Yuvraj hits his own stumps, and the Warner-Harbhajan face-off
Plays of the day from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam
Shashank Kishore
08-May-2016
Yuvraj Singh unwittingly hits his own stumps • BCCI
Warner-Harbhajan mind games: Act I
David Warner made his intentions clear by welcoming Harbhajan Singh into the attack with a six over long-on. The over went for only 11, though. When he came back for a second over, his plan of firing the ball in and not allowing Warner to get underneath the flight was noticeable. The first ball of his second over - the eighth of the innings - was fired short and wide; Warner found point. The next one had width; Warner played the slap-chop to cover. He was forced to reach out for the third one, the fastest of the lot in excess of 100 clicks; he tried to play but then let it go. Then came another short ball which he hit to short third man for a single, to relieve the pressure. A good over until that point was somewhat shaded by a poor fielding effort by Krunal Pandya, though, whose uncertainty in trying to stop the ball with his feet or hands resulted in a boundary last up.
David Warner made his intentions clear by welcoming Harbhajan Singh into the attack with a six over long-on. The over went for only 11, though. When he came back for a second over, his plan of firing the ball in and not allowing Warner to get underneath the flight was noticeable. The first ball of his second over - the eighth of the innings - was fired short and wide; Warner found point. The next one had width; Warner played the slap-chop to cover. He was forced to reach out for the third one, the fastest of the lot in excess of 100 clicks; he tried to play but then let it go. Then came another short ball which he hit to short third man for a single, to relieve the pressure. A good over until that point was somewhat shaded by a poor fielding effort by Krunal Pandya, though, whose uncertainty in trying to stop the ball with his feet or hands resulted in a boundary last up.
Warner-Harbhajan mind games: Act II
Warner was ready for a barrage of short and wide deliveries by the time Harbhajan was in for his third over. Off the second ball, Warner walked across to fetch the pull and swatted the short ball into the deep-midwicket boundary. The next ball was once again fired outside off, and Warner missed. In trying to outfox Warner, who was eyeing the cow-corner fence, Harbhajan then bowled it full and flat, only to be forced to take evasive action as Warner drilled one straight down the ground to bisect long-on and long-off. Then he tossed one up outside off, the slowest of the lot, which Warner hit straight into the big hands of Kieron Pollard at long-off. Mumbai's search for a breakthrough was finally over.
Warner was ready for a barrage of short and wide deliveries by the time Harbhajan was in for his third over. Off the second ball, Warner walked across to fetch the pull and swatted the short ball into the deep-midwicket boundary. The next ball was once again fired outside off, and Warner missed. In trying to outfox Warner, who was eyeing the cow-corner fence, Harbhajan then bowled it full and flat, only to be forced to take evasive action as Warner drilled one straight down the ground to bisect long-on and long-off. Then he tossed one up outside off, the slowest of the lot, which Warner hit straight into the big hands of Kieron Pollard at long-off. Mumbai's search for a breakthrough was finally over.
Bumrah's Dhawan reprieve
Mumbai were on the upswing, having prised out Warner and Kane Williamson quickly. There was a chance to dismiss a well-set Shikhar Dhawan in the 13th over, but it went abegging when Jasprit Bumrah's throw at the bowler's end missed the stumps by a mile. Bumrah bowled an excellent yorker, which Yuvraj Singh somehow kept out. Bumrah sprinted diagonally to his left to collect the ball from short midwicket before aiming at the stumps. Perhaps taking a second to aim would have helped as Dhawan had given up halfway down. He was on 41 then. It cost Mumbai 41 more.
Mumbai were on the upswing, having prised out Warner and Kane Williamson quickly. There was a chance to dismiss a well-set Shikhar Dhawan in the 13th over, but it went abegging when Jasprit Bumrah's throw at the bowler's end missed the stumps by a mile. Bumrah bowled an excellent yorker, which Yuvraj Singh somehow kept out. Bumrah sprinted diagonally to his left to collect the ball from short midwicket before aiming at the stumps. Perhaps taking a second to aim would have helped as Dhawan had given up halfway down. He was on 41 then. It cost Mumbai 41 more.
Yuvraj disturbs his own stumps
Mitchell McClenaghan kept pushing Yuvraj back. Once he couldn't quite time the pulls, he tried to use the depth of the crease to paddle and carve the ball behind square. One such delivery resulted in a wicket when Yuvraj, who went back into the crease to angle the ball towards the off side, clattered the stumps with his bat while trying to swing through the line. He was so deep inside the crease that it first seemed like he had withdrawn from the stroke, until everyone saw the zing bails flash.
Mitchell McClenaghan kept pushing Yuvraj back. Once he couldn't quite time the pulls, he tried to use the depth of the crease to paddle and carve the ball behind square. One such delivery resulted in a wicket when Yuvraj, who went back into the crease to angle the ball towards the off side, clattered the stumps with his bat while trying to swing through the line. He was so deep inside the crease that it first seemed like he had withdrawn from the stroke, until everyone saw the zing bails flash.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo