Harry Brook proved his doubters wrong in a spectacular fashion as he smashed the first century of the 2023 Indian Premier League during Sunrisers Hyderabad's match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday night. The English batter had struggled to make a mark in the season thus far, with scores of 13, 3, and 13 in the side's first three matches. However, he silenced his critics with a blazing knock that included 12 fours and three sixes, reaching his century in just 55 balls.
Brook's innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting as he took on the KKR bowling attack from the outset. He hit three fours off the first over and continued to dominate the bowling, even as wickets fell at the other end. He was eventually dismissed for a brilliant 108 off just 63 deliveries, having put his team in a commanding position with a mammoth score of 228/4.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Brook, who faced significant criticism after his failures in the opening three games of the season. However, the SRH team management showed their faith in him by promoting him up the batting order, a move that paid off handsomely. Brook's performance will be a huge boost for the Sunrisers as they look to build momentum in the tournament.
IPL 2023: Mohit Sharma's tight spell, and Shubman Gill's fifty lead Gujarat to a six-wicket victory
The IPL 2023 auction had seen an intense battle for Brook's services, with Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad engaged in a bidding war. The latter eventually secured his services for a whopping ₹13.25 crore, making him one of the most expensive players in the tournament. With this innings, Brook has shown that he is worth every penny of that price tag.