Batting at packed Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Brook finally managed to crack the IPL code and converted his first fifty of the premier competition into the sublime ton. Brook’s knock helped Sunrisers post a mammoth 228 for 4 in the first innings.
Brook, who was roped in after his exploits in Pakistan, finally announced his arrival in the tournament in style when he smashed four fours and two sixes inside the first three overs to give SRH the best start of the season.
Bought by SRH for a whopping Rs 13.25 crore, Brook had managed only 29 in the first three games but found his rhythm with a 55-ball-100 as he smashed 12 fours and three sixes.
Having got a reprieve on 45, when he was dropped by rookie leg-spinner Suyash Sharma an easy chance off his own bowling, Englishman got to his 50 off 32 balls.
Harry Brook, turning out to be the ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ฒrer’s stone ๐ช
The ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ we all waited for ๐ | @Harry_Brook_88 pic.twitter.com/BV5Hc2Nm17
โ SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 14, 2023
Brook also overturned a caught-behind decision off Lockie Ferguson when on 61, as he hammered the Kiwi fiery pacer in the same over five fours, en route to the first century of the season, which came off a single off Umesh Yadav in the final over.
The day fully belonged to the English batter, who carried his bat replicating his success in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he had scored 264 runs for Lahore Qalandars in eight innings, which included a century, at a strike rate of 171.4 in 2022 edition.
Brook – who has also taken Test Cricket by storm – became the first centurion of the IPL 16 season and entered an elite club. He’s only the second KKR batter after Brendon McCullum (IPL 2008) to slam the first century of an IPL edition.
First hundred in IPL in Every Season
2008: Brendon McCullum – Kolkata Knight Riders
2009: AB de Villiers – Delhi Daredevils
2010: Yusuf Pathan – Rajasthan Royals
2011: Paul Valthaty – Kings XI Punjab
2012: Ajinkya Rahane – Rajasthan Royals
2013: Shane Watson – Rajasthan Royals
2014: Lenld Simmons – Mumbai Indians
2015: Brendon McCullum – Chennai Super Kings
2016: Quinton De Kock – Royal Challengers Bangalore
2017: Sanju Samson – Delhi Daredevils
2018: Chris Gayle – Punjab Kings
2019: Jonny Bairstow – Sunrisers Hyderabad
2020: KL Rahul – Punjab Kings
2021: Sanju Samson – Rajasthan Royals
2022: Jost Buttler – Rajasthan Royals
2023: Harry Brook – Sunrisers Hyderabad
(With PTI Inputs)
