IND vs WI: If Harshal Patel Carries This On, His Future Is Good: Salman Butt

Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt said that Indian pacer Harshal Patel will have a good future if he continues to perform consistently.

India eked out West Indies in an eight-run win in the second T20I match on Friday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The Rohit Sharma-led side clinched the T20I series with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

India wins T20I series despite West Indies batters daunting efforts

India posted 186/5 in the first innings after Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who failed to score runs in the first match, returned with brisk half-centuries. Pant remained unbeaten on 52 from 28 balls and was involved in a partnership of 76 runs from 35 balls with Venkatesh Iyer who made 33 off 18 balls.

Chasing 187, the visitors had a rusty start as openers Brandon King and Kyle Mayers failed to captivate in the PowerPlay overs.

West Indies were 59 for 2 at 8.3 overs before wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell carnage Indian bowlers around the park to remain in the chase.

Pooran brought up his seventh T20 International 50-plus score with a six over long leg to Deepak Chahar in the 17th over.

West Indies needed 37 runs from the last three overs with India having two crucial overs of Harshal. The Haryana pacer conceded just eight runs in the 18th over followed by an impressive four-run over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar where he dismissed Pooran.

As the equation dropped to 23 from four balls, Powell hammered consecutive sixes to Harshal to put the pressure back on the hosts. Harshal executed a slower ball, pitching full and outside off as the West Indies power-hitter could just find a single at long-on.

Harshal Patel’s change of pace is brilliant: Salman Butt

Butt noted that Harshal has plenty of variations at his disposal and heaped praise over him for his execution with his bowling plans.

“Harshal Patel’s change of pace is brilliant. He bowled accurate yorkers (during the second T20I). If he carries this on, his future is good. He will continue to play in IPL if he performs like this. He’s already playing for India,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.

“He is somebody who relies on his variations, he has a very good slower ball. His arm speed doesn’t change when he delivers the slower ball and I think that’s his strength. So in white-ball cricket, his future is decent,” he added.

Harshal Patel yielded 46 runs from his four overs, the most expensive among Indian bowlers. He picked a couple of wickets in the first match but had none in the second.

Also Read: IND vs WI: Harshal Patel Deserves Every Penny That He Has Earned At IPL 2022 Auction: Sunil Gavaskar