Man of the Match in Delhi vs Kolkata: The rookie batter from Kolkata Knight Riders won the match award for outscoring everyone tonight.
Advertisement
During the Qualifier 2 of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah, Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets to enter their third final in the biggest T20 tournament.
Knight Riders, who had last played a final in 2014, have made it to the last stage after as many as seven years. Having said that, it wasn’t possible without them almost making a mess of a chase.
Needing to score just 13 runs in the last four overs with eight wickets in hand to seal a 136-run chase, no one would’ve expected Kolkata to win with just a ball to spare. Four of their batters walking back to the pavilion without contributing a run witnessed them losing as many as six wickets for just seven runs under bizarre circumstances.
Who was awarded Man of the Match in Delhi vs Kolkata IPL 2021 Qualifier 2?
It was a game-changing 96-run opening partnership between Shubman Gill (46) and Venkatesh Iyer (55) which handed Knight Riders with a mammoth advantage. Despite the batting collapse in the business end of the innings, it was the foundation which worked wonders for KKR.
Iyer, who hit four fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 134.14 on a Sharjah Cricket Stadium pitch which made batting look like a daunting task, was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ for scoring his fifth T20 half-century and third this season.
“I am doing what has been asked of me. I am very happy that we ended on the winning side. There is no difference. I came out and play the way I want to play. I am grateful to the management. It is a wonderful place to come and play.
“I think in the past couple of games, I have been trying to restrict myself a bit as I wanted to stay till the end. But then I thought it is not me. I was losing out on the present trying to be a bit conservative. Gill is an extremely wonderful stroke-player. My entire focus is on the final now,” Iyer was quoted as saying by Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
