Shardul Thakur picked three wickets in MI's 6-wicket win over KKR.
Shardul Thakur was the standout bowler with figures of 3/39 as KKR batted first after losing the toss and posted 220/4 with Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoring fifties. However, MI chased the total with ease thanks to a 148-run opening partnership between Ryan Rickelton (81) and Rohit Sharma (78), as MI won the game by 6 wickets.
Thanks to his brilliant bowling, Shardul Thakur was named the Player of the Match, and he talked about his performance in the post-match presentation.
“I think I have said this before also. I like challenges, and this was one of the challenging situations that I had to bowl in, especially the sixth over. With Boult and Bumrah bowling upfront, Hardik, you'd expect some wickets, but today it didn't happen for us. So, coming in and bowling that sixth over, it was a bit challenging. Challenges are what have made me till now, and I enjoy it. So, I think today was one of those performances,” Thakur said in the post-match presentation.
Thakur also said that playing for his home franchise, MI, was a special feeling. He also added that he’ll be happy if he remains with the team for the rest of his career.
“This ground has given me bitter and sweet memories, both actual and to come, and to play for the Mumbai Indians, it is special playing on home ground. I was a net bowler and an upcoming boy who was with the team in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 seasons. Quietly bowling here, making my mark, and since then, it was always going to happen, but it finally happened that I am in the Mumbai Indians, playing for my home team, so it feels special.
I will be very happy if I stay here. It's my home city, and the kind of backing that I had coming here was amazing. So, thank you to the entire Mumbai Indians family also for backing me, trading me from LSG, and straightaway awarding me in the first game,” Thakur added.
The right-handed medium-pacer was also asked about his ‘Lord’ moniker, and Thakur stated that he liked the name as it was given by his fans and saw it as something positive instead of being a meme.
“I like it because it's a name given by people, and when people call me by that name, I feel very happy because that's the way they show love. It's not a meme meme, but actually a positive thing that happens around our lives because every time we come here, playing those tough games, there will be a lot of criticism coming. But with that, when you perform, there will be love shown by people, and I think it's just one of those things, and it's their way of showing love towards me,” Thakur concluded.
MI will next be in action on April 4 when they visit Delhi to face the Delhi Capitals.