After successfully defending 11 runs in the final over of Mumbai Indians chase to give Lucknow Super Giants a tight five-run victory in IPL 2023, left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan recalled the tough phase of his career in the last 12 months, revealing that he had even given up hope of playing the game.
Mohsin had picked 14 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 5.97 in his debut IPL season last year. But after that, he suffered a serious shoulder injury and did not play any competitive cricket for 12 months, missing the entire domestic season and first half of IPL 2023.
"It was a very tough time and I had given up hope of playing cricket at one point because I was not able to even lift my hand, forget bowling. I was not able to straighten (my hand), my physio worked alongside me."
"It was medical related, it was quite scary, as the doctor had said if I was late by another month they would have had to amputate my hand. Regarding my injury, I would first like to say that no cricketer should suffer this kind of condition. It was quite strange, my artery was blocked, my nerve was blocked," he said in the post-match press conference.
Mohsin finally returned to action for Lucknow against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, where he conceded figures of 1/42 in three overs. Against Mumbai on Tuesday, Mohsin conceded 21 runs in his first two overs and took out Nehal Wadhera, before giving away only five runs in the final over to keep Lucknow's playoffs chances alive.
"I was just trying to do what I do in practice. That's my strength. I just followed that. Krunal (Pandya) bhai also came and asked me what I was going to do. I told him, 'bhaiya, I will do what I have been doing so far'."
"I was just trying to keep myself calm and not look at the scorecard. I just thought that I have to simply bowl six balls. I wasn't looking at the runs, whether they need 10 runs or 11 runs. I was just thinking that I have to bowl six good balls."
"Because the wicket was gripping I thought I will bowl slower balls. I beat the batter with the first two balls. I was just trying to change that up with yorkers. It was also reversing a little," he elaborated on his strategy in the final over.
Mohsin dedicated his match-winning performance to his father, who was in hospital before Tuesday's match. "Sadly, my father was in the hospital, in the ICU, he just got discharged yesterday so I was playing the match for him. He was probably watching the game on TV. So I was playing for him. He was in the ICU for the last ten days. He must be very happy."
Mohsin signed off by expressing gratitude to the Lucknow thinktank for giving him a game against Mumbai despite not doing well in Ahmedabad. "I am also very grateful for the faith shown in me by the team. My last game wasn't good but they played me in this one. Especially Gautam (Gambhir) sir, Vijay (Dahiya) sir and the rest of the support staff, they showed trust in me and played me."
Now at third place in the points table, Lucknow need to win their final league match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on the evening of May 20 to confirm their playoffs spot.