Narine Leads Spin attack as KKR Defeat Delhi Capitals
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured a crucial victory in the 2025 Indian Premier League, defeating the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 14 runs on Tuesday, April 29th. Despite appearing under pressure during Delhi's run chase, KKR made a remarkable comeback led by their spinners, particularly Sunil Narine, who also stepped in as acting captain.
Knight Riders Set Strong Target
Batting first, KKR benefited from wayward bowling by DC's pacers to post a strong total of 204 for 9. Their openers – Sunil Narine, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Captain Ajinkya Rahane – all provided quick starts in the mid-20s, propelling KKR to 79 for 1 in the powerplay and 91 within seven overs. A subsequent partnership between Rinku Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (44) consolidated the innings. However, KKR lost momentum in the final phase, scoring only 45 runs in the last five overs as wickets fell regularly. Mitchell Starc (3/43) and Axar Patel (2/27) were the primary wicket-takers for Delhi.
Du Plessis and Axar Lead the Chase
Delhi Capitals began their pursuit of 205 strongly, overcoming the early loss of Abishek Porel and Karun Nair. A crucial direct hit run-out by Sunil Narine accounted for KL Rahul. However, Faf du Plessis (62) and captain Axar Patel (43) launched a significant counter-attack. They were particularly severe on KKR's key spinners, Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, initially negating their threat. Their partnership put DC in a commanding position at 136 for 3, requiring just 69 runs from the final 41 deliveries.
Narine’s bowling Turnaround
The match turned dramatically when Sunil Narine, leading the side due to injuries elsewhere, initiated a fightback. Despite being expensive earlier, he first dismissed the dangerous Axar Patel, caught at cover. In the same over, he deceived Tristan Stubbs with a subtle off-break. Narine later returned to claim the vital wicket of the set batsman, Faf du Plessis, caught attempting a forcing shot.
Spinners Secure Win
Following Narine's breakthroughs, Varun Chakravarthy also recovered impressively. After an expensive initial spell, he bowled a decisive 18th over, claiming the wickets of Ashutosh Sharma and Mitchell Starc off consecutive deliveries to effectively seal the match. Despite some late boundaries, DC finished short on 190 for 9.
