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IPL PIX: Salt, Starc power KKR to comprehensive 8-wicket win over LSG

Last updated on: April 14, 2024 20:28 IST

IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday

IMAGE: Kolkata Knight Riders picked up a comfortable win over Lucknow Super Giants. Photograph: BCCI

Opening batter Phil Salt's magnificent 89 not out complemented pacer Mitchell Starc's brilliant bowling show as Kolkata Knight Riders began their five-match home stretch with a one-sided eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League in Kolkata on Sunday.

 

The IPL's record buy Starc, who copped criticism for taking just two wickets from four matches and leaking 11 runs per over, grabbed 3/28, while Sunil Narine returned with figures of 1/17 in his miserly spell as LSG scored a below-par 161/7 after KKR opted to bowl.

IMAGE: Mitchell Starc put up a stellar show with the ball, bowling a tidy 20th over. Photograph: BCCI

The duo's bowling show eventually denied 20-30 runs for LSG who suffered their first ever defeat against KKR.

Salt smashed three sixes and 14 fours in his 47-ball 89 not out, while captain Shreyas Iyer overcame a wobbly start to remain unbeaten on a run-a-ball 38 as KKR chased down the target of 162 with 26 balls to spare.

IMAGE: Phil Salt and Shreyas Iyer put up an unbeaten partnership. Photograph: BCCI

The duo stitched an unbroken stand of 120 from 76 balls to take KKR to 162 form 2 in 15.4 overs.

The win that coincided with the Bangla Nabo Barsho (Bengali New Year) catapulted KKR to second spot in the IPL table with eight points from five matches.

IMAGE: Shamar Joseph got his IPL journey off to a nightmarish start. Photograph: BCCI

West Indies' Gabba Test hero against Australia, Shamar Joseph capped a forgettable debut for LSG and he began by leaking 22 runs in an eventful first over in which he bowled two wides and two no-balls.

Salt added salt to the injury by spanking the 24-year-old pacer over midwicket, that set the tone for his 26-ball fifty. He then smashed Arshad Khan for successive boundaries to race to his fifty, his second of the season -- both coming at their home turf.

IMAGE: Phil Salt in action. Photograph: BCCI

The only bright spot for LSG was Mohsin Khan's first two overs when he exhibited a fine display of left-arm pace bowling and took the key wickets of Sunil Narine (6) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7).

He also nearly dismissed KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer with an incoming delivery that went through the batter's defence before darting away.

IMAGE: LSG celebrate Angkrish Raghuvanshi's dismissal. Photograph: BCCI

Apart from that, it was a one-way traffic with Salt in his devastating best.

At the end of power play, KKR were well on course with Salt's aggressive innings (strike rate of above 189) taking them to 58/2.

IMAGE: Shreyas Iyer plays a shot. Photograph: BCCI

Iyer initially looked out of sorts and he had some anxious moments against left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan whose deliveries troubled the KKR skipper.

With no scoreboard pressure, Salt's fluent innings also rubbed on Iyer who overcame an anxious start.

IMAGE: Phil Salt struck his second half-century of the season. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, playing his 14th successive season for KKR, Narine yet again showed his craft at Eden Gardens when he stifled LSG in the middle overs in his boundary-less show that eventually proved to be decisive.

The Trinidadian came right after the power play just when captain KL Rahul and Badoni were looking to capitalise with 49/2 on the board.

IMAGE: Sunil Narine celebrates the dismissal of Ayush Badoni. Photograph: BCCI

With the wicket gripping, he varied his pace and deceived the batters with his clever variations and the duo chose to see through his overs.

Narine gave away just nine runs in his first two overs, and completed his quota in the 15th over, dismissing Badoni (29) with Angkrish Raghuvanshi taking a well-judged catch at deep square leg.

IMAGE: LSG skipper KL Rahul plays a shot. Photograph: BCCI

Under the searing sun and on a two-paced wicket, LSG struggled to hold on to the momentum after the power-play with Narine and Rana bowling with precision.

Promoted to No. 4 after his 35-ball 55 not out, Ayush Badoni struggled to rotate strike as the KKR bowler duo did well to bring the run-rate down to 7.2 at the halfway mark.

IMAGE: Ayush Badoni in action. Photograph: BCCI

Rahul, who looked at ease against the pacers, also began to choke under pressure but he took on Andre Russell in the 11th over for an upper-cut six over deep backward point.

In the next ball, he attempted a swivel shot but mistimed it straight to Ramandeep Singh at deep midwicket to be out of 39.

IMAGE: Phil Salt celebrates after picking up a catch. Photograph: BCCI

Under-fire Starc bore the brunt of Quinton De Kock's fury early on when the South African smoked him for successive fours.

At the other end, Arora was wayward and Rahul took on the inexperienced seamer, hitting him over extra cover.

IMAGE: KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda take a quick signal. Photograph: BCCI

Against the run of play, Arora drew first blood in the second over, dismissing de Kock for 10 in a rather sloppy display by the South African veteran who took a thickish outside edge to hole out to Narine at short third man.

Hooda's promotion to No. 3 also failed to yield desired result as he ate up a lot of deliveries, leaving Rahul stranded at the other end.

IMAGE: A dejected Ayush Badoni walks off. Photograph: BCCI

Hooda finally perished for eight in the fifth over thanks to Ramandeep's flying catch at deep backward point as KKR's fielding looked vastly improved.

After being 111/5 in 14.4 overs, LSG recovered in the back end with Nicholas Pooran's counter-attacking innings.

IMAGE: Nicholas Pooran top-scored for LSG. Photograph: BCCI

Pooran smashed four sixes and two fours as LSG looked for a total of around 190 on the difficult pitch.

Just when he was closing in on his fifty, Starc (3/28) had the last laugh in the final over.

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