(Reuters) – Fast bowler Pat Cummins showed he was also capable of doing damage with the bat after equalling the record for the fastest fifty in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory over the Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.
Having arrived soon after Australia’s tour of Pakistan, Cummins walked in at 101-5 with Kolkata chasing 162 for victory and immediately went after the bowling to reach his half-century in 14 balls, equalling KL Rahul’s record.
Cummins smashed four boundaries and half a dozen sixes to lead Kolkata home in 16 overs, leaving five-times champions Mumbai winless after three games. Kolkata are top of the standings with three wins in four matches.
“We never expected him to come and play like that. Lot of credit to him for the way he played,” Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said. “We thought we could have them. This will be hard to digest.”
Cummins was unsurprisingly named the player of the match having also taken two wickets in the first innings.
“I think I’m most surprised by that innings,” he said with a laugh. “I’m glad it came off, I was thinking of having a swing if it was in my area, wasn’t trying to overthink it.
“That’s really satisfying to do in my first game this season.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
