In a thrilling match at Eden Gardens, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) emerged victorious against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with a last-ball win. However, the crowd at Eden Gardens continuously chanted “Virat Kohli” to distract the LSG players.
This incident reminded fans of a previous encounter in Lucknow, where the chants originated. LSG captain Krunal Pandya gave Naveen-ul-Haq the new ball in the second over of KKR’s chase, which intensified the crowd’s chants. The crowd showed no restraint, surpassing the volume of chants Naveen faced in previous matches. Naveen struggled and conceded boundaries to Jason Roy, adding to the crowd’s taunts.
Amidst the pressure, Naveen found redemption when Ravi Bishnoi took a brilliant catch. Naveen silenced the crowd with a gesture, similar to Gambhir’s actions in a recent victory against RCB.The “Kohli” chants were not just aimed at Naveen but also targeted Gambhir, who was mentoring LSG from the dugout.
Despite being a former KKR captain and leading the team to two IPL titles, Gambhir received no mercy from the crowd. After the match, a loud “Kohli” chant broke out near the stand, to which Gambhir responded with a death stare.
LSG secured their place in the IPL 2023 playoffs, joining the Chennai Super Kings and the Gujarat Titans. However, they missed out on a top-two finish, meaning they will play the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians.