Video of All 12 Sixes Hit in KKR vs DC Match : Qualifier 2

KKR vs DC, Qualifier 2, 13 October 2021, 07:30 PM IST

Match Result : Kolkata Knight Riders won by 3 wkts

Player of the Match : Venkatesh Iyer

Match Report : After spending a large part of the chase in cruise control, Kolkata Knight Riders hit a wet patch that almost threatened to skid them right off the path and lead to a crash. From 13 runs needed in 25 balls, Knight Riders lost six wickets in 3.5 overs with only seven runs added, and faced a situation where Rahul Tripathi was facing up to R Ashwin needing to score six in the last two balls. Tripathi had scored six from ten balls till then, missing more than connecting, while Ashwin had given up just a solitary run in four balls while nabbing two wickets.

Tripathi had set himself up for a quickish length ball outside off, and threw a season’s worth of strength into a flat-batted hit that was carried as much by nervous energy as anything else over the long-off boundary. Knight Riders’ resurgence in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 continued, with their seventh win in nine games. They are in the final, where Chennai Super Kings await.

Delhi Capitals had seemed down and out of the contest for most part of the second innings, but they came alive with a vengeance as Knight Riders panicked with the finish line in sight.

Before the nail-biting finish, Knight Riders set themselves up with a familiar plan: the spinners choked the life out of the opposition, and the openers muscled a strong reply. Varun Chakravarthy was the bowling hero, taking 2 for 26 in four hard-to-read overs, which could have easily been 3 for less than 26 if he hadn’t over-stepped by a millimeter.

While batting, they had the fearless Venkatesh Iyer to thank, the opener’s crucial 55 off 41 setting up a foundation strong enough to withstand the earthquake that came later.

Rahul Tripathi: “It feels great. The win for the team was very important. We had one or two tough overs and I never thought it would go so deep. Glad we won the game. Rabada bowled the 18th over really well, but I knew that I had to just connect one.

The plan was to take a two if there was a possibility. If it was two, we were running, otherwise it was going to be me. It was difficult to straightaway get singles and boundaries for the new batsmen. It was keeping low and it was difficult to hit. I believed in myself and knew it was just one hit away. It has been a great journey for us after the first phase.

We believed in ourselves and the approach given by Eoin and the coach helped us with the positive approach.”

Venkatesh Iyer, Man of the Match: “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 played 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 strokeplayer and we complement each other.

Heard the news (about being asked to stay back in the Indian bio-bubble for the T20 World Cup) this morning, but my entire focus was on tonight’s game.”