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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer was shell-shocked after his team failed to defend a monumental score of 261 runs against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 26 (Friday). The iconic Eden Gardens witnessed another historic game as T20 cricket's biggest-ever run chase was scripted at the "Mecca of Indian cricket". After the game, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer was delighted with his batters but voiced the need for the team to go back to the drawing board upon getting hammered at home.
"I would have (taken 260 at the start of the day). The way the batters batted was tremendous to see, Sunny coming in.. the way Salt batted, they delivered and it was a treat for the eye," Iyer told the host broadcasters after the game, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
"Both the teams played tremendously, one of those games where you go back to the drawing board and see where it went wrong especially not being able to defend 260. We have to sum up the conditions and come up with better ideas," he added.
Bairstow, Shashank blow the roof off Eden Gardens
On an extraordinary day that will be etched in cricket history, the PBKS shattered records and set new benchmarks by securing a breathtaking victory over the KKR. PBKS successfully chased down the highest total ever recorded in T20 cricket, achieving a mammoth target of 262 with eight balls and eight wickets to spare, a feat that underscored their explosive batting prowess. The clash was a spectacle of power hitting, with both teams combining to launch a staggering 42 sixes across the stadium.
From the outset, PBKS approached their monumental chase with unyielding aggression. Prabhsimran Singh launched an early onslaught, hammering the KKR bowlers with a barrage of five sixes and four fours, amassing 54 runs from just 20 deliveries.
As the powerplay waned, Jonny Bairstow escalated the assault with relentless force. Amidst Bairstow's fireworks, Shashank took center stage, embodying the role of the finisher with remarkable poise and precision. His display of sheer brute force was a masterclass in six-hitting, holding both Bairstow and the millions watching in awe as he turned the game on its head.
Quickly reaching a formidable fifty, Shashank played a pivotal role in dashing the hopes of KKR. He remained not out, scoring an explosive 68 runs off 28 balls, adorned with two fours and eight majestic sixes. Alongside him, Bairstow's innings was a spectacle in itself, as he remained unbeaten with 108 runs from 48 balls, including 8 fours and 9 sixes.
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