Kolkata, March 24 India's legendary former batter Sachin Tendulkar impressed with the thrilling IPL 2024 encounter between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He heaped praise on Harshit Rana for his final over heroics and also lauded the "wonderful knocks" by KKR's Andre Russell and SRH's Heinrich Klassen.
A magnificent final over from Rana, defending 13 runs, halting a rampaging Heinrich Klassen and a spectacular all-round performance from Russell helped Kolkata Knight Riders edge Sunrisers in a thriller at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
"We witnessed 2 wonderful knocks by @Russell12A and Klaasen today. @PhilSalt1 led the charge first, followed by some brilliant power hitting by Russell," Sachin wrote on X.
"Heinrich Klaasen ensured that Sunrisers Hyderabad came close to the target but some courageous bowling in the final over by Harshit Rana sealed the game where he opted for a slower delivery to a well-set Klaasen at that stage of the game instead of a yorker and possibly took him by surprise. Well done," he added.
Russell went on a six-hitting spree and smashed 64 off 25 as he, along with Ramandeep Singh (35 off 17), helped KKR recover from 119/6 and post a formidable 208/7.
It was a last-ball finish to remember as Klassen (63 off 29 balls) dragged SRH from the verge of defeat to almost over the line before Rana took it away from them. From 60 off 18 balls, Klassen and Shahbaz Ahmed hammered 21 and 26 runs in the next two overs to make it 13 off six balls.
Klaasen blasted a huge six off Rana off the first ball of the final over, but the bowler had the last laugh as he bowled a superb over to send back Shadab Ahmed and Klassen to seal a victory for KKR in a nerve-wracking encounter.
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