Kolkata: Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Jos Buttler expressed his delight after clinching victory for his team against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Reflecting on the atmosphere in the dressing room, he noted that the “team seems settled” and everyone is “happy for each other’s success”.
RR extended their lead atop the IPL 2024 standings after a two-wicket win over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday night. Batting first, KKR set a target of 224 runs. But, RR seemed to lose their way during their pursuit of the target. Then, Buttler held his nerves and shifted gears with the odds stacked against him.
Buttler scored an unbeaten 107 off 60 balls, his seventh IPL century and the second of the season, as Rajasthan chased it down in the final ball of the match, equalling their own IPL record for most runs scored in a successful run chase.
Speaking to official streaming partner, Jio Cinema, about his seventh IPL century, Buttler said, “It’s right up there, to hit the winning runs off the last ball is an amazing feeling. The TATA IPL always seems to throw up these matches, that’s what allows you to keep thinking that something crazy might be possible. That was a fantastic feeling tonight and delighted with the win.”
While reflecting on the mood in Rajasthan Royals’ dressing room after the win, the English wicketkeeper-batter said, “The dressing room is fantastic. A great start to the season really helps. There’s a lot of belief and different guys performing in different matches.
“Everyone seems really settled. We’ve had the same coaching staff for a long time and managed to keep the same guys and the team together for three years. There’s a lot of familiarity here. Like you said, people are really happy for each other’s success, which is always a great place to be as a dressing room.”
Meanwhile, former England captain Eoin Morgan showered praise on Buttler for his stellar performance, applauding him for not only scoring a century but also for delivering the winning runs for his team.
Morgan highlighted Buttler’s consistency, noting that the wicketkeeper-batter seems to excel without requiring assistance. “It’s become more and more expected of him. Your big-name players, your best players, want to be in the big moments of a game. He is no different. The thing about him is that he continues to produce more consistent performances for his team and he doesn’t seem to need help.”
“Chasing 224, he’s done the majority of the work on his own and in third gear. You can say he paced things really well… This is the second time in this year’s IPL where he’s scored a hundred and hit the winning runs. What a feeling,” he concluded.
Rajasthan Royals will now travel back to their home to play host to Mumbai Indians on April 22.
–IANS