DUBAI: After an impressive outing against Rajasthan Royals, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti thanked the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) management for always backing them and not letting go of them even when they were injured.
The young pacemen spoke after KKR defeated Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday. While chasing 175 to win, Rajasthan were restricted to 137/9.
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At one stage during their run-chase, Rajasthan were reduced to 88/8 as the KKR bowlers wreaked havoc at the Dubai International Stadium as Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, and Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets each.

Mavi got the wickets of Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler while Nagarkoti dismissed Robin Uthappa and Riyan Parag. Pat Cummins bowled three overs and conceded just 13 runs, while taking the crucial wicket of Royals’ skipper Steve Smith.
“It felt really good to dismiss both Samson and Buttler. I bowled the ball as I had planned to do. It feels really nice to spend time with the likes of Russell and Cummins. We have mixed up (gelled) with them; they are always around with us. It feels really good when Venky Mysore sir and Shah Rukh Khan sir come to watch us play. We were injured (in the past) but the management showed faith in us and we are grateful for that,” Mavi told Dinesh Karthik and Nagarkoti in a video posted on iplt20.com.

“I am feeling very good. Today I got my debut wickets in the match against Royals. I hope that we continue our winning run. It feels really nice to be around Eoin Morgan. For a player, it is important that he gets opportunities. The management has backed us for two years. I did not play but still the management backed me. Whenever I needed something, the management provided it to me,” said Nagarkoti.
Both Mavi and Nagarkoti were injured in the past two seasons of the IPL, but KKR kept them in the squad.
While batting first against Rajasthan on Wednesday, Shubman Gill top-scored for KKR with 47 runs. Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell also played useful knocks of 34* and 24 respectively to take the score to 174/6.

Morgan usually bats at number four or five, but he was sent out to the middle at number six against Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan will next take on Royal Challengers Bangalore on October 3 while KKR will lock horns with Delhi Capitals on the same day.
Watch IPL 2020: KKR backed us for two years, we are grateful, say Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti