‘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.
“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 Australian 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. 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 playing 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 ball comes out right,” Tye added. The 30-year-old said that Gujarat 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 working out for us. The first over from Praveen Kumar and the catch Suresh Raina took set the tone and the energy flew in from there.”
In the first over, Praveen Kumar conceded just six runs and got the vital wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for 0 thanks to a magnificent onehanded catch by Suresh Raina at slip.
Gujarat Lions will now play table-toppers Mumbai Indians, who defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets, at the Wankhede stadium on Sunday.