Match overview
Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Delhi Capitals by 106 runs in Visakhapatnam on 3 April 2024, posting 272/7 after winning the toss and choosing to bat. It was one of the highest totals the ACA-VDCA Stadium has produced in a T20 match. Delhi's reply never got close: they lost 4 wickets in the powerplay and were bowled out for 166 with overs to spare. Sunil Narine was named Player of the Match.
The match followed a pattern KKR have been able to impose when they get their top order firing. Their 88/1 in the first six overs was more than double the venue's powerplay average of 43 runs, and they never eased up. The middle overs produced a further 107 runs for 2 wickets, leaving a total that would have tested any side. Delhi had no platform to build from and never threatened the target.
In the context of the IPL 2024 season, KKR had won their two most recent matches before this game, beating Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Delhi came in after splitting their recent results, which included a win over Chennai Super Kings followed by back-to-back losses.
Venue and conditions
The Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam has hosted 58 T20 matches and averages 196 in the first innings. The average second-innings score of 169 suggests teams batting second face a meaningful deficit against big totals, though the chase success rate of 53% shows the ground does not systematically favour first-innings sides when scores are closer to average.
Powerplay conditions here are generally lively. The average powerplay score across all matches is 43 runs, but large totals at this venue tend to be built on foundations laid in those first six overs. KKR's 88/1 underlines what's possible when a batting lineup is firing. The toss-field rate at Visakhapatnam is 59%, meaning the majority of captains winning the toss have chosen to field, but KKR opted to bat and vindicated that call comprehensively.
Death bowling at this ground averages 35 runs per innings. Delhi's death collapsed to just 7 runs from 3 wickets in their chase, well below that average, suggesting they had already lost the game long before the final overs.
How to watch
IPL matches are available in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming via Sky Go and NOW TV for existing subscribers. The IPL typically schedules matches to start at either 10:00 or 14:30 UK time, depending on the slot, though viewers should confirm specific kick-off times on the Sky Sports schedule. Highlights are also available through Sky's on-demand platforms.
Recent form
Kolkata Knight Riders came into this match with two consecutive wins in the 2024 season, against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their wider form across the preceding year was mixed, with losses to Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals alongside a win over Chennai Super Kings in 2023. The performances in Visakhapatnam suggested they were building momentum at the right time.
Delhi Capitals had beaten Chennai Super Kings in their most recent game before this fixture but had lost to Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings in the matches prior. Their powerplay vulnerability, 4 wickets for 51 runs in the chase, was the key indicator of a side that struggled to absorb pressure once the target climbed above 250. With the next leg of the IPL 2024 season to follow, both sides needed to draw conclusions quickly: KKR from a position of strength, Delhi from the wreckage of a 106-run defeat.
