IPL 2024: Feel happy to perform on my debut, says Frase-McGurk after match-winning knock against Lucknow

Lucknow, April 13: Jake Fraser-McGurk was happy to perform in his debut match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the star Australian batter slammed a half-century in 31 deliveries that helped Delhi Capitals (DC) beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets at Ekana Cricket Stadium.

McGurk came at number three and straightaway sent the second ball of his debut for a six over deep mid-wicket off Yash’s delivery. The second last over of the Power-play bowled by Arshad Khan cost 15 runs courtesy of a boundary by Prithvi Shaw and a maximum and a boundary by McGurk.

A sliced drive at Naveen-ul-Haq ended up in the hands of a deep third, and Fraser-McGurk walked off with 55 from 35 from his debut IPL innings after smashing a 31-ball half-century after getting dropped by Ravi Bishnoi on 24.

“Spent five, six games on the sidelines itching to get out there, stoked! Was just more about trying not to swing too hard and lose shape. That's what I've done over the last 12 months. I loved the one over cover, pretty happy with that. Don't usually hit many over the offside. Batting out of the Power-play is something am continuing to learn, it'll come with experience. I'm so happy to be here, different world in terms of cricket. Never seen anything like it, to be able to savour eight weeks, hopefully, more, is amazing,” said McGurk in the post-match presentation.

Krunal Pandya, bowling the 13th over of the innings, was taken to the cleaners by McGurk, who smashed a hat-trick of sixes to reach his half-century. McGurk became the third-youngest overseas batter after Sam Curran of England and Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan to smash a half-century.