NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) managed to clinch a narrow 4-run victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in an Indian Premier League match filled with twists and turns at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer admitted to experiencing jitters as Heinrich Klaasen of SRH mounted a ferocious assault while chasing a daunting target of 209 runs.
“Right from the 17th over, I had butterflies in the stomach! To be honest, I thought anything can happen in the last over,” confessed Iyer.With SRH needing 13 runs off the final over, the odds seemed to favor them, especially with Klaasen in blistering form.
However, Iyer’s decision to entrust the ball to the young Harshit Rana proved to be a masterstroke. Rana rose to the occasion, dismissing both Klaasen and Shahbaz Ahmed, effectively sealing KKR’s victory.
“Harshit was a bit nervous when he was coming to bowl (the last over). I told him, ‘Even if we lose, it’s fine’. I tried to calm him down as much as possible,” added Iyer.
Andre Russell played pivotal role in KKR’s triumph. Russell’s explosive batting display, which saw him smash seven sixes and three fours en route to an unbeaten 64 off just 25 balls, left SRH struggling to contain him.
“Obviously, Dre Russ (Russell) at the end does what Dre Russ does, he’s pretty hard to contain,” acknowledged SRH skipper Pat Cummins.

Cummins commended the efforts of Klaasen and Ahmed, whose partnership nearly pulled off a remarkable victory for SRH. Despite the loss, Cummins found positives in his team’s performance, highlighting areas for improvement moving forward.
“In a game where we didn’t really pull it all together. We still almost competed against a very good side at their home venue, lots to be encouraged by, a lot of good performers, a couple of points to work on also,” stated Cummins.
The match provided spectators with a thrilling display of cricket, underscoring the excitement and unpredictability that the IPL is renowned for.
(With inputs from PTI)