For the third straight match rain played spoilsport, but on this occasion there was just enough time for the Kolkata Knight Riders to seal a 22-run win via the D/L method over Group B toppers the Warriors at the M Chinnaswamy stadium here on Saturday. Chasing a target of 156, KKR were comfortably placed at 83/1 after 9 overs before the heavens opened. With the win KKR kept their slim semifinal hopes alive.

Opener Jacques Kallis was unbeaten on 31, while captain Gautam Gambhir was batting on 33.

Pivotally, Gambhir was handed a reprieve in the eighth over when he failed to connect a Johan Botha delivery cleanly. However, Kellie Smuts, who ran in from the cover boundary, made a hash of the opportunity.

Earlier, the Warriors built up the ideal platform, but the final push never materialised. Fine bowling in the death by the Knight Riders kept their final score down to 155/4, when at a time they looked poised to get more.

KKR drew first blood in the second over as Warriors opener Ashwell Prince inside-edged a Jacques Kallis delivery onto the stumps.

Opener JJ Smuts and Colin Ingram seized the initiative back for the Warriors with a solid 80-run partnership for the second wicket.

After a couple of chancy boundaries at the start of his innings, Smuts (46 off 43 balls; 6x4) hit some clean blows.