IPL 2023: Jason Roy’s gritty innings helps Kolkata Knight Riders to respectable total against DC

Kolkata Knight Riders succumbed to a damaging defeat against bottom dwellers Delhi Capitals in a low-scoring thriller at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. While it was a disappointing overall batting performance from the two-time champions that cost them the match, the incoming English opener Jason Roy played a gritty knock for the visitors.

Nitish Rana’s side has struggled with their opening combination in the ongoing edition of the IPL, and the team management decided to drop Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz in favour of English batting ace Jason Roy for the game against Delhi Capitals. Bangladesh’s Litton Das was also drafted into the eleven, and he accompanied Roy at the top of the innings for KKR.

Despite the changes, KKR were off to a stumbling start as they lost Litton Das in the second over of the match. Last match’s hero Venkatesh Iyer perished for a two-ball duck and skipper Nitish Rana’s failure concluded a miserable powerplay for the Men in Purple.

The visitors were struggling to get going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. However, Roy kept fighting from the other end, keeping the scoreboard ticking with timely boundaries. The 2019 World Cup winner was threatening to take the game to the Delhi bowlers in a dangerous partnership with explosive all-rounder Andre Russell before Kuldeep Yadav ended the English star’s stay at the crease in the 15th over. He managed to score 43 runs off 39 deliveries on a sluggish surface in Delhi.

His departure was followed by quick wickets of Anukul Roy and Umesh Yadav as the KKR batting innings was heading towards a tame finish. That is when Andre Russell helped his side finish with a respectable total on the board, smashing a hat-trick of sixes against Delhi pacer Mukesh Kumar in the final over of the first innings.