IPL 2017: Top 5 moments from Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils encounters through IPL history
The last time the Kolkata Knight Riders stepped onto the Eden Gardens, they entered the record books as their pace attack dismantled the star-studded batting unit of the Royal Challengers Bangalore for just 49 runs, the lowest score in the history of Indian Premier League. While the bowling unit won them the match against the Bangalore outfit, it was time for their batsmen to step up and take the responsibility of taking the team over the line in their next encounter and they did not disappoint either.
Chasing 183 runs against the rejuvenated Rising Pune Supergiant, Gautam Gambhir and his troops ensured a clinical batting performance to thump the Supergiant by seven wickets in their own backyard. Riding high on confidence after routing the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rising Pune Supergiant, Knight Riders return to their fortress to counter the young brigade from Delhi in the first match of the doubleheader on Friday.
Extra Cover: IPL 2017 KKR vs DD: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Today's probable playing 11 against Delhi Daredevils (DD)
The inexperienced batting unit of the Delhi Daredevils has come back to haunt them and they need to get their act together in the coming matches in order to revive their campaign. The Daredevils are languishing in seventh position in the points table and will be looking to make amends and get back to winning ways against the mighty Knight Riders.
The two teams have been involved in some hard fought encounters ever since the inception of Indian Premier League in 2008 and this game will not be any different as the teams face off for an epic clash the Eden Gardens.
Let us relive the top five moments between the two sides in the history of Indian Premier League:
#5 Robin Uthappa’s fighting 72 off 52 balls in 2016
The Delhi Daredevils displayed an all-round performance to outclass the Knight Riders by 27 runs in the first game between the two sides in the ninth edition of the tournament. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Delhi boys put up a huge total of 186 runs in their 20 overs largely due to half-centuries from Karun Nair and Sam Billings.
Chasing 187 runs for victory, the Knight Riders started on a poor note as they lost their skipper, Gautam Gambhir cheaply in the third over of the run chase. Robin Uthappa opened the batting along with Gambhir and scored a fighting knock of 72 runs in 52 deliveries to give the Knight Riders a chance of victory. The right-handed batsman failed to find an ideal partner in the massive run chase as wickets kept tumbling at the other end.
Uthappa started to take the attack to the opposition once the lower order batsmen came in and smashed a few boundaries to give his team a slender hope of winning. He was eventually dismissed in the 18th over of the chase for 72 runs and his lone fighting knock was studded with six boundaries and two huge hits over the fence.
The wicket dismissed all hopes of KKR scrambling over the line and the visitors folded for 159 runs with Uthappa top-scoring.