Kolkata: In a thrilling encounter at the iconic Eden Gardens, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) showcased their prowess with both bat and ball to clinch a commanding seven-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, DC got off to an explosive start with Prithvi Shaw’s aggressive strokeplay, but soon found themselves struggling against KKR’s disciplined bowling attack.
Despite Jake Fraser-McGurk’s promising cameo, DC lost wickets at regular intervals, with Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana delivering crucial breakthroughs. Rishabh Pant and Abhishek Porel tried to stabilize the innings, but Varun Chakaravarthy’s spin bowling proved troublesome.
Thanks to a resilient effort from Kuldeep Yadav, DC managed to post a competitive total of 154. However, KKR’s opening duo of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine took control of the chase from the outset, with Salt’s explosive innings setting the tone for the run chase.
Salt’s aggressive strokeplay, particularly during the powerplay, put KKR in the driver’s seat. Although his departure brought a brief hiccup, Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer steadied the ship, guiding KKR to a comfortable victory in the 17th over.
Salt’s scintillating knock of 68 off 33 balls earned him the Player of the Match award, underscoring his pivotal role in KKR’s triumph.