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After 16 matches into the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Lucknow Super Giants star Mayank Yadav has been the revelation of the tournament. Last week, he recorded the fastest every delivery in IPL 2024 after he dished out a 155.8 kmph thunderbolt in the match against Punjab Kings. And after Gerald Coetzee broke the record, which barely lasted two days, Mayank found himself at the top of the chart once again with a 156.7 kmph scorcher against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday.
World cricket has been left in absolute awe of the Mayank, his raw pace and his wicket-taking abilities, with most veterans and experts already calling for his India selection after the end of IPL 2024.
Amid the remarks on the 21-year-old, a Pakistan reporter, named Farid Khan, on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are already preparing the speedster for T20 World Cup with LSG bowling coach Mornel Morkel, who previously worked with the Pakistan team during the 2023 ODI World Cup, gearing him up for the tournament by showing him videos of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.
“Mayank Yadav will be part of India’s T20 World Cup squad. I assure you. You can take a screenshot of my post. India are getting him ready and he will play against Pakistan. BCCI is already showing him videos of Haris Rauf’s spell against India in the last T20 World Cup. He is being shown videos of Naseen Shah and Shaheen Afridi and they are getting him ready. Former Pakistan bowling coach Morne Morkel is at LSG, he is getting Mayank ready,” he said in a video posted by him on social media.
Following the bizarre claim, the reporter was mercilessly trolled on X. Here are some of the reactions…
Meanwhile, former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has already backed Mayank for a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad as the third pace-bowling option alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
“If I was in Ajit Agarkar’s position I would put him in. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and then him. Looking at Mayank’s form, action and release it looks like he is in control and it feels like if you give him a bigger stage, he will deliver. With IPL where many overseas players do come in and get them out, your confidence will also go up,” Tiwary said in a discussion on Cricbuzz.
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