Indian Premier League.

[Pies4shaw]

Kolkata v Hyderabad starts at midnight tonight.

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Starc bowls Head second ball. Kolkata should go through to the Final. I suppose the next 39,4 overs will tell the tale.

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Kolkata bowled Hyderabad out for 159. Starc took 3/34 (3 of the Hyderabad top 6) and was Player of the Match. Kolkata ran down the target in 13.4 overs for the loss of 2 wickets. An absolute shellacking. Kolkata into the Final, waiting to see whether they will face Hyderabad again or the winner of tonight's game.

Rajasthan v Bengaluru midnight tonight.

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Bengaluru are out. Rajasthan chased down the target with 4 wickets in hand. Maxwell made a first-ball duck.

Rajasthan v Hyderabad for the second spot in the Final. Midnight, Friday/Saturday.

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Rajasthan v Hyderabad for the second spot in the Final. Midnight, tonight.

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Hyderabad (9/175) rolled over Rajasthan (7/139).

The final is tomorrow night, midnight. Kolkata v Hyderabad. So, Starc, Cummins and Head will be there.

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Pat cummins top-scored for Hyderabad with 24, as they set a miserable target of 114 for victory. Head was out for a first-ball duck and Starc took 2/14 from 3 overs plus 2 catches to be named POTM for the second time in Kolkata's two finals. Kolkata ran down the target in 10.3 overs - 2/114. Cummins took 1 for 10 from his 2 overs (Narine, the IPL POTS, for 6).

So, Kolkata are the champions - and, really, no-one troubled them. Just 3 losses from their 16 games - that equalled the fewest losses ever in an IPL season. Their winning margin by balls to go wa the highest ever in an IPL Final.

Mitch Starc's devastating bowling spells certainly justified his acquisition - to think that, early on, people were questioning whether he was up to the task in the IPL!!!