Venkatesh Iyer's Explosive 60 Leads KKR to 200 Against SRH

Iyer's Match-Defining Performance

In Kolkata, Venkatesh Iyer played a pivotal role in the Kolkata Knight Riders' innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens, scoring a rapid 60 runs off just 28 deliveries. After a slow start, he found his groove and helped KKR set a challenging total of 200/6.

Discussing his innings and the pitch conditions, Iyer noted that the Eden Gardens surface behaved differently than he anticipated. "The ball was gripping a bit; it wasn't the Eden pitch I’m accustomed to. We believe we have set a competitive score," he remarked after his innings, as reported by a Media House.

Having struggled in the initial matches of the season, Iyer focused on settling in before accelerating his scoring. "I didn’t score many runs in the first two games, so I wanted to get a feel for the wicket. Credit goes to Rahane and Raghuvanshi for how they managed the early overs. SRH bowled well, and the ball was holding. The plan was to take our time and then go all out," he explained.

His innings included seven fours and three sixes, forming a crucial 91-run partnership with Rinku Singh. Their explosive batting in the final overs propelled KKR to the 200-run mark.

Iyer also emphasized the significance of domestic cricket, stating that it helps players adapt to various challenges. "The BCCI has made it mandatory to play domestic cricket, which is a great opportunity for us to face new bowlers. I always seize the chance to play, even at the club level," he added.

KKR's Rocky Start and Recovery

In the first innings, KKR faced a shaky start as Quinton de Kock was dismissed for just 1 run by SRH captain Pat Cummins. Sunil Narine followed shortly after, scoring only 7 runs, leaving KKR at a precarious 16/2 within the first 2.3 overs.

However, captain Ajinkya Rahane and young talent Angkrish Raghuvanshi steadied the innings with an essential 81-run partnership. Rahane played aggressively, scoring 38 runs off 27 balls, hitting four sixes and a boundary before being dismissed by Zeeshan Ansari.

Raghuvanshi continued his impressive form, achieving his second IPL fifty with a score of 50 runs off 32 balls, including five fours and two sixes. His dismissal at 12.4 overs left KKR at 106/4, increasing the pressure on the middle order.

With KKR uncertain about reaching 200 runs, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh took control. Rinku Singh contributed significantly with an unbeaten 32 runs off 17 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six. Their 91-run partnership shifted the momentum in KKR's favor, allowing them to accelerate in the final overs.

Iyer's explosive innings concluded in the last over when Harshal Patel took his wicket, but by then, KKR had already secured a competitive total. Although Andre Russell had a minimal impact with the bat, his contributions were not necessary due to the explosive finish by Iyer and Rinku.

SRH's bowlers had a mixed performance, with wickets shared among Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, and Kamindu Mendis, who each claimed a wicket but struggled to contain KKR's late surge.

With a target of 201 runs to chase, SRH faces a challenging task to secure their second victory of IPL 2025.