Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals to keep playoff hopes alive

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders kept their IPL 2025 playoff hopes alive with a 14-run win over Delhi Capitals in Delhi on Tuesday.

Veteran spinner Sunil Narine bagged three wickets in successive overs as KKR defended their total of 204/9 to move into seventh position on 9 points. Despite suffering consecutive defeats, DC are fourth in the table on 12 points.

DC were left reeling at 60/3 before veteran Faf du Plessis (62) and skipper Axar Patel (43) stitched a 76-run stand. Narine, who scored a handy 27 earlier, removed Axar and then got du Plessis in the next over to tilt the advantage in favour of the visitors.

Anukul Roy had removed DC’s reliable opener Abhishek Porel (4) before Vaibhav Arora trapped Karun Nair (15) LBW. K L Rahul (7) was run out by Narine with a direct hit. Vipraj Nigam tried his best to get DC closer to the target with two sixes and three fours but in vain.

Narine and fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (26) gave KKR their best opening stand of the season -- 48 off 17. DC managed to take wickets at regular intervals to stop the run flow. Angkrish Raghuvanshi top-scored with 44 and Rinku Singh added 36 for KKR. Mitchell Starc was the pick of the DC bowlers, with 3/43, while Viprag bagged 2/41 and Axar finished with 2/27.

Brief scores: KKR 204/9 in 20 overs (Angkrish Raghuvanshi 44, Rinku Singh 36, Sunil Narine 27, Mitchell Starc 3/43, Axar 2/27, Vipraj 2/41) bt DC 190/9 in 20 overs (Faf du Plessis 62, Axar 43, Vipraj 38, Narine 3/29, Varun Chakravarthy 2/39)