The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season has reached the business end and just like the past years, this season too has witnessed several records being set and broken.
In a T20 match, how a team starts and plays in the powerplay, sets the momentum for the rest of the match. A wicket in the first over pushes the opposition on the back foot and provides a flying start to the bowling team.
In a similar incident, on Sunday, Sunrisers Hyderabad spinner Jagadeesha Suchith entered a unique list of players. He became the third spinner to take a wicket off the first ball of an Indian Premier League match. On that note, let’s take a look at three spinners who have taken wickets off the first ball of an IPL match.
3 spinners to take wickets of the first ball of the match
#1 Kevin Pietersen
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen became the first spinner to take a wicket off the first ball of an IPL match in 2009. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Kolkata Knight Riders, he achieved this record.
The Knight Riders had won the toss and opted to bat first. The dangerous opening pair of Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle opened the innings, while Kevin Pietersen took the new ball. Off the very first delivery, he sent Brendon McCullum back in the hut.
Kevin bowled an outside off-stump delivery, which McCullum cut straight into the hands of Virat Kohli, who was standing at the point. The Royal Challengers Bangalore finished the ball with bowling figures of 1/24 in four overs.
#2 Marlon Samuels
Former West Indies cricketer Marlon Samuels has also achieved the record in the Indian Premier League. In 2012, playing for the Pune Warriors India, he dismissed Deccan Charges opener Parthiv Patel for a golden duck.
Parthiv opened the innings along with Shikhar Dhawan. His stay at the crease lasted just one ball. Marlon bowled a ball outside off-stump and turned it away from the batter. Parthiv tried to drive the ball, but it took the inside edge and clipped the off-stump.
Marlon Samuels conceded 33 runs in the match, taking one wicket in four overs. Deccan Chargers put on 186 runs on the board, on the back of Kumar Sangakkara’s 82 and Cameron White’s 74 runs knocks. They won the match by 13 runs.
#3 Jagadeesha Suchith
Young all-rounder Jagadeesha Suchith became the third and the latest spinner to take a wicket off the first ball of an IPL match. He achieved the record during Sunrisers Hyderabad’s game against Royal Challengers Bangalore match in IPL 2022.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and opted to bat first. On the very first delivery of the match, Suchith struck a mighty blow for the Faf Du Plessis-led team. Virat Kohli flicked the straight ball to Kane Williamson at short mid-wicket.
Jagadeesha Suchith finished the match with bowling figures of 2/30 in his four overs. Along with Kohli, he also dismissed Rajat Patidar for 48 runs off 38 balls in the innings.
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