Follow UsWhat’s the most satisfying thing in T20 cricket? A six off the final ball? Nah, a bowler defending the lowest of totals in the very last over in a batting-friendly climate.
You know what’s a better script? The bowler who was trolled incessantly the last time they failed to defend, turning out to be the hero, plucking a game out of nowhere. In short, that’s the highlight of the clash between the Rajasthan Royals and the Lucknow Super Giants.
LSG had no business being in the game, let alone winning the game.
But miracles happen when you least expect them to. Avesh Khan, who was perhaps not the favoured bowler a few nights ago, turned out to be the hero that LSG desperately needed on Saturday (April 19).
While against CSK, he just had five to defend, he had a more breathable room this time around, defending nine runs. Up against him, however, was Shimron Hetymer, one of the fiercest hitters in world cricket.
There’s emotional baggage on both ends. In Hetmyer’s case, the frustration of missing out on winning the clash against DC the other night, and in Avesh’s case, the frustration of luck not being on his side against CSK.
It is these moments that define your legacy.
For Avesh, the ball is singing as well as it could; it is reversing with some oomph. So, the confidence level is sky high. But a ball later, that confidence turns around when the two umpires combine to change the ball, that very ball that was reversing. It doesn’t just take away the luck factor; it also takes away the momentum.
You can see it in Avesh’s face; changing the ball absolutely broke him. At one point, the right-arm pacer even put on a sorry face to his skipper, uttering ‘Ball change kar rahe hain, yaar’ [The're changing the ball].
It could have broken Avesh mentally, but that made him stronger.
The plan was quite simple: wide yorkers, but to follow that nonchalantly needs an expert. That’s where Avesh showed how he’s become the go-to man in such occasions. Avesh bowled with great control, tailing the ball away from the reach of Hetmyer.
A ball later, he tails another in, with Hetmyer hitting the ball straight to Shardul Thakur’s hands at backward square leg.
Six runs off three balls.
No fuss about the ball change, Avesh bowled three corkers of yorkers, defending nine runs, handing LSG much-needed two points.
“I don’t want to become Mitchell Starc, I just want to become a good Avesh Khan. Yorker is my strength and I try to execute it. I don't bowl looking at the scorecard,” Avesh said in the post-match presentation.
“Just four were needed, there were a few doubts in my mind, one outside or inside edge could go for a boundary. I told myself to bowl a yorker on middle-leg. I think about the team. We won this. This is a big tournament, I will try to bowl the same way in the remaining matches,” he added.
If you had any doubts over Avesh’s commitment to the franchise, the last ball will perhaps best define it. The right-arm speedster put his bowling hand down and saved what could have been a tricky shot to stop, risking his participation for the rest of the season.
That’s how much LSG and Avesh are made for each other.
Four years ago, Avesh had his breakout season at the IPL level in front of a rookie captain, Pant.
Four years later, here they are, more experienced but with the same result in front of them.
Need Yorkers In Clutch Situation? Call Mitchell Starc Avesh Khan