Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Harry Brook stole the show in the 19th match of IPL 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders, becoming the first player to score a century in this season of the tournament. The match held at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on a warm evening saw Kolkata Knight Riders winning the toss and opting to bowl first.
Harry Brook’s Girlfriend Lucy Lyles celebrated his 100 off just 55 Deliveries. As soon as Brook reached his century mark in the final over, he acknowledged the applause from the crowd and said, “my girlfriend is here, but the rest of the family just left. I knew this would happen as soon as they left I’ll get some runs (laughs)”. The cameraman also showed his girlfriend Lucy Lyles at the time, who was seen cheering joyously for Brook and celebrated his milestone.
After losing two wickets cheaply, #OrangeArmy captain Aiden Markram joined in the middle and the duo took charge, accelerating the run rate.
Harry Brook’s blistering knock of 100 off just 55 deliveries, which included nine fours and three sixes against the pace bowlers, and three fours against the spinners, helped Sunrisers Hyderabad post a daunting total of 228/4 in their 20 overs.
In response, Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a bad start, losing three early wickets in the batting powerplay. However, once Andre Russell was dismissed, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh took the onus on themselves to chase the mammoth target.
Nitish Rana was particularly impressive, smashing 75 off just 41 deliveries with five boundaries and six sixes. Rinku Singh too played his part, scoring 58 off 31 balls with four boundaries and four sixes.
Despite their best efforts, Kolkata Knight Riders fell short of the target by 23 runs, finishing at 205/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bowlers did well to contain the Knight Riders’ batsmen in the last few overs, restricting their run-scoring opportunities.
Mayank Markande bowled impressively under pressure, conceding just 27 runs in his four overs and taking two crucial wickets.
In the end, it was Harry Brook’s stunning knock that proved to be the difference between the two sides. The Englishman’s century will surely go down as one of the highlights of this season’s IPL. He was rightly awarded the Player of the Match award for his exceptional performance.
This win will be a huge morale booster for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have struggled to find their rhythm this season. With this win, they move up to seventh place in the points table.
Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their batting performance in the end, but will take heart from the fact that they put up a fight till the very end.
Overall, it was a thrilling encounter that had something for everyone – big hitting, exceptional bowling, and some outstanding individual performances. Cricket fans around the world will be eagerly looking forward to more such exciting matches in the coming days of IPL 2023.
The New Clear Mind – a professional writer who’s got a passion for three things- Reading, Writing, & Cricket!
