Mumbai, March 15: Yusuf Pathan’s sheer brute display at Brabourne Stadium on Saturday is in total contrast to the man himself. While enthusiasts named it carnage, behind the 6ft-2in frame lays a man defined by simplicity. “Everything I do I keep it simple, whether it is my cricket or my life,” said Pathan on a fine Sunday morning.
The 20,000-odd Mumbai Indians fans were dying a million deaths when Yusuf was wielding his willow. “The wicket was playing true and the ball was nicely coming on to the bat. I knew if I could stay for a few overs, the result could be in our favour,” explained Pathan, who came in to bat when the Rajasthan Royals were in trouble at 66 for four.
It was a day when almost all his hits were either caught by the crowd or kissed the boundary rope. The fielders were reduced to mere spectators. Only a bad stroke of luck could have derailed Yusuf’s juggernaut and that’s exactly what happened.
“No one could have imagined that I would get out in such a way, in fact my friends told me that this was the only way I could have got out,” said Yusuf of his run out by all-rounder R Sathish.
Royals ended up narrowly losing the game but the winner of the day was Yusuf. He was and will be the talk of the town for sometime now. A 37-ball 100, after all, doesn’t happen everyday.
“Skipper (Shane Warne) told me that in his 21 years of international cricket, he played against some of the most accomplished batsmen but had never witnessed such an innings,” smiled Yusuf.
In a format where survival depends on innovation, Yusuf defies the logic by following his simple rules. “I don’t need to play switch hits or any innovative shots when I know that my power is enough. I concentrate on that rather than complicating myself with new things,” explained Yusuf.
Talking about his celebrations, Yusuf did what he does usually. He called up his parents, offered prayers, and was surprised when a few of his teammates got a cake for his maiden IPL ton.
“Irfan, too, left a message saying he thoroughly enjoyed my innings before going on to play his game,” said Yusuf.
or now, Yusuf can be best described by what Hans Hoffman said: “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
–Agencies–