New pace bowling sensation Mayank Yadav clocked the quickest ball of the new IPL season at 156.7 km/h in a fiery spell to power Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a 28-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday.
Riding on Quinton de Kock's 56-ball 81 and an unbeaten 40 by Nicholas Pooran, Lucknow posted 181-5 at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
In reply, RCB were all out for 153 in 19.4 overs and suffered their third loss in four matches this season. Lucknow won their second straight match after an opening defeat.
Following his Player of the Match performance in the previous game, Mayank turned up again with figures of three for 14 against RCB, which included removing Glenn Maxwell for a duck and bowling Cameron Green for nine.
Chasing a target of 182, RCB started well with openers Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli making a solid 40-run opening stand but lost the wickets of Kohli, Du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell in the space of nine deliveries and three runs.
After that, wickets kept falling at regular intervals and despite cameos from Rajat Patidar, who made 29, and Mahipal Lomror, who hit 33 off 13, Bengaluru never looked like they could make a comeback.
New pace sensation
The 21-year-old Yadav surpassed his previous top speed, having sent down a ball at 155.8 km/h on his IPL debut in Lucknow's first win of the season on Saturday.
Shaun Tait bowled the IPL's fastest-ever ball in 2011 at 157.71 km/h.
The performance against Bengaluru followed a stunning debut last week when he bowled a 155.8kph delivery and came with a figure of 3-27 in the victory over Punjab Kings.
Delhi-born Yadav went to Lucknow ahead of the 2023 edition but was ruled out by an injury that cost him the entire season.
He has set the tournament alight in his first two matches and ultimately dreams of representing his country.
"I feel very good, winning two Player of the Match awards, but I am happier that we won both the matches," he said.
"My aim is to play for India as much as possible. So I feel this is just the start and my main goal is what I am focused on."
'Child of wind'
Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop called him a "kid bowling like a child of the wind" on the social media platform X.
The 21-year-old from Delhi's performance in the IPL so far has ignited calls for him to be selected for this year's T20 World Cup beginning on June 1.
Former India quick bowler Irfan Pathan called him a "bloody exciting talent," while former Australia speed demon Brett Lee said Yadav was the "talk of the town."
"Stop what you are doing and watch Mayank Yadav bowl," veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote on X, telling Lucknow they had "unearthed a gem."
"He has been an X factor in both the matches," former India opener Virender Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
"He gets the top batsmen out -- it is Mayank's accurate line and length that impressed me," Sehwag said.
(AFP)
