Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders rode on Sunil Narine's 4/13 to bundle out a depleted Delhi Daredevils for 128 in the opening match of the sixth edition of Indian Premier League, here today.
Without any star players, skipper Mahela Jayawardene came to the Daredevils' rescue as his sensible knock of 66 off 52 balls helped Daredevils reach a total of 125 plus. Jayawardene hit eight fours and a six.
Everything went as per plan KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir's plan after he won the toss and put Daredevils up front in front of a jam-packed Eden Gardens.
Brett Lee gave KKR the ideal start cleaning up Unmukt Chand (0) with the very first ball of the championship while Narine and Rajat Bhatia, with his military medium knocked the stuffing out of the opponents sharing six wickets between them.
The absence of big guns like Virender Sehwag and Kevin Pietersen really hurt the Daredevils cause as none other than Jayawardene and David Warner (21) could post a double-digit score.
Only once could the Daredevils dominate the KKR attack when Jayawardene hit Lee for consecutive six and four in the penultimate over but only to be dismissed in the next ball as the innings was all but over for the visitors.
Lee brought the packed stadium come alive with an away-going delivery which saw Unmukt play to a wrong line.
Skipper Jayawardene, who was out of action due to a finger injury, then steadied the ship with a 44-run second wicket stand with Warner.
The duo played some intelligent cricket taking four in every over as they kept the run-rate above eight-run mark.
Mystery spinner Narine, who was instrumental in KKR's last year triumph last season, came to haunt once again when he dismissed the dangerman Warner (21) as couldn't negotiate the turn and bounce giving Jacques Kallis the easiest of catch at first slip.
The dismissal was enough to bring the run-rate down as Mahela waged a lone battle with wickets falling at the other end at regular intervals.
