Australian Chris Lynn has helped steer Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals to keep them third in the Indian Premier League table.
After Rajasthan were bowled out 142 in 19 overs, opening batsman Lynn anchored Kolkata to 4-144 with an excellent 45 off 42, putting on a match-winning 48-run partnership with captain Dinesh Karthik (31 not out).
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav also played a key role, grabbing 4-20 as he mopped up the Royals' top order with a wicket in each of his four overs to bowl out
"They started off brilliantly but it shows our character. When we got a chance in the game, we didn't let go," Karthik said.
"He's (Kuldeep Yadav) an international quality player ... sometimes he slacks off, bowls a bad ball, trying too much so I'm just trying to make him do as well as he can and stay consistent."
After being put into bat, Rajasthan should have lost the wicket off the first ball from seamer Shivam Mavi but Nitish Rana couldn't hold on to a sharp chance of Rahul Tripathi (27) at slip.
Tripathi pounced on the chance and smashed fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for a six and three successive boundaries in the next over.
Rajasthan's in-form Jos Buttler (38) seemed determined to celebrate his recall to England's Test squad in style as he blazed Mavi for 28 runs with two sixes and four boundaries in the third over
And when Sunil Narine went for 10 runs, Rajasthan had a rollicking start of 59 runs in four overs.
Andre Russell (2-13) stemmed the flow of runs when Tripathi gloved a catch to Karthik off a short pitched delivery.
Yadav then got two crucial wickets as skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Buttler both went while going for reverse sweep shots.
Narine successfully won a TV lbw referral against Sanju Samson (11) before Yadav had Ben Stokes caught off his own bowling in his last over as Rajasthan slipped to 7-107 in the 14th over.
Jaydev Unadkat hit 26 off 18 balls and lifted the total before he was the last man to be dismissed, clean bowled by Krishna (2-35) off a slower delivery.
Narine gave Kolkata a brisk start when he smashed off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham for two sixes and two fours off the first four deliveries.
Ben Stokes (3-15) chipped in with three wickets that included the scalp of Lynn in his return spell.
The result leave Rajasthan fourth in the table with 12 points with a game against Bangalore to come.
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