<p>Centurion Quinton de Kock and skipper K L Rahul put on the IPL's highest ever opening stand of 210 to help Lucknow Super Giants book a play-off spot with a thrilling two-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Kolkata's Rinku Singh nearly pulled off a victory in Mumbai with his 15-ball 40 but his departure on the penultimate ball saw Kolkata finish on 208-8 and bow out of the final-four race.</p>.<p>Marcus Stoinis defended 21 off the final over despite Singh's four and two sixes to start but he fell to a stunning one-handed catch by Evin Lewis as the fielder came running from deep backward point.</p>.<p>"I thought he (Stoinis) would defend it easily," said De Kock who was named man of the match for his 140 off 70 balls.</p>.<p>"But when the first three went, I thought the game was done for us. But that catch (from Lewis), turned things for us. As they say, good catches win matches."</p>.<p>De Kock smashed 10 sixes after Lucknow, one of the two newcomers alongside already-qualified Gujarat Titans, in the expanded 10-team Indian Premier League, elected to bat first.</p>.<p>Rahul made 68 off 51 deliveries but De Kock was unforgiving on the bowlers as he smashed New Zealand quick Tim Southee for four hit over the fence in a 27-run 19th over and then hit Andre Russell for four fours in the 20th.</p>.<p>The South African wicketkeeper-batsman survived a dropped catch on 12 and went on to score his second IPL century and dropped to the ground in an emotional celebration.</p>.<p>He hit this IPL's best individual score to better the 116 by Rajasthan Royals' batsman Jos Buttler.</p>.<p>The left-right batting pair of De Kock and Rahul also surpassed the previous best first innings partnership of 185 between Jonny Bairstow and David Warner for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.</p>.<p>It's the third-best partnership for any wicket after two top stands by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers of 229 (2016) and an unbeaten 215 (2015) -- both for the second wicket for Royal Challengers Bangalore.</p>.<p>Two-time champions Kolkata lost openers, Venkatesh Iyer, caught behind for nought with De Kock taking a superb diving catch, and Abhijeet Tomar, for four, to left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan who returned figures of 3-20.</p>.<p>"Mohsin has been exceptional. He has got great skill," Rahul said of his pace spearhead.</p>.<p>"He knows when to use the slow one and the fast one. I have no doubt he'd be donning the India colours soon. They are always looking for left-arm bowlers."</p>.<p>Kolkata lost wickets and hope after contributions by Nitish Rana, who made a 22-ball 42, skipper Shreyas Iyer, who fell for 50 off 29 balls and Sam Billings' 36.</p>.<p>But Singh and Sunil Narine, who made a seven-ball 21, took Lucknow by surprise with a partnership of 58 off 19 balls.</p>.<p>Stoinis held his nerve to get Rinku and then bowled Umesh Yadav on the final ball to trigger wild celebrations in the Lucknow camp.</p>
<p>Centurion Quinton de Kock and skipper K L Rahul put on the IPL's highest ever opening stand of 210 to help Lucknow Super Giants book a play-off spot with a thrilling two-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Kolkata's Rinku Singh nearly pulled off a victory in Mumbai with his 15-ball 40 but his departure on the penultimate ball saw Kolkata finish on 208-8 and bow out of the final-four race.</p>.<p>Marcus Stoinis defended 21 off the final over despite Singh's four and two sixes to start but he fell to a stunning one-handed catch by Evin Lewis as the fielder came running from deep backward point.</p>.<p>"I thought he (Stoinis) would defend it easily," said De Kock who was named man of the match for his 140 off 70 balls.</p>.<p>"But when the first three went, I thought the game was done for us. But that catch (from Lewis), turned things for us. As they say, good catches win matches."</p>.<p>De Kock smashed 10 sixes after Lucknow, one of the two newcomers alongside already-qualified Gujarat Titans, in the expanded 10-team Indian Premier League, elected to bat first.</p>.<p>Rahul made 68 off 51 deliveries but De Kock was unforgiving on the bowlers as he smashed New Zealand quick Tim Southee for four hit over the fence in a 27-run 19th over and then hit Andre Russell for four fours in the 20th.</p>.<p>The South African wicketkeeper-batsman survived a dropped catch on 12 and went on to score his second IPL century and dropped to the ground in an emotional celebration.</p>.<p>He hit this IPL's best individual score to better the 116 by Rajasthan Royals' batsman Jos Buttler.</p>.<p>The left-right batting pair of De Kock and Rahul also surpassed the previous best first innings partnership of 185 between Jonny Bairstow and David Warner for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019.</p>.<p>It's the third-best partnership for any wicket after two top stands by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers of 229 (2016) and an unbeaten 215 (2015) -- both for the second wicket for Royal Challengers Bangalore.</p>.<p>Two-time champions Kolkata lost openers, Venkatesh Iyer, caught behind for nought with De Kock taking a superb diving catch, and Abhijeet Tomar, for four, to left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan who returned figures of 3-20.</p>.<p>"Mohsin has been exceptional. He has got great skill," Rahul said of his pace spearhead.</p>.<p>"He knows when to use the slow one and the fast one. I have no doubt he'd be donning the India colours soon. They are always looking for left-arm bowlers."</p>.<p>Kolkata lost wickets and hope after contributions by Nitish Rana, who made a 22-ball 42, skipper Shreyas Iyer, who fell for 50 off 29 balls and Sam Billings' 36.</p>.<p>But Singh and Sunil Narine, who made a seven-ball 21, took Lucknow by surprise with a partnership of 58 off 19 balls.</p>.<p>Stoinis held his nerve to get Rinku and then bowled Umesh Yadav on the final ball to trigger wild celebrations in the Lucknow camp.</p>