Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven wickets at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday in the ongoing IPL 2022, thanks to Rahul Tripathi's outstanding effort of 71 runs off 37 balls.
He paced his innings perfectly and chose his bowlers to attack, putting Aman Hakim Khan and Varun Chakravarthy to the cleaners in his match-winning performance. SRH chased down the target of 176 with 7 wickets in hand and more than 2 overs to spare.
"I had fun, it was special with KKR and is special with SRH as well. Russell bangs in short and I was looking for the pull if he bowled short. Varun bowls well. I didn't expect him to bowl up. I went with the shot and wasn't pre-determined. So, I thought of putting him under pressure, " said Rahul Tripathi in the post-match presentation ceremony.
Rahul Tripathi had previously played for Kolkata Knight Riders, where he scored match-winning runs, and now he was pitted against them, guiding Hyderabad to victory in 17.5 overs while pursuing a 176-run mark.
"It's been special with KKR and with the SunRisers, the first few games have gone well. I have struggled with my health in the past week but they have supported me, " said Rahul Tripathi.
Rahul Tripathi is a warrior, and his tenacity has helped him perform well in the IPL. He was acquired for Rs 8.50 crore by SunRisers Hyderabad after he was not retained by KKR, and with this kind of performance, he has certainly proven his worth as a no.3 hitter.
"I enjoy it a lot. There are tough days but on good days, I look to enjoy myself. Before going to bat I am a bit fidgety, I am happy I could play this innings today, " told Rahul Tripathi.
For his scorching knock that helped his team to their third win of the season, Rahul Tripathi was named the Player of the Match.
(With ANI Inputs)
