On this day, last year: MI batsman de Kock’s hits a breezy 65 against RR

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) There is no Indian Premier League (IPL) happening so far, but the lack of action has not made franchises miss out on their favourite moments from last year.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians, on Monday, remembered South Africa skipper and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s breezy 65 from 47 deliveries against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on this day, last year.

“6 fours. 2 sixes. #OnThisDay a year ago, @QuinnyDeKock69 scored a sublime 47-ball 65 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur,” MI said in a tweet.

The eventual winners of the 2019 season lost that match by five wickets largely due to Steve Smith’s well composed 59 and teenager Riyan Parag’s hurricane 29-ball 43.

It was not an easy pitch to bat on with scattered patches of grass. de Kock used the middle and leg-stump lines of the Royals pace bowlers, scoring 42 of his first 50 runs there.

The dashing Proteas opener gave MI a rollicking start but the Rohit Sharma led side lost steam after de Kock’s 34-ball half-century. They eventually managed 161/5 which was not enough in the end.

Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Mumbai Indians counterpart Rohit Sharma were declared joint Greatest of All Time (GOATs) captains of the IPL last week, whilst AB de Villiers emerged as the GOAT in the batsmen category and Lasith Malinga took away the title in the bowlers category. Shane Watson, one of CSK’s vital cog in the wheel, won the battle among the all-rounders.

–IANS

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