When Kolkata Knight Riders bought Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins for Rs 15.5 crore at the auctions last year, many believed that the franchise had spent too much money. Questions were raised whether Cummins will be able to justify the price tag in Indian Premier League. The no. 1 Test bowler in the world Cummins, on Wednesday, showcased why he is a threat irrespective of the format, when KKR faced Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020.
In the 2nd over, Cummins bowled to no. 1 Test batsman in the world Steve Smith. Smith played five deliveries from Cummins and found himself in trouble against the seamer. The batsman did not get a run in the first two balls from Cummins, and the next one just went past Smith, nearly hitting his bat. It was an absolute jaffa, and some KKR players even appealed for caught behind.
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In the 4th ball, Smith tried to take charge and hit it miles into the air, but luckily for the Aussie batsman, it landed in no man’s land. Smith’s luck ran out in the next ball, as he struck it straight to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps.
Speaking on the battle between Smith and Cummins, former Australia spinner Brad Hogg said on his Youtube channel: “It was the second over in the chase where the game changed. Pat Cummins, the number one Test bowler in the world up against Steve Smith, the number one Test batsman in the world. Pat Cummins showed that he was worth the million dollars that was forked out for him this IPL. He made Steve Smith look like a lower-order batsman.”
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“He had his footwork all over the shop. He was beating him on the outside edge and inside edge. Steve Smith started slogging and he nearly got out on the second-last ball of that over but finally got caught behind on the last ball,” he further added.
“Pat Cummins was way too good, way too quick, accurate and Steve Smith didn’t have the answers. All Steve Smith had to do was play that over out and attack the likes of Mavi, Nagarkoti and the younger bowlers of that KKR outfit and RR would have been in a better position. But he didn’t, he had a brain fade and that cost RR the game and gave KKR the win,” Hogg said.
KKR won the match by 37 runs. They will next take on Delhi Capitals on October 3 in Sharjah.
Source: IPLT20.com