IPL 2022: Former knight Kuldeep makes Kolkata pay

Mustafizur Rahman’s final over yielded three wickets and only two runs, limiting Kolkata Knight Riders’ total to a disappointing 146/9. On the heels of a 65-run third-wicket partnership between David Warner (42) and Lalit Yadav, the Delhi Capitals made things difficult for themselves by losing two early wickets followed by three more in the middle overs. Axar Patel’s run-out was unnecessary once they regained the initiative. KKR, on the other hand, suffered their sixth defeat in the IPL, and their fifth in a row, due to a lack of runs on the board. With one over remaining, DC won by four wickets, while KKR’s team selection suggested desperation.

He didn’t even play a game for KKR last season before being dumped by the franchise ahead of the mega auction. Kuldeep Yadav was recovering from knee surgery at the time of the IPL auction for 2022, and he was in danger of going unsold. DC paid Rs 2 crore for him, and they are ecstatic with their decision. DC has won four games in a row, with the chinaman bowler winning Man of the Match in each of them, including this one. In the first-leg, he was the arch-enemy of his former franchise. He spun a web around the KKR batsmen on Thursday at Wankhede. His tournament tally now stands at 17 scalps after 4/14.

Success breeds self-assurance. Kuldeep cried on the field three years ago after being the victim of a Moeen Ali batting assault. He’s now playing with a grin on his face. His step has a bounce to it, his body language is upbeat, and on occasion, like today, he makes the ball talk. Kuldeep bowled Shreyas Iyer and Andre Russell in his second spell after taking the wickets of Baba Indrajith and Sunil Narine off successive deliveries in his first spell. On his IPL debut for KKR, Indrajith jumped out of the crease and was fooled by the flight. The double bluff finally got to Narine. A slip was left, indicating a typical away-goer.

Shreyas, the KKR captain, was attempting to mount a comeback, upping the ante against Axar with a couple of fours. Rishabh Pant made a stunning catch to remove a Kuldeep wrongdoer. Russell tried his usual strong-arm tactics but was defeated by Kuldeep’s deception; he was stumped. Mustafizur, who returned with 3/18, also made a significant contribution to the cause.

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