Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer expressed his disappointment after his team failed to defend a massive total of 261 runs against Punjab Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Despite the defeat, Iyer believes that the loss will serve as a valuable lesson for the players.
The match between KKR and PBKS witnessed a record-breaking performance, with Punjab successfully chasing down the highest total in T20 history with 8 balls to spare. Jonny Bairstow and Shashank Singh’s power-hitting display propelled PBKS to victory, overshadowing KKR’s impressive batting performance.
Iyer praised his openers Philip Salt and Sunil Narine for setting up the massive target, with Salt scoring 75 off 37 balls and Narine contributing 71 runs in just 32 balls. The KKR captain also lauded Narine as the ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the team, highlighting the all-rounder’s impact on the game.
Reflecting on the defeat, Iyer emphasized the need for his team to analyze their performance and learn from their mistakes. He acknowledged the exceptional batting display by both teams and stressed the importance of going back to the drawing board to rectify their errors.
Despite the loss, KKR remains in a strong position in the IPL points table, with five victories out of eight matches and 10 points to their name. The team will look to bounce back in their upcoming match against Delhi Capitals at the Eden Gardens on Monday.