Kolkata (West Bengal): An all-round Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets in their league game of the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
First KKR bowlers put up a disciplined show as they restricted Delhi Capitals to 153/9. For Delhi, Kuldeep Yadav was the top-scorer, while Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts as he grabbed three wickets. The chase was a walk in the park for KKR as they rode on opener Philip Salt's blistering 68 off just 33 balls. Salt struck seven boundaries and five sixes as he derailed the opposition attack.
Here are the updates from the second innings
Over 15-16.3 (157/3)
Venkatesh Iyer finished the game in style as he hammered Rasikh Salam for a six as KKR cruised to the target in just 16.3 overs and won with 21 balls to spare. Venkatesh remained unbeaten on 26 while Shreyas remained unbeaten on 33.
Over 10-15 (141/3)
KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer were playing without taking any risks as KKR raced towards the target. The duo hit the bad balls and were rotating the strike. After 14 overs, KKR was poised at 134 for 3 and needed just 20 runs for a win from the last six overs. Shreyas, the elegant right handed batter, hit a boundary off the first ball of the 15th over bowled by Axar Patel. After 15 overs, KKR had scored 141 for 3 and were inches away from an emphatic win.
Over 7-10 (104/3)
Axar Patel removed Sunil Narine on the first ball of the seventh over after the southpaw gave a regulation catch to Fraser-McGurk at deep square-leg. With Salt going guns blazing, KKR promoted Rinku Singh at number 3. Axar conceded five runs and took a wicket in the seventh over. KKR now needed 70 runs from last 13 overs and skipper Rishabh Pant introduced chinaman Kuldeep Yadav into the attack. There was no stopping Salt as he dispatched Kuldeep into the stands. Kuldeep conceded 12 runs off the 8th over. It was Axar castled Salt (68 off 34 balls) on the first ball of the 9th over as his entertaining knock came to an end. Skipper Shreyas Iyer joined Rinku in the middle. However, Rinku (11) could not make the most of the opportunity and perished cheaply as KKR lost its third wicket. All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer joined his skipper. KKR were on course for a win.
Over 1-6 (79/0)
Kolkata Knight Riders openers Philip Salt and Sunil Narine provided the side an aggressive start. Salt played shots at will and Narine struck a boundary on the final ball as KKR amassed 23 runs off the first over bowled by Lizaad Williams. Salt got a life on 15 when Williams dropped a catch and looks like he will make the opposition pay for it. Salt was on a song as he once again took on Williams hitting him for two successive sixes, including one over long-off. KKR raced to 40/0 in the first three way and were on course for a comfortable chase. Narine too joined the party as the openers took on the listless Delhi Capitals attack with gusto. KKR had amassed 61 runs in five overs, courtesy of brutal power hitting by the opening duo. Salt completed his half-century in just 26 balls. It was raining boundaries at the Eden Gardens. KKR just needed 75 runs from 14 overs and the chase should be a walk in the park for the home side.
- Here are the updates from the first innings
Over 16-20 (153/9)
Left-handed batter Kuldeep Yadav (35 not out off 26 balls) took on Mitchell Strac, hitting him for a boundary and a six in the 16th over as the Delhi Capitals scored 16 runs off the 16th over. Kuldeep was playing a handy knock for his side. Harshit Rana removed Rasikh Salam Dar (8) in the penultimate over as Delhi Capitals lost its 9th wicket for 140. Andre Russell, popularly known as 'De Russ' conceded 10 runs in the final over. It was due to Kuldeep's handy knock that the visitors could pass the 150-run mark and have given something to their bowlers to defend. Kuldeep hit five boundaries and a maximum.
Over 11-15 (112/8)
Varun Chakravarthy dismissed a well-set Rishabh Pant on the first ball of the 11th over after the southpaw gave a sitter to rival skipper Shreyas Iyer at cover. Tristan Stubbs joined Axar Patel in the middle. Chakravarthy bowled a superb 11th over as he conceded just one run off it. Sunil Narine in the next over was also economical, leaking only five runs. Chakravarthy then dismissed Stubbs (4), who edged to wicket-keeper Philip Salt in the 13th over as Delhi Capitals was reeling at 99/6. Sunil Narine castled Axar Patel (15) in the 14th over as Delhi Capitals kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Delhi was in spot of bother at 101/7 as it was KKR who dominated from the word go. It soon became 111 for 8 as Chakravarthy send back Kumar Kushagra (1) after he was caught by Philip Salt as the KKR fans enjoyed each fall of wicket.
Over 7-10 (93/4)
Pacer Harshit cleaned up Abhishek Porel, who was looking threatening in the seventh over as Delhi Capitals lost their fourth wicket for 68. All-rounder Axar Patel joined his skipper Rishabh Pant in the middle. In the next over, Sunil Narine conceded only five runs and then Pant got a life in the ninth over. Axar Patel was brutal on pacer Vaibhav Arora, who, he smashed for three boundaries in the 10th over as Delhi Capitals amassed 13 runs off it. At the half-way stage, the visitors were poised at 93/4 with Axar batting on 12 and Rishabh Pant unbeaten on 27.
Over 1-6 (67/3)
Delhi Capitals opener Prithvi Shaw (13 off 7 balls) started on an aggressive note, hammering KKR pacer Mitchell Starc for two successive boundaries in the first over as the visitors amassed 15 runs. However, Shaw's stay at the crease was cut-short in the second over as he was removed by pacer Vaibhav Arora in the second over after being caught by Philip Salt. It was Jake Fraser-McGurk (12 off 7 balls) who took on Mitchell Starc in the third over hitting him for a six over wide long-on and a boundary on successive balls. But the seasoned speedster from Australia had the last laugh as he dismissed his compatriot. Fraser-McGurk was caught by Venkatesh Iyer in the deep as the visitors lost their second wicket for 30. It soon became 37 for 3 as Vaibhav Arora struck for the second time and this time he removed two-down Shai Hope (6). Arora cleaned up the West Indian as Delhi Capitals was in all sorts of trouble. Skipper Rishabh Pant walked in and joined Abhishek Porel and the duo would look to resurrect the innings. It was the KKR pacers who had wreaked havoc. Shreyas Iyer introduced pacer Harshit Rana in the fifth over and he conceded 16 runs as Porel went all guns blazing. Porel smashed two boundaries and a six in the fifth over. Pant freed his arms in the sixth over, hitting his first six off Sunil Narine, as DC reached 67 for 3 after six overs.
- Toss
Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant won the toss and decided to bat.
Playing XI:
Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(captain and wicket-keeper), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Rasikh Dar Salam, Lizaad Williams, Khaleel Ahmed
Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt(wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(captain), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
