In a thrilling culmination of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emerged as champions, triumphing over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the grand finale on Sunday, May 26. The victory sparked jubilant celebrations among KKR players, who revelled in their achievement both on the field and in the dressing room. Amidst the joyous atmosphere, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell were reminded of a humorous interaction they had with a Bangladeshi reporter during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The amusing incident had become a viral sensation on social media. During the BPL, a regional language reporter had attempted to communicate with the Caribbean cricketers in a colloquial manner, leading to a comically awkward exchange. The reporter’s question, phrased in broken English, confused both Narine and Russell, resulting in minimal and puzzled responses from the players.
This humorous memory resurfaced in the KKR dressing room after their IPL victory, bringing laughter to the entire team. The famous query, “Final match you perform, what happening,” referencing the duo’s underwhelming performance for Comilla Victorians in the BPL final, was met with hearty amusement and added to the celebratory mood.
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KKR faced a significant challenge earlier in the season when they lost English player Phil Salt, who had to leave the league midway due to national commitments. In response, the team brought in Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz as a replacement. Gurbaz quickly made an impact with his impressive wicket-keeping skills and solid batting performances.
IYKYK 😆 pic.twitter.com/P1SO36WziN
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 27, 2024
Opening the innings for KKR in the final, he played a crucial role, especially after Narine’s early departure. Despite dealing with personal worries about his mother’s health, Gurbaz showcased remarkable resilience, contributing a vital 39-run knock.
Reflecting on his performance and his mother’s condition, played Gurbaz shared, “I think she will be watching, she is OK now. Before the match, I spoke to my mom – I asked what do you want? She said, nothing, just win.” Gurbaz expressed his determination to perform well, motivated by his mother’s wishes and his own aspirations as the World Cup approached.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz acknowledged Phil Salt’s contributions and highlighted his readiness to step up when needed, saying, “Salty played really well and my expectation as the World Cup was coming, I wanted to prepare, also I had to be ready if Salty got injured. I got it and I was well prepared. Twice I’m champion of IPL, I’m lucky. When you work hard for two months and the result, when it comes like this, is special.”
The triumphant atmosphere and personal anecdotes from the players underscored the emotional and physical investment that culminated in KKR’s championship victory, making it a memorable conclusion to the IPL 2024 season.
