IPL 2020: 3 left-arm fast bowlers with a five-wicket haul in tournament history
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been one of the fiercest competitions in cricket history where the best players from all over the world compete against each other. Mumbai Indians (MI) have been the most successful team in the tournament's history with 4 title wins, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have won the championship thrice.
Over the years, the prominence of left-arm pace bowlers has increased in the tournament as the franchises firmly believe that the left-arm pacers have the ‘X-factor’ element. The left-arm fast bowlers bring uniqueness to the table with their different angle. It is very tough for the batsmen to score runs when a right-arm and a left-arm fast bowler bowl from opposite ends.
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Here’s a look at the three left-arm quicks who have taken a five wicket haul in the IPL.
#3 Jaydev Unadkat - 5/25 vs DD, 2013 and 5/30 vs SRH, 2017
Very few fans may remember that the left-arm fast bowler from Saurashtra, Jaydev Unadkat, achieved his maiden five-wicket haul in IPL way back in 2013. He was a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) back then, and he recorded figures of 5/25 against Delhi Daredevils at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Virat Kohli’s heroics powered the visitors to a score of 183 runs in the first innings. Unmukt Chand and Ben Rohrer played magnificently for Delhi as they took the home side near the target. However, Unadkat’s brilliant bowling performance denied Delhi the win. He had dismissed Mahela Jayawardene and Virender Sehwag before he came back and sent Chand, Kedar Jadhav and Morne Morkel back to the pavilion. Bangalore won that match by 4 runs.
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Four years later, Unadkat registered his second five-wicket haul playing for Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Some splendid performances from Steve Smith, Ben Stokes and MS Dhoni guided RPS to a total of 148 in their 20 overs. Yuvraj Singh and David Warner played well in the second innings, however, Unadkat’s hat-trick and subsequent five wicket haul helped Pune win the match by 12 runs.
#2 Sohail Tanvir - 6/14 vs CSK, 2008
In the only IPL season that the Pakistani players featured in, Sohail Tanvir etched his name in the history books with a dream spell for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Playing at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, MS Dhoni won the toss and batted first. The visitors got off to a disastrous start as Tanvir sent Parthiv Patel and Stephen Fleming back to the dressing room before they could even open their accounts.
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He soon dismissed Sivaramakrishna Vidyut as Chennai got reduced to 11/3. Suresh Raina, Subramaniam Badrinath and Albie Morkel steadied the boat for Chennai but Tanvir ran through the lower middle order in the death overs to pick 6 wickets in his 4 overs. RR won that match by 8 wickets.
#1 James Faulkner - 5/16 vs SRH, 2013 and 5/20 vs SRH, 2013
The left-arm fast bowler from Australia became a popular name in the IPL after his two five-wicket hauls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Playing for Rajasthan in the 2013 season, James Faulkner picked up his first five-wicket haul in Jaipur. He got the better of Shikhar Dhawan, Kumar Sangakkara, and Karn Sharma in his first spell.
Daren Sammy tried to save the day for Hyderabad with a fighting knock of 60 runs but Faulkner dismissed him and Amit Mishra in his second spell to ensure that Rajasthan Royals won the match by 8 wickets.
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In the same season, Sunrisers Hyderabad hosted the Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium and Faulkner repeated his heroics once again. He picked up the wickets of Parthiv Patel and Dhawan in his first spell. This time, Biplab Samantray stabilized the innings of the home team with a half-century but Faulkner dismissed him and his partner, Sammy before completing his five-wicket haul with the wicket of Dale Steyn. Unfortunately, Rajasthan lost that match by 23 runs.