Kolkata Knight Riders have had a change of fortunes in IPL-4 and 5 under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir, who has led from the front on and off the pitch.

The Knight Riders' squad also has some world-class players in Jacques Kallis, Brendon McCullum and Brett Lee; as well as some good Indian talent with the likes of L Balaji, Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary and the impressive Debabrata Das. The ace for the Knight Riders in IPL-5 though has been Sunil Narine, who has made batsmen dance to his tunes.

The Knight Riders finished second in the points table after the league stage and then defeated table-toppers Delhi Daredevils in the first qualifier to enter their maiden IPL final.

On the other hand, two-time defending champions Chennai Super Kings, had a stop-start performance in the group stages, and finished in the top-four after the league stage by the skin of their teeth, as Deccan Chargers shocked Royal Challengers Bangalore in one of the upsets of IPL-5.

The Super Kings' team is packed with stars like MS Dhoni, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Dwayne Bravo, Ben Hilfenhaus and the consistent S Badrinath. They also have in their ranks Shadab Jakati, who continues to impress in the IPL; as well as Faf du Plessis, who impressed while opening the batting in the early part of IPL-5.

The Super Kings may have been lucky to finish in the top-four, but the Dhoni-led team has been ruthless in the eliminator and the second qualifier, where they thrashed Mumbai Indians and Daredevils respectively, to enter the final for the fourth time in five years. Murali Vijay, who struggled during the early part of IPL-5 was at his best against Daredevils where he became the first Indian player to score two centuries in the IPL.

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

Results

vs Delhi Daredevils at Kolkata on April 5, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 97/9 (12/12 ov) LOST TO Delhi Daredevils 100/2 (11.1/12 ov) - Scorecard

vs Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur on April 8, 2012
Rajasthan Royals 164/5 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Kolkata Knight Riders 142 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bangalore on April 10, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 165/8 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Royal Challengers Bangalore 123/9 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Rajasthan Royals at Kolkata on April 13, 2012
Rajasthan Royals 131/5 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 137/5 (19.2/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Kings XI Punjab at Kolkata on April 15, 2012
Kings XI Punjab 134/9 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 132/7 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on April 18, 2012
Kings XI Punjab 124/7 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 127/2 (16.3/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Deccan Chargers at Cuttack on April 22, 2012
Deccan Chargers 126/7 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 127/5 (19/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Deccan Chargers at Kolkata on April 24, 2012
Match abandoned without a ball bowled

vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Kolkata on April 28, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 190/4 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Royal Challengers Bangalore 143/6 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Chennai Super Kings at Chennai on April 30, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 139/5 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 140/5 (19.4/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Pune Warriors at Kolkata on May 5, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 150/5 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Pune Warriors 143/8 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Delhi Daredevils at Delhi on May 7, 2012
Delhi Daredevils 153/9 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 154/4 (18.4/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Mumbai Indians at Kolkata on May 12, 2012
Mumbai Indians 182/1 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Kolkata Knight Riders 155/4 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Chennai Super Kings at Kolkata on May 14, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 158/6 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 160/5 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Mumbai Indians at Mumbai on May 16, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 140/7 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Mumbai Indians 108 (19.1/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Pune Warriors at Pune on May 19, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 136/4 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Pune Warriors 102/8 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

1st Qualifying Match: vs Delhi Daredevils at Pune on May 22, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 162/4 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Delhi Daredevils 144/8 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS IN IPL-5


Highest Totals

190 for 4 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Kolkata on April 28, 2012

165 for 8 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bangalore on April 10, 2012

162 for 4 vs Delhi Daredevils at Pune on May 22, 2012


Lowest Totals

132 for 7 vs Kings XI Punjab at Kolkata on April 15, 2012

136 for 4 vs Pune Warriors at Pune on May 19, 2012

140 for 7 vs Mumbai Indians at Mumbai on May 16, 2012


Top Run-scorers

Gautam Gambhir - 588 runs in 16 matches [Ave - 39.20, SR - 144.47]

Jacques Kallis - 340 runs in 16 matches [Ave - 22.66, SR - 101.49]

Brendon McCullum - 289 runs in 12 matches [Ave - 24.08, SR - 102.12]


High Scores

Gautam Gambhir - 93 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Kolkata

Jacques Kallis - 79 vs Mumbai Indians at Kolkata

Gautam Gambhir - 66* vs Kings XI Punjab at Mohali


Top Wicket-takers

Sunil Narine - 24 wickets in 14 matches [Ave - 11.95, Economy rate - 5.20, SR - 13.7]

Jacques Kallis - 14 wickets in 16 matches [Ave - 26.35, Economy rate - 7.38, SR - 21.4]

Rajat Bhatia - 12 wickets in 16 matches [Ave - 30.50, Economy rate - 7.29, SR - 25]


Best bowling figures in an innings

Sunil Narine: 4-0-19-5 vs Kings XI Punjab at Kolkata

Sunil Narine: 3.1-0-15-4 vs Mumbai Indians at Mumbai

L Balaji: 4-1-18-4 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bangalore

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

Results

vs Mumbai Indians at Chennai on April 4, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 112 (19.5/20 ov) LOST TO Mumbai Indians 115/2 (16.5/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Deccan Chargers at Visakhapatnam on April 7, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 193/6 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Deccan Chargers 119 (17.1/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Delhi Daredevils at Delhi on April 10, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 110/8 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Delhi Daredevils 111/2 (13.2/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chennai on April 12, 2012
Royal Challengers Bangalore 205/8 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 208/5 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Pune Warriors at Pune on April 14, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 155/5 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Pune Warriors 156/3 (19.2/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Pune Warriors at Chennai on April 19, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 164/5 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Pune Warriors 151/7 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Rajasthan Royals at Chennai on April 21, 2012
Rajasthan Royals 146/4 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 147/3 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bangalore on April 25, 2012
No result (abandoned with a toss) - Scorecard

vs Kings XI Punjab at Chennai on April 28, 2012
Kings XI Punjab 156/8 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Chennai Super Kings 149/8 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Chennai on April 30, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 139/5 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kolkata Knight Riders 140/5 (19.4/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Deccan Chargers at Chennai on May 4, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 160/6 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Deccan Chargers 150/5 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Mumbai Indians at Mumbai on May 6, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 173/8 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Mumbai Indians 174/8 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur on May 10, 2012
Rajasthan Royals 126/6 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 127/6 (18.1/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Delhi Daredevils at Chennai on May 12, 2012
Delhi Daredevils 114/5 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 115/1 (15.2/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Kolkata on May 14, 2012
Kolkata Knight Riders 158/6 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Chennai Super Kings 160/5 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

vs Kings XI Punjab at Dharamsala on May 17, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 120/7 (20/20 ov) LOST TO Kings XI Punjab 123/4 (16.3/20 ov) - Scorecard

Elimination Final: vs Mumbai Indians at Bangalore on May 23, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 187/5 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Mumbai Indians 149/9 (20/20 ov) - Scorecard

2nd Qualifying Match: vs Delhi Daredevils at Chennai on May 25, 2012
Chennai Super Kings 222/5 (20/20 ov) DEFEATED Delhi Daredevils 136 (16.5/20 ov) - Scorecard

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS IN IPL-5


Highest Totals

222 for 5 vs Delhi Daredevils at Chennai on May 25, 2012

208 for 5 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chennai on April 12, 2012

193 for 6 vs Deccan Chargers at Visakhapatnam on April 7, 2012


Lowest Totals

110 for 8 vs Delhi Daredevils at Delhi on April 10, 2012

112 vs Mumbai Indians at Chennai on April 4, 2012

120 for 7 vs Kings XI Punjab at Dharamsala on May 17, 2012


Top Run-scorers

Faf du Plessis - 398 runs in 13 matches [Ave - 33.16, SR - 130.92]

Dwayne Bravo - 371 runs in 18 matches [Ave - 46.37, SR - 140.53]

Suresh Raina - 368 runs in 18 matches [Ave - 23, SR - 128.22]


High Scores

Murali Vijay - 113 vs Delhi Daredevils at Chennai

Faf du Plessis - 73 vs Rajasthan Royals at Chennai

Faf du Plessis - 71 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chennai


Top wicket-takers

Dwayne Bravo - 14 wickets in 18 matches [Ave - 29.50, Economy rate - 7.64, SR - 23.1]

R Ashwin - 13 wickets in 18 matches [Ave - 30, Economy rate - 6.30, SR - 28.5]

Ben Hilfenhaus - 12 wickets in 8 matches [Ave - 17.33, Economy rate - 6.93, SR - 15]


Best bowling figures in an innings

Ravindra Jadeja: 4-0-16-5 vs Deccan Chargers at Visakhapatnam

R Ashwin: 3.5-0-23-3 vs Delhi Daredevils at Chennai

Doug Bollinger: 3-0-24-3 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chennai