SRK surprises Ganguly with an emotional hug after the IPL match

Following their IPL match on Monday, 29 April, KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan presented DC director of cricket Sourav Ganguly with a heartwarming surprise. Ganguly was engaged in conversation with KKR all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer when SRK approached and gave him a bear hug at the Eden Gardens. Ganguly, known as the “Prince of Kolkata,” was KKR’s inaugural icon player when the tournament commenced.

The association between Ganguly and KKR was relatively brief, as he was released by the team after two consecutive seasons of below-par performances. His disagreement with coach John Buchanan resulted in his dismissal. However, any past tensions were resolved years ago. During his tenure as President of the Cricket Association of Bengal, Ganguly provided logistical support to KKR.

Following his tenure as president of the BCCI, Sourav Ganguly assumed a new position with the Delhi Capitals (DC) as Director of Cricket. Upon his appearance on the big screen at Eden Gardens, Mr. Ganguly was met with a thunderous ovation from the crowd. The emotional embrace between Ganguly and team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan after the match evoked a sense of nostalgia.

Following a disappointing loss to PBKS, KKR bounced back to defeat DC by 7 wickets at Eden Gardens on 29 April 2024. KKR completed the target with 21 balls remaining. The victory consolidated KKR’s position in second place. Meanwhile, DC are now in a challenging position, requiring victories in the remaining games to qualify for the playoffs.

The decision to bat first proved to be a miscalculation, as they were only able to achieve 153 runs for 9 wickets. Prithvi Shaw achieved three boundaries in the opening over, but Vaibhav Arora dismissed the key batter in the very next over. From that point onwards, the Delhi side lost momentum and struggled to build a competitive total.

KKR openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine made a strong start, scoring 79 runs in the powerplay overs, reducing the required run rate below six per over. Salt, the leading run-scorer for KKR this season, achieved a 27-ball fifty and finished with a 68 off 33 balls, enabling KKR to secure a seven-wicket victory. This was KKR’s sixth win in nine matches.