Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kept their playoff hopes alive with a spirited win over Delhi Capitals (DC), powered by Sunil Narine’s game-changing spell and some shrewd captaincy from Ajinkya Rahane. The win lifts KKR to 9 points, helping them escape the bottom three, while DC’s home woes continue with a third loss in four games at this venue.
In what was shaping up to be a comfortable chase for DC after a solid partnership between Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel, Narine’s timely intervention flipped the script. The mystery spinner removed Axar and then struck a double blow in a single over, dismissing Faf and the dangerous Tristan Stubbs. From a position of control, DC suddenly found themselves scrambling.
There was a late surge from Vipraj, who fought valiantly to push the game deep, but the damage had already been done. KKR’s bowlers held their nerve, and the visitors wrapped up a win that could prove vital in the playoff race.
Rahane, who left the field temporarily after injuring his right hand while fielding, returned with a smile as KKR sealed the win. Earlier, he made a bold move by handing the first over to Anukul Roy. The slow left-armer struck immediately, removing opener Abishek Porel and setting the tone for the night.
Despite early losses, Axar showed grit, batting with an injured hand and forging a threatening stand with Faf. But KKR’s calculated bowling changes and Narine’s brilliance ensured the Capitals were denied. Delhi now face an uphill task, stuck on 12 points with back-to-back defeats denting their momentum. For KKR, the victory breathes new life into their campaign, with belief and points both trending upward.
Earlier in the first inning, Kolkata Knight Riders posted a commanding total of 204/9 against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, riding on a fiery start from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine, followed by crucial middle-order knocks from Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakaravarthy
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel(w), Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera, Mukesh Kumar
