Manish Pandey reveals patience behind KKR match winning knock against Mumbai Indians

Pandey said he remained prepared and mentally ready despite spending several games on the sidelines before finally getting a chance to contribute with a crucial innings, News.Az reports, citing Sports NDTV.

The KKR batter scored a composed 45 off 33 balls on a difficult two-paced surface as his team successfully chased down 148 in 18.5 overs. He formed important partnerships with captain Ajinkya Rahane and Rovman Powell during a tense run chase.

Pandey said he had been waiting for his chance while being padded up for multiple matches, adding that he continued to stay focused on his preparation regardless of his position in the batting order.

He credited Rahane for guiding him during the chase, saying he was advised to focus on building small partnerships and watching the ball closely, which helped stabilise the innings in difficult conditions.

Earlier in the match, Kolkata Knight Riders restricted Mumbai Indians to 147 for eight, with Cameron Green and Saurabh Dubey taking two wickets each. Powell later provided a quickfire 40, while Rinku Singh finished the chase as KKR stayed in contention for the playoffs.