Not that he didn’t try, but Rinku Singh‘s career-best Indian Premier League knock was not enough to aid Kolkata Knight Riders in registering their highest successful run-chase in the history of the biggest T20 league across the globe.
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It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Sunrisers Hyderabad eventually managed to keep an in-form finisher at bay in spite of him scoring 58* (31) with the help of four fours and as many sixes at a strike rate of 187.09.
Chasing a formidable 229-run chase at the Eden Gardens tonight, Knight Riders didn’t register the best of starts on the back of losing three wickets within the first four overs. However, individual half-centuries from captain Nitish Rana (75) and Singh brought the home team back into the contest.
While Rana hit five fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 182.92 to not lack behind drastically in the middle overs, it was Singh whose maiden IPL half-century didn’t let the opposition breathe a sigh of relief until the match came to an end.
KKR vs SRH Man of the Match Award
Not letting three consecutive poor performances affect his morale, Sunrisers batter Harry Brook (100*) broke the shackles to help himself to a maiden IPL century. Put in to bat first by Rana, SRH posted 228/4 in 20 overs primarily because of Brook and captain Aiden Markam (50) hitting a grand total of 14 fours and eight sixes between them.
Batting in front of his girlfriend on Friday, Brook officially announced himself in the IPL due to his second T20 century. The fact that the right-handed batter played such a knock in front of three mystery spinners speaks highly of his urge to improve.
Harry brook 👏🏾
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) April 14, 2023
“Was a special night. Thankfully, we got over the line as well. Got a little tense in the middle. My four Test hundreds will have to be over this one. The crowd was phenomenal tonight. I enjoyed it,” Brook told host broadcaster Star Sports Network after winning the Player of the Match award in IPL 2023 Match 19.
It would be unfair to not provide a mention to Hyderabad spinner Mayank Markrande (2/27) and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/29) for the two Indian bowlers registered joint bowling figures of 8-1-56-3 in a match which comprised in excess of 400 runs across the two innings.