IPL 2022: Suryakumar Yadav enjoyed ‘sweet banter’ with RR’s Chahal

Mumbai Indians on Saturday scored their first IPL 2022 win after they cruised over the Rajasthan Royals by five wickets at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. For the five-time champions, Suryakumar Yadav was named the player of the match for architecting the chase. He scored 51 runs off 39 balls with the help of five boundaries and two maximums.

Yadav and a young Tilak Varma (35 off 30 balls) shared an 82-run stand to put Mumbai in a strog position. After the two departed in a span of three balls, the team did fall in a tricky spot. Kieron Pollard (10) could not make much of a difference. All-rounder Tim David, who was brought in the playing 11 for the game, smashed 20 off nine balls. 

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Suryakumar Yadav, who is Mumbai Indians’ second-highest run-scorer this year with 290 runs against him in seven games, has been averaging 48.33. The 31-year-old has already scored three fifties in IPL 2022. 

After being named the player of the match, Yadav said that he enjoyed ‘sweet banter’ with RR’s Yuzvendra Chahal. The leg-spinner had found the Mumbai batter in front of the stumps but the umpires were not convinced. DRS showed the ball was clipping the top of off-stump, leading to umpire’s call. Chahal was disappointed when Suryakumar Yadav consoled him with a hug. 

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“During the game, I didn’t tell him anything and it was just a sweet banter between him and me, but I’m really happy that I got away with the umpire’s call and the way things went after that. He is a great bowler and I’ve enjoyed having that fight between him and me in the middle,” Suryakumar Yadav said in the post-match press conference.

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The Mumbai Indians are still last on the points table with one win in nine games. yadav said that the team has started enjoying each other’s company and the win will help them going forward. 

“The win will spread a lot of positivity. We were already enjoying each other’s company during practice sessions and team dinners. This win will help each and everyone learn going forward in the season,” he further added.