The recently concluded IPL 2024 final saw a dominant performance by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). KKR clinched their third IPL title with an emphatic 8-wicket victory on Sunday, May 26. SRH captain Pat Cummins' decision to bat first backfired as they were bundled out for a meager 113 runs. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi fell early to Mitchell Starc, while Vaibhav Arora dismissed Travis Head, leaving SRH reeling at 21/3 within the powerplay. Despite a valiant 24-run knock from Cummins, SRH never recovered from the early blows, falling at regular intervals.
This dominant win by KKR sparked some off-field banter. Kevin Pietersen couldn't resist taking a playful jab at Ambati Rayudu for a reason not mentioned in this excerpt.
Despite a shaky start by KKR, their innings quickly shifted gears. Opener Sunil Narine was dismissed cheaply for just 6 runs. However, Venkatesh Iyer stepped up to the challenge, playing a blistering knock. His unbeaten 52 runs came off a mere 26 balls, completely shifting the momentum in KKR's favor. This dominant display powered them to a comfortable victory, chasing down the target within 11 overs with only 2 wickets lost.
Following the thrilling conclusion of the IPL 2024 final, former cricketer Kevin Pietersen took a lighthearted jab at Ambati Rayudu. The incident stemmed from Rayudu, a Hyderabad native, changing out of his orange outfit, potentially worn in support of his local team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, after the match ended. Pietersen, known for his playful persona, couldn't resist poking fun at Rayudu's wardrobe switch.
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Kevin Pietersen calls Ambati Rayudu ‘joker’
In response to Pietersen's remark, presenter Mayanti Langer made her way over to him. Following a handshake, she stated:
"Thank you for bringing up the fact that he's changed from orange to blue."
Pietersen's playful banter took a turn as as he made a remark about Rayudu's quick change and termed him a 'joker'.
“The audacity. I have at least held firm. I've owned it. You are a joker,” Pietersen said.
In his defence, Rayudu then said:
“I am supporting both the teams. I am supporting good cricket”.
Watch the video here
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