Mission accomplished, says Gambhir

Chennai, May 28 (IANS) Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir said unity helped his team win its maiden Indian Premier League title here Sunday.

Knight Riders beat Chennai Super Kings in their own backyard here to get their hands on the coveted trophy.

Gambhir said his side had achieved its objective.

“Only one word comes to mind and that is mission accomplished. That is what we wanted to achieve before the start of the tournament,” Gambhir said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

The southpaw, who ended up as the second highest run-getter in the tournament with 590 runs, said his players delivered when it mattered.

“Whenever the situation came, the guys stood up. It shows a good team makes a successful captain and not otherwise. Chasing 190 odd against defending champions in their backyard shows the character of Bisla. It was one of the best T20 innings I have seen,” he said of Manvinder Bisla’s match-winning 89 runs off 48 balls.

Gambhir dedicated the win to the Knight Riders’ fans and his teammate Laxmipathy Balaji, who missed the final due to an injury.

“This (the win) one is for Kolkata. To Balaji as well, he has been our unsung hero. He has played a crucial role in our success. Missing such a game in front of his home crowd must have been a big disappointment for him,” he said.