Follow UsMatheesha Pathirana is back, and how. The Sri Lankan pacer produced an inch-perfect yorker to floor the opposition skipper Riyan Parag in Guwahati on March 30 (Sunday), as the Rajasthan batter seemed clueless.
Only in Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) previous clash did Pathirana make his comeback from injury, and the pacer has already returned to almost his peak form, finishing with figures of 2/28. But it was crucial for the slingy pacer to remove Parag, who seemed to be taking off in front of his home fans.
After smashing a six and a four in the previous over, the 18th over was crucial in terms of RR’s chances to get to a 200 or more total at the venue. However, that’s where the Sri Lankan pacer bowled a top-notch 18th over, with two dots off the first three balls before finally accounting for Parag.
Even though it was a low full toss, the ball tailed enough to hit the off-stump, bamboozling Parag, who walked back for a 28-ball 37. As it turned out, that dismissal was enough for the five-time IPL champions to reduce the 2008 IPL champions to 182/9, a score that they will be happy to chase down.