After registering seven wickets win over SunRisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Shubman Gill, who played an unbeaten knock of 70 runs, said he practiced power hitting in the last couple of years.
Chasing 143 runs, Gill guided the side to their first win of the tournament. He opened the innings with Sunil Narine (0) and remained unbeaten on 70 runs as KKR won the game by seven wickets. His knock was studded with two sixes and five fours.
He was awarded the Player of the Match for his spectacular performance. The 21-year-old had a 92-run unbeaten stand for the fourth wicket with Eoin Morgan. Morgan amassed 42* off 29 balls including two sixes and three fours.
"I think the ball was not spinning much and was easy to hit down the ground. I have practiced power hitting in the last couple of years. I think it was important for us to win. We bowled really and we had to back it up with a good performance. There were not any long conversations with Morgan. We were just trying to anticipate what the bowlers can try and do. As an opener it is my duty to see my team through," Gill told host broadcaster Star Sports at the post-match presentation.
Morgan said it is a nice feeling to get their first win of the season after going down against Mumbai Indians (MI).
"Nice feeling to get a win under our belt. It is a long tournament, but obviously, this win helps us get some momentum and confidence going. We were a bit rusty in our last game against MI, but we won this match with our bowlers, they did a great job restricting a very strong Sunrisers batting line-up," Morgan said.
Speaking about his partnership with Gill, England limited-overs skipper said he 'deserves all the success'.
"I did not have to tell him a great deal to be honest, he is beautiful to watch on the eye, good bat swing, very languid style, magnificent to watch, he is a good kid, very hungry to learn and I would love to bat with him once again. I think he deserves all the success," he added.
Earlier, electing to bat first, Sunrisers had a bad start with opener Jonny Bairstow (5) back in the hut in the fourth over. Pat Cummins went through Bairstow's defense and rattled his stumps.
Msh Pandey then joined skipper David Warner in the middle. The duo played cautiously and hit boundaries at regular intervals. The duo stitched 35 run stands before Varun Chakravarthy caught Warner (36) off his own bowling in the tenth over.
Msh continued his brilliant batting but Wriddhiman Saha played a slow inning in the middle overs. However, the wicket-keeper batsman stepped down the ground and hit Chakravarthy for six in his last over.
Msh held the innings together for the Sunrisers and completed his fifty in the 17th over. Andre Russell ended Msh's stint at the crease in the very next over.
Saha got run out trying to convert a single into the double in the last over of the innings. He made just 30 off 31 balls. Mohammad Nabi tried his best but was not able to leave a mark as SRH posted a meagre total of 142 in their allotted 20 overs.
( With inputs from ANI )
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