Delhi Capitals (DC) endured their second consecutive loss of the season, falling to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 14 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. With this win, KKR broke their three-match winless run and kept their slim playoff hopes alive, staying seventh on the table. DC, on the other hand, suffered their third home loss in four matches but remain in fourth place.
KKR’s Opening Concerns Persist
Despite sticking with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine as openers, KKR’s woes at the top continued. The pair added just 48 runs—KKR’s highest opening stand of the season—but they remain the only team yet to register a 50+ opening partnership in IPL 2025. The breakthrough came courtesy of a sharp low catch from Abishek Porel behind the stumps.
Venkatesh Iyer’s Underwhelming Run
Big-money signing Venkatesh Iyer, bought for ₹23.75 crore, continued to underperform. He managed just 11 runs before mistiming a shot off Axar Patel to depart cheaply again. Iyer has accumulated only 142 runs in seven innings, averaging 20.29 with a strike rate of 139.22, and has registered four single-digit scores.
Strong Start, Weak Finish
KKR began explosively, reaching their fastest fifty of the season in just 3.4 overs and notching 79 runs in the powerplay—second-best for them this year. However, the momentum dipped in the death overs, managing only 45 runs in the last five. Rinku Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 61 from 46 balls in the middle, but KKR eventually finished at 204/9, boosted slightly by a late six from Andre Russell. DC hit back with three quick wickets in Mitchell Starc’s final over.
DC’s Struggles Against Spin Deepen
Delhi Capitals continued their poor run against spin, losing six more wickets in the match to take their total to 29—now the most by any team this season. Varun Chakaravarthy (2/39), Sunil Narine (3/29), and Anukul Roy (1/27) played key roles in derailing the chase.
Narine’s All-Round Impact
Narine’s performance proved pivotal. With DC threatening through Axar Patel and Faf du Plessis, Narine turned the game by removing both in a critical spell. Stepping in as acting captain after Ajinkya Rahane left the field due to injury, Narine showcased his leadership and experience in a game where every small margin mattered.
