IPL 2024: 5 Best DC vs KKR matches in IPL history

kkr vs dc ( Photo source : X / Twitter )

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) will lock horns in match 16 of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Kolkata looked ferocious in their previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and emerged victorious by seven wickets.

Following two back-to-back triumphs, the Knight Riders will look to win their third consecutive game in this competition. However, Delhi, who won their last game by 20 runs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the same venue, will endeavour to give a tough time to the two-time champions. In the last two IPL editions, Delhi were dominant against Kolkata, with three off three wins. 

This year, Shreyas Iyer and his men have looked disciplined so far while DC have struggled in initial games. Discussing their head-to-head record, both sides have squared off with each other in 32 games and the Knight Riders have pocketed 16 wins while the Capitals came out victorious 15 times. In 16 years of IPL, whenever both teams have met each other, a fine level of competition has been witnessed. Ahead of the superb clash in Visakhapatnam, let’s revisit the five best contests between DC and KKR.

Here are the five best DC vs KKR matches in IPL history

5. 2016 

Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2016. (Source -Twitter/X)

In the 2016 IPL edition, Delhi hammered Kolkata by 27 runs in Match 26 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium but when the game started, KKR pushed the Capitals on the backfoot. In the first over of the contest, Andre Russell picked up Shreyas Iyer and Quinton de Kock. With the departure of both openers, Delhi needed someone to spend time at the crease and play an impactful knock.

Karun Nair and Sam Billings stepped up in the crisis and produced the knocks of 68 off 50 and 54 off 35 respectively from their bats. Carlos Brathwaite’s finishing touch of 34 off just 11 helped Delhi reach 186 runs in 20 overs. Defending the total, DC skipper Zaheer Khan removed Gautam Gambhir and Piyush Chawla within the first powerplay.

Except for Robin Uthappa, all other KKR batters failed to show up a fighting spirit. Following the early breakthroughs, Carlos Brathwaite also showed his fierce side with the ball and broke the back of KKR’s batting unit, picking up the scalps of Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rajagopal Sathish. In the end, the visitors capitulated on 159 in 18.3 overs. DC registered a convincing 27-run win and Brathwaite got the Player of the Match award for his magnificent all-round display (34 off 11 balls and 3/47).

4. 2012 Qualifier

Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2012 Qualifier. (Source -IPL)

In the 2012 IPL, Kolkata got the better of Delhi by 18 runs in the first Qualifier in Pune and qualified for the final. Yusuf Pathan became the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 40 off just 21. Earlier in the contest, KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bat first. Captain Gambhir exuded confidence with his bat and notched up 32 off just 16 but Brendon McCullum and Jacques Kallis struggled to amass runs at a swift pace. 

In the crunch situation, Yusuf Pathan and Laxmi Shukla stepped up and stitched a 56-run partnership off just 24 balls. Yusuf hit an unbeaten 40 off just 21 while Shukla also played a 24-run knock off just 11 deliveries. Kolkata posted 162 runs on the board at the end of their 20 overs.

Following the target, Delhi lost David Warner and Virender Sehwag early but Naman Ojha and Mahela Jayawardene built a 59-run partnership to bring Delhi back into the game. However, Rajat Bhatia struck Delhi with Naman Ojha’s wicket and with the right-handed batter’s departure, the Capitals lost their wickets consistently and fell 18 runs short in the end.  

4. 2021 Qualifier

Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2021 Qualifier. (Source -IPL)

DC and KKR squared off in the second Qualifier of the 2021 IPL at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. At the toss, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss against his counterpart Rishabh Pant and elected to bowl first. Riding on Shikhar Dhawan’s 36 off 39 and Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 30 off 27, Delhi scored 135 in 20 overs.

Chasing the target, Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer gave a solid start to the Knight Riders, racking up 96 runs for the first wicket in just 12.2 overs. Venkatesh went back to the pavilion after scoring 55 off 41. Gill, along with Rana, took Kolkata close to the target but in the 16th over of the innings, the latter batter got dismissed on 13. 

After Rana’s wicket, Kolkata lost Gill and four other batters. Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan, Shakib Al Hasan, and Sunil Narine returned to the pavilion on a duck. However, Rahul Tripathi held his nerves and took the team home in the last over of the game, with his unbeaten 12-run innings off 11 balls.  

2. 2008 

Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2008 – Match 35. (Source -IPL)

At the iconic Eden Gardens, when Kolkata and Delhi played against each other in Match 35 for the first time, Shoaib Akhtar displayed his bowling brilliance for the former and guided the hosts to an emphatic 23-run win. Batting first after winning the toss, the Knight Riders posted a total of 133 runs on the board. Salman Butt scored 48 off 44 and ended up as the highest run-scorer in the match while David Hussey also chipped in with 31.

Defending the low total, KKR witnessed sensational bowling from Shoaib Akhtar, who was playing his debut IPL game. Bowling three overs, the speedster racked up 4/11 figures. In his first over, he got rid of Virender Sehwag and delivered the first breakthrough to Kolkata. He continued his onslaught in his next two overs, picking up Gautam Gambhir, AB de Villiers, and Manoj Tiwary. Riding on Akhtar’s exceptional bowling spell, Kolkata bundled out Delhi on 110 in 17.5 overs.

1. 2019

Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2019 – Match 10. (Source -IPL)

In 2019, IPL fans witnessed an incredible encounter between KKR and DC in Match 10 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Winning the toss, DC skipper Shreyas Iyer invited Kolkata to bat first. KKR had a horrendous start as they lost their top four batters in a quick time. Captain Karthik took the matter into his own hands and scored 50 off just 36. Andre Russell also supported his captain and hit 62 off just 28. Riding on the batting efforts from both veterans, KKR piled up 185 runs in their 20 overs.

Pursuing the massive target, DC got a fierce start from Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan. The southpaw got dismissed after scoring 16 off eight but Shaw along with Shreyas built an 89-run stand. Shaw looked in excellent touch with his bat but fell one run short of scoring his maiden IPL ton. In 18.3 overs, Delhi’s score was 174 and the hosts required only 12 off 10 but Shaw’s wicket brought an interesting turn in the match.

Defending only six runs in the last over, Kuldeep Yadav scalped the wickets of Hanuma Vihari and Colin Ingram to keep KKR’s hopes alive in the game. In the end, both teams ended at the score of 185 and the result of the contest came out with the Super Over. Batting first in the Super Over, DC could score only 10 runs but Kagiso Rabada displayed his spunk and got rid of in-form Andre Russell on the third delivery of the over. The paceman defended the low total for Delhi successfully, containing the two-time champions at a score of seven.