Cricket News: Madhwal deserves credit for taking MI to Qualifier: Irfan Pathan

The Mumbai Indians, headed by Rohit Sharma, advanced to the IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 by defeating the Lucknow Super Giants in a relatively one-sided match at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium. The five-time IPL champions checked all the boxes in a highly anticipated match to earn a match against the defending champions Gujarat Titans.

After their batters contributed significantly to MI's above-par 181-8 on the spin-friendly Chepauk surface, rookie India bowler Akash Madhwal ran-riot through LSG hitters and returned with best figures of 5-5. Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan praised the Uttarakhand seamer for his performance in a high-stakes match.

Speaking on Start Sports' Cricket Live, Irfan Pathan said,

"We have never seen an uncapped player dominate in a high-pressure game. Akash Madhwal has picked up 9 wickets in the last two games. He deserves all the credit for taking MI to the Qualifier."

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif praised the right-arn fast for his skill and command of the cricket ball.

Md Kaif said,

"Akash Madhwal bowls hard length. His bowling style resembles Mohd Shami and gets the zip off the surface. What a player he has been for Mumbai Indians lately. He's looked like a mature bowler with every game he's played."

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri praised Madhwal for bowling hard length and being a street-smart bowler in the big game after he honed his bowling skills with tennis-ball cricket.

Ravi Shastri said,

"Madhwal applied himself in this game brilliantly, he bowled beautifully and bowled the hard length on a slow Chepauk track. He also has a good cutter. Tennis ball cricketers are very street smart and Madhwal has shown that skill on the big stage. He's a young bowler and a quick learner. It was another superb effort from this young talent."

Suryakumar Yadav, MI's batting mainstay, delivered another crucial knock in a crucial match. SKY accurately assessed the pitch conditions on a difficult Chepauk surface.

Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh praised SKY's batting arsenal, saying no other batsman in the world has a better striking range than Suryakumar Yadav.

Harbhajan Singh said,

"I can say with confidence that no other batsman in the world has the range and variety of Surya. The way Surya came back with a bang after failing in the initial matches proves how mentally strong, he is as a player."

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