KKR reach the top of the points table after a dominating 98 run victory over LSG

In a high-octane IPL clash, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) showcased their dominance by thrashing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by a whopping 98 runs, catapulting them to the top of the points table. 

Lucknow's decision to put Kolkata into bat backfired as the opening duo of Sunil Narine and Phil Salt put KKR off to a flying start. Sunil Narine’s 81 off just 39 balls gave the visiting team a positive start putting the inexperienced LSG bowling line up under pressure. Towards the end of the innings Ramandeep Singh’s impactful cameo of 25 in just 6 balls helped KKR reach a mammoth total of 235 runs - highest ever score at the Ekana stadium in IPL history.

In the second half of the match Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy starred with the ball for KKR, scalping three wickets each, while Andre Russell and Sunil Narine contributed with two apiece. Lucknow's inability to keep up with the required run rate led to the fall of wickets at regular successions, as they were bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs.

Reflecting on the match, LSG captain KL Rahul admitted, "It was a really true wicket and Kolkata got a total which was 25-30 runs above par." He stated the need for improvement in execution going forward.