Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, 21st Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Back to back wins for the Lucknow Super Giants and they are starting to get on a roll. Their top three looks the best in the competition and the bowling is coming together nicely. It has been an inconsistent start for Kolkata Knight Riders as they have lost alternate games. They would like to correct that and get on a roll themselves. That's all from this encounter. The second game of the day has already started. You can switch tabs and catch all the action. Goodbye and stay safe..

Nicholas Pooran | Player of the Match: I have been asked this question a million times (how does he hit sixes so frequently), I practise a lot and after a time everything comes naturally. You understand what is needed in a game, you know what the bowlers are going to bowl and you work according to that. They (Marsh and Markram) have been brilliant for us right through the tournament. Both of them have been batting so well in partnerships, they have been gritty against the new ball and doing what the team exactly needs from them. What is my role? Get a start, try to capitalise and win the matchups.

Rishabh Pant | LSG captain: I think when we batted we didn't realise it will get this close but after the powerplay we did. After the first timeout we went to the bowlers and told them to stick to the plans, not try too many things and do the basics right. That was very conscious (to slow down the game), when the game is going down at that pace you need to do something, it works sometimes and sometimes it does not work. (On promoting Abdul Samad to No. 4) We wanted to keep the right-left combination going. The back is fine now.

Stats by Roshan Gede

Lowest win-margins for LSG (by runs)
1 run vs KKR, Kolkata, 2023
2 runs vs KKR, Mumbai DYP, 2022
4 runs vs KKR, Kolkata, 2025
5 runs vs MI, Lucknow, 2023
6 runs vs DC, Mumbai WS, 2022

* KKR have lost seven matches by 4 runs or less while chasing in the IPL - three of them against LSG.

* 2/55 by Akash Deep are the second-most expensive bowling returns for LSG after Avesh Khan’s 0/60 against the same opponent in Mumbai (DYP) in 2022.

* 234/7 is KKR’s highest score in an unsuccessful run-chase. They had scored 210/8 and 210 all-out against DC (Sharjah, 2020) and RR (Brabourne, 2022) respectively.

Aiden Markram: It was a good one (pitch). We've got some freaks in our team - Mitch and Nicky hit to all parts, it's great to watch them do their thing and get some big runs on the board. It was a little bit slow to start off and then got better as the game went on. In the powerplay, I was looking to take the game on, sometimes it works. I played with a positive intent and it paid off. (On his partnership with Marsh) In the middle and off the park as well, he's a great man, enjoying the company. We've got a really good crew, this team, really good people. Off the park, it's been really good. Exciting to get some momentum on the field. Two really big wins against two really quality teams, so chuffed.

Ajinkya Rahane | KKR captain: A really tight one (game). As I said at the toss, the wicket remained good throughout the 40 overs. We gave our best, it was a great game, in the end we were just 4 runs short. When you are chasing 230-plus, you will lose wickets in the chase. This was one of the best wickets to bat on. Batters had to take a little time to get in. The bowling attack we have, we control our middle-overs really well. Sunil (Narine) was struggling with the ball. Sunil and Varun usually dominate the middle overs, but it was tough for the bowlers today.

19:25 Local Time, 13:55 GMT: KKR will be wondering what happened in those last 7 overs. They were cruising in the chase and all of a sudden lost their way. Narine got them off to a flier and even though de Kock went cheaply, Rahane came in and kept finding the boundaries. KKR raced to 90/1 in the powerplay and had set up the chase beautifully. Rahane continued adding partnerships and stitched a second 50+ stand with Venkatesh Iyer. When the pair were batting it seemed that the home side will canter home comfortably but Pant did what he did during the T20 World Cup final - slowed things down and allowed his bowlers a breather. Shardul then broke the partnership and KKR lost 5/23 in quick time. Rinku tried his best towards the end but he was left with a lot to do. Credit to Pant, not only for how he slowed the pace of the game but also the way he rotated his bowlers - kept an over each from the two spinners in the last 3 overs and backed his pacers to pick the wickets. Hang around for the presentations..

Ravi Bishnoi to Rinku Singh, SIX, LSG win by 4 runs. They look a relieved bunch. Pooran having a few words with Bishnoi. Flighted outside off, Rinku moves across and sits down to launch the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket

Ravi Bishnoi to Rinku Singh, FOUR, Rinku continues to find the rope but KKR needed more from him. Pooran with a double fist pump. Overcooks the flighted delivery on off, Rinku crouches low and smashes it straight back over Bishnoi, one bounce and over the ropes

Ravi Bishnoi to Rinku Singh, FOUR, LSG are there. Short and drifting away outside off, Rinku reaches and carves it over the point region. There's a deep backward point in place but he had no chance of stopping that

Ravi Bishnoi to Harshit Rana, 1 run, short of length around off, Rana slashes and the outside edge rolls towards short third, Avesh fumbles but Rinku was never looking for the second. 19 off 3.. Need 3 sixes to make it a Super Over

Ravi Bishnoi to Harshit Rana, no run, surely must be the game. Googly and it turns in, Rana makes room and pulls to the leg-side, gets beaten on the under-edge and the ball does not miss leg-stump by much

Ravi Bishnoi to Harshit Rana, FOUR, that's a good start. Rana shimmies down and is met by a short of length delivery, slashes hard and clears the off-side ring. There's no one at sweeper to save the boundary

Ravi Bishnoi [3.0-0-28-1] is back into the attack

24 needed off the final over. Rana is going to be on strike. Bishnoi will bowl the over. Twice in two days we have a spinner bowling the final over. Krunal defended 19 yesterday. Bishnoi has 24 in the bank

Avesh Khan to Rinku Singh, FOUR, that's still a good over from Avesh. Started with a six and four but he's only gone for 14. Missed the yorker once again and Rinku unleashes a fierce drive, struck hard and well wide of the sweeper