IPL 2017: Play Offs Need To Have An Extra Day: Shah Rukh Khan
May 18, 2017 at 2:21 PM
Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan feels there should be a reserve day for the playoff stages of the Indian Premier League if in case the game is not completed on the scheduled day due to reasons like rain.
The Knight Riders were in danger of getting eliminated from the ongoing season when it was raining cats and dog when they were about to begin their innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator on Wednesday night(May 17) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. Had the rain not stopped, the defending champions would have made it through on the basis of having more points than the Knight Riders after the end of the league stage. It would have been absolutely heart-breaking for the Kolkata-based outfit especially after the way they restricted the Sunrisers to a modest 128 for 7 in the 20 overs.
After Gautam Gambhir won the toss and decided to field first, the Kolkata bowlers fully justified his decision by never allowing the Sunrisers batsmen to play their usual game. They bowled a disciplined line throughout the game and as a result, the reigning champions could only score 128. Comeback man Nathan Coulter-Nile was the pick of the bowler with figures of 3 for 20 in his quota of four overs. However, the bowlers’ effort was looking destined to go in vain when the rain gods were looking in no mood to show mercy. But fortunately, the game resumed after more than three hours of the scheduled time and Kolkata Knight Riders were given to chasing down a revised target.
The two-time IPL champions needed to chase down 48 runs in 6 overs to make it to the second qualifier but they were still in a spot of bother after being reduced to 12 for 2 in the second over. The desperation to chase down the total quickly had put them in a mess but Gautam Gambhir guided to a thrilling win by playing a 19-ball 32 runs knock.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan, who too was present at the ground and was seen tensed when it was pouring heavily, took to Twitter to express his delight. At the same time, the Bollywood star felt that there should be an extra day for playoff matches like these.
“Glad on the winning side tonite. But playoffs need to have an extra day in case of an abandoned match. Ami KKR onwards with @GautamGambhir,” Shah Rukh tweeted.
Glad on the winning side tonite. But play offs need to have an extra day in case of an abandoned match. Ami KKR onwards with @GautamGambhir
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 17, 2017