KKR vs DC HIGHLIGHTS, IPL 2024: Kolkata thump Delhi as Salt, bowlers shine in seven-wicket win

Rishabh Pant: It was a good option to bat first. As a batting unit we didn't bat well, 150 was below par with how things were going. But we learn from our mistakes, every day is not your day. The way we were going as a team was nice (winning 4 out of their last 5 games), but these games come along in T20s. I think anything around 180-210 would have been a good score, we didn't give our bowlers enough runs to defend.

Rasikh returns. A couple of firm deliveries pin Venkatesh to the crease, dots. Length ball and Venkatesh pumps the ball over deep cover for SIX! KKR record a seven-wicket win to maintain their second spot and finish their home campaign on a high.

Shreyas taps the ball through point for a single. In the air and Williams drops another catch! Venkatesh mistimes the slog-sweep and Lizaad running in from the deep fumbles yet again. Kuldeep slides another one in and Venkatesh sweeps it fine for one run. In the slot and Shreyas brings out a reverse-sweep for SIX over point!

Axar angles one in towards the off-stump and Iyer leans back and cuts the ball firmly behind point for FOUR. A couple of singles to follow.

Kuldeep strays to the pads and Venkatesh attempts a flick but fails to put it past the fielder. He slices another one down to fine leg for two runs. He finds a single. Kuldep wafts through the length and Shreyas rocks back to cut to point for a single. Four from the over.

Kuldeep strays to the pads and Venkatesh attempts a flick but fails to put it past the fielder. He slices another one down to fine leg for two runs. 

Rasikh skids one on and Venkatesh drives it firmly through cover. Lizaad covers the ball in the deep but lets it straight through his legs for FOUR! He's had a rather forgetful night so far. A single to follow. Shreyas is in no hurry as he nudges through the gaps for ones and twos.

Kuldeep tosses one up and Venkatesh sweeps the ball behind square for FOUR. A couple of singles to follow.

Axar wafts one in and Shreyas shuffles across and flicks it fine for FOUR. A hint of room and Shreyas opens the face of the bat. Kuldeep puts in a dive at short-third but lets it run through for FOUR.

Williams to Rinku, OUT! A firm bumper and Rinku sends it straight to deep third. There was not much he could do to override the bounce as he mistimed the pull altogether. Venkatesh Iyer is in at 5. A couple of singles to follow. Willliams slants one in and Iyer just flicks the ball over mid-wicket for two runs. 

Rinku Singh c Kuldeep Yadav b Williams 11 (11b 1x4)

Axar to Salt, OUT! Got him! Flatter ball skidding through length and Salt's attempted cut is no match to the delivery. He falls after another spellbinding knock with the game firmly in the pocket. Shreyas Iyer is in at 4.

Phil Salt b Patel 68 (33b 7x4 5x6) 

Kuldeep Yadav into the attack

Kuldeep attempts to attack the off-stump and Rinku rocks back for a gentle slash through third for FOUR. In the slot and Rinku chips it over the bowler for a single. In the slot and Salt clears his front leg and smokes it over wide long-on for SIX!

Opting to bat first was an interesting call from Rishabh Pant. At the halfway stage, as his side struggled their way to 153/9, it looked less interesting and more faulty. That they even got there because of a 26-ball 35 from Kuldeep Yadav was (no disrespect to Kuldeep) a damning indictment of  Delhi's batting failure at the Eden Gardens. Six overs into Kolkata Knight Riders' innings though, Pant and Delhi's decision to set a target looked downright disastrous. At a venue where the highest ever IPL run-chase was completed in the last match, even if the pitch looked different, it was a big risk. And Phil Salt's powerplay assault took KKR to 79/0 in 6 overs, with more than 50% of the target completed with the fielding restrictions in place. Salt's 60 off 28 balls in the powerplay was another display of aggressive intent that we have become used to now... and that it came against his former employers would've rubbed further salt into DC's wounds.

Axar Patel into the attack

Axar to Narine, OUT! Straight to deep mid-wicket. Length from Axar and Narine has a go at it but does not get the desired timing on it. Well, Rinku Singh is in at 3 today. He starts with a flick behind square and a sloppy fielding effort from Jake helps Rinku turn it into three!

Sunil Narine c Fraser-McGurk b Patel 15 (10b 3x4)

A hint of room and Salt taps it through cover-point for FOUR. Khaleel comes around the stumps and hits the slot and Salt duly muscles it down the ground for another SIX - Fifty for Salt in 26 balls! Full toss and Salt slices it behind point for FOUR. Action replay as Khaleel offers another freebie and Salt dabs it through backward point for FOUR - 79 in the PP for KKR!

Rasikh Salam into the attack

Slower ball on length and Narine pumps it over cover for FOUR. High full toss from Rasikh and Narine belts it through point for another FOUR. Is that a no ball? Not given. Short ball angling in and Narine pulls the ball to wide long-on for a single. Pant stands up to the stumps. Rasikh lands one in the slot and Salt pumps it over cover for another FOUR. 15 from the over.

Khaleeel varies his pace and lengths to cramp up the batters. A touch of width and Salt pounces on it and flays it through cover for FOUR. Six from the over.

Williams finds his lengths this time but it's not enough as Salt muscles a length ball over long-off for SIX! Perhaps we spoke too soon as Salt smites another fuller ball through mid-wicket for SIX!

Khaleel Ahmed into the attack

Williams spills a straightforward chance. Salt miscues a shot ball and Lizaad attemps to reverse-cup and makes a mess of it. An appeal from Pant as Khaleel slides one closely past Salt's bat down leg. DC review and lose it as there was no wood on the ball. Three consecutive dots from Khaleel.

Length from Williams first-up and Salt flicks it fine for FOUR.  A single to follow. Williams hits Narine flush on the pads as he sneaks in a leg-bye with some pain. It's a no ball as he oversteps. Length from Lizaad and Salt belts it over mid-wicket for SIX! Another leg-bye. Short ball angling in and Narine hooks it fine for FOUR. 23 from the opening over!

Phil Salt and Sunil Narine open the chase for KKR. Lizaad Williams takes the new ball.

Andre Russell to bowl the final over

Kuldeep gets a thick outside-edge with a rash heave and rushes through third for FOUR. Two dots to follow. Width on offer, Kuldeep taps it to backward point and Ramandeep spills a catch. The batters reel in two runs. Slower-ball on length and Kuldeep gets a top-edge to parry over the keeper for FOUR. Russell grunts in anger as Delhi finish above 150.

Short ball, Kuldeep taps it to the deep for a single. Rana to Rasikh, OUT! A tame chip straight to mid-off as Rana delivers a superb slower ball. Lizaad Williams is in at 11. Rana slides one wide down leg, dot. Lizaad gets off strike with a single. Rana skids one through and keeps Kuldeep rooted to the crease. Slower ball on length, Kuldeep glides it fine for a single and retains strike.

Rasikh Salam c SS Iyer b Harshit Rana 8 (10b 1x4)

Arora into the attack. A couple of dots to start the over. Rasikh and Kuldeep find two singles as Arora pins the deliveries into the blockhole. Another yorker hits Kuldeep on the toe and Arora wants Iyer to go up for a review. The ball is sliding down leg and Kuldeep stays. 

Rana scuttles one in from length to hit Rasikh on the pads. Loud shout but it is not given by the umpire. Rana comes around the stumps this time and Kuldeep gets an inside-edge. Short and wide from Rana, Rasikh gets some wood on it behind square for FOUR.

Starc back into the attack

A string of dots here. Short from Starc and Kuldeep swivels to pull it over square-leg for SIX! More misery for Starc as he strays one down leg for Five wides! Low full toss onto the pads and Kuldeep slices it behind square for FOUR this time!

Quicker delivery from Varun and he finds a thick outside-edge from Kuldeep that zips past Salt and first slip for FOUR. A single to follow. Varun to Kushagra, OUT! Nelson strikes as Varun extracts extra bounce to find the toe-edge off the bat that lobs off Kushagra's pads to Salt. Rasikh Salam is in at 10.

Kumar Kushagra c Salt b Varun 1 (3b)

Narine to Axar, OUT! He's unplayable at this surface. Axar rocks back for another cut but the ball bites the lower-half of the blade and ricochets to the stumps. Kuldeep Yadav is in at . He gets a top-edge first up from the full and the ball trickles down to the fence for FOUR.

Axar Patel b Narine 15 (21b 2x4)

Varun to Stubbs, OUT! A sharp catch by Salt! Stubbs goes for a cut off the marginally short delivery and Salt pouches a sharp, thick outside-edge in a flash. Massive wicket for KKR and DC are in real trouble now. Kumar Kushagra is in at 8 as the Impact Player, replacing Shaw. He's off he mark with a single and Varun slides a couple of deliveries into Axar and keeps him wound to the crease. A single follows.

Tristan Stubbs c Salt b Varun 4 (7b)

Narine slides one in to the pads, Axar flicks it to the on-side for a single. Narine's offering nothing for the batters in terms of room. Stubbs and Axar tread on singles. Five from the over.

Varun to Pant, OUT! Another miscue and taken this time! Another rash slog across the line and Pant sends it straight up for Iyer a simple catch at cover. Tristan Stubbs is in at 7. A single gets him off the blocks. Axar makes room for a slog but Varun drifts it the other way. 

Rishabh Pant c SS Iyer b Varun 27 (20b 2x4 1x6)

Short from Arora and Pant scythes it through slip for FOUR. Arora comes around the stumps. Pant attempts a huge slog across the line but gets an inside-edge onto his thigh and is wincing in pain. Short ball and Pant mistimes the ball, falling just short of Russell at deep mid-wicket. Slower bumper from Arora and Axar upper-cuts through third for FOUR. Another bouncer and Axar slaps it behind square for FOUR more! 

Varun Chakaravarthy into the attack

Straight up in the air and Harshit spills it at short third! Pant plays another agricultural ramp that scoops straight up and Rana's spilled a regulation chance. A string of ones and twos to follow. Back-of-a-length, Axar attempts to squirt it out to cover for a single but fails to get the run. Width this time and Axar drives it to deep cover for two runs.

Quicker ball drifting in from Narine and Pant loses his bat as he attempts to defend. Short from Narine, Pant flicks it through mid-wicket and reels in two runs. Narine flattens his lengths to constrict Axar. A single follows down to long-off. Pant attemps another cheeky ramp but does not connect.

Harshit Rana returns

Pant taps the ball to deep point for a single. Harshit varies his lengths and keeps Porel in his tracks. Rana to Porel, OUT! Knocked him over! Porel shuffles across for a ramp shot but Rana slides one in quickly to smash the stumps. Axar Patel is in at 6. A couple of dots to end the over.

Abishek Porel b Harshit Rana 18 (15b 2x4 1x6)

Sunil Narine replaces Arora

Short from Narine and Pant nimbly kneels down and slaps it over mid-wicket for SIX! A string of singles complete the PowerPlay.

Harshit Rana into the attack

Short from Rana and Porel parries it over the keeper for FOUR. Length from Rana and Porel creams it over extra cover for SIX! Width on offer and Porel slices it down to third for another FOUR! A couple of singles to follow.

Quick bumper angling in and Hope makes a late shuffle out of the line and hooks it over fine-leg for SIX! Arora to Hope, OUT! Knocked him over! A beautiful delivery from Arora that confounds the West Indian. He hits the length and straightens it the other way to force Hope down the wrong line, knocking over the off-stump. Arora starts with a wide down leg. A couple of dots for Pant as he taps the ball to cover. Arora comes around the stumps and overpitches, Pant slices it out through cover for FOUR.

Shai Hope b Arora 6 (3b 1x6) 

Starc swings one into the blockhole and Jake escapes with an inside-edge for a single. Starc lines one in again and Porel flicks it behind square. Ramandeep puts in an excellent dive behind the practice strips to deny a boundary. Short from Starc and Jake wallops it over mid-wicket for SIX. Width from Starc and Jake slices the ball behind point for FOUR. Starc to Fraser-McGurk, OUT! In the air and taken! Short ball from Starc again and Jake swats it to deep square-leg. Venkatesh kneels forward and completes a fine catch and there's the early trouble for DC.

Jake Fraser-McGurk c VR Iyer b Starc 12 (7b 1x4 1x6)

Vaibhav Arora from the opposite end

He oversteps first ball. Free hit for Jake. A dipping yorker and Jake settles for a single. Loud appeal as Vaibhav slides one down leg and Shaw swings his bat close to the ball. KKR appeal but Shaw's walking back already. A big spike on UltraEdge and Shaw falls! Abishek Porel is in at 3. Vaibhav slides the ball down leg for another wide. Porel goes for a big hoick across the line but the ball thuds into the pad. A couple of dots and Porel gives another charge for a heave across the line but misses.

Prithvi Shaw c Salt b Arora 13 (7b 3x4)

Mitchell Starc opens the attack. Prithvi Shaw on strike with Jake Fraser-McGurk at the other end. 

Full outside off and Shaw flays the first ball through extra cover for FOUR. Starc follows up with a wide down leg. A hint of inswing and Shaw nimbly clips the ball off his pads through mid-wicket for FOUR. FOUR more as Starc overpitches and Shaw punches it down the ground. Loud shout as Shaw moves one in to hit the pads but it's sliding down leg.

Sourav Ganguly rings the bell at the Eden Gardens as the Delhi openers walk out to the field.

KKR bench: Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

DC bench: Mukesh Kumar, Sumit Kumar, Pravin Dubey, Kumar Kushagra, Ricky Bhui

Kolkata Knight Riders XI: Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Delhi Capitals XI: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Rasikh Dar Salam, Lizaad Williams, Khaleel Ahmed.

TOSS: Delhi Capitals win the toss, opt to bat

Rishabh Pant: We'll bat first. The way our team is poised, would look to put a score on the board. Wicket looks slightly on the slower side. Shaw comes back, Kushagra misses out. Rasikh Dar starts in place of Mukesh I guess. Talk is to take one match at the time.

Shreyas Iyer: We were looking to bowl first. Rishabh and I were having a chat - he said 'we're looking to bat' and I said we're looking to bowl. We're trying to keep things as simple as possible. When you lose a game like that, scoring 260, it's easy for people to go away from each other and backbite. But we're keeping everyone together. Starc and Vaibhav Arora are back.

Daren Ganga and Simon Katich analyse: 59 meters square boundary on one side, 71 meters on the other. The pitch is rock hard. The ball will come on beautifully. There will be runs tonight, bowlers have got their work cut out. This is the wicket that was played against RR. Batters are going to enjoy out here again tonight.

Matches played: 33, KKR won: 17, DC won: 15, NR: 1

He's been in phenomenal touch despite the odd blip. And his 36th birthday seems to be the perfect occasion for Andre Russell to lit up fireworks over the Eden Gardens. 

Mustafizur Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana both rose up the table to 2nd and 4th respectively after Chennai Super Kings defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad. Full Table

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli maintained his iron grip on top of the Orange Cap table with 70 runs in the match against Gujarat Titans which also helped him reach 500 runs in this IPL season. Full Table 

After a fiery 44-ball 70 not out against Gujarat Titans, Virat Kohli turned fierier with the microphone during a post-match chat with the host broadcasters. He launched a scathing attack on those who had criticised his strike rate (which is 147.49 after 10 innings, the second lowest among the top 10 run-getters so far this edition) as well as his ability to attack spinners. READ MORE

The home side has some positives to look up to. Sunil Narine’s sensational form with the bat — 357 runs from eight matches with two fifties and one century — has given a thrust to their batting up the order this season.

Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (capt & wk),  Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kushagra, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Lizaad Williams, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed

Impact Sub: Rasikh Salam

Phil Salt, Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana

Impact Sub: Anukul Roy

Signed up as Lungi Ngidi’s replacement, Aussie Jake Fraser-McGurk has proved to be their X-factor with his ferocious batting display at the top. A natural power-hitter with superb hand-eye coordination, the 22-year-old has taken the IPL by storm scoring 247 runs in five matches at a strike-rate of 237.50.

On a pitch rolled-out for batsmen a couple of days ago, Kolkata Knight Riders piled on 261/6 before Jonny Bairstow’s magnificent century helped Punjab Kings complete record chase. READ MORE

According to AccuWeather.com, temperatures will be around 30-35 degrees Celsius during the evening. Humidity levels are expected to reach about 70%, with no chance of rain.

Runs have flowed at Eden Gardens this year, and that’s unlikely to change. One can expect another high-scoring match.