The 31st game of IPL 2024 between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata witnessed one heck of a run-fest. The game had so many moments that kept the fans on the edge of their seats and the result could have gone either way. Nevertheless, the Royals had the last laugh in the battle. The nail-biting drama went to the last ball and Jos Buttler ensured to steer the side to a memorable win.
Jos Buttler played a gem of an inning where he approached the game with caution and aggression. He took the game to the deep where he held his nerves and got the job done. He scored a match-winning 107 off 60 balls where he struck as many as 9 fours and 6 hits over the fence at a strike rate of 178.33. The Royals won the game by two wickets and are currently on top of the points table with 12 points.
Jos Buttler credits two Indian stalwarts after his match-winning knock
The England international was adjudged the Man of the Match for his scintillating batting masterclass. At the post-match presentation, he reserved the highest respect for Indian stalwarts namely MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli for their incredible potential to take the game till the end. Buttler added that he sought inspiration from these two stars, which helped him come through with flying colours in the run-chase.
“At times you feel frustrated or you are questioning yourself. I was trying to tell myself it’d be okay, keep going, you’ll get your rhythm back and try to stay calm. There’s been plenty of times throughout the IPL, you’ve seen crazy things happen. Guys like Dhoni and Kohli, the way they stay till the end and keep believing, you’ve seen it so many times in the IPL and I was trying to do the same,” Jos Buttler added.
The 33-year-old UK-born cricketer is the third-leading run-scorer for Rajasthan Royals this season with 250 runs in six games at an average of 62.50 and a strike rate of 147.93. The Royals will play their next game against Mumbai Indians on April 22, Monday at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.