KKR batsman Venkatesh Iyer expressed gratitude to former India captain Sourav Ganguly for his role in guiding him to a match-winning performance against the Mumbai Indians.
Venkatesh Iyer delivered a standout performance during KKR’s 10th match of the season against Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
His innings was pivotal as the Kolkata Knight Riders secured a commanding 24-run win over the five-time champions, putting them two points ahead of LSG and SRH in the IPL 2024 standings.
Venkatesh Iyer provides crucial batting support for KKR
It was a memorable night for the Kolkata Knight Riders as they clinched their first-ever victory against the Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede stadium.
The venue had been fraught with challenges for the Knight Riders, including their owner Shah Rukh Khan’s ban and a winless streak of 12 years until last night. The match began with Hardik Pandya’s decision to field first.
Kolkata’s top and middle-order struggled initially against MI’s aggressive bowling attack during the powerplay overs. Nuwan Thushara claimed the early wickets of Phillip Salt, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and skipper Shreyas Iyer.
Hardik Pandya then dismissed Sunil Narine, and Piyush Chawla removed Rinku Singh, leaving KKR at 57/5 in 6.1 overs. Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey then steadied the innings with an 83-run partnership before Pandey fell in the 17th over.
However, Venkatesh Iyer continued to anchor the innings, determined to set a competitive target. Despite losing wickets around him, he remained resolute and scored a crucial 70 off 42 balls, his highest in this IPL.
In the bowling department, Mitchell Starc shone with figures of 4/33, supported by Chakravarthy, Narine, and Russell, who claimed two wickets each, as MI was bowled out for 145.
Venkatesh Iyer expressed his gratitude to Sourav Ganguly during the post-match presentation
It was evident that Venkatesh Iyer would be honored with the man of the match accolade for his remarkable performance. During the post-match interview with Harsha Bhogle, Iyer acknowledged Sourav Ganguly, Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, for his guidance.
Iyer credited his conversation with Ganguly for aiding him in refining his stance, ultimately leading to his outstanding performance and the MOTM recognition.
“I’ve been a huge fan of dada (Sourav Ganguly). Went to ask him about my stance and technical aspects. Was a fruitful conversation. It’s coming through in my stance and other aspects in the nets.” – Venkatesh Iyer said after the match.
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