SRH vs KKR, 8th Match at Abu Dhabi, IPL, Sep 26 2020 - Match Result

9:55pm And that closes our coverage on ball-by-ball commentary. Thanks for joining us and see you tomorrow.

S Gill: I think the ball wasn't spinning that much and it's easier to hit down the ground. I've practiced a lot in the past couple of years, the power hitting. I think it was really important for our team to get this win. We bowled really well, it had to be backed by our batting performance. [Morgan] was batting so well. There weren't any long conversations. As an opener it is my job to see the team through.

Shubman Gill is the Man of the Match.

D Karthik: I think it's always good to get on the board. Been working hard and guess we deserve it. I think for us the advantage is having allrounders. Privileged to have them so might as well use them whenever I can. The fact that we've been able to groom youngsters, we've stayed with them. Was a bit emotional for Kamlesh. We stuck with him and people ask where he is. It feels good as a captain. I want to make sure Gill is having an easy journey with no pressure. I think McCullum is very clear that the best batters bat at the top of the order, I just need to get some runs.

Morgan: Yeah nice feeling, good to get the first win, some momentum and confidence. Today the bowlers really did dominate for us against a strong Sunrisers batting line-up. I didn't have to tell Gill a great deal to be honest, beautiful to watch. Lovely, languid. He's a good kid, he's quite hungry to learn regardless of his successes. [The pitches] I think a little bit indifferent. I don't think we can be fixated by one pitch. Moving through the tournament, conditions will change given the nature of the heat.

Warner: I got my decision right, I think. For us, the strength is death bowling. I think it was a hard wicket to accelerate on. I don't regret what I did at the beginning of the game, stand by my decision. Cummins as he does, test match line and length. If you prresent a good seam, you get value out of the wicket. I think in the middle we went four or five overs with 20. Probably killed us a little there. An extra 30-40 runs would have been great. We're going to have to try and go a little harder at the top. Can't help it if the bowlers are bowling good lines and lengths. Got to lift our boundary lengths. I saw 35-40 dot balls, which is unacceptable. [Pandey going off] not sure to be honest, hopefully bit of a cramp.

Tasmeem: "Gill will get the MoM most definitely, but my MoM would be Cummins. Killed all the momentum from the SRH innings with a strong finish to allow Russell all the time he needed to ease in with a couple. Top quality bowling from the best bowler in the world."

Mustafa Moudi : "The Regret in Gill's eyes after his Dismissal last innings, was an indication that a Big Innings is on its way. And here it is. Way to Go Gill !!"

Aarush: "To all the IPL captains,with some help of pre/post match presentations, tosses, commentary and all other secret ingredients, I have found a secret way to win these games...and that dish is called loose the toss !! Keep it handy if you wanna win !"

SandyKam: "Good thinking by these 2. Get to a safe point and then finish it off to get that extra NRR."

RAMA KNIAN: "[--- More than made up for Narine's failure] ???? When a bowler is sent up the order to 'disrupt' the opponent sometimes when he makes a duck is not a failure. This is T20 --- you IDIOTS have to rethink the mindset. If you loose your 4 bowlers for 0 on any particular day is NOT FAILURE because on some days you may see 50 on the board with only 4 overs bowled; IF they are coached to bat as 'voopers' as we call them in Trinidad. They 'voop' everything, and I mean everything --- and sometimes they shine; they are BOWLERS anyway. What do you have to loose by transforming their game and role to something dramatic, something sensational." --- Okay big guy. When your pinch-hitter doesn't get you a 200 strike rate and your next batsman does, it is an entirely fair statement to make. He failed at his pinch-hitting role tonight. This is T20, get past your old definition of failure.

9:33pm A well measured 92-run stand between these two completely closed the doors on SRH who would have felt like they were a wicket away from realistically challenging KKR. But the truth is their batting performance never left them with a chance tonight. Shubman Gill and Eoin Morgan have paced this nicely, and it is a comfortable victory in the end. Sunrisers, unfortunately, leave this match with more questions than they came in with.

Around the wicket

By the way, some exciting news for football fans in Kolkata came in earlier today as defender Sandesh Jhingan signed for newly-formed club ATK Mohun Bagan. Here's why it looks like a match made in heaven.

Should Sunil Narine continue to open the innings for KKR? Head over to our live report to vote.

Vikas: "On the talk to retiring out, does it mean that batsman will be "out" and can't bat again later if required ? Are there any rules around it ?" --- Don't have the laws handy as I'm on commentary, but I reckon it would come down to opposing captain's consent

Hemakumar: "People are forgetting the quick runs from Nitish Rana. Those 25 odd runs at 200 strike rate simply helped KKR not to worry too much about RRR." --- More than made up for Narine's failure

Sharma into the attack...

Sangeeth: "Seems like Nabi's luck of winning all the sunrises matches he played is going to end today " --- On the contrary, they've lost five of the last six games he's played

Second time out. I suspect we can have a different kind of conversation about NRR tonight. 30 required off 30, Morgan looks done with this running stuff.