Having watched with awe Yusuf Pathan's fireworks that enabled his side finish second in the round robin stage of the Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir Saturday admitted he had not see such an innings before.
Pathan (72 of 22 balls) plundered seven massive sixes and five fours as he slammed the fastest IPL fifty to propel the Knight Riders to a four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad with 34 balls to spare.
Replying to the visitors 160/7, the hosts needed to overhaul the total within 15.2 overs, but thanks to Pathan's blazing knock, they reached 161/6 in only 14.2 overs at the Eden Gardens.
"I have never seen this sort of innings in my career...unbelievable hitting... I can only dream of it, but I saw it in reality," Gambhir said after the match.
"We always wanted to finish it in 15.2 overs, this is what we play cricket for," said Gambhir, whose side will take on Kings XI Punjab in the first qualifier here May 27.
Gambhir, however, conceded that his team did not bowl well in the initial overs, besides dropping some crucial catches.
"But this is not the time to talk about negatives, I have never seen such an innings," he said.
Visibly happy after his batting performance, Pathan called it his best innings and said he had hit form at the right time.
"It feels great when the ball hits the middle of the bat and travels a long way."
"My hundred for Rajasthan was a good knock but I got run-out and we couldn't win the match, but this time we won, this feels like my best innings."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
