KKR Hold Nerve to Clinch Crucial 14-Run Win Over Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025 Thriller
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) edged past Delhi Capitals (DC) by 14 runs in a high-octane IPL 2025 clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, keeping their playoff hopes alive with a disciplined all-round performance.
After setting a daunting target of 205 on the back of impactful cameos from their top and middle-order batters, KKR’s spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy turned the tide with late double-wicket bursts, derailing DC’s chase in the death overs. The victory marked DC’s third loss at their home ground this season.
KKR Post Formidable 204 Despite Late Collapse
Batting first, Kolkata rode on brisk knocks from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (44) and Rinku Singh (36) to build momentum, with the rest of the line-up contributing at a healthy strike rate. Despite losing wickets in the final overs—thanks to Mitchell Starc’s 3-42 and a tidy spell from Axar Patel (2-27)—KKR managed a competitive 204/9 in their 20 overs.
Du Plessis-Axar Fightback Threatens to Upstage KKR
Delhi’s chase began on a shaky note as Abishek Porel fell cheaply to Anukul Roy, who impressed with his variations. While Karun Nair was undone by a perfect yorker from Vaibhav Arora, Faf du Plessis took control, finding the fence regularly and forging a 76-run partnership with Axar Patel.
Despite Axar battling through a painful left-hand injury, the duo kept DC in contention with aggressive strokeplay. Du Plessis brought up a 31-ball fifty and continued to anchor the innings, even as KL Rahul was run out in a moment of hesitation—thanks to a brilliant direct hit from stand-in skipper Sunil Narine at short fine-leg.
Spin Strikes Turn the Match
With DC at 136/3 after 13 overs, Narine shifted the momentum decisively in the 14th, removing both Axar (caught at cover) and Tristan Stubbs (bowled through the gate). He returned to claim the crucial scalp of du Plessis (62 off 38), who miscued a slog to deep mid-wicket.
Chakaravarthy followed suit in the 18th over, removing Ashutosh Sharma and Mitchell Starc in quick succession. Despite a late charge from Vipraj Nigam—who hammered 38 off just 17 balls, including two sixes and three fours—DC fell short, finishing at 190/9.
Captain Narine Leads from the Front
Narine capped off a match-winning all-round effort with figures of 3-29, a run-out, and sharp captaincy under pressure. He was ably supported by Chakaravarthy (2-39), while Roy, Arora, and Andre Russell chipped in with a wicket each, including Russell removing Nigam at a critical juncture to seal the win.
Brief Scores:
- Kolkata Knight Riders: 204/9 in 20 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 44, Rinku Singh 36; Mitchell Starc 3-42, Axar Patel 2-27)
- Delhi Capitals: 190/9 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 62, Axar Patel 43; Sunil Narine 3-29, Varun Chakaravarthy 2-39)
Result: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 14 runs
Would you like a graphic summary or scorecard to accompany this article?
