Former Mumbai Indians fast bowler Akash Madhwal has revealed how the ex-Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma motivated him during the IPL 2023 Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants. MI posted a par score of 182 runs on the board, whereas LSG was bundled out for 101 in 16.3 overs, with Madhwal playing a key role with figures of 5-5 in 3.3 overs he bowled.
The 32-year-old from Uttarakhand was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant performance with the ball. The fast bowler recalled how Rohit Sharma got him back into the attack to get his fifth wicket. Madhwal accounted for Mohsin Khan to complete his five-wicket haul.
Akash Madhwal said in an interview with Sports Tak, “I knew I would get my five-wicket haul because Bhaiya (Rohit Sharma) was pressuring me, saying, ‘Akash, you have to get the fifth one,’ as I had already taken four. So, Bhaiya brought me on for the fourth over and told me, ‘Akash, bowl and take the wicket.’ If you watch that over, my fourth over, Mohsin Khan was batting, and I was bowling over the wicket. After I bowled two balls from over the wicket, Bhaiya came over and said, ‘No, Akash, bowl round the wicket.’ Then I bowled the third ball from round the wicket, and I got the wicket.”
The fast bowler revealed that wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan told him he has registered the best figures in the IPL playoff game.
“So, in a way, Bhaiya played a huge role in that figure, but even then, I didn’t know I had taken five for five. I knew I had taken five, but I didn’t know I had taken them for five runs. When everything was finished, we went back to the dressing room, and Ishan told me, ‘Akash, it’s a record that you took five wickets for five runs.’ That’s when I found out I had set a record by taking five wickets for five runs.”
Madhwal hailed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy as world-class. Rohit led MI to five titles in the IPL and he is regarded as one of the best leaders in IPL history.
“Bhaiya’s captaincy is world-class. I don’t know if it’s the calmness or just what comes after playing so much cricket, but the way Bhaiya reads the game is exceptional. Like, if you look at when he first put me in the playing XI, he didn’t give me the new ball at all. He didn’t give it to me for three whole matches. After three matches, when I got comfortable, and because Bhaiya knew my strength was Yorkers, he used to save me for the death overs.
“So, once he got me into the game, made me feel comfortable and at ease, only then did he start giving me the new ball in the fourth game. As a captain, I rate him very highly because when he introduced me on such a big platform, he introduced me based on my strength, knowing I would do well in the death overs,” he added.
Madhwal has scalped 23 wickets in 17 IPL matches.
