Salt and Starc lead Kolkata to a massive victory against Lucknow

Phil Salt's quick 89 and three wickets for Mitchell Starc helped Kolkata Knight Riders cruise to an eight-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. Starc's 3-28 score limited Lucknow to 161-7 at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, other Knight Riders bowlers also delivered a disciplined effort after their team had won the toss.

The Australian left-arm fast became the most expensive purchase in IPL history, with Kolkata paying $2.98 million for his services. Salt then led the two-time IPL champions to their goal in 15.4 overs, giving them their fourth win in five matches this season. This was the English wicket keeper-batsman's second half-century in the current IPL season, earlier he had scored 54 in his team's opening triumph last month. IPL has become a stage where players have been competing to impress their national selectors ahead of the forthcoming T20 World Cup, which begins June 1 in the West Indies and the United States.