IPL 2019: Shubman Gill says 76-run knock was the best of his career

Shubman Gill is one batsman who is well-equipped to play in any position of the batting line-up. The 19-year-old did not get much opportunity to play in the top order for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) but when he did, he made full use of the occasion. On Sunday, Shubman registered his career-best IPL score of 76 (45 balls) against a strong Mumbai Indians (MI) to help his cornered side make a comeback into the tournament.

It was Shubman’s second fifty of this IPL and the previous one (65) had also come at the same venue against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and he had also opened in that game. Shubman’s score still ended up as the third-highest in the match after the MI’s Hardik Pandya (91) and his own mate Andre Russell (80) but it was a key one that had given the KKR the launching pad to score a mammoth 232/2 in 20 overs and winning by 34 runs.

Shubman, who got his IPL call after a fabulous U-19 World Cup in New Zealand last year, has batted at all positions this season, including at No.7. The Punjab teenager has scored 222 runs in 12 matches so far at an average of 27.75 and strike rate of 128 plus.

“Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine have been doing well (as openers). Narine was giving good starts. So I was happy to get a chance and capitalise on that,” Shubman was quoted as saying at the post-match news conference following his team’s 34-run win.

For Shubman, 76 against MI was one of the best knocks this IPL

“It’s one of the best knocks in this IPL, especially considering the situation that we had lost six matches in a row. We do all kinds of practice in various match-conditions. It was all about preparing the mindset and executing on the field.” The youngster also praised India’s domestic cricket for helping the cricketers to gain confidence even for tournaments like IPL.

Shubman also made his international debut earlier this year in New Zealand but could not quite get the start he would have liked with just 16 runs from two games.

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