Resilient Royal Challengers Bangalore took their first match to a pinnacle on Tuesday, as Virat Kohli (75) and Ab de Villiers (82) powered them to a 45-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.
Amidst a robust batting line-up decorated with hitters like Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Shane Watson and Ab de Villiers, when the 18-year-old Mumbai boy Sarfaraz Khan came to bat, no one had expected the way he batted today.
Sarfaraz scored an unbeaten 35 off just 10 balls, striking 2 sixes and 5 fours to create more trouble for Hyderabad bowlers in the death overs. In the previous season, the right-hander scored 45 (not out) against Rajasthan Royals, which remains his IPL-best.
Apart from today’s dazzling knock, Sarfaraz has batted in 9 innings in 14 matches of the IPL, and scored 146 runs with a strike rate of 180.25. Playing at the end of the middle-order, young sensation Sarfaraz is truly an asset for the Bangalore franchisee.
Sarfaraz receives heart-warming admiration on Twitter
Everyone to Sarfaraz Khan right now #PlayBold #RCBvSRH pic.twitter.com/dXfRScvZw0
— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) April 12, 2016
Great Gesture By Virat Kohli For Sarfaraz Khan. So Down To Earth. #LEGEND #RCBvSRH #SRHvsRCB #IPL #IPL2016 pic.twitter.com/6GxOjEPdaz
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) April 12, 2016
Brilliant from Sarfaraz…but quite mediocre from #SRH. Not one short ball to him. Not even one. #RCBvSRH
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 12, 2016
Hope Sarfaraz comes through. Just the sort of batsman India needs lower down in limited overs cricket, particularly T20s.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) April 12, 2016
Sarfaraz Khan isn’t even 19 yet. Ridiculous talent
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) April 12, 2016
This young Sarfaraz has attitude. And ability!!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 12, 2016
Time to bring sarfaraz in blue jersey…. he is blaster….. god bless him and keep his feet on ground. @BCCI
— Aditya Sharma (@adityabhawan) April 12, 2016
I saw Sarfaraz Khan in 2014 Ranji Trophy I thought its a t20 match in white Happy to see same today I hope he will soon play for India
— Jeetu (@chjittu96) April 12, 2016