After Varun Chakravarthy’s 3-fer helped restrict RR to 155/9, KKR collapsed to 85/6. A brilliant partnership between Rinku Singh (53*) and Anukul Roy (29*) sealed a four-wicket win. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane hailed the trio’s performance.
Following his side’s win over the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane dedicated the win to the team’s fans and hailed Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy for their standout performances.
Rinku, Anukul Star in Thrilling Chase
After six games of misery and heartbreak, destiny finally smiled at KKR, who secured a four-wicket win over RR from the jaws of defeat at Kolkata on Sunday. After a fine bowling display by KKR, powered by three-fers from Varun (3/14) and Kartik (3/22), RR could only reach 155/9, despite an 81-run stand between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (46 in 28 balls, with six fours and two sixes) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (39 in 29 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes). In reply, KKR made a mess of a simple chase and sank to 85/6, but the seventh wicket stand between Rinku (53* in 34 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and Anukul Roy (29* in 16 balls, with a four and two sixes) took KKR to a win with two balls left.
‘This Victory Will Give Confidence’: Rahane
Following KKR’s win, Rahane said, “Feels really good. There were a lot of emotions. I am really happy for Rinku, Anukul Roy and Varun. Really happy with how both of them batted in that partnership. I like to have one-on-one conversations. It is about reading the situations well. This victory will give confidence. Batting-wise, there’s still room for improvement.”
On Bowler Kartik’s Performance
On three-fer hero Kartik, he said that the young bowler has clarity about his ability. “He is still young, and he has been amazing. Very happy to see him getting that confidence. The pace at which he is bowling is amazing. There is a lot to learn from every game. That is where the cricketing awareness comes,” he added.
On Strike Rate and Fan Support
Regarding all the strike rate chatter around his team and particularly him, Rahane said, “Sometimes I feel strike-rate is overrated. Take the game deep, and we saw what happened today. This was a great escape for us. We need to reflect and learn. As a team, we have to come together and have clear communication. The atmosphere in the dressing room has been amazing. The fans have been fantastic; this victory belongs to them. Very positive, you get that positive vibe,” he signed off.
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