Kings XI vs RR, 9th Match at Sharjah, IPL, Sep 27 2020 - Match Result

Thanks for joining us for this lovely lovely game of cricket. We hope you enjoyed this as much as we did. We will analyse the nuts and bolts once the adrenalin comes down. Right now, bathe yourself in the glory of sport and of life. Celebrate that there is redemption around the corner. Not all the time, not for everybody. But it is there. On that note, good night

Sanju Samson, the Man of the Match: "I have been hitting well from the last on year. I have been in the right frame of mind. Don't see a change in my game. First of all I was fed up with myself. I was trying hard but things were not happening. Then I worked hard. I asked myself what do I need to achieve? I told myself I have 10 years of this wonderful game in me, and I have to give everything to these 10 years. My family is supportive of that. The power comes from genes. My father is a very powerful man."

Steven Smith: "That was something else, wasn't it? Gnenrally it gets wetter so I thought we were in with a chance at the halfway mark. A lot of sixes hit here. We gave ourselves the chance. Yeah good to get over the line. Gee, Sanju is striking the ball cleanly all over the ground. Taking pressure off everyone. We will have to adapt to the bigger grounds, but these shots would clear everywhere. What we have seen from Tewatia in the nets is what we saw in that Cottrell over. I told someone as along as he gets one, floodgates will open. He showed heart. He told me during the timeout we still believe, Three sixes of Shami, three off Cottrell. Jofra again. First four balls sixes the other night. First two tonight. The bowlers did a great job. Looked like we would be chasing 250."

Let me tell you a story from a Stephen Fleming interview. I told him you should look to pull guys back if they are unable to hit. He didn't like the idea. He said the struggle is the beauty of the game. His exact words: "That's the beauty of it, isn't it? Not let someone get away with it just because they can tap out. 'Not my day today, I am out.'" What words. You have to really love this sport to think like that when you are under so much pressure to win. Guess what, Rahul Tewatia didn't tap out. For all the frustrations of watching Jadeja get stuck in quick sand, and Yuvraj and Vijay Shankar, perhaps it is true that you just don't tap out

Rahul Tewatia: Now I am better. The worst 20 balls I have ever played. After that I began to hit so I kept going. The dugout knows I can hit the ball long. I knew I had to believe in myself. It was a matter of one six. Five in the over, that is amazing. I tried to hit the legspinner, but unfortunately I couldn't. So I had to hit other bowlers."

KL Rahul: "Look that is T20 cricket. We have seen this a lot of time. we need to keep our chin up. We did a lot of things right, but you have to give it to them. The game keeps you humble all the time. Under pressure, bowlers can make mistakes. We need to come back stronger. I back my bowlers to do the job. It is okay to have one bad game. Good that it happened early in the tournament. We can come back stronger. Small ground, the total doesn't really matter. Bowlers are going for runs in the back end."

Now we can breathe. Tewatia is knocking fists with others here. Don't tell to me not get carried away. This is among the greatest days of commentary I have been through. If you have ever backed an underdog, if you have ever felt awful for a guy giving it his best and not getting anywhere, if you have ever been in that situation yourself, this day is such sweet joy

This is not over yet. Tom Curran and Jofra Archer. two internationals. They need to use their composure and experience to take the ship home. The coast is within touching diatcne

Riyan Parag, finish this off now. Long-on and long-off are back. Push a single to them. Let Jofra take you home

Last over. two to get. M Ashwin to bowl. Slip in place

Can do it in singles now. Last 10 balls: 43 runs, one wicket. Rahul Tewatia, you beautiful beautiful cricketer

Come on Rahul Tewatia. You have taken us on a roller-coaster. Now finish it off. Hang on, boys and girls and others. They have promoted Archer now. Uthappa didn't even hand over the strike

Shami is back

Cricket, lovely cricket. That is all I can say right now

Oh the joy of struggle and redemption. How fortunate to be calling this

And now KXIP are having conferences

17 an over. You still won't rule a side out in Sharjah with dew around. Rahul you still have a chance to turn this around. Come on, turn this into a fairytale of redemption

Arun: "Hey stop blaming Tewatia! There are more Tewatias in real life than Samsons. "

Uthappa comes in. Too late, surely?