In a thrilling encounter at the Eden Gardens Cricket Ground in Kolkata, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a convincing seven-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals in the 47th match of the IPL 2024 T20 series.
Delhi won the toss and elected to bat first, but their innings got off to a rocky start with Prithvi Shaw and Jake Fraser-McGurk departing early, both for just 12 runs each. Despite a valiant effort from captain Rishabh Pant, who scored 27 runs, and Trishan Stubbs, who contributed 24 runs, Delhi struggled to build partnerships. They stumbled to 101/7, with Axar Patel dismissal for 15 runs leaving them in a precarious position.
However, a resilient 35* (26) from tail-ender Kuldeep Yadav helped Delhi reach a total of 153/9 in their 20 overs. Varun Chakraborty, Vaibhav Arora, and Harshit Rana starred with the ball for Kolkata, taking two wickets each.
Chasing a target of 154 runs for victory, the Knight Riders got off to a flying start, thanks to an explosive innings from opener Bill Salt. Despite an early dismissal for Sunil Narine (15 runs off 10 balls), Salt took the Delhi bowlers to task, smashing 68 runs off just 33 balls.
However, Salt was given a lifeline when he was on 15 runs, as a catch was dropped by Delhi Lizard William. He capitalized on this opportunity and formed a crucial 79-run partnership with Narine. Although Salt wicket fell, Rinku Singh (11 runs) and captain Shreyas Iyer (33* off 23 balls) ensured there were no hiccups in Kolkata chase.
Venkatesh Iyer also played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten on 26 runs as Kolkata reached the target in just 16.3 overs, finishing at 157/3. With this victory, Kolkata registered their sixth win in nine matches, significantly boosting their chances of making it to the playoffs.
On the other hand, Delhi batting collapse and missed opportunities cost them dearly. Despite Axar Patel two crucial wickets, they suffered their sixth defeat in 11 matches, dealing a blow to their playoff aspirations.
The Kolkata Knight Riders will look to carry this momentum forward as they aim to solidify their position in the playoffs, while the Delhi Capitals will need to regroup quickly to keep their playoff hopes alive.