KKR batsman Yusuf Pathan credits his half-century to three-year-old son
Yusuf Pathan produced a magnificent knock of 59 off 39 balls and shared a 110-run stand with Manish Pandey (69*) as Kolkata Knight Riders’ defeated Delhi Daredevils by four wickets with one ball to spare on Monday.
His crucial partnership helped Kolkata Knight Riders wrest the game back from Delhi Daredevils after losing three wickets for just 21 runs.
It was Kolkata Knight Riders’ fourth win of the 2017 Indian Premier League season which saw them climb to the top of the table.
Speaking in the iplt20.com website after the game, Yusuf credited Zaheer Khan for his captaincy of Delhi Daredevils and praised Manish Pandey for his excellent performance with the bat.
However, he opened up and confessed that family obligations were responsible for his impressive batting display.
Yusuf Pathan’s son, who celebrated his third birthday a few days ago, had asked for a cricket bat and ball as a birthday gift. Surprised that his son had already begun taking an active interest in the sport at such a young age, Yusuf decided that he would perform well in the match against Delhi Daredevils to peak his son’s curiosity.
“When we left from the hotel in Kolkata, he asked me for a bat and ball, which was a shock for me.
“He has only seen two games of mine since he really began to understand things. And after watching those two matches he has asked me for a bat and ball,” Yusuf said.
“I wanted to come here and win the game for the team. Today also, when we were talking on the phone, we talked about it. There can’t be a better gift than helping the team win and whatever he has asked for I will give those things to him after winning the game for my team,” he continued.
Yusuf said he relished playing against aggressive bowling since it produced a healthy competition with the bowlers attempting to get him out and him responding with big knocks.
“Obviously whenever the team has needed I have always delivered. I got off to a good start and finished well, as well. I always try to assess the pressure that the bowler and the team are under when I go out to bat,” he said of his own innings.
“When I came in to bat I was middling the ball well. The bowlers were under pressure. I could feel that they wanted my wicket.
“So, I was thinking that I have to stay at the wicket; as long as I am there the match is ours. I was telling myself that. I was converting the boundary balls into boundaries and the strike was rotating as well; so that was a good start,” he further elaborated.