Western Australia delisted Tim David in 2019. He went to Singapore, the country of his birth, played 14 T20 internationals for the associate nation, became a globe-trotter and set the T20 circuit on fire with his hard-hitting finishing prowess.
On Sunday evening, he lit up the Wankhede Stadium with his strokeplay. Tim David smacked a 14-ball 45 not out to give Mumbai Indians a six-wicket victory in IPL’s 1,000th game, while chasing a 200-plus score against Rajasthan Royals.
With 17 needed off the last over, Samson tossed the ball to Holder but it all finished very quickly. David started off in a brilliant fashion as he cracked a flat six over long off, off the first ball. He sent the ball flying even further the next ball as he plundered a full toss over deep mid-wicket and way into the stands. The next one flew in the same direction as David thrashed it out of the park to win it for MI with 6, 6, 6 to spark wild celebrations.
Next Pollard for Mumbai Indians
At the post-match presentation, he was reminded by Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma that he has “big shoes to fill.” Asked if David could be Mumbai’s “next Kieron Pollard”, Rohit was wary: “‘Polly’ has done it for so many years and we have won so many championships with his performances.”
David admitted that in his first season in the IPL last year, he felt the heat.
“Last year was my first year of the IPL and I was hungry to make a name for myself and establish myself in the team. That can be a flawed concept,” he told reporters.
“Anything I do now is for the team. That’s been my theme for the year so far, and take some of the focus off my own performance.”
David said he has been “hungry” to be the one responsible for lifting Mumbai over the line like Pollard.
“I’ve been putting some real hard work on the training field. I’m grateful for the support from the support staff and Polly is there, a big part of it,” said David.
“A lot of conversations and then just trying to relax and enjoy the games.
“I’m working as hard as ever on that (power-hitting). I’m trying to develop to become a more rounded player.
The next Andrew Symonds for Australia
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been one of the vocal supporters of David. He called him an out-and-out match-winner and someone who reminds him of late Andrew Symonds.
“He’s the sort of player that could actually win you a World Cup. He actually reminds me a bit of Andrew Symonds back in the 2003 (ODI) World Cup,” Ponting was quoted as saying by Cricket.com.au.
His ability to muscle the ball, ability to clear the boundary, making a mockery of the targets and opponent bowlers gave him the reputation of being the most dangerous power-hitter of the game.
Setbacks
It was quite shocking when Mumbai Indians dropped him mid-season of the IPL 2022 after a few failures but he finished the tournament as the leading striker among batters, who have faced more than 25 balls (186 runs at a strike rate of 216.27 from eight matches).
But Sunday evening was his crowning moment.
“For me personally, it was about trying to stay quite level because I’ve been really hungry to finish off a game like that,” said David, who now has 170 runs at a strike-rate of 170 this IPL campaign.
“It plays on your mind because you want to do it … I’ve been waiting for my chance and I’m really pleased I took it.”
It has not been a smooth ride for David, who has endured more than his share of slings and arrows en route representing Australia.
Tim was born in Singapore. His father Rod David, went on to play cricket for Singapore in the 1990s. He was two when his family decided to move back to Perth.
In his U-19 cricket days, he didn’t get much success. It was only in the U-23 in 2018, where he scored 411 runs in five matches at 45.66, which earned him a ticket to the BBL with the Perth Scorchers.
The big break was followed by a stress fracture in his foot, and his stint with Scorchers was cut shot. Because of the injury, he switched from a seam bowler to an off-spinner. Three months later, he suffered another injury in the foot, which needed an operation.
He returned to the field in April 2019, and Western Australia delisted him, the Scorchers didn’t offer him a contract, a dejected David returned to Singapore.
At the T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2019, the world realised his potential.
In 2020-21, Hobert Hurricane signed him, he repaid the faith with 279 runs in 14 innings at an impressive strike rate of 153.29. In the 2021 PSL, he replaced David Wiese for Lahore Qalandars and ended up scoring 180 runs in six games, and the strike rate was 166.66. Stints with the Surrey and Southern Brave in England’s T20 Blast, 50-over cup and Hundred competitions followed, along with St Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second leg of the postponed 2021 IPL season.
In PSL 2022, he was snapped up by Multan Sultan, and he amassed 278 runs in 11 matches with an exhilarating strike rate of 194.40. His 29-ball 71 against Islamabad United was probably the innings of the tournament.
David made a long-awaited appearance in Australian colours last year in the lead-in to the T20 World Cup and if he manages to let his bat do the talking, he is going to fill the big shoes for Australia as well as his IPL franchise.
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