Moeen Ali disclosed that he only learned on the morning of the match day that he would be playing for Kolkata Knight Riders against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday evening. He stepped in for the unwell Sunil Narine and made a significant impact by taking 2 wickets for 23 runs in four overs while also opening the batting with Quinton de Kock.

After KKR secured an eight-wicket victory, Moeen shared his experience of being called up at the last minute to play in Guwahati. “I was informed this morning that Sunil was unwell. It was challenging to fill in for Sunil, but I believe I performed adequately,” Moeen stated. “Those are the types of wickets you relish, aiming to unsettle the batters and spinning the ball as much as possible.”

Moeen was acquired during the auction as a backup for Narine, and this decision proved beneficial for KKR early in the tournament. All five bowlers utilized by KKR claimed at least one wicket, with four of them achieving two wickets each, limiting the nominal hosts to a total of 151 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs.

Moeen looks forward to more chances for KKR

Moeen Ali was promoted to open the batting, taking the position ahead of Venkatesh Iyer. However, his time at the crease was challenging, particularly against the pace of Jofra Archer, leading to his dismissal via run out for a score of 5 runs off 12 balls.

Reflecting on his difficulties against Archer, Moeen attributed it to a lack of recent experience facing high-speed bowling. “I haven’t encountered that level of fast bowling since the Ashes. I was unfortunate to be up against him; he was simply too quick for me,” he acknowledged while also noting that Archer has been costly in this IPL season.

Quinton de Kock's unbeaten 97 runs propelled KKR's chase forward, even after the loss of his opening partner. Captain Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi provided solid support from the other end. Discussing the atmosphere within the team of the defending champions, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play, given the team's depth.

“It’s a fantastic group of players; the experience has been incredible so far,” remarked the 37-year-old. “The team is very well-balanced, with exceptional talents like Narine, Russell, and Quinny, who are almost always in the lineup, making it challenging to secure a spot. You must seize your opportunities and maximize them.”

KKR's upcoming match will see them journey from Guwahati to Mumbai, where they are scheduled to compete against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

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