In the IPL 2024 final, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the wicketkeeper-batter for Kolkata Knight Riders, played a crucial role in their victory against SunRisers Hyderabad. Gurbaz’s quick start helped his team chase down a target of 114 runs in just 10.3 overs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, May 26. Throughout the league phase, Gurbaz didn’t play much because Phil Salt was in excellent form.
During this period, Gurbaz returned to Afghanistan as his mother was hospitalized. However, he came back to India in time for the playoffs after Salt returned to England for national duties. When asked by presenter Harsha Bhogle about his mother’s health following KKR’s third IPL win, Gurbaz shared that his mother’s simple message to him was, “nothing, just win.”
He said, “I think she will be watching. She is OK now. Before the match, I spoke to my mom – I asked what do you want? she said, ‘nothing just win.'”
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s mother will be thrilled to hear about her son’s contribution to Kolkata Knight Riders’ victory.
Gurbaz’s Key Contributions and Hard Work Lead to Second IPL Title Victory
In the final, Gurbaz scored 39 runs off 32 balls, giving his team a strong start. Venkatesh Iyer then secured the win with an unbeaten half-century. Gurbaz had also played well in Qualifier 1 against Hyderabad, scoring 23 runs off 14 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes, at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
After the win, Gurbaz expressed his satisfaction, saying that two months of hard work had finally paid off. This victory marks his second IPL title, the first being with the Gujarat Titans in 2022.
“Twice I’m champion of IPL, I’m lucky. When you work hard for 2 months and the result, when it comes like this is special,” he added. Rahmanullah Gurbaz‘s next assignment will be playing for Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and the USA. Afghanistan’s first match is against Uganda on June 4 in Guyana.
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