Sachin asked me to open and I grabbed it: Bravo

Bulletin by Shwe Wai

Michelle Jones

JOHANNESBURG: "If it wouldn't have been for Irfan Pathan, you wouldn't be talking to me," said Dwayne Bravo following his scintillating strokeplay for Mumbai Indians against Kings XI Punjab in the DLF Indian Premier League on Tuesday. Off the eighth ball of the innings, Irfan failed to hold on to a catch from his own bowling - a miss that proved too costly for Yuvrai Singh's brigade.

"I discussed it on the flight coming into Johannesburg with the coach and the captain about coming up the order. I gave my views about the batting order but it was on morning of the match when Zaheer Khan and Sachin asked me if I would open and I grabbed the opportunity with both hands," Bravo revealed.

Promoted to open the innings, the all rounder was batting to a plan. After a brisk start, the demolition act began from the fifth over, smashing S Sreesanth all over the park for over 20 runs and from then on there was no stopping the Bravo storm.