IPL 2023: Akash Madhwal deserves credit for taking Mumbai Indians to the Qualifiers, says Irfan Pathan

Mumbai Indians (MI) booked their place in the Qualifier 2 of the IPL by knocking down Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 81 runs in what was eventually a one-sided encounter at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. MI will now face Gujarat Titans on Friday in Ahmedabad to decide their fate with Chennai Super Kings waiting in the IPL 2023 final. IPL 2023:  Full coverage |  Points table |  Schedule |  Results |  Orange Cap |  Purple Cap​ Opting to bat, MI posted 182 for 8 with Cameron Green top-scoring with a 23-ball 41 while Suryakumar Yadav made 33 off 20 balls. For LSG, Naveen-ul-Haq was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 38 runs while Yash Thakur took three wickets. Read: 'Take full responsibility' — Krunal Pandya accepts 'all the blame' after Lucknow's defeat In the chase, Akash Madhwal took five wickets for five runs in 3.3 overs to be MI’s best bowler. Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan heaped praise upon the Uttarakhand seamer for putting up such a show in a high-stakes encounter. “We have never seen an uncapped player dominate in a high-pressure game. Akash Madhwal has picked up 9 wickets in the last two games. He deserves all the credit for taking MI to the Qualifier,” he said on Star Sports Live. Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif lauded the right-arm quick for mastery over his craft and control over the cricket ball. “Akash Madhwal bowls hard length. His bowling style resembles Mohd Shami and gets the zip off the surface. What a player he has been for Mumbai Indians lately. He’s looked like a matured bowler with every game he’s played,” said Kaif. Don’t Miss: Who is Akash Madhwal? Mumbai Indians' latest bowling sensation Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri also praised Akash for bowling hard length and being a street smart cricketer in the big game. “Madhwal applied himself in this game brilliantly, he bowled beautifully and bowled the hard length on a slow Chepauk track. He also has a good cutter. Tennis ball cricketers are very street smart and Madhwal has shown that skill on the big stage. He’s a young bowler and a quick learner. It was another superb effort from this young talent.” MI’s batting mainstay Suryakumar Yadav played another vital knock in a big encounter. Hailing SKY for the array of shots in his batting arsenal, former India cricketer cricketer Harbhajan Singh stated no other batter in the world has a better hitting range than Suryakumar Yadav. “I can say with confidence that no other batsman in the world has the range and variety of Surya. The way Surya came back with a bang after failing in the initial matches proves how mentally strong he is as a player.” Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians: 182 for 8 in 20 overs (Cameron Green 41, Suryakumar Yadav 33; Naveen-ul-Haq 4/38, Yash Thakur 3/34). Lucknow Super Giants: 101 all out in 16.3 overs (Marcus Stoinis 40; Akash Madhwal 5/5). Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.