Kolkata Knight Riders
'Chin up, lad... You're a champion', KKR deliver heartwarming message to Yash Dayal after Rinku walks away with a win
While Dayal had a forgettable day, KKR came up with a heart-warming gesture to cheer up the bowler, who conceded 31 runs off the last over. Taking to Twitter, the Kolkata-based franchise wrote: "Chin up, lad. Just a hard day at the office happens to the best of players in cricket. You're a champion, Yash, and you're gonna come back strong."
'Still, a long way to go for it', Ajinkya Rahane has not given up on WTC Final selection
A stunning 19-ball half-century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Saturday night against Mumbai Indians in his first game for Chennai Super Kings has put Rahane back in frame for a Test recall ahead of the WTC final in England in June.
Rahane, who was dropped from the Test squad, and subsequently from BCCI's annual contracts, last played a Test in January 2022 in South Africa.
IPL 2023: Rinku played some unbelievable shots; credit goes to the way he finished, says Rashid Khan
Kolkata needed 29 runs off the final over for an unlikely win against Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Stadium. After Umesh Yadav took a single off Yash Dayal, carnage followed as Rinku smashed five successive sixes on the last five balls over wide long-off, backward square leg and long-off, followed by clearing long-on fence twice.
IPL 2023: Rinku Singh's five sixes help Kolkata pull off an unimaginable heist against Gujarat
But Rinku Singh smashed five successive sixes on the last five balls off Yash Dayal to complete an improbable heist in the history of IPL and give Kolkata a memorable three-wicket victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Fifties from B Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar, including him smashing Lockie Ferguson and Shardul Thakur for five sixes and two fours in the 19th and 20 overs, yielding 45 runs overall, took Gujarat to 204/4 in 20 overs.
IPL 2023: It is just that I am enjoying a lot more, says Vijay Shankar after unbeaten 24-ball blitz
Shankar showed his impressive six-hitting range on the IPL stage by smashing Lockie Ferguson and Shardul Thakur for five sixes and two fours in the 19th and 20 overs, yielding 45 runs overall, to end up unbeaten on a 24-ball 63, as Gujarat ended up with 204/4 in their 20 overs.
IPL 2023: Vijay Shankar, Sai Sudharsan smash fifties, take Gujarat to 204/4 against KKR
After making an unbeaten 62 against Delhi Capitals in a chase of 163, Sudharsan was pristine in his 53 off 38 balls. But it was Shankar's unbeaten 24-ball onslaught in the last two overs, which produced 45 runs, that got Gujarat past 200. He hit two fours and as many sixes off Lockie Ferguson, before smashing a hat-trick of sixes off Shardul Thakur in the final over.
IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans' stand-in captain Rashid Khan win toss, elect to bat first against KKR
Both teams come into Sunday's game on the back of victories. While Gujarat beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets, Kolkata thrashed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 81 runs. After winning the toss, Rashid said Hardik is a little unwell and the team didn't want to risk him for the match.
Blistering knock from Shardul Thakur against RCB was beyond everyone's expectations: Irfan Pathan
With his fiery knock of 68 runs off just 29 deliveries, the right-handed batter helped KKR post a massive total of 204 for 7 in 20 overs. The Mumbaikar hammered nine fours and three sixes in his blistering knock and revived KKR from a precarious situation with Rinku Singh. Shardul - who is given a title of 'Lord Shardul' from his fans - bossed his way in the game to add another glorious chapter in the iconic rivalry between these two teams.
IPL 2023: Even I don't know where it came from, says Shardul Thakur on his match-changing knock
But Thakur slammed 68 off 29 balls, with nine fours and three sixes at a strike-rate of 234.48 and grabbed the record for the joint-fastest fifty of the season along with Jos Buttler in 20 balls. He also shared an important 103-run stand off just 47 balls with Rinku Singh, who struggled but opened up to hit 46 off 33 balls.
IPL 2023: KKR spinners wreak havoc to hand RCB huge 81-run defeat
After Shardul Thakur slammed the joint-fastest fifty of the season while Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a stroke-filled half-century and Rinku Singh chipped in with a vital 46 to propel KKR to a mammoth 204/7, Kolkata's three mystery spinners bamboozled the RCB batters to bowl them out for 123 in 17.4 overs.
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