Remember that epic ball Hardik Pandya bowled to clean up Babar Azam during the 2023 Asia Cup?
Well, the tables turned on Sunday — because Mayank Yadav delivered a carbon-copy rocket to knock over the Mumbai Indians skipper! Absolute chef’s kiss stuff from the young gun.
Talk about a comeback. Sure, he went for a few runs — 40 in 4 overs to be precise — but Mayank picked up two wickets that most bowlers would dream of. Before rattling Hardik, he also sent an in-form Rohit Sharma packing. And let’s not forget, this was his first wicket after returning from injury!
And it’s not just about this match — Mayank Yadav’s IPL numbers scream elite. Before this game, across his short 4-match career, batters failed to connect with 36% of his deliveries — 12% were leaves, 24% were play-and-misses. That's the highest rate in IPL history, 6% better than Shaun Tait, the next best on the list.
Seriously, next-level stuff.
No wonder LSG were desperate to have him back. Last season, even though he bowled just 73 deliveries, he grabbed 7 wickets — leaving such a big impact that an India debut followed soon after.
And while we didn’t see the full 150 KMPH thunderbolts in this comeback match against Mumbai Indians, don't be surprised if Mayank goes full beast mode in the coming weeks and lights up the IPL once again.
Brace yourselves — the real storm might just be getting started.
What happened in the MI vs LSG match?
Batting first, Mumbai Indians posted a mammoth 215/7, thanks to fiery half-centuries by Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav. Mayank Yadav and Avesh Khan picked up two wickets each for LSG.
In the chase, Lucknow Super Giants lost Aiden Markram early, but Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh tried to keep the fight alive. However, it turned out to be Jasprit Bumrah’s day. And when Bumrah is on song, few batters can survive.
The MI spearhead ended up with four wickets as LSG were bowled out for 161. With this win, Mumbai Indians have completely flipped the season narrative, clinching their fifth consecutive victory.
