IPL 2017: Jaydev Unadkat, Sundar hunt in tandem; but MI have last laugh
Jaydev Unadkat took two wickets for 19 runs while Washington Sundar gave away just 13 runs in his four overs to help Rising Pune Supergiant restrict Mumbai Indians to 128/9. However, MI won by one run.
Mumbai Indians had been thrice upstaged by Rising Pune Supergiant ahead of Sunday’s IPL final, but they still would not have bargained for the suffocating start inflicted on them after electing to bat. (MI vs RPS: IPL 2017 FINAL Match Blog)
Left-arm paceman Jaydev Unadkat and 17-year-old off-spinner Washington Sundar, who became the youngest to feature in an IPL final, combined to reduce Mumbai Indians to 11/2 in four overs. More importantly, the twice former champions were denied a boundary in the first five overs, sucking all positivity from their batting. (MI vs RPS: IPL 2017 FINAL Match Scorecard)
However, MI had the final laugh as they clinched the final by one run.
Favourite ground
Unadkat continued his love affair with the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium. He has fond memories of this venue, having taken 5/30 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the league stages. In that match, Unadkat became the first Indian bowler to take two five-wicket hauls in the IPL, and the third player in this edition to take a hattrick.
Unadkat, 25, opened the bowling and promptly gauged the right areas to bowl on the wicket. He bowled with a scrambled seam and found enough purchase from the deck, conceding just two runs.
Sundar beat Ravindra Jadeja’s mark of 19 years as the youngest to feature in an IPL final, in 2008 when Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings. In the pre-match press conference on Saturday, captain Steve Smith had lavished praise him. “For a 17-year-old to come out and perform against some quality players is outstanding. The young guys have been a real big part of our success throughout this tournament.”
Opening the bowling alongside Unadkat, Sundar again relied on the two factors that have helped him, accuracy and right pace. Thanks to his economical first over, pressure mounted on Mumbai Indians and Unadkat capitalised by removing openers Parthiv Patel and Lendl Simmons in his second over. Following that, Sundar bowled tight lines to Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu as no boundaries were scored in the first five powerplay overs.
Stunning return catch
Unadkat’s (2/19) second wicket was a beauty. Lendl Simmons looked to work it to leg, but only popped a return catch. The bowler dived full length to his left and plucked a one-handed catch inches off the turf.
He came late for his next spell, and gave away only four runs off the bat in the 18th over. Unadkat ended with 24 wickets in 12 games, only behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s record haul of 26 for the season.
Sundar, with a temperament far beyond his age, didn’t take a wicket but gave away little, returning 4-0-13-0. He finished with eight wickets in 11 games, but crucially his economy rate of 6.16 is the best in the league.
It put Pune Supergiant on to something very special.