19-year-old Hanuma Vihari had an eventful match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in SunRisers Hyderabad’s dramatic IPL win.
It was quite a match for teenage all-rounder Hanuma Vihari as his side SunRisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bangalore after a Super Over in their IPL clash on Sunday.
Vihari batted out the runs that drew the match for Hyderabad and forced the tie into a Super Over to decide the winners.
The 19-year-old only had bowler Dale Steyn for company at the crease, as he just missed the chance the win the match for the SunRisers and drew the score level at 130 runs each with the last ball of the innings.
The home side had lost captain Kumar Sangakkara and Thisara Perera in quick succession earlier in their twenty overs and the teenager had to show maturity beyond his years to keep his side in the match.
Although Vihari’s batting saved the match his proudest moment came with the very first ball of the day, as the spin bowler claimed the prized victim of Chris Gayle.
The big West Indian is a Twenty20 master but misjudged the flight of the ball and was caught behind after trying to cut it.
“I have kept the picture of the Gayle wicket,” Vihari was quoted on ESPNcricinfo.
After being awarded the Man-of-the-Match prize after the game the young Indian dedicated the honour to his mother, who was at the ground watching his performance, and his father who died in 2005.
Vihari was just 11 at the time of his father’s death, but was always encouraged by him to play cricket and he is fulfilling that encouragement now with an impressive debut IPL season.
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