Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor Gautam Gambhir’s faith in Mitchell Starc paid off as the pacer struck early against Lucknow Super Giants, dismissing Deepak Hooda within the powerplay. In the 28th match of IPL 2024, KKR’s bowlers held LSG to 49-2 in the initial six overs. Vaibhav Arora claimed Quinton de Kock’s wicket while Ramandeep Singh’s stunning catch gave Starc his first breakthrough.
Despite a promising start by KL Rahul, LSG struggled to build momentum until Ayush Badoni’s contribution of 29 off 27 balls. Nicholas Pooran’s brilliant 45 off 32 balls boosted LSG to a total of 161-7. Starc starred for KKR, clinching three wickets for 28 runs in his quota of four overs, including the crucial dismissal of Pooran in the final over.
In their chase, KKR’s Philip Salt’s explosive 89 off 47 balls overshadowed Sunil Narine’s early exit. Skipper Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 38 anchored KKR’s victory by eight wickets.
KKR’s strength lies in players like Narine and Andre Russell, who helped set the stage for their clash against LSG at Eden Gardens. With this win, KKR bounced back from their previous defeat, marking their second home victory in IPL 2024 after a successful campaign opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Key Points from KKR vs LSG IPL 2024 Match:
- Kolkata Knight Riders secured an eight-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants.
- Phil Salt’s rapid half-century came off just 26 balls.
- LSG’s Shamar Joseph made his IPL debut.
- Nicholas Pooran’s 45 runs lifted LSG to a total of 161-7.
- Mitchell Starc’s three-wicket haul conceded 28 runs in four overs.
- KKR won the toss and elected to bowl first.
