Hyderabad: Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir chose not to be harsh on his fielders, who missed chances galore in the CLT20 contest against Lahore Lions, saying the team has worked hard in their impressive 11-match winning streak.
Wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla missed two stumping chances and then Sunil Narine missed Ahmad Shehzad’s catch chance, allowing the Lions opener score 59.
“I do not want to be too critical about the fielding. We have won 11 in a row which is a great achievement,” said Gambhir, who guided the side home with his 60-run knock.
He said it was imperative for him and Robin Uthappa to provide a good start in a chase of 152.
“It was important that the openers give a good platform. It made it easy for the middle order. Middle order had won us the last game. A kind of wicket where you never know what a good total is. Robin took his time and later played good shots,” he said.
Sunil Narine, who took three wickets and gave away just nine runs in his four overs, was declared Man of the Match.
Asked about his consistent success, the Caribbean spinner said, “Mainly it is trying to keep down the run rate in the Powerplay and hopefully pick up a wicket or two. “
He said chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who made his debut for KKR, was “a pretty good bowler”.
“He is young and has a lot to learn.”
Lions skipper Mohammad Hafeez said they had a defendable total on the board but blamed it on fielders. “We got the target we wanted to. 150 on this pitch with the way the ball was turning. Fielding was not up to the mark.
“We did not take some chances. Still it was a good show, youngsters are learning every game, we have to give them confidence, they will do well. Shehzad was magnificent. Narine bowled well,” he said.
KKR batsman Suryakumar Yadav felt it is the collective effort and focus on performing well in at least two departments that has helped his team extend its winning streak to 11 matches.
Suryakumar blasted a six and a four in his five-ball 14-run cameo to help Knight Riders snatch a four-wicket win in the last over of the game against Lahore Lions, and he said he had been confident of pulling off the victory.
“Winning in the last over is, obviously, not an easy game,” he said. “We lost wickets in the last few overs. But I feel there wasn’t any pressure on me. Because we needed a run a ball and it was not that difficult for us to finish the game.”
