Twitter Reactions: Kane Williamson lights up IPL 2017 with a classy 89

Not many associate Kane Williamson with the slam-bang version of the game. But this man can be as effective as any in T20 cricket, make no mistake. He reminded everyone of his prowess in the shortest version of the game with a classy 89 against the Delhi Daredevils at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Williamson has warmed the bench for the first five games but did not look rusty at all when he was drafted in the XI today. He struggled to get going early on, though he was timing the ball really well but he just couldn’t find the gaps. He got a move on finally when he got stuck into Angelo Mathews’ military medium-pace, hitting the Sri Lankan for consecutive sixes in the seventh over.

The good thing about Williamson’s innings was he never tried muscling the ball and played proper cricketing shots throughout his innings and yet he managed to score at a strike rate of 174.50.

The Kiwi skipper was playing in just his 9th game in the IPL and had just a solitary six to his name. He managed to smash as many as 5 sixes in his knock of 89 today, which came off just 51 balls. The Kiwi hit six classy boundaries in his sparkling innings.

Williamson raised his half-century in the 12th over taking just 33 balls to reach his landmark. Post his fifty, Williamson shifted gears as he made 39 in his next 18 balls.

Williamson’s innings showed that you don’t have to clobber the ball to score quickly in this format. You can still make runs with a solid technique and by playing proper cricketing shots.

The 26-year old fell short of a second T20 hundred by 11 runs. He deserved a century because of his special innings today which has lit the IPL 2017.

Williamson #GOAT

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) April 19, 2017

Kane Williamson showing finesse and class still has a role in t 20's. Absolute STAR.?#IPL #SRHvDD

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) April 19, 2017

The Kane train has arrived!!! @IPL @SunRisers #IPL #SRHvDD

— Isa Guha (@isaguha) April 19, 2017

Kane Williamson, batting in his 100th T20 inns, struck more than 2 sixes in an inn only once (5 v Cobras, 2014). Can he hit one more today?

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 19, 2017

Williamson is mesmerisingly good. Range of strokes, timing, style. Can watch him all day, anywhere, any format

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 19, 2017

Kane Williamson:

In Powerplays – 12 runs, 14 balls, SR 85.71, 1×4
After Powerplays – 77 runs, 37 balls, SR 208.10, 5×4, 5×6#SRHvDD

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 19, 2017

How to play a T20 innings with class and flair Kane Williamson just showed us how to do that… Fantastic innings!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) April 19, 2017

I Rate Kane Williamson Above Joe Root For a Reason. A True Champion. #SRHvDD

— Subho (@subhojyoti146) April 19, 2017

Kane Williamson is on fire #SRHvDD

He gets to 88 – the highest score by a #SRH batsman in #IPL – with a thumping stroke through mid-wicket

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 19, 2017

Kane Williamson's shuffle & scoring of good balls is like art. When it comes off it looks gorgeous. When he misses it will look so ugly.

— Anurag Rekhi (@Dravidict) April 19, 2017

There is something about Kane Williamson, you can never get tired of watching him play. Such a class act he is.

— Krisshna Saraswat (@Krisshna_S) April 19, 2017

The champion came out and played like a champion. Wonderful to watch. #KaneWilliamson

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 19, 2017

The test batsman, Kane Williamson has outscored the limited overs' specialist Shikhar Dhawan quite comfortably #IPL

— Shubh AggarWall (@shubh_chintak) April 19, 2017

Very good total @SunRisers. Kane Williamson was the stand out 89 off 51 balls

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) April 19, 2017