LSG vs KKR Review: Salt, Starc help Kolkata get back to winning ways

Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders faced off in Match 28 of the Indian Premier League 2024 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. KKR won the toss and opted to bowl first. Quinton de Kock (10 off 8) and KL Rahul (39 off 27) were off to a decent start but Deepak Hooda (8 off 10) and Ayush Badoni (29 off 27) struggled to score at a quick pace. Marcus Stoinis (10 off 5) departed early before Nicholas Pooran (45 off 32) dealt with boundaries and LSG posted a sub-par 161/7.

For KKR, Phil Salt (89* off 47) dominated the powerplay even though Sunil Narine (6 off 6) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (7 off 6) walked back with a minimal contribution. Shreyas Iyer (38* off 38) played an anchor role on batter centric pitch. Salt and Iyer stitched a phenomenal 120-run stand for the third wicket and KKR emerged victorious by eight wickets with 4.2 overs to spare.

Top Performers of the Match

Phil Salt (89* off 47)

Phil Salt started with a six of debutant Shamar Joseph. He then took Krunal Pandya on with three consecutive boundaries. He did exactly what KKR expected from him, an early assault, and kept the scoreboard ticking with intermittent boundaries and maximums. With Iyer opting for a conservative approach, he kept the run rate in check. He smashed 14 boundaries and three maximums in his match-winning knock.

Mitchell Starc (3 for 28)

Mitchell Starc made a comeback in what was an arduous season so far. His first victim was Hooda and the pacer seemed in great touch. Bowling the crucial final over of the innings, Starc swept Pooran away who was settled to kill. He then got rid of pinch hitter Arshad Khan and conceded just six runs and provided KKR the momentum for the chase.

What’s next for both teams?

Lucknow Super Giants will take on Chennai Super Kings in Match 34 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 19. Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Rajasthan Royals in Match 31 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on April 16