Sharjah, Oct 7 (IANS): Kolkata Knight Riders started slow but ended up registering 171/4 in 20 overs, the highest score at this venue in IPL 2021, against Rajasthan Royals in Match 54 of the tournament here on Thursday.

For Kolkata, Shubman Gill top-scored with a stylish 56 while other batters around him smacked boundaries as Rajasthan did not take any advantage of the slow pitch.

After asking to bat first, Kolkata had a sedate start with 34/0 in power-play, including four boundaries. Post that, Venkatesh Iyer hit Jaydev Unadkat for a four through short third man followed by two sixes down the ground and over long-on.

Rahul Tewatia broke the 79-run opening stand in the 11th over as Iyer missed a straight delivery and was bowled through his legs. Nitish Rana welcomed Glenn Phillips with a four and six in the next over. But Phillips had the last laugh on the fifth ball as Rana was caught off the toe-end at long-off.

Rahul Tripathi tore into Shivam Dube, taking back-to-back boundaries in the 14th over. Amidst all this, Gill held one end while finding boundaries in between. Gill brought up his fifty with a boundary off Chetan Sakariya in the 15th over, his second of the season. Gill whipped Chris Morris for a boundary in the next over. But a wide later, Gill mistimed a loft to cover, giving Morris his first wicket of the UAE leg.

Sakariya returned in the 18th over to disturb a sweeping Tripathi's stumps. Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan landed some lusty blows in the last few overs to take Kolkata to a challenging total.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 171/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 56, Venkatesh Iyer 38, Rahul Tewatia 1/11, Glenn Phillips 1/17) against Rajasthan Royals