Ishan Kishan was awarded Player of the Match in 1st T20I.
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer was pleased with opener-keeper Ishan Kishan, who grabbed his opportunity with both hands in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Lucknow. He said that the wicketkeeper-batter is a short guy who packs a solid punch.
Coming into the T20I series against Sri Lanka, Ishan Kishan was under pressure after his underwhelming performance in the West Indies T20I series. However, the wicketkeeper batter rubbished all the talks with his solid performance in the first game against the Dasun Shanaka-led side.
Opening the batting, the southpaw came out all guns blazing and smashed 89 runs off 56 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and 3 maximums. Kishan added 111 runs in partnership with skipper Rohit Sharma and then notched up a 44-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer that helped his team post the total of 199 runs and eventually win the match by 62 runs.
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Ishan Kishan earned rich praises for his 89-run knock against Sri Lanka and was also awarded Player of the Match for his heroics.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Wasim Jaffer said that Ishan Kishan needed that game to get back in the groove. He remarked that the Lucknow ground helped him and he made full use of it.
“He needed that game. He was lucky that Ruturaj got injured just before the game and he could play that knock. I think Sri Lanka helped him by bowling short and wide. The surface as well, the Lucknow pitch was the ideal batting pitch. The ground was big but I think Sri Lanka bowled him a bit wide and short and he made full use of it,” Wasim Jaffer said.
Jaffer hailed Ishan Kishan as a short guy with a solid punch. He pointed out the southpaw hit some massive sixes on the big grounds and the Indian camp will be very happy with him as he grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
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“And full credit to him. Such a short guy and he packs a solid punch. On such a big ground as well, he hit some massive sixes, he hits the ball so hard. He’ll be very, very pleased. I think the Indian camp will be very, very pleased because they showed a lot of faith and he grabbed this opportunity with both hands,” he said.
Wasim Jaffer also lauded Shreyas Iyer, who scored unbeaten 57 runs, for his knock in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. He remarked that the right-hander played an outstanding inning and he was pleased to see him strike the ball sweetly.
“Shreyas, obviously, keeps making those performances and I think it was very, very important for him to get a game and play an innings like that as well for his own confidence as well. He played outstandingly well, hit some massive sixes and that’s something which he can do. He can bat at No. 3, No. 4 and I am pleased to see him strike the ball so sweetly,” he said.
Both Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer will be next seen in action when India plays the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala on 27th February.
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)