IPL 2024: Varun Chakaravarthy, Phil Salt power Kolkata Knight Riders to 7-wicket win over Delhi Capitals

Led by the dynamic spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) put on a stellar bowling display to restrict Delhi Capitals (DC) to 153 for nine at the iconic Eden Gardens on Monday. The disciplined bowling effort paved the way for KKR to secure a convincing seven-wicket victory.

In the chase, Phil Salt showcased his aggressive batting prowess by smashing a quickfire 68 off just 23 balls, setting the tone for KKR's successful run chase. Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer then steered the team home with composed innings.

Earlier in the match, Rishabh Pant's decision to bat first seemed to backfire as Delhi Capitals stumbled, losing three wickets in the Powerplay. Despite the early setbacks, Pant, along with Axar Patel and Abhishek Porel, displayed flashes of brilliance with the bat but failed to convert their starts into substantial contributions. Delhi Capitals struggled to build partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals, putting their total in jeopardy. However, Kuldeep Yadav's unbeaten knock of 35 runs towards the end provided some stability and helped Delhi reach a respectable total of 153 runs.

Kolkata Knight Riders' bowlers, led by Varun Chakravarthy's impressive three-wicket haul, put up a commendable performance. Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana also chipped in with two wickets each, contributing to KKR's strong bowling display. The bowlers set the stage for KKR's batsmen, who delivered a clinical performance to secure a well-deserved victory.