On Monday, Sairaj Patil from North Mumbai Panthers was wreaking havoc on the bowlers of SoBo Supersonics with some outrageous batting. During his knock, he sent the ball over the boundary five times for sixes and thrice for fours. He gave his side a much-needed boost in the death overs to assert his team on the opponents.
When the time came for Patil to take his chance with the ball in the middle overs of the game, the bespectacled-Jay Bista returned the favour to Patil with an AB de Villers-esque shot. He shuffled to the off-stump and scooped the ball over the short fine leg fielder for four runs and landed awkwardly on his arm but only to get up to do it again. “I don’t practice it but it comes on instinct,” he describes it.
“That’s my pressure release shot. I play that really well and I believe that I can play it anytime in the innings so you can call it my trademark shot.”
Bista scored a blistering knock of 60 runs in 31 balls and ironically, he was sent back to the dugouts while attempting a similar scoop. But this time pacer Akhtar Sheikh was the winner. The ball went straight to the stumps ending his innings but he had already swung the match in his team’s direction.
The 22-year old lad feels that he has the role of a senior player in the side because of his domestic experience. “I was hitting the ball well and I was in good form. I have some responsibilities in the team because I am the senior player,” he says.
Not let down by the IPL seat
The T20 Mumbai League was in Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) pipeline for many years and it was understood that the league would commence before the Indian Premier League in order to give the players a chance to impress the franchises.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and it had to be postponed to March leaving many players without a chance. Bista has a different opinion. “I don’t think about IPL or the Indian team much. Not being picked by any franchise did not let me down in any way. For now, I want to give my best for the side that has selected me and I know that my skill will back me for the same,” he asserts.
When at home, no cricket
The Bista family’s building almost shares their boundary wall with Wankhede and their relationship with the stadium is not just so small. His father, Gokul Bista has had a fair share of games at the stadium himself in his college days.
The senior Bista prefers staying at home having a fear of putting pressure on his son’s mind. The father and son don’t even discuss the sport when at home. “I have cricket discussions with just the coach. When I am at home, my father and I have usual conversations.
“He does not come to the stadiums generally because he feels that it will put pressure on me and I understand that,” says Jay.
Jay will face NaMo Bandra Blasters on Thursday in an afternoon fixture where he will hope not to give away his wicket on his ‘trademark shot’.
