DC vs KKR: Narine’s magic worked, Kolkata defeated Delhi with ball and bat!
Kolkata showed the strength of the defending champion!
In this exciting season of IPL 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 14 runs to keep their title defense hopes alive. In this match held at Arun Jaitley Stadium, KKR’s star all-rounder Sunil Narine made a blast with both the ball and the bat. Narine’s performance of 3 wickets and 29 runs gave Delhi a taste of defeat in their own home.
Narine’s ‘mystery spin’ magic: Baffled Akshar-Faf!
The turning point of the match came when Delhi needed 75 runs in 7 overs after a partnership of 76 runs. On this occasion, Narine showed his game-sense. After hitting a six off the first ball to Akshar Patel, he increased the length of the ball a bit and handed over the catch of Akshar to Harshit Rana. After this, he turned the match in favor of Kolkata by bowling Tristan Stubbs and sending Faf du Plessis (58 runs) to the pavilion. Narine took 3 wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs and won the Player of the Match title.
Delhi’s chasing: Rollercoaster of hope and despair!
Delhi’s innings was heart-pounding from the beginning. After KL Rahul’s run out (Harshit Rana’s direct hit), Faf and Axar balanced the match by making a pair of 76 runs. But as soon as Narine came, Delhi’s run rate fell. Faf du Plessis (62 runs) and Axar Patel (43 runs) also could not lead the team to victory. In the end, Delhi was reduced to 190/9, while the target was 205.
KKR’s batting: Great start, but missed opportunity!
Kolkata took a great start of 79/1 in the powerplay itself in batting. Gurbaz (26 runs) and Narine (27 runs) played explosive early innings. But KKR failed to put pressure on the bowlers in the middle and final overs. Even hard-hitters like Andre Russell (17 runs) and Rovman Powell (5 runs) could not score many runs. Mitchell Starc (3 wickets) and Vipraj Nigam (2 wickets) restricted KKR to 204/9.
Delhi bowling: Starc-Axar showed their strength!
In Delhi’s bowling, Mitchell Starc troubled KKR with his yorker and speed. He dismissed Powell and Anukul Roy on two consecutive balls in the 20th over, while Dushmanta Chameera took a brilliant catch to bring Starc close to a hat-trick. Axar Patel also showed by taking 2 wickets that he is dangerous not only in batting but also in bowling.
Conclusion: Playoff race heats up with Kolkata’s win!
With this win, KKR added 8 points with 4 wins and remained in the 7th position. At the same time, Delhi is in the 4th position with 10 points, but has a lead of just one point over Punjab Kings. Narine’s form and the performance of the KKR team have made the playoff race more exciting.
Read More : IPL 2025 Points Table: Kolkata at 7th place after DC vs KKR, Rajasthan raised playoff hopes!