IPL 2020: KKR vs MI: Pat Cummins outshines Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik with half-century

Abu Dhabi, October 16: The costliest overseas buy, Pat Cummins, who is known for his bowling exploits, showed his ability with the bat as the Australian scored his maiden IPL fifty when Kolkata Knight Riders met Mumbai Indians in Match 32 on Friday (October 16).

After opting to bat first, KKR were in a spot of bother when they lost their fifth wicket in the 11th over with just 61 runs on the board. Both Dinesh Karthik, who stepped down from captaincy to concentrate on his batting and Andre Russell, a big-hitting all-rounder failed for KKR.

But, Cummins, who smashed a 36-ball 53, sticthed together a match-turning 87-run partnership along with his skipper Eoin Morgan, who remained unbeaten on 39 runs from 29 balls, took KKR to a respectable score of 148/5 in 20 overs.

With that knock of 53, which included five fours and two sixes, the number one Test bowler of the world, Cummins outshone his teammates and some top quality batsmen in IPL 2020.

An invaluable FIFTY for @patcummins30 here in Abu Dhabi.

This is his maiden half-century in IPL.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/aRBtuAvqNQ

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 16, 2020

The Australian, who reached 126 runs in 7 innings this season with the bat, surpassed his teammates Karthik (119 in 8 innings), Russell (83 in 7 innings), King XI Punjab's Glenn Maxwell (58 in 7 innings), Rajasthan Royals' Robin Uthappa (83 in 6 innings) and Chennai Super Kings' Kedhar Jadhav (58 in 4 innings).

With seven sixes so far in the IPL 2020, Cummins overtook the likes of Maxwell, Rishabh Pant, Russell, Ravindra Jadeja and even Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Cummins, who is known to swivel his bat, now will look to help his team restrict Mumbai Indians with the ball.