IPL 2017: Who Said What: Cricketing Fraternity Praises Uthappa-Gambhir For Brilliant Performance Against RPS
Apr 27, 2017 at 10:26 AM
Once again in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders made light work of chasing down a big total. Chasing an imposing 182 against Rising Pune Supergiant, Gautam Gambhir’s men reached the target by losing just three wickets and with 11 balls remaining and the men responsible for making the chase a comfortable one were Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir.
After being dropped by Jaydev Unadkat when he was batting on just six, Uthappa made the Pune-based outfit pay a huge price for it by making his highest IPL score – 87 off 47 balls at a strike-rate of 185.10. By the time, he was dismissed by Unadkat, he had already ensured an easy victory for his team in addition to propelling them to the top of the total.
The carnage began right in the seventh over- one over after he got the reprieve. He first targeted young spinner Washington Sundar as he hit him for a four and a couple of sixes to collect 20 runs of the seventh over. In the next over, he launched Imran Tahir for a 83-metre six before hitting two fours in the next over bowled by Unadkat.
Uthappa brought up his half-century with a single to deep mid-wicket in only 26 balls. The boundaries kept on coming thick and fast for him before he was dismissed for 87. His innings was studded with 7 fours and 6 sixes.But by that time, his side needed only 5 runs from the last 19 balls and Darren Bravo completed the formalities with a four in the penultimate over.
Uthappa was very well supported by another in-form batsman- Gautam Gambhir. With Uthappa looking in red-hot form, the discarded India opener played the role of second fiddle to perfection and hit the occasional boundaries to ease the pressure off his partner. The southpaw scored 62 runs runs off 46 balls with the help of 6 fours and a six and added 158 runs with Uthappa to set his team on the path to victory.
Meanwhile, the duo and especially Uthappa received lavish praise from the cricketing fraternity for their brilliant knocks. Here are some of the messages:
Well done @GautamGambhir and @robbieuthappa , dominating win this and we are on the top of the points table now @KKRiders #RPSvKKR
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) April 26, 2017
Well played bro @robbieuthappa more powers to u
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 26, 2017
Gautam Gambhir has made a strong case for himself for @ICC #ChampionsTrophy selection @BCCI. Man in form, leads from front @KKRiders @IPL
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) April 26, 2017
Unbelievable innings @robbieuthappa. Class n calm knock @GautamGambhir in your 100th game for KKR. Clinical victory @KKRiders #RPSvKKR #IPL
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) April 26, 2017
Savagery by Uthupa. With team for Champions Trophy yet to be announced, has he become claimant for a batting place you think?
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 26, 2017
In matches that KKR win, Gambhir averages 48.29 runs per dismissal in the second innings, compared to 29.13 in the first innings. #IPL
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) April 26, 2017