IPL 2018: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils, Match 13, Kolkata

S Nadeem to R Uthappa, Served just behind a driving length, around off, Uthappa looks to poke at it but is beaten as the ball spins away.

T Boult to C Lynn, FOUR! That's just heartbreaking for the bowler. What should have been a catch, becomes a boundary. Full toss on the stumps, Lynn lofts it down the ground. Morris at long on runs in, it falls short of him and goes past him after. Boundary.

T Boult to C Lynn, FOUR! Lynn brings the hammer down! Powerful hit. From around the wicket, Boult pitches it full outside off, Lynn with all his might smacks it straight back down the ground and beats everybody out there.

T Boult to R Uthappa, Opens the face of the bat and dabs it in front of point for a run.

T Boult to R Uthappa, FOUR! BANG! Stand and deliver stuff from Robin Uthappa! Full and right in the slot for him, he stands his ground and smashes it over Trent Boult's head for a boundary.

T Boult to R Uthappa, Could have easily drawn an edge there. Close. Slants across a length delivery around off, Robin opens the face looking to dab it to third man, but is beaten instead.

T Boult to R Uthappa, Hits the deck hard and bowls it on a back of a length, Uthappa works it in front of mid-wicket for nothing.

S Nadeem to C Lynn, Leading edge which falls safely. Lands it on middle and off, it turns and Lynn closes the face early. Spoons a leading edge which fortunately for him, falls safely in the covers.

S Nadeem to R Uthappa, Easily wristed away towards mid-wicket for one more.

S Nadeem to C Lynn, Hangs back, punches it towards long on and crosses over.

S Nadeem to C Lynn, FOUR! Beautiful timing this time. Stays leg side once again, it's short and on leg. Lynn firmly punches it through the gap in the covers for a boundary.

S Nadeem to C Lynn, Short, flat and sliding in on leg, Lynn makes room as the ball stops on the deck a touch. He's a bit early into the punch as a result as he plays it to mid off.

S Nadeem to R Uthappa, From around the wicket, it's floated on the stumps, Uthappa comes forward and wrists it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Shahbaz Nadeem into the attack now.

T Boult to C Lynn, FOUR! Boundary to end the over. Short ball outside off, Lynn cuts this fiercely over point and sends the ball across the rope for a rocketing boundary. Nonetheless, successful over from Trent Boult. A wicket and 5 runs off it.

T Boult to R Uthappa, Off the outer half this time, down towards third man and a single is taken. Uthappa is off the mark.

T Boult to R Uthappa, Just ahead of a length, outside off, Uthappa hangs his bat in front of his pad and gets beaten past the outside edge.

Robin Uthappa walks into the middle next.

T Boult to S Narine, OUT! GONE! Narine is out of here. Boult has started off well and is on absolute fire! Bangs in another short one, Narine looks to pull this away but gets a feather behind. Pant leaps to take it, gets a hand on it but can't hold on to it. Maxwell at first slip is alert to the situation. He turns around and takes the ball in his safe hands. The umpire, however, just wants to make sure about the height. Replays confirm it's fine and that's the first breakthrough for the away side.

Referral taken. Sunil Narine is caught behind but the umpire wants to check for the height on the bouncer, as he already signalled one for the over on the previous ball.

T Boult to S Narine, Short ball, close to off, Sunil looks to put bat on ball but misses.

T Boult to S Narine, What a ball from Trent. Well played by Narine too. Yorker fired in, on middle and off, the southpaw just about manages to dig it out back down the track.

C Morris to C Lynn, Just ahead of a length on off, punched firmly but straight to mid off.

C Morris to C Lynn, Sharp movement on that occasion for Morris. Landed on off, came in at first and then moved away quickly. Lynn swung, only to connect with thin air.

C Morris to C Lynn, SIX! He connects finally and the ball flies away! Full on the stumps, Lynn stays leg side again, swings his bat and thumps it right off the meat. Over the mid-wicket fence and that's a maximum.

C Morris to C Lynn, Short ball, too straight in line, Chris pulls but can't make good connection. Finds the man at mid-wicket.

C Morris to C Lynn, Cut him there! What a ball. Length ball shaping back in, Lynn backs away to swing across the line, but the ball goes under his bat and into the keeper's gloves.

C Morris to S Narine, Off the mark, even if it is in a streaky manner. Short ball banged in, Narine gets an inside edge on his punch towards square leg and he takes one.

Chris Morris will bowl from the other end.

T Boult to C Lynn, Maiden over to begin with from Trent Boult. This is the first one of the competition this season, and it's come in the 13th game. This is excellent stuff from him. Full on off, Lynn cracks it on the off side. Roy at cover dives and makes a good stop.

T Boult to C Lynn, That was close! Yikes! Lynn survives a close one. Full in length and very, very close to off, Lynn backs away a touch and swings with all his might. Makes no connection as the ball whizzes past the off stick.

T Boult to C Lynn, A hint of movement this time for Boult. Outside off on a length, the right-hander swings and misses completely.

T Boult to C Lynn, Timed that really well but is unfortunate to not have found the gap. Full delivery outside off, Lynn leans into the shot and sweetly drives it, only to find the man at cover.

T Boult to C Lynn, Short ball, just outside off, Lynn rises and guides it straight to the man at short third man.

T Boult to C Lynn, Fuller length ball, swinging in on middle and leg, Chris Lynn works this gently in front of mid-wicket.

Ricky Ponting rings the bell at Eden Gardens to signal the beginning of the game. The players, led by the umpires, make their way out on the field. Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn will open the innings, with Trent Boult taking the ball first up. Here we go...

Dinesh Karthik, Kolkata skipper says he is not surprised that he has to bat first after losing the toss. Opines that they are not under pressure of chasing so will look to put up as many runs on the board. States his spinners are doing well but their batters will have to up their game a bit. Ends by saying that they have roped in Tom Curran for Mitchell Johnson.

Gautam Gambhir, Delhi skipper says that the pitch is looking good and it won't change much during the course of the game. On being in a Delhi kit this time he states that he will look to play with the same intent and thanks the Kolkata crowd for whatever he has achieved. Ends by saying that he has made one change to this playing XI, which is Chris Morris in place of Dan Christian.

Pitch Report - Brett Lee doing the pitch report says the grass line is kept a bit longer just before the bowling crease line. Adds the bowlers could get confused because of it and concede front foot no balls. Reckons the wicket looks beautiful and 160 should be a par score. Ends by saying there will be turn and bounce, which will produce a cracker of an evening.

TOSS - Delhi win the toss and opt to field first!

More than the batting though, what would worry Dinesh Karthik and the management is the bowling performance, especially in the death. The looming threat of the dangerous Jason Roy, who hammered a stunning 91 against Mumbai, will definitely play on their minds. So, Mitchell Johnson/Tom Curran's opening spell becomes all the important keeping that in mind. To add to all this, it's going to be an emotional return with Gautam Gambhir coming back to his former home, the place which he spent 7 years and led Kolkata to two Indian T20 League titles. Should be a good contest. The pitch report and the toss will be coming up soon...

Three games apiece and two points each for our two sides to be in action this evening. Match 13 will be vital for both Kolkata and Delhi. A win would certainly boost morale and kickstart things in terms of the entire season. Well, Delhi have got that start, with an important victory over Mumbai at the Wankhede. Kolkata will be wary of the threat, even if they are at home. The batting has under performed a bit, and the tweaking of the batting order hasn't done them much good either. Would be personally surprised if Sunil Narine doesn't open in this game.