Who is Manvinder Bisla?

The decision to include Manvinder Bisla in Kolkata's squad for the final match of the Indian Premier League was questioned by many. By the end of the match, his stoic knock of 89 off 48 not only justified his inclusion but took his team to the podium for the first time.

The 27-year-old wicket-keeper batsman had a confident approach from the beginning of the chase. Needing 190 and despite seeing the back of his skipper early, Bisla was on the offensive from the word go.

His boundaries were exquisite and his shots beyond were majestic in a manner that even seemed to leave Chennai fans in a daze that revealed admiration.

For this man from Hisar however, it was not the first instance of belting the ball with effective ease. With a strike rate of over 106 in T20 cricket and a total of 1827 runs in first-class matches, Bisla has been a prolific player whose skills behind the stumps have made him a versatile addition.

Bisla played for Deccan Chargers in 2009 and was included in the Kings XI unit in 2010. Part of Kolkata Knight Riders since 2011, he has registered stellar performances in the past as well, in IPL.

With McCullum being bought in again by Kolkata, Bisla was always going to be a second choice. He however got the opportunity in the biggest match of the season and he showed why he is a candidate whose best strength, perhaps, is that the opposition almost always discounts his sheer skill to wreck bowlers apart.

Interestingly, Bisla was a bowler in India's U-19 team for the World Cup in 2002. He however took to being a wicket-keeper and improved his batting skills, playing for Haryana befoer shifting base to Himachal Pradesh.