As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) to reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final, an old speech of franchise mentor Gautam Gambhir has gone viral on social media. KKR hammered SRH by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, chasing 160 with more than six overs left to play. KKR will take on either SRH or the winner of the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final on Sunday, May 26.
Ahead of the start of the tournament, KKR mentor Gambhir had told the players that they should focus on reaching the final and winning the IPL this year.
However, Gambhir’s fiery speech has resurfaced on social media after KKR made it to the final on Tuesday.
“Everyone in this group will be treated equally. There is no senior-junior, there is no domestic-international because we have got one mission that is to win this IPL. So everyone needs to follow that one simple path. On 26th May, we should be there, giving everything positive and it starts from today. It’s not gonna start on the 26th (May) or 23rd (March), it’s starts today,” Gambhir said ahead of IPL 2024.
GAUTAM GAMBHIR SPEECH BEFORE IPL 2024.
– He said KKR should be there on 26th May and they’re playing the Final.pic.twitter.com/1xT3SOjEy3
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2024
KKR’s 24.75 crore buy Mitchell Starc finally found his night of reckoning and glory as he took three quick wickets to help KKR bowl SRH out for 159 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Starc struck with the second ball of the match when he had fellow Australian Travis Head bowled for a second successive duck in the T20 tournament.
It was Starc’s twin strikes in his third over that rattled the opposition as he sent back Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed with successive balls as Hyderabad slipped to 39-4 in five overs.
Rahul Tripathi, who made 55, and Heinrich Klaasen, who scored 32, hit back in a stand of 62 before Varun Chakravarthy broke through with his spin to send back Klaasen.
“I think the way every bowler stood up to this occasion, the way they came in and took wickets, that was imperative,” said Shreyas of his team’s bowling show.
“The attitude and approach of all bowlers was to take wickets and they did. When you have a variety in the bowling line-up, it’s mesmerising.”
Tripathi was run out and wickets kept tumbling before Cummins boosted the total with his 24-ball 30.
In reply, Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave Kolkata a strong start with his 23 off 14 balls and fellow opener Sunil Narine made 21 before being dismissed by Cummins.
Venkatesh, a left-hand batsman, kept up the charge in an unbeaten stand of 97 with Shreyas, who steered the team home with a six.
(With AFP Inputs)
