Aiden Markram’s enterprising innings was in vain as the Sunrisers Hyderabad suffered a 54-run defeat by the Kolkota Knight Riders in the IPL on Saturday.

The Proteas batsman scored 32 off 25 balls before being bowled by Umesh Yadav, off an inside edge, in the 15th over.

That left the Sunrisers struggling on 99-5 in pursuit of their target of 178, and they would finish on 123-8 with Andre Russell and fellow quick Tim Southee sharing five wickets between them.

Earlier, Proteas fast bowler Marco Jansen took 1-30 in his four overs as Kolkota posted 177-6.

Russell smashed an unbeaten 49 off 28 balls with four sixes as he lifted the Knight Riders from a precarious 94-5.

The big-hitting West Indian put together 63 runs off 44 balls with England’s Sam Billings (34) to take the attack to the opposition.

Hyderabad speed demon Umran Malik rattled the Kolkata batting with his twin strikes in one over to send back Nitish Rana, who made 26 off 16, and Ajinkya Rahane, for 28.

In the next over, Malik got skipper Shreyas Iyer bowled for 15 but Russell and Billings, a wicketkeeper-batsman, rebuilt the innings and put the pressure back on Hyderabad.

Russell finished off the innings with three sixes in spinner Washington Sundar’s final over.

In reply, Kane Williamson’s dry run with the bat – he’s scored just 208 runs in 12 matches – this IPL extended to another game as he was bowled while attempting the scoop shot off Russell.

Wickets kept tumbling as Southee’s stunning caught-and-bowled effort to take down a rampaging Abhishek Sharma, for 43.

Russell’s 3-22 inspired Kolkata in the absence of Australia’s Pat Cummins, who has flown back home due to a hip injury.

Kolkata jumped to sixth on the 10-team table with their second successive victory. The 2016 champions Hyderabad went down to their fifth straight loss with two more league games remaining.

© Agence France-Presse