Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden labels Bairstow’s ton as ‘one of the great innings’

Kolkata: Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden heaped praise on Punkab Kings’ extraordinary batting and called it a ‘perfect chase’ after the Kings set the record of highest successful chase against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.

After openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine slammed rollicking half-centuries while sharing an opening partnership of 138 runs in 10.2 overs to propel KKR to a mammoth 261/6, Prabhsimran Singh laid the foundation with a quick fifty, before Bairstow and Shashank dished out sensational knocks as PBKS now own the record for highest successful chase in T20 history.

“Yeah, it had to be the perfect run chase and it was,” said Hyaden on Star Sports Cricket Live. “I mean inside that power play they were extraordinary. They absolutely roasted anyone that came across them apart from Narine. It was a beacon of hope for just cutting short this enormous run chase.”

“But reality is these batters are getting so good at hitting balls. It is a batting thon this IPL. And we are seeing some extraordinary scenes. Tonight who would have ever thought that we were going to witness something as grand as what we saw here. From Jonny Bairstow who hasn’t been at this tournament of any kind of note this IPL, and he has arrived with a terrific hundred.”

“One of the great things that Jonny Bairstow said there is that “it was an important way that we had to start.” I mean we were working out before that his first game in T20 cricket was back in 2010. And he also had mentioned as well that the calmness at the crease. To be calm when you know you’ve got to break a record. In the history of IPL cricket, to win and still to have that presence. They’re almost like forces batters into an absolute no-loss situation. They just go out with clarity. With definition. And they just have to do it.” IANS

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