Shah Rukh Khan sends individual message to top performers in KKR vs SRH IPL 2025 match [Watch]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan sent a special message to the team following their comprehensive 80-run win over SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Eden Gardens on Thursday, April 3. The Bollywood star addressed the impressive performances of the players and lauded them for their efforts.
The defending champions Kolkata successfully defended the 201-run target by bowling out Hyderabad for 120, handing them their biggest defeat in the league's history. Following the game, KKR CEO Venky Mysore read Shah Rukh's message in the dressing room.
Shah Rukh's message to KKR players was:
"Wow! I guess the secret to a gameplay like this is that I should come on the screen during team meetings before the match. Played like the champions we are. Awesome, everyone. Well done, Angkrish, you were sublime. Ajinkya was fantastic – captain’s innings and great strategy! And Venkatesh, don’t think too ahead, so just the time on the crease. That's where you belong. Fantastic. And Rinku, so happy to see you smile. You’re a champ!
"Bowlers, so well done! Sunil and Varun, it is magical to see you guys bowl together and we are fortunate to have you here. Harshit, nice catch, bro, and great bowling. And Vaibhav, you were a star today. We played to a plan and stuck to it. Congratulations, Andre, Moeen bhai, Ramandeep, it was such a united effort. And Anukul, good catch, beta. One learning from this match mainly - listen to what Quinny says. All the best, wish I was there to party with you all. Will join you soon."
With two wins and as many losses after four outings, KKR are placed fifth in the IPL 2025 points table. Their net run rate stands at 0.070.
"The discussion was to steady it till the 11th-12th over" - Ajinkya Rahane on KKR's performance against SRH
Speaking at the post-match presentation, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pointed out that the side lost early wickets after being asked to bat first. He stated that the side's plan was to play steadily till the 11th-12th over.
Rahane said on KKR's victory:
"This game was really important for us. Winning by a big margin was crucial for us. We wanted to bowl first. The toss did not go our way, we lost early wickets too. But then, the discussion was to steady it till the 11th-12th over. The last two games did not go our way but we learnt a lot from them. When Rinku and Venkatesh were batting. We wanted to get another 50-60 runs in the last 30 balls. Those guys can play some really good shots."
"We had Moeen, Ramandeep and Russell waiting in the wings too. The ball gripped a bit. We had three quality spinners too. Moeen unfortunately did not get the chance to bowl. Vaibhav and Harshit set the tone up top," he concluded.
Kolkata will next take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Tuesday, April 8.