West Indies cricketing icon Daren Sammy has had multiple stints in the Indian Premier League with different franchises, but the two incidents in the cash rich tournament that sticks out for the all rounder are both from the 2013 edition, when he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Before he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and Kings XI Punjab in the following year, Daren Sammy’s first introduction to IPL was with Sunrisers Hyderabad, who signed the St Lucian in 2013. He was also made the franchise captain in 2014.
However, both of Daren Sammy’s favourite IPL moments belong with the 2016 IPL champions. One is his half century against Rajasthan Royals, and the other is his two sixes he hit against Kolkata Knight Riders, and the two memories are those that Sammy still cherishes, even to this day.
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It was our debut season: Daren Sammy’s favourite IPL moments are with Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2013
Speaking to Sportstar, Sammy recalled the 2013 IPL edition, which was also the season when Sunrisers made their debut in the tournament. Find out waging options for IPL and other cricket tournaments here.
His first favourite moment is from the 36th match of the season against Rajasthan on 27th April at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. In the first innings, sammy scored a blistering 60 runs from 41 balls with eight fours and one six, before he was lbwed against James Peter Faulkner.
“It has to be my fifty against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur in 2013. Our team was in trouble (19/5) when I came into bat. I scored 60 off 41 balls,” Sammy recalled.
The next one belongs to the 72nd match of the same season against Kolkata Knight Riders, where Sunrisers secured their entry into the playoffs with a nail biting chase victory. Sammy, batting in the dead overs, struck two massive over boundaries, as he kept his strike till the end with a quick 12-ball-17.
The 36 year old continued, “and then, against Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Narine bowled a maiden to me and in the next over, I hit a left-arm spinner [Iqbal Abdulla] for two sixes to win that game and help us qualify for the playoffs.
“It was our debut season as Sunrisers Hyderabad into the playoffs,” Sammy concluded.
Daren Sammy claims IPL has set the tone for T20 Leagues
Following on with his memories with the Hyderabad based franchise, Sammy added that his renowned ‘pacifier’ celebration is another of his fond memories from the tournament.
He went on, “I also remember when I first came out with the ‘pacifier’ celebration. My daughter Skai was born during that time. The fans in Hyderabad picked it up and everybody in the stands had pacifiers in their mouth every time I hit a six or bowled a good delivery.”
“The whole experience was amazing. IPL really set the tone for the T20 leagues across the world,” Sammy, who currently captains St Lucia Zouks in the Caribbean Premier League, concluded.
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