Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Eoin Morgan showered rich praise on pacer Lockie Ferguson, whose outstanding performance with the ball made a telling difference in the team’s Super-Over win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (October 18).
See Also: David Warner "quite disappointed" after SRH's third consecutive defeat
Defending the first-innings score of 163/5, Ferguson returned with the figures of 3 for 15 in his four overs to restrict the opposition to an identical score.
In the one-over eliminator, Ferguson displayed his briliance with pinpoint yorkers, dismissing SRH batsmen, David Warner and Abdul Samad, inside three balls for just 2 runs. KKR then easily knocked off the required 3 runs to take home a crucial win and points.
"It's nice to be a part of the Super Over, it gives you a glimpse of what the guys are all about; especially in high-pressure situations. For Lockie Ferguson to come into his first game of the tournament, to perform the way he did in the twenty overs and then in the Super Over, I think he was outstanding. The hunger and the drive he's shown off the field while waiting for an opportunity is pleasing," Morgan said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"We have been striving to get wins off the last couple of games, it didn't quite work out. We ran into a Mumbai Indians side that was very very strong. Today, it was more competitive, but it's great to perform and get over the line," he added.
SRH needed 30 runs from the last two overs. Shivam Mavi bowled the penultimate over and gave away 12 runs. In the final over, Andre Russell had 18 runs to defend and the Caribbean all-rounder managed to tie the match despite bowling against the rampaging David Warner.
Morgan hailed Russell, who struggled between the game but later came back and bowled the crucial last over of the innings.
"It was (the talk with Andre Russell), he went off the field, we thought he was injured, but he came back and said he could bowl. So, it's obvious we trust a player to deliver. He came off a short run-up, he does it so often but didn't manage to execute as well as he would have liked. I thought he showed a lot of character to come back and get us through to the super over after not starting as well as he would have liked (with a no-ball). He's been a superstar performer for us, has been such an integral part of the franchise for such a long time, we need Andre Russell to be fit," Morgan remarked.
KKR will next take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (October 21).
