Captains always talk about starting well in the powerplay. If they are bowling first or bowling second all the teams always talk about picking up early wickets. As a team, if you can pick up a couple of wickets in the powerplay then the batting team is already on the backfoot. There is a 70% chance that the batting team will lose if they have lost three wickets in the powerplay and the percentage keeps increasing if you lose more wickets.
A dream start for the bowling team would be when a bowler picks up a wicket in the very first over. But the bowlers have gone one step further as some of them have bowled double-wicket maidens to start the innings. Who are these bowlers to achieve this unthinkable? Let’s have a look at four bowlers who have started an innings with a double-wicket maiden in an IPL game.
4. Ryan Harris vs Delhi Capitals, 2009
Ryan Harris who is currently the bowling coach of Delhi Capitals was bowling the first over against Delhi Capitals in the 2009 IPL semi-final for Deccan Chargers. Deccan Chargers had finished fourth and Delhi Capitals had finished first which meant they were playing the first semi-final. Gautam Gambhir and David Warner were opening the batting for Delhi Capitals in the crucial encounter. Harris bowled his typical tight lines and lengths which got the wickets of both the left-handers on a duck which meant it was a double-wicket maiden to start the innings. Delhi could only manage 153/8 in their 20 overs and then an Adam Gilchrist special sealed the deal for Deccan Chargers who went onto win the IPL.
3. Chaminda Vaas vs Kolkata Knight Riders in 2010
Kolkata Knight Riders were playing the opening game of IPL 2010 against Deccan Chargers. KKR was batting first and Manoj Tiwary and Brad Hodge opened the batting for KKR. Chaminda Vaas who was bowling the first over for Deccan Chargers got a wicket off the first ball as Tiwary was caught at mid-wicket. Sourav Ganguly who came into bat at No.3 was dismissed off his third ball and the fourth ball of the match as he edged one to first slip. KKR was in deep trouble as it was a double-wicket maiden by Chaminda Vaas to start the innings. KKR posted 161/4 in their 20 overs and went on to win the match by 11 runs.
2. Praveen Kumar vs Chennai Super Kings in 2011
Chennai Super Kings were up against Kings XI Punjab in the 2011 IPL. CSK was batting first and Praveen Kumar who is one of the finest new-ball bowlers was opening the bowling. He bowled a lovely inswinger that hit Aniruddha’s pads and he was dismissed for a golden duck. Suresh Raina who is CSK’s all-time No.3 too was dismissed for a golden duck as he was caught at mid-wicket. Badrinath who came in at No.4 avoided the hat-trick but it was a double-wicket maiden to start the innings. CSK went on to post a huge total but still, KXIP won the game in the end.
1. Trent Boult vs Delhi Capitals in 2020
In the recently concluded Qualifier 1 between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, MI had posted a huge total of 200 on the board. Chasing 201, Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan came out to open the batting. Trent Boult who has picked up the most wickets in the powerplay this season got a wicket off his second ball as Shaw was dismissed for a duck. Ajinkya Rahane who is a technically solid batsman failed to read the ball which came back in and was dismissed for a duck. As a result, DC was off to the worst possible start while chasing a huge total as the scoreboard read 0-2 after one over. To make matters worse, Dhawan was dismissed for a duck in the next over. MI won the game by 57 runs and stormed into their sixth IPL Final.
