Suryakumar Yadav played perhaps his most mind-boggling IPL innings today in slamming 103* runs in 49 balls against the strongest bowling attack of the tournament, that of table-toppers and defending champions, Gujarat Titans.
He played the most mind-boggling shot one has seen as he sliced Mohammed Shami over thirdman. And that was not a thick outside edge, but, a proper meaty hit from the upper half of the bat.
In his incredible knock, Suryakumar Yadav 6 jaw-dropping sixes and 11 startling fours. One of those sixes blew up the internet. When Kevin Pietersen, who played the most unorthodox of shots, is amazed and left dazzled in unbelievability, you known how unique, simply insane this shot was from the most in-form T20 batsman in the world.
On the second ball of the 19th over of Mumbai Indians’ innings, Suryakumar Yadav took a step across the leg-stump and Shami followed the batter with a harmless length ball on middle-stump. On most days, Suryakumar Yadav would have smoked it over covers, and for a the longest time until he the ball went flying over short thirdman, it had seemed like he would. He had shaped up for a hit over cover.
However, at the very last moment, as late as it would be possible for him to go over point, he opened the face of the bat, connected well and the ball went sailing over thirdman – not even point, but THIRDMAN from the middle of the bat – a slice – a powerful wristy slice.
As the broadcasters began to show the replay, Kevin Pietersen, in the commentary box, was praying it would be an outside edge and not off the middle. But, as Ravi Shastri had called it the moment the ball had landed among the crowd, Pietersen was proven wrong. And he wouldn’t have minded it, for, so jaw-dropping the shot was.
Sachin Tendulkar, sitting and watching this masterclass from the dugout, was so impressed and taken by surprise that even he demonstrated it to the MI players sitting beside him.
Watch: Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible sliced six over thirdman:
How do you hit a cover drive but get it over third man for six?
We watched SKY do it here and still can't understand. What about you? 😵💫#IPLonJioCinema #MIvGT pic.twitter.com/kg9QU7jxuW
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 12, 2023
Rashid Khan, who took a 4-fer, said of SKY: “SKY was unbelievable. It is hard to bowl to him and some of the shots he played were unbelievable.”
Earlier, GT skipper Hardik Pandya had won the toss and elected to field first.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Wriddhiman Saha(w), Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya(c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Mohit Sharma, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Noor Ahmad
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Chris Jordan, Vishnu Vinod, Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff, Kumar Kartikeya
GT Subs: Shubman Gill, Sudharsan, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore
MI Subs: Akash Madhwal, Ramandeep Singh, Dewald Brevis, Sandeep Warrier, Hrithik Shokeen
