IPL Match 1: KKR vs MI: Gamechanger - Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav

A former Mumbai Indians player came back to haunt his former side in the opening encounter of the 8^th IPL. Kolkata Knight riders middle order batsman, Suryakumar Yadav, is our pick for the game changer of the match in the Mumbai Indians-Kolkata Knight Riders match at the Eden Gardens.

The Mumbai-born youngster hit a brilliant 46-run innings off just 20 balls. His knock was laced with 5 sixes and 1 four at an astonishing strike-rate of 230. The 24-year-old was not fazed by the occasion as he took the willow and smacked the bowlers all over the park irrespective of their reputation. Before the game, Yadav was announced as the side’s vice-captain and he lived up to the confidence placed in him.

He came in to bat when Kolkata had lost Manish Pandey with the score at 98/2 after 12 overs. Yadav was in the mood to smack the ball out of the park from the moment go as his first six came off just his second ball when he hit Vinay Kumar’s length ball over deep square leg. Jasprit Bumrah’s happiness of taking the wicket of Gautam Gambhir was taken away in the very next ball when Yadav clobbered him for a six over long leg.

The turnaround was complete in the 17^th over when Bumrah came to bowl with the home side needing 38 off 24 balls. Two sixes off the pacer took his side to a required run rate of 6.

He could be forgiven for taking his foot off the pedal with Lasith Malinga coming in to bowl. Despite needing a-run-a-ball, the youngster showed no nerves and sent the Sri Lankan’s full-length delivery beyond the long on fielder. He, rightfully, scored the winning runs by hitting a boundary to get Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL campaign off to a flier.

He was awarded the best entertainer award along with the award for hitting the most sixes for his 5 maximums. And for his brilliant AB de Villiers-esque performance, he wins the Sportskeeda award for the ‘?Gamechanger of the match’.