IPL 2020: Young Knights Shivam Mavi And Kamlesh Nagarkoti Shine For KKR; Captain Karthik Turns Emotional

Youngsters Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti picked two wickets each to play a crucial role for KKR. The pacer helped Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs.

Image: Twitter/@IPL

IPL 2020: Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, the pacers behind India's victory in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup left people stunned with their incredible performance during the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals. Also Read|IPL 13: 'Know How Much It Hurts', Tendulkar Lauds Samson's Stunning Catch To Dismiss Cummins, Recalls His Efforts In 1992 WC Nagarkoti and Mavi, who are two of the most talented young pacers in India’s domestic circuit, picked two wickets apiece and conceded just 33 runs in the 6 overs they bowled among themselves. After the match, speaking to captain Karthik, Mavi thanked the KKR management for showing faith in him and Nagarkoti as they went through a tough phase in the last two years due to injuries. "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 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 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. When the franchise invested Rs 6.2 crore on them in January 2018, they were teens who had exploded in the Under-19 World Cup. Since then, the journey has been so fraught with injuries that cricket, at best, was an interruption. While they were expected to play a crucial role, both the youngsters suffered career-threatening injuries. Mavi managed just 9 matches in IPL 2018 and Nagarkoti suffered a back injury that kept him out of IPL action for 2 seasons. Mavi was also ruled out of IPL 2019 with a stress fracture in his back. However, KKR stuck with their two young pacers and took full care of the rehabilitation. Also Read|IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa Eclipses RCB Skipper Virat Kohli To Register Unwanted Record In League History In 2020, things came in line for both the pacers. Both Nagarkoti and Mavi went wicketless against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi although the Knight Riders secured their first points. But against the Rajasthan Royals in Dubai, everything came together for Nagarkoti, Mavi, and the Knight Riders management, which has relentlessly backed the pair despite their history of injuries.

It’s been 2 years in the making waiting to see Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nargakoti together again. Great compliment to Venky Mysore and and @KKRiders for staying the course with these two young men.

— Ian bishop (@irbishi) September 30, 2020

KKR captain Dinesh Karthik was both emotional and happy watching the young pacers perform so well. "I think it is a very special thing (watching KKR's patience pay off). It makes me a little emotional. The journey that these boys have been through when they were not playing was hard, they had doubts about whether their body will cope or whether they will play again." "For them to come out here, and express themselves and wanting to do something with both the bat and the ball is really special," Dinesh Karthik said.