WATCH Marcus Stoinis unleash mayhem as PBKS star slams Shami for 4 sixes

Marcus Stoinis played the finisher’s role to perfection as Punjab Kings put on a daunting chase for the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. Having opted to bat first, the visitors put on 245/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to Shreyas Iyer’s heroic 82-run knock. However, it was late fireworks from Marcus Stoinis that took them past 240, with the Australian tonking Mohammed Shami for 4 consecutive sixes in the 20th over.

WATCH Marcus Stoinis’ last over fireworks

Marcus Stoinis walked into bat after Glenn Maxwell’s wicket, with Punjab still needing a late-overs boost to put them on course for a huge total. The Australian all-rounder got going with a boundary off his counterpart Pat Cummins before unleashing a barrage of sixes off Mohammed Shami. The former LSG star miscued his first hit to pick two before clearing the fence with a slot ball. Shami erred on his lines and length again, as Stoinis continued to put it away the hits on the legside in a massive 27-run over.

Such was Stoinis’ explosive hitting that Shami finished with figures of 0/75 in his four overs. It is the second most expensive spell in IPL history, just one run short of Jofra Archer’s 0/76 earlier in the season at Hyderabad. The Australian is the only player to strike at more than 300 SR while batting in the 20th over in the IPL.

Stoinis did not have the best of outings in the IPL so far, but turned up when his team needed him the most. Before his knock against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, he had scored 25 runs in 4 games, with a solitary six and a boundary. His 11-ball 34 cameo might well be the difference on a belter of a pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad. Punjab Kings will hope that their faith in Stoinis continues to pay off as they aim to continue their good form in IPL