End of a fine knock from Iyer, who attempts a slog sweep but hits the ball straight to Hooda in the deep. Iyer departs for 67 off 49, Bishnoi ends his spell with 2-22, KKR are 121/3 after 15 overs.

Statsbuzz:

Most runs for KKR after first 5 IPL matches: 193 - Jacques Kallis, 193 - Venkatesh Iyer, 189 - Brendon McCullum, 176 - Chris Lynn.

Fifty for Iyer after Bishnoi strikes

Tripathi hits a couple of fours off Ellis in the 11th over. But he falls in the next over as the impressive Bishnoi picks up a wicket. The batter looked to go over midwicket but did not time it properly and saw Hooda hold on to a simple catch at long on. End of a fine partnership worth 72 off 55 as Tripathi departs for 34 off 26. Iyer, meanwhile, up another half-century, his second in the IPL, and then celebrates it with a six off Allen. He's also put down by the bowler in the same over and Allen, who landed hard on his knee, finishes with 0-38. KKR are 104/2 after 13 overs.

Iyer-Tripathi half-century stand powers KKR

A short ball from Allen is easily put away for a four by Iyer in the seventh over. Iyer executes a cut off a Bishnoi googly for a four while Allen is hit for a six over mid wicket by Tripathi as the second wicket pair extend the partnership past 50. Only three runs of Bishnoi's second over as KKR move to 76/1 after 10.

Iyer ensures profitable PP for KKR

Could Shahrukh have gone for the catch at third man? KL Rahul thinks so after he chose to stay back and wait for the ball when Iyer sliced a Shami delivery over backward point. Tripathi has struggled against both pacers but he manages his first boundary by pulling one with just enough power for the ball to go over mid on. Arshdeep strays on the pads and is put away for a four by Iyer. A misfield from Bishnoi wide of mid off helps Iyer get a four off Ellis. He times the next ball quite well as the ball travels to the midwicket boundary for another four. KKR end the powerplay at 48/1.

Arshdeep strikes early

Allen is given the ball for the first over and starts off with a full delivery on the pads to Iyer, who puts it away for a boundary. Another flighted and slightly wide delivery it put away through cover for a four by Iyer. Gill comes down the track and slaps a Shami delivery through cover for his first four. But Shami has found some shape and bounce and will be hoping to put it to good use. Meanwhile, Arshdeep strikes in his first over to dismiss Gill for a run-a-ball 7, getting an inside edge on to the stumps after the ball nipped in sharply. KKR are 18/1.

Toss and teams

"It might be tricky to bat first," said PBKS skipper KL Rahul who has opted to bowl. Three changes for PBKS - Fabian Allen, Mayank Agarwal and Shahrukh Khan included in the eleven in place of Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh and Harpreet Brar. Tim Seifert, as expected, replaces Lockie Ferguson while Shivam Mavi comes in for Sandeep Warrier.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee, Varun Chakaravarthy, Shivam Mavi

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): KL Rahul (c & wk), Mayank Agarwal, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Fabian Allen, Nathan Ellis, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh

Debut alert

Tim Seifert has been handed his KKR cap. It's likely that he's replacing Lockie Ferguson who left the field mid-way during the last game. We'll find out soon. Stay tuned for the toss.

Mayank Agarwal set to return

"Yes, all fitness issues are resolved. Just had a stiff neck in the last game, so I had to miss out. We all know Gayle is a big player, big presence but we respect the decision he's taken and back him 100 percent," Mayank told broadcasters before the match.

Pre-match reading:

The opportunities to make amends are slipping away quite swiftly froom PBKS and the KKR challenge won't be an easy one to neutralise especially after the way Eoin Mogan's men slayed Delhi Capitals, writes Akash Sarkar in his preview.

Meanwhile, PBKS won't have the services of Chris Gayle for the remainder of the competition as the veteran batter has left the IPL 2021 bubble after expressing a desire to mentally refresh himself before the T20 World Cup.

Build-up:

KKR are currently fourth on the points table, same 10 points as Mumbai Indians with both teams having played 11 matches each. But Eoin Morgan's side have a positive NRR of 0.36 as compared to MI's -0.45, and they'll look to further strengthen their position with a victory in this game.

Punjab Kings have two losses and a win in the UAE leg so far, and have only eight points from 11 matches. A win in this game will make the playoffs race even more interesting while a loss will set them back more. Can PBKS keep the hopes alive?