Skipper Shreyas Iyer explains why KKR lost vs RR

After a seven-run loss against Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer said the batsmen couldn’t be consistent with the run rate. Chasing 218 runs, KKR were all-out for 210 in the 30th match of the 2022 Indian Premier League at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.   

The skipper put up a lone fight with a 51-ball-85 but was dismissed leg before wicket to Yuzvendra Chahal, who eventually picked his first IPL hattrick. Aaron Finch made 58 runs in 28 balls.

Also read: IPL 2022: Narine joins Adam Gilchrist, Murali Vijay in unwanted IPL list

“We went in line with the run-rate from the start thanks to Finch. We could not continue which was bad but it is a part of the game. My plan was to bat till the end,” Iyer said after the game. 

Talking about the turning point of the game, the 28-year-old pointed out that Yuzvendra Chahal’s 17th over, where he picked four wickets, turned the game on its head. 

Also read: Leg-spinners are match-winners: RR coach Lasith Malinga after Yuzvendra Chahal’s hattrick

“Yuzi had a favourable matchup against him. Jos started slow but he took off, he manoeuvred the ball well and continued really well. Conditions-wise, there was not much dew and the wicket was amazing to bat on. The ground has not been good for us but we will look to come back positively.”

For Iyer, pressure of scoreboard gets the best out of him.

“I love pressure. I did not think of what the teammates thought of the score, I wanted to go all in. I thought if they can get it, so can I.” 

Also read: RR’s Yuzvendra Chahal talks about unique celebration after hattrick vs KKR

For Rajasthan, Joe Buttler scored a stroke-filled 61-ball 103. Skipper Sanju Samson (38 off 19 balls), Shimron Hetmyer (26 not out off 13 balls), and Devdutt Padikkal (24 off 18 balls) also chipped with useful contributions.

Brief Score: Rajasthan Royals: 217 for 5 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 103, Sunile Narine 2/21) Kolkata Knight Riders: 210 all-out in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 85, Aaron Finch 58; Yuzvendra Chahal 5/40).