Buttler's 107 leads Rajasthan to final victory

Indian Premier League, Kolkata: Kolkata Knight Riders 223-6 (20 overs): Narine 109 (56) Rajasthan Royals 224-8 (20 overs): Buttler 107* (60)Rajasthan Royals won by two wicketsScorecard. Group board.

England's white-ball captain struggled to get his touch in at first, but came alive when the seventh wicket fell.

He faced every ball in the last three overs and scored the single needed on the last ball to seal a double wicket victory.

Royals' chase was the highest in the Indian Premier League and puts Buttler's Royals at the top of the table. table.

Buttler, who scored 100 not out against Royal Challengers Bangalore 10 days ago, has outplayed and mistimed his way to 42 off his first 33 balls - and the Royals needed 96 off the last 36 balls as wickets fell around him.

Rovman Powell hit an important 26 from 13 balls, but he was trapped in weight in the 17th over by Sunil Narine - who had hit a brilliant 109 in Kolkata's 223-6 - leaving the Royals seven and Buttler without any frontline batter to partner with.

Buttler started the 18th over by hitting Mitchell Starc for a consecutive six - and later, his team England -mate Phil Salt, the Kolkata wicketkeeper, let the Australian left-armer through his gloves, who ran away for five crucial wides.

Trent Boult sacrificed his wicket with a run out to allow Buttler to keep the strike through Starc's duration and the first shot hit seamer Harshit Rana for two another six in the 19th over to leave nine runs needed in the last over.

A six off the first ball took But. ..