Angkrish Raghuvanshi in action for KKR in IPL 2024© AFP
Kolkata Knight Riders found a new star in youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi as the 18-year-old slammed a half-century in just 25 deliveries during the IPL 2024 match against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. The young batter came out to bat at No. 3 for KKR and ended up hitting 5 boundaries and 3 sixes in an extremely impressive knock. He looked completely at ease against the DC bowlers and even stitched together a massive 104-run partnership with Sunil Narine. He made his IPL debut in KKR’s last match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru where he was the impact player for his side.
Raghuvanshi moved to Mumbai from Gurgaon at the age of 11 to pursue cricket and he had a tremendous campaign at the 2022 U-19 World Cup. He opened the innings and ended up scoring 278 runs in a campaign which ended with their side becoming champions under Yash Dhull‘s captaincy.
Raghuvanshi made his List A and T20 debut for Mumbai in 2023 and he was extremely impressive in the CK Nayudu Trophy where he ended up scoring 765 runs in just 9 matches. He was picked by KKR at base price in the 2024 auction and his childhood coach Abhishek Nayar is part of the team’s support staff.
Sunil Narine produced a six-hitting exhibition en route to a blistering 85 while young Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a fifty on his IPL batting debut as Kolkata Knight Riders posted an imposing 272 for seven against Delhi Capitals.
Continuing his explosive run, Narine punished all Delhi bowlers alike, sending the ball over the boundary rope seven times. He also hit seven fours in his 39-ball stay.
The Capitals were guilty of dropping him on 53 and Narine made his opponents suffer as he notched his highest-ever score in T20 cricket.
Raghuvanshi (54 off 27 balls), who didn’t get to bat in his first IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, also fired on all cylinders, complementing Narine as the pair shared an explosive 104-run stand off 48 balls.
Andre Russell (41 off 19 balls) and Rinku Singh (26 off 8 balls) provided the final flourish to KKR.
It was a forgettable performance by the Delhi bowlers as they conceded the highest total in the team’s history. KKR hit as many as 18 sixes and 28 fours.
(With PTI inputs)
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