NEWS
Follow UsRahmanullah Gurbaz has been with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) throughout this season, but as his spot was occupied by English wicketkeeper batter Phil Salt at the top of the order, he had to wait out his chances.
It was only when Salt was called back to the English team for their series against Pakistan that a space opened up for Gurbaz. And when he came out to bat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), chasing a moderate 160-run total, he batted with high intent, smashing two fours and two sixes to score 23 runs in just 14 deliveries.
This performance also came at quite an emotional time for the Afghan opener as his mother is recovering in a hospital. He had to return home in the first week of May to the aid of his unwell mother.
“My mom is still sick. I went there [back home in Afghanistan]. I got a call from KKR once Phil Salt left,” Gurbaz said at the press conference.
“They called me and messaged me, saying, 'Gurbaz, we need you; what is your situation?' I said I'd come. My mother is still recovering in the hospital; I speak to her every day. But I knew my KKR was also my family. They needed me here. So I came back from Afghanistan. It's hard, it's tough, but I have to manage.”
KKR have been in top form this season. They reached the playoffs with the highest points (20, three more than the second-best team) and a net run rate of +1.428, which is phenomenal for a competition of this length.
KKR’s opening combination of Salt and Sunil Narine was at the centre of this stellar season, scoring 46.6 runs/opening partnership on average at a strike rate of 207.8. Gurbaz understands that opportunities are hard to come by in such a team and in a league like the IPL.
“I should clarify this. As a cricketer, you know what to do. In League Cricket, only four overseas players can play in the eleven,” Gurbaz said. “If you have an opportunity, you should try and do well. If you do not have an opportunity, you should prepare well and be ready. Whenever you get a chance, you have to be ready.”
Gurbaz did show he was ready, as his explosive start allowed KKR to be 44/1 in just 20 deliveries into their chase. After that, they only needed 116 runs in 100 deliveries which proved to be quite easy for the remaining KKR batters who polished off the chase in just 13.4 overs.
“See, if you have top management like the KKR family, I think you don’t need to worry about anything. Because GG sir (Gautam Gambhir) is there, Shah Rukh sir is there, the head coach is there, and everyone is like a family,” Gurbaz remarked.
“I didn’t play for a long time and suddenly played in the semi-final, which was big pressure, but they took all the pressure from me and said, ‘just go and enjoy the game!”
Earlier, Mitchell Starc brought his best to the big moment and picked up three wickets for 34 runs, reducing SRH to 39/4 by the end of the fifth over. SRH’s innings could never completely recover from the trauma inflicted by the southpaw.
With this win, KKR have qualified straight for the finals on May 26.
