New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ambati Rayudu’s menacing shots in his unbeaten 72 were a treat to watch, but what caught the attention of the viewers was a huge six which landed in the Mumbai Indians (MI) dugout and smashed a refrigerator.
The monstrous shot missed the players, but crashed into the refrigerator in the MI dugout at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday night, with photographs showing the top-left half of the glass-door refrigerator suffering some serious damage.
Though the 35-year-old Rayudu emerged the highest scorer for his team, smashing an unbeaten 72 in only 27 deliveries — with seven massive hits and four boundaries –, it was not enough as Mumbai Indians came back strongly to reach the 219-run victory target off the last ball of the over.
MI’s Kieron Pollard was equally devastating, smashing a 34-ball 87, embellished with eight big hits and six boundaries, guiding his side to a four-wicket win in one of the most entertaining matches of this Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Rayudu’s shot, hit off New Zealand’s Trent Boult, went viral in no time with his fans labelling him as CSK’s ‘Baahubali’, while one of his fans tweeted, “Rayudu looked like he didn’t even break a sweat.”
Rayudu, who played his last T20I against South Africa in 2015 and has been CSK’s mainstay since 2018, punished both the seamers and spinners with equal disdain.
After coming in to bat in the 12th over at the fall of South African Faf du Plessis, Rayudu straightaway got down to business, hitting massive sixes and singling out MI spinner Rahul Chahar for special treatment.
Even ace MI bowler Jasprit Bumrah had an unforgettable day, going for 56 runs in his quota of four overs.
IANS