Huge win for KKR against Punjab

Chasing 138-run target, Andre Russell smashed 70 not out off 31 balls to help Kolkata Knight Riders crushed Punjab Kings by six wickets at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. KKR chased down the target in just 14.3 overs. Earlier, opting to bowl first, pacer Umesh Yadav took four for 23 to help Kolkata Knight Riders bowl out Punjab Kings for 137. Regular wickets hampered the progress for Punjab and they were all out in 18.2 overs.

Umesh Yadav, MoM, said, ‘I need to work hard. Getting older and when you know you play just one format, I look to bowl as much as possible. When someone improves at practice, they do well during the match as well. I didn’t think Mayank would charge at me on his first ball. He has played me a lot in the nets. I knew he would play off the back foot, and that’s where I looked to bowl on a fuller length. Whatever is happening now, has been because of what I have practised with my coaches. If you bowl at 140kph, you need to be accurate, you need to bowl at the stumps.’

Shreyas Iyer, Winning captain, said ‘We were stunned by Punjab’s approach. We didn’t expect them to come so hard at us in the initial overs after losing an early wicket. But that’s what I looked to do as well. We got early wickets in the powerplay. My plan was to keep my best bowlers for their hard-hitters. And that’s why I kept Varun and Sunil for late. They made my job easy. They come out with their own strategies. They know what their plans are for the batsmen. They know what they are doing. To be honest, it was great to see Russell hitting.

It was Russell Muscle. Umesh told me that he was getting older, but I told him that he was getting fitter. I see him wherever I go, at the gym, and he is working very hard. I know how to get the work done from him, and he has been a wonderful colleague’.

0

0