IPL 2020: Quinton de Kock on song against Sunrisers Hyderabad, gets first fifty

Mumbai
Indians’ South African star Quinton de Kock finally got his Indian Premier
League (IPL) 2020 campaign underway with a dazzling 39-ball 67 against
Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.

An underwhelming
start to life in the United Arab Emirates saw de Kock being dismissed for
single digit scores in three of his four innings so far.

The only exception
came in Mumbai’s opening encounter against Chennai Super Kings, where de Kock failed
to capitalise on a good start as he was dismissed for 33 from 20 balls.

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The southpaw
made amends with a much-needed fifty after opening partner and skipper Rohit
Sharma’s early dismissal, smashing four boundaries and as many sixes en route
to his 11th IPL fifty.

His innings
came to an end soon after the landmark though, as he looked to pull Rashid Khan
for a boundary, managing only to balloon the ball high into the air for the Afghan
spinner to take an easy catch.

The defending
champions were under pressure right from the start after skipper Rohit was
dismissed by pacer Sandeep Sharma, continuing his poor form against the
Hyderabad outfit.

The ‘Hitman’ went
chasing after a short and wide delivery, which found the edge off the toe-end of his bat and was
caught by keeper Jonny Bairstow. The umpire initially adjudged it not out but
the decision was reversed after a well-taken review.

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Mumbai and
Hyderabad come into the match eyeing a spot at the summit of the points table.

Both teams won their respective matches against Kings XI Punjab and Chennai
Super Kings, who will face each other in the second fixture of Sunday’s double-header.