Shubman Gill Needs To Be KKR’s Best To Win IPL 2020: Scott Styris
Sep 27, 2020 at 1:46 PM
Talented Shubman Gill scored superb knock of unbeaten 70 as Kolkata Knights Riders outplayed SunRisers Hyderabad to record a seven-wicket victory at the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. Earlier, Dinesh Karthik-led KKR restricted SRH to just 142 runs in 20 overs.
Australian pacer Pat Cummins (1/19) and spinner Varun Chakravarthy (1/25) shone with the ball. Andre Russell picked a solitary wicket of Manish Pandey. Besides, KKR bowlers did somewhat a decent job despite going for runs here and there.
Shubman Gill Steals The Show With 62 Ball Unbeaten 70
But the Man of the Match award went to 21-year-old Shubman Gill. Young Gill played shots with perfection and in an unbeaten 62-ball, 70 as KKR outplayed SRH in every department in the Indian Premier League 2020. Shubman Gill looked calm and assured on the batting crease and played the anchor’s role to perfection. Shubman Gill hit five fours and two maximums in his masterful knock.
Shubman Gill formed a partnership with England skipper Eoin Morgan (42 not out in 29 balls) as they helped the Kolkata Knight Riders open their account in IPL 2020 with a convincing win.
The 21-year-old opener anchored the chase perfectly as Eoin Morgan counterattacked to seal the deal in KKR’s favour with two overs to spare, after their opening game debacle where they lost to Mumbai Indians by 49 runs.
Shubman Gill Favourite Indian Cricketer After Rohit Sharma: Scott Styris
Cricketing experts were praising Shubman Gill after his assured knock. Similarly, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris said that Gill is his favourite India player after Hitman and Mumbai Indians skipper, Rohit Sharma.
“My favourite Indian cricketer, maybe Rohit Sharma above him, that’s it. He needs to be KKR’s best player if they have to win IPL,” said Scott Styris on Star Sports.
Earlier, opting to bat, SunRisers Hyderabad found the going tough after Pat Cummins and rookie spinner Varun Chakravarthy removed the opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and David Warner respectively and were restricted to a below-par 142/4.
Pat Cummins, who is the most expensive buy ever in IPL conceded 49 runs off three overs against Mumbai Indians in the opening game but gave away only 19 runs in 4 overs against SRH and picked up a wicket too.
The bowling-heavy SRH did make some inroads with Khaleel Ahmed and T Natarajan dismissing Sunil Narine (0) and Nitish Rana (26 off 13) but KKR made an explosive start. Rashid Khan also got into the act straightway, trapping KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik in front of stumps for a duck.
But a calm and composed Shubman Gill was in complete control of his innings and paced it brilliantly on way to his fifth IPL fifty.
On the other side, Eoin Morgan remained unbeaten on 42 off 29 balls including three fours and two sixes.