Monank Patel's night of emotion and elegance

By Smit Patel

It was an emotional rollercoaster for Monank Patel as he crafted a career-defining innings of 93 off 50 balls against the Seattle Orcas. Such was the impact of his knock that even Heinrich Klaasen, the Orcas captain and a top-ranked batter, admitted to MI New York coach Mark Boucher that it was among the best innings he had ever witnessed in a run chase.

Monank Patel hit eight fours and seven sixes on his way to a 50-ball 93 © Sportzpics

Monank skillfully utilized his experience on a challenging wicket. His tactical approach involved carefully selecting shots against specific bowlers. While Klaasen's praise might seem generous considering the game's context and the Orcas' relatively less star-studded attack, it reflected the sentiment of many.

The American cricket fraternity, along with a young fan holding a handmade "Monank I love you" banner, celebrated Patel's performance amidst T20 stars like Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, and Kieron Pollard. His innings wasn't just the highest score by a domestic batter; it was also arguably the finest knock by a domestic player in MLC history, particularly significant given the league's historical struggles with domestic batting performances.

"This innings doesn't surprise me. Monank is a fantastic player," Boucher stated. "That's why he plays for the US as well. I've been watching him in the nets, and his innings against TSK showed me he knows how to score runs. He struggled upfront in the first game but stuck it out and ended up scoring 50 in 30 odd balls, which is exactly where you want to be as a top-order batter. Today, when he came in, conditions were tough in the powerplay, especially in the second innings. He stuck to the plan, expressed himself, and played some fantastic cricket shots all over the park."

Similar to his approach against TSK, Monank resisted the urge to accelerate quickly in the tall chase. He acknowledged the challenging conditions, particularly the variable bounce of the new ball. It's worth noting that 12 wickets had fallen in the second innings during the powerplay overs over the previous three days. His cautious start of 4 off 12 balls was a prelude to an explosive display. The fireworks began with a powerful straight bat shot off a length ball from Jasdeep Singh, sending it soaring over the midwicket boundary. "I liked the cover drive as well that followed it but that was a special shot for me" Monank said.

While Monank typically favors hitting down the ground, this game saw him employ unconventional shots behind square. He unleashed lap shots against Jasdeep and Obed McCoy that went the distance. This showcased not only his Midas touch but also his astute understanding of the conditions, awareness of the bowlers, and calculated risk-taking.

"When the bowler keeps bowling hard length after the power play and the pitch keeps up and down from length, I played that shot only to bowlers with height of 6 ft or above," Monank explained. "The ball was extracting variable bounce from tall bowlers. When I was being tested with bouncers, Boucher asked me why I was challenging the speed of the ball and looking to slap them in front of the wicket when the bounce becomes a tad unpredictable in the second innings. He asked me to use the bowlers' pace when you don't trust the wicket truly."

Such was Monank's dominance that he raced to 86 while Michael Bracewell played a supporting role with 26 runs in their partnership. The USA captain praised Bracewell, highlighting their successful run-chasing partnerships. Their collaboration has produced nearly 300 runs across three games: an 80-run stand in a practice match, a crucial 97-run stand against Texas Super Kings, and a match-winning 119-run effort against the Orcas, potentially influencing Bracewell's promotion in the batting order ahead of Pooran.

"Bracewell is amazing. Behind the scenes hero," Monank stated. "He knows what he needs to tell me, that is going to help me. He kept telling me to watch the ball hard, watch the ball hard. That takes you in the zone. That won't make you see the scoreboard too. Such a zone that you keep two shots ready for every delivery. That keeps you away from getting a single negative thought. Your mind never takes over you. Even if I miss he will come and praise me and finally he will say watch the ball hard every time. Reminds of my partnerships with Rashid last year."

The American captain concluded the season's final night at the Coliseum Stadium on a high note, expressing his desire to represent the USA at the iconic venue. Monank's affinity for the Coliseum awaits a USA chapter, offering a potential opportunity to rekindle those emotions.