Tata IPL 2024 Match 16, DC Vs KKR – Match Report

April 4, 2024

KKR built a formidable score of 272 runs, losing seven wickets, against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on the shores of Visakhapatnam. This score ranks as the second-highest in TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) history, surpassing Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 263 in the 2013 edition. KKR’s stellar performance secured their third consecutive victory in the 2024 season.

The KKR batsmen delighted the spectators with their thrilling performance at the crease. Just a week ago, in Hyderabad, not far from Visakhapatnam, the home team set a new record in Tata IPL history by scoring 277 runs, the highest total ever. As the match progressed towards its conclusion, KKR came close to breaking this record but ultimately fell short, with Ishant Sharma delivering a crucial last over for Hyderabad.

It’s hard to believe that Sunil Narine, who ended up being the top-scorer, took six deliveries to get off the mark, finally opening his account with a single to third man in the second over. This slow start was just the calm before the storm, as he then hit a four off Khaleel Ahmed in the third over with a well-placed cut shot over point. Meanwhile, Phil Salt was on a more aggressive spree, quickly reaching 18 runs at the other end.

The onslaught commenced in the fourth over as Narine capitalized on Ishant’s bowling, scoring 26 runs. He adeptly used horizontal bat shots for short deliveries and cleared the infield for full-length ones, making every ball disappear towards the boundaries. DC had an opportunity to dismiss Narine earlier when he edged a short delivery to the wicketkeeper during Ishant’s over, but the review request came after the allotted time, saving Narine’s innings.

In the following over, Anrich Nortje made a breakthrough by dismissing Phil Salt, with the scoreboard already at 60 runs. DC might have hoped to slow down the scoring, but then Angkrish Raghuvanshi made his IPL batting debut, adding a new dimension to the match.

The young batsman showed no signs of nerves on the big stage as he confidently hit his first ball for a four over fine-leg. He followed it up with another boundary through the off-side off the next delivery. The partnership between him and Narine showcased a stark contrast: one end had an experienced player, while the other had a newcomer eager to leave a mark. This combination of experience and youth brought dynamism to the team’s batting lineup. Narine displayed aggressive T20 batting tactics, while Raghuvanshi impressed with his solid technique and elegant strokeplay. Raghuvanshi also displayed creativity, such as when he executed a reverse scoop for six runs off Rasikh Salam in the 11th over.

The 104-run partnership between Narine and Raghuvanshi was a delight for the fans, achieved in just 48 balls. Narine reached his fifty in a remarkable 21 deliveries, propelling KKR to 88 for one by the end of the powerplay. Surpassing his previous best Tata IPL score, Narine continued his aggressive batting even after the powerplay, hitting a six off Anrich Nortje in the 12th over to surpass his highest overall T20 score. However, his innings ended at 85 when he edged a delivery from Mitchell Marsh to Pant. Andre Russell came to bat after this.

Shortly after, Raghuvanshi reached his fifty in just 25 balls, marking a fantastic beginning to his IPL journey. While he seemed poised for a big score, he fell for 54 when he uppercut Nortje’s delivery straight to third man. With Russell’s contribution, KKR surged past 200 runs in the 16th over, igniting excitement among the crowd as they contemplated the prospect of a record team total.

KKR’s aggressive batting persisted, with Rinku Singh’s rapid 26 off eight balls adding to the pressure on DC. Russell’s entertaining knock of 41 off 19 balls, along with other contributions, added to the already impressive total following the Narine-Raghuvanshi partnership. It was a challenging day for DC’s bowlers, with Ishant’s searing yorker that dismissed Russell in the final over being the only notable moment for them.

DC’s response got off to a rocky start, losing four wickets during the powerplay. While there was clear intent from their batsmen, the weight of chasing a substantial target was visibly daunting. Vaibhav Arora, designated as the Impact Player, made crucial breakthroughs by dismissing Prithvi Shaw and Abishek Porel, who was the Impact Player for DC. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc removed Mitchell Marsh and David Warner, his fellow countrymen, further denting DC’s innings as they slumped to 33 for four.

Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs then built a resilient partnership. Pant, in particular, displayed aggressive intent right from the start. Although DC lagged behind the required run rate, Pant’s aggressive stroke play kept them in the game. He reached his fifty in the 12th over, off just 23 deliveries, during which Venkatesh Iyer’s over cost 28 runs as Pant showcased his array of shots across the ground. Notably, this was the most expensive over of the match. Pant’s innings came to an end when he attempted to hit Varun Chakaravarthy over long-on but mistimed it, resulting in a catch at cover. Axar Patel also tried to go big on his first ball but ended up skying it. Manish Pandey took a sharp catch diving forward from long-on.

Stubbs continued his fight, reaching his fifty off 28 deliveries with a display of impressive shots. However, like Pant, Stubbs also departed shortly after reaching his milestone. With Stubbs and Pant back in the pavilion, DC faced an insurmountable task, leading to KKR comfortably winning by 106 runs. Arora stood out as the best bowler, living up to his Impact Player status with figures of three for 27 on a pitch favoring batsmen. Starc (two for 25) and Chakaravarthy (three for 33) also made valuable contributions, complementing Narine’s batting brilliance with his bowling, finishing with figures of one for 29.

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