Gautam Gambhir reacts after Harshit Rana’s heroics pull off thrilling win for KKR over SRH, says ‘…till the end’

Left: KKR's Nitish Rana celebrates with Rinku Singh. Right: KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir. (Getty-X)
Left: KKR's Nitish Rana celebrates with Rinku Singh. Right: KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir. (Getty-X)

Highlights:

Gautam Gambhir reacted after Kolkata Knight Riders' thrilling victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

KKR eked out a four-run win over SRH in their first match of the IPL 2024.

Harshit Rana defended 13 runs off the final over to help KKR beat SRH.

The opening night of the IPL 2024 at Eden Gardens was a nail-biting affair for Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) fans. Though not a dominant performance, KKR displayed true grit and teamwork to pull off a dramatic four-run victory against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Despite early batting struggles that saw the top order falter, Phil Salt steadied the ship with a well-earned half-century. As he departed, the explosive Andre Russell took over, scorching a blistering 64 runs off just 25 balls with a flurry of sixes and fours. This late surge propelled KKR to a respectable total of 208 runs.

However, the challenge was far from over. SRH's Heinrich Klaasen was in no mood to spare KKR as he almost single-handedly snatched victory away with a valiant batting display. He single-mindedly dragged the chase close, but in the end, it was a combined effort from Russell (with the ball) and the young pacer Harshit Rana who sealed the deal for KKR, securing a thrilling four-run win for the two-time champions.

 

Gautam Gambhir thrilled after KKR's stunning win

Right after Harshit Rana led his team to stunning victory over SRH, KKR mentor and former skipper Gautam Gambhir took to X (former known as Twitter) to express that  how faith and determination till the end helped the two-time champions seal the match.

“Faith and determination till the end! #AmiKKR,” Gambhir wrote on X.

 

ALSO READ: Harshit Rana pays the price for aggressive send offs to Mayank Agarwal, Klaasen during KKR vs SRH match, faces heavy sanction

 

Harshit Rana stars in KKR's thrilling win

Hyderabad's chase of a daunting total on a pitch perfect for batting took a dramatic turn. They found themselves precariously placed at 145/5, needing a staggering 61 runs off just 19 balls when Heinrich Klaasen walked in to bat. The South African batsman arrived in scorching form, taking the IPL's most expensive signing, Mitchell Starc, to the cleaners. He smashed three sixes off the Australian quick, while Bengal's Shahbaz Ahmed added another six to end Starc's over. That one over yielded a staggering 26 runs for Hyderabad, but more importantly exposed Starc's struggles. The left-arm pacer, who joined KKR for a record-breaking fee of Rs 24.75 crore, ended the spell with figures of 0 wickets for 53 runs in just 4 overs.

 

ALSO READ: Pakistan superstar player comes out of retirement, makes himself available for T20 World Cup 2024

ALSO READ: Gavaskar fumes at Harshit Rana's flying kiss antics to Mayank Agarwal during tense KKR vs SRH IPL clash, says 'Did the batsman do...'

 

With just 13 runs needed off the final over, KKR took a gamble by handing the ball to their young pacer, Harshit Rana. The gamble initially seemed to backfire as Rana conceded seven runs off the first two deliveries. However, he showed remarkable composure, dismissing both Shahbaz Ahmed and the dangerous Klaasen. The dismissal of Klaasen, a superb catch by Suyash Sharma at backward point, sealed a heart-stopping victory for the KKR.

 

MORE ON SPORTS TAK: 

Ramandeep Singh reveals message from the dugout that helped Harshit Rana take Heinrich Klaasen's wicket

IPL 2024 playoffs and final venues confirmed; Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals to play last 5 home games here

Safaraz Khan's brother Musheer scores 38-ball century, serves reminder to IPL franchises with 155-run knock embellished with 29 boundaries