Manish Pandey Awaits His Chance, Shines in KKRs Victory Against MI

Kolkata, May 21: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batsman Manish Pandey expressed that he was ready for the last four matches and was waiting for his opportunity. In a recent match against Mumbai Indians (MI), he showcased his skills with a remarkable innings of 45 runs off 33 balls, playing a crucial role in KKR’s victory.

Batting at number three, Pandey formed significant partnerships with captain Ajinkya Rahane and Rovman Powell during the chase. He shared a 38-run partnership with Rahane and a 64-run partnership with Powell. In a video shared on IPL’s social media account ‘X’, Pandey spoke with KKR’s head coach Abhishek Nayar, stating, “This was a great opportunity for me, as you rightly said. For four matches, I was waiting in my pads for my chance. However, I believe the way we batted in the last four matches was impressive, and placing me lower in the batting order was a reasonable decision.”

He added, “As we say, we keep changing, we utilize opportunities from left, right, and center. That’s the game plan. When I was told I would bat at number three, I started preparing myself as soon as I stepped onto the ground.” Pandey credited Rahane’s guidance during the chase and emphasized the importance of building partnerships on a challenging wicket. He remarked, “Talking to Rahane, he kept advising me about forming small partnerships and watching the ball closely. I did just that. The partnerships between Rahane and me, and then between me and Rovman, were truly essential. They took us to a stage where we needed 25 runs off the last 25 balls.”

Pandey further discussed the significance of trusting the process despite limited opportunities at the season’s start. He stated, “It’s a daily process. You come in after the domestic season. For me, it was about working on fitness and spending time on the wicket. I have been preparing for this tournament for a long time.”

He concluded, “You all have shown a lot of faith in me. I wanted to ensure that whenever the opportunity arose, I was well-prepared. The process is crucial. You keep playing well, you keep working hard, because you never know when the chance will come, and you have to seize it from both ends.” With their victory over Mumbai Indians by four wickets, KKR has kept their playoff hopes alive.