Monank Patel's night of emotion and elegance

By Smit Patel

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

It was an emotional experience for Monank Patel as he crafted a career-defining innings, scoring 93 runs off 50 balls against the Seattle Orcas. Even Heinrich Klaasen, the highly-rated batter and captain of the Orcas, acknowledged to MI New York coach Mark Boucher that it was among the finest innings he had witnessed in a chase.

Monank skillfully utilized his vast experience on a challenging wicket. He demonstrated tactical precision in selecting the appropriate shots against each bowler. However, Klaasen's assessment might be viewed as somewhat generous, considering the game's limited stakes and the absence of prominent stars in the Orcas' bowling attack.

Klaasen's emotional response is understandable. So was the reaction of a young fan holding a hand-painted banner proclaiming "Monank I love you" and the broader American cricket community. Monank stole the spotlight from T20 stars like Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, and Kieron Pollard. His innings was not only the highest score by a domestic batter but also the most stylish display by a domestic player in the brief history of MLC. This was particularly significant because domestic batting has traditionally been the league's weak point.

"This innings doesn't surprise me. Monank is a fantastic player," Boucher stated. "That's why he plays for the US as well. I have been watching him in the nets, and although I haven't been with him for long, his innings against TSK showed me he knows how to score runs. He struggled initially in the first game, but he persevered and scored 50 off approximately 30 balls, precisely what you want from a top-order batter. Today, the conditions were difficult during the powerplay, especially in the second innings. He stuck to the plan, expressed himself afterward, and played some fantastic cricket shots all over the park."

Similar to the game against TSK, Monank resisted the urge to accelerate too quickly in a significant chase. He respected the conditions and the variable bounce of the new ball. Notably, over the previous three days, 12 wickets had fallen in the second innings during the 18 overs of the powerplay. His cautious start of 4 runs off 12 balls was a prelude to the onslaught. The fireworks began with a remarkable shot: a straight bat clubbing of a length ball on middle leg from Jasdeep Singh, soaring over the midwicket boundary. "I also liked the cover drive that followed, but that was a special shot for me," Monank said.

With his strength predominantly in hitting down the ground, Monank has rarely used unconventional shots behind square. However, this game was an exception. He executed lap shots against Jasdeep and Obed McCoy that went for six. It wasn't just luck that fueled his stylish innings. His intelligent reading of the conditions, keen awareness of the bowlers, and precise shot selection allowed him to take calculated risks and explore the area behind him.

"When the bowler continues to bowl hard lengths after the powerplay, and the pitch exhibits variable bounce from that length, I only played that shot against bowlers taller than 6 ft," Monank explained. "The ball was bouncing unevenly from taller bowlers. When I was being tested with bouncers, Boucher asked me why I was trying to take on the speed of the ball and attempting to slap them in front of the wicket when the bounce becomes unpredictable in the second innings. He advised me to use the bowlers' pace when I don't fully trust the wicket."

Such was Monank's dominance in the chase that he surged to 86 runs while Michael Bracewell played a supporting role with 26 runs in their partnership. The USA captain praised the Kiwi player, with whom he enjoys chasing runs. Their partnership has produced nearly 300 runs in 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 stand against the Orcas. This may have contributed to Bracewell's promotion in the batting order ahead of Pooran.

"Bracewell is amazing, a behind-the-scenes hero," Monank stated. "He knows what to tell me to help me. He kept reminding me to watch the ball closely. That puts you in the zone, preventing you from focusing on the scoreboard. You're so focused that you have two shots ready for every delivery, keeping you from having negative thoughts. Your mind never overwhelms you. Even if I miss, he praises me and keeps telling me to watch the ball closely, reminding me of my partnerships with Rashid last year."

The American captain concluded a magical final night of the season at the Coliseum Stadium, expressing his desire to wear the USA colors at the iconic venue one day. Monank's connection with the Coliseum awaits the USA chapter and a chance to rekindle those emotions.