Kolkata, April 8 Ajinkya Rahane had “no complaints” from his team after Kolkata Knight Riders fell just four runs short of what could have been a record chase against Lucknow Super Giants in Match 22 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.
Kolkata were chasing 239 — a near-impossible task on most days — but took the match to the final ball. At no point did Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) look out of contention, and Rahane, who led from the front with a classy 61, made sure the fight never faded.
"A really tight one. As I said at the toss, the wicket would remain very good. No complaints, in the end, we fought hard but just four runs short,” said Rahane after the match. "See, when you're chasing 230-plus, you are bound to lose wickets, that's completely normal. The intent and how everyone played was amazing."
Rahane highlighted the team's mindset, praising the aggression and belief shown by the batters throughout the innings. The Powerplay yielded 90 runs — their best of the season — and the tempo never dropped despite the required rate climbing. "If batters took a little bit of time, it was a great wicket to bat on," he said.+
Rahane’s own innings was a mix of calculated aggression and poise. He knew the importance of pacing the innings right on a pitch that offered true bounce and value for shots. His knock kept KKR in the hunt deep into the second innings. "Varun and Sunil normally dominate the middle overs, but today Sunil was travelling. It was tough for the bowlers."
If there was one area where the game slipped from KKR’s grasp, it was with the ball. Lucknow's 238/3 was built on the back of an onslaught by Nicholas Pooran and a powerful start provided by Mitchell Marsh. Rahane acknowledged that their premier spinners — especially Sunil Narine — couldn’t find the control they usually bring in the middle overs.
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