Kings XI Punjab may have lost their first IPL 2020 game to Delhi Capitals in an exciting contest that was decided by a Super Over, but two of their Indian cricketers, Mohammed Shami and Mayank Agarwal, were the featured performers. While Agarwal failed to score that all-important run 1 in the last over despite hitting brilliantly during the KXIP chase, it was Shami who gave them a good start with his poison spell with the new ball after captain KL Rahul had opted to launch first.
Shami’s impressive performance with the new ball earned praise from all quarters, but none greater than what legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar said that Shami has the “best goalkeeper” in world cricket. “He (Shami) probably has the best goalkeeper in the cricket world, he slides over to you,” Gavaskar said during the commentary of DC vs KXIP IPL 2020 match number 2 in Dubai.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull, who was in the comment box at the time, also praised Shami. Doull and Gavaskar also talked about how the firm position of Shami’s wrist ensures a vertical seam at the launch point, allowing the ball to land on her most of the time.
Such was the discipline with which Shami bowled that it forced Prithvi Shaw to make a false throw in the next over when Shami collected his first wicket of the match. West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer sent Shami over a limit on the next delivery, but the Indian indicator threw an outstanding delivery to the body of the heavy hitter, who took a leading edge of the bat and was caught in the covers. .
He finished the innings with figures of 3/15, which are the best of his history in IPL. Yes, Mohammed Shami produced his best IPL spell against his old team, beating his previous best of 3/21, which he had collected for KXIP against Mumbai Indians last season.
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