IPL 2023: 'Heartbeat was touching 200,' reveals Varun Chakravarthy after bowling KKR to victory over SRH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spinner Varun Chakravarthy revealed that his heart was racing during his final over heroics against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on  Thursday.

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Chakravarthy was entrusted with the final over by KKR skipper Nitish Rana after SRH were left needing nine to win from six deliveries with three wickets in hand. The leg-spinner ended up getting the key wicket of Abdul Samad while conceding just two runs besides a leg-bye to bowl KKR to a nerve-wracking five-run victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in the Telangana capital.

“My heartbeat was definitely touching 200 but I just wanted to challenge them on the longer end so that was my plan. Definitely the ball was slipping a lot and so my best bet was the longer side. That was the only thing in my mind.

“It’s very important to stay in the process. Once emotions set in, I might tend to get carried away and forget my process,” Chakravarthy, who was adjudged the Player of the Match for his superb final over, said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

KKR skipper Nitish Rana later admitted he had his doubts over choosing between a spinner and a seamer to bowl the final over and opted for spin, a move that worked in Kolkata’s favour in the end.

“I had a doubt if I had to go with spinner/pacer and backed my spinner to do the job. I always see who is the best spinner on the game and that’s how I decide whom to back on the given day,” Rana said after the game.

Sunrisers skipper Aiden Markram meanwhile, continued to back his team even as the defeat left them staring at an early ride home and currently have them competing with the Delhi Capitals for the last spot on the points table.

“You’d rather get it wrong trying to be aggressive. Ultimately guys have played enough cricket to know when is the right time and we’ll keep backing them and their decision-making. Hopefully it’s a situation that brings out the best in us,” said Markram, who scored a 41-ball 40 and stitched a valuable partnership with fellow South African Heinrich Klaasen to keep SRH alive in the chase.

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