Kolkata Knight Riders paceman Shoaib Akhtar has attributed his match-winning performance against the Delhi Daredevils to his passion for the game.

At the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, the Knight Riders won the low-scoring Indian Premier League contest by 23 runs after Akhtar broke the backbone of the Delhi top order with a devastating opening spell of four wickets at the cost of just 11 runs.

Akhtar, 32, made his much awaited IPL debut in the match after a fortnight of dramatic developments which saw his five-year-ban suspended for one-month pending his appeal against the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision.

Living up to the pre-match hype and expectations, Akhtar came up with a stunning performance, charging in with fire and breaking through at will to ensure victory for the hosts, who had set a target of just 133.

Akhtar's spell was complimented by a late cameo from Laxmi Shukla, who polished off the Delhi tail by claiming three wickets in just five balls.

"I was hungry to perform," a beaming Akhtar told The Telegraph. "It was four months since I last played. I had a few niggles and have been battling a lot of stress. So it was really nice to be in the groove. I had everything going for me.

"I have really been backed to the hilt by my Kolkata Knight Riders' team-mates. They had made me feel comfortable in the dressing room.

"The boys were totally by my side and have inspired me to do well. I just had to come out and perform."

The Riders moved into fourth place in the IPL table with 10 points from nine games, while the Daredevils dropped to fifth with eight points from as many matches.

"We tried hard," added Akhtar. "Every-body chipped in, Huss (David Hussey) and Laxmi. We were determined to do well. It was a total team effort. I have never played for individual glory."