• Home
  • Cricket Analysis
  • 3 Reasons Prasidh Received Player Of The Match Despite Sudharsan Being Top Scorer

3 Reasons Prasidh Received Player Of The Match Despite Sudharsan Being Top Scorer

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudharsan [Source: iplt20.com]Prasidh Krishna and Sai Sudharsan [Source: iplt20.com]

In a commanding 36-run victory over Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat Titans saw outstanding performances from multiple players. While Sai Sudharsan top-scored with an impressive 63 off 41 balls, it was fast bowler Prasidh Krishna who walked away with the Player of the Match award. Here are three data-backed reasons why Krishna's bowling masterclass trumped Sudharsan's batting brilliance.

1. Economy Rate in a High-Scoring Contest

In a match where most bowlers struggled to contain batters, Prasidh Krishna's economy rate of 4.50 stood out as exceptional. To put this in perspective, the overall match economy rate was approximately 8.50, making Krishna's performance nearly twice as efficient as the average. His 14 dot balls (58% of his deliveries) created significant pressure on Mumbai's batting lineup.

2. Middle Overs Stranglehold

Krishna's performance during the crucial middle overs (7-16) was particularly game-changing. During this phase, he delivered 18 balls, conceded just 8 runs (economy of 2.67), and claimed 2 wickets. This middle-overs stranglehold effectively derailed Mumbai Indians' chase, as the required run rate climbed from manageable to daunting. His control during this phase directly translated to scoreboard pressure that Mumbai couldn't overcome.

Comparison of bowling economies between Prasidh Krishna and some other bowlers in the match [Source: OneCricket]Comparison of bowling economies between Prasidh Krishna and some other bowlers in the match [Source: OneCricket]

3. High-Value Wickets At Critical Junctures

While raw wicket counts can be misleading, Krishna's dismissals had exceptional match impact. He removed Tilak Varma in the 12th over and, most crucially, dismissed the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav in the 16th over. Suryakumar Yadav's wicket came when Mumbai needed to accelerate, effectively ending their realistic hopes of chasing down the target. The timing of Krishna's wickets proved more valuable than additional runs in a game Gujarat had already posted a competitive total.

While Sudharsan's 63 provided the batting foundation, Krishna's 4-0-18-2 bowling figures represented the defensive backbone that secured the victory. His performance showcased how, in T20 cricket, economical bowling can sometimes outweigh prolific batting when it comes to match impact.