“I would have given Player of the Match to Shivam Mavi or Axar Patel” - Wasim Jaffer 

Wasim Jaffer has stated that he would have picked either debutant pacer Shivam Mavi or all-rounder Axar Patel as his Player of the Match in the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka.

The Men in Blue beat Sri Lanka by two runs in a thrilling encounter at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. Sent in to bat first after losing the toss, the hosts recovered from 94/5 to post 162/5. Deepak Hooda (41* off 23) and Axar (31* off 20) added an unbroken 68-run stand for the sixth wicket.

On the bowling front, Mavi was outstanding with figures of 4/22, while Umran Malik also impressed with 2/27. Sri Lanka, however, fought back well courtesy of their skipper, Dasun Shanaka (45 off 27). The visitors needed 13 off the last over bowled by Axar. The left-arm spinner conceded a six but recovered well to ensure victory for India.

Hooda was adjudged Player of the Match for his counter-attacking knock, which featured one four and four sixes. Asked if he agreed with the decision, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“I would have given the Player of the Match to Shivam Mavi or even Axar Patel. I thought he (Axar) played his part, bowling that last over and the way he batted in the Indian innings. Because of his and Hooda’s knock, India got to 160 and then bowling that crucial over. Had he not bowled that kind of over, India would have lost. So, if not Mavi, then I would have given it to Axar.”

While Axar went wicketless in his three overs, conceding 31 runs, Mavi got the wickets of Pathum Nissanka (one), Dhananjaya de Silva (eight), Wanindu Hasaranga (21), and Maheesh Theekshana (one).

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“He needs to step up in his bowling” - Wasim Jaffer on Axar Patel

While Jaffer praised Axar for making another significant contribution with the willow, he also urged the all-rounder to improve his bowling.

Speaking about the 28-year-old, he commented:

“Axar has done it before. He’s a pretty good batsman at No. 7. He was won India games in the one-day format by playing some crucial knocks. He played really well, some really good shots. His batting is coming up really nicely.

"The worry is the bowling. But I thought Hardik Pandya did trust him with left-handers on strike. He needs to step up in his bowling a little bit more; him and Yuzvendra Chahal as well.”

While Mavi, Umran, and skipper Hardik Pandya (0/12) impressed with the ball, Axar and leg-spinner Chahal (0/26 from two overs) had an off day.