‘We couldn’t do anything about it’: Tim David

Captain Hardik Pandya during MI’s match against SRH in Hyderabad on Wednesday. He conceded 46 off four overs. Pics/AFP

It was a night to cherish for cricket fans. A record number of runs were scored (523) while two emerging southpaws - Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma - stole the limelight with their willow work at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Wednesday.

Local boy Varma of Mumbai Indians (MI) is already hailed as the next big thing on the cricketing horizon, while Punjab-bred Abhishek of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) continued his explosive Syed Mushtaq Ali Ali T20 tournament form to make his case in emphatic fashion.

Abhishek's big-hitting skills were a revelation, coupled with his calibre, consistency and commitment.

‘A special innings'

Tim David described teammate Varma's 34-ball 64 as special. "Tilak batted beautifully and hit the ball cleanly. That was close to the best Tilak has got. We saw a special innings," said the Australian T20 specialist batter.

Tim David; (right) SRH's Abhishek Sharma during his 23-ball 63 on Wednesday

With as many as 18 sixes being hit in SRH's record total of 277-3, David admitted that Travis Head (24-ball 62), Abhishek (23-ball 63) and Heinrich Klaasen (34-ball 80 not out) played some amazing shots. The trio blasted 17 sixes in all. "Sixes were flying and hit the advertising boards; three over my head. That is hard to a bowler who has to come back and bowl and try taking the momentum away from the batter. They put the pressure on our bowlers. We couldn't do anything about it," David admitted.

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Asked why the team's most experienced bowler Jasprit Bumrah was not given the new ball, David pointed to planning. "I think whenever Boom [Bumrah] is going to bowl, he is going to make a massive impact. There is a lot of faith where he wants to bowl," he said, hinting that Bumrah might take the new ball from the next match after the MI bowlers were thrashed by SRH's batsmen. "But I am not the one who makes the decision," he stressed.

Even though MI lost by 31 runs in a record high-scoring chase, David felt it was very entertaining in an amazing match: "Although we did not successfully chase the runs, it was a great batting performance from our side too."

‘SRH were able to take the pace off'

David felt the pitch was a pretty true surface. "There was a lot of seam movement and a bit of spin. We saw in the end, SRH taking the pace off and that is the hardest thing to hit. I think they [SRH] did what we did not," he remarked.

Player of the match Abhishek said he did not realise this was the fastest 50 (off 16 balls) for SRH. Indeed, the 23-year-old has grown in stature.

The left-hander had hit 112 off 51 balls in Punjab's record 275-6 against Andhra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. His other scores were a 38-ball 82 against Railways, 26-ball 53 v Manipur and a 56-ball 112 against Gujarat.

SRH skipper Pat Cummins was very pleased with Abhishek's brilliant show. "In the IPL, you play with a lot of pressure, but he plays with great freedom," said the skipper.

The promising batter, meanwhile, revealed that new captain Cummins and coach Daniel Vettori have allowed him to go out and express himself. "The positivity and energy that they brought to the team is very good," said Abhishek.