IPL 2022: Harshal Patel is only the second player after Mohammed Siraj to achieve a rare feat.
Harshal Patel starred as RCB defeated KKR by three wickets on Wednesday to claim their first victory in the IPL 2022. The seamer bowled brilliantly for 2/11 and hit an unbeaten 10 off six deliveries to help RCB complete a difficult chase at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Harshal joined another elite list with his performance on Wednesday. Following a breakout season in which he equaled Dwayne Bravo’s record for most wickets in an IPL season.
Harshal Patel back-to-back wicket-maidens, making him only the second player in IPL history to bowl two maiden overs.
Coincidentally, his RCB teammate Mohammed Siraj was the first to achieve the feat against KKR in IPL 2020.
Siraj recorded 3/8 in Abu Dhabi in 2020, completely outclassing KKR with the new ball.
Harshal also had two maidens in his first two overs of the match, but they came in the middle overs.
After choking him for runs, he had Sam Billings hole out in his first over. His next over was even better, as he kept a rampant Andre Russell in check before finally getting him to edge one behind with a short delivery.
Despite the fact that KKR’s top-order collapse had put RCB in a strong position when Harshal came on to bowl, Russell was still on strike and appeared to be in the mood for some fireworks.
Russell was batting on 25 off 13, having hit three sixes and a boundary. But Harshal bowled four consecutive dot balls, putting the big man under pressure.
Harshal bowled a short delivery that wasn’t wide enough for Russell to free his arms and hit, so the all-rounder attempted to back away and cut the ball, but only managed an edge through to Dinesh Karthik.
The dismissal summed up Harshal’s excellent performance, which would have resulted in even better numbers if it hadn’t been for two unlucky boundaries conceded off his bowling.
Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap last year for being the leading wicket-taker, and he’s back this year with four wickets in two games. However, his teammate Wanindu Hasaranga currently leads that tally with four wickets in the match against KKR, bringing his season total to five.
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