IPL 2021, KKR vs SRH: Shubman Gill's fine half-century helps Knight Riders stay in contention for playoffs

There were several questions raised over the absence of a big knock in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Shubman Gill’s kitty during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Gill is considered a game-changer who can win games singlehandedly, but a defining knock was missing. The opener showcased his prowess with a fine half-century in a vital encounter against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Sunday, with a triumph of great significance in the race for the playoffs. Gill’s 57 off 51 deliveries helped KKR chase down a target of 116 runs without much ado, on a surface which certainly was a bit tricky. The Kolkata-based franchise pulled off a triumph by a margin of six wickets, that will hold them in good stead in the race for the playoffs.

Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik were other vital contributors with the bat, chipping in with a 33-ball 25 and 12-ball 18 respectively. Jason Holder was the pick of the bowlers for SRH, accounting for two dismissals.

“This is not a game where you take the game deep”

“I thought it was a real good game of cricket. At half time I knew it would be a tricky chase because the pitch was difficult. I was practicing a lot when I was doing commentary. It was just one of those days where I got lucky,” said Karthik as quoted by Cricbuzz.

“This is not a game where you take the game deep. You create opportunities by using the crease and you play your shots. I think you need to be flexible. I would give a lot of credit to Rana, he was playing second fiddle to Shubman. He realized that there was no point matching him shot for shot. He took his time and then hit a couple of big hits. Fingers crossed for the next game,” he added.

SRH skipper Kane Wiliamson admitted that it was always going to be tough considering the low score on the board.

“I think if we got closer to the 150-mark, might have been par. We did have our chances to squeeze the scoring but it was always going to be tough with such a low score. Haven’t been able to identify the right score all season. We need to go back to the drawing board and re-assess things. We could have built more partnerships. Unfortunately we were 10-15 short of what would have been a competitive score. He (Malik) has been bowling really quick in the nets and it’s really nice for him to get an opportunity today. Obviously we’re out of the competition, so it’s a chance for some other boys to also get on the park,” stated Williamson.

Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers fire in unison to restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to just 115

The KKR bowlers fired in unison to help restrict SRH to a total of 115 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Tim Southee, Shivam Mavi and Varun Chakravarthy accounted for two dismissals apiece to make their presence felt. Southee and Mavi sent Jason Roy, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad and Rashid Khan back to the pavilion. The Indian spinner accounted for the dismissals of Priyam Garg and Jason Holder.