On Thursday night, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recorded an easy victory against Kings XI Punjab
(KXIP) at Eden Gardens (Kolkata). In their first home game of the season, KKR won the toss and decided to bowl first. KXIP made 170/9 at the end of the 20 overs.

In reply, KKR reached the target in 16.3 overs after losing just 2 wickets. KKR won the match by 8 wickets while it was the first defeat for KXIP in IPL 2017.

Brief Scores: Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) – 170/9 in 20 overs (Manan Vohra 28, David Miller 28, Umesh Yadav 4/33)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 171/2 in 16.3 overs (Gautam Gambhir 72*, Sunil Narine 37, Varun Aaron 1/23)

Result – KKR won by 8 wickets

Here are some of the statistical highlights of the match:

KXIP scored 170/9 in 20 overs while the highest score by a batsman was only 28 by each of Manan Vohra and David Miller. Without scoring at least 30 runs by a batsman in an innings, it is the highest score in IPL history. The previous record was 160/7 (in 20 overs) by SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad) against KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) at Kolkata on 24^th May 2014.

KKR pacer Umesh Yadav bowled very well in this match as his bowling figure was 4-0-33-4. Here are some important stats of this superb bowling innings:

i) At present, it is the best bowling figure in the ongoing IPL 2017. The previous best was 3/11 (3-0-11-3) by Amit Mishra (Delhi Daredevils) against RPS (Rising Pune Supergiant) at Pune on 11^th April 2017.

ii) It is the best bowling figure by an Indian bowler for KKR against KXIP.

iii) It is the fourth best bowling figure by an Indian bowler for KKR. The top 3 in this list are: 4/18 by Lakshmipathy Balaji (against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bengaluru on 10^th April 2012), 4/19 by Lakshmipathy Balaji (against Titans at Cape Town on 21^st October 2012) and 4/32 by Piyush Chawla (against Delhi Daredevils at Kolkata on 7^th May 2015).

KKR scored 76 runs during the powerplay of the match. It is the highest total for KKR in the powerplay.

KKR cricketer Sunil Narine batted as an opener in this match. He batted very well as he scored 37 runs in just 18 balls with an impressive strike rate of 205.55. Scoring at least 25 runs in an innings, it is the third highest strike rate by a KKR batsman against KXIP. The top two in this list are: 242.85 by Andre Russell (at Kolkata on 9^th May 2015) and 209.52 by Chris Gayle (at Kolkata on 4^th April 2010)

KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir once again played a responsible knock as he scored an unbeaten 72 runs. It is the second highest score by a KKR captain against KXIP. The highest knock by a KKR captain against KXIP is 86* by Sourav Ganguly (at Kolkata on 25^th May 2008).

It was KKR’s 34^th IPL victory at the Eden Gardens (Kolkata). In the IPL history, it is the most no.of victories for a team on a particular venue. The previous record holder was CSK (Chennai Super Kings) with 33 victories in IPL at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai).