Delhi Capitals (DC) wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was involved in an intense and animated chat with Rajeev Shukla after the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The right-handed batter also made some gestures with his hand at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday, April 29.
Kolkata Knight Riders secured a 14-run victory over Delhi Capitals in their encounter. KKR posted a total of 204/9 in 20 overs. In response, Delhi managed to reach 190/9. Ajinkya Rahane kept their playoff hopes alive with nine points from 10 matches, while Delhi recorded their third defeat in the last four games.
Watch: KL Rahul Engages in Intense Discussion with IPL Chairman
KL Rahul was seen having an animated conversation with Rajeev Shukla on the ground after the match. The exchange between the two quickly caught the attention of social media users.
Watch the moment in a video posted by a user on Instagram below –
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KL Rahul was forced to bat early in the innings after Delhi’s top order faltered. While Faf du Plessis was in fine form at the other end, Rahul had to anchor the middle overs against Kolkata’s spin-heavy attack. However, his stay at the crease was short-lived.
Du Plessis tapped the ball behind square and hesitated after running for a single. KL Rahul, committed to the call, charged down the pitch. Sunil Narine, positioned at short fine leg, executed a sharp direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Rahul’s bat was still on the line as the bails came off.
Kolkata Knight Riders Capitalize on Blazing Start to Post 200-Plus Total
After being asked to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a flying start, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (26 off 12) and Narine (27 off 16) adding 48 runs in the first three overs. Captain Ajinkya Rahane added 26 runs off 14 balls. However, they lost wickets in quick succession, leaving KKR at 113/4 in 9.2 overs.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh rescued the innings with a 61-run partnership for the fifth wicket. They seemed set to score 220 runs but eventually finished at 204/9 in 20 overs. Mitchell Starc picked up 3 wickets for 43 runs in his four overs. Kolkata had just enough to defend in the must-win contest.
Sunil Narine Stars with Match-Winning Spell in Death Overs
Chasing 205, Delhi suffered early blows, with Abishek Porel falling for 4 and Karun Nair trapped lbw for 15. KL Rahul’s run-out added further pressure on Delhi, who were at 60/3. Du Plessis and Axar tried to rebuild with a 76-run stand for the fourth wicket. Delhi Capitals looked in control at 136/3 by the 14th over.
However, Sunil Narine turned the match around with his spell. He dismissed Axar Patel (43 off 23) and Tristan Stubbs (1) in a single over before removing Faf du Plessis (62 off 45). Vipraj Nigam (38 off 19) played a late cameo, but it wasn’t enough to help the team win. Varun Chakaravarthy took two wickets for 39 runs.
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