Kolkata stutter past Delhi into IPL final

Kolkata Knight Riders have reached their first Indian Premier League final in seven years with a stuttering three-wicket win over last year’s finalists Delhi Capitals in the playoffs.

Kolkata had appeared to be sailing to victory over the Ricky Ponting-coached Capitals on Wednesday before they lost seven wickets for 40 runs, leading to the closest of last-over finishes.

Yet they managed to scrape their way to reach their target on 7-136 with one ball to spare.

They were thankful to Venkatesh Iyer (55) and Shubman Gill (46), who’d put on 96 for the opening wicket.

Kagiso Rabada (2-23) and Andrich Nortje (2-31) claimed two wickets each and Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two wickets in the last over for the battling Capitals before Rahul Tripathi proved the hero, hammering a straight six off the penultimate ball to see Kolkata through to their third IPL final.

Kolkata have turned the tide in their favour on the slow pitches of the United Arab Emirates, winning seven of their nine games since the IPL resumed after six months due to the pandemic.

They beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the eliminator and then adjusted well on the slow and sluggish wicket of Sharjah on Wednesday as they restricted Delhi to 5-135.

Delhi’s Australian power hitter Marcus Stoinis typified their struggle, taking 23 balls to reach just 18 before being put out of his misery, bowled by Shivam Mavi.

Two-time champions Kolkata last won the title in 2014 when they beat Punjab Kings in the final.

In a repeat of the 2012 final, they will meet Chennai Super Kings in Friday’s title game.

There was disappointment for former Australia captain Ponting. His side had been last season’s runners-up and were top of the table after the group stage, only to lose two matches in a row in the playoffs to miss out on the final.

Kolkata stutter past Delhi into IPL final
Independent Information