Pat Cummins took the centre stage at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to an easy win over Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. He remained unbeaten on 56 off just 15 deliveries as KKR chased down the total with 24 balls to spare.
When Cummins walked out to bat at the expense of Andre Russell, the Kolkata franchise was reeling at 101/5. Pat Cummins accumulated 14 runs off that over from Tymal Mills before scoring another 12 from Jasprit Bumrah‘s next over.
The 28-year-old cricketer from Australia cut loose in the next over, smashing 35 runs off Daniel Sams to clinch the tie. In the process, Pat Cummins scored the joint-fastest half-century in the history of IPL of 14 balls. KL Rahul is the other cricketer to register a fifty in 14 deliveries when he achieved the feat against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2018.
Fans were in frenzy after the Cummins show on Wednesday. It took KKR co-owner, Shah Rukh Khan, by surprise, who took to social media to laud the players, including the Aussie superstar.
Taking to Twitter, the Bollywood superstar wrote:
“Wow again!!! @kkriders boys!! @patcummins30 I want to dance like @ar12russell & hug u like the whole team did. Wow well done KKR and what else is there to say!!!…’PAT’ DIYE CHAKKE!!!”
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With this win, Kolkata now have six points in their kitty in four games. Mumbai, on the other hand, are yet to open their account in IPL 2022.
“I’m most surprised by that innings” – Pat Cummins
That lightning knock in Pune left everyone surprised, including the batter himself. Pat Cummins is content that this kind of innings came off in his first match of the season.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Cummins said:
“I probably think I’m most surprised by that innings. I’m glad that it came off. I was thinking of having a swing if it was in my area. Wasn’t trying to overthink it. Very satisfying to do it on my first game this season. Was just trying to pepper the shorter boundary.”
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