Kolkata: Kuldeep Yadav marked his return with a stunning three-wicket haul to complement KL Rahul’s blazing half-century at the top as Delhi Capitals outclassed an out-of-sorts Kolkata Knight Riders by 40 runs in an inconsequential final league match of the IPL here on Sunday.
Rahul was at his explosive best, smashing five fours and four sixes in a 30-ball 60, his sixth fifty of the season, as Delhi Capitals posted a formidable 203/5 after Ajinkya Rahane opted to bowl.
In reply, comeback left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep tormented his former franchise with a decisive spell, first removing Cameron Green (2) cheaply before striking twice in two balls to dismiss Rahane (63) and Rinku Singh (0) off successive deliveries.
He nearly claimed a hat-trick as well when KKR wicketkeeper Tejasvi Dahiya edged the very next delivery, only for Abhishek Porel to spill the chance behind the stumps.
Kuldeep, who had gone wicketless in his previous three matches before being left out, returned with brilliant figures of 3/29.
KKR’s chase unravelled after Rahane’s dismissal as they were bundled out for 163 in 18.4 overs to slump to their seventh defeat of the season.
Mitchell Starc, bowling against the franchise with whom he won the IPL title last season, also chipped in with 2/26 (3 overs).
Lungi Ngidi (3/27; 3.4 overs) took the last wicket of Varun Chakravarthy as Delhi Capitals finished with seven wins, seven losses to climb above KKR to finish sixth in the standings.
KKR ended seventh with six wins from 14 matches for yet another poor season under Rahane.
Under Rahane’s leadership, KKR had endured a disappointing 2025 campaign as well, finishing eighth, the first time since 2009.
Possibly playing his final match for the franchise, the 37-year-old Rahane produced one of his finest knocks of the season to keep KKR in the chase.
Express pacer Ngidi made early inroads, dismissing the dangerous Finn Allen (20) in the powerplay before removing Manish Pandey (25) when he was attempting to rebuild alongside Rahane.
Rahane, however, looked in sublime touch.
He took on Auqib Nabi with successive sixes over long-on and deep midwicket before launching Axar Patel for two back-to-back sixes to bring up a 31-ball half-century.
But Kuldeep had the final say. Sensing Rahane making room, the spinner followed him with a tossed-up delivery that dipped full outside leg stump.
Rahane attempted to loft it straight down the ground but only managed to slice it to David Miller, ending a superb 39-ball 63 studded with four fours and four sixes.
The contest had effectively turned into a dead rubber as early as the fourth over when Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians by 30 runs elsewhere at the Wankhede Stadium to seal the fourth and final playoff berth.
The result knocked out both KKR and Punjab Kings, who had stayed alive with their win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, while Delhi had already been eliminated after PBKS’ victory.
With little at stake apart from final standings, the lack of intensity was evident on the field too.
KKR vice-captain Rinku Singh dropped Sahil Parakh on seven, while Sunil Narine (1/38) endured an unusually expensive outing before being substituted by Allen.
It also appeared baffling that KKR kept operating Chakravarthy in the dead rubber despite the India spinner carrying a hairline fracture in his left toe.
He returned with 1/35, including the wicket of DC skipper Patel (39) in his final over.
It was Rahul, who set the tone early on by going after Narine.
In the eighth over, he danced down the track and launched him over long-on and in the next delivery he again used his feet to loft the spinner over his head for four.
He continued the assault in Narine’s next over, hammering the first ball for another six over long-on.
Narine, however, struck back to end Rahul’s developing stand with Sahil Parakh (24), who miscued a delivery.
Rahul, however, remained relentless, combining elegance with aggression as he attacked Kartik Tyagi in the 11th over with a four and a sublime straight six over long-off to bring up a 25-ball fifty.
The over yielded 20 runs as DC were well looking at 220-plus total at the midway stage. But KKR finally managed to stem the flow through Anukul Roy (1/23; two overs), who dismissed Rahul against the run of play.
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