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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) registered another comprehensive win over Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). At Eden Gardens, KKR beat DC by seven wickets with 21 balls to spare as the visitors suffered a batting collapse and Kuldeep Yadav’s IPL career-best unbeaten 35 took them to a respectable total of 153/9. Phil Salt’s whirlwind 68 made the run chase easy for KKR as they registered their sixth win of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
DC lose early wickets
Rishabh Pant won the toss and opted to bat first. Prithvi Shaw made a comeback. He hit Mitchell Starc for three fours in the first over. Vaibhav Arora cut-short Shaw's stay at the crease. He scored 13 runs from seven balls. In-form Jake Fraser-McGurk targetted Starc and hit him for a six followed by a four. He went for another lofted shot but was caught by Venkatesh Iyer. He scored 12 runs from seven balls. In the next over, Arora answered Shai Hope's maximum by hitting the top of off stump. Pant got off the mark with a boundary in the same over. Abhishek Porel smashed Rana for two fours and a six. Pant hit the first six of his innings off Sunil Narine. DC were 67/3 after powerplay overs.
Kuldeep’s cameo after collapse
Rana in his second over got the wicket of Porel. He scored 18 runs from 15 balls. After two quiet overs, Arora conceded 13 runs. Varun Chakravarthy ended Pant's stay at the crease. he scored 27 runs from 20 balls. Tristan Stubbs could not make an impact either and became Chakaravarthy's second scalp. Narine in his final over got rid of Axar. He scored just 15 runs from 21 balls. Chakaravarthy in his final over ended impact player Kumar Kushagra's stay at the crease. Kuldeep hit the first six of his IPL career of Starc as Rana gave him a reprieve. Rasikh Salam lost his wicket to Rana in the penultimate over. Kuldeep ended the innings with a boundaryand helped DC post 153/9. He scored 35 runs from 26 balls.
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Salt wreaks havoc
Salt made a statement in the first over hitting Lizaad Williams for a six and three fours. In the second over, Salt's catch was dropped by Williams. Salt took on Williams again and hit two consecutive sixes. He continued the onslaught in the powerplay overs. In the sixth over he reached his half-century with a maximum. After completing his fifty from 26 balls, he hit two more fours. KKR were 79/0 after powerplay overs. Pant introduced spin after powerplay overs and Axar struck with the first ball. Narine fell for a 10-ball 15. Salt took on Kuldeep and hit him for a six. Axar in his second over ended Salt's knock. He scored 68 runs from 33 balls including seven fours and five sixes.
Easy run chase
Rinku could not justify the promotion to no.3. He departed for a run-a-ball 11 to Williams. Shreyas hit Axar for two fours to release the pressure. Venkatesh and Shreyas did not let DC make a comeback. Venkatesh on the third ball of 17th over finished the run chase with a six. Shreyas scored 33 runs from 23 balls whereas Venkatesh contributed with a 23-ball 26. KKR won the game by seven wickets.
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