Red-hot Kohli's RCB outgunned by unbeaten Kolkata

The $4.43m Kolkata Knight Riders invested in Mitchell Starc is yet to bear fruit with the left-arm pacer bowling another expensive wicketless spell in the IPL, but with Kolkata Knight Riders two from two there is time for the Australian to settle. 

Starc's four overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru went for 47, which means he has now conceded 100 runs in eight overs without taking a wicket.

But despite Virat Kohli's unbeaten 83 from 59 balls for RCB, the visitors chased down the victory target with 3.1 overs and seven wickets to spare, the first away win in the 10 IPL matches so far.

On a two-paced pitch that became easier to bat on RCB made 6-182, with Kohli's main support coming from Australians Cameron Green (33 off 21 balls) and Glenn Maxwell (28 off 19 balls).

Kolkata opening batters Sunil Narine, playing his 500th Twenty20, and Phil Salt then made a rocket start of 85 in the power play. Narine, 47 off 22, smashed five sixes and two fours. Englishman Salt made 30 off 20. Green bowled a single over for seven runs and Maxwell did not bowl.

Starc was playing against his old team, having represented RCB in 2014 and 2015, and taking 34 wickets in total. Returning to the IPL this year and much in demand he became the most expensive player in the competition's history.

However, he was 0-53 in four overs on debut and on Friday, having seen his first ball edged by Kohli for four, it did not get any better.

His second over went for 21, but while Kohli whacked a poor ball for six over midwicket both he and Green also edged to the boundary. 

Starc returned for a tighter 17th over but then went for 16 off the final over with both Kohli and Dinesh Karthik (20 off eight) crashing him for leg-side sixes.

Finding the edge three times suggests the wickets will come for Starc, and with KKR one of only three unbeaten teams left in the ten-team league the pressure on him is yet to become suffocating.

- With AP

Australians in IPL 2024

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh (A$1.2m), David Warner (A$1.16m), Jhye Richardson (A$890,000), Jake Fraser-McGurk (A$92,000)

Gujarat Titans: Spencer Johnson (A$1.78m), Matthew Wade (A$446,000)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Mitchell Starc (A$4.43m)

Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis (A$1.7m), Ashton Turner (A$178,000)

Mumbai Indians: Tim David (A$1.53m)

Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis (A$135,000)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Cameron Green (A$3.15m), Glenn Maxwell (A$2m)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (A$3.67m), Travis Head (A$1.2m)

*Prices in AUD, conversions correct at time of auction