IPL 2022: Cummins makes up for lost time with batting mayhem
Still early days, but Kolkata Knight Riders are looking very good. Horically, Mumbai Indians have been their bogey team and when Andre Russell fell cheaply, it felt like the game was done. But KKR found a new hero, Pat Cummins with the bat. His 15-ball 56 not out – the joint-fastest IPL half-century with KL Rahul – took his team over the line in a canter.
Chasing 162 for victory, KKR won five wickets with 24 balls to spare. Venkatesh Iyer, too, scored a pretty handy half-century, 50-not out off 41 balls. In the context of the game, though, he was reduced to a sideshow. Cummins’ knock shell-shocked the five-time champions.
Cummins carnage
As the Australian was walking off the field after blowing away his opponents, he bumped into Mahela Jayawardene. Both broke into a smile. This was a knock that deserved all-round applause. When something special like this happens, one has to doff one’s hat and say ‘well played’. The MI head coach did that.
Upstox Most Valuable Asset of the Match between @KKRiders and @mipaltan is Pat Cummins.#TATAIPL @upstox #OwnYourFuture #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/b42Ces89kK
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022
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At 101/5, with Russell out on the first ball of the 13th over, MI had the edge. Little did they know that Cummins would come out all guns blazing. Rohit Sharma had held back Jasprit Bumrah for the latter half of KKR’s innings, Russell, to be precise. The Jamaican was gone, but the Aussie attacked MI’s best bowler, setting the tone for KKR’s counter-attack. Daniel Sams was taken to the cleaners in a 35-run over, Cummins hitting four sixes and a couple of fours. It was his first game in this IPL and the allrounder showed why the Kolkata-based franchise went all out and spent Rs 7.25 crore for him at the auction. “Never expected him to come and play like that. Lot of credit to him for the way he played,” Rohit applauded the knock post-game.
Surya’s return
With Mumbai Indians middle-order crying out for quality, Suryakumar Yadav’s return from injury was timely. Individual battles in a team sport offer intrigue. The match-up between Surya and Sunil Narine in the 18th over of MI’s innings was connoisseurs’ cricket. Narine bowled full-on middle-and-leg, Surya sent it 10 rows back over deep square leg boundary. The spinner dragged back his length and bowled flatter outside off. The batsman cracked it past point for a four. No batsman has treated Narine with such disdain in this IPL yet. But very few batsmen can be as innovative as Surya.
WATCH – SIX: Launched into the night sky SKY.
An amazing uppercut and the ball sails over for six!
📽️📽️https://t.co/aoncJE5J7A #TATAIPL #KKRvMI
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 6, 2022
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In his first game of the IPL this term, Surya’s challenge was to find rhythm fast. He preferred a slow burn, hitting his first four after facing 17 balls. The boundary against Umesh Yadav was followed a six off the bowler – leaping in the crease and ramping a short ball. Once Surya got into his 360-degree groove, he held court.
His fifty came off 34 balls and Surya’s 83-run fourth-wicket partnership with Tilak Verma was the reason – Pollard’s five-ball 22 not out deserves honourable mention – why MI could post a very challenging total. Verma remained unbeaten on 38 off 27 deliveries, riding on an Ajinkya Rahane clanger.
Brevis’ spark
The MCA Stadium pitch in Pune resembled a bit of Wanderers and 18-year-old Dewald Brevis, a Johannesburg native, found home comfort. He played a cameo, 29 off 19 balls, providing enough spark to consider him a star for the future.
Brevis thrived on bravery. On a pitch where Rohit was in serious discomfort against Umesh Yadav’s pace and movement before being bounced out, and Ishan Kishan struggled to get going, the teenager straightaway took the attack to the opposition. He also believed in brevity, for Brevis mostly stood and walloped, except a four against Yadav, when he made room to free his arms. KKR’s bowling attack got meatier with the inclusion of Cummins. Brevis oozed the irreverence of youth, bat-speed being a standout feature.
