World’s and Bangladesh leading all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan made Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pay dearly as he was instrumental behind Sunrisers Hyderabad’s five-wicket win over his former team Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at Eden Garden, Kolkata.
This was Hyderabad’s first away match of this edition of the IPL and after the victory have comfortably climbed to the top of table as they have earlier won both of their home fixtures.
It was poetic justice for Shakib Al Hasan, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan as they represented KKR last year but this year KKR did not registered them. Surprisingly all played their part in KKR home debacle.
Shakib shone both with bat and ball and his contribution was one of the key reasons behind Sunrisers win. Captain Kane Williams priceless half century was well supported by Shakib’s 21-ball 27 with two fours and six.
Hyderabad were jittery in chase, losing three wickets for 55 runs inside nine overs before Shakib and Williamson starred in a 59-run fourth-wicket partnership to get them close to the target.
Later Yusuf Pathan rubbed salt at KKR’S wound with quick fire 17 not out of 7 balls to deliver the final nail at KKR’s coffin. The third player not considered by KKR for this player Manish Pandey took two brilliant catches to dismiss Nitish Rana and Andrew Russell.
Earlier, Shakib gave away just 21 runs in his four overs while bagging the important wicket of Chris Lynn who had been looking to take the bowlers to cleaners. The Bangladesh all-rounder had a dot-ball percentage of 44 and it restricted the Riders big hitters from going for big ones.
While Rashid Khan went for 31, the efforts of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Billy Stanlake and Shakib restricted Knight Riders to 138 for eight.
Yesterday, Shakib returned to his old hunting ground but with his new team Sunrisers Hyderabad and the all-rounder performed with both that bat and ball – a performance that has led the media of Kolkata to regret Shakib leaving.
Saturday was the Bengali New Year and although Shakib could not be in Dhaka but celebrating in Kolkata is a really good place for celebrating the Bengali New Year as well.
“Ousted Bengali’s New Year Revenge” said the headline of one of Kolkata’s mainstream media outlet.
Meanwhile Anandabazar wrote about Shakib, Yusuf Pathan and Manish Pandey returning to Kolkata and taking revenge on their former team.
While describing one of Shakib’s six off Andre Russell, the paper wrote: “Shakib hit Russell nonchalantly over square point for six. As if the shot fell like a whip on those officials of KKR who did not registered him for this year.
Shakib celebrated Bengali New Year in style as Sunrisers marched on to their third straight win in this year’s IPL.
