What was the secret behind Jaydev Unadkat’s hat-trick against Sunrisers Hyderabad?

In India, people call cricket their religion and IPL is a festival. In every corner of every road, you may find a group of people discussing what should be done and what their favourite IPL team should and should not do to win the game. From 8 to 80, everyone is a cricket expert in their own rights.

Rising Pune Supergiant pacer Jaydev Unadkat recently put up an exceptional performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he picked a five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick. Banking on his performance, the Supergiant team clinched out a narrow low-scoring thriller. What made Unadkat’s show more special is that Hyderabad needed 13 runs in the last over, which in T20 cricket, seems very much achievable.

But the left-arm medium pacer had other plans in his mind. In what was one of the best last over in this year’s IPL, if not the best, he managed to bowl a triple-wicket maiden over. He became only the 2nd bowler in the history of IPL to take two 5-wicket hauls, the first one being Australian all-rounder James Faulkner, who now plays for Gujarat Lions. Unadkat also bowled his 2nd maiden over, which is best till now in this year’s IPL.

But what was the secret behind the scintillating performance? Whose advice did he follow? Well, he followed the advice Omkar, a 12-year-old student of Apang Kalyankari Shikshan Sanstha (APSS) . Recently, Jaydev was in an event alongside skipper Steve Smith and South African batsman Faf du Plessis conducted by APSS, which is an organization working towards the education of the disabled children in the city.

In the event before the match, Omkar confidently told Jaydev “ Hi Jaydev Sir. Aap bowling aise mat karne, aise karna. Tab wicket girenge, aur hat-trick Pune ko hi milega”. It meant “Hi Jaydev Sir. Don’t bowl like this, but like this (imitating to roll his fingers over the ball and get a cross-seam position). Only then you will get wickets, and Pune will get a hat-trick.”

Little did he know that after a few days, his wish will be fulfilled. Unadkat recently had posted the video on social media platform Instagram, where he has acknowledged the advice of little Omkar. He wrote “So here’s the bowling advice I got that led to the hat-trick yesterday.Thanks to the little one !! #ForTheseSpecialKids”.

So here's the bowling advice I got that led to the hat-trick yesterday. Thanks to the little one !! #MyLuckyCharm #ForTheseSpecialKids @Finolexwater @GulfOil.India @punesupergiants #mukulmadhavfoundation

A post shared by Jaydev Unadkat (@jd_unadkat) on May 7, 2017 at 8:11am PDT

Pune is currently holding the 3rd position of the points table. To qualify for playoffs, they would need more such performances from Jaydev as they aspire to lift the trophy.