'Brutally cruel': Pat Cummins in $3.1 million IPL 'disaster'
Pat Cummins has suffered a disastrous start to his Indian Premier League campaign after signing the biggest contract for an overseas player in the competition’s history.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians strolled to an emphatic 49-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday as Cummins endured a torrid evening in Abu Dhabi.
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Cummins conceded 49 runs from just three overs without taking a wicket as Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma hit a blistering 80 off 54 balls to propel his side to 5-195.
Kolkata then fell apart in their run chase against a three-pronged Mumbai pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Australia’s James Pattinson all claiming two wickets each and restricting the opposition to 6-146.
Cummins, batting at No. 8, top-scored with 33 as Kolkata kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
However it was his efforts with the ball that would have been a major concern for Kolkota.
The Knight Riders splashed $3.1 million to sign the No.1 Test bowler in the world - the biggest contract ever given to an overseas player.
Cummins, who only finished his quarantine on Wednesday, was completely out-of sorts as Mumbai’s batsmen feasted on his bowling.
The Aussie star only managed three dot balls from his 18 deliveries, also bowling three wides.
Cummins bowling a distinctly Australian length and is getting mullered. #KKRvsMI
— Rahul Puri (@rahulpuri) September 23, 2020
World’s number 1 fast bowler and the most expensive purchase in the last auction — Pat Cummins — being taken to the cleaners. T20 can be brutally cruel
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) September 23, 2020
Also look at Pat Cummins: clearly he hasn’t put on weight right!! He looked completely exhausted to me. Now if he isn’t fit enough god knows who is! The twitter expertise proves why this medium is full of trash.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) September 23, 2020
Bumrah 2-5 after 3 overs then gets done for 27 in one by Cummins. IPL is ridiculous. 🔥
— Josh Frankland (@_JoshFrankland) September 23, 2020
Pat Cummins is the first player with 250+ batting strike rate and 15+ economy rate in the same IPL match.
[Min: 12 balls batted & 12 balls bowled] #IPL2020 #KKRvMI— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) September 23, 2020
Pat Cummins was brilliant with bat but disaster with bowling. This happens for every allrounder. To perform immediately after coming out if quarantine is a lot of challenge & Cummins has handled it well. Dinesh Kartik is doing right by supporting him. #KKRvMI #ipl2020
— Raju (@nbrengaraju) September 23, 2020
Kolkata captain defends Pat Cummins
Kolkata captain Dinesh Karthik was quick to defend Cummins after the match, saying it was “unfair” to judge him on one perfornace.
“He’s just off quarantine. Literally at 3:30-4pm is when he got permission to come and play the match so you know, we’re just happy to have him.” Karthik told reporters.
“I don’t think this is a game where we need to judge him at all. I trust him completely, I’m sure he will come good.”
India’s premier fast bowler Bumrah sealed the game for Mumbai in the 16th over when he claimed the wickets of big-hitters Eoin Morgan (16) and Andre Russell (11).
Mumbai lost their first game against Chennai Super Kings, who also have two points from two matches after losing to Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday.
“It is all about executing plans, which we did,” Sharma said.
“Six months is a long time without cricket. I was looking to get some time in the middle.
“Didn't come off in the first game, but glad it did today.”
Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav (47 off 28 balls) laid the foundation of a big Mumbai total with a 90-run second wicket stand off 57 balls.
Yadav got Mumbai going by hitting seamer Sandeep Warrier for four boundaries in only the third over of the innings and Sharma smacked two sixes in Cummins' first over.
“We were pretty rusty day to be honest,” conceded Karthik.
“Don't want to be too analytical about it, the boys know where they need to get better.”
with AAP
