There was pressure, but I was excited too, says Rajasthan Royals pacer Tyagi

The pacer defended four runs in the final over to guide his side to a famous win over Punjab Kings in the IPL on Tuesday.

Mumbai Indians pacer Bumrah had lavished praise on Tyagi (in pic) after his last-over heroics against Punjab.

Kartik Tyagi bowled earlier this week at Dubai one of the great last overs of the IPL in recent memory. Punjab Kings had needed only four runs to win with eight wickets in hand, but the 20-year-old seamer bowled Rajasthan Royals to a stunning two-run victory.

He said when Mustafizur Rahman began the penultimate over, he didn’t think the match would go to the final over. “A left-hander was batting, a left-arm fast bowler was bowling and it was a shorter end,” Tyagi said on Friday. “But he gave only four runs. There was pressure for me but I was also excited.”

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He was not sure if he could defend the total when he began his final over. “But after three balls (in which only one run was conceded), I started to believe that I could perhaps do it,” he said. “I had felt that all my six balls needed to be yorkers.”

Tyagi was delighted when his feat was acknowledged on Twitter by Jasprit Bumrah. “I was delighted to learn that he had tweeted about me,” he said. “He is the world’s best fast bowler and is my hero. On the Australian tour, I was nervous, but he came up to me and discussed things with me.”