WANT KOLKATA PLAYERS TO PLAY AGGRESSIVE CRICKET, IT SUITS TALENTED GUYS IN OUR SIDE: EOIN MORGAN

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Eoin Morgan has said that it is really pleasing to finally see his franchise play a ‘fearless brand’ of cricket that is associated with him and head coach Brendon McCullum. Rahul Tripathi and Venkatesh Iyer played knocks of 74 and 53 respectively as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Mumbai Indians by seven wickets here at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday.

With this win, KKR has risen to the fourth spot in the points table. “It is extremely pleasing. We want the best for everybody in the dressing room, the aggressive cricket that we have shown in the last two games is exactly what suits the talented guys in our changing room. I know some of them might feel alien to take risk after risk, but that is exactly what we want them to do. They are seriously talented, batting and bowling, and we want them to get better,” said Morgan while replying to an ANI query during a virtual post-match press conference.

Before entering this match, KKR had a dismal record against MI, registering just six wins in a total of 28 games, but Iyer and Tripathi helped the franchise turn around their fortunes. “I do not think it is one player (Venkatesh Iyer) that has changed the outlook of the team. The last two games have been, the superstars in our side have been the bowlers. That allowed our opening pair to play their natural game. Venkatesh played an innings against MI that would match a guy who has played 50 IPL games. The freedom in which he has played with has really been imposing. He has continued on with his form, but I do not think it is one player. It has been a collective performance which has been set by our bowlers,” said Morgan.

Earlier, Quinton de Kock’s 55-run knock helped Mumbai Indians post 155/6 against KKR in the allotted twenty overs. For KKR, Prasidh Krishna and Lockie Ferguson scalped two wickets each. “I think the quality of our spinners means that they can bowl in conditions that are not friendly to spin bowling. I do not think Abu Dhabi is, the two games we have played here, the ball has not spun much as compared to the last time we played here,” said Morgan.