Chris Lynn who top-scored with 49 runs in the season opener has said that his first game for the team could also be his last after MI captain Rohit Sharma got run-out following a mix-up with batting partner Chris Lynn.
On a slow wicket in Chennai, Mumbai Indians (MI) were off to a watchful start and team’s captain Rohit Sharma was just getting settled and ready to play an innings of note when a mix-up with his opening partner Chris Lynn led to his run-out dismissal.
Chris Lynn Was Obviously A Bit Nervous As It Was His 1st Game For Mumbai And He Was Batting With Rohit Sharma For The 1st Time Too
On the final delivery of the 4th over, the hard-hitting Australian placed the ball towards covers and charged down the pitch for a run before deciding against it. Rohit Sharma was halfway down the pitch by then as Virat Kohli capitalized on the opportunity to send his dangerous counterpart, his deputy in the India team, back in the pavilion for 19.
The pressure was visible on the face of Chris Lynn, who was playing in his first match for the 5-time champions. He tried to make amends and scored 35-ball 49, which was the most by any batsman in his team on Friday’s IPL 2021 season opener.
However, the 31-year-old feels that his ‘not so ideal’ mistake can make his first match for MI the last one as well.
“Look, obviously I was a bit nervous, no doubt about it. (It was my) first game for Mumbai, and it was the first time I was batting with Rohit as well. It happens in the game of cricket as well.
“I thought there was a run, and then obviously there wasn’t a run. But yeah, if I had been able to run past him and sacrifice my wicket, I definitely would have done that, but it wasn’t the case.”
“As I said, it happens, but yeah, I put just a little bit more pressure on myself. It’s not ideal, running out your captain in the first game. The first game could be my last, who knows? (laughs).
“But anyhow, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, happens in the game. It would have been nice (if the runout didn’t happen); he was striking the ball nicely, and we were 10 or 15 runs short in the end. He would have definitely made a difference, but there were plenty of factors in this game tonight, not just the run-out,” Chris Lynn said in the post-match press conference.
Later, Chris Lynn took two catches, one which helped MI see the back of Glenn Maxwell, who was looking to finish the game early for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
The explosive opening batsman Chris Lynn joined the defending champions in the 2020 season but didn’t play a single match in IPL 2020 as Quinton De Kock, Ishan Kishan, and Rohit Sharma were preferred instead.
Chris Lynn’s 49 Though Went In Vain As RCB Won By 2 Wickets
Chris Lynn was the top scorer for Mumbai scoring 49 off 35 balls including 4 fours and 3 sixes but it went in vain as RCB won by 2 wickets. AB de Villiers of Bangalore hit a quickfire 48 off 27 balls, Glenn Maxwell contributed scoring 39 runs off 28 balls which included 3 fours and 2 sixes while skipper Virat Kohli too scored 33 off 29 balls.
The match went down the wire but Harshal Patel held his nerves to win the match for Bangalore with a single off the last ball of the 20th over.
Earlier, Harshal Patel picked 5/27 as MI lost 4 wickets in the final over. Harshal Patel also became the first bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul against Mumbai in the IPL. He picked up three wickets in the final over.
Chris Lynn was playing in place of South African Quinton de Kock, who is currently serving the mandatory 7-day quarantine period after arriving in India earlier this week. The southpaw has been the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper and opener from the last few seasons.
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (capt), Chris Lynn, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Marco Jansen, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Rajat Patidar, AB de Villiers(w), Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Christian, Washington Sundar, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal