After the Shubman Gill against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi proved instrumental in KKR’s victory against the Royals.
Dinesh Karthik. (File Photo: IANS)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Dinesh Karthik heaped praises on the team’s youngsters after registering a comfortable victory against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
After the 21-year-old Shubman Gill had starred with an unbeaten 70 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, 20-year-old Kamlesh Nagarkoti and 21-year-old Shivam Mavi proved instrumental with the ball in KKR’s victory against the Royals.
The pace duo picked two wickets apiece on Wednesday to help Karthik’s men in registering their second win of the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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“It’s a very special thing – these boys, the journey they’ve gone through when not playing, and for them to just come out and express themselves with the ball and ball was incredible,” said Karthik in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“It was a good game. A lot of things pleased me — the way Gill started, the way Russell started, the way Morgan kept his head. The beautiful sight of the youngsters going for the catch no matter high it is,” said Karthik.
Mavi said that he stuck to normal lines and lengths in the beginning as the ball was seaming around. “It was a little different after seeing the wicket, thought it would be flat. But it was seaming around so I kept it tight. I’ve played against some of these big players before so I knew what they would do, so I made sure I just stuck to the lines and lengths,” he said.
Batting first, KKR poster 174/6 in 20 overs – where Gill was the highest scorer with his knock of 47 runs – before the bowlers restricted Rajasthan to 137/9. It was KKR’s second win on the trot, while the Royals lost their first match in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
It was not an individual brilliance that saw KKR coming on top but collective efforts from Mavi, Nagarkoti, and Varun Chakravarthy as they scalped two wickets each. They received good support from Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins, and KuldeepYadav, who all settled with a wicket each.I
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