IPL 2023: Venkatesh Iyer breaks the jinx, becomes 1st KKR batter since Brendon McCullum in 2008 to hit a ton
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Venkatesh Iyer ended the 15-year century drought for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL as he completed his maiden ton against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. With this, he became the second KKR batter after Brendon McCullum in 2008 to achieve this feat.
Kolkata Knight Rider batter Venkatesh Iyer became only the second KKR player after Brendon McCullum in 2008 to hit a hundred in the IPL. Against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on a Sunday afternoon, Iyer completed his maiden IPL ton. The left-handed batter began sharply and took the attack to the opposition from the word go.
On a track that is known for providing a right balance between bat and ball, Iyer smoked some good-looking shots. Though he twisted his ankle while completing a run early on, that didn’t stop him from going big and creating history. Iyer took 49 balls to hit his first IPL hundred, and it came off in the 17th over.
18th April 2008: Brendon McCullum 158* (73)
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 16, 2023
16th April 2023: Venkatesh Iyer 100* (49)
A 15-year wait ends 🥹💜@venkateshiyer | #MIvKKR | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL 2023
After being asked to bat first, KKR lost N Jagadeesan early before Iyer unleashed an onslaught in the Powerplay. Soon after, Rahmanullah Gurbaz also departed. Captain Nitish Rana, who returned to form in the previous game against SunRisers Hyderabad, couldn’t replicate his good run in this game as he got out to Hrithik Shokeen on five, after which both shared some words too.
#KKR 3 down as captain Nitish Rana departs!
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 16, 2023
Hrithik Shokeen strikes to scalp his first wicket of the match 👏 👏
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/CcXVDhfzmi#TATAIPL | #MIvKKR | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/tQUlbTp7NK
Shardul Thakur, who too made headlines for his batting exploits against RCB earlier, fared okayish with the bat, getting out to Shokeen on 13.
In the meantime, Iyer stood his ground and slammed some huge sixes to Aussie Riley Meredith to up the tempo.
.@venkateshiyer 🤝 Hitting SIXES for fun
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 16, 2023
Watch two of those MAXIMUMS 🎥 🔽 #TATAIPL | #MIvKKR | @KKRiders
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/CcXVDhfzmi pic.twitter.com/ZJgcsJ7117
Following some clean hits, he came closer to achieving the milestone, and though he took some to get there in the end, Venkatesh managed to grab his chance and entered history books in the 17th over by completing his first hundred in this format.
Soon after, he departed on a well-made 104 from 51 balls.
During the end overs, Andre Russell took the onus on him and hit an 11-ball 21 to help his team put up a fighting total of 185 for six in 20 overs.
