Australian batsman Chris Lynn powered his way to an unbeaten 93 off 41 balls, a knock that included eight sixes and six fours, to help his Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders chase 184 against Gujarat Lions on Friday. Lynn, who usually bats lower down the order, was promoted to open the batting alongside captain Gautam Gambhir, and the ploy worked as the duo chased down 184 with no damage, thereby breaking the record for the highest opening partnership in Twenty20 cricket.
Lynn’s pyrotechnics, which saw him smack the Gujarat bowlers in the ‘V’ all evening, would not have been such a surprise for followers of Australia’s Big Bash League. In the last BBL season, Lynn was in emphatic form for Brisbane Heat, equalling the tournament record for the most sixes in an innings – 11 – on the way to an unbeaten 98 against Perth Scorchers.
The 26-year-old did not hit as many sixes against Gujarat, but was equally effective. Out of the 13 balls he faced in the six Powerplay overs, only three scoring shots were not boundaries. He brought up his half-century in just 19 balls – the joint second-fastest fifty for KKR. Asked what is mantra was, Lynn quoted former India opener Virender Sehwag, “It’s as simple as – see ball, hit ball,” he told iplt20.com after the game.
“If they bowl a good ball you got to try and get down to the other end,” he added. “If they bowl a bad ball you got to try and put it away. If I’m not having fun, I’m not going to do well. That’s the main thing.”
‘It went to plan tonight’
Lynn’s IPL record prior to this match was not a very impressive one. In six previous matches, he had scored only 89 runs, 45 of those coming in one game itself. What caused the switch to flick? “It went to plan tonight,” he said. “It won’t always be my night, but fingers crossed I can pick up that momentum and ride that wave throughout the tournament. That’s the challenge. Teams are going to watch the footage [of my innings] and work a plan out, and I’m just going to have to throw a punch back and go one better.”
Lynn and Gambhir broke the highest opening partnership record of the IPL, previously held by Chris Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan – 167. Asked what went well in his partnership with Gambhir, Lynn said, “I’m happy with the way we gelled. We did it so quickly out there. It’s probably just the second time I’ve batted out there with GG. We were looking very comfortable, we ran between the wickets well, I think that’s the best sign out of it. To do it none-down tonight is obviously very special.”
Was he disappointed he missed out on a hundred? “One ball at a time, don’t they say?” he said. “I was just happy to first get off the mark and then get to fifty. I knew the way Gauti was batting he was never going to give me a chance to get to a hundred, but I’ll take 90 not out any day of the week over a hundred. As everyone says, the team comes first.”
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