Shah Rukh Khan during the IPL 2024 match between KKR and SRH© X (formerly Twitter)
An explosive half-century by Andre Russell helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) edge past Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 4 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday. Heinrich Klaasen‘s 29-ball 63 went in vain as he took SRH close to victory but could not take them beyond the finish line.
Chasing a massive 209-run target Sunrisers Hyderabad got off to a flying start with openers Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma taking the team’s total beyond the 50-run mark in just 4.3 overs.
Just when it seemed that Hyderabad openers would run away with the match Harshit Rana got the prized scalp of Agarwal dismissing him for 32 from 21 balls as SRH lost their first wicket for 60.
At the end of powerplay SRH had put on 65/1 in six overs. Andre Russell who had wreaked havoc with the bat also shined with the ball dismissing Abhishek Sharma for 32 from 19 balls reducing the 2016 champions to 71/2 in 7.2 overs.
#ShahRukhKhan is smoking in the stadium and Hakla is an inspiration (Irony) pic.twitter.com/MqukSRF9AY
— Prince (@purohit_pr78001) March 23, 2024
srk is smoking in the stadium #KKRvsSRH pic.twitter.com/YPfr8ISDsF
— Yasir dar (@yaasir_hameed) March 23, 2024
Rahul Tripathi along with Aiden Markram helped Sunrisers Hyderabad cross the triple-figure mark in 10.2 overs.
Varun Chakravarthy gave two-time champions KKR the third breakthrough dismissing Markram for 18 as Sunrisers lost their third wicket for 107 in 11.4 overs.
In the next over Sunil Narine got the wicket of Rahul Tripathi to put SRH in further trouble at 111/4.
Heinrich Klaasen and Abdul Samad then struck a partnership and started a fightback but it was short-lived as the the latter was dismissed for 15 by Andre Russell who got his second wicket.
Shahbaz Ahmed joined in form Klaasen and the duo took SRH’s total beyond the 150-run mark in 17.1 overs.
The chase looked almost impossible but Klaasen started a brilliant fightback scoring his half-century in just 25 balls.
Klaasen and Shahbaz Ahmed notched up the 50-run partnership in just 13 balls. Hyderabad team needed 13 runs off the last over as Harshit Rana was asked to bowl the crucial over.
SRH went past the 200-run mark in 19.1 overs. Rana dismissed both Shahbaz for 16 off 5 balls and Klaasen for 63 from 29 balls as the 2016 champions fell short by four runs.
(With ANI inputs)
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