Delhi’s hopes of a win were dashed as Kolkata Night Riders pulled off a thrilling 14-run victory at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The match was a nail-biter, with Kolkata posting 204 runs on the board. Delhi Capital’s chase seemed on track at 130/3 in 13 overs, thanks to Faf du Plessis’ 62 off 45 balls and Axar Patel’s 43 off 23.
A turning point
Sunil Narine was the game-changer. He turned the match around with his spin, picking up three crucial wickets. Axar Patel was the first to fall, caught out by Narine for 43. Tristan Stubbs followed, getting bowled by Narine for just one run. The turning point came when Narine dismissed Faf du Plessis, who had been playing well until then. Du Plessis made 62 off 45 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
Delhi’s top order struggled against Kolkata’s bowlers. Abhishek Porel was the first to fall, making just four runs. Karun Nair followed, scoring 15 before getting out. KL Rahul’s run-out for seven runs further dented Delhi’s chances. Despite these setbacks, Faf du Plessis and Axar Patel steadied the ship with a 76-run partnership.
KKR’s bowlers shine
Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets, while Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, and Andre Russell each claimed one. Kolkata’s bowlers played a crucial role in restricting Delhi to 190 runs. Delhi’s lower order tried to stage a comeback, but it was too little, too late. Yash Dhull couldn’t make an impact, while Vicky Ostwal was dismissed without scoring.
Vipraj Singh showed some fight, scoring 43 off 19 balls with four fours and three sixes. However, it wasn’t enough to seal the win for Delhi. Ashutosh Sharma also tried to make a difference, hitting a six before getting out for seven runs. Despite their efforts, Delhi fell short, and Kolkata Night Riders took the win.