Lee and Bisla help Kolkata hold nerve in a thriller

Two tight overs from the Australian and an all-round effort by the Indian ensures KKR victory in low-scoring Champions League T20 opener.

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Brett Lee produced two tight overs at the death to help Kolkata Knight Riders pull off a two-run victory in a low-scoring thriller against Auckland on the first day of the qualifying tournament.

Kolkata could manage only 120 in their 20 overs despite good starts by openers Manvinder Bisla (45) and Jacques Kallis (33).

In reply, the Auckland opener, Martin Guptill, was run out on the first ball of the innings. Jimmy Adams and Lou Vincent had steadied the ship before three wickets fell for one run, including two run outs that featured man of the match Bisla.

Needing 27 in three overs, Lee conceded only five runs in the next. Kallis gave away 11 runs before Lee held his nerve in the final over to take Kolkata through.

Earlier, a steady hand from Darren Bravo and a late flurry of boundaries from Sherwin Ganga handed Trinidad and Tobago a five-wicket victory over Ruhuna in the first match of the event.

Dinesh Chandimal was the game's top scorer with 50 in 48 balls but the Sri Lanka side made a below-par 138 batting first, losing their last wicket off the final ball of their quota.

The West Indies team were six for two and 28 for three in response, but Bravo's calm 44 not out and Ganga's 15-ball 39 not out saw them over the line with seven balls remaining.

* Agencies