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Venkatesh Iyer (Image Credit: Twitter/IPL)
Kolkata Knight Riders batter Venkatesh Iyer has become the second player for the team to score a hundred in IPL. The first one was Brendon McCullum, who did in the first-ever game of the league way back in 2008. Between these 15 years, no other batter could do so. Gautam Gambhir came close in 2012 but failed to cross the line. Dinesh Karthik also came close in 2019. Meanwhile, Iyer has hit his maiden IPL ton.
In the ongoing game against Mumbai Indians, he came out to bat at number three after the wicket of N. Jagadeesan in the second over. The left-hander, Iyer hit his first four, followed by a six against debutant Arjun Tendulkar in the third over of the game. The former did the same against Cameron Green in the next over. This was just the beginning for him.
Duan Jansen, who also made his debut, was bashed for two sixes in his first over by Iyer. Despite Rahmanullah Gurbaz and skipper Nitish Rana getting out early, Venkatesh ensured he kept the same tempo going. After the wicket of Rana, Iyer, and Shardul Thakur put together 50 runs off 28 balls with the former doing the heavy lifting.
After the wicket of Thakur, the opening batter, Iyer did slow down a bit, which might have to do with him getting dropped in the 90s. Also, while he was nearing his hundred. In the 17th over, the Madhya Pradesh player got his maiden IPL hundred with a single. In the next over, after hitting a boundary, he was caught at short third man.
Venkatesh Iyer's innings havE helped KKR post a competitive total against MI
Meanwhile, his hundred ensured that the team reached 185/6 at the end of the innings. Apart from Iyer, no other batter could even score a fifty. At the time of the toss, Rana who lost the toss had said that his team would have preferred batting first, given that the pitch might get slower as the game progresses.
This is how Twitter reacted
It gets harder to believe every that no KKR batter has made a century in IPL since Brendan McCullum on 18th April 2008. Today is April 16th,,,,,,.
โ Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) April 16, 2023
The curse has been lifted for KKR. Brendon McCullum finally has a partner in the centurion club!! pic.twitter.com/gV18rNYqN8
โ Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla) April 16, 2023
A ๐ฏ to remember.. leading a lone fight. Take a bow Venkatesh Iyer. What a knock. #MIvKKR #IPL
โ Syed Ali Imran (@syedaliimran) April 16, 2023
KKR's second-highest individual score is 21*๐ณ
One man army - @venkateshiyer ๐ pic.twitter.com/1TpmYP8ZhC
โ CricTracker (@Cricketracker) April 16, 2023
April 18th, 2008: Brendon McCullum becomes the first KKR batter to score a hundred in IPL.
April 16th, 2023: Venkatesh Iyer becomes the second KKR batter to score a hundred in IPL. pic.twitter.com/L7gbmFPfV4
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 16, 2023
Highest Individual Scores for KKR -
158* - Brendon Mccullum, 2008
100* - Venkatesh Iyer, 2023*
97* - Dinesh Karthik, 2019An hundred after 15 years ๐ pic.twitter.com/dHGm4K8KKn
โ Rแดษชแดแดแด ๎จ (@OverMidWicket) April 16, 2023
Venkatesh Iyer has scored his highest IPL score today. Thought we should update his profile ๐#MIvKKR | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL 2023 pic.twitter.com/llzbrsQhlP
โ KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 16, 2023
Venkatesh Iyer has highest sixes in IPL 2023 so far๐ pic.twitter.com/e4cRIchyVM
โ KKR Bhakt ๐ฎ๐ณ โข (@KKRSince2011) April 16, 2023
Venkatesh Iyer continues to dominate Mumbai Indians๐ฅ
Batting with a strike rate of 200+๐ pic.twitter.com/rTtox2E7Gz
โ KKR Bhakt ๐ฎ๐ณ โข (@KKRSince2011) April 16, 2023
Simon Doull watching Venkatesh Iyer rotate strike in the 90spic.twitter.com/rMXnF1zBPQ
โ Manya (@CSKian716) April 16, 2023