Sunil Narine's All-Round Brilliance Secures KKR's 14-Run Victory Over DC

In an exciting IPL 2025 match on April 29 at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pulled off a 14-run win against Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 48th game of the season. Sunil Narine’s all-around brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award, keeping KKR’s playoff dreams alive in a nail-biting contest.

KKR batted first after DC chose to bowl, putting up a solid 204/9 in their 20 overs. Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a steady 44 off 32 balls, while Rinku Singh (36 off 25) and Narine (27 off 16) chipped in with quick runs. DC’s Mitchell Starc (3/43) and Axar Patel (2/27) tried to slow KKR down, but some late hitting pushed the total just out of reach.

DC’s chase got off to a rough start when Anukul Roy dismissed Abishek Porel early. Things got worse when KL Rahul was run out thanks to a brilliant direct hit from Narine, leaving DC at 60/3. Faf du Plessis (62) and Axar Patel (43), despite nursing an arm injury, fought back with a 76-run partnership that gave DC hope. But Narine turned the game in KKR’s favor, taking out Axar, Tristan Stubbs, and du Plessis quickly during the 14th and 16th overs. He finished with 3/29, while Varun Chakaravarthy’s two wickets, including Ashutosh Sharma, hurt DC further. Despite a late surge from Vipraj Nigam (38), DC could only manage 190/9, with Andre Russell’s pinpoint yorkers sealing the victory for KKR.

Filling in as captain for the injured Ajinkya Rahane, Narine praised his team’s effort, especially his wickets and that game-changing run-out. DC’s Axar Patel admitted the loss stung, marking their second defeat in a row and leaving them with 12 points. KKR’s much-needed win, their first in four games, boosted them to 9 points, heating up the playoff race.

Narine’s 27 runs, three wickets, and sharp fielding showed why he’s a KKR star. For DC, losing Rahul early and failing to build on du Plessis’ fifty hurt their chances, setting up a crucial stretch in IPL 2025.