CHENNAI: At one point, it looked like a highlights package rather than live action. That is how Sunil Narine (85 from 39 balls) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (54 off 27) were batting at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium during the clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. Once they got out, Rinku Singh (26 from 8 balls) and Andre Russell (41 off 19) took charge as Kolkata Knight Riders posted 272/7 in 20 overs. In reply, Delhi were all out for 166, falling short by 106 runs. Rishabh Pant (55) and Tristan Stubbs (54) scored fifties, but they were not enough.
Opting to bat first, KKR got 0ff to a flying start. Phil Salt hit consecutive boundaries off Ishant Sharma while Narine took on Khaleel Ahmed. In the fourth over, Narine hit three sixes and two fours off Ishant as KKR raced to 58/0. Brought in to break the partnership, Anrich Nortje removed Salt (18). However, Raghuvanshi kept the momentum going as KKR finished the powerplay with 88/1.
Even as the field spread, Delhi had one quite over where Narine was dropped when he was on 52. When it looked like he was set for a century, Mitchell Marsh broke the partnership sending Narine back. In the next over, Raghuvanshi got out. At that point, KRR were 176/3 in 13.2 overs. While Shreyas Iyer got out shortly, Rinku and Russell threatened to take KKR past the record 277. However, Ishant bowled a terrific last over to keep KKR to 272/7. Brief scores: KKR 272/7 in 20 ovs (Narine 85, Raghuvanshi 54, Russell 41; Nortje 3/59) bt DC 166 in 17.2 ovs (Pant 55, Stubbs 54; Arora 3/27).