Lucknow Super Giants pacer clocks 156.7 kmph, the fastest ball of the season to be the talk of the tournament in Week 2
KKR's Sunil Narine during his 85 v DC on Wednesday. PIC/AFP
270-plus score yet again
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Just a week after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) posted the highest-ever innings total of 277-3, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fell short of the record-breaking total by just five runs when they smashed a 272-7 against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Wednesday, thanks to a quickfire 39-ball 85 by all-rounder Sunil Narine. The game also witnessed the most sixes smashed by KKR in an innings—18; also the most sixes conceded by DC in an IPL innings. KKR's 106-run victory was also their second-biggest overall (runs margin) and the second-biggest defeat for DC in IPL.
Mayank Yadav's fiery bowling
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Mayank Yadav stole the limelight with a fiery spell of bowling in his debut IPL match. The Delhi speedster crossed the 150 kmph mark nine times against Punjab Kings, including a 155.8 kmph delivery, the fastest ball of IPL-17. The 21-year-old right-arm pacer was unstoppable as days later, he clocked 156.7 kmph to better his record for the fastest ball of the season. Mayank has been instrumental in LSG's victories, claiming seven wickets, including two Man of the Match performances in as many games.
Mayank Yadav is ecstatic after claiming the wicket of RCB’s Cameron Green on Tuesday. PIC/PTI
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Pant is back and how
Returning after almost 15 months following a life-threatening car accident, DC skipper Rishabh Pant announced his comeback in professional cricket by smashing two fifties in four games, including back-to-back half-centuries in his team's last two matches. Pant scored 18 and 28 in his first two games against Punjab and Rajasthan Royals respectively, but smashed a quickfire 32-ball 51 and 55 off 25 balls against Chennai Super Kings and KKR respectively to emerge a contender for the T20I World Cup squad.
DC captain Rishabh Pant during his 55 v KKR in Vizag on Wednesday. PIC/AFP
Raghuvanshi delights on debut
KKR’s Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 18 years and 303 days, became the youngest among 23 players who scored fifties in their maiden IPL innings.
Coming in at No.3, Raghuvanshi scored a quickfire 27-ball 54 to propel his team to IPL’s second-highest total of 272-7 against DC. His innings was laced with five fours and three sixes. The previous youngest to score a fifty on IPL debut was RCB’s Shreevats Goswami (52) v DC in 2008, a day after celebrating his 19th birthday.
KKR's Angkrish Raghuvanshi celebrates his half-century on Wednesday. PIC/PTI
KKR, RR stay unbeaten
KKR and RR are both unbeaten in the tournament so far. They have started the season with three victories in a row. The Shreyas Iyer-led outfit defeated SRH, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and DC to win their first three matches of the season for the first time and stay on top, while Royals, the tournament's inaugural champions, emerged victorious over LSG, DC and MI.
KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer. PIC/KKR
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