‘Sitting out for 34 games, I had a point to prove’
Andrew Tye had to wait a long time to get a game in the Indian Premier League, but when he made his debut in the game against Rising Pune Supergiant for Gujarat Lions, he made it count as he picked up 5/17, including a hat-trick as Suresh Raina’s team registered their first win of the 2017 Indian Premier League.
Speaking about the achievement, Tye said he could not have asked for a better start in this tournament.
LONG WAIT
“I waited 34 matches before I got my first game in the Indian Premier League. I came in with pretty much nothing to lose. I knew I was on a hat-trick and I was happy that I executed the deliveries spot on. It is a rare feat to have two hat-tricks in a day,” Tye said.
Tye’s hat-trick was the second in the 2017 Indian Premier League, after Samuel Badree took a hat-trick on the same day in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s match
against Mumbai Indians. For the Aus tralian pacer, it was his second hat-trick in Twenty20s this year having taken a hat-trick in the Big Bash League in the match between Perth Scorchers and Brisbane Heat.
DEVELOPING IMMENSELY
The Australian pacer said his game had developed immensely in the last couple of years due to being part of the Indian Premier League.
“Even when you are not play ing any game in the IPL, it is a great place to develop your game and learn from the best. My cricket has developed in the last couple of years. Playing with the international stars and the Indian players, it only helps in the development,” Tye said.
The Australian pacer is acknowledged for his clever change of pace and added that he had to work very hard to get it spot on.
“It has taken me 5-6 years of hard work to get to the stage where I am in. If you practice in the right way and in the right intent, then the slower bal comes out right,” Tye added.
The 30-year-old said that Guj arat Lions came into this match against Rising Pune Supergiant with a different mindset.
“We went out with a certain attitude. We wanted to win as we did not have a good start. Things were not work ing out for us.
The first over from Prav een Kumar and the catch Suresh Raina took set the tone and the energy flew in from there.”
In the first over, Prav een Kumar conceded just six runs and got the vita wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for 0 thanks to a magnificent one handed catch by Suresh Raina at slip.
Gujarat Lions will now play table-toppers Mumbai Indians who defeated Royal Challen gers Bangalore by four wick ets, at the Wankhede sta dium on Sunday.