Pune: Amit Mishra became the first bowler in the IPL to get three hat-tricks, after helping Sunrisers Hyderabad clinch an unlikely win against Pune Warriors. When Mishra was asked to bowl the 19th over, Warriors, 14 runs short of a win and with four wickets in hand, were in control. But Mishra picked up the crucial wicket of Warriors' captain Angelo Mathews off the second ball, then wrapped up the match with a hat-trick off the last three balls of the over.
"I did not try for any tricks, I wanted to keep it simple," Mishra said. "I did not think of any other thing, just bowled to get the wickets and I got a hat-trick. Cameron White said to me that I should go for wickets and I did just that. It's a great feeling, I am happy to help my team win today. The team is working together, supporting each other."
Mishra's hat-trick was the 11th in the IPL and the second this season after Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine picked one against Kings XI Punjab just a day ago. He took his first hat-trick in 2008 when he was part of Delhi Daredevils, and his second in 2011, for Deccan Chargers. The four wickets in the match also took Mishra to second in IPL's leading wicket-takers list, two behind Lasith Malinga.
Cameron White led Sunrisers as they chose to rest their regular captain Kumar Sangakkara, but the team's problems with batting continued. They managed 119, thanks to a 24-ball 30 by Mishra. White then used up his two main fast bowlers - Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma - by the 17th over, with an over each left for Thisara Perera, Mishra and legspinner Karan Sharma. Perera and Mishra took the last five wickets in those two overs.
"I am not sure what happened, whether it was a freak win or not. We got wickets as and when we needed and then Mishy [Mishra] did his job," White said. "In small chases, we cannot leave Ishant and Steyn to get wickets till the last.
"When the ninth wicket went down, I looked up and thought we had a chance now. But Mishy's execution to deliver those three balls was first-class. If Pune had played the remaining balls, they would have won."
Angelo Mathews, who returned after missing the Chennai match, said the loss was disappointing for the team, but they need to move on.
"We just threw it away in the last four overs," Mathews said. "It was a pathetic batting performance.
We got off to a brilliant start in bowling but we choked up again. It was disappointing to throw a game like this which was in our hand. We have to be consistent to move on from here. Nine more games to turn things around." |
