KKR captain Shreyas Iyer after defeat against PBKS
Kolkata (West Bengal): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Shreyas Iyer said not defending a huge total of 261 runs against Punjab Kings (PBKS) "hurt" but the loss would be a great learning for the players in their upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
The match between KKR and PBKS broke a plethora of records with Punjab successfully scaling down the highest total in T20 history with 8 balls to spare.
Jonny Bairstow and Shashank Singh's power-hitting display propelled PBKS to chase down the highest total that T20 cricket has ever witnessed, following their 8-wicket win over KKR in the ongoing IPL 2024 season on Friday.
KKR asked PBKS to defy the odds to walk away with two points, on a record-breaking night. Iyer praised his openers Philip Salt and Sunil Narine who helped them set up a massive target of 261/6 in 20 overs, saying that the way the batters batted was "tremendous" The 138-run partnership between Narine and Salt was the 8th 100-plus opening stand for KKR in the IPL.
Salt scored a magnificent 75 off 37 while Narine played a fine knock of 71 in 32 balls, complemented by Shreyas Iyer's impressive 28-run contribution, while Venkatesh Iyer concluded in style with a lively 39-run cameo, propelling KKR to a formidable total.
The KKR captain also stated that they will analyse their performance against PBKS and figure out what went wrong for them in Eden Gardens. "The way the batters batted was tremendous. So much you ask of them and they delivered. Both teams played tremendously. You have to go back to the drawing board and see where you went wrong," Iyer said in a post-match presentation. Iyer labelled the star all-rounder Narine as the 'Most Valuable Player' of his team and said there is a lot to learn from the former West Indies player.
"Not defending hurts but it's a great lesson for the players. [Narine] Brilliant to see him go out and strike the ball. A lot to learn from him, he's the MVP of our team," he added.
Coming to the match, Narine and Salt delighted the Eden Gardens crowd with an exhilarating batting display and obliterated Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowlers to power KKR to 261/6 in 20 overs. KKR has registered five victories out of eight matches, collecting 10 points in the IPL points table, and staying at the number 2 position. KKR will next take on Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Eden Gardens on Monday.
(ANI)
