Kolkata, May 3 (CRICKETNMORE): New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme's 36 and Manish Pandey's 37 saved Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) the blushes as the hosts recovered from a top-order collapse to post 155/8 against Rising Pune Supergiant in an IPL game at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
Jaydev Unadkat (2/28) and Washington Sundar (2/18) were the best bowlers for Pune. Shami automatic choice in Indian team if fit: Ganguly
Grandhomme (36 of 19 balls) and Pandey (37 of 19 balls) joined hands when their side were tottering at 55/4 to stitch together a 48-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Suryakumar Yadav (30 off 16 not out) struck some lusty blows at the death hitting two consecutive fours and a six off Unadkat who leaked 21 runs in the penultimate over.
Sans the services of their best batsman Robin Uthappa -- out with a niggle, the hosts' batting lacked zip losing three wickets for just 41 runs in the Powerplay.
Sunil Narine was the first to go, not connecting with the ball in the first five deliveries to finally give bowler Unadkat an easy catch in his follow through.
Sheldon Jackon (10) followed suit soon after, getting hit wicket off the bowling of Sundar.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir (24) hit Stokes for two back-to-back fours and in the next over, tanked Sundar for a boundary and a six before holing out to Ajinkya Rahane at deep midwicket.
Imran Tahir got rid of Yusuf Pathan (4) as the men in purple who have an enviable record at home looked hapless.
Pandey and Grandhomme -- dropped once at long -off by Dan Christian when the New Zealander was on 10 -- steadied the ship somewhat before Pandey got out.
Christian made amends for his grassed catch, with a slower one which Pandey failed to pick, giving an easy catch to Rahane at deep midwicket.
Unadkat got the wicket of Grandhomme with Chris Woakes (1) getting running out soon after.
Nathan Coulter-Nile scored six before falling to Ben Stokes as Umesh Yadav remained unbeaten with Suryakumar on 2.