IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders rubs ‘ Salt’ in Delhi Capitals’ wound, registers comfortable seven-wicket win

KKR rode on Varun Chakravarthy’s brilliant three-wicket haul to restrict DC to an 153 before overhauling the modest target to post its sixth win.

Salt, let off on 15, took charge of the chase. He executed his clinical clean hitting, plundering seven fours and five sixes, primarily through cut, pull and drives, in his glorious 33-ball 68.  | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak/The Hindu

Phil Salt’s explosive half-century helped Kolkata Knight Riders return to winning ways as the host recorded an emphatic seven-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens here on Monday.

KKR rode on Varun Chakravarthy’s brilliant three-wicket haul to restrict DC to an 153 before overhauling the modest target to post its sixth win.

Salt, let off on 15, took charge of the chase. He executed his clinical clean hitting, plundering seven fours and five sixes, primarily through cut, pull and drives, in his glorious 33-ball 68. Salt, who collected 18 runs off the sixth over, reached his fourth 50 by hammering Khaleel Ahmed for a stunning six. He added 79 with Sunil Narine in 6.1 overs to put the home side in a commanding position.

Axar Patel claimed both the openers. Narine was caught in the deep, while Salt was played on. Rinku Singh fell cheaply, but the Iyers, Shreyas and Venkatesh, ensured victory.

Earlier, KKR bowlers struck at regular intervals to dent DC’s progress.

On their return, KKR’s pacers Mitchell Starc and Vaibhav Arora scalped three wickets between them even as the tourists plundered 66 runs in the PowerPlay.

Arora posed questions to the DC lineup and took two wickets — Prithvi Shaw caught behind and Shai Hope bowled by a peach of a delivery.

Meanwhile, Starc got rid of the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk, who pulled one to Venkatesh Iyer at deep square-leg.

Harshit Rana accounted for Abishek Porel.

Varun began by taking the vital wicket of Rishabh Pant (27) and added two more to deny DC any scope of revival. | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak/The Hindu

The crafty Varun and the accurate Narine combined well and enjoyed the slight turn on offer.

Varun began by taking the vital wicket of Rishabh Pant (27) and added two more to deny DC any scope of revival.

Pant (27), who was dropped once by Harshit off Varun, could not capitalise on the ‘life’ he got on 18. The southpaw miscued another one to Shreyas at extra-cover.

Tristan Stubbs and impact player Kumar Kushagra were smartly caught by Salt, while Narine foxed Axar.

Kuldeep Yadav (35 not out) utilised a reprieve to register his highest score and contribute some valuable runs but it ultimately went in vain.

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