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IPL 2022: Need to work hard, feels KKR’s Umesh Yadav after win over PBKS

“I need to work hard. Getting older and when you know you play just one format, I look to bowl as much as possible. When someone improves at practice, they do well during the match as well.

Mumbai: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav, who scalped four wickets against Punjab Kings (PBKS), said that he needs to improve on his form and work hard.

Andre Russell’s unbeaten knock of 70 from 31 balls helped KKR score 141/4 in 14.3 overs in reply to PBKS 137 to register a six-wicket victory and make a mockery of the chase here at Wankhede Stadium on Friday. PBKS were bowled out for a modest 137 in 18.2 overs as Umesh Yadav bagged four wickets for 23 runs to earn the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

“I need to work hard. Getting older and when you know you play just one format, I look to bowl as much as possible. When someone improves at practice, they do well during the match as well.

I didn’t think Mayank would charge at me on his first ball. He has played me a lot in the nets,” said Umesh Yadav in a post-match presentation.

“I knew he would play off the back foot, and that’s where I looked to bowl on a fuller length. Whatever is happening now, has been because of what I have practised with my coaches. If you bowl at 140kph, you need to be accurate, you need to bowl at the stumps,” he added.

Punjab started off aggressively despite losing their captain Mayank Agarwal in the very first over to Umesh Yadav but Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 31-run knock-off 9 balls helped 2014 finalists reach the 50-run mark in just 4.4 overs.

The two-time champions KKR got wickets at regular intervals and did not allow any partnership to flourish.

Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy bowled eight overs among themselves and conceded only 37 runs with Chakaravarthy conceding only 14 in his four overs.