BENGALURU: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer completed 1,000 Indian Premier League (IPL) runs on Friday. Iyer achieved this milestone during his side’s IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
In the match, Iyer showcased many glimpses of the hitter he is in the shortest format, scoring a half-century, his eighth in just 30 balls. His knock had three fours and four sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 166.67. In 38 matches for KKR, Iyer has made 1,013 runs at an average of 28.14, with a century and eight fifties in 38 innings. His best score is 104 and his strike rate is 131.73.
His first season with the franchise back in 2021 remains his best one. In 10 matches, he scored 370 runs at an average of 41.11 and a strike rate of 128.47. He scored four half-centuries that season, with the best score of 67. He also holds the distinction of being KKR’s only centurion (with a ton in 2023) after Brendon McCullum, who lit up the league with a hard-hitting 158* in 73 balls in the opener against RCB back in 2008, turning the league into a household phenomenon.
KKR’s leading run-scorer is their former skipper and current mentor Gautam Gambhir, Having played for the franchise from 2011-17 and led them to two titles as a captain, Gambhir scored 3,035 runs in 108 matches at an average of 31.61 and a strike rate of 124.28, with 27 half-centuries. His best score is 93.
Meanwhile, the highest run-scorer in IPL is RCB’s Virat Kohli, who has made 7,444 runs in 240 matches and 232 innings at an average of 37.78 and a strike rate of 130.27. He has scored seven centuries and 52 half-centuries, with the best score of 113.
After KKR won the toss, they opted to field. After losing skipper Faf early, Virat Kohli had a 65-run partnership with Cameron Green (33 in 21 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and a 42-run stand with Glenn Maxwell (28 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six).
Virat scored 83* in 59 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes and took RCB to 182/6 along with Dinesh Karthik (20* in eight balls, with three sixes) in their 20 overs. Andre Russell (2/29) and Harshit Rana (2/39) were the pick of the bowlers for KKR.
In the run chase, Phil Salt (30 in 20 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Sunil Narine (47 in 22 balls, with two fours and five sixes) put KKR to a fine start with a quickfire 86-run stand in 39 balls. After Vyshak and Mayank Dagar (1/23 each) dismissed the openers, Venkatesh Iyer (50* in 30 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (39 in 24 balls, with two fours and two sixes) guided KKR to a seven-wicket win with 19 balls to go.
Sunil won ‘Player of the Match’ on his 500th match for his knock of 47 and one wicket. RCB is sixth in the points table with a win and two losses. They have just two points. KKR is at second with two wins in two games, with four points. (ANI)