Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL, 2024, Full Score Card

FOUR! Here it is. Salt finishes things off in style. Short one, around the hips. Salt swivels and pulls it to deep square leg for a boundary. He remains unbeaten on 89. A sensational knock for the Englishman. Kolkata win the match by 8 wickets.

Quicker and fuller, on the stumps. Salt eases it back to the bowler.

LEG BYE! It is a slider, down the leg side. Iyer comes down the track and tries to tickle it away but it catches the pads instead. Leg bye taken.

Tossed up on off, Salt knocks it to long-off for one.

Mohsin Khan pitches it up this time, on off. Salt drives it down the park to long off for a single. Kolkata are just a big hit away now.

On a length, outside off. Iyer cuts it to deep point for a single.

Shorter, and slower, around off. Iyer mistimes the pull to short mid-wicket.

It is full, on middle and leg. Salt clips it to deep square leg but only for a single this time.

SIX! SMOKED! Short of a length, around off. Salt picks the length and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket boundary for a biggie.

FOUR! Helped away! Short of a length, down the leg. Salt pulls it to the fine leg region for four runs.

Shorter, and slower, around off. Salt swivels and pulls it along the carpet to fine leg for a single.

FOUR! CRUNCHED! Pace-off, on a length, outside off. Salt waits and tonks it to the wide long-off region for another boundary.

Shorter and slower, around off. Iyer gets on top of the bounce and pulls it to deep square leg for one.

Slower length ball, outside off. Salt slaps it hard toward mid-off for a single.

FOUR MORE! Poor ball and pays the price! Low full toss, down the leg. Salt helps it to the fine leg region for an easy boundary.

FOUR! THRASHED! Slower and fuller in the slot, outside off. Salt goes inside out and hammers it to the deep extra cover fence for four runs.

WIDE! Spills it full, just outside the tramline. Salt plays and misses. Wide signaled.

Strategic break! Lucknow are finding it very difficult to break this third wicket parnetship. Their fielding has been under-par as well. Lucknow did manage to pick create a couple of chances but they could not make the most of it. Kolkata are placed comfortably here to record their first ever win against Lucknow in this competition.

FOUR! RACED AWAY! Short of a length, outside off. Iyer cuts and this runs away to the deep third region for a boundary.

Full-length delivery, at the stumps. Iyer heaves and misses.

NO BALL! A low dipping full toss on middle and leg. Salt gets across and helps it to long-on for one. Joseph has overstepped again. No Ball signaled. Free hit coming up.

Back of a length, around off. Iyer dabs it to third-man for a single.

Hard-length, on off. Iyer bunts it back at the bowler.

WIDE! Short of a length, down the leg. Iyer pulls and misses. Wide signaled.

FOUR! Too Easy! Back of a length, down the leg. Iyer swivels and helps it to the fine leg region for a boundary.

Low full toss, on middle. Iyer works it to wide of long-on for a couple.

FOUR! Easy Pickings! Short of a length, down the leg. Salt goes back and pulls it to the fine leg region for a boundary.

Back of a length on the pad. Iyer tucks it to long leg for one.

A mix-up but no damage done! Back of a length on off. Iyer waits and dabs it to the backward point region. Both batters are midway looking for the single. Iyer is ball watching when Salt responds. The fielder has a shy at the stumps but misses. Salt gets back.

Back of a length, slower ball, on middle. Salt pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Slower length ball, on off. Iyer dabs it down to deep third for one.

Wide! Another bumper on the leg peg. Iyer ducks under and lets it go. Wided.

Short ball, on the leg stump. Iyer gets across for the pull but misses. A stifled appeal but the umpire is unmoved.

Googly, outside off. Salt goes for the cut but fails to connect.

Full, around off. Salt goes for the slog but gets an inside edge onto the pad.

Shortish on middle. Salt pulls and misses onto his pad.

Full, outside off. Iyer carves it to backward point for one.

WIDE! Down the leg side. Easy decision for the umpire.

Short ball, outside off. Salt punches it to covers for one.

Tosses it full, outside off. Iyer drags it to long-on for one.

A length ball, angled into the pads. Salt looks to flick but fails to get any bat on it. The ball rolls into the off side.

Arshad Khan comes 'round the wicket and angles in a full-length ball, outside off. Phil Salt tries to get under it but misses.

FOUR! Consecutive boundaries this time. The stand moves to 59. Also, Phil Salt brings up his half-century in fine fashion. He has been very explosive at home. It is full, outside off. Salt crunches it through backward point for four runs.

FOUR! EDGY! Fuller one this time, around middle. It shapes back in sharply. Phil Salt once again manages to find the inside edge. The ball runs down to deep third for four runs.

LEG BYE! A length ball, around leg. Iyer goes for the flick but misses. It comes off the pads. The batters cross for a leg bye.

FOUR! Cut away wonderfully. Shreyas Iyer moves to 21, although a run a ball. He is keeping it easy with the big hitter at the other end. Short ball, wide of off. Iyer stays on his back foot and cuts it through the gap at point for a boundary.

Two singles on the trot to end the over. Fuller one, outside off. Iyer knocks it down to long off and crosses.

Just a single this time, as Salt pulls this short ball to deep mid-wicket but close to the fielder there.

Floats it up, full and outside off. Phil Salt gets it off the inside edge towards square leg.

Flatter one, on the stumps. Iyer goes back and tucks it into the leg side for one.

WIDE! Quicker one this time, going down leg. Shreyas Iyer lets it be. Wide given.

A slider, down leg. Iyer just flicks it towards short fine.

FOUR! A short ball, around the hips. Shreyas Iyer rocks back and pulls it towards deep square leg for a boundary.

Change. Ravi Bishnoi comes into the attack now.

Back of a length, on top of leg. Iyer comes inside the line and swats it to deep square leg for a single. 12 runs come from this over.

Slower one, on a short length, in the channel. Iyer looks to chase it but misses.

FOUR Stand and delivery. Short ball, outside off. It sits up nicely for Iyer who smacks it straight down the ground for four runs.

Yorker-length delivery, in the blockhole. Iyer jams it out from inside the crease.

A single now as Salt pushes this full ball into covers.

FOUR! Streaky. Very unfortunate for Arshad Khan. It is a good-length delivery, around middle, nipping back in sharly. It catches Salt by surprise, still he somehow manages to get it off the inside edge and the ball races down to the fine leg fence.

TWO WIDES! Arshad Khan starts with a loosener. Good length, down the leg side. Far away from KL Rahul as well. The batters sneak a single, as the umpire signals a wide.

Strategic break! Kolkata are off to a fast start in a smallish chase. The home side is going at nearly 10 runs to the over and are way ahead of the required rate. Salt has raced to 39 off 20 and will hope to make it into a big score. Lucknow have picked up a couple of wickets but have given away a few easy runs. They need to pick 2-3 wickets in quick time to get back into the match.

LEG BYES! Very full, on the pads. Salt clips it down to fine leg, but it comes off the pads instead. Yash Thakur makes a brilliant stop near the ropes to keep it down to two runs. Although, the umpire signals it as two leg byes.

DROPPED AND SIX! Shamar Joseph still hunting for his first wicket. Third one dropped off his bowling. It is a good-length ball, around the hips. Phil Salt picks it up nicely and pulls it towards deep square leg. Although, he does not get the desired distance on it. The fielder in the deep, Arshad makes a meal of it and parries it over the ropes.

Shreyas Iyer pulls this short ball to deep square leg for one.

Shamar Joseph comes back into the attack and has an instant impact. Although, Shreyas Iyer takes it upstairs as he thinks he does not get any bat on it. The UltraEdge confirms that the ball is coming off the pads. The celebrations have been cut short here and rightly so.

Pace up this time, on a good-length, on the pads. Phil Salt goes back and flicks it to deep square leg for one.

Great start for Shamar Joseph to his second spell. It is a good-length ball, outside off. It comes off the deck nicely. Salt looks to go after it but misses.

Back of a length, on off. Iyer dabs it to backward point.

Hard-length, on off. Iyer lifts it on the bounce to the man at mid-off.

Good delivery! Back of a length, leaves the batter, around off. Iyer pushes at it and gets beaten.

Full-length in the blockhole. Salt bunts it to mid-on for one.

FOUR MORE! Up and Over! Short of a length ball, outside off. Salt cuts it uppishly to the deep point region and finds the ropes again.

FOUR! Nicely done! Slower back of a length ball, around off. Salt stays back and guides it through the backward point region for a boundary.

Back of a length, angling in on off. Iyer stays back and keeps it out.

Good length on off. Iyer defends on the backfoot.

FOUR! Easy Pickings! Drifting down the leg. Iyer flicks it to the fine leg region and it runs to the ropes in a flash.

Back of a length, around off. Salt steers it to deep point for a run.

Peach! Bowls it short of a good length, around off. Salt plays inside the line and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Hard-length on middle. Salt defends with a dead bat.

Lands in on a length, around off. Iyer defends it to point.

Peach! Bowls it on a length, around off. Iyer has a poke at it but it leaves the batter on the edge.

On a length, around off. Iyer dabs it toward backward point.

Short of a length, on middle. Salt pulls it on the bounce to deep square leg for one.

Back of a length, around off. Iyer dabs it down to third man for a single.

Who comes in now? It is going to be Shreyas Iyer.

Kolkata have lost two wickets in quick succession. Mohsin Khan is doing the damage early on here.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Back of a length delivery angling across the batter. Angkrish Raghuvanshi has a poke at it and gets a feather through to the keeper KL Rahul for a simple catch. Raghuvanshi departs cheaply. Kolkata are two down!

Tossed up around off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi chips it aerially to the right of the backward point fielder.

Arm ball on middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi plays across the line and is rapped on the pad. An appeal but the umpire is unmoved.

Full on off. Salt knocks it to long-off for one.

FOUR! Make that three in a row! Fraction short on off. Salt makes room and crunches it through extra cover for a hat-trick of boundaries.

FOUR MORE! BANG! Tossed up on the middle and leg. Salt gets low and sweeps it to the fine leg region for back to back boundaries.

FOUR! Krunal Pandya is greeted with a boundary! Bowls it full and in the slot. Salt picks it early and thumps it down the ground to long-off for a cracking shot.

SIX! Incredible hit. This youngster can do anything. The application is sublime. Mohsin Khan aims his pads this time with a fuller delivery. Angkrish Raghuvanshi reads it well and wrists it powerfully over the square leg fence for a maxmimum.

Good length, on fourth stump. Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets behind the line and punches it to covers but straight to the fielder there.

Short ball, in the channel. Angkrish Raghuvanshi hangs back and looks to punch it through the line but misses.

Who will come out now? Angkrish Raghuvanshi is the new batter in.

OUT! CAUGHT! High in the air and caught at the edge of the circle. It is a slower bumper, outside off. Sunil Narine just wants to pull the trigger and he does so once again. This time though he only manages to find the top-edge. The ball flies towards point. Marcus Stoinis settles under it and takes a sitter.

Hard length this time, around middle and leg. Sunil Narine looks to pull it away but only manages to work it to mid on.

Back of a length, on top of off. Sunil Narine looks to cut it away but misses.

SIX! BANG! 22 runs for Kolkata in this run chase. The most expensive first over in this season.

NO BALL! Oh dear, an inauspicious start for Shamar Joseph. He oversteps once again and serves it on a length, down the leg side.  Free Hit continues.

FIVE WIDES! Short of a length, down the leg. Salt goes for the pull but it beats everything and races to the boundary.

Who will bowl from the other end? It is going to be Mohsin Khan.

WIDE! Bowls it full, outside the tramline. Salt reaches for it but does not connect. Another no-ball. Free hit stays.

NO BALL! Short of a length, on the hip. Salt tucks it toward the short fine leg fielder who spills down the chance. The umpire has signaled it a no-ball. Free hit coming up.

Sharp back of a length delivery, angling into the batter. Narine swings and misses. Rahul fails to collect it clean and it allows the batter to cross for a bye.

Short, outside off. Narine throws his bat at it and this flies off the outside edge to the deep third region. Three fielders give the chase and manage to pull it just inside the rope. Two runs were taken.

Sunil Narine has a strike rate of over 200 in the Powerplay in this edition of the Indian T20 League. He is back in his prime. We hardly say that in sports.

FOUR! Narine is up and running with a boundary! Short of a length, outside off. Narine clears the front leg and cuts it through the backward point region for a cracking boundary.

LEG BYE! Short of a length, angling into the batter. Salt is rushed on it and pulls it toward long-leg for a leg bye.

Bowls it on a hard-length, bit of shape, around off. Salt stays back and dabs it to backward point.

OUT! THE STUMPS ARE RATTLED! Bowls it full and straight at the stumps. Arshad Khan swings for the fences but fails to get any bat on it. The ball goes through him and crashes into the stumps. An excellent final over from Mitchell Starc as Lucknow finish on 161 for 7 in their 20 overs.

LEG BYE! Short of a length, around off. Pandya pulls and misses. The ball rolls off his body into the off-side for an extra.

An outstanding yorker from Starc, just outside off. Another swing and miss from Arshad Khan. He gets an inside edge on it. A slight fumble from Salt allows the batters to cross for a run.

Pitched full, outside off. Arshad Khan swings and misses.

FOUR! Streaky but Arshad Khan will take it. Short and just outside off. The batter swings hard and gets a top edge that flies behind the keeper for a boundary.

Arshad Khan, the impact player sub for Lucknow, walks out to bat. He replaces Quinton de Kock.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Starc bowls it on a length and wider outside off. Pooran throws his bat at it but gets a thick edge through to the keeper for a simple catch. Phil Salt takes a regulation catch and Lucknow are six down!

Mitchell Starc (3-0-23-1) returns to bowl the final over of the innings.

Full-length, outside off. Pooran squirts it to deep third for a single to end the over.

Slower back of a length ball, outside off. Pooran is threw the shot early but fails to connect.

Goes full and wide, just inside the tramline. Pooran flays and misses. The batter has reviewed this for a WIDE. The replays show that it goes beneath the bat and it remains a fair delivery.

FOUR! SMACKED! Short ball, around off. Pooran pulls it to the deep square leg region. The fielder gives the chase but fails to stop the boundary.

WIDE! Bowls it too wide and way outside the tramline. He has to reload that one.

FOUR! Streaky! Pace-off delivery, on a length, outside off. Pooran throws his hands at it and gets an outside edge that flies over short third and into the boundary.

WIDE! Lands it full, outside the tramline. Pooran covers the line and lets it go. Wide signaled by the umpire.

Slower length ball, angling across the batter. Pooran slaps off the toe end toward short third.

Low full toss on the pad. Pandya looks to flick it through the on-side but gets a leading edge that falls toward the mid-off region. Starc comes in from the boundary but fails to prevent the batters from taking two runs.

Full and wide outside off. Pooran drills it to the sweeper cover for one.

Full-length, tailing into the middle and leg. Pooran heaves but gets an inside edge that rolls through backward square leg. He comes for the second.

SIX MORE! BANG! Another slower bumper dug into the pitch, but angled down the leg. Pooran powers it over the long-leg boundary for half a dozen.

SIX! Up and Away! Short ball on the leg stump line. Pooran clears the front leg and hacks it over the deep square leg fielder for a biggie.

Slower bumper, around off. Pandya pulls it to deep square leg for one.

Vaibhav Arora (2-0-16-1) is back into the attack. Also, Kolkata brings in their impact player. Rinku Singh replaces Varun Chakaravarthy.

Short of a length, going across the batter. Pooran cuts and misses. A top over from Harshit Rana. Just 8 runs off it.

A sharp short ball, angling away from the batter. Pooran pulls but fails to connect.

Full-length delivery, slanting away. Pooran swings and misses.

SIX! DISPATCHED! Slower length ball, outside off. Pooran drags it from outside off and smacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a massive hit.

Short of a good length, around off. Pandya lifts it on the up toward deep cover for a run.

Slower length ball, outside off. Pooran slaps it to deep point for one.

Short and wide outside off, cut away to deep point for a run.

Wrong'un, outside off. Pandya cuts it to deep backward point for a single.

Flatter on the leg peg. Pooran turns it through mid-wicket for a run.

Shortish, outside off. Pandya carves it to deep point for a single.

Tossed up on off. A forward defence from Pandya.

Flatter and quicker, outside off. Pooran reaches for it and cuts it through extra cover for one.

Pitches it up, full and outside off. Pooran leans forward and drives it down to long off for one.

Flatter and quicker, outside off. Pooran reaches for it and cuts it through extra cover for one.

Strategic break! Lucknow have lost half their side now before the fifteen-over mark. Kolkata have kept picking wickets at regular intervals and have put the brakes on the scoring. Lucknow will hope for Nicholas Pooran to bat deep in the innings and take his side to a competitive score. The wicket is pretty good for batting but Kolkata have done an excellent job so far with the ball.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ayush Badoni succumbs under pressure. He tries to push the score up but fails to do so. It is floated and full, around off. Ayush Badoni goes for the kill, with his dependable slog sweep, atlhough he does not connect well this time. It catches the outside edge and flies towards deep square leg. The hang time is a lot but distance isn't. Angkrish Raghuvanshi settles under it and takes a sharp catch. Krunal Pandya is the new man in.

Flatter one, around off. Pooran punches it past extra covers for one.

Fuller one, on the pads. Badoni flicks it into the leg side for one.

Pushed through quicker, full and around off. Badoni goes for the sweep but misses it complete. The ball sneaks through and pings him on the pads. Sunil Narine puts in an appeal but the umpire shows no interest. Shreyas Iyer then has a chat with the bowler and wicket-keeper, and eventually he does take the review for LBW. The UltraEdge though confirms that the bat is involved.

Three dots in a row to end the over. Full and on off. Pooran dabs it out but unable to find the gap here.

Quicker and shorter, wide of off. Nicholas Pooran throws the kitchen sink at it but misses.

Flatter one, on the stumps. Nicholas Pooran blocks it into the off side.

WIDE! Varun Chakaravarthy errs in his line once again. Goes full, angling across the left-hander. Nicholas Pooran looks to chase it but misses. Wide given by the umpire.

Short ball, outside off. Badoni stands tall and cuts it to deep backward point for one.

A single take now as Pooran drives this full ball down the park.

WIDE! Varun Chakaravarthy stays away from the wheelhouse now. Fires it full, wide of off. It goes past the tramline. Wide called.

SIX! KABOOM! Full toss, on middle. Pooran is not going to miss out on the freebies. He swings across the line and smacks it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum. 100 is up for the visitors here.

Darted on the pads. Pooran stays back and flicks it through mid-wicket for one. He will retain the strike.

Flatter one, outside off. Pooran dabs it out to safety.

Goes full, outside off, slower through the air. Ayush Badoni comes across and tucks it through mid-wicket for one.

Shorter, outside off. Pooran cuts it through point for one.

Pitched up, outside off. Pooran works it into the off side off the inner half.

Fuller, on the pads, clipped to square leg for one.

A googly, around off. Pooran ends up slicing it towards short third but it does not carry.

Nicholas Pooran has to play a vital role here for his team. Ayush Badoni needs to keep growing in this game, he has started well but he needs to end in a similar fashion as well.

Slower one, around off. Pooran blocks it watchfully.

OUT! CAUGHT! Good reflex shown by Phil Salt behind the stumps. Out of nowhere, Varun Chakaravarthy gets the better of Marcus Stoinis in no time. It is a googly, around off. Marcus Stoinis looks to clip it away but it catches the inside edge, bangs him in the pads, although the ball pops up and goes to the right of the keeper. Phil Salt reads it perfectly, makes a late shift to his right, dives to that side and takes a stunning catch to put Lucknow on the back foot here. So, two wickets have come in the last two overs. Nicholas Pooran comes in to bat now.

Quicker and flatter, on the pads. Badoni works it to mid on for one.

SIX! KABOOM! Ayush Badoni is stepping up for his side here. It is tossed up, full and on middle. Ayush Badoni gets low and slogs it over the square leg fence for a maximum.

Floated and full, around off, pushed to mid off.

Fuller this time, angled into the pads. Marcus Stoinis flicks it towards deep mid-wicket and takes two runs. This is good running. 16 runs and a wicket come from this over.

FOUR! Short ball and punished once again. It is around off. Marcus Stoinis swivels on his back foot and pulls it along the ground this time through square leg for another boundary.

A sharp bumper this time, outside off. Marcus Stoinis leaves it alone for the keeper.

FOUR! Marcus Stoinis opens his account with a boundary. Back of a length, on middle. It sits up nicely for Stoinis. He goes through with the hook shot and pulls it towards deep square leg for four runs.

Marcus Stoinis is the new batter in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pressue, what is that says Russell. He has the last laugh here. Bangs in a short one, on middle and leg. KL Rahul wants to continue with the aggression and he thinks of riding the bounce with a smacking pull shot, but ends up hitting it straight down the throat of Ramandeep Singh in the deep who makes no mistake.

SIX! BANG! Andre Russell under pressure instantly. What a shot to greet the West Indian player. It is a short ball, wide of off. KL Rahul hangs back and upper cuts it over the deep point  fence for a biggie.

Andre Russell comes into the attack now.

Wrong'un on middle. Badoni takes a huge forward stride and gets an inside edge onto the pad.

Flat and quick outside off. Rahul cuts it past the backward point fielder for a single.

Fired in on the pad. Badoni turns it to short fine leg.

Off-break on middle and leg. Rahul works it through mid-wicket for a run.

Down the leg again, Badoni nudges it to long-leg for a single.

FOUR! Easy Pickings! Drifted down the leg. Badoni helps it to fine leg region for four runs.

Strategic break! Lucknow were off to a flier, for sure. Their opening pair did manage to build a solid platform, atlhough Kolkata did manage to find a way to come back in the contest with two quick breakthroughs. Since then, Kolkata have managed to apply the breaks as well. The middle overs phase is going to be very crucial for Lucknow, they need to be calculative if they wish to post a challenging total of this deck.

Flat on middle and off. Badoni knocks it down the ground to long-on for a run.

Full on middle and leg, swept to deep square leg for a single.

Appeal but turned down! Narine bowls it full and at the stumps. Rahul gets low for the sweep but fails to connect and is pinned in front. The umpire is unmoved. KKR decide against the review and rightly so as it pitched outside the off-stump line.

Flat and quick on middle. Badoni turns it through square leg for one.

Off-break, around the middle. Rahul stays back and turns it through mid-wicket for one.

Flat and quick outside off. Rahul chops it to point.

Full-length, around off. Rahul drives it along the carpet to wide long-on for a single.

Pace-off again, on a length, outside off. Rahul carves it past the backward point fielder for a double.

Slower length ball, on off. Badoni waits and nudges it through square leg for a single.

Pitched full, at the stumps. Rahul pushes it to mid-off for a quick single.

Full on the middle and leg. Badoni flicks it through square leg for a single.

Bangs it short, around the right shoulder. Badoni pulls and misses.

Drifted down the leg. Badoni turns it to short fine leg for one.

Shortish, on off. Rahul goes back and punches this to long-on for a run.

Off-break, turning into the batter. Rahul hangs back and drops it onto the pitch.

Flat again, outside off. Punched to long-off for a single.

Flatter, just outside off. Rahul steers it to backward point for a single.

Tossed up around off. Badoni eases it to long-on for one.

FOUR! Nicely done! Back of a length, around off. Rahul gets on top of the bounce and guides it between the short third and the backward point fielder for four runs.

Slower length ball on off. Badoni drops into the off-side and calls for a run.

Short of a good length, around off. Badoni skips down and guides it to the backward point.

Back of a length, on off. Badoni tucks into the leg side.

FOUR! CLASSY! Full-length delivery, just outside off. Badoni leans into it and times this through the cover region for a stunning boundary.

Hard-length, nipping back into the batter. Rahul comes forward and gets an inside edge onto his thigh pad. The ball rolls into the off-side for a run.

Fuller this time, on fourth stump. Ayush Badoni stays back and defends it solidly into covers. A wicket-taking over from Starc comes to an end.

Length ball, around off, blocked out watchfully.

OUT! CAUGHT! WHAT A CATCH! Ramandeep Singh, take a bow. This wicket surely should be given to the fielder, but as far the rules are concerned, Mitchell Starc will be a happy man with this breakthrough. It is a length ball, angling across, outside off. Deepak Hooda goes after it, but only manages to slice it to the right of backward point. Ramandeep Singh flies to that side and takes a stunning catch to dismiss Deepak Hooda who was pushed up the order here. Ayush Badoni walks in at number 4.

Good batting here. Length, outside off. KL Rahul pushes this towards deep point for a single. Mitchell Starc has given away 23 runs so far. Very unlike him.

FOUR! Up and over! Incredible hit. Good length, angling across the right-hander. KL Rahul picks it up nicely and cunches it over covers for a one-bounce boundary.

Back of a length, around middle, shaping back into the batter. KL Rahul hangs back and flicks it to square leg but straight to the fielder.

Will we see a change now? NO! Shreyas Iyer thinks Mitchell Starc is good to continue here.

A couple of dots on the trot to end the over. It is on a length, outside off. Hooda wanted to work it into the off side, but it catches the inner half and rolls back towards the bowler.

Full this time, outside off. Hooda strides across and blocks it into the off side for no run.

FOUR! This should release some pressure for Hooda. A sharp bumper, slower one, on top of middle. Deepak Hooda shuffles across, gets some bat on it. The ball flies over the keeper and heads into the fine leg fence for four runs.

Good length, around the hips. KL Rahul tucks it to square leg for a single.

Fuller one, outside off. KL Rahul gets behind the line and defends it to covers.

Vaibhav Arora serves a length ball, angling into the right-hander. Deepak Hooda stays back and clips it to square leg for one.

FOUR! Cracking hit. KL Rahul surely spoils the over for Starc here. It is short, sliding down leg. KL Rahul swivels on his back foot and pulls it through the gap at square leg for four runs.

Pitched up, full and on off. Hooda leans forward and unable to time his drive well. He works it to mid off only for a single.

Good length, on top of off. KL Rahul hangs back and taps it to covers for a quick single.

WIDE! Mitchell Starc errs in his line this time and goes down the leg side. The umpire signals it as a wide.

Back of a length, on the fourth stump. Second bouncer to him in the four deliveries that he has face. The player who has come back into the side is being tested here. Deepak Hooda dabs it towards short third and crosses.

Two dots on the trot now! Once again same line and length. Making the most of the angle here Starc. Deepak Hooda with a tentative poke once again.

Mitchell Starc starts his second over with a dot ball. A peach of a delivery as well. On a length, around off, angling across the right-hander. Deepak Hooda tentatively tries to defend it away but misses.

A sharp bumper, on the body of the new batter. Deepak Hooda awkwardly defends it into the leg side from inside the crease and crosses for one to open his account.

Deepak Hooda walks in at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! Vaibhav Arora after a horror start, and finally something to cheer about here. It is straighter one, full, outside off. Quinton de Kock eye's lit up after looking at the width on offer. He thinks about freeing his arms but only manages to get a thick outside edge. The ball flies to the left of backward point. Sunil Narine there moves to that side and completes the catch to get his team back in the contest.

Second dot of this over! It is a length ball, around middle and leg. Quinton de Kock gets it towards point off the outside edge.

An inswinging delivery now, full and on middle. KL Rahul pushes it to mid off and takes off to the other end for a quick single. Very good running here.

SIX! Who needs a Free Hit says KL Rahul. It is pitched up, outside off. KL Rahul winds up and swings hard at it. He goes inside out and all the way over the covers fence. So, 8 runs have come in this over already off the two legal deliveries.

DOT! KL Rahul could not make the most of the Free Hit. Vaibhav Arora nails the wide yorker this time, outside off. KL Rahul tries to reach out but fails to connect this time.

NO BALL! It is a length ball, around off, blocked out. The umpire signals a no ball due to overstepping. Vaibhav Arora is yet to bowl a legal delivery in his spell. Free Hit coming up.

WIDE! Vaibhav Arora starts with a slower one, on a length, outside off. It shapes away and goes past the tramline. KL Rahul leaves it alone. It has been given as a wide. Although, Shreyas Iyer has take a review for the wide. The third umpire confirms that the ball is on top of the tramline and the on-field decision stands. Not the start the hosts were after.

Who will bowl from the other end? It is going to be Vaibhav Arora.

Back of a length, on fifth stump. Quinton de Kock dabs it to backward point. There is a misfield there and the batters convert their single into a double. 10 runs then for Lucknow in the very first over.

Make that 3 dots now! Good comeback by the Aussie seamer. Good length, in the channel. Quinton de Kock tries to go after it but gets beaten on the outside edge. Much better length this time, top of the stumps to beat the left-hander.

Mitchell Starc steams in and dishes a full-length ball, around off, swinging away. Quinton de Kock taps it back to the bowler. Two dot balls in a row now. Mitchell Starc getting into his groove.

Pitched up this time, around off. Quinton de Kock prods and blocks it to mid off.

FOUR! EDGY! Woah, some outswing again and Quinton de Kock cashes in. It is on a length, outside off, shaping further away. Quinton de Kock reaches out for it, the ball flies down to deep third off the outside edge and races into the boundary.

FOUR! SMACKED! Quinton de Kock needs no second invitation. A bit of swing on offer for Starc. It is full, around leg, swinging away a touch. Quinton de Kock leans forward, connects it with the middle of the bat and creams it down the ground for a boundary at long on.

All in readiness now as the teams and umpires make their way to the ground. KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock are the openers for LSG. It will be Mitchell Starc to start with the ball for KKR. Let's play...

KL Rahul, the captain of Lucknow is in for a chat. He starts by saying that looking at the pitch it looks like a good deck. He would've loved to bowl first as well here. The most important thing is to recover well, in a short span, because he believes they will turn up when they enter the field. Ends by saying there are a couple of changes. Devdutt Padikkal and Naveen-ul-Haq miss out, Deepak Hooda and Shamar Joseph make their way into the side and so does Mohsin Khan.

Shreyas Iyer, the skipper of Kolkata says he feels nostalgic and he is happy to be back home. States that the atmosphere is electric at Eden Gardens. Shares that the previous game pitch was a belter to bat and he expects a similar pitch today. Ends by sharing that Harshit Rana comes in to the XI while Rinku Singh will come in as the impact-sub.

Impact players nominated by Lucknow - Arshad Khan, Prerak Mankad, M. Siddharth, Amit Mishra, Krishnappa Gowtham.

Lucknow (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C/ WK), Quinton de Kock, Deepak Hooda (In for Devdutt Padikkal), Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Shamar Joseph, Yash Thakur,  Mohsin Khan (In for Naveen-ul-Haq).

Impact players nominated by Kolkata - Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Manish Pandey, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh.

Kolkata (Playing XI) - Phil Salt (WK), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana (In for Rinku Singh), Varun Chakaravarthy.

TOSS - Both the captains are out there in the middle for the flip of the coin. Shreyas Iyer, the home skipper flips the coin. KL Rahul, the captain of Lucknow calls for heads but it falls as tails. Shreyas Iyer informs that they will BOWL first.

Shamar Joseph, the West Indian quick, has been handed over the cap in the Lucknow camp. He is set to make his debut today. 

Pitch Report: The experts share that it looks like a good batting wicket. Reckon that there will be plenty of runs on offer with short square boundaries and not a very big straight boundary either. They further add that the outfield is pretty quick and the batters who get in should try and make the most of it.  

Lucknow, on the flip side, are going strong in the completion and are currently at number four in the table. After winning a hat-trick of games, they suffered a dip against Delhi, losing by 6 wickets. Batting first, Lucknow made a decent score of 167 but were probably 15-20 runs short on a good batting track. KL Rahul got his side off to a quick start but wickets kept falling around him and he eventually was dismissed for 39. Lucknow were struggling at 94 for 7 when Ayush Badoni and Arshad Khan made an unbeaten 73-run stand to take their side to a competitive score. Badoni with 55 off 35 batted till the end and showed great composure. Defending their score, Lucknow bowlers failed to get wickets at crucial times and paid the price for it. Lucknow have a formidable side and will hope to get back into winning ways. Let's see who comes out on top in this exciting contest. Toss and team news in a bit. Stay tuned!

Hello and welcome to our coverage of Match 28 in the Indian T20 League. Kolkata are hosting Lucknow at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Both sides are coming off a loss and will want to get into winning ways quickly. The home side Kolkata are playing a game after a six-day gap. Their previous game was against Chennai which they lost by 7 wickets. Batting first, Kolkata could only manage 137 runs on a decent wicket. Only Shreyas Iyer and Sunil Narine made a few runs but the rest of the team struggled. The bowling also failed to contain the Chennai batting as the chasing team got the winning runs inside 18 overs. Kolkata have won three and lost just a solitary game so far and will look to get two more points in front of their home fans. 

…MATCHDAY…

The Indian T20 League is in full swing and the whole nation is following the action closely. We now await match number 28 where Kolkata clash against Lucknow at the iconic Eden Gardens. Both the teams find themselves in the upper half of the points table with Kolkata having the upper hand. They had a strong start to the season and won three consecutive games. They were dealt their first loss in their last game against Chennai. Their batting unit looked to be in trouble with Phil Salt, Venkatesh Iyer, and Rinku Singh failing to get to the double digits. Sunil Narine and Angkrish Raghuvanshi put up a good partnership and tried to stabilize the innings followed by a steady knock from Shreyas as well. However, after that, the batters lost wickets in quick succession and failed to get to a good score. In the bowling department, Vaibhav Arora managed to give them the opening breakthrough but after that, they failed to scalp wickets at important times and allowed big partnerships to be formed. They failed to defend the target and only Arora and Sunil Narine managed to get in the wickets column. Lucknow on the other hand, were on a great comeback by winning three games after their initial defeat, but faced another loss against Delhi in their most recent encounter. The batting department couldn't put up great scores. Quinton de Kock was sent back early followed by Devdutt Padikkal, Marcus Stoinis, and Nicholas Pooran in quick succession. KL Rahul played with great temperament but he too couldn't get to a big score. However, Ayush Badoni and Arshad Khan put up a great partnership towards the end and bailed them out of a tough spot. Their boost at the end provided a decent base for the bowling unit to try and defend the total. However, the opponents started to create pressure from the initial stages and Lucknow couldn't get a few wickets in timely intervals. Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, and Naveen-ul-Haq were the bowlers who got wickets and bowled economically but the others didn't give them the support needed. A lot of runs were leaked and that led to their opponents taking home those two points. With both teams on 6 points, this is a match where one team will gain a significant advantage over the other with a win. Will the hosts get a win or will there be another upset where the visitors exert dominance? We shall find out soon.